Hypex Electronics is a specialist supplier of power amplifier subassemblies for the audio industry. The company is best known for its 'UcD®' range of high-performance class D amplifier modules and is the leading force behind the acceptance of class D as a true high fidelity technology.
What we do
Power conversion
Linear and non-linear control theory
Pulse Width/Density Modulation techniques
Transistor-level analogue circuit design
The company's two-tier research program focuses primarily on achieving new theoretical understandings in these subjects to shape the long-term future of audio amplification and secondly on novel, practical improvements of existing circuit concepts. Product development is split between general-purpose power amplifier/supply modules and turnkey projects for selected customers. Areas where we can offer added value to customers include design for manufacture, AD/DA conversion, active loudspeaker design and DSP algorithms for loudspeaker and system control.
Who we do it for
Hypex UcD® modules are used in a variety of performance-critical applications including:
Active loudspeakers for production and
mastering studios
Multichannel amplifiers for home theatre systems
Power amplifiers for the audiophile market
Live sound
Electronic musical instruments
Company history
Hypex was founded in 1996 by Jan-Peter van Amerongen as a supplier of plate amplifiers for live sound loudspeakers. The products drew the attention of hi-fi speaker manufacturers, resulting first in a line of active subwoofer amplifier subassemblies, shortly followed by multichannel units with active cross-over filters for the studio market.
2003 saw the start of a complete migration to class D. For this purpose the newly invented 'Universal Class D' technology was selected. Realising the market potential, Hypex decided not only to use UcD® in end-user products, but also to offer it to the market as general-purpose amplifier modules. The UcD180/400/700 modules have quickly established themselves as the new standard, both in terms of measured and subjective performance.
In 2005, Hypex took the strategic decision to move from a being a technology user to being a technology source and hired UcD's inventor, Bruno Putzeys, to be its chief of R&D. Hypex now serves many big name audiophile brands which previously couldn't find class D amplifiers meeting their stringent sound quality requirements. Standard products now span the range from 20W to 3kW and a line of switch-mode power supplies to match, along with dedicated 100V systems and DSP platforms for active loudspeaker control have been introduced.
