[*Scotty*]

You have one unique driver from Focal in the 7K2. The best I have seen from most of them have been around 89dB 1w/m. I have a pair of 6W 4311 drivers from 6 years ago that I should have bought a total of 4 of and balked at another $260 dollars 
 I am guessing that the relatively high Fs of the 7K2 contributes to its overall efficiency.
Scotty

[Jon L]

You have one unique driver from Focal in the 7K2.

I used to have the ubiquitous Focal Kevlar mid/bass driver in there before redesigning around the 7K2.  Aside from the efficiency improvement, the degree of improvement in resolution, micro-dynamic life, and clarity was out of this world.  Too bad one can no longer buy these drivers.

[Jon L]

DZ3C0185 by drjlo2, on Flickr

I would be remiss if I did not mention the excellent Triode Wire Labs power cords that are graciously included in the NCore tour.  These braided power cables with Furutech plugs proved to be a great match for the Ncores and great cables in general. 

I would be rich if I got a quarter for every funky-sounding, amusical, heavily-colored power cord I have tried in my lifetime.  Even expensive audiofool power cords can have large colorations and deviations from neutrality, but these Triode Wire Labs cords refused to add undue "bass power," laser-like treble, extra-thick midrange, or airy sparkle when it is not in the recording. 

Sometimes cords with strong personalities can be exciting in the short term, but eventually they all become tiresome and annoying.  TWL cords straddled the fine balance between richness and clarity, with enough resolution of harmonic content to yield a naturally rich soundscape while the supple, smooth clarity did not curtail frequency extremes.  No narrow bands, e.g. low treble or upper mids, were emphasized, and the bass response had a nice woody yet firm bloom and power not present in generic cords.  I especially appreciated how the rich bass harmonics did not intrude upon the mids, which is where a lot of the thick, python-like audiofool cables fail. 

Highly Recommended with Ncores or in general 

[mjock3]

Jon,

What kind of adapters are being used, for xlr to rca?

Thanks'
Mark

[jtwrace]

Jon,

What kind of adapters are being used, for xlr to rca?

Thanks'
Mark

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=105395.msg1077077#msg1077077

[mjock3]

Thanks Jason,

Must of missed tha post. Or senility is setting in

Mark

[Phil]

Hey, you all told me this amp was going to be the greatest thing since sliced bread.  I kept reading how great the Ncore 400 was.   Playing with an ICEpower amp convinced me that class D would work in my system and I assumed that like the Logitech Touch, which led me to the Bryston BDP, the ICE amp would be replaced by a similar topology but in a completely different league.  Audiophile fever took hold and I sold my main amp and purchased parts for a dual mono build.  THEN, I started to read a few negative reports.  What did I do? 

Whew!  Glad so many folks were right -- the Ncore 400 is a remarkable amp.  It pulls me into the music like no other amp I’ve had in my system.  One example:  Playing a favorite song for “testing” purposes always leads to listening (“being immersed in” is a better description) to the whole CD.

Just one example:  I’ve listened to Changing Places from the Tord Gustavsen Trio many, many times and always after new equipment is broken in.  I’ve enjoyed the music with all previous equipment.  With the Ncore in place, it wasn’t so much that I heard new things that impressed me, although that certainly happened, but that my ambivalence about whether this music is Jazz, strictly defined, was finally ended (yes, it is Jazz when you can finally hear the communication among musicians and the nuance of tone and touch).

Unfortunately, DIY is not my thing, so I needed to reach out to the audiophile community.  Thanks, Mike, for the meticulous workmanship and great customer service.  If you ever give up your day job....

Thank you, Bruno, for making the modules available at a reasonable price to the DIY and SEDI (someone else did it) community. 

One interesting side note:  Mike installed an Audio Magic Pulse Gen ZX with a switch (at my request).  Makes A/B easy and adds flexibility.   http://www.audio-magic.com/Prod-PulseGenZX.html


In my system, the Pulse Gen makes the Ncore more vivid.  I enjoyed the stock Ncore for two weeks before throwing the switch and would have been happy with the stock form, but suffice it to say the switch is always on.  I’m hoping others give this a try.  Only one is needed in a dual mono configuration, so the cost ($400 each) is more reasonable that for mono amps.   

Happy listening.

[mr_bill]

Anyone using NCores with Magnepan 3.6 or 3.7?

[jonbee]

I got Jason's amps today. Right out of the gate, several things are obvious.
The most noticeable is the grip these things have in the bass range. It is outstanding. Tight, clean, VERY deep and dynamic. Best bass I've had in any of my systems. If I buy them I may jettison my sub. Very cool.
Next, the transient speed and transparency is as good as any I've heard. Fast and upfront.
Soundstaging is also very good, front to back and side to side. Instrumental definition is superb.
The top end is hard to describe. Excellent detail, but not pushed. It doesn't call attention to itself. Maybe a bit less airy and filigreed as the best I've heard, but natural sounding.
All this is very nice.
The last hurdle is the toughest- that of matchups with my speakers, room, etc.
On this point the jury is still out. My system has very little extra warmth or body to it, being perhaps a bit lean sounding overall. This amp moves the sound a bit further in that direction, compared to my long time fave Cullen modded PS Audio GCC-500 (modded IcePower amp- MUCH better than the stock PS Audio amps). The upper mids also seem pushed forward a tad in comparison. That's my wife's impression as well. This should not be seen as a criticism, just a comment on how things match up in my system, which has been fine tuned around the PS Audio and my Selah Tempesta speakers.
 I'll have the amp for a bit, and will have some friends over and maybe have a good tube preamp to slide in place.

