Here is a brief article by John Darko on Digital Audio Review about Taranis.
http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2014/11/merrill-taranis-another-attainable-hypex-ncore-amplifier/
The article points to emails from Merrill confirming that Taranis power conversion modules are derived from NC1200, and not from NC400.
It does make sense, considering that the NAD implementation of NC400 delivers 250W/8 per channel at the output terminals, while the module inside Teranis deliver 400W/8 per channel at the output terminals. |
Do you know if Teranis rating is dynamic or continuous? NAD delivers 350W/8 dynamic. That's not much different than the 400W/8 quoted by Merrill. The nc1200 puts out 650W/4 yet the Taranis is quoted at 600W/4. If it is based on the nc1200, why not 650W/4? |
Right here in real time before my very eyes useless speculation is being raised to the level of an art form. What is the point? You sound like a bunch of teenage girls worrying about whether or not John is married.
The amps are what they are and you can buy one if you like. Does it really matter all that much which module is in use? Isn't the real goal to just set and forget your system so as to enjoy the music it produces?
Can you picture yourselves on a refrigerator forum arguing about the new Amana and it's lineage as suggested by similar specs or a perceived implication in the ad copy? Do you see how silly you look?
And for gods' sake, is it really worth dismissing each others thoughts, name calling or insults?
Find something important to pursue. I'm in the midst of implementing a photovoltaic system on my roof. Got to take advantage of the 30% tax credit while it is still available - then I'll return to anguishing over which shell hides the pea or which celebrity is the hottest or whose the greatest QB of all time or whose Dad is tougher or whether Mom liked you best or any of a thousand other great mysteries that keep the internet forums buzzing.
Merrill is sing the NC 550 module. |
Maybe you should take your own advice and stay on the roof so as to not be bothered by all this sillyness.... |
Hey!! Who are you calling a teenage girl?!! I am older then 20 and not a day over 29.
I kind of agree with you Macrojack but I felt that someone here was trying to marginalize and denigrate Merrill and his Taranis amp with their use of speculation and insinuation.
Sometimes I let my emotions get the better of me when it involves someone I know and/or respect.
Enough said on this subject, I am moving on.
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"marginalize and denigrate Merrill and his Taranis amp"? Not in the least.... |
"merrill is sing the NC 550 module."
Hi you Macro... I have not found an NCore NC550 module using Google. Could you provide us with a URL? Thanks, G. |
Guido - my imagination does not have a URL. |
Hrrrmpf... I was hoping that at least high end Amana photovoltaics were powered by a bonified NCore NC550 controller... Ah well, Audiozen and I will have to continue our arcane debate without an official part number for the time being *grins!* |
Kuribo - Rooftop install is all finished, we hope. The county inspector is the next hurdle.
Guido - My panels are made in Oregon by a German company. No input from Iowa religious cults or Dutch geniuses as far as I know. I will say the Enphase Micro-Inverters are supremely cool. You buy a monitor called The Envoy which plugs into your router and your wall enabling it to monitor each panel individually showing its output in real time on my computer screen. I could even get a phone app to watch. Probably won't do that though. |
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Guido - my imagination does not have a URL. |
Guido - my imagination does not have a URL. |
Kuribo - Rooftop install is all finished, we hope. The county inspector is the next hurdle.
Guido - My panels are made in Oregon by a German company. No input from Iowa religious cults or Dutch geniuses as far as I know. I will say the Enphase Micro-Inverters are supremely cool. You buy a monitor called The Envoy which plugs into your router and your wall enabling it to monitor each panel individually showing its output in real time on my computer screen. I could even get a phone app to watch. Probably won't do that though. |
Interesting.... BTW, Mr. Putzeys is Belgian rather than Dutch. G. |
Macro, Mr. Putzeys is belgian rather than dutch. G. |
Guido - Thanks for the correction. I guess I knew as much from reading and had forgotten to make that distinction. Would Belgians be offended by such an error?
