Dayton Audio DTA-120 Stereo Amplifier Review

[mmicko]

Nothing at these prices and size. Search continues though...

Hi @amirm do you have in plane to also test some active studio monitors (nothing too expensive)?
Not with microphone, but simple open the box and measure output on power terminals where speakers are connected.
This would give us at least some basic view, if combination of DAC + active monitors can perform better than digital power amplifiers from similar (cheap) proie level.

Thanks

 

[AudioSceptic]

This is a review and detailed measurements of the DTA-120 "class T" stereo audio amplifier. I purchased it at prompting of the membership months back. The DTA-120 for US $78. Parts Express now shows this as discontinued so not sure what availability is now.

The DTA-120 has a heftier build that other little amplifiers:

View attachment 38723​

The volume control feels good. I did not play with either headphone output.

The back shows what you would expect:

View attachment 38724​

Nice to see full regulatory certification in the form of FCC and CE marks.

The external power supply that feeds it is massive and probably even longer than the amp itself! It is rated at 24 volt/5 amps.

In use the unit barely got warm. This is actually good news which tells me it possibly uses the case for heatsink rather than looks.

The banana jacks, despite being tiny, managed to handle my heavy cable. And its oversized feet kept it rather planted.

Overall, decent impression for a budget product.

Amplifier Audio Measurements
As usual let's start with our dashboard view of 1 kHz tone at 5 watts into 4 ohm load:
View attachment 38727

The channel imbalance is bit more than I like to see. Shame we don't have balance controls anymore in our audio gear to compensate for such things.

THD+N and hence SINAD (signal relative to sum of distortion and noise) is dominated by strong harmonics, putting the DTA-120 near the bottom of the pile:

View attachment 38728

Frequency response has dual personality. Here it is at 8 ohm:

View attachment 38732

A bit of peaking/exaggeration of high frequencies is seen which is due to filtering used in switching amplifiers. At 4 ohm though, response radically changes:

View attachment 38733

Clearly the output filter is interacting with the load causing frequency response to vary. So what you get with your speaker of choice, will vary yet again.

That early and strong filter has some benefit in suppressing ultrasonic switching noise:

View attachment 38734

Multitone shows what we can already tell from the SINAD:
View attachment 38735

Most important test is the amount of power relative to distortion and noise. Let's see that for 8 ohm load:
View attachment 38736

Not a fan of those wiggly curves. And that fact that they start horizontally meaning distortion (rather than noise) dominates.

Situation does not improve with 4 ohm load:

View attachment 38737

Measuring power at 4 ohm again, this time opting for 1% THD we get:

View attachment 38738

So high frequencies are definitely more problematic.

We can skin that cat yet again by sweeping level at different frequencies:

View attachment 38739

Kind of messy as one would expect (ideal would be all the graphs on top of each other).

Here is the signal to noise ratio:

View attachment 38741

At full output, we barely clear the 16 bit hurdle.

Listening Tests
Watching important US news in another window so can't do the listening tests now. Will report later.

Conclusions
Measured by any kind of high fidelity standard, the Dayton Audio DTA-120 naturally is not competitive. There is way too much distortion. As a budget, low-cost amplifier goes though, it seems to work and product decent amount of power. So to the extent you want to use it in a workshop, workplace, etc., it would be fine.

--------
As always, questions, comments, corrections, etc. are welcome.

Having help clean up the yard because I got tired of waiting for @Thomas savage to do it. Need money to pay the guy when he is done today. So please help by donating using : https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/

I'd really like to see how the tiny Pro-Ject S2 amps compare with this sort of thing. Do you get decent performance by spending that much more or are you just paying for European design and manufacture? Any chance of the importer lending you one? <https://www.pro-jectusa.com/en-us/products/pro-ject-box-designs/amplifiers/s2-line>

 

[somebodyelse]

I'd really like to see how the tiny Pro-Ject S2 amps compare with this sort of thing. Do you get decent performance by spending that much more or are you just paying for European design and manufacture? Any chance of the importer lending you one? <https://www.pro-jectusa.com/en-us/products/pro-ject-box-designs/amplifiers/s2-line>

They're publishing inconsistent specs for the Amp Box S2, and neither set looks impressive. Compare the web page and the PDF user manual it links to immediately before the "Technical Specification" section - almost every measure is significantly different. Different internals with the same model name and outward appearance perhaps?

