[face]

I'd love to compare these to a pair of Wyred SX-500 monos... 

[RCduck7]

Personally I can't answer the question of how they compare to the SDS amps but I've had more than my fair share of amps in the system in the last few years and IMO none of them compare in terms of clarity and the sheer amount of musical information allowed through.

List of some in no particular order

Consonance 211 and 845 (SET TUBE)
Atma-Sphere M-60 (OTL Tube)
McIntosh MC275 (PP Tube)
Pass Labs XA30.5 (Class A SS)
Luxman M-600 (Class A SS)
Jolida Music Envoy (PP tube, 211 triodes)
Luxman SQ-38 integrated (PP tube)
nuforce ref 18 (class D)
Spectron Musician III mono's (class D)
ModWright KWA 150 mono's (class A/B ss)
Odyssey extreme mono's (class A/B ss)
Threshold SA50 (class A ss)
hot rodded Dynaco ST70 (pp tube)
Eastern Electric M156 mono's (pp tube)
Eastern Electric M88 integrated (pp tube)
R.E. Designs LNPA 150 (class A/B ss)
Audio Mirror 45W SET (tube SET)

A few others that I can't think of off hand. Yes, all in the same room with either my current speakers, GedLee Abbey, or the previous speakers, Meadowlark Blue Heron 2.

With or without the subs, these amps are in a class by themselves compared to any of the above. All of the above have strengths and weaknesses but for my tastes I'm keeping the little NC400's for the foreseeable future. Just my .02.

mike

I was convinced before you posted this. The only thing i want to compare these to is the Hexatex class-D amps. Like this one i heard.
http://www.hexateq.com/reference_series.html

[cab]

Hexatex is UCD. We already know from both Bruno (the designer of both the UCD and Ncore) and others who have listened to both that the Ncore is significantly better...

[RCduck7]

Hexatex is UCD. We already know from both Bruno (the designer of both the UCD and Ncore) and others who have listened to both that the Ncore is significantly better...

Nice!

[Phil]

Those Hexateqs are in nice boxes and makes me think mono amps, rather than a one-chassis dual mono, is the way to go.

I don't have two matching (same manufacturer) power cords for the monos however.  Some amps don't care.  Any opinions about the Ncore with different cords, soundwise?

This thread was like group therapy for a while, but now I'm starting to count the days until they arrive.  Ah, audionervosa 

[Nick77]

       I don't have two matching (same manufacturer) power cords for the monos however.  Some amps don't care.  Any opinions about the Ncore with different cords, soundwise?
                                     

+1   

[macrojack]

I just pulled any two generic cords from the basket with no noticeable side effects. Of course, I have shown a remarkable immunity to PC fantasy over the years so my answer may be disqualified on that basis.

Rclark - Write down the day and time because I actually agree with you for once.
What I got from Mike's comment was exactly that.
If any of the amps on your list are items you dreamed of replacing your current amplifier with, them stop with all the comparison baloney.

So far, that I know of, we have two guys with OTL mono blocks and one guy with one of the finest class A amps available who have ordered the NC400s after direct comparison. We have several others who have ordered just because they can do two plus two. What are you waiting for?  John Atkinson?

[kevinh]

Personally I can't answer the question of how they compare to the SDS amps but I've had more than my fair share of amps in the system in the last few years and IMO none of them compare in terms of clarity and the sheer amount of musical information allowed through.

List of some in no particular order

Consonance 211 and 845 (SET TUBE)
Atma-Sphere M-60 (OTL Tube)
McIntosh MC275 (PP Tube)
Pass Labs XA30.5 (Class A SS)
Luxman M-600 (Class A SS)
Jolida Music Envoy (PP tube, 211 triodes)
Luxman SQ-38 integrated (PP tube)
nuforce ref 18 (class D)
Spectron Musician III mono's (class D)
ModWright KWA 150 mono's (class A/B ss)
Odyssey extreme mono's (class A/B ss)
Threshold SA50 (class A ss)
hot rodded Dynaco ST70 (pp tube)
Eastern Electric M156 mono's (pp tube)
Eastern Electric M88 integrated (pp tube)
R.E. Designs LNPA 150 (class A/B ss)
Audio Mirror 45W SET (tube SET)

A few others that I can't think of off hand. Yes, all in the same room with either my current speakers, GedLee Abbey, or the previous speakers, Meadowlark Blue Heron 2.

With or without the subs, these amps are in a class by themselves compared to any of the above. All of the above have strengths and weaknesses but for my tastes I'm keeping the little NC400's for the foreseeable future. Just my .02.

mike

Thanks for the list. I have been thinking of the Ncores bridged for the Sound Labs, I have also been thinking of the Spectron mono's the Sound Labs like a lot of voltage swing.