County inspector finally showed up and, on his 3rd visit found nothing to criticize. We are approved but cannot utilize the system until Xcel Energy comes out and installs a "production meter" to finalize the circuit and initiate our "grid-tie" contract. From what I understand, that can take a month or more. |
For a Fleming, a distinction without a difference. |
Hi Schubert, it was Mr. Putzeys himself who informed me that he is Belgian. Regards, G. |
It seems to me that many OEM amp manufacturers,when it comes to disclosing which class D amp modules they employ in their products, prefer by design ambiguity over clarity. Understandable to an extent but, as Macrojack so eloquently observed, speculating on which modules used is making me feel like a teenage girl.
Yesterday, I felt like a little Mexican, but I cured that easy enough with 2 steak tostados.
Huh?
Tim
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Hrrrmpf.... Of course I had forgotten this one seminal research paper on the very subject.... Radical rejuvenation and genderbending through speculative audiophilia -- by Aloysius Q. Schmaltzenstein-Gavronsky, Dr. Peter Scialli (Ph.D), et al. [Acta Audiophrenica Refutata, vol. XXVII, Feb 29th 2019]
G. |
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Hi Macro, it is only a matter of putting good information in the lore... E.g. Often I am mistaken for Dutch or German because of the transalpine cadence of my vowels... It does not bother me at all... I explain that I am Italian, and mine is the standard accent from Milan. G. |
Guido - I'm from N.J. Since I type with a profound Jersey accent, many don't seem to understand what I'm trying to say. It is likely that your Italian origins serve to bridge that gap for you.
Still living happily ever after with my Continuum S2. Besides sounding great with my jumbo horns, it scores big points for ergonomics, plastic remote notwithstanding. |
Hi Macro, Yes I have heard that the looks of the remote for Continuum S2 and Capri S2 is a little "non denominational".
The good news is that its functionality and reliability is superior to the old "heavy" remote for the original Continnuum and Capri... The old remote was housed in a twin Zinc stamped shell, hence its weight. G. |
You may find interesting to read what the somewhat famous sound engineer "audiovisjion", who also builds Hypex amps, thinks of the newest Class D power modules, specifically the newest Anaview AMS technology. See Post 2591:
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/high-end/851143-high-end-nearfield-test-87.html |
Yes, he prefers the the anaview when used with a certain speaker. He makes no direct, general comparison between ncore and anaview. |
Yes Kuribo, I assume you're smart enough to understand the context of all the information provided in this forum.
In any case, this professional sound engineer tested both NC400 and Anaview amplifiers with the very low efficiency Amphion One 18, and he clearly preferred the Anaview AMS technology.
It is clear that no one will be able to test or compare both amplifiers with every speaker in the world ever made, is that what you are expecting? jeje
I just posted this information for everyone to have a better knowledge of the latest developments of class D amplifiers.
You should understand that very possibly, one module will perform better with some speakers and certain playback chain, while it may not have the same performance if you change something.
You like to speak in absolute terms, and also ask questions that seem to oversimplify the comparisons between modules.
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Yes Kuribo, I assume you're smart enough to understand the context of all the information provided in this forum.
In any case, this professional sound engineer tested both NC400 and Anaview amplifiers with the very low efficiency Amphion One 18, and he clearly preferred the Anaview AMS technology.
It is clear that no one will be able to test or compare both amplifiers with every speaker in the world ever made, is that what you are expecting? jeje
I just posted this information for everyone to have a better knowledge of the latest developments of class D amplifiers.
You should understand that very possibly, one module will perform better with some speakers and certain playback chain, while it may not have the same performance if you change something.
You like to speak in absolute terms, and also ask questions that seem to oversimplify the comparisons between modules.
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And you seem to like to present rather narrow, limited, subjective, anecdotal information of little use or value to those concerned with actual class d amp performance. |
Kuribo,
Unfortunately there's not much information about the performance of these new modules.
But I don't think the information I provided is invalid. In fact, the comparison was performed by a serious sound engineer, who has tons of experience with different amplifiers and sound systems.
In fact, this information, as well as what's been posted in the German DIY forum, seems to be rather precise, as all the users have excellent reputation testing and comparing amplifiers.
