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Avondale NCC300 amp project ..

David,
Glad you like them in the end :cool::cool::cool:
I think any new build needs at least a week of being switched on 24/7 before evaluation
Anyway I think they are fantastic amps and my dedicated mains radial supply and Salas DCG3 Pre amp has just made me realise just how much more these amps are capable of delivering
I still need to try my DC blocker and filters to see if they bring any further improvements?.
Alan
 
I'm 99% sure there will be no discernible difference in the distortion profile, but I suppose I ought to do the measurements.
 
Well, it would be interesting. While a distortion plot alone might not be a absolute indicator of SQ, surely you must expect some corresponding change in distortion profile if there has been a change in SQ? After all, distortion (and noise) are pretty much the only factors ultimately that affect SQ?

Though possibly distortion measured into the loudspeaker load would be more representative than a resistor.
 
Before:

NCC300-Left-at-2-983-V-into-10-R.jpg


After:

NCC300-Left-at-2-990-V-into-10-R-after-1-month-use.jpg
 
Quite possibly - if you like to listen to single sine waves and your speakers are a purely resistive load.

I wasn't looking for a subjective vs objective debate here, just interested, so not impressed with your rather rude comment.

What's your take on what amplifier parameters affect do sound quality? If you believe the difference in SQ is real, then there must be a reason.

BTW I already mentioned the purely resistive load as not being representative. And I know the difference between distortion of a sine-wave, and intermodulation with more complex (and more representative signals) - but the underlying mechanism (i.e. non-linear behaviour) is the same for both.
 
#Controversial

BugBear

Is it really controversial? Surely, wherever one sits in the spectrum of subjectivity to objectivity, one can still believe in causality? i.e. If two amplifiers sound different there is a reason. Nonlinear distortion is surely the prime candidate, even if we don't understand how to correlate measurements to perceived SQ, except in gross cases.
 
Well most of the mains related harmonics are lower in the "after" plot by about 10dB. Maybe the PSU caps took a while to form properly and give their best ripple performance?
 
[QUOTE\]

And OMG has it changed. What on earth has happened? It sounds absolutely wonderful now.
This amp is a masterpiece.

[/QUOTE]

:)
 
I was musing earlier that the NCC300 is by far the best Avondale amp I have tried (although I haven't tried the 220) and it is also the most different to the Naim circuit that kicked it all off. I think there is only the use of the ZTXs and the pretty standard current source design left, everything else is different.
And as far as I'm concerned it's all the better for it!
 
What was it that changed? I have a NCC300 Quattro in a Naim NAP250 classic case kindly built by Les, a very special amplifier in my opinion and quite a few others.
 
Not sure how to answer that without describing the schematic, which Les may prefer me not to do.

The point is that people should stop looking at the newer NCCs as a modified Naim design. It's almost entirely an Avondale design (as far as a great many amps deviate from the original Lin topology).
 
A description of the schematics would have drawn a blank as I don't build amps and have very little understanding in this area, I thought your issue may have been with the sound of the amp. I've been running my amp for a month now and it just gets better each day, the biggest difference I've heard is in the bass, it's huge sometimes but perfectly controlled. I was driving ATC SCM40's with two NAP200's and a NAP250 passively. the NCC300 blows them away in all areas but I was especially surprised with the bass. I have only got my ears to tell me if this is what a great amp should sound like, I'm bowled over with it, Les is a genius.
 
The NCC300 is undergoing surgery.

In the meantime a cuckoo seems to have invaded the chassis, quite an untidy cuckoo!:

GB150D.jpg


I now have the (pleasant) dilemna that the cuckoo is making some appealing noises, much more appealing than how I remember it previously.
 
They are a pair of GB150Ds in the chassis that previously had the NCC300s in - see post #537.

My plan was to put the NCCs back in the box after the changes, but I'm really enjoying the noises the GBs are making.
 


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