Reviews

reviews & feedback

5 out of 5

Vandaag twee Ncores ontvangen. Sipko leverde binnen 48 uur nadat ik hem vertelde dat er een feestje dreigde te worden verknald door een gesneuvelde Rotel RB980 eindversterker, die samen met een zelfde type mijn speakers aanstuurde. Dank, dank. Inmiddels spelen de twee Ncores eveneens in een bi-ampconfiguratie, met als preamp een loupzuivere, twee eindversterkers en een subwoofer aansturende Nad c165bee. Mijn twee 8 ohm hongerige Mirages M5si zijn er dolblij mee... Het geluid is glashelder, zonder de ietwat warm gekleurde 30 jaar oude Rotel-saus. Geen kleuring, geen vervorming, geen ruis, echt strak. Even wennen, natuurlijk, maar uiteindelijk geven deze versterkers de bijna ongekleurde, strakke weergave die de preamp aan ze doorgeeft, en dat is precies hun taak. Hierbij is de warmteontwikkeling onvergelijkbaar laag t.o.v. klasse AB versterkers, mede als gevolg van het veel betere energiemanagement. De Mirages hebben 4 mid-laag speakers die ik nooit overtuigend laag hoorde geven. De IOMNcores krijgen het wel voorelkaar, waardoor ik de subwoofer die dit veronderstelde gemis moest compenseren een stuk heb kunnen terugdraaien tot bijna geen ondersteuning. Kortom, de Ncores halen geluiden uit mijn Mirages M5si die ik niet eerder had gehoord. Na een paar weken inspelen verwacht ik nog fijnere nuances die de weergave nog dichter naar perfectie kunnen brengen. Nu al is het laag prachtig strak en gcontroleerd, midden en hoog zijn helder, zonder schelle uitschieters, dit laatste wordt na enige weken gebruik nog mooier, verwacht ik. Resumerend: goed werk Hypex, perfecte implementatie en afbouw door IOM, geweldig meedenken van Sipko die het geheel tot in perfectie heeft afgemonteerd in een indrukwekkend solide aluminium behuizing.

Rik
5 out of 5

Some time ago I got the opportunity to test an IOM i250 (integrated) amplifier. This was my first experience with a Class D amplifier. I became so enthusiastic (see specific review) that I investigated how I could get an even better sound and more flexibility. Together with Sipko we figured that when going for the best I should go for 2 mono blocks with the latest NCx500 boards inside. To make the blocks suitable for any available streamer/dac/pre-amp I chose for a gain selector to have always just enough power in combination with the least amount of distortion. In parallel I found a streamer to my (sound) taste with a perfectly balanced design (Lindemann). Because of the alu-look of this streamer I got the aluminium mono blocks (obviously). After a lot of testing with different interlinks (XLR & RCA switch available) and sources (SACD’s , CD’s, QOBUZ, etc.) I really can say that I enjoy my system as never before! Whenever I get an opportunity during the day for a free moment I listen to music and every time I get a smile on my face because the combination with the mono blocks gives me: -lots of detail/micro dynamics, things I never heard in a recording before; - depth and layering in the music together with a (larger) sound stage; - vocals are so good and separated from the rest of the music that the singer actually seems to be in the living room; - you can play at very low volumes and still hear everything, very pleasant in the evening; - you can play very, very (very) loud without any deformation....... But last and certainly not least: there is control, control and control......the mono blocks are lightning fast and in case of low bass: it is just there with no stress at all........ Conclusion: pick a good streamer/dac/pre-amp and combine it with these mono blocks. You will not be disappointed.

Marten
5 out of 5

I wanted to buy a new amp and I was in favor of getting something based on recent Hypex modules, i.e., NCx500 or Nilai, partly since I had some listening experience with an amp based on (not-the-most-recent) Hypex ncore modules, and partly due to their outstanding specs. After comparing some products, I decided to place an order for the IOM 500s. On the one hand, this amp has a compact and sleek design. On the other hand, it also has useful technical features, such as the (optional) variable gain selector, RCA and XLR inputs, and a secondary power switch at the mains connection. In the meanwhile, I have listened to some music on my IOM 500s. I am impressed by its performance in terms of both clarity and power! I once went up to 0dB on my DAC/preamp (-> 2.1 V RMS on RCA) in combination with the 11dB gain setting on the 500s, and I already felt like it might blow my plants off the balcony. 😉 And there is still plenty of headroom. When listening to techno and other electronic genres, the kick is powerful and the bass is precise. But most importantly, when listening to well-produced music of any genre, the amp, in combination with my DAC/preamp and speakers, delivers the details right! The idle power consumption is at about 25 W and I have to turn up the volume quite loud before the power consumption goes further up. In standby, the power consumption is at about 1 W, but the device can also be turned off completely using the rear power switch at the mains connection. Overall, I‘m very happy with the product. Also worth mentioning is that Sipko at IOM promptly responded to my questions.