The Anaview AMS1000-2600, with the latest AMS control technology, is rather new and not many systems have been using these modules.
However, it has been objectively compared three times against the Hypex NC400. In the three occasions the Anaview AMS has outperformed the NC400.
There's a group of DIYes buying a batch of AMS amplifiers, we will probably get new opinions soon.
In my own experience, currently the AMS1000-2600 is the amplifier to beat at a reasonable price.
BTW do you happen to own any class D amplifier? |
According to Anaview, and a manufacturer who markets an Anaview based amp, the new module doesn't sound any different than the old one. The old one has been compared to ncore and found lacking by many. There are a few comparisons of the new module to ncore on various European sites and again, most I have read have preferred the ncore.
Yes, I have owned Spectron, Tripath, Ice, and Hypex.
No doubt some will prefer other class d amps to the ncore, just like some prefer class a to class d, tubes to ss....Different strokes. That is no surprise...In class d, or even other class for that matter, nothing compares to Ncore objectively. Surely there isn't one amp for everyone, so it makes little sense to imply that somehow amp a is "better" than amp b because some people on an audio board prefer it... |
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Kuribo,
Im afraid that the information you are providing is not correct. Patrick Bostrom (founder and lead Engineer of Anaview) has already explained that the new AMS modules have notably better performance than the old ALC ones. Specifically, the Adaptive Modulation Servo technology delivers a more refined treble with less THD.
Dennis Deacon from D-Sonic also explained that the AMS modules sound better that the ALC in his system.
The Europeans DIYers also found the new AMS1000-2600 better than the old ALC1000-1300, most notably in the treble performance. Both modules are super dynamic, but the AMS has a more organic sound that can be listened for hours without fatigue.
When compared against the Hypex NC400, the AMS1000-2600 comes on top. Three highly regarded members of the German DIYforum, and a professional sound engineer all agree with this. Up to know, not a single person who has compared the NC400 vs the AMS1000-2600 has preferred the Hypex module. In several different systems with different speakers etc, the AMS technology outperformed the Hypex NC400. You may think that based on simple specs the NC400 should sound better, but real life test have shown this is not the case.
You should understand that the NC400 and NC1200 modules are in a completely different performance league. Yes, you can check the similar specs. Yes, Mr. Bruno commented they are just different in the power capabilities. BUT THEY DONT SOUND THE SAME IN REAL LIFE. Highly respected members in this forum have already checked this point and all agree NC1200 >>> NC400. So when you talk about Hypex, please take care of specifying the power module you want to talk about.
This is my personal take on the current class D high end options:
- The absolute performance leader seems to be the Hypex NC1200. However to this day no one has compared it to the most powerful Pascal and Anaview modules. Also, its price/performance ratio seems to be very low (compared to the other high end class D offerings)
- The price/performance leaders are the newest Pascal and Anaview modules. Here, Hypex is playing catch up, but starting to offer a customized version of Ncore to the OEMs which supposedly will have better dynamics and power capabilities. Merril and NAD will be the first adopters of these customizations.
- The Hypex NC400 was never a top performer, but used to be the best price/performance option for DIY. It has now been proved that better modules can be had for less money that simply perform better.
BTW, if you only base your opinion in technical specifications, you may find interesting to know that the Hypex Ncore is not the leader. At least the new Benchmark AHB2 has clearly better specs, within its power range. |
Sebollo, which Merrill and NAD amps are you referring to in the following... "Hypex is playing catch up, but starting to offer a customized version
of Ncore to the OEMs which supposedly will have better dynamics and power capabilities. Merril and NAD will be the first adopters of these customizations."
Sebollo and Kuribo.... We should also consider that we consumers do not listen to a bare module, but to complete amps. The raw performance of the module is certainly a factor in the performance of the amp, but is not the only factor... With designs of growing complexity, the raw performance of a particular module becomes more and more a partial issue.
G. |
You might want to review this very thread wherein both an Anaview employee and Dennis Deacon are quoted as saying that their is no material difference in sound between the old and new Anaview....
