3e Audio A5 Stereo Amplifier Review

[Roland68]

My 3E A5 has developed a strange problem.

Intermittently, when powered on from standby, only the left channel plays. The problem remains until I Iightly touch the top of the chassis, then the right channel kicks in. The touch is slight and it kicks in 100% so I think it is some kind of grounding issue rather than a loose connection. It happens perhaps once every 6-8 power cycles. The issue does not return until it is powered off and and on again (intermittently). I am using the RCA inputs from a Wiim Ultra and have swapped to different cables, the issue remains. The problem does not occur using a different amp.

I am working through the issue with 3e support, but wonder what the issue may be. I've owned a lot of amps but do not remember this issue before. Any ideas?

It could also be the input relay or one of the others that's a bit stuck.

Is the device very new?

 

[GGroch]

It could also be the input relay or one of the others that's a bit stuck.
Is the device very new?

Just 3 components in the chain, the Wiim Ultra purchased Nov 24 and the 3e A5 August 25, I did not notice any issues until Nov. In Oct/Nov I switched from using the Toslink out of my older Roku TV to the ARC/ARC input on the Wiim, and that it often what triggers the Wiim (whose audio signal triggers the A5 from sleep). So, Roku in the chain but not attached to the A5.

....If this is the case try disconnecting upstream mains powered components, and use a different source. Or try running a ground wire from an earth point on the case (unused RCA for example to a good ground - perhaps the earth terminal of a mains socket (but only if you know what you are doing)

Both components use 2 prong plugs. The Wiim has an internal supply and the A5 external. I tried a different compatible external supply with the A5 which did not help. I'm on a higher floor of an old building that has no wires attached to the ground plugs in the wall.

The Wiim has a Phono Ground plug and I could certainly try running a wire from the A5 case to that.

Thanks for the thoughts.

 

[antcollinet]

how much improvement in sound quality?

None:

Does Op-amp Rolling Work? [Video]

In this video I "upgrade" the 57 cent op-amp in the Douk A5 stereo amplifier with a $49 one. Does it make a measured difference? Watch to find out: Test review at: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/does-op-amp-rolling-work.61518/ Please subscribe to the channel. It...

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Does Op-amp Rolling Work?

When I post my last video on review of Douk A5 amplifier, I mentioned that rolling (changing) op-amp ICs in there is fruitless. I got have a dozen comments under that video in youtube asking why so I thought I experiment again with the A5. Note that I have done the same testing with both DACs...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Op-amp Rolling Using Sparkos on Fosi V3 Mono

This is a study of measured differences if one swaps up the TI NE5532p dual IC op-amp in a Fosi V3 Mono amplifier with a "discrete" opamp from Sparkos. It is a test requested in the youtube comments of my video test of the same using Douk A5 and Sonic Imagery op-amp. The Sparkos SS3602 retails...

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etc.

 

[RandomEar]

Using v3 monos with 48v10a stoke op amp sound too good too my ear sounds better than 3E Audio a5 and A7 . When i swap opa 1656 in v3 xlr position 2 and position 3 ne5532 and 3e Audio ne5532 the 3e sounds better to my setup but with all stoke V3 sounds way better , are anyone upgrade with sparkos ss3602 in 3e audio a5, how much improvement in sound quality?

It is unlikely that any of your amps actually sound different at all. The same is true for swapping op amps. Also, unless you understand the amp circuit in detail and/or have either simulated or measured the changes resulting from swapping any component, you very very likely made the amp perform worse [1, 2] - but likely not audibly worse. Just think about it: Do you really expect to get better results than the actual amp designer by just randomly swapping some components? The designer has years of experience with this stuff, uses advanced simulation tools to optimize the circuit and builds on reference designs by the chip manufacturers with decades of experience.

If you did sighted testing with long switching times (more than ~10 s), you cannot reliably tell if the amps or op amps perform any different. Human echoic memory just isn't build for that. You simply fell victim to bias, like most humans would.

