Aiyima A07 PRO

[Scrufboy]

Thanks, this was my first time doing something like this. It is far from perfect. There was one small but glaring error. One pilot hole drifted and I couldn't really fix it. Well, I could have by making another pilot hole....*shrug

I can put like a vintage stereo lapel pin there or some other cool logo thingy.

If anyone is curious. I used Birchwood Casey aluminum black. Its a chemical oxidizer. I used it to blacken the holes.

I still have the sides to do and a small row across the back. Convection is the key... Not just exhaust. The heat rising will force air in through the sides.

I wish Aiyima would offer ventilated cases...even a few holes would help. Nice work, yours turned out great to my eye.

 

[conradj]

I just get the Pro, be extremely careful, this opamps are hard to get it out...so the bottom line sounds better than 07...I have quite some opamps, so I tried all 5 opa1656, some opa627, muses 02, lme49860 and some other opamps...I am tired... so concluding 3 opa1656 and 2 opa2604 for now sounds better like I said for now

It looks like you have the OPA2604's feeding into the TPA3255. They sound better there than the OPA1656?

--i'm asking because i have OPA1656's on order.

 

[conradj]

I'm just a user too. There are slight improvements any user can make to add to the longevity of the amplifier or slightly tweak the sound. Thermally bonding a heatsink is not a big deal. You're already swapping op-amps.

The case, yeah, daunting and time consuming. And my results so far are less than stellar. At the time of posting I am only halfway through with the pilot holes.... Some of them had a bit of drift... So my symmetry is off a d the look won't be as professional as I would like...

But the heat will escape... So this, in my mini rack won't even be seen.

It looks like an excellent job to me. i've drilled my share of venting holes into cases-- computer cases so thinner metal and easier-- yours look great to me. Don't envy the job you'll have drilling the sides of the case. i assume you'll be doing the bottom case half as well?

Yeah, silver thermal paste and epoxy, and heatsink lapping. i've done a lot of that too. Prolly have some copper AMD CPU tops lying around i can recycle with some grinding into the A07 heatsink. Don't know i'll do that: i won't see the heat load your A07 Pro does what with those Sparkoslab op amps you're using plus driving the unit with 48V. i'm at 36V now and the components barely get warm.

i just lift up the top case half at the rear ... and prolly eventually lose those screws i took out.

With the AD827SQ/883B's in, i've used this A07 Pro maxed out, volume at max all the way down from the computer to the Topping E30 II to the amp. i think mebbe the E30 II doesn't get all that loud, and the AD827SQ/883Bs neither, so likely not driving the amp that hard.

Don't like what i'm hearing tho. Another reason i want to try different op amps in it. The amp seems to sound best medium loud, with some dynamic power reserve.

Guess i might go looking for a 48V power supply.

 

[trungdtmc]

I just get the Pro, be extremely careful, this opamps are hard to get it out...so the bottom line sounds better than 07...I have quite some opamps, so I tried all 5 opa1656, some opa627, muses 02, lme49860 and some other opamps...I am tired... so concluding 3 opa1656 and 2 opa2604 for now sounds better like I said for nowView attachment 260103

sorry but your opams not look like authentic

 

[T&T]

It looks like you have the OPA2604's feeding into the TPA3255. They sound better there than the OPA1656?

--i'm asking because i have OPA1656's on order.

I try all five opa1656 but the best sounding was using 2 opa1656 at the front and 1 opa1656 in the back, in the middle 2 opa2604...
Opa1656 is the best I tried for Aiyima07 not Pro, the 2604 in that model meehhh

 

[T&T]

sorry but your opams not look like authentic

Actually I trust more the seller, when they are welded, than when they are stamped. Is easy to stamp anything is those chips than find a base and weld the chip a lot of work. So those that I have are stamped and welded sooo much work for pennies

 

[Scrufboy]

This was a bitch but I finally got it done.

I'm done for now. The sides of the case are twice the thickness of the lid, so I'm holding off putting vent holes in for now.

I tend to work with versions and revisions, so I will probably buy another A07 Pro.

I am already seeing differences in the units shown in this thread though. One of you have a different volume pot than your tone controls. Whereas I have all three as the same pot.

So what I've done so far...

5 SparkosLabs SS3602's.

Copper heatsink wafer replacement and Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut Extreme.

Heatsinks on all voltage regulators with the 12V regs having a copper base.

