Nord One Up Ncore NC500 amps, Class D ready for prime time .....

I have no experience with Apollon but I have had nothing but great service with Colin of Nord. He has always been super responsive to emails. Nord uses all quality parts and materials. Either one you choose good luck as the Hypex amps are great!

Paramon said:
Hello everyone!
Standing in front of the amp selection, options Nord One UP NC500DM Stereo and APOLLON NC800 SL. In your opinion, which one should you choose? Apollon seems more well made, has a more correct build in, also has the power Board to the soft start and double bottom of the hull. Do they have any other differences that I didn't notice? I would be grateful for your comments!
Click to expand...
 
The Hypex modules are designed to operate with balanced inputs, added circuitry to facilitate RCA inputs is always a compromise. I wouldn't use anything but balanced XLR if you want to extract the best performance.
 
Simple question from a newbie, sorry if that has been asked before. Nord makes monoblocks and stereo versions of the same amp. Which way would you go, monoblocks or stereo, if space isn't the issue? Channel separation might be a bit better than in the stereo version. But would that matter this much?
 
The Nord stereo version is effectively a dual mono amp, it has the parts of two monoblocks in one box(two NC500's with input buffer board and two SMPS1200 power supplies). General opinion is there is very little if any difference between the two when driving the same speaker cables. The main advantage of the monoblocks is being able to position each amp close to a speaker minimising the length of speaker cables required.
 
I've never heard such amps before. Is it true that amplifiers with Hypex modules sound better than more expensive class AB amplifiers?
 
Paramon said:
I've never heard such amps before. Is it true that amplifiers with Hypex modules sound better than more expensive class AB amplifiers?
Click to expand...
Some may prefer the sound of a Hypex amp over a particular Class A/B amp, but that doesn't mean that they're inherently better. There are many Class A/B or Class A designs which outperform Hypex amps IMNSHO! :D
 
audio.bill said:
Some may prefer the sound of a Hypex amp over a particular Class A/B amp, but that doesn't mean that they're inherently better. There are many Class A/B or Class A designs which outperform Hypex amps IMNSHO! :D
Click to expand...

True but in bang for the buck terms Hypex is hard to beat!
 
How much bucks for a good Hypex setup ? many amps around using Hypex modules selling for 12K plus.

Good a/ab amps options around with that kind of budget ....


Regards
 
a.wayne said:
How much bucks for a good Hypex setup ? many amps around using Hypex modules selling for 12K plus.

Good a/ab amps options around with that kind of budget ....


Regards
Click to expand...

I wouldn't spend 12k on a Hypex amp, there's no need to, the Nord and others come in close to 1.5k. The fact that manufacturers are successfully selling Hypex amps for 12k plus just shows you their performance justifies the market position they are in?
 
Managed to hear a new IceTechnology vs the NC500 (mine) yesterday but not at home. Both were good and very clear and 3D. But to my ears I preferred the NC500. The IceT was brighter, sharper but the detail was projected and it sounded a little artificial. Nothing definitive as I need to hear it under more familiar circumstances.
 
George I have to concur with you. The NC500 are more full bodied and the 1200as are more dry. Both are extremely good but neither match the midrange richness of a tube amp. The beauty of each is you have a signature sound for multiple systems be it you need to add one or another character to your system.

George47 said:
Managed to hear a new IceTechnology vs the NC500 (mine) yesterday but not at home. Both were good and very clear and 3D. But to my ears I preferred the NC500. The IceT was brighter, sharper but the detail was projected and it sounded a little artificial. Nothing definitive as I need to hear it under more familiar circumstances.
Click to expand...
 
I have the exact opposite experience with nc500 and 1200As2. I had the Nord One up nc500 monos with SI 994 and AM SHD fuse but the 1200as2 are either equal or beat it in most department.

This hobby is so weird, in a good way :)
 
Like Dev I've owned both and used both the SI and Sparkos op amps with the Nord. I found that which amp you prefer depends on the rest of the system it is in particularly the speaker it is driving and for the Nord also which op amp with which speaker as the character changes pretty significantly with the swap. For example the Sparkos is better with the Nola's that are voiced and tested with ARC and VAC tube amps while the SI's are better with the Spatials. The Mivera 1200AS amp can straddle the fence between the two Nord op amp choices and seems to prefer tube preamps in my systems. The problem with testing them against each other is that they both are better if powered on for a while. Mine are always powered on when in the systems.
 
Devg said:
I have the exact opposite experience with nc500 and 1200As2. I had the Nord One up nc500 monos with SI 994 and AM SHD fuse but the 1200as2 are either equal or beat it in most department.

This hobby is so weird, in a good way :)
Click to expand...

Devg:

This is the first reference to trying different fuses in the Nord One Ups that I've seen. Can you enlighten us as to what kind of improvement you found, if any, and what other fuses you may have experimented with?

Thanks,

Bob
 
Well, after a few days of listening to my new Apollon Audio NC800SL power amplifier, I'm ripe for writing a review about it.
Before making an order, I talked for a long time with the main person in this company, his name is Tibor. Surprisingly, he quickly answers all questions, very sociable man! My amplifier was manufactured in a week, which included a mandatory 48-hour test and a week of delivery. Packed the device perfectly, the box is pasted on all sides with icons "Fragile", came whole, without damage.
Now about the sound of this unit. And it sounds just great! And that's a fact. When I plugged everything in, sat on the couch, afraid that now turn on the amplifier and my hopes will not come true. But as soon as the familiar compositions sounded I was shocked! The first impression that my speakers before it was covered with a blanket, and now he suddenly took off!
The sound of the amplifier is very open, detailed, but not sharp. The middle is very lively, natural, the vocals became completely different. Bass very elastic, juicy, and on some compositions noticed different in frequency blow, and earlier there was just a BOOM, now it is possible to distinguish accurately what shock play, no buzz with this amplifier is not present, it controls columns perfectly. Very large-scale scene, the sound does not stick to the speakers, I do not know how to call it, the sound was as if in 3D.
Anything extra amplifier does not make, listened, and with TEAC 503 and Oppo 205 every source sounds its own way, with the 503 sound like I was expecting a more soft, the middle is more pronounced. The entire setup is connected on balance via the Emotiva xsp-1 preamplifier, it is connected the fronts with PreOuts receiver when watching movies the sound resolution on the fronts is also added, and significantly.
I am pleased with the result, the issue with the power amplifier is closed!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20180815_174130.jpg
    IMG_20180815_174130.jpg
    767.3 KB · Views: 52
  • IMG_20180815_174208.jpg
    IMG_20180815_174208.jpg
    842.8 KB · Views: 48
  • IMG_20180815_174306.jpg
    IMG_20180815_174306.jpg
    841.2 KB · Views: 46
  • IMG_20180815_174400.jpg
    IMG_20180815_174400.jpg
    798.2 KB · Views: 49
  • IMG_20180815_174522.jpg
    IMG_20180815_174522.jpg
    323.3 KB · Views: 44
  • IMG_20180815_174839.jpg
    IMG_20180815_174839.jpg
    976.6 KB · Views: 58
  • IMG_20180816_082419.jpg
    IMG_20180816_082419.jpg
    841.6 KB · Views: 45
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top