Installation and review of the Buckeye Amps 3-ch Purifi 1ET400A Amplifier - Home Theater #36

***TIMESTAMPS BELOW***
In this video, I finally got to install the Buckeye Amps 3-channel Purifi amp and have been listening to it for 2 weeks now and want to share my thoughts on it.
00:05 Intro
00:24 Step 1: Moving the stand
00:33 Cleaning up some cables
00:46 Better rear access
00:53 Dealing with the lip
01:17 Unplugging the cables
01:34 Plugging in new cables
02:05 Setting the gain switches
02:16 Power cable shortage
02:28 The final look
02:39 Timely but smooth
02:50 Sound clip intro
03:15 Sound clip: Emotiva
04:12 Sound clip: Buckeye amp
05:10 Sound clip thoughts
05:35 Max output clip
05:55 Max output clip: Emotiva
07:05 Max output clip: Buckeye amp
09:02 Max output thoughts
10:16 Now for ARC Genesis
10:24 Lower target level
10:41 Baffling speaker levels
11:18 Lowered sub levels
11:57 Max room gain
12:34 Will the blinking stop?
13:06 Power cable issue?
13:37 Buckeye's response
13:56 Replaced power cable
14:19 Buyer's remorse?
14:39 Less is more
16:01 Surround immersion
16:41 Loud enough?
16:53 Purifi amp thoughts
17:21 How about that review?
18:22 Joining the Atmos craze
18:34 Thanks for watching
Music by Vegetable Police at:
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About Random Distractions
I'm a busy husband and father of two that not only works full time but I'm also building up a photography business. However, I have distractions that take me away from that and this channel is all about that. Join me to see if you enjoy games, technology, and other random things.
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[@RandomDistractionsYT]

I was definitely impressed with this little amp once I started listening to what it was doing. As I mentioned in the video I am looking forward to the next video and jumping into the world of height speakers.

[@davidmusoke]

Your comments about hearing the differences between the two amps pairs down to one thing...distortion and noise. The purify amps have so little, if not the least amount of distortion/noise than conventional amps do. That's why your ref levels were different, as those distortion/noise products add up to the signal amplitude in higher distortion amps. With them missing, you are listening yo the true unmolested signal, which would be of lower ref levels yet with similar loudness.

[@iJmoney210]

Thanks for the review! I'm considering this exact amp so it helps a lot and I'm glad to hear you actually heard improvements with sound.

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

Appreciate you checking out the video and would definitely recommend putting it on the consideration list. Best of luck with whatever you decide on!

[@SealedOrPorted]

Anthem AVRs are built well and IMO have much better internal amps than most popular competitors. Moving to external amps, one will notice better clarity, separation, and performance of one’s speakers. It’s like going from the low grade engine on a car model to the highest grade engine and drivetrain. Basically, everything gets an upgrade: amplification, power supply, circuitry. This upgrade improves the performance of your speaker drivers aka motors. Good video.

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

Thanks for checking out the video and the great analogy. Definitely agree!

[@petekutheis3822]

I am thinking toward summer getting this 3 channel amp to use with my Emotiva MR1 receiver. I am thinking perhaps that a product like Whirlwind LM2B 2-Channel Unbalanced to Balanced Line Level Converter would solve the output/clipping/volume issue.... Of course with 3 channel I'd have to get 2. I will probably run the thought by Buckeye when I get ready to buy next year and see what he thinks.

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

I hadn't heard of that device and the theory sounds good but definitely would be interested to hear what Dylan at Buckeye says. If you do it and think about it, let me know. Thanks!

[@carlosoliveira-rc2xt]

Nice high end speaker there...haha.

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

Thanks for checking out the video!

[@rudiedj23]

Nice thorough review as well as measurements. Glad your enjoying the amp, quick question where did you get that power cord?

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

Thanks for checking out the video, sorry for the delay I was on vacation. The power cord came from Amazon and it was called Monosaudio HiFi Audio AC Power Cable. It comes in different versions and lengths.

[@michaelharness3258]

emotiva will tell all of us with this cutoff issue that it our speakers so they can get you to hold on to the unit past the return window and the refuse to help.