Heat reflective tape on the sides of the heatsink to cut down on what emits from the sides toward the caps.

Nichicon 63V 3300uf cap to replace the 50V 3300 cap.

Vented Case top.

 

[Scrufboy]

i'm at 36V now and the components barely get warm.

I won't be running it at 48v... I stick with 34V... I use one SMPS for both my speaker amplifier and the subwoofer amplifier. My speakers, KEF LS50 Meta's only need 80 to 100 watts. So I have no need to push the amplifier higher.

 

[Scrufboy]

Yep, totally need the side vents... Probably will put the holes on the bottom half of the case. This gets quite warm.

The case is twice as thick on the sides and there really can't be errors.

Still not spit-sizzle hot though. Well within normal operational temps.

 

[Scrivs]

Whilst I admire your proceeding efforts with these affordable TPA series of amplifiers (opamp "rolling, capacitor replacing, unicorn-dust adorning, etc), imagine if all the time and effort was spent in areas that have an actual potential to improve sound. Start with room acoustics- REW is gratis, and a good-enough USB microphone isn't very spendy. Learn about DSP. There are tons of resources, on this forum. I'm frankly amazed (and humbled) by the qualifications and practical working knowledge shared here.

A small amount of effort expended in this regard yield measurable improvement to not only your sound, but why it's improved. Once you lean a few basics in electronics, things will quickly fall into place, and then you may understand just why opamp "rolling" is a waste of your time/effort (assuming the I.C in question is operating normally).

Hope this helps.

 

[trungdtmc]

Actually I trust more the seller, when they are welded, than when they are stamped. Is easy to stamp anything is those chips than find a base and weld the chip a lot of work. So those that I have are stamped and welded sooo much work for pennies

The solding plate are very cheap, i bought only 2$ 50pcs. Solding with me also simple. Your chip marked do not like the original pics that i have

 

[Scrufboy]

Whilst I admire your proceeding efforts with these affordable TPA series of amplifiers (opamp "rolling, capacitor replacing, unicorn-dust adorning, etc), imagine if all the time and effort was spent in areas that have an actual potential to improve sound. Start with room acoustics- REW is gratis, and a good-enough USB microphone isn't very spendy. Learn about DSP. There are tons of resources, on this forum. I'm frankly amazed (and humbled) by the qualifications and practical working knowledge shared here.

A small amount of effort expended in this regard yield measurable improvement to not only your sound, but why it's improved. Once you lean a few basics in electronics, things will quickly fall into place, and then you may understand just why opamp "rolling" is a waste of your time/effort (assuming the I.C in question is operating normally).

Hope this helps.

Once you stop being pretentious and so willing to sling a bunch of suppositions around, you might enjoy this space a lot more. You assume quite a bit, specifically around a hobby, my hobby, that puts tinkering in its proper place and is enjoyable from that perspective. If you have suggestions for room treatments and what not, perhaps start your own thread or find one needing your precious advice. I don't need any help in that area... But thank you kindly for jumping to that conclusion. Honestly though, I don't see anyone here, in this thread, pursuing the goal of top notch, audiophile experiences. We're just here having some fun with a cheap amp. A particular desktop amplifier whose predecessor was improved greatly and verifiably so with the use of a very specific discrete op-amp. Not a simple IC. Others here have also swapped out certain components with measurable results. This new unit however came with 5 sockets for op-amps and there are people interested in rolling them in certain combinations.

I however am doing other verifiably beneficial improvements that allow for better heat transfer from the TPA3255 chip to the heatsink used. Venting the case to allow air to interact with the heatsink so it can actually function as designed. Swapping the main capacitor from a 50v to 63V has its own merits. These improvements though have nothing to do with the sound of the amplifier.

As far as my op-amp choice, you obviously are not familiar with Andrews work, his qualifications, reputation or his clients. So perhaps you will take the time to familiarize yourself with some of these elements that you're so ready to dismiss. Because of course, you realize that you can't argue against something unless you fully understand all the particulars of the subject being scrutinized.

If you would like to share experiences relevant to the thread, please feel free... But if you're only here to offer your two cents and condescend... Consider the value to the thread your two cents actually brought. I doubt you have enough unicorn-dust on offer yourself to actually make your reply as meaningful to the participants as you intended.

 

[conradj]

Hope this helps.

