Thanks for correcting me, I thought it was active.
Nord One Up Ncore NC500 amps, Class D ready for prime time .....
- Thread starter joeinid
- Start date
Thanks for correcting me, I thought it was active.
Showroom Dummies
New member
Does it have to be at a highish volume?
- Thread Author
- #1,203
No, I don't think so, but driving it moderately on occasion would certainly help. As long as you are playing it, every little bit helps.
Showroom Dummies
New member
When the amp arrives, is it best to make sure all the internals are securely connected?
It's not something I would normally do and prefer to leave it to the professionals.
It's not something I would normally do and prefer to leave it to the professionals.
- Thread Author
- #1,205
I never checked mine until it came time to swap op amps. Everything was fine. No issues whatsoever.
Jack
Active member
No reason to crack it open if it plays out of the box. If something has come unplugged inside you will know it. Very simple to work on as most every thing is plug and play.
Jack
Active member
mrcrowley
The Sparkos and the SI Op Amps are what Colin designed the input buffer board for and what he recommends and sells so I suspect you just need to e-mail Nord and ask him directly about the OPA1612. I am certainly not going to try an Op Amp that isn't approved or tested by him. As to the MP amps if you want to save money buy one, but I would stick with the tested and acclaimed NC500 based amps.
As to you question about the Bel Canto's they are an entirely different price category and aimed at a different market segment so doubtful anyone short of a reviewer like Srajen has heard both. The difference between $2000 and $5000 is quite a difference to the "average" buyer.
The Sparkos and the SI Op Amps are what Colin designed the input buffer board for and what he recommends and sells so I suspect you just need to e-mail Nord and ask him directly about the OPA1612. I am certainly not going to try an Op Amp that isn't approved or tested by him. As to the MP amps if you want to save money buy one, but I would stick with the tested and acclaimed NC500 based amps.
As to you question about the Bel Canto's they are an entirely different price category and aimed at a different market segment so doubtful anyone short of a reviewer like Srajen has heard both. The difference between $2000 and $5000 is quite a difference to the "average" buyer.
Jack you are right about different market segment, but both amps shares the same NC500 modules and also standard Hypex power supply.
They only difference for input board, where Bel Canto use LME49720 opamp, probably more close to OPA1612 then Sparkos and SI.
Should be very interesting a test of this kind.
Thank u. Bye
They only difference for input board, where Bel Canto use LME49720 opamp, probably more close to OPA1612 then Sparkos and SI.
Should be very interesting a test of this kind.
Thank u. Bye
Rodm_2001
New member
I am back to chime in about my experience with my somewhat new Nord amplifier and pre-amp situation.
Fresh out the box the amplifier sounded "synthetic" or "sterile" and missing body for the lack of a better term. Yesterday, As I was listening to the same group of songs that I've been listening to for the past 2 weeks, I noticed that the base is a lot more fuller and the dynamics of the music is much more apparent. seems like the amp is finally breaking in!
As for my pre-amp situation, I am still trying to find a suitable solution for connecting my pre-amp's RCA output to the XLR inputs of the Nords. Right now, I am using RCA to XLR cables.
I picked up a Henry Engineering Matchbox HD to convert the unbalanced signal to balanced XLR. Immediately after the hook up I noticed a relatively loud constant buzz coming from my speakers. Turns out the unit has defective power supply capacitors that need to be replaced. I also noticed that the converter box has significantly boosted the base and very much so attenuated high frequencies. To make it short, it sounded terrible. I am waiting for the replacement capacitors to show up but I am not sure if the capacitors are going to fix the sound signature as well.
meanwhile, I picked up a different line level converter. it's an Aphex 124A unit that should be doing exactly what the matchbox HD unit is supposed to be doing. Have not hooked it up yet but I am not having super high hopes that this unit will be as transparent as I would like it to be.
If you are looking for a pre-amp to match the Nords, definitely look for a unit with XLR outputs. you won't be getting the optimum performance of the amp by feeding it from a RCA output.
