Snake Oil Department, Top This

[Cbdb2]

You might have a point. Claims 10Kw maximum input power. But I wonder does it need 240v or 3 phase power. A regular 110v outlet will trip past 1875w

Exactly. Its obviously only 2 phase, and US made so 120v. The morons that buy these can't even figure that out. And they probably use 10 watts of the 1600. Next let's put one of these on a Cessna.

 

[egellings]

When I worked in a metrology lab there was lots of high current instrumentation and they all had bolts and nuts on the rear panel for power cables and even no connections on the front panel because the current input/output was so high that standard banana jacks would simply melt so there where all metal connectors at the rear panel for that too. Could it be that this is the case with this amplifier?

Sometimes banana jacks were installed just as voltage test points and not intended to deliver heavy current.

 

[egellings]

Agree but don't start the 'what is snake oil' discussion again. Please.

Do snakes even have any oil in them? My boa doesn't think so.

 

[Descartes]

I think we have a winner here...

You have to admit it’s beautiful but now for the price you can go on a really nice vacation in 5 star hotels in Hawaii for a few weeks!

 

[TankTop]

I think we have a winner here...

Honey, how come the dryer won’t turn on?

 

[TankTop]

Exactly. Its obviously only 2 phase, and US made so 120v. The morons that buy these can't even figure that out. And they probably use 10 watts of the 1600. Next let's put one of these on a Cessna.
View attachment 395747

Don’t tell me you wouldn’t put that on a Cessna

 

[Tranquility Bass]

I think we have a winner here...

And what happens if someone inadvertently wires the Line/Active to the earth lug ? Could happen if someone is color blind or poor lighting or don't know what they are doing ? Also missing protective sheaf for the mains wiring. I don't think they have thought this through.

 

[win]

You have to admit it’s beautiful but now for the price you can go on a really nice vacation in 5 star hotels in Hawaii for a few weeks!

I don't have to admit that, they look really stupid.

My question is what was the problem with a standard iem cable? Why would you want to hardwire a power cable like that?

 

[Doodski]

My question is what was the problem with a standard iem cable? Why would you want to hardwire a power cable like that?

Because the AC power draw of the amplifier is very high. The same goes for those speaker posts where the power output is very high and needs a solid connection with near perfect integrity.

 

[Sal1950]

At $350k it better deliver.

It delivers, at least on the level the owner expects it to. The second anyone should see a pair of these in your system they scream VERY EXPENSIVE, they have no need to understand HiFi. Like a huge gold watch or gold chain around your neck, it takes little to zero knowledge to understand.

And what happens if someone inadvertently wires the Line/Active to the earth lug ?

He goes straight to hell, no passing GO, no collecting his $100
You can't fix stupid. LOL

Exactly. Its obviously only 2 phase, and US made so 120v. The morons that buy these can't even figure that out. And they probably use 10 watts of the 1600.

True, but the same can be said about most any very high power amp in a home environment.
When John Atkinson measures these big boys, he most always discusses the fact that the line voltage will sag along with rated power out due to current limiting.
If you really needed every bit of that power, dedicated AC lines, along with possibly ordering 240 voltage or 3 phase transformed units might be wise.

I don't have to admit that, they look really stupid.

To you, I find them drop dead gorgeous, specially the black and copper models.

There are folks paying huge money for paintings that look like they were done by a 7 year old,
Picasso can't even paint a symmetrical face?
I'd rather burn these then hang them on my wall.

 

[Ken1951]

The amp has a certain steam-punk sort of look and does have some appeal. But I have to say I do love me some Picasso though.

 

[Roland68]

That ia the dumbest most idiotic design I have ever seen. Cheap ring connectors for the incoming power that now has to have a box covering them for safety. Then with the speaker wires they couldn't even go with a nice gold plated ring connector they went with cheap spades. Then when you turn the power on in the BACK of the unit it doesn't really turn them on. You have to feel around under the front of the unit to actually, finally, get it turned on. Also the sheer size of them is ludicrous. VERY Big Ugly abortions with terrible electrical design for hookups and turning on. I can't even think of what the price is for this junk. Designed by a high school class level designer. I think I have to wash my eyes out with water from seeing that video.