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

This comment sounds like it comes from a personal experience? Sorry to hear that, if that is the case. For me I do believe it is my speakers, they are rated at 4ohms which is difficult to drive and unfortunately, the Emotiva was just not enough. Since this video I have the Emotiva driving some height speakers and haven't had any issues with it at higher levels with that smaller load. Hopefully you have been able to find a better solution for your setup.

[@gaurd3]

Personally having an already powerful receiver, the marantz 8015, the difference wasn’t big. Running the 8015 in preamp mode with the buckeye nc502 brought about more nuance. Details. Not louder so much, but more fine details. I’m going to go processor next.

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

Nice, and based on pictures of the 8015 it looks like you probably had to go XLR to RCA as well. I found out from Dylan at Buckeye that just doing that reduces volume anywhere from 3 - 6dB so if you did go the processor route with something that has XLR outputs I'm curious if that would improve the sound. I would imagine a 3 - 6dB boost would be noticeable. The journey continues...

[@gaurd3]

@@RandomDistractionsYT yeah when that time comes I will get a boost. But quite frankly it gets loud enough and the 8015 does everything I need right now. If I had to do over I would have went separates. AVR tech can’t be upgraded and ages out. Power is forever.

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

Yeah, knowing what I know now would have probably done the same but something to strive for I suppose. It sounds great as is until then.

[@techsamurai11]

Weird, another person did the exact same thing and couldn't hear any difference - Marantz SR8015 and Buckeye. Not sure if he had the 502 or 252. What are your speakers and how many do you have? Is the Purifi a bit better than the Hypex?

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

@@techsamurai11 I believe it. A friend of mine added an amp and didn't notice much difference until he turned it up more but he doesn't usually listen to his system very loud so he didn't notice as much. There are other factors too that could explain it. The speakers the Buckeye is running in my setup are the Arendal 1723 S center and two Arendal 1961 towers. Unfortunately, I haven't heard the Hypex myself but before purchasing I had reached out to Dylan at Buckeye and this is the response he provided: "The short answer is the NC252's are usually more than enough for nearly all usage for my customers. The NC502's extra power only really comes in handy with very hard to drive speakers (sub 86dB sensitivity) or specifically Magnepan speakers. The Purifi is worth it for stereo or LCR setups when listening loud is the goal for music or detailed movie watching (clarity, as I like to call it) as it is slightly cleaner output at higher wattage than the Hypex. But.....if the price is hard to justify, you would not be missing out on much." Because I do like to turn up the volume, especially for movie watching I decided on the Purifi but since I don't have a 252 I can't say how much better this is. But Dylan thought that I would be ok with the 252.

[@downersup2]

Nice review video! I'm considering selling my Parasound A31 3 channel amp and getting a Buckeye NCOREx 3 channel amp, as I have 4 ohm speakers and need more power. I have SCL-2 LCRs and want plenty of headroom, so with the NCx500 3 channel runs 700W @ 4 ohms?! Any thoughts on what I should do? Parasound are certainly in a much higher class than Emotiva, but I was under the impression Buckeye were kinda this hidden gem and like a lot of one man operation, off brand audio gear these amps performed way beyond what they cost?! I was told that a 3 channel ATI Hypex Ncore 500W amp would be the best choice for my speakers, but when I found out about Buckeye and they use the exact same or better components than ATI but I'm getting 200 more watts per channel at a fraction of the price.......it's either a no-brainer or too good to be true!??

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

Thanks for checking out the video. Yeah, sometimes things can be too good to be true but as someone who actually purchased the Buckeyes and uses them every day, I can say that they do perform great. The difference between the ATI and the Buckeye is that the ATI that you mention uses the Hypex Ncore, which Buckeye sells as well and is also 500w, but if you go with his NcoreX that does have 700w at 4ohms. Because he is a one-man operation and not a big company is where you get the savings. Some have also said that they don't look the best and will agree that they are pretty utilitarian looking but all I cared about was the performance which they did great on. All I can say is to keep them in mind to decide if they are worth it for you.

[@downersup2]

@@RandomDistractionsYT That's outstanding news!! I'm more of a minimalist, so I dig the form factor of Buckeye amps! Will Dylan still do them in anodized colors or just black now? I'm most certainly going this route!! Great video, keep em comin!!

