Hypex Ncore NC1200 Amps at NY Audio Show in April

Tim, nice post. I too have found Guido and Al to be helpful, informative, as well as speaking for the new third choice in amplification. Not exactly an easy task with the immediate skepticism that accompanied the advent modern switching amplifiers.

I also believe the Stereophile review and subsequent A rating of the $1500. PS Audio HCA-2 not only informed, it seemed to spark the great class D controversy. They take a lot of crap for that review but I gotta respect them for digging their heels in on that review and its follow up of remeasurements.

I bought the HCA-2 long before the review, taking advantage of the thirty day trial while my Ayre V-1 was away getting an upgrade. Immediately struck by the transparency and fatigue free presentation I never returned the amp and so began my switching amplifier curiosity. Currently I'm using the Hypex $1300. nCore 400 kits.

Thanks, you both brought a tear to my eyes ;)

But seriously it is nice to hear that my posts have helped in anyway and are understood hat I am just a fan.boy, ha.

Tim, no bias, just enthuseium as you state at the end. But I guess enthuseium could be called a form of bias, not.

I have liked many brands over the years, but they were all well known with many followers and did not need me to add to the noise.

I have liked, used or would recommend with enthuseium;
Ayer, Theta, Wedia, Norton, Synergistic Research, B&W, Stillpoints (current version), PSA PW DAC MK II, Pass Labs, and many more...

But it is very rare that a new "tech" or way of doing it comes along and kind of rerights he rules, sort of speaks.

I think the NCore NC1200 is one of those. I also think the Phasure NOS DAC could be another (it just needs a better GUI).

I also think there is another but I can not comment yet. Perhaps in a month.

I will say that the new Stillpoints are unbelievable in what they can do. Even a friend who is a reviewer was amazed at what they did in his system when I brought mine over to try in his system. Mind you he expected not to hear much or anything. It was very easy to hear the improvement.

Well enough of that as one day I will post about the Stillpoints.

I'm really interested in Hifial's listening impressions of the various amps employing the Hypex 1200 modules.

Guidocorona and Hifial,

Just to set the stage, could you guys confirm my understanding of the current state of class d amps going into the N.Y. show? Please let me know if my statements are correct:

1. The Acoustic Imagery Atsah and Merrill Audio Veritas monoblocs are arguably the 2 best current class d amps implementing the Hypex 1200 modules.

2. Bruno Putzeys of Hypex, the man who invented the NC1200 module, is also involved with Mola-Mola and will be debuting his NC1200 based monoblocs (or at least prototypes)at the N.Y. show, driving Vivid spkrs.

3. The A.I. Atsah will probably not be at the show but the Merril Audio Veritas will be there driving Sanders Sound and Raidho spkrs.

It looks like Hifial will have his work cut out, comparing the Merrill with the Mola-Mola amps while driving different spkrs ( the Raidho and Vivid dynamic types and the electrostatic Sanders). Do you guys think it would be more useful comparing the Mola-Mola amps/Vivid spkrs combo to the Merrill Veritas/Raidho combo, and treat the Mola-Mola/Sanders combo as a separate impression, since the Vivid and Raidho are similar spkrs? Or, given both amps use the same modules, would this really just become comparing impressions of the spkrs?

Thanks,
Tim

Hi Noble100, here are some ansers...

1. I know of 3 manufacturers this far who have openly revealed to have developed NC1200 amps: Mola-Mola, Acoustic Imagery, and Merrill. While I generally opt for the word "prefer" rather than "best" because different listeners have differing priorities, no one to my knowledge has been able to compare the three amps yet, let alone yours truly, hence my answer as follows: I have no idea who is best!

2. Yes, to my knowledge, Mola-Mola has been developed by Mr. Putzeys and will be at the show.

3. I conjecture there may be circuit design differences among the three amps. Internal differences may yield correspondingly different sonic characteristics. Furthermore, the Ncore NC1200 module can be factory-tuned by Hypex to the requirements of different OEMs. Hence neither the amp designs, nor the NC1200 modules can be deemed to be true controlled variables in any listening of complete systems. Bottomline, we cannot discount the amps as contributing factors for any sonic differences which may be noticed in various systems powered by NC1200-based amps at the NY Show.

Guido

Noble100

As they say in Jersey, "How yu dooin"

Yes, this will be no easy task.

On #1, I can not agree only because I have not heard the AI Atsah. I can agree that the Veritas is. But even if the AI sounds great I have one issue and that is the way they laid out the back connections. It is way to tight for many types of cabling for my comfort level. Just my impression and concern.
#2 is correct.
#3 is correct. Unless they are added .

Your comment on the differences in speaker types is correct but must be expanded, IMHO.

1)The Vivid is a floor standing speaker with a fuller range.
2)The Raidho is a stand mount and is not a full range.
3)The Sanders is a full range speaker.

Also the Raidho has the new Diamond mid/bass driver that has its first breakup at 20khz, so in some ways it should be able to be compared to the Sanders,IMHO.

Singer is having the floor stand version of the Diamond Raidho at the show and I will check that out. Just wish that the Veritas was driving them.

Guido is correct that there is just the three at this time.
I also agree that "best" is relative. But it is all just individual opinions.

I will say the I have heard the Sanders and the Veritas at a friends who has a dedicated room with treatments.
WOW! Did I say, WOW! I did say WOW?!
I will post more on that in a separate post at a later date.

However I will be going into the show with an open mind as always.