• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

AIYIMA A08 Pro Amplifier Review

Rate this amplifier:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 8 3.4%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 34 14.5%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 169 71.9%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 24 10.2%

  • Total voters
    235

grogi.giant

Active Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2021
Messages
252
Likes
163
Using the 3V 6A PSU, what is the maximum wattage per channel at 1% or less THD @ 8 Ohms?

I jsut ordered this unit. Should ahve it at the time of this writing in 15 hours or so :)

1679572983699.png


2 x 75W.

With 4Ω one often needs to check amperage of the power supply as well (you will not get 2x130W with 6A x 36V PSU). With 8Ω that is rarely a concern.
 

NoxMorbis

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2023
Messages
437
Likes
110
View attachment 274012

2 x 75W.

With 4Ω one often needs to check amperage of the power supply as well (you will not get 2x130W with 6A x 36V PSU). With 8Ω that is rarely a concern.
Thanks and sorry for my typos. Damn, that's a lot of power for these little amps. That's as much as my Yamaha amp had back in 1983 (70 per channel, although the Yamaha didn't have .1% THD at that level, either, but still. I never listened to my Yahama with 12" Cerwin Vega HED speakers at more than 60% volume, unless I wanted the cops at my front door.) At my listening levels, that going to be THD = null.

And, just to be sure, that's at 1% or less THD? (I looked at the charts but could not find that distinction.)
 
Last edited:

Zeppelin

Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2023
Messages
74
Likes
16
One thing I don't like is that the BT is perma ready to connect. They need a switch on it. My last amp was like that and some asswipe connected to it at 3AM. I guess I should shut it off at night.
I also think an input switch must be there.
What happend to you never will happen to me because I go to sleep hearing a podcast, and the bluetooth is connected :)
Am I the only one who thinks the amp case is nice looking? At least its not another rectangle.
I like it as well.

As I said in my previous post the led light of the Vu meter is of a radioactive orange whih make it impossible to have it in your bedroom. Yesterday I open the amp and place 3 layers of white eletrician tape in both of the 2 leds inside the VU meter. If anyone wants to try it I have to warn you you need to remove the radiator in order to have full acces to the VUmeter, so having thermal paste is needed. Or you can do like me and use a dremel to create a hole in the top part of the VUmeter and operate through this hahaha I know it's not the fancy way, but it works
 
Last edited:

Zeppelin

Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2023
Messages
74
Likes
16
I am a newbie in HiFi, and someone told me the PSU attached with the Aiyima should be a good one. It seems I was wrongly adviced, because I could have bought the amp without the PSU. Now if I buy a good PSU what am I going to do with the stock one? Is there even the chance of selling it?
Between the power supply and the amplifier place a 10 watt 0.5 ohm resistor. After the resistor place a good quality 3300uf capacitor bypassed by a 100uf capacitor. This forms a crc filter which really reduces power supply noise. There is plenty of information on the net about crc filters so you can read about it.
Once these two upgrades are done, you will not recognise the amp, it will become a different beast all together
Very interesting. I searched for a buyable CRC and they are expensive. They aren't the simple scheme of 1 resistor+2 capacitors you describe. The ones on Aliexpress have a lot of capacitors. Guess if there is any known for being a good one.

And the last thing. So increasing Voltage gives more power to speakers and incresing Intensity (Amps) gives you more quality? Of course both values in the recommended by brand.
 
Last edited:

grogi.giant

Active Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2021
Messages
252
Likes
163
I am a newbie in HiFi, and someone told me the PSU attached with the Aiyima should be a good one. It seems I was wrongly adviced, because I could have bought the amp without the PSU. Now if I buy a good PSU what am I going to do with the stock one? Is there even the chance of selling it?

And what is wrong with the one included in the box?

.... the last thing. So increasing Voltage gives more power to speakers and incresing Intensity (Amps) gives you more quality? Of course both values in the recommended by brand.
No.

Both maximal.amperage and supply voltage of the power supply impact the max power output. Voltage is more frequently a limiting factors but with low impedance loads one might run out of current as well.
 