Fresh out the box the amplifier sounded "synthetic" or "sterile" and missing body for the lack of a better term. Yesterday, As I was listening to the same group of songs that I've been listening to for the past 2 weeks, I noticed that the base is a lot more fuller and the dynamics of the music is much more apparent. seems like the amp is finally breaking in!
As for my pre-amp situation, I am still trying to find a suitable solution for connecting my pre-amp's RCA output to the XLR inputs of the Nords. Right now, I am using RCA to XLR cables.
I picked up a Henry Engineering Matchbox HD to convert the unbalanced signal to balanced XLR. Immediately after the hook up I noticed a relatively loud constant buzz coming from my speakers. Turns out the unit has defective power supply capacitors that need to be replaced. I also noticed that the converter box has significantly boosted the base and very much so attenuated high frequencies. To make it short, it sounded terrible. I am waiting for the replacement capacitors to show up but I am not sure if the capacitors are going to fix the sound signature as well.
meanwhile, I picked up a different line level converter. it's an Aphex 124A unit that should be doing exactly what the matchbox HD unit is supposed to be doing. Have not hooked it up yet but I am not having super high hopes that this unit will be as transparent as I would like it to be.
If you are looking for a pre-amp to match the Nords, definitely look for a unit with XLR outputs. you won't be getting the optimum performance of the amp by feeding it from a RCA output.
FredList
New member
Hello, fellow audiophiles. Longtime reader of this impressive thread, first time poster.
Have a Nord Stereo UP coming from Colin in a week or so. Will be adding this to a system that is fed by a Furman Elite 15 PF.
Have read differing information about class D amps and power needs. Is it best to plug the Nord into the amp sockets of the Furman (that offer additional surge power and line control) or to simply use the wall output? Will be using Pangea Ac-9 cords.
Thanks, and thank you JOEINID for supporting such an extensive thread.
Fred
Have a Nord Stereo UP coming from Colin in a week or so. Will be adding this to a system that is fed by a Furman Elite 15 PF.
Have read differing information about class D amps and power needs. Is it best to plug the Nord into the amp sockets of the Furman (that offer additional surge power and line control) or to simply use the wall output? Will be using Pangea Ac-9 cords.
Thanks, and thank you JOEINID for supporting such an extensive thread.
Fred
FredList
New member
Third Try.
Have a Nord Stereo UP amp coming from Colin in a week or so. Am wondering if it is best to plug it into a power conditioner (Furman Elite 15-pf) or the wall socket. The conditioner offers line filtering and peak capacitor power adds. Thanks.
Have a Nord Stereo UP amp coming from Colin in a week or so. Am wondering if it is best to plug it into a power conditioner (Furman Elite 15-pf) or the wall socket. The conditioner offers line filtering and peak capacitor power adds. Thanks.
- Thread Author
- #1,214
Showroom Dummies
New member
It's arrived.
I've been listening to music for about 10 hours now through my Roksan Caspian preamp and using the Cambridge Audio CXN.
As other members have said: I was not that impressed the first hour or two and then once it had warmed up properly I heard a warmer/smoother sound which had more grip.
It's not blown me away yet, but it needs many more hours of use before anything significant happens.
Apart from a bit more control, the sound is very similar when I had the Roksan Caspian mono amps connected.
But at least I'm not using so much power now
I also want to try a passive preamp and see what change that will make.
Would love to try a Hattor, but that means buying one first.
I've been listening to music for about 10 hours now through my Roksan Caspian preamp and using the Cambridge Audio CXN.
As other members have said: I was not that impressed the first hour or two and then once it had warmed up properly I heard a warmer/smoother sound which had more grip.
It's not blown me away yet, but it needs many more hours of use before anything significant happens.
Apart from a bit more control, the sound is very similar when I had the Roksan Caspian mono amps connected.
But at least I'm not using so much power now
I also want to try a passive preamp and see what change that will make.
