Class D

Well, yes good actives do impress, but I bet my bottom dollar those same active speakers can sound better even again, if they were Class-D on the bottom still, but a nice Class-A or A/B linear on the mids and tops or even the Technics SE-R1 then it won’t be hungry for current "if" the speakers are very demanding with low impedances.

The best I’ve heard Class-D was with BelCanto Ref 600m mono blocks, but into a very easy load 2way speaker with Raven 4ohm benign ribbon tweeter, so much did I like it I bought the same Hypex NC500 modules and use the direct with no buffers and in my second easy loaded system, as you have also.
But they don’t stand a chance in my main ESL based system up against this amp, which BTW has much less wattage!!! .
https://ibb.co/qn6Wnms
https://ibb.co/Qncvkkf

Cheers George

Is that the same NC500 you bypassed the buffer clearly violating the recommendations of the app note that the amplifier stage be driven by a low impedance source to maintain performance?

2.5.1 Audio input


The INH/INC inputs form a differential pair. Note that the input impedance is fairly low meaning that
minimalist discrete circuits or valve input stages won’t work. All op amps commonly used in audio can handle
them though. See section 9 for suggested circuits and connections.


Do not drive the input with fully floating sources, be it electrically floating ones like line driver IC’s intended for driving XLR outputs or transformers. Using a floating source will always result in a common mode
component that will exceed the common mode input range and will manifest itself as gross distortion.

Make sure to set the outputs of your distortion analyser to grounded, not floating.

There is also capacitance in that input which means that a high impedance input will cause phase shift and a non flat frequency response.

Admin, Is there a way for me to ignore a member? I am so tired of trying to read a thread without georgehifi crapping all over it. Thank you

Is that the same NC500 you bypassed the buffer clearly violating the recommendations of the app note that the amplifier stage be driven by a low impedance source to maintain performance?

You buy them without buffers get a life!!
Just yet another furphy of yours, that you can’t remember to see the forest for the trees??
Yes as I told you once before (is your memory shot) because my MSB dac has twice the output voltage needed from it’s very low output 10ohm impedance balance direct coupled outputs to drive the NC500 balanced input direct, so NO!! buffer board is needed!!

Woosh right over your head ....