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

His new amplifier and pre-amplifier is the Statement Series. He is using a new system that he designed. All of the Wyred boards are built in house, proprietary and he is not planning on licensing it out. He designs the schematics and he has this amazing machine that actually builds out the boards from his schematics. I am sure I have the terms wrong, but you get the idea....

EJ said when they used to farm out the boards they had far too low quality control and they ended up repairing boards. Now they build there own from scratch. Maybe this is why they can offer 5 year warranties on everything now.
 
Oh, if you are asking about which NCore I could not tell you. Sorry, I did not ask which versions he had tried. He did say that they directly compare his new amp to ICEPower and NCore and it is far superior. His staff called it a game changer.... we will see, I have not listened to it yet but I did see the case and some of the board layouts. I can't wait to hear it!

Mivera Audio said:
What amps were they?
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Randy Myers said:
Oh, if you are asking about which NCore I could not tell you. Sorry, I did not ask which versions he had tried. He did say that his they directly compare his new amp to ICEPower and NCore and it is far superior.
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Rarely will manufacturers tell you that their competitors amp modules are superior to theirs. I've have compared both, and the icepower weren't even close. However I wanted them to be better because they are much cheaper, and have the supplies built in. The "heavily modded" aspect must be the input buffer boards. Because these are bone stock Icepower modules in the ST MKII

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Well as I said I do not claim to know anything about how the circuit boards work and all of that. I do however know that EJ is considered one of the top young genius audio engineers. I also know that the ST- mkII won a TAS Editors Choice Awards this year. I also know that after giving the mkII a couple hundred hours of break in it held it's own against the Job for pure sound quality and blew it out of the water for bottom end tightness and control and that the separation and sound stage were far better in my system to my ears. The later surprised the crap out of me actually...
 
Randy Myers said:
Well as I said I do not claim to know anything about how the circuit boards work and all of that. I do however know that EJ is considered one of the top young genius audio engineers. I also know that the ST- mkII won a TAS Editors Choice Awards this year. I also know that after giving the mkII a couple hundred hours of break in it held it's own against the Job for pure sound quality and blew it out of the water for bottom end tightness and control and that the separation and sound stage were far better in my system to my ears. The later surprised the crap out of me actually...
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I know they are very good amp modules for the price, but they are more in the Hypex UCD league than the NC-500's. The price of the Nords are not typical pricing for NC-500 based amps. He's building them for peanuts. If he went for the Icepower modules instead, his parts cost would be 1/4 of what it is now. The SMPS1200A700 supplies alone are twice the price of the complete power supply/amps of the Icepower 250asx2's. Each of the SIL994 opamps cost more than the complete Icepower 250asx2's. Then he's using those expensive discrete Sparko voltage regulators as well.
 
When I read this feedback on the Rev C board it doesn't sound like anythings wrong with it:


ColinJust wanted to let you know that these amps are the business, extremely happy with them and its only been 3 hours of listening, the rev c buffer board with sonic imagery op amps are a revelation, natural warmth,clarity ,imagery, decay,tonality,drive,spacial cues,depth width height ....I had previously been using PS Audio HCA 2 class d amps had them for 10 years great sounding amps ,never thought i would change them, but your amps have put them well and truly to bed and made them sound 10 years old, these amps just sound so natural and the detail retrieval is just wow,naturally present ,with the PS audios i sometimes had to strain which detracted from my listening pleasure but now im just foot tapping and going wow never heard that before and all just naturally placed ,only 3 hours and still getting better as it all beds in ,Colin WELL DONE, and at such a price too,......People just buy with confidence ,well put together and will induce you to stay in rather than go out,Brilliant!
 
HCA2 are not really that good sounding of an amplifier and i have had or have all of Pauls Amplifiers prior , including the PS1 from 1981. his 200CX IMO , were there best sonically , well until this new Bascom amp, If you thought HCA2's sounded good , then it does put all your subjective pro class-D analysis into perspective, Not sure if you are aware of PS Audio super class-D attempt given up for the BK amp...