 

[GGroch]

.......but with all stoke V3 sounds way better , are anyone upgrade with sparkos ss3602 in 3e audio a5, how much improvement in sound quality?

Welcome A H. Antcollinet and RandomEar's posts are correct. There will be no actual audible differences between the Op Amps, and very likely there are no actual audible differences between your v3 and 3e amps (unless like mine, one of them is defective).

Think about it, you are hearing sound that is "way better". We believe you, because we all hear with our brains not just our ears. If there was an actual difference, it would be tiny, probably immeasurable. You would not then hear huge differences...the differences would be tiny. Read up on cognitive bias and how we all hear. Its a mind opener.

 

[RandomEar]

Welcome A H. Antcollinet and RandomEar's posts are correct. There will be no actual audible differences between the Op Amps, and very likely there are no actual audible differences between your v3 and 3e amps (unless like mine, one of them is defective).

Think about it, you are hearing sound that is "way better". We believe you, because we all hear with our brains not just our ears. If there was an actual difference, it would be tiny, probably immeasurable. You would not then hear huge differences...the differences would be tiny. Read up on cognitive bias and how we all hear. Its a mind opener.

To be absolutely fair, the Fosi v3 does have a load dependency while the 3e A5 and 3e A7 are well controlled in that regard. Therefore, I would say that a small audible difference between the v3 and the A5 or A7 is at least possible with certain speakers and in case your high frequency hearing is still intact. With the op amps, it's extremely unlikely, though. And you'd need robust, double blind testing to verify this in any case.

 

[antcollinet]

To be absolutely fair, the Fosi v3 does have a load dependency while the 3e A5 and 3e A7 are well controlled in that regard. Therefore, I would say that a small audible difference between the v3 and the A5 or A7 is at least possible with certain speakers and in case your high frequency hearing is still intact. With the op amps, it's extremely unlikely, though. And you'd need robust, double blind testing to verify this in any case.

The V3 Monos (which @A H Shuvo is using) are not load dependent though.

 

[somebodyelse]

To be absolutely fair, the Fosi v3 does have a load dependency while the 3e A5 and 3e A7 are well controlled in that regard. Therefore, I would say that a small audible difference between the v3 and the A5 or A7 is at least possible with certain speakers and in case your high frequency hearing is still intact.

It's not limited to especially high frequencies - one of Erin's simulated speaker loads (which isn't exactly extreme) shows +0.5dB just over 2kHz with the ZA3, and the other has a similar peak just over 3kHz. It's a similar story with the Wiim Amp, and probably most others without PFFB.

 

[Alannn]

It is unlikely that any of your amps actually sound different at all. The same is true for swapping op amps. Also, unless you understand the amp circuit in detail and/or have either simulated or measured the changes resulting from swapping any component, you very very likely made the amp perform worse [1, 2] - but likely not audibly worse. Just think about it: Do you really expect to get better results than the actual amp designer by just randomly swapping some components? The designer has years of experience with this stuff, uses advanced simulation tools to optimize the circuit and builds on reference designs by the chip manufacturers with decades of experience.

If you did sighted testing with long switching times (more than ~10 s), you cannot reliably tell if the amps or op amps perform any different. Human echoic memory just isn't build for that. You simply fell victim to bias, like most humans would.

Why does 3e Audio use different op amps in A5 and A5se models?

 

[GGroch]

Why does 3e Audio use different op amps in A5 and A5se models?

My guess, because 3e Audio is offering two very similar 3251 amps at different price points, choosing different op amps (a budget NE5532 and a premium OPA1656) provides buyers one more reason to justify purchasing the more expensive one in addition to the BTL / PBTL difference.

I'm a real 3e audio fan, but they are indeed a consumer electronics company not a manufacturer of scientific instruments. The two op amps, while electronically different, are 100% interchangeable (and I bet audibly indistinguishable). Deciding to cut two holes in the chassis and mounting the OP Amps in sockets indicates that these amps are marketed to customers who may want to roll op amps.

