VERITAS Ncore NC1200 Amps: Experiances

[hifial]

I have had the opportunity to hear these amps not only in my system but in several others, some who belong to Audio Clubs I belong to and others who I have met at Raves. A few are even Audio Manufacturers and Audio Reviewers.
Not once have I or the others not been impressed by how they sound from system to system.

I will post some of my observations as well as a post of a fellow club member.

But before I do that here is some info on them.

Specifications:

Power: 400 Watts at 8 ohms
700 Watts at 4 ohms
- 1,200 Watts at 2 Ohms
Input Impedance: 100 kOhms
Output Impedance: 3 milli Ohms
Damping factor: 2,000 4 ohms
THD: 0.004% at 200 watts
Current: 38 amps typical max
Frequency Response: 0Hz - 50kHz 0/-3db
Gain 26db
S/N 128dB
1 Balanced Input - Cardas XLR with Silver pins, Rhodium plate, Gold plated body
1 Remote Trigger. 12V for remote turn on/off
2 pairs of speaker outputs - patented Cardas Rhodium over billet Copper posts
1 IEC Furutech gold plated
1 Custom designed power cord for VERITAS by Triode Wire Labs, 10AWG high stranded copper wire, Cyro treated with red copper receptacles.
5 year transferable warranty
Cardas RCA to XLR converters (optional)

Short Circuit protection
Over temperature protection
Auto shut off in case of fault

Dimensions: 17” x 12” x 3” without footers
Weight: 33 lbs

[joeinid]

Thanks Al,

I've been looking at these. Can't wait to read what you and you audio friends think. Thank you!

Looks like the price for the monoblock Merrill amps just went up $1K for the pair.

[hifial]

I am new here and now I see that I should not have posted the Link. But is not the name of the Manufacturer OK to mention as it is in other posts and what about photos? Or am I still missing something? Just trying to learn as this is different from other sites I have been on.

[hifial]

Hi Joe. Here is some of my impressions.


My system is: B&W 802D speakers; PS Audio Perfectwave DAC MKII with Bridge by Ethernet and PW Transport by I2S/HDMI; Synergistic Research Galileo Universal Bi-wire Speaker Cells and Balanced Interconnect Cells; Power Conditioning is Synergistic Tesla PowerCell 10 SE MKII; Power cords to the amps and DAC and Transport are Triode Wire Labs Ten Plus (Very impressed with Pete's power cords. You owe it to your self to try them. Money back Guarantee). *Some of my equipment has changed since this demo.

I have tried MANY amps but could not find the RIGHT one with the BEST sound with also the following: Mono Blocks; True Differential Balanced Inputs; Not to weigh a TON but also to have quality chases; Cool running, for an amp; Quality parts, and no throw away power cords; Sound that is Pure, life like, true to tone, fast with total control of the speakers, real sounding rise and decay of the sound of instruments, deep, wide holographic sound-stage, not sterile but not warm, even sounding from top to bottom, able to reach well into the highs and dig deep into the lows, easy to maintain, no added noise of its' own (I can not believe how quite they are) and also musical/toe taping. And the price is NOT an arm and a leg. Yes, Merrill's amps are not inexpensive but to even come close to the sound, let alone everything else Merrill is including, someone would have spend a HELL of a lot more. I quit after hearing $16,000 to $30,000+/- amps and while some were really great sounding amps, NOT one can give me the sound that Merrill Audio Veritas amps do.

Now, every person, who I know of, who heard the Veritas in their system (who has a system that can really take advantage of it) have all been surprised and impressed. ONE CAVEAT!! They are very sensitive to power cords and power conditioning. We found out that you can not just assume that a well regarded power cord will work well with the amps. They did not like a pair of Synergistic Basik cords but their active type were fine. Also there were other well known brands that had some issues. They LOVE Pete's Triode Wire Labs Cables, both Ten Plus and Seven Plus. So make sure you try several types if you upgrade from what Merrill Audio already gives you (but I think you would have to spend a lot more before you "might" get an improvement over the TWL cables). And 9 out of 10 times they will sound better NOT plugged into a power conditioner.

