Opinions on Hypex Plate (FusionAMP) Amplifiers?

[DAZZER]

It sounded really good, but... The MiniDSP Flex / Hypex Nilai setup I have now has better specs (SINAD etc ...) but is also a lot more expensive.

How does that sound in your setup? Is it significant (night and day)? In other words, was that extra cost worth it? Thanks.

 

[Deleted member 58670]

How does that sound in your setup? Is it significant (night and day)? In other words, was that extra cost worth it? Thanks.

Night and day? Absolutely not. Would I be able to detect any audible difference in a blind test? Maybe... hard to tell.
But I sleep better at night knowing that the specs of the MiniDSP Flex and Hypex Nilai amps are as good as it gets.

Worth the extra cost? Well ... that depends. If you judge it by the sound alone, it's not.

However...
The ten FusionAmps I had (for my 4-way 5-channel setup) plus a Behringer DCX2496 (for my Double Bass Array) simply made it all too complicated and impractical, especially since I fiddle with it all the time. I swapped it all for six MiniDSP Flex, because that allowed me to have all the units connected by USB to my computer at the same time, and not having to physically switch USB cables between the ten FusionAmps. Remember - you can only connect and configure a single FusionAmp at a time. With the MiniDSP, I have all my six units connected, and they can also be configured in the same GUI instance. An other thing is that an EQ change in the MiniDSP happens in real time. You can sit in the main listening position and actually listen there and then what an EQ change sounds like. With the FusionAmp you have to do an upload, which can take as long as 30 seconds, and during that time the FusionAmp will mute the audio.

 

[Newman]

An other thing is that an EQ change in the MiniDSP happens in real time. You can sit in the main listening position and actually listen there and then what an EQ change sounds like. With the FusionAmp you have to do an upload, which can take as long as 30 seconds, and during that time the FusionAmp will mute the audio.

Can't you save presets with FA and use a remote to switch between them for listening comparisons?

 

[Salt]

For remote you need the remote set on the remoted ... for 2 way ok, but not for multiway, and extra hardware to be installed.

 

[alc]

As far as I could see, they only sell to "creditworthy businesses, federal agencies and institutions upon approved credit." Personally, I am not any of these...

I think this comment was directed about the dspNexus from Danville Signal. Although much of our business is directed at OEMs, we certainly sell this product directly to consumers. If you are interested, there is a contact form on our web site or we can arrange a call.

Al Clark
Danville Signal

 

[Maciek]

Need help on integrating Fusion amps with sub in a 2.1/5.1 setup. At present a Yamaha AVR serves as pre, in between Wiim mini (optical output) and two FA123, and a DIY sub connected to sub out. I want to simplify things for stereo (2.1) and use the AVR only for additional channels for 5.1 material (over HDMI from streaming services). So basically I want to plug Wiim mini directly into Fusion amps but I need to integrate the sub without using AVR. So, as Fusion amps use spdif for master/slave link, could I just connect a DAC with spdif input after the slave unit, to serve the sub?
Obviously I want to avoid buying another Fusion plate just for the sub ($$) as I feel it would be served perfectly fine by something cheaper like an Aiyima TPA3255 amp. Alternatively I could upgrade to Wiim Ultra for sub out but then again, considering additional apmplification I woild probably end at a proce tag close to FA122/FA252. Using spdif out from slave Fusion would be the most cost effective but I don't know if it would work with a third party DAC.

 

[YSDR]

So, as Fusion amps use spdif for master/slave link, could I just connect a DAC with spdif input after the slave unit, to serve the sub?

I don't think that would work (but maybe).
But even if it would work, for optimal result, you need filtering for the sub channel and an Aiyima amp (or other typical cheap chinese amps) don't have function like this. Amps with adequate DSP filtering functions are not cheap, and this is where Hypex FAs shines also because they have filtering.

 

[Salt]

Need help on integrating Fusion amps with sub in a 2.1/5.1 setup. At present a Yamaha AVR serves as pre, in between Wiim mini (optical output) and two FA123, and a DIY sub connected to sub out. I want to simplify things for stereo (2.1) and use the AVR only for additional channels for 5.1 material (over HDMI from streaming services). So basically I want to plug Wiim mini directly into Fusion amps but I need to integrate the sub without using AVR. So, as Fusion amps use spdif for master/slave link, could I just connect a DAC with spdif input after the slave unit, to serve the sub?
Obviously I want to avoid buying another Fusion plate just for the sub ($$) as I feel it would be served perfectly fine by something cheaper like an Aiyima TPA3255 amp. Alternatively I could upgrade to Wiim Ultra for sub out but then again, considering additional apmplification I woild probably end at a proce tag close to FA122/FA252. Using spdif out from slave Fusion would be the most cost effective but I don't know if it would work with a third party DAC.

The Manual on page nine is not absolutely fitting your setup but suggests that S/PDIF out full signal should be available all along the chain.

 

[Maciek]

I don't think that would work (but maybe).
But even if it would work, for optimal result, you need filtering for the sub channel and an Aiyima amp (or other typical cheap chinese amps) don't have function like this. Amps with adequate DSP filtering functions are not cheap, and this is where Hypex FAs shines also because they have filtering.

Thing is, with Wiim's room correction and PEQ capabilities I can work just fine with sub's response. It just feels like a waste of potential, buying a Fusion amp just to cover a narrow band. To make things even worse, the ear is very forgiving of distortion in the sub bas...

In the 100-200 usd range there are chi-fi options based on TA3225, some already with lowpass filter included, sone not. I might add an analog lowpass filter board or go with a plate amp from Dayton or similar.

Basically there are options, under the assumption that Fusion amps use plain spdif in between themselves. It makes sense since we have to manually set master/slave status, filters, etc., in each amp separately. Sample rate should also be standard as per the manual, as there is no singnal processing on coax output, thanks @Salt for pointing it out.

 

[YSDR]

In the 100-200 usd range there are chi-fi options based on TA3225, some already with lowpass filter included

If you have this, you only need one more thing to somehow adjust the timing of the sub channel. Then if you have all these, the performance getting close to a Fusionamp.