RK
5 out of 5

Some time ago I got the opportunity to test an IOM i250 amplifier to see whether it would match my Fyne 502 speakers that I recently bought. Before this test I used a Marantz amp PM80 which always was a good match with my previous KEFs, but with the new Fynes the Marantz just does not cut it. The Marantz gives a transparent sound and is insightful, but the bass is sometimes too boomy/thumpy. This is probably also due to the limited space behind the speakers to the wall, but that is something I cannot change. First impression of this IOM i250: it is built like a tank and very good components have been used. The black anodized finish, together with the minimalistic size make it a very sophisticated product to look at. It easily fits in my cabinet where a small streamer can be put next to it. The 3 RCA inputs are enough for me and the selector switch and volume knob feel very high end. During my test period I used the amp quite intensively but due to the well-engineered heatsink design the unit only became “lukewarm”. A big advantage here is that no dust can be collected on the components over the years! As a source an Apple TV (with OEM DAC) was used together with a Marantz high end CD player(DV12 S2). Sound quality: immediately I was impressed with the “control” this amp had, especially in the bass region. No earth devastating bass, but gentle and well controlled. It improved the poor positioning effect of the speakers to the back wall/corners very much. In the mid-range the sound seemed to be a little held back or restrained. I could not put my finger on it. But……after a couple of days the amp loosened up and I think within a small week the amp showed its true potential! The sound became loose and showed a lot of “fluidity” (sorry, I cannot think of another word). Instruments and voices were very well separated. What strikes is that this amp is very “neutral” yet very musical. The overall listening experience is non fatiguing, there is no sharpness anymore which I encountered with the Marantz. You really can listen to this amp for hours and every time it is a pleasure to listen to. Final Conclusion: this amp is highly recommended, furthermore the price/performance balance is excellent!

Marten
5 out of 5

Review in één woord van de IOM NCore 500 stereo met NCx500 board: WOW!!! Om een goede mening te kunnen vormen wil ik bij een review altijd graag weten met welke installatie geluisterd wordt. In kort bestek: er is veel aandacht besteed aan schone stroom: Furman, DC blokkers, Elinex, Kemp electronics o.a. de sns plug etc. Alle muziek staat op een 4TB harde schijf en wordt middels een computer met Signalist HQ player afgespeeld. Vervolgens wordt het signaal galvanisch gescheiden door een Intona 7055 en gevolgd het zijn weg via een Singxer SU-2 DDC naar een Holo audio spring 3 level 2 r2r DAC. Na de DAC gaat het of direct naar de eindversterker(s) of het gaat via de HPA / pre Singxer SA-1. De weergevers zijn Magnepans 3.7, ieder geflankeerd door een REL T5i sub. De analoge interlinks zijn Sommer Carbocarb Epilogue. De kamer is bijzonder groot namelijk ruim 90 m². Mijn eerste ervaring met een klasse D versterker was een Tact/Lyngdorf SDAI-2175 die een NAD 2700 verving. Een duidelijke verbetering ten opzichte van de NAD maar na enige tijd werd vooral het gebrek aan diepte toch een struikelblok. De volgende stap waren een paar Exposure monoblokken 3010S2 die duidelijk een veel natuurlijker geluid gaven. Ik kwam een mooie aanbieding tegen van een paar Channel Island Audio (CI) monoblokken D200 MKII, een UcD ontwerp. De CI’s hebben meer detail, inktzwarte achtergrond en meer rust in het geluidsbeeld. De reviews waren dan ook laaiend enthousiast. Ze werden vergeleken met extreem dure versterkers zoals de Burmester 911 en WAVAC Audio Labs MD-805 MkII (tubes) waarbij hoogstens een nuance verschil werd geconstateerd. Ik was de laatste tijd nieuwsgierig geworden door de vele lovende verhalen over ontwikkelingen betreffende de nieuwste generatie klasse D versterkers. Zou het nog beter kunnen? Klasse A, B en buizen hebben in tegenstelling tot klasse D het laatste decennium geen stormachtige ontwikkelingen doorgemaakt. Door mijn verwarring over de vele namen van de diverse aanbieders ben ik middels een zoekopdracht bij Internet Of Music terechtgekomen en heb de sprong gewaagd met de door Audio science review super geteste NCx 500 board. In deze versterker gemonteerd in de IOM NCore 500S. In de meest ideale omstandigheden doet een eindversterker maar één ding namelijk het geluidsignaal versterken zonder het te ‘verbeteren’ of (en dat gebeurt bij de meeste versterkers) slechter te maken. Een ideale eindversterker bepaald zelf niet de kwaliteit van het geluid. De kwaliteit van het geluid wordt bepaald door een groot aantal factoren zoals onder andere de stroomvoorziening, ontkoppeling, kwaliteit van de bron, de DAC, de voorversterker de weergevers en de kamer. Een ideale eindversterker laat de kwaliteit van de andere componenten optimaal uitkomen en dat is wellicht de belangrijkste kwaliteit van deze versterker. Daarnaast hebben de Magnepans power nodig en dat heeft deze versterker in ruim voldoende mate. Ik had niet gedacht dat er zo’n groot verschil zou zijn tussen de CI en de IOM. Iedere opname wordt nu zo geweldig weergegeven dat zodra ik muziek opzet de installatie