Hypex has said repeatedly that there is no material difference in sound between the nc1200 and the nc400. Nc400 actually has better specs. There has been no conclusive testing or rigorous comparison done to show the nc1200 is superior in some way, only anecdotal reports, mostly from new owners, that they prefer the sound to the nc400. No doubt it does sound different. It is a common misconception to think that different is better in an objective sense.
No doubt you can find people who prefer one to another. As I said, people have differing perceptions and taste.
If you look through enough forums, you will find people who prefer ncore to anaview to pascal, and those that prefer the anaview, and those that think they all sound like mud. Frankly, I don't base my opinions of audio gear or make judgments based on the opinions of people on online forums.
Hypex has started to offer a cheaper, less powerful oem ncore because they recognize they have a hole in their product line. They are in business and it is a smart move.
Proven that there are better performing modules for less money than Hypex? Hardly, but then again, clearly your standards of proof are a lot lower than mine...
I do agree with Guido in that the implementation plays a part in the final performance. Merrill is adding their own front end now, rather than using the stock input section. That will surely change the sound. Better or not, that is subjective. No doubt some will like it. Whether it is an actual improvement in the amp's performance will await more rigorous analysis. |
Guido,
You quoted only a part of my comment. I was talking about the price/performance offerings from each manufacturer. Up to very recently, Hypex only had the UcD modules for "mid Tier" OEM designs.
But several brands from the states as well as overseas (Jeff Rowland, D-Sonic, TEAC, Matt Kraemer, Amphion) were choosing Pascal and Anaview over Hypex UcD.
Now, Hypex decided to be more competitive in that segment, offering OEMs customizations of their Ncore modules at a more competitive price than their NC1200 flagship.
I will go further than your last statement, saying we don't listen to amps, we listen the complete chain, from record to the listening room!
But I still consider useful to somehow break the chain into pieces, for comparison and analysis, obviously paying much attention to the context where the comparisons are made.
We are speaking in relative terms here. I can say that my amplifier with Anaview modules sounds fantastic when using a Benchmark DAC2 as pre amplifier (low output impedance), and B&W 805, 802, or Dynaudio Confidence C2 speakers.
I suspect it would not sound so good if I connect a high output impedance tube preamplifier. In that case, an input buffer may be necessary. Some designers already build it with the amp, like W4S.
Sebastian |
Hi Sebastian, you are correct. The NCore-type modules inside the Merrill Taranis and the NAD M22 stereo amps are not absolute performance enhancements over the NC1200 mono part. Rather, they were designed as smaller and lower cost trickle-down compoenents to enhance the price-performance ratio of higher entry level stereo amplifiers above what is possible using UCD in the same context. It is also unclear if NAD and Merrill are using the same parts for their respective stereo amps.
I am not qualified to comment about most manufacturers you cited. However, Rowland has not made an overall selection of Pascal over Hypex. The pragmatic philosophy of Rowland is to engineer topologies and select component parts to best fit the requirements of particular projects, or families of projects, at design time.
Hence, the $65K M925 monos and the $32K bridgeable M825 sport Hypex NCore NC1200 parts. Pascal MPro2 is inside the $9.5K Continuum S2 integrated; the M525 bridgeable has Pascal SPRO2; and the entry level M125 bridgeable contains an ICEpower module with amazing results I have been told. And, as usual, the unfathomable future remains in the stars. |
Guido,
As Jeff Rowland, there are a couple of other manufacturers who have stated they are not tied to any topology and any power module brand. Amphion is one of them, D-sonic (only class D) and Matt Kraemer (only class D) are others.
Good times for us consumers, I suppose.
It seems that all the newest Class D power modules have in common a very advanced control loop (feedback error correction) and a very studied component layout to minimize EMI/RFI.
Call them AMS, Ncore, UcD, UMAC, etc, all technologies employ a high order control loop that includes the speaker load into the feedback error control to keep THD as low as possible. As a consequence of the high unmount of feedback required to accomplish this, the output resistance of the modules is extremely low (and dumping factor high).
