AIYIMA A70 Stereo Amplifier Review

[Fidji]

For what it's worth. I can not take anybody speccing their amps at 10%THD seriously, why not 100%THD, you would get even more "watts" ....

I just can not convince myself to get excited about this amp - it is cheap - cool. Better than other cheap chip amps - great. So what.
looking beyond performance at 5W and 1kHz [which is respectable] it offers very little. E.g. this graph is just plain ugly, rising distortion in multiples with every kHz added, and I fail to understand the comment "unhappy above 1kHz, but otherwise very good performance". There is actually lot of music going above 1kHz. Combine it with some average DAC, that has SINAD 120, but also shows rising distortion at higher frequencies and I think you will get into audible issue territory,

I can see this amp being used as desktop with some smaller bookshelves speakers ans some budget DAC - and here, if you combine everything - you can get get much better value by buying some well-performing powered monitors.

Also "cheap" is very relative - 220USD is not exactly cheap, like "if I don't like, I just throw it away" and for not much more money you can get some normal HYPEX based amp.

Sometimes cheap is just not worth it.

 

[AIYIMA:GUO]

如果你能的话那就太棒了。

就我个人而言，我有点相信 Fosi 在挑选组件时非常谨慎，并且他们对此进行了出色的展示和宣传。
相比之下，爱依玛过去曾购买过不那么想要的组件，如果愿意的话，拆解将有助于许多人做出明智的决定。
谢谢

We will release the internal component structure in the near future

 

[daniboun]

In the other thread where this is being discussed, @AIYIMA:GUO responds directly:



(Direct link to that post in the other thread: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/aiyima’s-tpa3255-pffb-based-amplifier-coming-soon.51188/page-9#post-1910756)

Re-reading @amirm 's relevant comment on page 2 of this thread here, he writes:


This does not say that Aiyima "asked Amir not to test the 48/5A" PSU. It says they asked him to test with the 48/10A supply.

It could be that Aiyima is lying and asked him to test the amp only with the 10A PSU - but in that case it would be strange that they'd send him both. And it would also be strange that they would needlessly return to the discussion in the other thread to tell this lie in response to one of your many posts about this, instead of just letting it be.

It could be that Amir is lying and Aiyima did not ask him to test with the 10A PSU - but that would be a bizarre lie for Amir to tell and there's zero motivation he'd have to tell such a lie.

Or, it could be that something was lost in communication here. No offense at all to Aiyima, but from reading their comments in this and the other thread, it is clear that their English fluency is good but not perfect. It's entirely possible that they told Amir that they wanted him to include tests with the 10A PSU - or else why would they have sent it to him? - but they didn't mean that they wanted him to only test that PSU and not the other one. It's also possible that they clearly said that he should feel free to test both PSUs but they requested that he include the 10A PSU, and he felt like he would only do the 10A one for the reason he's repeatedly cited in multiple comments here: it's only $30 more and he doesn't view that as significant.

To my eyes it's obvious which of these three possibilities is the most likely explanation. And if we want more clarity and a definitive answer, I'm sure we can get that without making accusations or insinuations of dishonesty or sketchy behavior.

Speaking in the conditional we can hope for everything and never have... I asked Aiyima to agree with Amir.

Ambiguity and ambivalence sometimes lead to confusion and therefore push us to mistrust.

wait and see now....

 

[AIYIMA:GUO]

Speaking in the conditional we can hope for everything and never have... I asked Aiyima to agree with Amir.

Ambiguity and ambivalence sometimes lead to confusion and therefore push us to mistrust.

wait and see now....

It may be that the difference with the translation software resulted in Amir's misunderstanding. On behalf of aiyima, we apologize to Amir. We are also communicating with Amir whether we can test the 48V5A GAN power supply of A70 when Amir has time.

 

[Doodski]

can test the 48V5A GAN power supply

Is there a larger 10A etc power supply to test so we can compare the differences? It's a hot topic.

