Rocking the Boat : Nord Hypex NC1200 Signature Amplifier

[hifinutt]

sounds a very complex amp , i avoid dirac due to this but i am sure more technical folks can cope with it

 

[CKKeung]

A friend of friends of mine bought an Apollon Audio PNC-1200 stereo poweramp last month :
https://www.apollonaudio.com/apollon-audio-pnc-1200-stereo-amplifier-hypex-nc1200-weiss-op2-bp/

The external look/piano-finishing is excellent :


This is Apollon's flagship series and a monoblock version is available too.
The most attractive feature is that they don't employ the usual IC opamps but instead using the more expensive and better Weiss OP2-BP discrete opamp modules. There are also separate internal linear powersupply sections dedicated for these Weiss discrete opamps.

My friends did a comparison : Apollon vs Nord NC1200 poweramp vs a pair of big vintage Krell mono amps :


The predictable result was that the Apollon PNC-1200 bettered the Nord easily.

A bit unexpected was that the PNC-1200 was on par with the Krell monos.
The former gave a "younger" & more agile sound whereas the latter was fuller and more mellow.
Both got huge dynamics and authority, particularly in the bass.

 

[hifinutt]

Wow, lovely pictures, i have heard the mighty 402 krell and incredibly heavy so relieved to hear these easier to carry amps are doing so well. We hear little of appollon in uk , its mainly nord , march audio and mola mola

 

[Loheswaran]

A friend of friends of mine bought an Apollon Audio PNC-1200 stereo poweramp last month :
https://www.apollonaudio.com/apollon-audio-pnc-1200-stereo-amplifier-hypex-nc1200-weiss-op2-bp/

The external look/piano-finishing is excellent :
View attachment 62524

This is Apollon's flagship series and a monoblock version is available too.
The most attractive feature is that they don't employ the usual IC opamps but instead using the more expensive and better Weiss OP2-BP discrete opamp modules. There are also separate internal linear powersupply sections dedicated for these Weiss discrete opamps.

My friends did a comparison : Apollon vs Nord NC1200 poweramp vs a pair of big vintage Krell mono amps :
View attachment 62525

The predictable result was that the Apollon PNC-1200 bettered the Nord easily.

A bit unexpected was that the PNC-1200 was on par with the Krell monos.
The former gave a "younger" & more agile sound whereas the latter was fuller and more mellow.
Both got huge dynamics and authority, particularly in the bass.

Dear Mr Keung I am intrigued by this thread. I love my Lavardin IT, but they struggle with insensitive speakers. I have a small hifi room, so I can do without huge amplifiers.

What has been your amplifier journey? What is the main power amp you use? what do you use as a pre-amp? How do you characterise the sound - is it on the cool side of the music spectrum, or warm side?

I heard a Rowland class D amp and was very impressed - is this amp comparable?

thanks

 

[hifinutt]

Can't comment on the appollon but I had a lavardin is ref and it was a bit warm for me , got a bel canto ref500s here at the moment with a bel canto pre 3vbs. It's not perfect in that it shows up bad recordings big time but it has a wonderful transparency and immediacy of sound that is very compelling. There are so many class d amps now that it's a case of finding what works for you. The nord amps come in huge variety and attract a lot of praise , one American forum has hundreds of pages on nord.

 

[Loheswaran]

Can't comment on the appollon but I had a lavardin is ref and it was a bit warm for me , got a bel canto ref500s here at the moment with a bel canto pre 3vbs. It's not perfect in that it shows up bad recordings big time but it has a wonderful transparency and immediacy of sound that is very compelling. There are so many class d amps now that it's a case of finding what works for you. The nord amps come in huge variety and attract a lot of praise , one American forum has hundreds of pages on nord.

Until I heard the Rowland the only other class D'd I've heard were a cheap Yamaha av amp, and friends tact TDI. The tact was very matter of fact and I found a bit cool - lacking in mojo - that said that was in 2008. Oh yes I also heard a Devialet - again very good

 

[hifinutt]

I had bc ref 1000 many years ago monoblocks , then a modded pair. They are even better now and so much choice

 

[Loheswaran]

I had bc ref 1000 many years ago monoblocks , then a modded pair. They are even better now and so much choice

what are the tact Tdi's like?