For some time I've been wondering if this approach could be applied to other topologies. Classic class A / AB designers don't seem to treat feedback as a valuable resource for bettering amplifiers THD performance.
However, Benchmark Media is now selling a new amplifier called AHB2 that employs several THX patents, some of which are about feedback and error control. As the newest class D power modules, this amplifier has extremely low THD and high dynamic range, it even beats the best class D specs currently available.
It also uses a switching power supply, which IMO is another sign of using "non traditional" design resources to enhance the performance of the classic topologies.
So what do you think? Now that Class D has advanced to a level that can compete spec wise with all other topologies, will classic class A/AB manufacturers "enhance" their designs using all modern and non traditional technologies to bring them to the next performance level? |
Thanks for the info Sebollo! |
You're very welcome Mikela! I'd love to hear your experience once you setup the new multichannel system using Pascal and Anaview amplifier modules.
Sebastian |
anybody has something to add on the ncore vs ams anaview??????? |
okay, Ive found a a german? hifi forum someone comparing the art0 module with ams anaview.:
but would now like to describe my aural impressions of the Abletec ALC0300. I did have some bad luck .. and get the modules rather late. Nevertheless, my sincere thanks to Patrick for all the effort and reliable carrying !!!
The already could shake the first few bars from the official housing at reception evening was well understood ... but the anticipation is one of the most beautiful feelings.
Evening like my Reference 3A Studio M3 (92 dB) and the Linn preamp connected and ... it came out ... oh wonder also tones ... phew ... so at least everything right. The following 3 days went by Monos and were complemented by the 2 small ALC 100. A Center for the bridge mode and one for the small rear speakers. As far ... so good. What struck me at the ALC 100 ... low noise. The ALC 300 are totally quiet ... the ALC 100 rushing softly to himself. It does not sit too much ... just barely bearable ... and from 1.5m distance no longer very disturbing.
Previously I had used the kit from Art0.de. Which has built the Tripath 2021b and to max. 14 Watt afford ... what I have, however, never been used. My speakers have an ingenious concept from legendary developer Daniel Dehay. Is dispensed (in most of his Kostruktionen) virtually at a crossover. The result is a very fast, musical, time-accurate speaker with very high Abbildungsfähigleit. In addition, they are satisfied with a few watts. I have operated with single-ended tubes of power class 1-8Watt many years ... I could never have noticed that deficits in dynamics and depth despite the low performance. On div. Parties to 250 man ... I could also make their abnormal level stability proof ... and every time! Music material ... with a handful of watts. To make it short ... ...
To speakers that are designed like mine ... you will definitely with the Abletec ALC 0300 not happy.
Since it depends on the first and not to the 300th watts. When I read the first sound description of Oliver ... where he had written of a "hardship" ... was the day before I had received the package. Hardness?!?! ... But I know my various Ref. 3A too good ... hardness that is there really a problem. Therefore, I had immediately demanded again ... and Oliver had improved somewhat. Shortly before the response I had to build almost no desire, they still aufz ... because of the long anticipation I got it but then made ...
Oliver has understated. What the Abletec have then delivered to my LS was hard ... very hard ... even after 4 days of continuous operation ... as my hi-mate came to visit an ear to finally throw in the amplifier ... was the high frequency range very tiring. The low season averaging does not exist - the amplifier reproduces a depth Stamp level. The room is quite large .. untenrum missing trotzdemein some punch. What bothered me the most .. the cold is the final stage. No melting ... not magic - just cold, lifeless.
What has struck with the only positive ... the higher the volume .. the better it is. If it were not for this over-present treble would be ...
On my speakers lacked a scary part of the fine dynamics. In some shots we have seen in comparison to Art0 that all details are overrun. In my chain they just did not sound - she presented herself as a foreign body. Fine drawing, coarse -and fine dynamics, body, melting and depth without end ... all that was back when I had joined the little droll Art0. This I burdened by low volume on battery only with an input power of 1.2W .. Room increased volume 2W ... from 4W rang the neighbors by Whattsapp by ... whether it was party again ... and why I'd not invited .. . at 8W would surely the police come ...