 

[AIYIMA:GUO]

Is there a larger 10A etc power supply to test so we can compare the differences? It's a hot topic.

Not yet, but products with built-in power supply will be available on another more powerful power amplifier

 

[Doodski]

Not yet, but products with built-in power supply will be available on another more powerful power amplifier

Very nice indeed. Thanks for being awesome...LoL>.

 

[Ze Frog]

What if you start a fire because something was wrapped up and couldn't cool down?

Nothing I have gets hot enough inside these. It's merely a precaution for the guy who was saying about it being unattended under furniture on a shag pile carpet. Obviously you have to judge how hot something gets and as to wether it's suitable. Most of the time I would likely say it's completely fine. Obviously it's something you test, preferably on a Summer's day. I've been doing this with power bricks for years, no failure, no fire, no problems. My Fosi Audio BT30D brick is in one, has been since I brought it maybe coming up to three years now without any issue whatsoever.

And as stated, the power brick for my HP laptop outputs 330W and is the hottest brick I have, and that comes in a sealed slab of plastic, no ventilation at all. If HP can make a charger this way I'm pretty sure it's all within spec or they wouldn't do so.

 

[restorer-john]

Nothing I have gets hot enough inside these. It's merely a precaution for the guy who was saying about it being unattended under furniture on a shag pile carpet. Obviously you have to judge how hot something gets and as to wether it's suitable. Most of the time I would likely say it's completely fine. Obviously it's something you test, preferably on a Summer's day. I've been doing this with power bricks for years, no failure, no fire, no problems. My Fosi Audio BT30D brick is in one, has been since I brought it maybe coming up to three years now without any issue whatsoever.

And as stated, the power brick for my HP laptop outputs 330W and is the hottest brick I have, and that comes in a sealed slab of plastic, no ventilation at all. If HP can make a charger this way I'm pretty sure it's all within spec or they wouldn't do so.

They are not "bricks". Please stop calling a heat producing, sealed-in-plastic, unventilated SMPS supply of dubious quality a "brick". It's a stupid term, only used by people with absolutely no idea.

Calling it so, does a complete dis-service and is a slur against an actual brick, which, incidentally, will never overheat, fail, or set fire to your house and will still be doing its job a hundred years from now when your cheap Chinese SMPS is poisoning the groundwater of your grandchildren.

These cheap plugpack supplies have a life measured in single figure years. How is that remotely acceptable? Clue: It's not.

 

[Toni Mas]

I don't like the way these devices are proliferating in my system, i find I have far too many of them and this should stop. I think that an external psu is acceptable for recharging battery operated devices, but in order to keep the system cleaner and safer internal psu should be the rule, especially if a significant amount of power is required. Btw, I imagine that all these "bricks" are in fact outsourced power supplies ordered to factories specialized in smps devices for all kind of uses, and this might be a way to make simpler the design and manufacturing of an audio product, also reducing costs.

 

[Ze Frog]

They are not "bricks". Please stop calling a heat producing, sealed-in-plastic, unventilated SMPS supply of dubious quality a "brick". It's a stupid term, only used by people with absolutely no idea.

Calling it so, does a complete dis-service and is a slur against an actual brick, which, incidentally, will never overheat, fail, or set fire to your house and will still be doing its job a hundred years from now when your cheap Chinese SMPS is poisoning the groundwater of your grandchildren.

These cheap plugpack supplies have a life measured in single figure years. How is that remotely acceptable? Clue: It's not.

I don't like the way these devices are proliferating in my system, i find I have far too many of them and this should stop. I think that an external psu is acceptable for recharging battery operated devices, but in order to keep the system cleaner and safer internal psu should be the rule, especially if a significant amount of power is required. Btw, I imagine that all these "bricks" are in fact outsourced power supplies ordered to factories specialized in smps devices for all kind of uses, and this might be a way to make simpler the design and manufacturing of an audio product, also reducing costs.

Can't argue with either there.