BTW , I had mentioned before how a few NC400 owners had recommended the XLS 2000 crown , they thought it better . Well it took we two weeks to pack that one up (2Wksdue to break in ) and while good drive and function i found it completly lacking vs even the most basic of cheap class-Ab amps, it was impossible to play classical and it made every Piano sound like a keyboard , this was also confirmed by audiophile and non audiophile friends alike, The big hammer blow came when my 17 yr old daughter ask me what happened to the system , it doesn't sound "live" anymore ... :D



If one listens to a lot of electronic studio stuff , i can see no issues with that type of class-D sound , so to each there own and great if they work for you , who wouldnt want a cool running 1K amp that beats the rest ...


IMO, The Devialet 400/400 works , its very expensive , the other Class-D claiming world class is also very expensive , i have yet to hear cheap beat expensive , the reality , we all or most of us have to compromise due to cost and function, for you to constantly be harping world class sound at 1K just makes you look silly and naive to anyone exposed to SOTA audio, but I'm sure that wont stop you ....


:)
 
a.wayne said:
HCA2 are not really that good sounding of an amplifier and i have had or have all of Pauls Amplifiers prior , including the PS1 from 1981. his 200CX IMO , were there best sonically , well until this new Bascom amp, If you thought HCA2's sounded good , then it does put all your subjective pro class-D analysis into perspective, Not sure if you are aware of PS Audio super class-D attempt given up for the BK amp...

BTW , I had mentioned before how a few NC400 owners had recommended the XLS 2000 crown , they thought it better . Well it took we two weeks to pack that one up (2Wksdue to break in ) and while good drive and function i found it completly lacking vs even the most basic of cheap class-Ab amps, it was impossible to play classical and it made every Piano sound like a keyboard , this was also confirmed by audiophile and non audiophile friends alike, The big hammer blow came when my 17 yr old daughter ask me what happened to the system , it doesn't sound "live" anymore ... :D



If one listens to a lot of electronic studio stuff , i can see no issues with that type of class-D sound , so to each there own and great if they work for you , who wouldnt want a cool running 1K amp that beats the rest ...


IMO, The Devialet 400/400 works , its very expensive , the other Class-D claiming world class is also very expensive , i have yet to hear cheap beat expensive , the reality , we all or most of us have to compromise due to cost and function, for you to constantly be harping world class sound at 1K just makes you look silly and naive to anyone exposed to SOTA audio, but I'm sure that wont stop you ....


:)
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Once you have experience with a good NC-500 based amp, come back again. For now the fact that one was in a system that was 2nd best sound in a the world biggest audio show with million dollar rigs, that was enough said for me.

The PS audio amp sounds like nails on a chalkboard. But unfortunately thats always the class D reference people use when talking about class D amps.
 
I go by my ears, so people can throw all the charts and technical babble at me all that they want. I know what I hear and the Wyred 4 Sound pre-amplifier is by far the best I have ever heard. I also know how good the ST-500 mkII sounds. I have used both a McIntosh and Goldmund Job amplifier since getting back into this crazy hobby last fall. In the things that are most important to me the W4S excels.

I also know that EJ does OEM work for many companies including Genesis, Peachtree, PS Audio, etc. and I trust what he tells me. His reputation is impeccable in the audio world and many times is mentioned as one of the bright young engineering talents. He also owns two highly rated lines of audio equipment that have won a tremendous amount of awards; these lines are Wyred 4 Sound and SST. Both are built in their California facilities.

Therefore when he tells me that he had good technical reasons for not using NCore I believe him. I believe him when he states that he is sick of dealing with B&O and others and has been working for over three years designing his own which he is not currently planning on licensing out. I am very anxious to hear the amplifiers that he has designed from scratch. Hopefully these will be available very soon.
 
Randy Myers said:
I go by my ears, so people can throw all the charts and technical babble at me all that they want. I know what I hear and the Wyred 4 Sound pre-amplifier is by far the best I have ever heard. I also know how good the ST-500 mkII sounds. I have used both a McIntosh and Goldmund Job amplifier since getting back into this crazy hobby last fall. In the things that are most important to me the W4S excels.

