AIYIMA A07 TPA3255 Review (Amplifier)

[DuncanTodd]

It's the A07 there's just no brick in the box. Note, too, my amp showed up in a plain brown box.

As mentioned earlier, I've contacted Aiyima via Amazon and they seemed surprised but I haven't received a solution for the power brick yet.

Yes I understand.
I was asking what is the ASIN number of the product you ordered. Each product on Amazon has a unique ASIN number and there can be several seemingly identical products with different ASIN. If you open the product link from your orders you can see the ASIN (see attached pic).
What I'm trying to rule out is the possibility that there are 2 different ASINs for the same product, one with the branded packaging and PSU and another that is the plain one like the one you got.

 

[TheWalkman]

Yes I understand.
I was asking what is the ASIN number of the product you ordered. ........

I am showing the same ASIN as yours, B08CJZGT6H.

hopefully, this is an Amazon one-off (screw-up.)

 

[DuncanTodd]

I am showing the same ASIN as yours, B08CJZGT6H.

hopefully, this is an Amazon one-off (screw-up.)

Hopefully. Maybe old stock.

 

[pma]

*

a person after my own heart

by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

This one actually doesn't have quite enough oompf for the titular amp, but... this is the one for which I had a photo handy.

So you might like one of my PSU's (1990)

Noise measured at 30V output. 143 microvolts, highest spuriae 45 microvolts. Measured Jan 5, 2021. The power supply is 30 years old, working without any fault.

 

[mhardy6647]

So you might like one of my PSU's (1990)

View attachment 103893

Looks purposeful

I have -- somewhere -- one of those massive ol' Lambda vacuum tube regulated HV DC power supplies. Somewhere. It is kind of hard to imagine that I can't find it in the basement -- those things sweep out a fairly large volume, you know? That said, it's not one of the serious big boy Lambdas. By which I mean that I can lift it.
IIRC, it is a 250V supply.

I should find it again -- I am sure it moved up to NH with us.

 

[Pillepalle]

This dirtcheap thing is actually better than the Behringer A800?

Are there more china amps with this new chip coming? SMSL probably builds it even better.

 

[Jdunk54nl]

Here are some temp photos after use from about 7:30am to 1:40pm playing music at normal desktop listening (a little louder than just background music) levels:

Top:

Bottom:

Inside:

 

[Jdunk54nl]

Here is a time lapse video (picture every 15s for 12 minutes straight) playing music way too loud. I had to put my ear plugs (etymotic) in to be in the room and even then it was a too loud. I could hear it clear with my office door closed all the way across my house which is about 40 steps away and through a bunch of walls. I could still easily rest my hand forever on the heat sink:

 

[geoemm]

Here is a time lapse video (picture every 15s for 12 minutes straight) playing music way too loud. I had to put my ear plugs (etymotic) in to be in the room and even then it was a too loud. I could hear it clear with my office door closed all the way across my house which is about 40 steps away and through a bunch of walls. I could still easily rest my hand forever on the heat sink:

can you tell us which power adapter you are using

 

[Jdunk54nl]

can you tell us which power adapter you are using

The one that came with it. 32v 5a

 

[Bruce Morgen]

The one that came with it. 32v 5a

I wonder if, for any given volume with the same speakers, a higher voltage PSU might actually result in a similar -- or perhaps even a lower -- amount of heat, with the chip operating further away from clipping and less current flowing. This is probably kindergarten stuff for folks with actual engineering-level knowledge, a club of which I am obviously not a member -- so thanks in advance for your input.

 

[Raindog123]

It's the A07 there's just no brick in the box. Note, too, my amp showed up in a plain brown box.

As mentioned earlier, I've contacted Aiyima via Amazon and they seemed surprised but I haven't received a solution for the power

Any luck getting the power supply out of them? I got my A07 today - same thing, smaller brown box and no power supply. And the Amazon link now states “no included” in the description...

 

[TheWalkman]

Any luck getting the power supply out of them? I got my A07 today - same thing, smaller brown box and no power supply. And the Amazon link now states “no included” in the description...

Sorry to hear that RainDog. I was hoping it was just my luck of the draw.

I received a response from Aiyima yesterday via Amazon acknowledging the problem and now they’ve gone radio silent on me.

Aiyima is a member of Audio Science Reviews and has posted multiple times. Since this situation is impacting multiple ASR users, I took the liberty to use the ASR Conversation tool just now to reach out to them directly via this website to see if we can get an answer and the advertised power supplies they owe us.

I will report back via this thread with Aiyima‘s solution.