 

[milosz]

THERE IS A PLACE FOR PRODUCTS LIKE THIS.

I use one of these to power some small rear surround speakers in my living room for TV & movies. Given the poor performance of typical home-theater pre-pros, this amplifier seems appropriate. It's not really high fidelity, but then neither is the compressed Dolby AC-3 source that forms the majority of the program material for my TV / DVD / BluRay/ Stream watching habits.

The front channels of my system are actual hi-fi, which is kind of wasted on video soundtracks but satisfies with stereo music.

 

[mmicko]

THERE IS A PLACE FOR PRODUCTS LIKE THIS.

I use one of these to power some small rear surround speakers in my living room for TV & movies. Given the poor performance of typical home-theater pre-pros, this amplifier seems appropriate. It's not really high fidelity, but then neither is the compressed Dolby AC-3 source that forms the majority of the program material for my TV / DVD / BluRay/ Stream watching habits.

The front channels of my system are actual hi-fi, which is kind of wasted on video soundtracks but satisfies with stereo music.

For decoding of 5.1 you are using some AV processor?
I was thinking about something similar - how to use my existing very good stereo system + 3 active monitors for surround and center but main problem is how to get 6 chanel line output without purchase of AV receiver ...

 

[AudioSceptic]

They're publishing inconsistent specs for the Amp Box S2, and neither set looks impressive. Compare the web page and the PDF user manual it links to immediately before the "Technical Specification" section - almost every measure is significantly different. Different internals with the same model name and outward appearance perhaps?

There's one big reason for someone to measure one!

 

[confucius_zero]

Nothing at these prices and size. Search continues though...

What about the Loxjie A10?

 

[somebodyelse]

What about the Loxjie A10?

Doubtful - they'd have to beat TI's datasheet specs for the tpa3116. If they've used PFFB it might just reach that level of performance, but it's rarely used. Then again their D10 was pretty good, so you never know.

 

[amirm]

Hi @amirm do you have in plane to also test some active studio monitors (nothing too expensive)?
Not with microphone, but simple open the box and measure output on power terminals where speakers are connected.
This would give us at least some basic view, if combination of DAC + active monitors can perform better than digital power amplifiers from similar (cheap) proie level.

Thanks

Should do at some point to see how bad or good they are.

 

[BostonJack]

Should do at some point to see how bad or good they are.

Should do at some point to see how bad or good they are.

This type of testing would really satisfy my curiosity on the dichotomy of carefully spec'd power amplifiers vs. well respected yet barely spec'd amplifiers in studio monitors. I suspect that just a couple of representative monitors would tell us quite a bit.

 

[amirm]

What is a good candidate speaker that is not expensive?

 

[amirm]

I have the JBL 305P MKIIs I could test....

 

[BostonJack]

Not sure of "not expensive", but I am considering a pair of Yamaha HS8 speakers in white. They're $700 per pair. Sight unheard.
I'm sure there are lower cost possibilities and some easier to ship. No idea on the ease of disassembly.

For me, I'm budget minded and if these are just 'ok' or slightly better than 'ok' I can keep them and set them up in a secondary system.

 

[BostonJack]

I have the JBL 305P MKIIs I could test....

That seems like a really good start. The Yamaha HS8's get us closer to a mid-market price point.

I wonder if the professional audio engineer's willingness to accept "barely spec'd' monitor amps is just part of the reality of speaker distortion dominating and distortion not being really easily detectable til 0.4% to 1.0% on real program material . (hahaha, you remember that thing, "music", have you heard of it?).

 

[Blumlein 88]

I have the JBL 305P MKIIs I could test....

That would be a good test.