 

[hifinutt]

no idea sadly

 

[Hear Here]

Dear Mr Keung I am intrigued by this thread. I love my Lavardin IT, but they struggle with insensitive speakers. I have a small hifi room, so I can do without huge amplifiers.

What has been your amplifier journey? What is the main power amp you use? what do you use as a pre-amp? How do you characterise the sound - is it on the cool side of the music spectrum, or warm side?

I heard a Rowland class D amp and was very impressed - is this amp comparable?

thanks

I had Levardin on my list of possible amps to replace tube amps that I'd been using for 10 years or so. Although I've never actually heard them, I understand they sound very good and somewhat "valve-like". Not sure if that's your experience.

That Apollon looks great but it's far too much power for my highly efficient speakers. After a couple of years experimenting with numerous ss amps (Class A, AB and D), I made a somewhat unexpected choice of "best amp overall". It is Class D and about 150 watts. The NAD M32 is an integrated with DAC and optional add-in streamer module. Not hugely costly, but I've found it betters (all things considered and irrespective of price) amps from GamuT, Accuphase, Sugden, Quad, Benchmark, Sanders, Devialet, Micromega and others. It uses an unusual chip "the innovative DirectDigital™ Feedback Amplifier built under license from Cambridge Silicon Radio". However NAD has just announced the new M33 successor that offers all the M32 does plus built-in streamer, Dirac room correction, Alexa-type instructions, bigger LED screen, etc. It uses "the new HybridDigital Purifi Eigentakt™ amplifier technology". Quoted as 180 watts.

So NAD's chosen progression through the ever-improving Class D technology has been Hypex nCore (M22) > DirectDigital (M32) > Purifi (M33)

I've been very impressed with the M32 and I'll certainly switch to the M33 when it becomes available, subject to a home demo.

https://nadelectronics.com/nad-mast...purifis-ultra-quiet-amplification-technology/

Peter

 

[Matias]

I had Levardin on my list of possible amps to replace tube amps that I'd been using for 10 years or so. Although I've never actually heard them, I understand they sound very good and somewhat "valve-like". Not sure if that's your experience.

That Apollon looks great but it's far too much power for my highly efficient speakers. After a couple of years experimenting with numerous ss amps (Class A, AB and D), I made a somewhat unexpected choice of "best amp overall". It is Class D and about 150 watts. The NAD M32 is an integrated with DAC and optional add-in streamer module. Not hugely costly, but I've found it betters (all things considered and irrespective of price) amps from GamuT, Accuphase, Sugden, Quad, Benchmark, Sanders, Devialet, Micromega and others. It uses an unusual chip "the innovative DirectDigital™ Feedback Amplifier built under license from Cambridge Silicon Radio". However NAD has just announced the new M33 successor that offers all the M32 does plus built-in streamer, Dirac room correction, Alexa-type instructions, bigger LED screen, etc. It uses "the new HybridDigital Purifi Eigentakt™ amplifier technology". Quoted as 180 watts.

So NAD's chosen progression through the ever-improving Class D technology has been Hypex nCore (M22) > DirectDigital (M32) > Purifi (M33)

I've been very impressed with the M32 and I'll certainly switch to the M33 when it becomes available, subject to a home demo.

https://nadelectronics.com/nad-mast...purifis-ultra-quiet-amplification-technology/

Peter

You can get Purifi Eigentakt based power amplifiers today from Nord, Apollon, March or Audiophonics. They are simply amplifiers, not all-in-one units as the M33 will be, but cost a fraction of the price.

Example: https://www.apollonaudio.com/apollon-audio-purifi-1et400a-stereo-amplifier-input-buffer-board/

 

[CKKeung]

Very eager to know how the Purifi amps of Nord and Apollon compare with their NCore1200 with Weiss discrete opamps.