Dave
5 out of 5

With the purchase of a new high-end audio system for my living room, it quickly became clear to me that I also needed a new power amplifier that had both sufficient power and a state-of-the-art sound. I quickly chose Hypex NCORE technology after reading a lot in different audio forums. The visual challenge was finding something that be visually appealing and not too big. When exploring the market, I noticed that many providers use large and rather conspicuous housings. Some with bold logos, all of which I found annoying. I also wanted a device where you don't see any writing or anything like that. IOM quickly made a positive impression on me. The shape of the case and the elegant, timeless design reminded me of Apple products or Scandinavian designer furniture. Exactly the right thing for me. I decided to write to IOM because I wasn't sure which power amp was right for me and I wanted to make sure that the manufacturer is a professional. I received a friendly reply from Sipko, who then gave me comprehensive advice and finally made me a power amp that matched my tonal and visual ideas - a modified IOM 500s. I'm impressed by how well Sipko responds to the needs of its customers - kudos from me. The 500s is impressive too - the enclosure is solid aluminum and looks like it's been made in one piece. There are no screws to be seen! (Only on the bottom plate). The sound is impressive too. The OPAs used by Sipko deliver a top sound and the Hypex NCORE 500 modules have incredible power reserves. Perhaps Sipko's secret is to build such first-class products of the highest quality that he is a former engineer at Philips. I love my IOM 500s and can highly recommend the products from IOM respectively Sipko and his team! Best regards Tim form Hamburg

tim
5 out of 5

As you can read elsewhere here, I started out with the NCore. I still stand by what I wrote about that little gem. And to be honest, I would have been totally happy with it for years to come. But then I got the opportunity to listen to a 500s. After that there was no going back for me. The NCore offers tremendous bang for your buck. With its clean power and insightful sound, it delivers, say, 90% of what the 500s delivers. The pedigree is obvious. They both offer a very detailed, very neutral sound, with solid bass and wide soundstage. So why pay almost twice the price for the bigger brother? In short: involvement. More music, less equipment. Let me elaborate: The sound stage of the NCore is very open and wide. So is the soundstage of the 500s, but this one is deeper. And even more: it adds hight to the soundstage. You have the feeling the ceiling went up 10 meters. it makes for a more 3D sound. Besides that, the sound is also slightly more forward, but at the same time there is more 'air'. So the 500s has a very holographic sound. There really is more sense of the recording venue, be it a small jazz venue or a big church. This conveys even more atmosphere and space, acoustics. The feeling of 'being there'. The musicians are also placed more accuratly, you can pinpoint them. Everything falls into place, it breathes. High frequencies are just a little more fluid on the 500s, and the sound is still very clean. There is more of an analogue feel to them, though, they shine. Mids offer just a bit richer and more nuanced sound. So the character of instruments is slightly more pronounced, there is a little more colour. Listening to a guitar you can hear just a little bit more wood besides the metal strings, with grand piano I can hear where the metal strings end, and the copper strings begin. You can hear the reed of the saxophone, the resin on the strings of the violin, cymbals have gorgeous decay... I wrote the NCore had phenomenal authority over the lower octaves. And it does. But with the 500s there turns out to be another abyss of low frequencies hidden underneath. I hear bass I did not know my speakers were capable of. It is also very well controlled. The combination of my speakers and the acoustics of my room give me a slight hump in the mid lows, which, with the NCore, resulted in an occasional booming sound. Not so with the 500s, the hump is under control, I have very clean tight bass now! As said very very deep, and also with more texture. Double bass has nice grunt! So between the NCore and the 500s, it is a matter of the best being the enemy of the (very) good. In the end, with the 500s amp, music becomes more warm-blooded, more moving, bringing

