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The Hypex nCore build thread

CliveGrace said:
I had a look into CAD drawing a 3D machined single billet a la Linn/Devialet for a pair of Hypex Ncores in a box with SMPS 600 PSU each and a soft start module. Speaker outs. XLR in and enough metal to act as a pretty good heatsink. With machining done in china I think its doable to get a half dozen made for about £500 each with a bead blasted anodised finish -- probably a bit more for chromated polished finish. I have half a mind to make the centre well bit enough to take a OLED display and some sort of microcontroller as an overall interface for, say Volumio etc... build the DAC in. Roon is pretty spectacular.

This was just a quick sketch based on pcb designs on a 6061 billet (I would prefer 6351 for bead blast and maybe better still for chromated polished) dims are 50mm x 300 x 300 and minimal routing 46mm deep for PSU, 36mm for core well, 35mm for soft start, some extra routing to do but in all a nice box. Still working on the back. Idea is to hang or stand flat.

This is just quick and dirty sketch with no real attention to webbing or cutter stresses -- just to get an estimate of machine time and the amount of metal hacked out as I did on my Stribe and Monocoque cases...

Screen Shot 2015-06-22 at 19.58.06 by c g, on Flickr

Screen Shot 2015-06-22 at 17.32.43 by c g, on Flickr

But for £50 for a pair of ally project boxes I would be inclined to just get those and tuck it out the way. Under the speakers or somewhere.
Click to expand...


Looks good Clive, I'm inclined to just tuck my boxes out of the way and use project boxes but I know how you like good design and finishing.

What are these amps for then?
 
Not really planned or on the table, I just got curious at the cost justification for £1250 for two cases. Only savings I can find is to farm out to China or India with possibility of dubious results. A monocoque with the typical "high end" tropes of overhung (linn/devialet/lumin and so on) cabling (which is a pain in the ass). I looked over the NCore measurements added 2mm tolerances and thought about what would happen if I were ever without my Devialet 200. (One too many lowballers made me close up shop and stick two fingers up at the world).

I do like good design, but those £50 cases are more than up for the job. I can't see a user case for 10-15x the cost.

Generally I stop when the materials waste is at 50% and then I look at building up/printing/casting/injection ceramics and all sorts of hi tech stuff. Corning make a toughened armoured glass with high thermal emmisivity, that would be a hoot. An armoured glass amp case! I can probably shave another £80 or so quid off with plunge optimising and so on, bigger millers and a thermoplastic printed back. It was just a sketch. Thinking aloud stuff.
 
Clive I noticed an extra/missing zero in the prices in your post:

CliveGrace said:
.... about £500 each with a bead blasted anodised finish...

...

But for £50 for a pair of ally project boxes I would be inclined to just get those and tuck it out the way...
Click to expand...

Can you confirm 50 or 500 please?
 
Dan K said:
What about just putting the Amps in the bottom of the Obelisks?
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Is there room in there?

I ended up situating them right by the Obs:

BiTdfXh.jpg


glIvRfs.jpg
 
So to get this clear in my head all I need is this?

2xNC400
2xSMPS600
2xLoudspeaker binding post
2x IEC fused connectors
either RCA or XLR ins
a case or two?

Are all the connection cables supplied? as well as spades? I feel itchy for a DIY build.
 
Thank you. I would like that. I am worried that it might head off my desire to fight depression as I build things to stop me getting caught by the black dog.... but guess I do have a few projects to finish...

11411788_1411403992523260_1917847974391106066_o.jpg
 
They sell the cable separately Clive, normally there is a link on the page. I must say as you have reasonably easy to drive loads the NCC may be over kill, the UCD with HXR regs would be all you need really.

Stefan
 
I wondered about those UCDs and wondered why they do not get much love and then I read a few posts on audio circle or diyaudio which said the NCores were better. Builders Gotta Build... Baiter's gotta Bai.. hang out on /audio

i mean the UcD36MP looks interesting. Go Active in a very very small box
 
The UCD amps got loads of love till the NCORE came out. There isn't much in it for beningn loads. The ncore has less interaction with the load on the FR than the UCD but if the impedence of the crossover you are loading it with has been engineered quite flat there isn't much in it. The Ncore also has built in regs and a discrete front end rather than optional regs and an op amp front end.
 
