Hypex Class D build

Systems · September 2007

I have almost completed my Hypex Ucd 180 class D amplifier.I had an old Belles 200 that was not worth fixing so I gutted it and used the chassis.It is a lot bigger than needed and certainly not a thing of beauty but it serves the purpose. Also it has enough room if I wanted to add 2 or more channels. Although it is a class D design the pics show Im using a standard linear power supply consisting of a large toroidal transformer and lots of filter capacitance.This is what Hypex recommends instead of a switching type of supply.These tiny modules are rated for 105 watts into 8 ohms and 180 watts into 4 ohms.They are rated to be 90% efficient therefore run very cool.

Midnite Mick · September 2007

Cool.

I would love to put together one of Kevin's Haskins multichannel amps for home theatre. I like the speed and dynamics for home theatre that class D provide. I really miss my old Nuforces in this regard.

Mike

Systems · September 2007

Mike,Is Kevin Haskins the gentleman from DiyCables?I was doing a google search the other night on the Hypex units and found that site.He has some nice kits available using these modules.
These will most likely serve as subwoofer amps but I will give them a try in my main channels and see how they fair against my Brystons.

beardog03 · September 2007

I disagree....

It is a thing of beauty....you made it what it is

very cool !!

Let us know how she works/sounds

It hard to believe that some boards that are so small can put out so much !

Systems · September 2007

Thanks bd,and yes it is amazing the amount of power that can be squeezed out this little fellas.I hope to be listening to it by early next week.

RuSsMaN · September 2007

I've got a Hypex that Dodd built around his Balanced Power Supply. It's in an Adcom 545 chassis - it might have the same modules you are using. I want to say Gary said it would do 200w into 4 ohm.

Midnite Mick · September 2007

GV#27 wrote: »

Mike,Is Kevin Haskins the gentleman from DiyCables?I was doing a google search the other night on the Hypex units and found that site.He has some nice kits available using these modules.
These will most likely serve as subwoofer amps but I will give them a try in my main channels and see how they fair against my Brystons.

Yes Kevin is from DiyCable. He has some very nice kits there. Would be a great time to with the dollar what it is.....but just too much going on over here right now.

Interested to find out how they compare to the Brystons for sure.

Thanks,
Mike

Systems · September 2007

RuSsMaN wrote: »

It's in an Adcom 545 chassis - it might have the same modules you are using. I want to say Gary said it would do 200w into 4 ohm.

Interesting,how do you like the sound of it?

The spec sheet on Hypex's site gave the 180 watt 4 ohm rating.More output is possible if you use a bigger power supply than what they base that spec on.

Midnite Mick · September 2007

Is this a bigger power supply?

http://www.diycable.com/main/product_info.php?cPath=140_141&products_id=597

Systems · September 2007

Midnite Mick wrote: »

Is this a bigger power supply?

http://www.diycable.com/main/product_info.php?cPath=140_141&products_id=597

Yes that is a big transformer but it will not work with the UCD180 because the voltage is too high.It is meant for use with the UcD400.

Systems · October 2007

Well I finished wiring this thing without creating any smoke and it seems to be working fine with no grounding problems ie. hum or noise.I currently have it driving the lower mid/bass range (300hz and below) of my active system where it is taking the place of a Bryston 3B.Both amps are of similar power capabilities so it will be a fair comparison.

I will run it there for a week or so then I'll try it on the midrange drivers replacing a 2B.Unfortunately I cannot try it on my tweeters as it does not have gain controls which are essential for me to match levels.

I know to properly evaluate its performance I should be trying it on the tweets as well as this maybe the area that will show the most noticeable difference between the 2B and UcD 180.

I have been curious but sceptical about the sonic capabilities of Class D and how they compare to Class A and AB designs. The Hypex's have become quite popular and many have given them high marks for SQ.
Thanks to a generous engineering friend who gave me the modules as free samples ( I already had a usable chassis, transformer and power supply) so this little project didn't cost me a dime.

I will post my impressions on their sound after spending lots of time listening.

Midnite Mick · October 2007

This is very interesting to me. I look forward to it.

Thanks for doing this,
Mike

Systems · October 2007

Hey no problem it is alot of fun to expeirment with this stuff and Im glad to have gotten hold of these modules.I wish I had a decent non active speaker on hand that I could use to test its full range capabilities with.

dudeinaroom · October 2007

Rock on cool to hear. Hey does you friend have any more samples laying around?????

Systems · October 2007

dudeinaroom wrote: »

Hey does you friend have any more samples laying around?????

If he does he isn't telling me.:D

Systems · October 2007

Well the UCD 180 has been operational in my system for a week without any problems.Boy does this thing run cool compared to the 3B.But thats expected when it has a 90% efficiency rating so only 10% is lost in heat.

It does a good job driving 8" woofer section of my system but it is bested by the Bryston.Even though they have similar power ratings the Bryston has more control and gives the impression of having deeper bass extension.Bass notes just have more oomph and body with the 3B.
This is an area of performance in which most Bryston models excel. It likely has something to do with the fact that the 3B can deliver more current to the driver as it has four output transistors per channel ,whereas the Hypex has just two and has a current limit threshold of just 10 amps.

The bass response with Hypex sounded very tight and detailed but a bit on the lean side.Not a bad thing and it may compliment some speakers who's woofers need a little extra control in the low end. All in all not bad but nothing spectacular.Ofcourse it was driving a very easy 7 ohm load that only covered 300hz and below with no passive crossover parts in between.

It would be interesting to see how it would sound driving a more difficult load.I will eventually be using it on a pair of 4 ohm 12" woofers to see how it copes with them ,but next I'm going to be trying it on the midrange sections that have a SEAS 6.5" driver covering the 300hz-2000hz range.

hypertone · October 2007

Awesome job. Those modules are tiny. How is the midrange, treble and imaging? I have a "class t" Tripath based amp that I built and I really like it.

Systems · October 2007

hypertone wrote: »

Awesome job.

Thanks.

How is the midrange, treble and imaging?

As I mentioned earlier in the thread Im using an actively crossed over speaker so I can only evaluate the Hypex units in either the bass,midrange or treble channels at any one time because I only have the two modules.I would need six to power the complete system.

I now have it running my midrange drivers and I'll post my impressions after having some time to do some seriously listening.
Unfortunately I won't be able to test it on my tweeters because I would need gain controls (which it does not have)to set the levels properly to match the midranges and woofers.

I have a "class t" Tripath based amp that I built and I really like it.

Cool,I have heard a bit about Tripaths but have yet to see or listen to one.

Hypex Class D build

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