I've no doubt, though, that these amps have some real strengths. At the DIY price they are remarkable. Matchups rule, in many ways. I have a feeling a good tube preamp might offer a good synergy with these amps, as Jon L has found. I'll post more after a few days.
 

[jtwrace]

Thanks for the update.

[genjamon]

Yeah, thanks! And looking forward to hearing more about tube preamp experimentation 

[jtwrace]

Yeah, thanks! And looking forward to hearing more about tube preamp experimentation 

Yes, there are several others that use a tube pre wtih positive results. 

[Jeff V.]

Jon,

thanks for sharing your impressions.  I have looked forward to hearing how the amps sound in your system.  I just received my Tempesta kit which I will be putting together in the next week.  I built the Ncores about a month ago.  Currently they are powering Harbeth Compact 7ES3.  My preamp is a First Sound Deluxe MKII, with a vinyl only front end.  My phono preamp is the K&K which is also tubed & table is Garrard 401, SME IV & Ortofon Jubilee cartridge.  With this analog source the Harbeth / Ncore combo sound great.  The Ncores do a great job in my system.  I can't wait to compare the Tempesta with the Harbeth's.  I hope to read more about your time with these amps.

Jeff 

[doug s.]

Yes, there are several others that use a tube pre wtih positive results.

not to take this off topic, but a tube preamp is a prerequisite regardless of the amp you're using, imo.  maybe w/something as clean as everyone says the ncore is, it's even more so?

doug s.

[ted_b]

not to take this off topic, but a tube preamp is a prerequisite regardless of the amp you're using, imo.  maybe w/something as clean as everyone says the ncore is, it's even more so?

doug s.

??  Naw, that's not off topic!  Or an over-generalization!  or starting a non-Ncore debate!   

[RCduck7]

Would the Ncore be ok using it with an LDR based volume control like the EVA II i own? Or any other passive pre? Anyone tried this?

[playntheblues]

Nice going Doug   

[jonbee]

Jon,

thanks for sharing your impressions.  I have looked forward to hearing how the amps sound in your system.  I just received my Tempesta kit which I will be putting together in the next week.  I built the Ncores about a month ago.  Currently they are powering Harbeth Compact 7ES3.  My preamp is a First Sound Deluxe MKII, with a vinyl only front end.  My phono preamp is the K&K which is also tubed & table is Garrard 401, SME IV & Ortofon Jubilee cartridge.  With this analog source the Harbeth / Ncore combo sound great.  The Ncores do a great job in my system.  I can't wait to compare the Tempesta with the Harbeth's.  I hope to read more about your time with these amps.

Jeff

I'm looking forward to your opinions. I think your front end may be a good match overall. The Tempestas should be a bit more incisive and a little leaner than the Harbeths. Their bass depth and power with the N-cores is something to behold- literally into  the top of subwoofer range. I hadn't expected it, but I am serious about getting rid of my sub if I get the NCores. The James EMB-1000 sub is pretty strong and clean into the mid 20s. The Tempestas don't quite reach that, but without the sub the bass is tighter, with better imaging, and I may be willing to trade a few HZ for that.

[Rclark]

Would the Ncore be ok using it with an LDR based volume control like the EVA II i own? Or any other passive pre? Anyone tried this?

I'm putting my review together today and yes I used a battery powered Warpspeed and it worked extremely well.

[jonbee]

Just a 4th inning update. When the amps arrived, I plugged in the first ICs at hand- they are anti-ICs with bullet plugs. As I mentioned in my previous post, they were a bit lean and forward sounding for my taste, and a tad untidy.
Well- I swapped the ICs for a pair an old pair of Acrotec 2050 6 nines copper ICs which I've always found to be sweet on top and a bit mellow in character. What a change! Instead of forward, now they are laid back and smooth, with perhaps a tad less detail, but very easy on the ears. I really like what I hear, and I'm sure the Acrotecs are not nearly the best matchup, but definitely a step in the right direction for my system.
These amps seem very revealing of this change. A good thing, I think. I feel you can dial these in a long way using cables, accessories, front end,etc. as the spices.
I'm using the preamp section of my PS audio amp, which is quite good, but far from the last word. There are many more flavors to try, with a tubed pre a definite candidate.
Best amps I've heard? I don't think so. That honor goes to a Shindo Cortese amp and Monbrison pre a buddy has in his system. They seem to let the atmospheric elements of the soundscape through to a greater degree. The Shindos  are 5x the price, though, and at 10 watts don't have the power to drive my speakers, nor do they have the extraordinary bottom end that the Hypex has.
Taken on their own terms, though, the sound is now VERY pleasing and hard to fault.
System:
Eastern Electric Plus DAC w/ Dexa discrete op amps- no tube
Ric Schultz modded Oppo BDP83 as transport
ASRock HTPC as Music server, running JRiver MC17 software
Audioquest Coffee USB cable
Zu Ash digital IC
Zu Event ICs
Acrotec 2050 ICs
Cullen Modded PS Audio GCC-500 integrated (ICEPower ASP1000 modules- 1000 WPC @ 4 ohms)
PS Audio Power Plant premier AC regenerator- all gear is powered by this, inc.  the amps
Acoustic Zen Satori Shotgun speaker cables
Zu Mother, Mojo NOS copper and XPC-2 power cables, plus the cords packed w/ the amps
Selah Tempesta speakers