Could you talks about the pros and cons of the NCores vs the Spectron, I know the speakers are different.

Thanks.

[zybar]

Thanks for the list. I have been thinking of the Ncores bridged for the Sound Labs, I have also been thinking of the Spectron mono's the Sound Labs like a lot of voltage swing.

Could you talks about the pros and cons of the NCores vs the Spectron, I know the speakers are different.

Thanks.

My friend who heard the Ncores in his system this past weekend owns the fully loaded Spectron mono blocks and he thought the Ncores were significantly better across the board.  He also thought they were as good or better than his Lamm mono blocks. 

I have asked him to write up his thoughts and hopefully he will get to do that.

George

[Russell Dawkins]

My friend who heard the Ncores in his system this past weekend owns the fully loaded Spectron mono blocks and he thought the Ncores were significantly better across the board.  He also thought they were as good or better than his Lamm mono blocks. 
George

Wow - high praise indeed. This plus mgalusha's list is pretty astonishing. Some of the only remaining ultra high-end amps not mentioned are the Ongaku, Gaku-On and the Yamaha B-1s but since, along with the Lamms, these are impossibly beyond my budget it's great to know that these are within reach and probably sound better, anyway!
Thank you Bruno.

[doug s.]

this is certainly interesting.  ime, i have found this to be more related to what speaker is being used.  i get great low-level details w/my piega p5 mkii ltd's and my oris-based horn set-up.

doug s.

OK.  And I stated my experience with this amp compared to other amps.  It's purely a subjective opinion with the NCore amps that I've mentioned.  If you listen to the NCore then maybe you can give your feedback.

hey!  i am not arguing or disagreeing.  i yust found it interesting.  at some point, i hope to pick up a pair or two...

and, as i have mentioned to you prewiously off-line; i think it is great that you are offering your amps on this listening tour;    as you know, i was willing to lend you a hypex ucd 180 amp to use while your amps were out making the rounds.

doug s.

[jtwrace]

hey!  i am not arguing or disagreeing.  i yust found it interesting.  at some point, i hope to pick up a pair or two...

and, as i have mentioned to you prewiously off-line; i think it is great that you are offering your amps on this listening tour;    as you know, i was willing to lend you a hypex ucd 180 amp to use while your amps were out making the rounds.

doug s.

Yes, sir.   

Sorry if it came out as harsh...not my intention. 

[mgalusha]

You guy's are killing me......   where do I order 

Come one down Pete, or mebbe I could bring them by one day.

[ted_b]

George and Mike (Galusha),
You know my SP Tech Revs decently well....do you think the monoblocks (i.e not bridged/strapped) will be enough juice for these power hungry guys?  I will have one day of Randy's precious 3 days to tell, regardless.

[TomS]

George and Mike (Galusha),
You know my SP Tech Revs decently well....do you think the monoblocks (i.e not bridged/strapped) will be enough juice for these power hungry guys?  I will have one day of Randy's precious 3 days to tell, regardless.

You could passive vertical bi-amp with 4 NCores

[ted_b]

You could passive vertical bi-amp with 4 NCores

true dat...but it means splitting XLR inputs, etc...yuck.  I'd hope the bridging would be clean...dunno what I'm talking about really. 

[zybar]

George and Mike (Galusha),
You know my SP Tech Revs decently well....do you think the monoblocks (i.e not bridged/strapped) will be enough juice for these power hungry guys?  I will have one day of Randy's precious 3 days to tell, regardless.

I think so, but I am basing that answer on how they drove the 5A's. 

At no point were the amps strained or did they run out gas.  Even though the 5A's go down a little below 4 ohms, they aren't going to present the same challenge to the amps that your speakers will.

Can you remind me of the specs on your current amps?

George

[orientalexpress]

George and Mike (Galusha),
You know my SP Tech Revs decently well....do you think the monoblocks (i.e not bridged/strapped) will be enough juice for these power hungry guys?  I will have one day of Randy's precious 3 days to tell, regardless.

I like to know as well since i have the same speakers.


lapsan

[jtwrace]

I like to know as well since i have the same speakers.


lapsan

You will have 3 days to try them!   

[lowtech]

I preferred half a dozen amps over the D-200's and they weren't close to the level of performance of the Atma-Sphere amps that have been my reference amp for the past few years.

George

Due in part, no doubt, to the non-linear frequency response your AS amps deliver into a non-resistive load.  Toobs are cool but after living with an RM-200 for a couple years in my system the UcD's were a clear upgrade path for me.