Nord Three SE 1ET400A Dual Mono Teardown

[elberoth]

OK then, but I still don't like the unused heatsinks!

They are a part of the case design. You cannot order them without heatsinks. Simple as that.

 

[Hipper]

So, you might say, everyone should get active speakers with DSP tailored to the internal amplifier, driver characteristics and performance, but then all the 'hobby' aspect of mixing and matching speakers and amplifiers goes out the window and HiFi is boring.

I thought the point of our hobby was to listen to music?

I find comparative listening of gear tedious and frustrating. I'd rather be able to get a set of equipment that will work for me without any doubt and then get on with my hobby of listening to music.

 

[AudioSceptic]

They are a part of the case design. You cannot order them without heatsinks. Simple as that.

Yes, yes, I know that, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

 

[boggit10]

The cases are indeed from Japan. They are superbly made and finished with a very silky feel to the anodizing. They are extremely rigid the front and rear panel extrusions have 90 degree plates that hold the top and bottom panels, no gaps or flexing. Theses cases cost twice as much as the Modu cases used by us and others. So if you want a 10mm front panel, inferior fit and finish choose the Modu case. In Class D amps the case acts as a heat sink, the heat sinks are not used in the traditional sense but are mechanically and thermally linked so will aid heat dissipation. Besides they look beautiful.

As for cooling vents we machine these into the base and rear of our NC1200 as they are required and used a taller 88mm case which will become standard for all amps when present stocks of 70mm high cases are exhausted.

 

[maty]

It is best that Amirm make temperature measurements with different SPL watts after a while running (with stabilized temperature) and publishes the data or, better, the images.

By the way, the phase measurement is pending.

 

[Julf]

They are made by Takeshi Takachi It was bavmike (Mivera Audio) who discovered them and recommended Colin (Nord).

Good for them for discovering them, but Takaschi is actually a fairly well-known name in the industry, and has even been mentioned many times on diyaudio over the years. Yes, they are, in my experience, quite good enclosures.

 

[maty]

Something off-topic.

About the BIG resistor to make the measurements, amirm and others should read:

https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/solid-state/344540-alpha-nirvana-39w-8ohm-class-amp-post5981618.html

 

[elberoth]

I have fairly difficoult to drive speakers (Magico M3) and the amps never really get much hotter.

My Dagostino Momentum and MSB monoblocks run MUCH hotter than the Nords. Both under music program and at idle.

The thermal design of Nord amps is perfectly OK.

 

[somebodyelse]

Strain relief is a technical reason, but for X.xxx€ Amp it is looking way too cheap. This is how its done:
https://www.mikrocontroller.net/attachment/208400/WP_20140220_001__Medium_.jpg

Those look every bit as cheap to me, and worse for strain relief. A matter of taste I guess.

 

[Julf]

Something off-topic.

About the BIG resistor to make the measurements, amirm and others should read:

https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/solid-state/344540-alpha-nirvana-39w-8ohm-class-amp-post5981618.html

It is all a conspiracy by Big Resistor.

 

[amirm]

Something off-topic.

About the BIG resistor to make the measurements, amirm and others should read:

https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/solid-state/344540-alpha-nirvana-39w-8ohm-class-amp-post5981618.html

"Amirm" doesn't need to read that as he has written a lot about it. See my review of AHB2 for starters: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-and-measurements-of-benchmark-ahb2-amp.7628/

We also had a separate thread on it. Search for my alias and VCR and you can read more.

How much these resistors matter are a function of the amplifier damping factor as well. With higher damping factor they don't make as much (or any) difference up to certain performance level.

I went through a lot of resistors to identify the ones I am using at the power rating I need. The Dale ones are the reference but they are not available in stock anywhere for some reason.

Note that inductance doesn't factor in so don't chase that dead end. That said, I do use the low inductance to be on the safe side.

 

[maty]

I did not remember it.

 

[restorer-john]

Oh god Maty is off again

Ignore function. Just. Use. It.

 

[HammerSandwich]

Reasonable if we are talking about Apple, but these guys are selling and buying in low volumes. They won’t get a much better price for cases than you would.

Many people don't understand how large a gap there is to actual industry.

Years ago, I was at Russell Karting, which was the long-time Dunlop kart tire importer for North America. They had a sizable warehouse, 53' race-support semi inside, etc. And shelves stacked with new (flat) cardboard boxes. Jimmy told me that they ordered 3 semis of boxes at a time. And did not qualify for the 1st-level discount from the box company.

 

[restorer-john]

Search for my alias and VCR and you can read more.

You testing VCRs now? Awesome. What's next, 8-Tracks?

 

[phoenixdogfan]

But you just said: since they're the hot components in the thermal images and don't have a heatsink.

That's precisely my point.. and it's even worse since there is a form heatsink that's a part of the product. Made only worse in fact that it goes unused as such.. If you're going to do the work faking a heatsink, the tooling cost itself already sunk. It's all the more unfortunate they didn't just make a functional one.

Oh and the bigger issue actually is that they aren't using the heatsinks since they have contact with outside air. Proper full coverage of the active parts would make air holes redundant. If you mean to say it would've been better if they at least included holes for ventalation at all(if the heatsink option was never mean't to be), then I agree.

Why not remount the modules on the heatsinks. Would require recabling the whole thing, but still looks like an assembly type operation. Case and components are there. Guess you void a warranty, but so what if it makes the product more robust.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Just think of those heatsinks like a big spoiler added to the back of a car:

All about the looks.

LeManns ready.

 

[somebodyelse]

Why not remount the modules on the heatsinks. Would require recabling the whole thing, but still looks like an assembly type operation. Case and components are there. Guess you void a warranty, but so what if it makes the product more robust.

Heatsinks on the current case aren't tall enough. When they change from 70mm to 88mm cases that might be an option.

 

[Burning Sounds]

Same case with mono, Hypex NC500, only one Hypex SMPS1200.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-dual-mono-stereo-amp-review.9938/post-268539

PURIFI 1ET400 is 1% more efficient but there are two Hypex SMPS1200 inside the STEREO implementation.

Remember, the Big caps of SMPS are very cheap and only 85ºC

Are you sure they are only 85ºC? The SMPS caps in my amp's NC502MP modules are 105ºC - I wouldn't have thought these would be different.

 

[maty]

Maybe you are right. I can not confirm with Google.

NC500 use 105ºC.