Hm. i think for us proper room EQ hasn't too much to do with why we mess with switching op amps and/or replacing/adding some other components in the amp. That is, perfect room EQ won't help if the amp is pumping out sludge.

Also it's a lot more fun messing with and trying to improve a cheap piece of kit than an expensive unit, particular if one were to blow it up. One learns a lot more this way.

--One of the great sounding cheap amp i've used is the Fosi Audio BT30D Pro. It's a TPA3255 amp. Everything is soldered on in that thing tho, so i can't mess with it without surface mount soldering skillz and a lot more of a clue abt electronics than i possess, so i prefer to mess with other units.

 

[conradj]

I won't be running it at 48v... I stick with 34V... I use one SMPS for both my speaker amplifier and the subwoofer amplifier. My speakers, KEF LS50 Meta's only need 80 to 100 watts. So I have no need to push the amplifier higher.

i'm one of those who like to mess with multiple speakers per stereo channel. One of the advantages is the cumulative power handling of the speakers on each channel can be astronomical so they have no problem absorbing a lot of power.

i can't really dig into the sonic issues of having multiple speakers per channel unless i drive them loud. Not very difficult to set them up so they sound great at normal volumes. Problems get uncovered as one drive them loud. So i like to crank them up and see what emerges.

 

[conradj]

I try all five opa1656 but the best sounding was using 2 opa1656 at the front and 1 opa1656 in the back, in the middle 2 opa2604...
Opa1656 is the best I tried for Aiyima07 not Pro, the 2604 in that model meehhh

Well that's interesting for sure. Now i'll have to think abt getting some OPA2604's as well.

 

[T&T]

View attachment 260533
The solding plate are very cheap, i bought only 2$ 50pcs. Solding with me also simple. Your chip marked do not like the original pics that i have View attachment 260534

Yeah mine are fake...but whatever they are sounds amazing in the 07 non Pro

 

[Scrufboy]

That is, perfect room EQ won't help if the amp is pumping out sludge.

Amen! & Thank you

 

[conradj]

--It looks like i'll have to order the bare 48V SMPS, cabling, grommets, risers and box for it all separately and screw it together myself. Otherwise way too expensive for more or less the same thing. And dig out my ruler and drill.

If i add a fused C13 connector with a switch, then will have to dig out my soldering kit as well, or buy a crimping kit.

Ehh. Didn't really want to go this route. Just not into those industrial power supplies.
Unless you guys have good experiences with them to tell abt.

 

[Scrufboy]

--It looks like i'll have to order the bare 48V SMPS, cabling, grommets, risers and box for it all separately and screw it together myself. Otherwise way too expensive for more or less the same thing. And dig out my ruler and drill.

If i add a fused C13 connector with a switch, then will have to dig out my soldering kit as well, or buy a crimping kit.

Ehh. Didn't really want to go this route. Just not into those industrial power supplies.
Unless you guys have good experiences with them to tell abt.

V3 of my "Juicebox". It sits on the lower shelf of my c-table /nightstand at bedside.


Drok 48V 10A supply. Monoprice copper IEC socket, some 5.5x2.5 DC sockets. Heavy duty power switch, A DC to DC buck converter to 5V 3A for USB.(runs a USB red led inside the box and the fan that blows across my amplifiers. Powers both my A07 and my A3001. Custom Ghent Audio Canare DC cables with Oyaide male DC 5.5x2.5 connectors. DIY power cable.

Covered the connections with hot glue to keep things from being touched. The Drok is on larger feet inside the enclosure so it is able to have airflow trough the top and bottom vents of the enclosure . It is super ugly inside, but safer than running the supply exposed with unsecured wiring. As I mentioned, I keep this dialed in to just under 35V. I did buy a proper crimp tool, some 16AWG wire for the connections to the sockets.

Looks decent and works well, no fuss, no heat issues. Running it nearly 2 years now. Not non stop though. Rig is powered up and shut down via Alexa routines with several failsafes in place

 

[conradj]

Wow, that's nice.

i've been looking at various single voltage SMPS modules on aliexpress, 45V-48V, 350W-600W. But, a variable voltage 0-48V power supply, that'll be generally useful to me besides just plugging an amp into it.

Pretty sure at this point that upping the PS voltage from 36V will let the A07 Pro sound cleaner and better at high volumes. Heat will become an issue.