Here are fairly complete basic specs. The electronic specs for the build in amps is decidedly not good. .2% at 2.83 volts. Full rated output at less than 1%. SNR 75 db A-wtd relative to 2.83 volts output. 10% THD at full compressor/limiter engagement on max output. I think that explains why this speaker gets a little dirty sounding when pushed fairly hard.

https://www.jblpro.com/www/products/recording-broadcast/3-series-mkii/305p-mkii#Specs


SPECIFICATIONS
^

LF DRIVER SIZE203mm (5")
HF DRIVER SIZE25mm (1")
HF DRIVER TYPESoft dome
CROSSOVER1725Hz 4th order acoustic Linkwitz-Riley
OK FOR USE NEAR MAGNETICALLY SENSITIVE EQUIPMENTYes
INPUT SENSITIVITY(-10dBV INPUT)92dB / 1m
POWER CONFIGURATIONBi-amplified
HF DRIVER POWER AMP41W, Class-D
LF DRIVER POWER AMP41W, Class-D
FREQUENCY RESPONSE (±3dB)49Hz – 20kHz
FREQUENCY RANGE (-10dB)43Hz – 24kHz
LOW FREQUENCY EXTENSION (-10dB)43Hz
MAXIMUM CONTINUOUS SPL94dB
MAXIMUM PEAK SPL108dB
MAXIMUM PEAK INPUT LEVEL
(-10dBV / +4dBu)+6dBV / +20.3dBu
SYSTEM DISTORTION CRITERIA<10% THD at maximum output with full compressor / limiter engagement
ELECTRICAL DISTORTION CRITERIA0.2% THD @ 1kHz / 2.83VRMS output; <1% THD @ 1kHz, full rated output
SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO75dBA (A-Weighted), 70dBr (unweighted), relative to 2.83VRMS output
COVERAGE HORIZONTAL x VERTICAL120° x 90°
ANALOG INPUT TYPES1 x XLR female, 1 x TRS female, balanced
HF TRIM CONTROL-2dB, 0dB, +2dB
BOUNDARY EQLF Shelf @ 50Hz: -3dB, -1.5dB, 0dB
AC INPUT VOLTAGE100 – 240VAC (±10%), 50 / 60Hz
ENCLOSURE TYPEPorted
ENCLOSURE CONSTRUCTION15mm MDF
ENCLOSURE FINISHMatte black PVC
BAFFLE CONSTRUCTIONInjection-molded structural ABS
CABINET DIMENSIONS
(H x W x D)298 x 185 x 231 mm (11.75" x 7.3" x 9.9")
DISPLAY CARTON (H x W x D)354 x 244 x 299mm (13.9" x 9.6" x 11.8")
SHIPPING CARTON (H x W x D)373 x 260 x 315mm (14.7" x 10.2" x 12.4")
NET WEIGHT4.73 kg (10.43 lbs)
SHIPPING GROSS WEIGHT5.72 kg (12.61 lbs)

 

[jaykay77]

I have one of these on porch speaker duty - it's been in the salty south florida air tucked in behind my outside tv for about 3 years. Plenty of power for this application and obviously well put together if it can handle the salt and humidity like it does!

 

[milosz]

For decoding of 5.1 you are using some AV processor?
I was thinking about something similar - how to use my existing very good stereo system + 3 active monitors for surround and center but main problem is how to get 6 chanel line output without purchase of AV receiver ...

I have an Emotiva UMC-200, it's a preamp-processor, it also switches video up to 1080p via HDMI. I use it for 5.1 decoding, though I do not use it's subwoofer output.

 

[mmicko]

I have the JBL 305P MKIIs I could test....

This would be perfect candidate from budget level 100-200 USD per piece ( maybe some M-Audio too)
Yamaha HS8 mentioned by @BostonJack or KRK Rokit Rokit RP7 G4 would be a good candidates from mid price range (200-300USD per peice).
And Adam Audio A7X as representative of higher price level.
Going over 1000USD per piece makes no sense from my POV.

Thanks in advance ;-)

 

[BDWoody]

For decoding of 5.1 you are using some AV processor?
I was thinking about something similar - how to use my existing very good stereo system + 3 active monitors for surround and center but main problem is how to get 6 chanel line output without purchase of AV receiver ...

Any streamer with USB should give you access to multichannel streams with either a DAC with more than 2 channels, or through something like the minidsp udio8.

https://www.minidsp.com/products/usb-audio-interface/u-dio8

 

[mmicko]

Thank you Woody,
I found this decoder
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/400...chweb0_0,searchweb201602_4,searchweb201603_55
taht I can easily connect by optic cable with my media streamer/player Mekool K III pro - for beginning and first tests it should be enough...