Definitely would be nice for this type of power supply to be relegated to only scenarios where absolutely required.

WIIM had the right idea with their amplifier, and DAC's largely seem to have internal power supplies these days as well. I think it's something we will definitely see as these brands gain more customer respect and feel comfortable adding a few dollars more to the cost of better designed casework. A lot of the thing likely holding back customers to a degree is the looks. I have a Fosi BT30D, perfectly acceptable for sound quality but it does look horrendously mundane and cheap and again external power supply. Would I have paid an extra £30 or so for a better case...most definitely. Luckily it's just a stand in after getting rid of everything ready for the move, then it'll be resigned to somewhere out of the way.

And if Aiyima, Fosi or Douk read this, please, no more just putting on some garish knobs and trim to jazz it up. These amplifier's are at the stage now they actually deserve some decent casework.

 

[Toni Mas]

Maybe also different users have different likes and dislike ... I am using a Topping PA3S which is practically 4 times smaller than Its external PSU. Some will be happy that It takes no space on their desktop, while they make disappear the PSU behind their furnitures. Hope they also have some kind of power switch at the wall plug...

Btw, even if these devices have this 12v trigger to turn all the setup on or off, i think that all these power briks make a switch at the wall plug a MUST.

 

[tmtomh]

Speaking in the conditional we can hope for everything and never have... I asked Aiyima to agree with Amir.

Ambiguity and ambivalence sometimes lead to confusion and therefore push us to mistrust.

wait and see now....

That’s some real word salad there - really pushes me to mistrust.

 

[Ze Frog]

Maybe also different users have different likes and dislike ... I am using a Topping PA3S which is practically 4 times smaller than Its external PSU. Some will be happy that It takes no space on their desktop, while they make disappear the PSU behind their furnitures. Hope they also have some kind of power switch at the wall plug...

Yeah, good point.

I wonder how many use at a desk though!

People on hear are likely going to use either powered speakers/monitors, or use one of these things with some appropriate speakers. The majority of non enthusiast's I have come across though tend to buy more run of the mill computer speakers with no need for an amp. While these have their place, it could be argued that a far larger customer base is likely using in a non desktop scenario. We who take sound seriously are a small market share, which is irrelevant if you are selling more expensive stuff I guess. For cheaper stuff it seems like chasing too smaller share.

Add in the fact there will be many who are enthusiast's along with those that aren't that will look at these things with extremely small size and all looking like clones of eachother and skip right past it, often to their detriment. Take the WIIM amp, given a nice case design and it's even sold under actual Hi-fi stores here in the UK now, which only serves to really boost brand recognition. Amazon can sell horrendous products and if someone has been burned before they likely don't trust Amazon, there's been incidents of fakes and such plenty of times. Amazon is fine for the most part of you are savvy and buy something that's a known quantity from an established seller, but some is definitely questionable.

 

[312elements]

I’ve never brought a product like this to market but it assume one of you will correct me if I’m wrong. The external power brick likely solves or reduces some certification costs. These costs are a cost of doing business and with products that have a long development cycle makes sense. Most of the 3255 based commercial products have an almost planned obsolescence and a short selling window so when you spread the certification costs over a limited number of units sold it will have a noticeable impact on cost of goods sold and selling price. If these things were to cost 20-30% more they don’t really make sense. It’s already getting into entry level Buckeye territory.

So I caution those of you pushing for internal power supplies because you might just get what you ask for, but you’re likely not going to like the price. These units are a great value for what they are but the more features you add the lower the bang for the buck. Those of you complaining with no intention of ever buying… I don’t get it. You’re not doing anyone any favors. We’ve got a pretty good idea of what a PFFB 3255 in a nice case with internal power supply costs (audiophonics). I think Aiyma and Fosi for that matter can do it a little cheaper but is anyone actually going to buy a $300 or more Aiyma? I’m probably not going to do that, but maybe I’m not the target demographic.