My conclusion: For Speakers - like mine is the ALC0300 inappropriate. A cross check with ner small Canton showed that this can live with the final stage ... and great aufspielte. The effect described above I could not find there. At the Canton I can not connect the Art0 as this then acts quite stressed at elevated low volume.
So ... all a matter of the chain. A cure is not Abletec.
Although my buddy said ... like the Art0 airs ... I could but reach the end of the search ... but who wants that because even ...
Who after describing another tip for those cold winter days ... has the play instinct is still there. I would like to try the AMS 1000 ... maybe there is a near here ...
It will be exciting ...
Many greetings |
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Murphy,
Are you looking for a new amp and can't decide between AMS or Ncore? What's your preamp and output impedance? What speakers are you using?
Sebastian |
And... What is your budget? NCore NC1200 amps are pricier than Anaview.
G. |
Murphythecat,
Thanks for the information of the German forum. But, keep in mind THE USER DID NOT COMPARE AMS MODULES AT ALL. He used an older technology (ALC).
Also, as I asked you previously, he doesn't seem to specify the preamp he used to drive the amplifiers. This is critical with Abletec/Anaview modules.
Unless you build an input buffer for the Anaview, they will only work correctly with very low output impedance amplifiers (up to 300 Ohms aprox).
I would not use that specific german review as a reference to AMS performance.
Best,
Sebastian |
I'm looking for the best amp possible within around 2k, maximum budget would be 3k.
not interested in hypex as I use the art0 module class d and I know, from many comparison that the art0 module is almost at the quality of hypex if not better, but its only 13W.
I use amphion one18. I want ideally minimum of 20 to 30W amp. |
Murphythecat,
Again... what's your preamp and its output impedance?
Reading several forums threads I could gather the following information that may be of interest to you:
1- Head of Anaview and lead engineer Patrik Bostrom, used Amphion speakers during the development, optimization and testing of the new AMS100 and AMS1000 amplifiers.
2- Anssi Hyvönen, head of Amphion, explained they have been scouting the D class amps for 5 years now in order to know which works and which does not. Making a good reliable, D class amp module requires major investment. Hence there are only a limited number of manufacturers in the world. He has tried to get his hands on all the standard modules available -
Quote from Anssi Hyvönen:
"I have not found anything that I could recommend to be used with our products as a full range solution. The amps have been getting better with every new generation, but have not been fully there yet. Nothing before Anaview came along. When it comes to amps suitable for pro use Anaview's latest generation AMS module is the best D class amp I have come across.
But when something with better price / performance ratio, which is even more suitable for our speakers comes along you can bet it that our little amp boxes will house those modules."
3- GearSlutz member Audiovisjon (famous sound engineer) has tested both Hypex NC400 and Anaview AMS power amps with some of the many monitors he reviewed lately (Including Amphion One 18).
Quote form Audiovisjon: "Though I build the hypex Ncore amps in Norway I have to admit the Anaview´s modules from Amphion is a better match. They somehow bring out a level of resolution and focus that is even more impressive. I would not hesitate to use any of the two though."
4- Reviewer Srajan Ebaen from SixMoons is about to review the new Amphion AMS100 and AMS500 amplifiers, check here:
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews2/amphion/7.html
5- In the US market, only D-Sonic is currently building amplifiers based in Anaview AMS technology. Specifically, it uses the AMS1000-2600 module in BTL mode (the same that Amphion uses in the AMS500 amp in 2 CH mode).
6- I don't know about Amphion AMS100 and 500 designs, but D-Sonic does not include an input buffer in front of the AMS power module. This requires carefull matching with the preamp, and that's the reason for my first question to you.
Sebastian |
"Quote form Audiovisjon: "Though I build the hypex Ncore amps in Norway I have to admit the Anaview´s modules from Amphion is a better match. They somehow bring out a level of resolution and focus that is even more impressive. I would not hesitate to use any of the two though."
Since the amp designer used the Amphion speakers to develop his Anaview amp modules, the amp has been optimized for the Amphion speaker system. It should sound good.