I also know that EJ does OEM work for many companies including Genesis, Peachtree, PS Audio, etc. and I trust what he tells me. His reputation is impeccable in the audio world and many times is mentioned as one of the bright young engineering talents. He also owns two highly rated lines of audio equipment that have won a tremendous amount of awards; these lines are Wyred 4 Sound and SST. Both are built in their California facilities.

Therefore when he tells me that he had good technical reasons for not using NCore I believe him. I believe him when he states that he is sick of dealing with B&O and others and has been working for over three years designing his own which he is not currently planning on licensing out. I am very anxious to hear the amplifiers that he has designed from scratch. Hopefully these will be available very soon.
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Are you sure you're not talking about Hypex UCD and not Ncore? Because if it's Ncore, one of the technical reasons is likely 4x the cost.
 
Bel Canto used the Icepower modules for years. But now they switched to 100% Hypex. Their NC-500 based amp the Ref600m are $5000. That's the price point that NC-500 based amps should be at using industry standard markups like Wyred for sound does.
 
I could not answer that. I am not the expert here... I guess you are. I certainly know EJ is. I judge by my ears and the ST-500 mkII is spectacular. And that is what matters to me... At this point I am dropping out of this conversation....
 
Mivera Audio said:
Once you have experience with a good NC-500 based amp, come back again. For now the fact that one was in a system that was 2nd best sound in a the world biggest audio show with million dollar rigs, that was enough said for me.

The PS audio amp sounds like nails on a chalkboard. But unfortunately thats always the class D reference people use when talking about class D amps.
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I guess you missed where you said they sounded good .. :rolleyes:


Mike , you are carrying around a solid minus1 for experience , best to get back with us after you have actually gotten out and did something , like listening to real reference SOTA type systems for a start , as it is you have 30yrs of listening to catchup on, only then will you have anything qualitative to add and bring to the table, instead of your usual Naive hyperbole and silly internet quotes. The first thing you will realize if ur ears are working is the total lack of refinement non SOTA gear has , refinement is one of the main areas good **** have over avg ****.

Uncle Mikey said it best ( too many Mikes :) )

personally I work hard to have a system which tells me differences, while being very listenable. so any coloration which minimizes differences I avoid. I suppose there is a fine line on both ends of that thinking; you can have too great a focus on minute differences to the point of fatiguing levels of detail, or too great a focus on listenability to the point of coloration and sameness. - Mike lavigne


Sameness , it's that white sound you have become accustomed to , the one you keep sprouting off as being Distortion free ...


:)
 
a.wayne said:
I guess you missed where you said they sounded good .. :rolleyes:


Mike , you are carrying around a solid minus1 for experience , best to get back with us after you have actually gotten out and did something , like listening to real reference SOTA type systems for a start , as it is you have 30yrs of listening to catchup on, only then will you have anything qualitative to add and bring to the table, instead of your usual Naive hyperbole and silly internet quotes. The first thing you will realize if ur ears are working is the total lack of refinement non SOTA gear has , refinement is one of the main areas good **** have over avg ****.

Uncle Mikey said it best ( too many Mikes :) )

personally I work hard to have a system which tells me differences, while being very listenable. so any coloration which minimizes differences I avoid. I suppose there is a fine line on both ends of that thinking; you can have too great a focus on minute differences to the point of fatiguing levels of detail, or too great a focus on listenability to the point of coloration and sameness. - Mike lavigne


Sameness , it's that white sound you have become accustomed to , the one you keep sprouting off as being Distortion free ...


:)
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You are forgetting who started this thread. Are you saying Joe has no experience as well? How about Elberoth who said the NC-500's were the 2nd best sound at Munich? You seem to be attaching proven sound quality, to person feeling about my experience. And you're right. Perhaps I'm stone cold deaf. But I know those 2 guys aren't. :)
 
Did Joe say best in the world as you , i dont think so and im not aware of their references and experience as I'm with yours and Note, Im not disputing anyone's preference , it's your constant absolute statements on what's best and why everyone should have one ...


BtW , Funny how you wont send your boards to have them evaluated... :)
 
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