This is a device with a 10KW connection power.
I find it absolutely ridiculous that in the video they connect a cheap cable with absolutely cheap metal connections to an amplifier costing several hundred thousand euros.

Did you run out of money for a high-quality industrial cable for 10 euros/meter and high-quality industrial ring terminals for high-current applications for 2-5 euros/each?
Or didn't they have the right crimping tool?
As a manufacturer, I would be ashamed of such rubbish on such an amplifier.
Something like that also allows conclusions to be drawn about the rest of the construction.

 

[Sal1950]

Something like that also allows conclusions to be drawn about the rest of the construction.

You trying to bring normal, straight line thinking into a La La Hollyweird land type of dysfunctional thought processes. LOL

 

[Roland68]

You trying to bring normal, straight line thinking into a La La Hollyweird land type of dysfunctional thought processes. LOL

When you look inside the devices, the impression is reinforced: it's great on the outside and terrible on the inside.
Even with a €10,000 device, I would expect more.

The cheapest wiring inside too, with sheet metal cable lugs and flat plugs, plus cable clamps from Bauhaus. Really high quality for over €200,000. There are enough DIY builds in the forum that aren't any worse made.

It would have cost maybe €100-200 more to use professional parts than cheap material from Bauhaus or Amazon.

 

[gfinlays]

You might have a point. Claims 10Kw maximum input power. But I wonder does it need 240v or 3 phase power. A regular 110v outlet will trip past 1875

Exactly. Its obviously only 2 phase, and US made so 120v. The morons that buy these can't even figure that out. And they probably use 10 watts of the 1600. Next let's put one of these on a Cessna.
View attachment 395747

Page 3 of the manual - 220 V, 30 Amp supply to get the rated output of the Epic 1600.

 

[AdrianusG]

That ia the dumbest most idiotic design I have ever seen. Cheap ring connectors for the incoming power that now has to have a box covering them for safety. Then with the speaker wires they couldn't even go with a nice gold plated ring connector they went with cheap spades. Then when you turn the power on in the BACK of the unit it doesn't really turn them on. You have to feel around under the front of the unit to actually, finally, get it turned on. Also the sheer size of them is ludicrous. VERY Big Ugly abortions with terrible electrical design for hookups and turning on. I can't even think of what the price is for this junk. Designed by a high school class level designer. I think I have to wash my eyes out with water from seein??g that video.

Well, as for the looks of these Amp... they are an acquired taste... however this power supply, how does that even get through safety regulations unscathed??, just stupidity incarnate!

 

[gfinlays]

Well, as for the looks of these Amp... they are an acquired taste... however this power supply, how does that even get through safety regulations unscathed??, just stupidity incarnate!

I don't understand why the amp isn't fitted with a Commmando-type inlet like Boulder fits to their big power amps:

I don't know how common this type of connector is across the pond, but here in the UK, they're known as BS4343/IEC 60309 plugs and sockets. Yellow for 110 V centre-tapped isolation supplies for power tools etc., blue for 240 V single phase and red for 415 V 3-phase.

Single phase is available in 16 and 32 Amp ratings, 3-phase is available in 16, 32, 63, and 125 Amp ratings.

 

[Cbdb2]

Because the AC power draw of the amplifier is very high. The same goes for those speaker posts where the power output is very high and needs a solid connection with near perfect integrity.

The standard limit of that AC power circuit is 15 amps, thats all you can get without tripping the breaker. You can up that to 20 amps (depending on location) otherwise you need a 220 2 phase circuit and that conecfor on the Amp is not 2 phase

 

[AdrianusG]

I don't understand why the amp isn't fitted with a Commmando-type inlet like Boulder fits to their big power amps:

View attachment 395821

I don't know how common this type of connector is across the pond, but here in the UK, they're known as BS4343/IEC 60309 plugs and sockets. Yellow for 110 V centre-tapped isolation supplies for power tools etc., blue for 240 V single phase and red for 415 V 3-phase.

Single phase is available in 16 and 32 Amp ratings, 3-phase is available in 16, 32, 64, and 125 Amp ratings.

Looks a lot safer to me

 

[C. Cook]

I'm not even religious (no judgment if you are!) but thank GOD D'Agostino supplied that wrench and video! I have no idea what the typical audiophile customer would've done without it. My only question is, why no Allen key for the power supply box?! For $30K I definitely want one.