Matthijs
5 out of 5

As I was looking for an Hypex Ncore built power amp, I stumbled over IOM models. And my attention was drawn by the i250 as it was more like an integrated amp with its potentiometer and the multi input which allows me to hook a turntable in additio to a transport/streamer preamp . I was a little bit concerned by the heat at the beginning because of the small factor form without any vent, but as Sipko told me it was not an issue with the thick aluminium enclosure acting as heat spreader. After ordering, it from NL to FR within 4 days, in a well protected package. The amp is sturdy and the inputs are qualitative; moreover its look is better than the photos in the website (IMHO) ! Before powering it, I was still wondering, if It was a good idea to get a class D Hypex Ncore based upon as i prefer a warm sound and absolutely hate harsh treble. I hooked it to a Marantz ND8006 as a preamp, and a Project Phono S2 preamp (for the planar 2 turntable) with 2 Tannoy XT6F floorstanders which is a set up leaning to neutral to warm. First impression : No harshness, a little bit brighter to my ears than my previous AB class amp , well defined with a good soundstage and surprisingly nice bass (tight and powerful). No noise, dead quiet ! After several hours, it gets only slightly warm when touching it. After several days and many hours of listening, I felt that it has improved more to my ears, as the slight brightness impression has disappeared for me. I do not know if it is the « break in » process of the amp or my brain that has adjusted, but at the end, it is for me now one of the best if not the best amp I ever listened to for music. It perfectly beats amps that are some times several times pricier. In conclusion, I really love it and I do recommend this amp without any hesitation, taking into account its performance (power and sound) , the multiRCA inputs, the volume knob, the price level and the build quality. Moreover, and not to forget, the customer experience was also very enjoyable with very good communication and answers to my requests/questions by Sipko Thanks !

A.B.
5 out of 5

I have 2 new IOM500 monoblocks with 12V trigger and both RCA and XLR outputs Process was very easy and homely I got in touch because I wanted monoblocks with VU displays in it and after a listening session and couple cups off coffee with a very nice and honest conversation I decided to order 2 brand new models of the 500series Picked them up a couple of weeks ago and because I am the first one to test the new model we decided to keep in touch After testing the amps I took them back to home and packed with new cables i was underway After connecting them I put them first to a test of sounds and let them play for at least 12 hours straight at about 40% of capacity ( got speakers that don’t mind that kind of power ) Then i started listening with my own playlist on various streaming services and some vinyl At first I didn’t know what to expect because I only had heard my speakers on the power of my avr ( Yamaha RX-A2080 ) before that I couldn’t remember them because they are in the family for an odd 25 years ( they are MC-Systems M202 ) I started with a couple of sting songs and noticed that every little detail was very crisp and powerful even on high volume ( -16 ) After that I got to the dire straits and Bruce spring steen type of music and noticed that the low end was very powerful and I didn’t know that it was reachable with the speakers so I contacted the manufacturer and got the reply that they are very high sensitive speakers with an enormous thirst for power ( not that they sound bad with low wattages not at all) After the nostalgia I switched to a bit heavier music like deephouse and some techno I was very surprised how low and powerful it was well beyond the 40hz level I put them to some endurance tests aswell ( up to 6-7 hours non stop on 75% capacity )and noticed that they aren’t getting any warmer then my avr and streamer ( that for an fully sealed system is impressive ) All and all I am very impressed and happy that I purchased the IOM500 monoblocks and can recommend them because they are powerful controlled and have a stylish black design in an small package I am even prepared to welcome people to listen to them and if logisticly possible with there own speakers My current set-up is Yamaha RX-A2080 Auralic Altair G1 2 x MC-Systems M202 1x B&W HTM602S center 2x B&W M1 surround 1x Rel HT/1003 subwoofer 2x IOM500 monoblocks Connected with van den hul snowline Interlinks are Atlas integra hyper2