Dan K said:
What about just putting the Amps in the bottom of the Obelisks?
Click to expand...

I did the calculations and decided it was possible. I've got mine in cases though, but it's something i'll think about at some point. Now with some extra nc400s, active obelisks, hmm ;-)
 
CliveGrace said:
I wondered about those UCDs and wondered why they do not get much love and then I read a few posts on audio circle or diyaudio which said the NCores were better. Builders Gotta Build... Baiter's gotta Bai.. hang out on /audio

i mean the UcD36MP looks interesting. Go Active in a very very small box
Click to expand...

Clive,

I built monoblock nc400s, and went through the same process deciding whether the UcDs would be a better choice. What it came down to was the general feeling that if the UcDs were good, but not quite what I was looking for, i'd have to wonder if the nc400s would have hit the spot.

I reckon it would be very interesting for you to compare them to the devialet amps, and i've a feeling the nc400s won't disappoint. Sure, there is more to the devialet than just the power amp bit.

If you don't want to go mono, I think a 1200 PSU driving two nc400s is the preferred option over two 600s. Check with hypex, they'll advise.
 
Thanks all. I doubt I would worry about "the best". I'll take a bit longer to read and see. I cannot see the Dev 200 going anywhere soon as its too useful as it is DAC/Amp/Streamer -- and mirror. Maybe later when my build backlog has been completed.
 
Bradders said:
Is there room in there?

I ended up situating them right by the Obs:

BiTdfXh.jpg


glIvRfs.jpg
Click to expand...

Yes, there's room - the PSU might get hot, but it could be done.

However... To my ears they are only 'OK' at driving Obelisks. Sell them and buy either a Bedini 802 or a Krell KSA 100 or 50.
 
Dan,

When only 'ok' do you mean they lack a certain something, a certain sparkle, or do you think they are struggling with the load? I was wondering if it's something measurable, or perceived...
 
Krell sound like a bag of old nuts and bolts to me, but to each his own - that is what it is all about, after all.
 
Bradders said:
Krell sound like a bag of old nuts and bolts to me, but to each his own - that is what it is all about, after all.
Click to expand...

Probably just needed a recap

From this: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/55167127/P1040503.JPG

To this: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/55167127/P1040531.JPG

That Mundorf'd KSA50 is the best sounding amp I have attached to Obs.

Next best is this: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/55167127/IMG_20150209_125649_hdr.jpg

Then a KSA200 followed by a ClassE CT2300.

I actually preferred NCC200's to the Hypex (more 'fun') - The Hypex just seemed clean and a bit lacking in character - Piano wasn't quite right either. Probably due to my system.
 
Cesare said:
Clive,

I built monoblock nc400s, and went through the same process deciding whether the UcDs would be a better choice. What it came down to was the general feeling that if the UcDs were good, but not quite what I was looking for, i'd have to wonder if the nc400s would have hit the spot.

I reckon it would be very interesting for you to compare them to the devialet amps, and i've a feeling the nc400s won't disappoint. Sure, there is more to the devialet than just the power amp bit.

If you don't want to go mono, I think a 1200 PSU driving two nc400s is the preferred option over two 600s. Check with hypex, they'll advise.
Click to expand...


I am still revisiting this idea. I had a look at my Devialet and I presently use just one input. I don't use the Devialet air feature and encouraged by Ken Rockwells findings on the AEX

http://www.kenrockwell.com/apple/airport-express-audio-quality-2014.htm#meas

...which is something I have believed and used for many many years I think I may have a go with the bigger UCD models and a single dual ganged PSU

For example a pair of the 700W UcDx amps and a would offer plenty of headroom for the B&Ws, the AEX outputs 2v and use Roon or whatever playback to manage volume via a Bluetooth remote. Amps can be tucked away in my machine cupboard and if they get hot I can always retrofit fans because... Well... Machine cupboard... The heat extractor in that space feeds the heat recirculation anyway. I can then just get an ugly box with no need to fret over bling and that's one more thing out of sight....
 
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