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

@downersup2 he has changed the website since I last purchased and I don’t see the color options anymore so it may not be available anymore. However, he is usually good at responding so would say to reach out to see if that is something you are interested in doing. Looking forward to hearing what you think!

[@nobody1841]

The vegetable police, might reconsider his music now that I see it is quality sound.

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

😁

[@BigDogsArtificialTurf]

What rca to xlr cable did you use? Looks like ther is only 1 xlr per channel?

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

Yes, there is just one per channel and as for the cables I used the Monoprice XLR male to RCA male. I heard that there were some that were causing some noise issues but they later fixed them however my cables didn't cause any issues.

[@xaerothehero]

7:00 This is not clipping. This happens with some BasX emotiva amps because they are not stable below 4 ohms. I bet when you crank up the volume, your speakers dip well below 4 ohm, and the amp goes into protect mode. The Purifi modules are stable down to 2 ohms, hence it doesnt happen with the buck amp.

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

Good to know and per Arendal the speakers are rated at 4ohm so probably do dip down. Thanks!

[@ryanw8664]

Thanks for the review! Regarding your volume levels, what kind of Anthem are you running and do you know the rated pre-out voltage? Even at high gain, the Purifi has a lower gain than the Emotiva, thus requiring a higher voltage to hit the same volume levels. At least that is my understanding. Personally, I cannot see myself ever listening higher than 90 dB 😆

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

Thanks for checking it out! I'm using the Anthem MRX 1140 and I'm assuming the spec you are referring to is the Maximum Output which per the website shows "Maximum Output (

[@ryanw8664]

@@RandomDistractionsYT I think you are correct in quoting the VRMS, in which case wow... those are good numbers. According to the ASR review, the Buckeye reaches full power on high gain around 2 VRMS, so you should have plenty of power. Note that the gain on Emotiva amps is set higher along with lower voltage requirements, so that would explain the volume difference IMO. I am still learning myself, so others might be able to provide a more informed opinion.

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

Well, it's good to hear that those numbers sound good to you. Yeah, I think the gain thing is also a thing and per Dylan from Buckeye he said that also going from the XLR to RCA would reduce anywhere from 3 to 6 dB. Despite that though, I'm still impressed with the sound.

[@carlosoliveira-rc2xt]

You're incorrect.

[@justlisten1]

Nice comparison video. I am getting the Marantz Cinema 40 and in the market for a 3 channel power amp to power the front stage. Should I consider Buckeye over emotiva baseX?

[@ryanw8664]

1000x yes get the Buckeye over the Emotiva. The BasX is not in the same universe, let alone league. Much higher distortion levels.

[@ryanw8664]

​@@mikepawntee2425 That depends on your listening level, does it not? Then there is clipping and shutdowns. According to Emotiva themselves, the BasX cannot handle louder than 94dB at the MLP before shutting down. There is also the matter of heat, which is of course the number one enemy of electronics. The Emotiva runs much hotter than a Class D like the Buckeye.

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

Thanks, based on my experience with both the Buckeye has performed much better than the Emotiva so would have not hesitation in recommending it.

[@justlisten1]

Interesting discussion. who knew? Buckeye? Have to look into

[@ryanw8664]

@@justlisten1 Just FYI, Emotiva is a corporate powerhouse specializing in traditional Class A/B amplifiers. Well known as a bargain brand with decent (but not great) offerings, at least according to audio snobs. Buckeye is owned/run by a single individual who builds amps using the latest technology Class D amplifier modules. Older Class D tech used to be considered inferior to A/B. Nowadays, many audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts regard the newest Class D tech as the future in amplification. There are more established corporations that provide these modules as well, but they charge quite a bit more. At this time, Buckeye seems to provide the best bang-for-your-buck. Just know that you're dealing with a small shop.

[@Snoopi.7]

I know this is an older video but a quick question if my receiver doesn’t have xlr inputs can I use xlr to rca cable or adapter? Will it cause any performance loss?

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

Thanks for checking out the video. In regards to your question my receiver doesn’t have XLR so had to do the same and per Dylan at Buckeyes he does state that you will have about a 3 dB drop at the same volume. I can confirm that this does happen with my setup.

[@carlosoliveira-rc2xt]

Do you mean XLR outputs? Why do you want XLR inputs?

