Lampizator DAC measurements.
- Thread starter Blizzard
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I recently tried my Hypex NC500 based amps out on a pair of Martin Logans that dip down to 1.2 ohms at 20khz. They sounded spectacular at all volume levels. And we had them cranked up loud loud loud. Didn't have my gear to test DB's but I had no idea electrostat's were capable of those kind of SPL and sound that clean.
Do you think the Hypex class D amps sounds better than the best Class A/B amps like Dart/CH/Goldmund/ etc?
With the right input stage they are incredible. I haven't compared them with everything but world class performance. I do have a pile of money into my input stages though to get these to where they are at. My cost of the input stages is actually 50% higher than the NC500 modules themselves. Some manufacturers just go with $1.30 IC opamps. So never judge an amp that uses Hypex Ncore modules on the module it self. I would like to compare them with Bel Canto's REF600m's. Not sure what they did for input stage.
They were not mine. I just brought my amps and DAC's over to a friends to try on them. He just had a cheap H/K receiver, as he just bought these used and hadn't bought anything good to drive them yet. They were the Ascent i's. His friend has a pair of monolith III's driven with a pair of Mcintosh MC1000's. I'm going to take them there one day and compare as well.
Glad you said that cos the only time I heard Martin Logan with class D (anthem monoblocks) - it was revolting!
Well these new NC500's set new standards for class D anywhere near the price. If you want better you need something based on the NC1200, with awesome input stages. The Bel Canto black or Mola Mola Kaluga's would be the next step up of what's out there now. And the only thing better is more current into low impedences. So would likely preform better with the ML's.
I don't doubt it as somehow who I trust has said the same. I'll need to hear for myself though of course.
Again - heard decent enough reports on them, Keith. Just not heard them myself in my system. Other class d stuff has not been my cuppa. I even owned the Devialet which is class ADH so best of A with current of D but I found that too sterile and fatiguing.
Your best bet is the Bel Canto Ref600m's. Either that or come over to my place and hear them with cost no object discrete pure class A biased input stages.
I am in UK Blizz. I am fine with my class A biased Krell monoblocks though tbh. Just had them fully restored.
The Mola Mola's are designed to be completely transparent. Bruno is all about transparency. So am I with this system. I tried several different input stage configurations, and finally am happy with them now. My first demo was based on the LM4562 IC opamp. Very clear, and crisp sounding, but the tonal balance was off. They just didn't sound natural. I haven't tested an IC opamp yet that can sound as transparent as going discrete. Dustin at ESS claims above 100hz, nothing can touch an IC opamp. He says it's something to do with heat created by low frequencies that cause problems with IC opamps. This is where discrete has an advantage. He has some kind of hybrid design in the works combining both the best attributes of IC opamps and discrete. I'm really looking forward to hearing it.
The NC500's are optimized for 4 and 8 ohm nominal speakers. They have 28 amps of peak current. Into low impedences they are current limited. But 1 ohm dips are no problem. My test with the ML's was proof they can handle pretty much any speaker with ease. If you need higher current into low impedences, the NC1200 is the way to go. 40 amps of peak current and 1200 W into 2 ohms.
After 30 mins of cranking the ML's to deafening levels, they were barely even warm. It was like they weren't even working.
Compare the spec sheets:
View attachment 22941View attachment 22942
So, like I guessed, you have no experience with gear, yet you confidently state world class performance without comparing it to any proper amp on a proper Logan (Montis, Summit, CLX). On the Ascentis, I doubt you will notice much difference between amps anyway. What do you play on it, Diana Krall?
And yet here, after wisnon asked you about comparison with decent amp names, you said
I just finally got these amps to where they are at last week. This doesn't mean I haven't heard high end amps before. I'll be doing more comparisons with these amps soon.
We played a wide selection of music from orchestral DSD/DXD tracks from 2L to classic rock.
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