That doesn't mean it would be optimal, or preferred, with other speakers or in other systems. It's one data point that also happens to be the best case scenario...
Just remember: an amp has no sound by itself. It all depends on the system and your personal preferences. Trying to decide which amp is best by soliciting opinions from others on the internet is not the optimal way to build a system. |
Since Murphythecat has the Amphion One 18 Speakers, it makes a lot of sense for him to try an Anaview AMS amplifier, which has been optimized for his speakers and beats the NC400 in this setup.
Other users also have reported that AMS1000 performance beats the NC400. Nobody that has compared both modules has preferred the NC400. Of course, we have to consider the context of every test and comparison. Every system and playback chain is different. But we have to accept that reviews performed by experienced members are valuable, and right now, the AMS module is "statistically" preferred over the NC400.
Kuribo, since you are very strict about specifications and don't seem to trust other opinions, I think it would be great if you had first hand experience with both NC400 and AMS technologies at the same time, and contribute to the forum with your review and comparison.
To the rest of the audiogon members, I can confirm that AMS technology is a really serious and excellent performer. I did not compare it head to head with NC400, because I understood from the specifications that the power capabilities of the AMS1000 module (in my case 2 x AMS1000 in BTL mode) and dynamic headroom are superior to the Ncore NC400. I considered the NC1200 against the AMS1000, but the price/performance ratio of the Ncore is not attractive, IMO. I also read several member reviews in other forums, to have an idea of the treble and general performance with several speakers of the new AMS technology, before finally making my decision.
As a first hand experience contribution to this forum, I tested the AMS1000-2600 in my system as well as Hi-Fi store. I was able to compare it against an ATI AT1202 and McIntosh MC601 amplifiers, using several preamps and speakers (B&W 805S, 804D, 803D and 802D, Dynaudio Confidence C2). I can say that the D-Sonic M3-600M-A, made of AMS1000-2600 modules was clearly the best performer, in those systems with those components.
The AMS module has better power characteristics and is more comparable to the NC1200 than to the NC400.
There is a DIY group buy of AMS1000 amplifiers going on, and there will be new comparisons very soon.
But, as far as Amphion and Anaview matching, we already have a clear leader.
Sebastian |
Some Pascal news for you...
Raidho amplifier - The Aavik Acoustics U-300 integrated amplifier [24'000] from the Raidho team combines a 24/192 DAC with 2 each Toslink, coax and USB inputs with adjustable phono and three line-level inputs; 3/6/12dB adjustable gain assignable to each line input; and class D Pascal power modules for 300/600wpc into 8/4 ohms said to be unconditionally stable into lower impedances.
http://www.monoandstereo.com/2014/11/aavik-acoustics-u-300-unity-amplifier.html
Cheers,
Sebastian |
Sebollo001,
Please explain your following comment:
"D-Sonic does not include an input buffer in front of the AMS power module. This requires careful matching with the preamp."
This is not an issue with the AMS1000 designer or any customer that I am aware of.
Dennis |
Hi Dennis,
My comment was based on the input impedance specification of the AMS1000-2600. In the manual,for balanced inputs, the input impedance varies between 1,37 and 14,5 Kohms.
The manual also explains that the input impedance is asymmetrical between channels, but that does not apply to your design, as you use BTL mode.
My understanding it that if the amp is used with a typical vacuum tube preamplifier which has high output impedance, the result can be premature LF roll-off and increased distortion.
I will clarify, however, that is not based on my own experience. It is based on the classical recommendation that the amp input impedance should be at least 10 times higher than the preamp output impedance.
I will also say that, in my case, I specifically chose your amp because it did not have an input buffer. My preamp (Benchmark DAC2) has very low output impedance and I am using short interconnects. I prefer, if possible, to avoid any extra circuit that can add signal distortion, and an input buffer is unnecessary in this case.
I am extremely happy with the D-Sonics M3-600M-A in my setup. Will probably stay there for a long time. Maybe in the future I will try them with a high output impedance tube preamp and post my first hand experience.
Greetings,
Sebastian |