 

[Hear Here]

You can get Purifi Eigentakt based power amplifiers today from Nord, Apollon, March or Audiophonics. They are simply amplifiers, not all-in-one units as the M33 will be, but cost a fraction of the price.

Example: https://www.apollonaudio.com/apollon-audio-purifi-1et400a-stereo-amplifier-input-buffer-board/

Thanks for that Matias, but I doubt the value of the Apollon unit your quote matches that of the NAD M33.

The Apollon has a "Starting from" price of $2280. It will need a preamp and a DAC and a streamer (and a bundle of those things that NEVER improve sound quality - cables) to offer the equivalent of the M33. In my view at $4999 all-in that is surely a bit of a bargain.

The M32 it will replace enjoys a top Stereophile recommendation and is EISA's Best Product High End Amp 2018-19 - for what any of this is worth - so I'm expecting even more from the M33. I just know the M32 is a bloody good amp for the money and the M33 promises even more! Peter

 

[Matias]

Very eager to know how the Purifi amps of Nord and Apollon compare with their NCore1200 with Weiss discrete opamps.

As far as I know, both manufacturers rate the Hypex NC1200 a little higher than the 1ET400A from Purifi. The latter has better distortion figures and a smooth sound, but the dynamics of the former wins.
Note that the full blown Premium Apollon also uses a dedicated linear power supply for the opamps and modulator, while regular amps from both Apollon and Nord feeds them with the same Hypex SMPS used on the power stages. Along with the Weiss discrete opamps, seems that the Apollon Premium power amp previously shown here is the best Nc1200 implementation I have seen.

 

[hifinutt]

good to hear about the m32 , a lot of folks look for less boxes without compromising sound too much

 

[hifinutt]

matias , i see you have mola mola , would you care to add any thoughts in the mola thread . there is very little out there on these .

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/mola-mola-amps.30312/

 

[Matias]

matias , i see you have mola mola , would you care to add any thoughts in the mola thread . there is very little out there on these .

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/mola-mola-amps.30312/

Hi I have the Makua preamp but not the Kaluga monos. Love my Makua btw.

 

[Rogerfederer]

A friend of friends of mine bought an Apollon Audio PNC-1200 stereo poweramp last month :
https://www.apollonaudio.com/apollon-audio-pnc-1200-stereo-amplifier-hypex-nc1200-weiss-op2-bp/

The external look/piano-finishing is excellent :
View attachment 62524

This is Apollon's flagship series and a monoblock version is available too.
The most attractive feature is that they don't employ the usual IC opamps but instead using the more expensive and better Weiss OP2-BP discrete opamp modules. There are also separate internal linear powersupply sections dedicated for these Weiss discrete opamps.

My friends did a comparison : Apollon vs Nord NC1200 poweramp vs a pair of big vintage Krell mono amps :
View attachment 62525

The predictable result was that the Apollon PNC-1200 bettered the Nord easily.

A bit unexpected was that the PNC-1200 was on par with the Krell monos.
The former gave a "younger" & more agile sound whereas the latter was fuller and more mellow.
Both got huge dynamics and authority, particularly in the bass.

Hi,
May I ask which speakers your friend is using with this amp?
I also have the apollon audio and I am looking for new speakers.
Thanks

 

[darcman]

How does the Merrill Veritas compare to the newer offerings from Nord and Apollon?

Would the Veritas be closer to the base NC1200 versions from Nord and Apollon?

Would the premium versions from Nord and Apollon soundly best the older Veritas?

Premium Apollon NC1200 or Nord SE Signature NC1200

The premium Apollon look awesome, but are quite expensive in my Canadian dollars. I also have some concerns with the long term reliability with the vertical mount design or is that a non issue?

Do the Veritas use op-amp input buffers?

 

[CKKeung]

The first non-forum review of a non-engineering board version of Purifi module poweramp :
http://www.the-ear.net/review-hardware/nord-acoustics-three-se-1et400a-mkii-stereo-power-amplifier




It's a pity that the reviewer didn't compare it to the other Nord poweramps which employed Ncore modules.