[rodentmacbeastie]

I am in the middle of designing a Hypex UcD class D active speaker set-up and had an idea... If Headfiers could spark enough interst Jan Peters at Hypex might build us a headphone module! I have not been in contact with him and I am waiting for a reply to see if he is interested. If there were a bunch of us interested maybe we could sweeten the pot! The http://hypex.nl/ site has a couple of reviews including one where the Channel Islands amp(Hypex modules in a $2300 package) sent home his $10000 reference amp! The Nuforce amp are said to sound similar and have been classed as one of the best if not the best amps in the world, and I think they have worked out most of the bugs in their SMPS design.

Here is a bunch of reasons I would love one if he made them:

-Hypex amps sound like a good SET tube amp with tons of power for home speakers, might do the same for Senns, Stax, AKG...
-If it sounds like a good SET, awesome sound like tubes without the expensive NOS tubes!
-Hypex amps have balanced and unbalanced inputs.
-a mono amp module would make it easy to build a dual mono, balanced out amp.
-possible SMPS options with global voltage for semi portible or even portable possiblilties if the rail voltage is 9v or 18v. I think semi is more likely
-varying the rail voltage varies the output power(I think)
-low cost compared to competitors(if performs like speaker amp)
-infinate DIY options like upgrading preamps or maybe even output stages on CD and DAC
-possibly ending my seach for my last headphone amp

Post with what you think.

 

[granodemostasa]

YES! go for it... maybe they could team up with a big name like headroom.

 

[rodentmacbeastie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by granodemostasa YES! go for it... maybe they could team up with a big name like headroom.

I like the idea of DIY, lower costs. And Hypex's current amps are not really DIY, more like PIT(put it together). You buy a power supply, a transformer, an amp module, connectors and plug them together! The only soldering is the outputs and inputs. The only fabrication is the chassis. Pretty entry level DIY.

 

[granodemostasa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodentmacbeastie I like the idea of DIY, lower costs. And Hypex's current amps are not really DIY, more like PIT(put it together). You buy a power supply, a transformer, an amp module, connectors and plug them together! The only soldering is the outputs and inputs. The only fabrication is the chassis. Pretty entry level DIY.

cool... okay... yea, i've read quite a bit into those d class amps..... i'm interested, but i'd have to believe it could be done with headphones.

 

[rodentmacbeastie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by granodemostasa cool... okay... yea, i've read quite a bit into those d class amps..... i'm interested, but i'd have to believe it could be done with headphones.

I am awaiting his response to see if he is interested or will design one for headphones.

 

[mourip]

Hi David,

I got your PM regarding the Hypex amp that I built. I thought that I would also post it here for others to see. If I can I will try to take some photos of my amp this weekend. Another amp to consider would be the new Red Wine Audio 30 watt Tripath amp. It would be interesting to compare the UCD with the RW using K1000s.

Best,

Paul

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I started out with a stock Sonic Impact amp last year after hearing all of the raves on the web. I bought it to try with my new, at that time, K1000s. I was amazed at the detail and fidelity but found the presentation a bit tipped toward the high frequencies. Next I went through the "mod" route and rebuilt the amp into a new case with SLA battery power. This was better, but still a tad bright. Next I got an Autodigit board from Italy and replaced the SI board. With this new board I could easily replace the input caps. Now we were cooking but it was still just a bit bright for mty tastes and at rare times would clip on intensely complex passages and some choral music.

My next step was to put together a Hypex UCD AD180 amp from boards I purchased at www.diycable.com. I bought the boards with the opamp upgrade and also the better power supply. I also removed the coupling caps from the amp boards since my TVC preamp has no DC on the output. My understanding was that this amp had no issues with high impedance and had loads of power. Without getting into superlatives I find this amp to be just about perfect. It is really remarkable with the K1000s. Lots of tight bass, wonderful detail, and very tonally balanced.

I have some HD650s and bought an extra stock cable so that I could separate the grounds for using with the various class D amps. I did not like the sound with the Tripath variants. The 650s sound very good with the UCD but the K1000s sound so much better that I stopped experimenting with the HD650s.

I have never understood what folks were talking about when discussing a "balanced" output. I do understand a balance input. Do you just mean separating the two output grounds so that each headphone channel has its own return to its respective channel? That is how the K1000s are set up right now. I just wired in a 4 pin XLR connector to the front of my case and use the stock K1000 cable straight in with no extension cable.

I do not have any photos but you can go to the DIYCable web site for lots of information. They are selling full kits now which are very reasonable. You might also want to go to the Class D forum at www.diyaudio.com or the DIYCable forum at www.audiocircle.com. Reading through all of the UCD posts on DIYAudio should keep you up for a few weeks.

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