ADD: I found a YouTube video that clearly explains the audible differences between the NE5532 and OPA1656. The OPA certainly looks like it would sound better doesn't it

 

[antcollinet]

ADD: I found a YouTube video that clearly explains the audible differences what the person thought they heard, due to lack of controlled blind comparison between the NE5532 and OPA1656

Fixed that for you.

 

[magreen]

Why is the A5 so much more expensive on AliExpress versus Amazon? I'm seeing it for $212 shipped on Amazon after coupon, but it's $275 on AliExpress. Both from 3e Audio store. Both include the 38v power supply.

 

[anonyless]

Why is the A5 so much more expensive on AliExpress versus Amazon? I'm seeing it for $212 shipped on Amazon after coupon, but it's $275 on AliExpress. Both from 3e Audio store. Both include the 38v power supply.

because AE are "little" POS. the "normal" price for an item is when it's on "sale" . that's why there are always some sort of sale / global discount . less than a month ago, its price (after global coupon) was around 180$

 

[GGroch]

Why is the A5 so much more expensive on AliExpress versus Amazon? I'm seeing it for $212 shipped on Amazon after coupon, but it's $275 on AliExpress.

The Wall Street Journal this week provides the reason On 8/29/25 U.S. government ended "de minimis" exemptions from import taxes and tariffs from overseas. Prior to that (since a 1930s law) individual packages worth less than $800 were not put through customs inspection or tariffed because the cost of doing that on small items is more than the collection amount. That changed 8/29/25 though it took a while for it to fully take effect. The result, many companies who sell through Ali-Express raised prices to cover this, and also to reduce sales because of the hassle. In the case of Amazon, 3e and other vendors bring in large quantities of items at once which avoids the hassle, and if they brought them in before tariff increases, also lowers the price. See chart.

 

[ROY_H]

Does anyone know whether 3E have shut down? Their website seems to have been suspended !

 

[anonyless]

Does anyone know whether 3E have shut down? Their website seems to have been suspended !

they have not. the "This Account has been suspended." message on their website happens every now and then , they'll probably have this fixed in a couple of days.
also, they have a new series of amps coming up

Mulit-channel Amp,Which one you would like to own?

Hi Amigoes We are preparing to build a multi-channel amp. Wanna know which model is more popular for users? If you are interested, please help us get your vote. Leverage A5(TPA3251),A7(TPA3255) PFFB design with built-in GaN Power supply Pure-Amplifier without volume control, configurable...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[ROY_H]

they have not. the "This Account has been suspended." message on their website happens every now and then , they'll probably have this fixed in a couple of days.
also, they have a new series of amps coming up

Mulit-channel Amp,Which one you would like to own?

Hi Amigoes We are preparing to build a multi-channel amp. Wanna know which model is more popular for users? If you are interested, please help us get your vote. Leverage A5(TPA3251),A7(TPA3255) PFFB design with built-in GaN Power supply Pure-Amplifier without volume control, configurable...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Thanks for that ! Was a bit worried as so far my favourite amp is my 3E A7. Long may they continue !!

 

[anonyless]

i know you guys (kind of) don't appreciate his reviews but I think he makes great content.
anyway, TL;DR(watch) -
(one of) Cheap Audio Man amplifiers of the year under 300$ is the 3e Audio A5

 

[GGroch]

A couple of updates:

1. The 3e Audio Website is back online: https://www.3e-audio.com/finished-amp/a5x-a7x-series/
2. My defective A5 (one channel intermittently out when using RCA inputs when first turned on) was due to a failing solder connection between the board and the RCA plugs. Visually they did not look good, probably this particular soldering is done by fallible humans. Reflowing them was simple assuming some soldering experience and fixed the issue.
3. As long as I had the case open, I installed two MuseS02 OpAmps I had around. You can install them without opening the case, but because they have a maximum 30v rating and the amp normally runs 36v max through the op amps it may fry them. The 3e user manual helpfully describes the J30 jumper which allows use of lower voltage op amps without risk. See photo. It sounds great, so did the original.

 

[antcollinet]

It sounds great, so did the original.

Imagine that!