Nord NC500 Monoblock Power Amplifiers

[Coll]

ENVY!

Although I would probably never go beyond idling those amplifiers the price seems simply amazing.

Now what would I use them with ... ?

A lovely tube pre-amp!

Good idea.

Hopefully they can be fitted without XLR type socket because preamp I had in mind doesn't have this type.

Nord can provide an RCA to XLR lead its on the website

It's a pity then that I already have very decent RCA leads. Could always flog them I suppose.

Sure could I am sure there are plenty of people out there who would buy them.

I use XLR to XLR leads only cost £25.00 for the pair but they work fine.

 

[Cyrusnut]

Coll, I meant from my comment that the Nord would be a vey cost effective option versus the Nad.

Would you describe the cold as cold, warm or neutral.

i have had my Cyrus amps for years and are very happy with them except with my speakers I can find them a bit strident.

 

[Coll]

Coll, I meant from my comment that the Nord would be a vey cost effective option versus the Nad.

Would you describe the cold as cold, warm or neutral.

i have had my Cyrus amps for years and are very happy with them except with my speakers I can find them a bit strident.

I would say neutral. I hate bright sounding equipment and I dont get listening fatigue with them.

 

[Al ears]

Coll, I meant from my comment that the Nord would be a vey cost effective option versus the Nad.

Would you describe the cold as cold, warm or neutral.

i have had my Cyrus amps for years and are very happy with them except with my speakers I can find them a bit strident.

I would say neutral. I hate bright sounding equipment and I dont get listening fatigue with them.

My assumption was that a good power amp does just that, amplifies what is coming in. The stuff up front determines the 'brightness' or not. If it's bright with a decent power amp then you've got the wrong source.

It's a bit like a decent phono preamp, it should be, and I quote 'simply a straight wire with gain'.

 

[Coll]

Yes I totally agree and in this respect I believe the Nord NC500 delivers that (wire with gain)

 

[Esra]

Yes I totally agree and in this respect I believe the Nord NC500 delivers that (wire with gain)

Confirmed.

 

[Overtone]

Coll, it must have been infuriating hoping to listen to the amps over last weekend and finding they were touring the country!

It would be really interesting to know how the sound of the Nords compares with the Atsahs and other class D amps of various kinds in this sort of price-range - but especially how they compare with other NCore amps. We'll probably have to wait till some enterprising magazine assembles a group test.

Meanwhile as you purchased a Ghent Audio amp a year or so ago I wonder if you could let us know how the Nords compared with that. You've said you've heard things with the Nords that you hadn't heard before - did you have a similar experience with the Ghents?

I'm thinking I might buy the Nords but I'd really like to know whether the Atsahs would be even better - or not. It must to some extent depend on the partnering equipment and everyone has something different.

 

[Coll]

Of course the Nord is being sold direct hence one of the reasons the price is so good.

I have now had a chance to play the amps for quite sometime and my initial impressions have not changed. Clean and clear with great detail in my system.

 

[iQ Speakers]

Hi they should sound identical to the ATSAH 500 they use the exact same components. It's not till we launch the upgraded input buffer boards with choice of discrete Op Amps that they will be different, better. The Sparkos labs runs fully in class A and adds a smile inducing richness.

 

[Coll]

Coll, it must have been infuriating hoping to listen to the amps over last weekend and finding they were touring the country!

It would be really interesting to know how the sound of the Nords compares with the Atsahs and other class D amps of various kinds in this sort of price-range - but especially how they compare with other NCore amps. We'll probably have to wait till some enterprising magazine assembles a group test.

Meanwhile as you purchased a Ghent Audio amp a year or so ago I wonder if you could let us know how the Nords compared with that. You've said you've heard things with the Nords that you hadn't heard before - did you have a similar experience with the Ghents?

I'm thinking I might buy the Nords but I'd really like to know whether the Atsahs would be even better - or not. It must to some extent depend on the partnering equipment and everyone has something different.

Yes it was frustrating waiting but great to finally get them.

I cant see that the Nord would sound any different to the Atsah as all the internal components are identical including the input buffers. The only difference is wire used and possibly layout of components.

Compared with the Ghent no contest the Ghent had horrible treble in my opinion I did not keep them long for that reason. The sound stage and detail of the NC500 is amazing.

The great thing with the Nord NC500 is you can upgrade the input buffers and op amps which cannot be done as far as I know with the Atsah. With the upgrade you are then comparing this amp with something like a Bel Canto Ref 600 which costs a fortune.

On another forum in I think USA someone with an upgraded input buffer and Sparkos op amp ( which is what I probably will go for ) reckons that his NC500 based amp is better than any other amplifier available at any price. I think that sums up how good these things are.

 

[Overtone]

Even if the components are the same, not everything else is - case, feet, wiring, inputs, speaker outputs, internal layout, they'll all make a small difference and in total it may amount to a bigger one.