[@Snoopi.7]

@@carlosoliveira-rc2xt yea the actual xlr connection my bad on the wording above

[@oncrx]

Was there any hiss coming from the speakers at high gain ?

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

Not that I could tell, but I didn't specifically check that. I plan on doing an updated video for the fix so will try and check that before doing the fix and after the fix too to see if there is any hiss.

[@_Paul.]

How would this Buckeye amp compare to the emotiva Xpa line

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

Unfortunately I haven't personally heard the XPA line but it was a line that I was considering. Power wise they are close with the Emotiva showing to have better specs based on their website. They are also different types of amps so they may sound different because of that. Unfortunately for me the reason to go with the Buckeye was because of not having a dedicated space and the Emotivas are pretty big so my wife would not go for having big amps. Also I didn't really have space for them in our entertainment cabinet. However, I wouldn't say that I wouldn't keep the Buckeye Amps if I were to get a dedicated space as I have been pleased with their performance in my space. Actually because of their smaller size I am hoping to get another amp which would fit nicely and not be as imposing. If you have the space and the time though I do think that it would be worth it to compare them to see which one sounds better to you.

[@KING_DRANZER]

Thing is that these go all up the volume with almost 0 distortion. Same can't be said for Emotiva Xpa. And to be honest have enough power to draw any speaker more than decently loud. To simply put it these are better.

[@Artcore103]

​@@KING_DRANZER purifi amps are among the top few class d designs in existence right now and are incredible. They're essentially perfect amplifiers. If you want even more power look at the hypex ncx500, equally good.

[@antonioantequeracid6005]

Tanto anthem como arcam sus salidas de previo tienen una ganancia alta y no casan bien con la mayoria de amplificadores. Si quieres mejorar el sonido pilla la mca225 y disfruta.

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

That would be nice but man they are so expensive. I would need to save up for 6 months to get a MCA225 which seems like a long time when you are not patient. :)

[@antonioantequeracid6005]

@@RandomDistractionsYT I understand your concern is a lot of money but I think that what you paid for the emotiva basx a5 and that amplifier you would already have something in advance of the mca225....esos arendales ask for quite a lot of watts. Regards

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

@@antonioantequeracid6005 That is true. Well, I will keep that in mind. Thanks for checking out the video!

[@antonioantequeracid6005]

@@RandomDistractionsYT Having the anthem channel reassignment...that anthem can handle surround, atmos and center...think that in movies the center is always working and all the power is redirected to the center and then to skipped channels according to effects...I would have it clear my friend. By the way I follow your videos for a long time because I have an arcam avr30 and always called my attention the mrx1140.

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

Thanks and I've heard good things about the Arcam. I have not heard it personally but it looks like a good system.

[@bojangles_bonjangles8000]

Shouldn’t it be a pretty easy comparison? 225w vs. 140w. $1,500 amp vs. $550 amp. You’d expect better performance out of the more expensive, higher powered amp with the same speakers, no?

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

Yeah, for the most part it should be, although I was more curious of going from an amp that was class A/B compared to class D.

[@bojangles_bonjangles8000]

@@RandomDistractionsYT did you like the emotiva? I have a Marantz SR5015 - 100w & was looking at both of those amps so I loved the comparison video, but wondering how much difference it would make to 1) go to the emotiva from the marantz and 2) go from the marantz or emotiva to the buckeye and if that’s worth another $1,000. Hmmm… I guess that’s where experimenting comes in… SVS Prime Towers w. Ultra center… appreciate the video, I will keep watching and liking.

[@RandomDistractionsYT]

@@bojangles_bonjangles8000 I did like the Emotiva and I thought it was a good entry into seeing what external amplification can do. Everyone’s listening preferences are different so I will say what I experienced. The difference between going from the AVR to the amp were much more noticeable at higher volumes so if you don’t listen too loud then it may be a little more difficult to hear. This was similar when switching from the Emotiva to the Buckeye, there was just more sound from the speakers at higher volumes. For me it’s been worth the difference which is why I got a second Buckeye to power my bed layer. Reference levels sound clear and without any feeling of struggle. I wish I could tell you for sure what is best but experimenting will be the best option to see what sounds the best for you.