Would love to try a Hattor, but that means buying one first.
Hi Guys, good to see the merits of the Nord being appreciated by a bigger and more (erudite) audience :lol:
As some are finding burn in is a bit of a swine. You just have to do it. But after the first 60-100 hours it becomes a very good amplifier and after that you get the super bonus of cracking sound.
On other Class D amps, I have tried the Merrill Veritas (through a fellow magazine reviewer) and the Nord had the beating of it. And the Veritas was better than Merrill's NC500 amp. Those damn op-amps and discrete regulators I guess. Not properly heard the Bel Canto so can't comment.
The more I listen to pre-amps the more unhappy I am with most of them. The Hattor and the transformer variants (TVCs) do something that a lot of active pres can't do. They give a neutral and exceptionally detailed sound. No emphasis on the mids, bass or top end sparkle or other active amp tricks. Comparing passive is er.. not easy. Be careful as you can end up chasing your tail with subtleties and variants and a good cable can change it all. If you want the best passive then a top quality transformer did it for me BUT its gain on bass impact and top end sparkle was small. And you have to pay, in cash terms and convenience. Yes MFA make a cracking Baby Reference with remote but it is whole lot more than the remote-controlled Hattor.
Pays your money and takes your choice, ever it was so.
As some are finding burn in is a bit of a swine. You just have to do it. But after the first 60-100 hours it becomes a very good amplifier and after that you get the super bonus of cracking sound.
On other Class D amps, I have tried the Merrill Veritas (through a fellow magazine reviewer) and the Nord had the beating of it. And the Veritas was better than Merrill's NC500 amp. Those damn op-amps and discrete regulators I guess. Not properly heard the Bel Canto so can't comment.
The more I listen to pre-amps the more unhappy I am with most of them. The Hattor and the transformer variants (TVCs) do something that a lot of active pres can't do. They give a neutral and exceptionally detailed sound. No emphasis on the mids, bass or top end sparkle or other active amp tricks. Comparing passive is er.. not easy. Be careful as you can end up chasing your tail with subtleties and variants and a good cable can change it all. If you want the best passive then a top quality transformer did it for me BUT its gain on bass impact and top end sparkle was small. And you have to pay, in cash terms and convenience. Yes MFA make a cracking Baby Reference with remote but it is whole lot more than the remote-controlled Hattor.
Pays your money and takes your choice, ever it was so.
Rodm_2001
New member
Hi guys,
Back with more info to share. Just to give you guys a little history, I am using an Arcam SR-250 receiver as my Pre-amp which only has RCA output. I was not very happy with the signal voltage mismatch between the two devices. I ended up purchasing an Aphex 124 audio level interface to convert the unbalanced RCA signal to a balanced XLR signal before feeding it to the Nord. It definitely did the job! The Aphex box is very transparent. I compared the Aphex and Matchbox HD and Aphex definitely was the better of the two. I am very happy with my setup now. The Nord is slowly breaking in and it's starting to really impress me. I think my 5 month audio gurney and exploration has finally come to an end. The combination of the Nord with SI op-amp and my Ohm 3000 speakers are very pleasant. Thanks again for sharing you insight.
Back with more info to share. Just to give you guys a little history, I am using an Arcam SR-250 receiver as my Pre-amp which only has RCA output. I was not very happy with the signal voltage mismatch between the two devices. I ended up purchasing an Aphex 124 audio level interface to convert the unbalanced RCA signal to a balanced XLR signal before feeding it to the Nord. It definitely did the job! The Aphex box is very transparent. I compared the Aphex and Matchbox HD and Aphex definitely was the better of the two. I am very happy with my setup now. The Nord is slowly breaking in and it's starting to really impress me. I think my 5 month audio gurney and exploration has finally come to an end. The combination of the Nord with SI op-amp and my Ohm 3000 speakers are very pleasant. Thanks again for sharing you insight.
nc42acc
New member
Joe did you sell off your Nords?