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In Reply to: RE: 3.6R crossover mods posted by watts on December 27, 2022 at 14:11:48
Everything is put together and is up and running, but my original amp (Nord NC500) still has a power supply out of commission, and simple C38 resistor didn't fix it, and the substitute VTV NC500 replacement I just bought (until I figure out whether to fix it again, or just buy a new SMPS1200) sounds different, so any comparison on the sound now vs. before is inconclusive as there is more than one variable that has been altered.
The output of the mid/treble region is definitely lower than the bass now, but I would surmise that is due to a different amp. With different output buffers, and different op amps (Sonic Imagery 994 vs. 990). The op amps shouldn't affect the volume, but some detail characteristics only. And I believe I read that one can customize output on this NC500 module? Perhaps this one was ordered with less gain. But in the back of my mind I am questioning whether these new components might have something to do with it? Really bad timing on my amps part.
So at the same volume level as before I have more bass, which I find a little overwhelming at times, yet nice on other tracks. Of course I can tame it with output levels on the Marchand XM44, or even in Roon's DSP, or with more effort by customizing with different slope modules on the XM44 but haven't done anything yet. Easiest to play around with my seating position.
First though I will plunk in my bass Nord NC500 on the high's, after putting in the Sonic Imagery op amps I had in the high's Nord, and put the VTV on the bass channels to have any chance to properly gauge the internal crossover changes.
This is a hobby, isn't it? :)
Follow Ups:
higher bass output MIGHT be caused by Lower DCR in the inductor in the bass section......
That's gonna change the balance a little.
Too much is never enough
Just to close off this post, the crossover upgrades were well worth the cost. Exactly what I was searching for: more detail, more insight, more clarity, more resolution. But this comes at a cost, the speakers are less forgiving to less than perfect recordings, and it more readily reveals the weaker links in the system.
Steely Dan Aja sounds better, (and it never really sounds bad, on any system, even in the car, just less good) but some of those 80's recordings reveal the less than stellar cymbal sounds.
And with more music details also comes more grain. With what I had I it just sounded less smooth, at times. I wouldn't say fatiguing, I could still listen for hours and hours, but there must be something else I could do to remove a little grain/glare which I didn't really notice before. Okay, maybe I just wanted to talk myself into some new power cables ;), but I did upgrade just one of the 5 power cords and absolutely it was a positive change in the right direction, so I got a few more. Not doing a review here of the power cords I got, not going to give adjectives, but just like the crossover upgrades another piece of the puzzle now seems to have been fit. Now I can deal with that increased resolution, now have even more, and with less of the extra hash/grain/glare, whatever you want to call it. The other cabling I feel is of a high enough quality at the moment.
I would totally understand if others thought the system sounded too bright, too dry, or not warm enough. I don't have tubes, never have, and don't think that I like that sort of colour. I loved the sound of the Linn CD player I used to have, others preferred the Rega. I prefer the NC500 to the Mcintosh amps I had. To each their own. Having said that I won't rule out demoing some tube buffers that VTV offers, once I confirm how long they last.
But just to warn others who might take this path, be prepared to spend more on the system along with the crossover parts if your other pieces are not to task, or you may be disappointed. Like the guy who uses his maggies with a home theater receiver, and then replaces his lamp cord speaker wires with Nordost Blue Heaven's (for example) and hates it, says his lamp cords are better than Nordost, because now his resolving cables and speakers now reveal the limitations and poor 2 channel topology of the home theater receiver. (No, I have never owned any Nordost.)
Again, other capacitors should/might have changed the sound slightly, but I am sure not going to ever "cap" roll, much others things to try first. Like different op amps in the buffers in the VTV NC500, or a different set of XLR's between the Marchand and the VTV (which powers the bass panels). Oh, and I guess the modules in the XM44 are fine, because I have not even thought about changing them lately (280 Hz low pass 24db/octave LR, 200 Hz high pass 6db/octave first order, I think)
Maybe in another 10 years I will be done? :) Enjoying the journey though, that is what it is all about.
The differing NC500 input modules could easily be giving you different gain.
One of the reasons Hypex implemented these OEM modules in this way was so different end manufacturers could use differing circuitry to create audible differences with other manufacturers using the same Hypex base modules. :)
You could have other variables at work also.
Dave.
It is a simple jumper on the VTV buffer board that raises the output by 7db. The jumper was already contained inside the amplifier, so it was easy to plug it on and now all the gain knobs on the marchand are at zero again. :)
The next thing I may try is get those expensive Weiss op amps in the VTV.
https://vtvamplifier.com/product/weiss-op2-ba-discrete-opamp-module/
It will take 2 per channel, so $676. The Sonic Imagery 994 are what I have used for the whole time I have had NC500 amps, and only compared these to Sparkos 3602, and I prefer the more detailed SI's.
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