 

[pma]

I wonder if, for any given volume with the same speakers, a higher voltage PSU might actually result in a similar -- or perhaps even a lower -- amount of heat, with the chip operating further away from clipping and less current flowing. This is probably kindergarten stuff for folks with actual engineering-level knowledge, a club of which I am obviously not a member -- so thanks in advance for your input.

No, higher voltage PSU cannot result in a lower amount of heat. The heat is almost certainly not because of clipping, but a result of small closed space and inappropriate heatsink. This is rather a toy than an amplifier. What else would we expect at such price. If anyone wants a serious product, look elsewhere.

 

[DuncanTodd]

Any luck getting the power supply out of them? I got my A07 today - same thing, smaller brown box and no power supply. And the Amazon link now states “no included” in the description...

Sorry to hear that. On AE it costs a lot less to buy it (depending on your location).

Here are some temp photos after use from about 7:30am to 1:40pm playing music at normal desktop listening (a little louder than just background music) levels

Do you notice a slight hiss pressing your ear at the tweeter when nothing is playing?

No, higher voltage PSU cannot result in a lower amount of heat. The heat is almost certainly not because of clipping, but a result of small closed space and inappropriate heatsink. This is rather a toy than an amplifier. What else would we expect at such price. If anyone wants a serious product, look elsewhere.

I'm a complete noob with these things.
What makes one not a toy? Sure, the ones you pay $500-$5000 for are bigger and heavier, they come closer to the stated rated power, but at the end isn't all this thing supposed to do is power something cleanly enough so you won't notice issues? daniboun is using these and si,ilar ones are pretty serious looking customs speakers and seems happy.
I'm trying to figure out where is the point of diminishing returns, where you pay for something more of it's appearance and brand sticker than what it actually does.

 

[pma]

What makes one not a toy?

Reliable long-term operation within specified parameters limits, regardless cost.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

No, higher voltage PSU cannot result in a lower amount of heat. The heat is almost certainly not because of clipping, but a result of small closed space and inappropriate heatsink. This is rather a toy than an amplifier. What else would we expect at such price. If anyone wants a serious product, look elsewhere.

You should have quit while you were ahead, that point being your first sentence -- which at least answered my question, so thanks. I was just wondering whether changing the adjustable voltage on my SMPS would have any thermal benefit. If I feel like tinkering, I think I can hunt up a better heatsink and drill a few carefully-placed vent holes.

As for the unsolicited advice that followed your answer, my A07s (I own two so far) are more than "serious product" enough for my needs AFAICT and have been performing splendidly ever since I got them. Although their longevity may well be a crapshoot, the consequences of a future failure are minuscule and the cost of replacing either of them with something that folks like you don't consider "a toy" would buy me quite a few spares -- thus I honestly don't much care if it's disposible. Meanwhile, many a "serious product" power amp costs several times as much, takes up several times the space, isn't audibly better, and is both costly and inconvenient to have repaired once out of warranty -- and some of those actually measure worse in one or more respects, e.g. the nifty-looking DIY IcePower based "serious product" Amir recently reviewed, which delivered seriously inferior SINAD. So, no thanks -- I'm not interested in falling down that "serious product" rabbit hole these days.

 

[DuncanTodd]

As for the unsolicited advice that followed your answer, my A07s (I own two so far) are more than "serious product" enough for my needs AFAICT and have been performing splendidly ever since I got them. Although their longevity may well be a crapshoot, the consequences of a future failure are minuscule and the cost of replacing either of them with something that folks like you don't consider "a toy" would buy me quite a few spares -- thus I honestly don't much care if it's disposible. Meanwhile, many a "serious product" power amp costs several times as much, takes up several times the space, isn't audibly better, and is both costly and inconvenient to have repaired once out of warranty -- and some of those actually measure worse in one or more respects, e.g. the nifty-looking DIY IcePower based "serious product" Amir recently reviewed, which delivered seriously inferior SINAD. So, no thanks -- I'm not interested in falling down that "serious product" rabbit hole these days.

Reason I bought the A04 was pretty much that. I don't think I need it to begin with but for $70 (with PSU) I was curious to try one out for the fun of it. I'm to cheap to try stuff for fun when it costs $200-500+
I also don't have the room for a large heavy box.

 

[daftcombo]

Actually there is a bit less distortion with the low voltage PSU in this review.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

Actually there is a bit less distortion with the low voltage PSU in this review.

Fortunately, my SMPS can provide any voltage the A07 can use up to 49+VDC (unloaded) on down to and past the minimum needed for it to function. I was just curious as to what voltage would be best thermally -- I doubt I could hear "a bit less distortion," but I might be wrong. I know that the lower the voltage, the easier it would be on those 50VDC Nichicons, especially right next to that "inappropriate heatsink."