If you have the source and speakers that can take advantage of what this amp can do you will be AMAZED!! My B&W 802Ds never sounded this good. I hear things, from top to bottom, that I never heard or as well. And base, who needs a sub woofer?!

As with food we all have different tastes and this my not be yours and that is fine, more power to you, but if you have no ax to grind and really hear them set up properly you are in for a treat.

Now these are my opinions and observations and YMMV but if you take the time and set it up properly you will be in for a treat. It REALLY takes A LOT to impress me enough to make me spend my money and I rarely post. That is how impressed I am. Call me a FAN BOY.

[hifial]

Here is the impressions of one of my Audio Club member (NJAS).

Despite the Sandy Hurricane interruptions, Merrill was kind enough to provide me the opportunity to audition his Merrill Audio Veritas Mono-block amps with my system. He delivered the amps and I listened for approx 48 hours over a period of three days. It should be noted that never once in this time frame did I or anyone else listening experience listening fatigue.

The Veritas units were temporary replacements for my ARC VTM200 MONO-blocks and other than a short experience with my neighbors ARC 610 Mono-Blocks which really brought my Maggies to life, it was a reawakening as to what my Maggies can do given sufficient power. It's not that the VTM200 don't do a good job, its that financially, moving up with more powerful tube amps is out of the question.

Basically , I was overjoyed with what I was listening to. With the Veritas supplying 700 watts per channel vs the 200 tube watts, which is fundamentally 3 and one half times the power I had been feeding them, it was the first time I heard the Maggies with the power they were recommended to be supplied with other than the 610 experience. It should be noted that every piece of electronic audio equipment I have is TUBE centered. The presentation of the Veritas into the system was the first time a pure solid state unit had been introduced to the system and the lasting impression was WOW...just like the web site stated!

We listened to vinyl as well as CDs...Jazz and full orchestration as well as solo piano, cello and violin. Beside myself and occasionally my wife, the listening panel included Blaine Handzus of the NJAS as well as an interested neighbor along with Merrill.

If and when I replace the ARC VTM200s, the Veritas would be at the top of the list.

Having heard Class D amps at other systems, I had never been totally satisfied with what they delivered but the Veritas units presented a completely satisfying and different audio presentation. In short, the 'you are there' effect the Maggies are famous for with the proper watts was stunning.

Simply put, the Veritas are an audio achievement, with extremely accurate front to back definition as well as a superbly accurate soundstage presentation. The holographic effect of instrument position within the orchestra was excellent.

But more to the point, the sounds of the instruments themselves were very accurate. My wife, who listens to live music on a daily basis, both strings, keyboard and horns made the comment that she "could hear the cellos and violas breath".

It was a sad hour when Merrill came back to take his amps away!

[hifial]

Here is an Update:

An Audiophile friend got a pair of Sanders Sound speakers with a Roger Sanders Magtech amp ($11,000 mono) for the top end and a Sanders sound ESL amp ($9,000 mono) for the bottom end as the speakers need to be bi-amped per channel.
They had a wonderful sound and I was very impressed but I thought the sound could be "smoother". I felt that I could hear a very slight sound of "noise". So when I mentioned this to the others in the room it was "really?". Well I insisted and suggested a challenge. The Merrill Audio Veritas to replace the Sanders amps. Well we had to come up with four of them. I had my pair and I got Merrill to bring a pair. It was some sight. We first listened to the Sanders amps and then put in the Veritas amps.
After awhile of listening I made no comments as I did not want to be the first. To a man (4) they all thought the Veritas had a better sound from top to bottom, was smoother, dead quite, more dimensional, better tonality and control. The difference was enough that the owner of the Sanders decided to buy the Veritas amps.

Also, the above Club Member post "could hear the cellos and violas breath" could be experienced when the Veritas was being used in place of the Sanders amps.

Now, do not get me wrong, the Sanders amps are very fine indeed. It is just that the Veritas are that good.