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NCore vs. Ice -- single or separate cases

Hey guys,

I've recently gotten a bug that I can't shake. I went to sleep thinking about it last night.

I want to try out a class D amp.

I've narrowed my choices down to something based on either the NCore NC400 or the IcePower 125asx2.

If I went the way of the NC400, I'll be building them myself. If I went the way of the Ice, I may build it myself or just buy the assembled units. Either way, the NC400 builds will run about twice that of the Ice builds.

Is there anyone out there that can comment on which is better? If the answer is that the NC400 is better, is it worth twice the price?

My next question is whether I should build the mono units into separate boxes or a single box? In other words, is it better to use a longer interconnect with a short speaker cable or vice versa?

Thanks.
tonyangel
doggiehowser
672 posts
 
Timrhu

Not to be pedantic but I don't believe it is a clone of the REF1000M but rather the 1000. The REF1000 was pretty much the ASP1000 with Bel Canto chassis, wiring and connectors.

The REF1000M included Bel Canto's own input buffer and power supply board, which IMHO raised the performance bar a fair bit. The REF500M used those same boards but with the third gen ASX modules.
vicdamone
850 posts
 
Charles 1, my amplifier history begins with a pair of Marantz 8Bs then an MFA, a few solid state, and more than a few switching amplifiers.

I enjoyed the switching amplifiers ability to play loud without the congestion and fatigue associated with the solid state amps that I could afford. I also enjoyed their cost and transparency while living with their somewhat forward presentation and odd order distortion.

I sold my Nuforce pair, bought the nCore kits on the strength of forum chat. They proved to be an across the board improvement while still maintaining a switching amplifier presentation to a lesser degree.

During this time I putting together a better recording room. I had been searching for a powerful tube amp to drive my Eidolons without spending big money. I had settled on a pair of MFA M-200s but none surfaced in reasonable condition.

Enter the Carver VTA 180s. Powerful with difficult loads, easy on tubes, interesting circuit design, cool running, made in the US, and affordable. Growing up in the vacuum tube era returning to tubes was a no brainer for me while the nCores do their work in the studio.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Vicdamone,
Thanks, I've read very positive comments about the new generation of the Carver tube amplifiers. It's a good and smart design that they are easy on the output tubes for extended lifespan.
Regards,
jtwrace's avatar
jtwrace
443 posts
 
To the OP, I'd suggest you go here http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=108203.0

and maybe you can find someone in your area first before you spend the money.

Just a thought.
tonyangel OP
309 posts
 
I'm having quite a time trying to find a direct comparison between the ICE 125ASX2 and the Hypex NC400. There are many threads praising the performance of both, but none comparing the two.

From a purely financial perspective, it does look like getting into the ICE rig will be cheaper, to be blunt.

About $650 to get into an ICE dual mono based on the 125ASX2 and about twice that to get into a comparable NC400 amp.

Unfortunately, I don't think there's anyone near me that has one of either that I can listen to.
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