Reminds me of the very early days of CD, when all players were said to sound the same, and reviewers and others were surprised as they discovered that there were differences.

I'm sure if I tried to put together one of these amps using the same components my technical incompetence would produce a different sound, and it wouldn't be an improvement!

 

[Coll]

Even if the components are the same, not everything else is - case, feet, wiring, inputs, speaker outputs, internal layout, they'll all make a small difference and in total it may amount to a bigger one.

Reminds me of the very early days of CD, when all players were said to sound the same, and reviewers and others were surprised as they discovered that there were differences.

I'm sure if I tried to put together one of these amps using the same components my technical incompetence would produce a different sound, and it wouldn't be an improvement!

I think the things you talk of would make such a minor difference that you would not be able to tell them apart.

Also why do you assume that the Nord is the inferior one it may be the better one. In fact I believe Hypex examine final builds and found it to be the best they had seen, I would not have purchased mine if I had any doubts abiut the build quality.

 

[Overtone]

No, I'm not making an assumption about whether the Atsah or the Nord (in alphabetical order) is better. In post 32 I included the words "or not" to try to avoid suggesting that a particular one might be better. In my post above I've suggested that the small differences might add up but I haven't said which way. Theoretically they might cancel one another out. I'm just questioning the idea that all products using the same electronic components will have the same sound.

 

[Coll]

No, I'm not making an assumption about whether the Atsah or the Nord (in alphabetical order) is better. In post 32 I included the words "or not" to try to avoid suggesting that a particular one might be better. In my post above I've suggested that the small differences might add up but I haven't said which way. Theoretically they might cancel one another out. I'm just questioning the idea that all products using the same electronic components will have the same sound.

Sorry jumped in a bit quick there but still dont think the things you talk of would make enough difference if any that you could tell which is which.

The comment with early CD players sounding the same I feel is not quite the same thing and also in those days there was less understanding of products. Everyone thought the earth was flat once.

All of this is my own personal opinion of course and you may well have your own which you are entiled to.

 

[Overtone]

Thanks for that post, Coll. Actually I'm old enough to remember not just the introduction of CD but the introduction of stereo - but not the time when everyone thought the earth was flat!

 

[Coll]

Thanks for that post, Coll. Actually I'm old enough to remember not just the introduction of CD but the introduction of stereo - but not the time when everyone thought the earth was flat!

We are probably the same age then I'm 68 very soon. Almost thought the earth was flat.

 

[Coll]

I have not had the chance to compare these with many other amplifiers but the more I have used them the better they sound they are so clear and detailed I am completely happy with them. Everytime I play my favourite violin concertos the violin sounds so sweet and pure. I love them

 

[Coll]

You will find my review here;_

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vendors-bazaar/190434-hypex-ncore-1018.html

 

[Coll]

Surprised not to find any questions or comments.

From what I gather a number of these amplifiers have now been sold

 

[JMac]

I'd love to be able demo a pair of these at home and compare them with my Classe but obviously with no dealer network its basically a case of blind buying or finding someones house to demo them in. Again, problem with that is that its not representative of home conditions and other equipment.

Maybe Colin could produce a demo set that he 'hires' out (deposit taken in case they go AWOL). Test them at home for a couple of weeks and then return and you can either use the deposit to off set against the cost of a new amp/monos or return if the sound doesnt work for you.

 

[Coll]

I'd love to be able demo a pair of these at home and compare them with my Classe but obviously with no dealer network its basically a case of blind buying or finding someones house to demo them in. Again, problem with that is that its not representative of home conditions and other equipment.

Maybe Colin could produce a demo set that he 'hires' out (deposit taken in case they go AWOL). Test them at home for a couple of weeks and then return and you can either use the deposit to off set against the cost of a new amp/monos or return if the sound doesnt work for you.

On the site where I posted my findings of the Op Amps a few posts or it could be a few pages later someone in Chicago purchased some Nord NC500s he compared them to his Classe power amps and I believe he found that they were considerably better better.

 

[drummerman]

It's without doubt the place where I'd park my cash if I needed high quality, high power amplification.

Hypex have a very good reputation and it is used in some very expensive amplifiers.

I rarely agree with Boggit's sense of style but it's small enough to put in a drawer.

 

[Andrewjvt]

It's without doubt the place where I'd park my cash if I needed high quality, high power amplification.

Hypex have a very good reputation and it is used in some very expensive amplifiers.

I rarely agree with Boggit's sense of style but it's small enough to put in a drawer.

?

 

Without the wood?
I like it without the wood. Simple but smart.

 

[drummerman]

It's without doubt the place where I'd park my cash if I needed high quality, high power amplification.

Hypex have a very good reputation and it is used in some very expensive amplifiers.

I rarely agree with Boggit's sense of style but it's small enough to put in a drawer.

Without the wood? I like it without the wood. Simple but smart.

Yup

 

[iQ Speakers]

What's not to like? No brass knobs insight!