Zeppelin

Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2023
Messages
74
Likes
16
And what is wrong with the one included in the box?
AFAIK nothing, but as John suggested this as an upgrade and I don't have much idea of all this world maybe the stock one it's not enough. I don't know, maybe I just made it.
Both maximal.amperage and supply voltage of the power supply impact the max power output. Voltage is more frequently a limiting factors but with low impedance loads one might run out of current as well.
And any of those have a relation with audio quality? Now I am using a 36V/6A, but I have read posts were it's been told a 36V/10A would give the amp a better sound. It seems to me they weren't talking about Watts.

As it appears, I am reading a lot of audio stuff and trying to learn the much I can, and the PSU topic is one of those in need for clarifying.
 

NoxMorbis

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2023
Messages
437
Likes
110
I also think an input switch must be there.
What happend to you never will happen to me because I go to sleep hearing a podcast, and the bluetooth is connected :)

I like it as well.

As I said in my previous post the led light of the Vu meter is of a radioactive orange whih make it impossible to have it in your bedroom. Yesterday I open the amp and place 3 layers of white eletrician tape in both of the 2 leds inside the VU meter. If anyone wants to try it I have to warn you you need to remove the radiator in order to have full acces to the VUmeter, so having thermal paste is needed. Or you can do like me and use a dremel to create a hole in the top part of the VUmeter and operate through this hahaha I know it's not the fancy way, but it works
I kinda like the color. It's warm and really retro looking. You know, all lights use to have that yellow glow. The Douk H7 lets you change the color, art least I think it was on the H7. In any event, one of them allows you to change the color and intensity. What about just replacing the LEDs?

I'm actually going to shut my computer off and then try to connect to the 08 Pro with my phone. I have a suspicion that it will not allow a connection until the original device lets it go, or you turn the 08 off and back on, which puts it in pairing mode. I'll let you know if it actually keeps it's parent connection.
 

NoxMorbis

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2023
Messages
437
Likes
110
AFAIK nothing, but as John suggested this as an upgrade and I don't have much idea of all this world maybe the stock one it's not enough. I don't know, maybe I just made it.

And any of those have a relation with audio quality? Now I am using a 36V/6A, but I have read posts were it's been told a 36V/10A would give the amp a better sound. It seems to me they weren't talking about Watts.

As it appears, I am reading a lot of audio stuff and trying to learn the much I can, and the PSU topic is one of those in need for clarifying.

You should test the Aiyima power supply before assuming its noisy. It might be very clean.

The way I understand it, neither amps nor voltage will increase the quality of sound, as long as you have enough power to keep the application in spec and for your listening level -- without maxing out the power supply -- that is, running out of power and starving the amp. Having a clean power supply will, but everyone just assumes a power supply is clean or dirty enough to affect sound quality WITHOUT testing it.

If you really want to see if one is better than another, then buy one on Amazon where you can return it, and just do a listen test. If you can't hear a difference, then it doesn't matter if it is dirty or clean (except a very dirty power source can wear out components faster, such as transients.) But then, it's a 130.00 dollars. I mean, we used PC power supplies in the 1990s and they were some dirty, dirty slimy PSU lol (by today's standards). We never had a CPU or other components taken out by the PSU being dirty. The computer would be replaced end of life before that happened.
 

NoxMorbis

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2023
Messages
437
Likes
110
I can confirm that the 08 is a little hot on the treble side. Turning the treble knob one click to the left cleaned it up nicely. That's using my Klipsch 8 Ohms speakers.

It's nice, though, full, separated, clean sounding.
 
Last edited:

grogi.giant

Active Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2021
Messages
252
Likes
163
AFAIK nothing, but as John suggested this as an upgrade and I don't have much idea of all this world maybe the stock one it's not enough. I don't know, maybe I just made it.

Upgrading a power supply is like upgrading an engine in your car. Sure - if you go from a three-cylinder 1.0 to a 2.5 v6, it will be substantial. But will you really notice the difference replacing 500HP v10 to 700HP v12? Technically it is upgrade - but in practical terms (school runs and grocery shopping) changes absolutely nothing. You probably will have lower fuel economy...

And any of those have a relation with audio quality? Now I am using a 36V/6A, but I have read posts were it's been told a 36V/10A would give the amp a better sound. It seems to me they weren't talking about Watts.

The only thing a more capable power supply might improve is a bit better filtering - less grid (50 or 60Hz, depending where you are) noise.

36V/6A gives you SHIT LOADS of power. If you are not powering speakers on an outdoors stage, it is more than enough.