 

[gwing]

Maybe I'm in a minority here but, although I hate the proliferation of these separate power supplies for every tiny little device, I quite like a separate supply for an amplifier. Not only does it save a bit of money but it does allow a smaller box, I can easily replace it with a better supply if I want to tinker (or if it fails) and I guess I could use the supply for something else if the amp fails.

 

[Guddu]

I’ve never brought a product like this to market but it assume one of you will correct me if I’m wrong. The external power brick likely solves or reduces some certification costs. These costs are a cost of doing business and with products that have a long development cycle makes sense. Most of the 3255 based commercial products have an almost planned obsolescence and a short selling window so when you spread the certification costs over a limited number of units sold it will have a noticeable impact on cost of goods sold and selling price. If these things were to cost 20-30% more they don’t really make sense. It’s already getting into entry level Buckeye territory.

So I caution those of you pushing for internal power supplies because you might just get what you ask for, but you’re likely not going to like the price. These units are a great value for what they are but the more features you add the lower the bang for the buck. Those of you complaining with no intention of ever buying… I don’t get it. You’re not doing anyone any favors. We’ve got a pretty good idea of what a PFFB 3255 in a nice case with internal power supply costs (audiophonics). I think Aiyma and Fosi for that matter can do it a little cheaper but is anyone actually going to buy a $300 or more Aiyma? I’m probably not going to do that, but maybe I’m not the target demographic.

My two cents.
More than 50% posts are normally focused on complains for something that the product is not, rather than what the product is.
If one start looking at the product for what it is then complaints would be negligible.

 

[312elements]

Maybe I'm in a minority here but, although I hate the proliferation of these separate power supplies for every tiny little device, I quite like a separate supply for an amplifier. Not only does it save a bit of money but it does allow a smaller box, I can easily replace it with a better supply if I want to tinker (or if it fails) and I guess I could use the supply for something else if the amp fails.

I think it would be cool to be able to buy a matching case to toss something like a meanwell LRS into and have a neat little desktop stack.

 

[Toni Mas]

I also own an AIYIMA A08 now updated as A200, also based on TPA3255 which comes with an integrated PSU and is less expensive even. It looks less powerfull but it is not a problem for me, and my only concern is that it is an integrated amp with features i do not need and not simply a power stage. For me a power stage like this, even with only RCA inputs, would be more attractive than this A70, and there should not be any over cost issue.

AIYIMA A200 Amplificateur Class D TPA3255 2x180W 4 Ohm Bluetooth 5.0 Aptx-HD - Audiophonics

Le Aiyima A08 PRO est un petit amplificateur Class D, très puissant, performant et abordable. Il se base sur une puce d'amplification TPA3255 et un AOP NE5532P, lui permettant de délivrer une puissance de 2x220W sous 4Ω.

www.audiophonics.fr

 

[CedarX]

Nothing I have gets hot enough inside these. It's merely a precaution for the guy who was saying about it being unattended under furniture on a shag pile carpet. Obviously you have to judge how hot something gets and as to wether it's suitable. Most of the time I would likely say it's completely fine. Obviously it's something you test, preferably on a Summer's day. I've been doing this with power bricks for years, no failure, no fire, no problems. My Fosi Audio BT30D brick is in one, has been since I brought it maybe coming up to three years now without any issue whatsoever.

And as stated, the power brick for my HP laptop outputs 330W and is the hottest brick I have, and that comes in a sealed slab of plastic, no ventilation at all. If HP can make a charger this way I'm pretty sure it's all within spec or they wouldn't do so.

If nothing you have gets hot in these pouches, it means they are not needed: nothing you have generates much heat to start with.

If your HP laptop brick gets super hot, it means it’s probably not very efficient (that’s where GAN-based PSU can help) but it also means it is quite good at dissipating the heat (that’s why it gets hot!). Putting a blanket around is like plugging the heat duct of a dryer or a furnace… not a good idea.

These pouches are nothing but firefighter arsons: they’ll cause a fire and convince you they save your house !!!