Schiit Vidar vs NC502MP

So I am looking for a higher power amplifier and over on the ASR site they recommended me the NC502MP. It looks like a nice amp but I have my hesitations with Class D.
I was going to get a VTV amplifier with the NC502MP board. This would give me 350wpc at 8ohm. But even though the distortion is lower than older class D. It still scares me to use a class D amplifier for my speakers feeling I may hear the distortion.
The second option is 2 Schiit Vidars running in mono mode which would give me 400wpc. This would cost 1400 vs the 800 for the NC502MP. But in my head at least should sound better. I am not someone who believes SINAD is the best way to measure amplifiers.
Can anyone who has heard both amplifiers possibly give me some insight?

Will be used to power my front channels. Source coming from a Yamaha Aventage Receiver. Speakers Focal Aria 936.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q="class+d"+site:superbestaudiofriends.org&oq="class+d"+site:superbestaudiofriends.org

 

I have relevant experience with both, and owned the Aria 926 for two years. The newest NC modules are the first that I've thought were worth owning, but implementation is important--i know the module but not the VTV specifically. Although i only heard the Vidar once, i did have a big stupid grin on my face, something NCore has never done for me. Right now I'm using a NAD M10 v2 with NC modules for streaming and am content. Sounded very 'plasticky' at first, first amp I've used where i really noticed burn in effect so extremely. But that could be the NAD implementation.

Personally i would go with Vidar, it's going to have better dynamics ("punch") and is typical overbuilt Schiit goodness. ASR is not a place i go for information, given the long history of botched tests and toxic overreactions to meaningless stats.

 

Yea, I was leaning towards the Vidar as I have a lot of other Schiit gear for headphones and dacs. That thread was real confusing. But what I got out of it was that class D is a lot better than it use to be. But some people still seem to prefer A/B

 

I did just that.

 

I was going to post a WTB thread, but seems to be blocked? Is there a minimum post required for it?

 

Ahh okay , I guess that makes sense. I posted a WTB on reddit earlier and already had someone try to scam me on a vidar. Just figured this place would be safer. Guess I will stick to Ebay or buy new.

 

The Hypex 502MP puts out 25amps.

500W per channel @ 4ohms
350W per channel @ 8ohms

The Vidar will give more oomph? Total BS. If you don’t like Class D amps that’s understandable. But let’s not fabricate our facts.

 

Vidar 100%. A lot of the sound of the Ncores is the crappy ne5532 preamp stage too. You’re not getting some expensive 80s-90s old school pro or hifi Ne5532/5534 circuit. This is built cheap by people who don’t care about the sound aiming for “good enough”

350w into 8 ohms is spec sheet bullshit too. Distortion will massively rise before then. Usable class d wattages are about a third to half of the advertised specs. Better class ab amps are advertise their usable wattages and give distortion specifications.

There’s no reason for class d except for cost, weight, and heat. Any class d module in a installation should be hot swappable because the boards themselves are not easily repairable. Most class d products will end up in a landfill in Southeast Asia or Africa.

 

When one would actually pay attention what is written in the datasheet, it states these numbers as peak. The real continous power output of Hypex NC502 module is 100 W per channel.
Vidar will likely do the stated 100 W all day every day, likely more (as some measurements will show).
A class AB peak output power (in low ohmic load current peak) is usually not noted. This depends greatly on the PSU build.

I can say with quite some number of samples of audiophile stuff that there is a reason why the most popular hi-end amps are class AB designs.
It is quite common for audiophile speakers to have challenging impedance curve, especially in the bass range. Explosive current reserve at tap is very welcome.

What will matter a lot, even for amps built with class-D output is the psu. An anemic psu will only give anemic 'oomph'.
This is regardless of power; big transformers, big caps, big wires, big chokes matter.
Monster amplifiers are required to have this condition met, sensible power amplifiers sometimes have that and then the psu is said to be 'overbuilt'.
It would be kind of analogous to state that 15'' woofer is 'overbuilt' for home use, as 6'' can also produce 20 Hz.

I'm playing with an other brand's class-D (that uses linear transformer based psu) in an active sub project that has some serious balls - nothing boring or insipid about it - for sub duty. I have the 500 based plate amp also alongside and so far great sound has eluded the project with that amp so far.

 

Anything post 1995 or so is mastered so hot with the transients mostly clipped off that you don’t need that much power to raise the rms on most speakers. The levels are truly insane.

 

Wow! My goodness. At least you guys are not biased.

Much of the (mis)info posted here are not born out in actual measurements by sophisticated equipment. The SINAD measurements on these amps are all above 100db, some above 110db. Hypex amps start at around $500 up to around $2k. Purifi amps start around $1000 up to around $2000.

I encourage anyone interested in these amps to do your OWN research. This forum is super biased.

 

Sir, we pride ourselves on being precisely 2000% more biased. This was a relatively recent development concurrent with the 9 years-of-age requirement for participation in playful endeavors. I also have it on good authority that this web-based electronic bulletin board forum is not, in fact, normal.

 

As everyone knows, it's best to avoid misinformation. You should immediately quit the forum before you become biased with the SBAF mind virus!! Don't lose your entitlement. So sorry I meant enlightenment

 

Kind of jarring to see SINAD mentioned as some usable measure of excellence in this forum.

 

methinks you're in the wrong place. ASR worships at the altar of SINAD. SBAF worships at the altar of what sounds best...

 

I’m confused.

Doesn’t getting first-hand experience with each of these types of amps instead of blindly thinking oversimplified measurements are all that matters count as “your OWN research”?