IDEA: Helix Lunchbox Amp Head

[MirrorProfiles]

Not suggesting that anybody would buy the following Class D amp to power a guitar cab because it's very expensive and probably wouldn't have enough power available for that anyway. Also, it would never end up in a L6 powered HX device for that cost reason because it wouldn't be viable; but I'm linking the Hypex NCx500 module here just to demonstrate that not all Class D power amps are trash or sound the same.

The THD figures are excellent.

Hypex NCx500 Class D Amplifier Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Hypex NCx500 NCOREx reference design amplifier. It was sent by the company and kindly assembled by our local expert, @Rick Sykora. As you see the sample is a "monoblock" configuration (one channel) driven by Hypex SMPS1200 switching power...

www.audiosciencereview.com

There are a good deal of poorly designed Class D amps out there and / or they often contain cheap components and are usually built to a price point - and that might be the majority of them; so I can see why there is a dislike of them out there.

The point here is that the topology of Class D isn't inherently the problem in terms of the dislike that they receive. It's just a topology that reflects an approach to amplification.

In terms of cost, I'd still like to believe there's a sweet spot out there and the odds are improving all the time.

I use one of these with my studio monitors. Excellent stuff but for that money I’d be going for a nice valve poweramp to drive a guitar cab any day of the week.

For me it’s not so much about the technology or type of amp being an issue, it’s the fact it’s driving a guitar cab and we are used to driving those with valve poweramps that have a very interactive response between cabinet and amp. Maybe it’s possible to make a nice solid state amp with something that approximates these behaviours? Or you just go with any tried and tested valve poweramp that sounds and behaves “right” from the off?

 

[Orvillain]

I use one of these with my studio monitors. Excellent stuff but for that money I’d be going for a nice valve poweramp to drive a guitar cab any day of the week.

For me it’s not so much about the technology or type of amp being an issue, it’s the fact it’s driving a guitar cab and we are used to driving those with valve poweramps that have a very interactive response between cabinet and amp. Maybe it’s possible to make a nice solid state amp with something that approximates these behaviours? Or you just go with any tried and tested valve poweramp that sounds and behaves “right” from the off?

This is my feeling too.

Mesa Simul class 2:90
Fryette Powerstation
Fryette LVX
Fryette Two/Ninety/Two
Marshall 9100
Marshall EL34 100/100

What else is out there worth paying attention to?

 

[MirrorProfiles]

This is my feeling too.

Mesa Simul class 2:90
Fryette Powerstation
Fryette LVX
Fryette Two/Ninety/Two
Marshall 9100
Marshall EL34 100/100

What else is out there worth paying attention to?

criminal to have that much Fryette and not list a 2150. Some good stuff in these:

 

[SKU]

This thread is going in the right direction!!

 

[DrewJD82]

I think we're a page and a half away from a lunchbox head that sits on top of a 4U tube poweramp.

 

[SKU]

I think we're a page and a half away from a lunchbox head that sits on top of a 4U tube poweramp.

If I understand correctly, @Digital Igloo stated very clearly that everyone who contributed in this thread will get a 50% discount!! That’s great!!

 

[GTR37]

I AGREE by looking at them. I look at the ampx now and think" 10 yrs ago this would be cool but in 2024 it’s an antique" and it’s not even out. The design isnt robust looking at it.The flip up shield thing and tiny screen just dont cut it in 2024. And for $2k? nah

I can’t believe I am reading this

 

[GTR37]

If I understand correctly, @Digital Igloo stated very clearly that everyone who contributed in this thread will get a 50% discount!! That’s great!!

I feel like we had this discussion like 10 times over and at the time DI asked how much would you pay for this and people said like 1700 or something and the reply was
To put a helix rack and helix control together was about that , then you need the woodwork , the power amp section , the R&D
And it was like 2500 or more and many lost interest

 

[timbuck3]

Actually yeah, a refined version of that would be killer.

I had one for a few months and liked my blackstar id260 alot better...the selections of preamp tones were not diverse as the bs and the boost was not implimented well. The effects loop was odd as well. I was hoping they just release a 2-12 stereo revised version like this or the thr60(2 x30)