As it appears, I am reading a lot of audio stuff and trying to learn the much I can, and the PSU topic is one of those in need for clarifying.

Then stop. Home audio hobbysts have a tendency to be very homeopatic. Practitioners tend to observe, I mean to hear, results and improvements in many weird places... You will also read about upgrading opamps, capacitors and inductors. Don't get there...

A08 Pro is an excellent amplifier, there is zero need to try to "improve" it further.
 
Last edited:

NoxMorbis

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2023
Messages
437
Likes
110
A08 Pro is an excellent amplifier, there is zero need to try to "improve" it further.
Yep. It's nice. ***ker has some punch to it, for sure. I am starting to love it. Make sure you plug it into a clean source to test it. I don't have mine plugged into a clean source using FLAC files or a CD ROM, but I have it streaming in aptX (not HD) using Source files in FLAC, where the source and sink are less than 10' from each other, and yeah, man, yeah. Smooth.

I do haveto say that I think I am hearing, and I forgot the term for it, but its high frequency "tisss tisss' like reproduction in the 11kHz area for things like cymbals. I'm not sure I like that much. :(
 
Last edited:

john11

Active Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2021
Messages
216
Likes
38
I am a newbie in HiFi, and someone told me the PSU attached with the Aiyima should be a good one. It seems I was wrongly adviced, because I could have bought the amp without the PSU. Now if I buy a good PSU what am I going to do with the stock one? Is there even the chance of selling it?

Very interesting. I searched for a buyable CRC and they are expensive. They aren't the simple scheme of 1 resistor+2 capacitors you describe. The ones on Aliexpress have a lot of capacitors. Guess if there is any known for being a good one.

And the last thing. So increasing Voltage gives more power to speakers and incresing Intensity (Amps) gives you more quality? Of course both values in the recommended by brand.

If you give me the aliexpress link i can comment.
There are also clc fiters, you can search for those
Increasing voltage and current gives more power output which has advantages, but could reduce the lifetime of the amplifier with increased heat.
I disagree with the theoretical assumptions concerning a bigger power supply being of no advantage as there are a too many people who have upgraded the psu and reported with only good comments
If the aiyima is not meeting your expectations then it would be a waste of time buying a high quality power supply, upgrading op-amps, caps, output inductors. Better off going for a good hypex.
You can pick up a NC252 from aliexpress for £180 which has clc power supply built in, all you need is an enclosure. This hypex module is so good i goes beyond human hearing and has 120 watts output per channel, so 240 watts in total, and will destroy the aiyima in a head to head comparison. I would much rather do this than wasting time on a clearly inferior unit
 
Last edited:

NoxMorbis

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2023
Messages
437
Likes
110
If you give me the aliexpress link i can comment.
There are also clc fiters, you can search for those
Increasing voltage and current gives more power output which has advantages, but could reduce the lifetime of the amplifier with increased heat.
I disagree with the theoretical assumptions concerning a bigger power supply being of no advantage as there are a too many people who have upgraded the psu and reported with only good comments
If the aiyima is not meeting your expectations then it would be a waste of time buying a high quality power supply, upgrading op-amps, caps, output inductors. Better off going for a good hypex.
You can pick up a NC252 from aliexpress for £180 which has clc power supply built in, all you need is an enclosure. This hypex module is so good i goes beyond human hearing and has 120 watts output per channel, so 240 watts in total, and will destroy the aiyima in a head to head comparison. I would much rather do this than wasting time on a clearly inferior unit
I'd still like to see the Aiyima PSU actually benched before making a replace it call.
 

NoxMorbis

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2023
Messages
437
Likes
110
Please do bench one and put up the results
I don't have the means to test a power supply. It would be very interesting to see how it scoped, just like reviews that show how well computer 12V power supplies perform.
 

NoxMorbis

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2023
Messages
437
Likes
110
08 Pro Negatives:
  1. No Sleep function. Obvious result is that it stays on 24 hours a day, unless you drag the volume knob left and shut it off that way.
  2. Not obvious result of #1, you will need to repair Bluetooth each time you turn it back on.
  3. If you leave the amp on all of the time, but shut off your computer, it goes into broadcast mode automatically. (Incidentally, if you shut off your computer after it is paired, and then turn your computer back on, Win 11 will automatically reconnect with it. That's a positive, but requires you leave the amp on 24-7.)
  4. No way to turn off the backlit VU meter (LEDs will burn 24 hours a day.)
  5. Seems a little hot when reproducing cymbal crashes in upper kH range using my 8 Ohm speakrs, but it depends on the song and the stream. Easy to tame with an EQ or even the treble knob. (Sure, the treble knob is a sledge hammer, but still works okay for that purpose).