Alexander Stabler
5 out of 5

2 weken geleden een mail gestuurd voor wat info mbt de IOM i250. Nog geen uur later werd ik teruggebeld door Sipko met een goed en enthousiast verhaal. Het persoonlijk contact was erg leuk. In eerste instantie had ik de Ncore250 in gedachten (zonder volume regeling) maar uiteindelijk toch voor de IOM i250 gekozen met volumeregelaar en 3 ingangen. Na bestelling was de versterker binnen 2 dagen verstuurd. top dus! Vandaag de versterker uitgepakt. De bouwkwaliteit is zeer goed te noemen, degelijke stevige knoppen en goede speaker en RCA terminals, het geheel voelt kwalitatief zeer goed aan. De speaker terminals zijn niet te klein waardoor je ze goed kunt aandraaien. In mijn opstelling gebruik ik een Yamaha WXC50 streamer als voorversterker. Mijn speakers zijn 2 zuilen van klipsch type WF35. Verder gebruik ik een sub van XTZ (aangesloten op de Yamaha sub uitgang, dus niet op de IOM i250) De Yamaha WXC50 + IOM i250vervangen mijn bijna 20 jaar oude Denon receiver. (welke ik alleen nog in 2.1 opstelling gebruikte) Alles aangesloten en het luisteren kon beginnen! Het viel me meteen op dat de stereo weergave vele malen beter is dan die van de Denon. Het geluid is " ruimtelijker" en er is veel meer detail. Aan vermogen is er geen gebrek, de versterker heeft totaal geen moeite met mijn Klipsch speakers. Waarom koos ik voor de IOM i250? - Zeer compact formaat - Efficient klasse D principe - Legendarische Hypex Ncore als basis!! - Volume regeling - Zeer scherp geprijsd, zeer goede prijs/kwaiteit - Verslaat vrijwel alle " bekende" merken op prijs, bouwkwaliteit, efficientie en geluidskwaliteit - mooi om te zien

Sjors
5 out of 5

--translated-- Purchased the IOM i250 for powering 2 dipole speakers of Dynaudio (C1). To start this review: the friendly service is unprecedented. I had now idea if this amplifier had enough power to handle this type of speakers. When I asked via an email if there was a testing possibility there was a prompt positive reply. The shipment was fine and the amplifier was packed very well. Unpacking the box you immediately feel and see a solid product without economisation on knobs & connectors. And then the sound; just perfect. Enough power for low and sublime for all high notes. The Ncore module amplifies ‘as is’ and is exactly where I was looking for, especially for this kind of speakers. The heat dissipation is quit OK despite the compact housing. The value for money is out of ratio, but then in my benefit. Very recommended! --original-- De IOM i250 aangeschaft om 2 dipool speakers van Daudio (C1) aan te sturen. Om te beginnen de vriendelijke service is ongekend. Ik had werkelijk geen idee of deze versterker echt voldoende vermogen en bereik had om met dit type speakers om te kunnen gaan. Na een mailtje te hebben gestuurd met de vraag of er een mogelijkheid bestond om de versterker 2 weken te mogen proberen werd er direct positief gereageerd. De verzending verliep prima en het geheel was netjes verpakt. Bij het uitpakken van de doos heb je direct in de gaten dat je een degelijk product in handen hebt waar niet bezuinigd is op de knoppen en aansluitingen. En dan komen we bij het geluid, dit is gewoon uitstekend te noemen voldoende vermogen voor het laag en subliem voor alle hoge tonen. De Ncore module geeft het geluid door zoals het is en dat was precies wat ik zocht voor deze speakers. De warmte ontwikkeling ondanks de compacte behuizing valt enorm mee. De prijs kwaliteit verhouding is eigenlijk zoek maar dan wel in de positieve zin van het woord. Kortom een aanrader!

Joost