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Opinions on Hypex Plate (FusionAMP) Amplifiers?

Gremlins

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The gain adjustment is valid only if a little jumper is soldered inside the amp, page 17 on fusion amp manual.

If not soldered, then xlr input is at 6.15v max to obtain max power

So a dac with xlr output at 4v is not optimum
 

bexi

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I think that is not really a thing to worry. High input max voltage is good for headroom on every situation. ADC on that that is not that high end in sound quality either way. Certainly enough for subwoofers. Most optimum thing is to use digital input.
 

Gremlins

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Yep, but what device as a preamp do you use for digital input?

I see no dac with digital output AND has the ability to control volume , or perhaps expensive one?
 

bexi

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Yes, that is a tricky thing and sometimes expensive. I am using AES/EBU-output hardware (Focusrite rednet d16 aes) and software (PcmStreamer/Roon) in Windows, works for me.
There is Hypex remote control add-on too.
Genelec SAM-speaker users using digital inputs are on the same boat.
Some examples with digital output volume are Yamaha WXC-50, RME ADI-2 Pro and Bluesound NODE 2i.
 
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YSDR

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There are not many digital preamps out there but here is a few: miniDSP SHD or the SHD Studio (if you don't need analogue connectivity), miniDSP Flex Digital.
I'm using a SHD Studio with the Fusionamps, works and sounds really good and serves as a network player too.
 
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I have 2 FA502 Plate Amps in use for three days now.
One of them has a really annoying bug (the Master Unit in my configuration)
If I turn them on via the remote (the Amps are in Low Power sleeping mode) after a longer period, the master units emits a very loud coil whine.
The Sound is not coming from the speakers, its the amplifier itself which generates the noise.
The only thing which helps is to plugg the power, wait till the caps run out of power, then the Amp starts regulary.
 

Doodski

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I have 2 FA502 Plate Amps in use for three days now.
One of them has a really annoying bug (the Master Unit in my configuration)
If I turn them on via the remote (the Amps are in Low Power sleeping mode) after a longer period, the master units emits a very loud coil whine.
The Sound is not coming from the speakers, its the amplifier itself which generates the noise.
The only thing which helps is to plugg the power, wait till the caps run out of power, then the Amp starts regulary.
Coil whine is not uncommon with switching power supplies and I imagine switching amps too. When I was servicing switch mode power supplies for a occupation I would replace the coils and that solved the issue.
 
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The Coil whine is too loud to be normal. you can hear it in another room. Its more a buzzing or humming.
I forgot to mention, but the Amplifier don't start, it feels like the dsp modul isn't booting correctly. Luckily the relais are still closed, so no danger for my compression drivers.
After pulling the plug and waiting the amp starts normal and the coil is quiet.
I will try to reinstall the firmware, if the problem persists i'm returning them. My old Monacor Loudspeaker management system has worked for 10 years without a single issue.
The Hypex has now made me more problems in a few days. Definitely not impressed until now - btw if the modul has started properly everythings fine, no hiss, sounds good.
 
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btw, if instead of using stand by i turn them off via the physical button, then turn them on again after some hours the slave unit neither detects a signal, nor is it recognised by the hypex filter design software. If i then pull the plug and didn't wait long enough the unit doesn't even turn on - so both amps i've got have some issues. Really pissed off at the moment. One faulty Unit Ok, but both?
Via HFD the Slave unit is locked on the Coaxial Digital Input, but after booting when the unit was turned off, not in stand by, Hypex Filter Designer says the Slave Unit is on the Analouge XLR input...which it should not, because it's locked on the Coax digital input...
I have reinstalled the actual firmware 1.46 (the same the amps where shipped with), maybe it helps.
 
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ctrl

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I have 2 FA502 Plate Amps...
One of them has a really annoying bug (the Master Unit in my configuration)
If I turn them on via the remote (the Amps are in Low Power sleeping mode) after a longer period, the master units emits a very loud coil whine.
Have have two FA503 plate amps for several years now and they make no noise at all.
Therefore, I also suspect that there is a defect.

I live in the city center, so the basic noise level is relatively high and always fluctuates somewhat, but you can see the amps are dead silent:
1675266706534.png 1675266724060.png

turn them off via the physical button, then turn them on again after some hours the slave unit neither detects a signal, nor is it recognised by the hypex filter design software.
You follow the proper power-up sequence prescribed in the manual?
 
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Update:
Looks like not the the Plate Amps are defective, but the f*cking Oled Display...
I've switched which module serves as master- and slave unit, hence i connected the display (which is also the IR receiver for the remote) to the other Unit.
For two days it worked fine, then the loud noise after turning on returned - but now the other unit (the former slave, now the master unit) was emitting the noise.
Then i ordered a new IR receiver kit, connected it and since then everything worked fine.
I'm gonna observe this some more days, if the error is not returning it's definitely the Display. Strange...
 

StigErik

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Anyone users have any complaints re: fans on the FA502 / FA503 units? I'm brainstorming an active 3-way build and fan noise could be a deal breaker.

Second, any updates on a more powerful DSP module with FIR capabilities yet? I can live without this it's just a nice to have later on thing...

I have three FA503's that is used on really power-hungry speakers, 82 dB/2,83V and 4 ohms. And I like to crank it up to 11. I can see that the fans spin up, but I never hear them.
 

StigErik

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Haha.. they can be a bit loud… if you have kilowatts of power!

They are my Frankenstein-style Magnepan 3.7 with a 1.6 as extra bass panel, active 3 1/2 way with a FA502 on the two bass panels, a FA252 on the tweeter an mid. Crossing over to a subwoofer system at 120 Hz. Other crossover points are 400/800/4k Hz.

It doesn’t sound anything like a Magnepan usually do.
 

kennlarsen

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which of these amps have the lowest noise level. I am sitting 60 cm/2 feet from the speakers and i want to chose the amp with the lowest noise from the tweeters. see the specs attached
 

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YSDR

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which of these amps have the lowest noise level. I am sitting 60 cm/2 feet from the speakers and i want to chose the amp with the lowest noise from the tweeters. see the specs attached
The Hypex probably has a lower noise level, but the specs are given differently for these two amps.
 

StigErik

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If my calculations are correct, they compare like this :

Labgruppen : -66 dBu = 3.882e-4V
Hypex tweeter amp : -109 dB relative to ~28V (100W@8ohm) = 9.935e-5V = -77.84 dBu

The difference is almost 12 dB in Hypex' favour.
 

changer

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FIR FILTER OPTION RELEASE

The FIR filter option is now available in HFD 5.0 and can be easily downloaded from our product page on the web shop or via the link below. This option can be used on your Fusion Amp from version 03xx, except for the FA502 and FA503 which can be used from version 05xx. To access the new FIR capabilities, update your Fusion Amp firmware to version V5.7.

Alas, my FA123 does not accept v5.7 :(
 
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