08 Pro Positives:
  1. Seems to reproduce much better the lower and mid range than my older, original Douk G3 and Aiyima A05 amps (2019 versions).
  2. I like the backlit VU meter and it's yellow retro color more than I thought I would. I'd like even more of this type of thing in future amps, preamps, etc. It doesn't do anything for sound quality, but aesthetics matter.
  3. Seems like Bluetooth and AptX are implemented well. It's smooth.
  4. It really does sound nice, good separation and depth, clean, lots of powuh and punch!
I really wish it had an auto sleep function. That would make it just about perfect. that and another VU meter. Maybe an asymetric case, with a 3" VU meter?
 

Zeppelin

Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2023
Messages
74
Likes
16
If you give me the aliexpress link i can comment.
Gonna sent it to you in a PM.
There are also clc fiters, you can search for those
Increasing voltage and current gives more power output which has advantages, but could reduce the lifetime of the amplifier with increased heat.
I disagree with the theoretical assumptions concerning a bigger power supply being of no advantage as there are a too many people who have upgraded the psu and reported with only good comments
This deserves a dedicated debate thread. Besides because the topic being very interesting, also for not loosing the focus on this thread topic.
If the aiyima is not meeting your expectations then it would be a waste of time buying a high quality power supply, upgrading op-amps, caps, output inductors. Better off going for a good hypex.
The Aiyima fitts very well my expectations. For it being perfect it would has to have middle tone and balance knob. Then I would buy a couple more to have replacement for the days it dies.


36V/6A gives you SHIT LOADS of power. If you are not powering speakers on an outdoors stage, it is more than enough.
I can't turn the volume wheel further than 10 o'clock. No more power needed.
Then stop. Home audio hobbysts have a tendency to be very homeopatic. Practitioners tend to observe, I mean to hear, results and improvements in many weird places... You will also read about upgrading opamps, capacitors and inductors. Don't get there...
I totally agree in a kind of obssessive deviation on audio HiFi lovers. I value every advise i receive from each audiophile, but sometimes I think the improvment coming from some advices probably would represent very very slightly notorious changes. Besides that, I am grated for them.
A08 Pro is an excellent amplifier, there is zero need to try to "improve" it further.
I past the last month reading and reading a lot of audio stuff, because I wanted to face from all angles the topic of chosing and installing my new 2.1 setup, and then give a lot less attention at this. The PSU is something I am still trying to undestrand well, but let's move on until some can test the Aiyima 08 Pro PSU. Probably most of Aiyima's carries the same PSU.
 
Last edited:

NoxMorbis

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2023
Messages
437
Likes
110
The Aiyima fitts very well my expectations. For it being perfect it would has to have middle tone and balance knob. Then I would buy a couple more to have replacement for the days it dies.
Don't think like that. By the time the 08 dies, there will be better amps for less, or equal money. Just turn it on, turn it up, and enjoy it. All thing end.

I just started a new thread called Aiyima 08 Pro:
 
Last edited:
D

Deleted member 58865

Guest
I think the A07 is still the "cheap champ" in my book. I have an A04 too, and like the sound, but the gain is far less than the A07. With the standard power supply, the A07 can get much louder without distortion. The A04 for me is only really good for nearfield uses.
What's the gain of AIYIMA A04? It's not documented anywhere. And, AIYIMA A04 is being sold only on aiyima website. It's not being sold on other websites.
 

NoxMorbis

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2023
Messages
437
Likes
110
OK but we should expect the manufacturer to be more apt at calibrating the meter than the end user, He designed the amp... I certainly hope he gave it some thoughts.
It increases as power increases. I think traditionally “The reading of the volume indicator shall be 0 VU when it is connected to an AC voltage equal to 1.228 Volts RMS across a 600 ohm resistance (equal to +4 [dBu]) at 1000 cycles per second.”

From playing around with it, I think this is about what it does. You could ask Aiyima. They are really good answering questions.
 
Top Bottom