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AIYIMA A200 Stereo Amplifier Review

Rate this amplifier:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 13 5.7%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 74 32.5%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 130 57.0%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 11 4.8%

  • Total voters
    228

restorer-john

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A bit off topic but may I ask if you would consider including output impedance vs frequency graphs to power amplifier reviews?

Its a piece of cake and you don't need anything other than an unloaded and a loaded FR sweep.
 
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pma

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For these toys with output LC filter outside feedback loop the interaction of speaker RLC complex impedance especially with filter C (usually in 1uF order) is even more important than a mere loading by a resistor, which does not cover effects of imaginary part of load impedance. Resistive loading only indicates to damping of the LC circuit. Complex impedance changes the whole frequency response.
 

tomtoo

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For these toys with output LC filter outside feedback loop the interaction of speaker RLC complex impedance especially with filter C (usually in 1uF order) is even more important than a mere loading by a resistor, which does not cover effects of imaginary part of load impedance. Resistive loading only indicates to damping of the LC circuit. Complex impedance changes the whole frequency response.

But in what way? Are there measurements on dome tweeters vs. pure resistive load? Amir did say it depends...nice. What is the thendency? Or where i can see measurements from a dome compared to resistive load ?
 

warpdrive

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No remote control right? I have some small speakers I want to use for my PC and this looks like a decent compact solution. I can use the USB or RCA inputs for my work at home laptop and my home PC. If it had a remote it would be perfect. I prefer a form factor which is taller and narrower
 

DualTriode

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But in what way? Are there measurements on dome tweeters vs. pure resistive load? Amir did say it depends...nice. What is the thendency? Or where i can see measurements from a dome compared to resistive load ?
Much of this is an academic exercise. A speaker load will never be pure resistance. Enter the concept of the crossover. Most crossovers will have resistors in series and parallels with the driver (think L-pad). Then throw in some capacitors, inductors and Zobels for equalization and it is all just an argument for fun anyway.

Thanks DT
 

tomtoo

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Much of this is an academic exercise. A speaker load will never be pure resistance. Enter the concept of the crossover. Most crossovers will have resistors in series and parallels with the driver (think L-pad). Then throw in some capacitors, inductors and Zobels for equalization and it is all just an argument for fun anyway.

Thanks DT

Do you like to be funny?
 

Natal

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My wife is using a 11 year old Topping TP30 desktop amp that also has headphone jack, USB but no bluetooth. Might not have the Aiyima specs but the capability with to switch between speakers and headphone is a big plus for casual computer listening. Can't understand why Topping never upgraded and continued to produce this model.
 

Elitzur–Vaidman

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My wife is using a 11 year old Topping TP30 desktop amp that also has headphone jack, USB but no bluetooth. Might not have the Aiyima specs but the capability with to switch between speakers and headphone is a big plus for casual computer listening. Can't understand why Topping never upgraded and continued to produce this model.
They have the MX5 which is a more powerful version of what the TP30 once was.
 

Jim Shaw

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Could always do the A07 if you just want the amp and no dac. In any case, this Aiyima is a completely serviceable amp for desktop/bookshelf speakers in a smaller listening space for only $160. Probably only a short matter of time before they figure out how to offer this same power at the same price with a SINAD of 115db.
Agree. I recently found a USB dongle DAC I'm quite happy with for laptop/desk use. I too am thinking of the A07. More power than I need, but good SINAD so it won't be annoying. At $79 delivered it's hard to beat.
 

Xulonn

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I own the Aiyma A08 and no longer recommend it as a desktop Amp/DAC to be used with a computer unless you use a separate USB DAC. I will edit my "owner review" with a cross-posting of this reply's information. I suggest awareness of a possible similar problem with the Aiyima A200 BT Amp/DAC until its USB function can be scrutinized and tested to see if it uses the same problematic USB/Bluetooth hybrid DAC implementation - and not a proper discrete internal USB DAC.

I am currently using my older SMSL Sanskrit 6th DAC to convert my PC's USB audio out and feed it to the A08 via RCA interconnects. That configuration works great and sounds great. I also have both Apple and Meizu USB C dongle DACs on the way, and either of those should simplify my system and retain the good performance. It will be nice to replace the much more complicated solution of the SMSL DAC with its wall-wart PS, DAC-in-a-box metal case, and AC, DC and USB cabling. Using a USB C dongle gets rid of some desktop clutter, and is basically like a single cable from the PC to the amplifier with a lump (DAC) and a Y-splitter to two RCA connectors along the way.
It seems it is the successor of the A08, would be interesting to see what their differences are as the chipsets seem to be the same and the A08 is stated at their website with higher SNR:

The A200's USB input is realized using the D/A conversion function in the qcc3034 BT module. There is no dedicated DAC for USB input. So USB input performance will be the same as BT.

I still consider the A08 to be an excellent desktop amplifier, but the USB implementation really sucks. The comment by @Toku explains why. Although the sound quality from the amplifier is good, when used as a desktop sound system for a PC (mine is an Intel NUC8BEH running Windows 11) there is always a lag after the PC plays a sound and the speakers start to react and the sound becomes audible. Also, when playing videos and skipping back and forth with the mouse or shortcut keys, sometimes the sound stops and the video continues to play, and I have to jump back and forth before the the sound randomly returns - and sometimes it doesn't return.

Below is an image of the clean USB implementation of the SMSL Sanskrit 6th DAC (top 3 rows) vs the messy USB implementation of the Aiyima A08 (next 6 rows). Windows 11 also sees the Aiyima implementation as a 32Gb USB mass storage device - which it isn't - and assigns it a drive letter. And the Aiyima does not provide a "Device Name" which makes it difficult for many people to identify when looking at a list of connected USB devices on their PC. Sloppy design.

I have also seen an identical looking TPA3255 amplifier from Weilang/Breeze at Aliexpress called the "Breeze BRZHIFI TPA3255 Bluetooth 5.0 high-power fever vertical digital power amplifier 300WX2". So my question is, does Aiyima really have engineers and designers like Topping and SMSL? Or are they buying and re-labeling generic Chinese commodity products?


USB Devices - Aiyima A08 DAC-Amp vvs SMSL Sanskrit 6th DAC.jpg
 

mctron

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Sometimes I wish I studied Electronic Engineering…these are the TI site spec of their TPA 3255x
How many V in the Aiyima PS?

Guessing identical to a07 32v 5a - power ratings are within 1-2w in tests. If it ain't broke don't fix it
 

Toku

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Guessing identical to a07 32v 5a - power ratings are within 1-2w in tests. If it ain't broke don't fix it
The power supply unit of A200 is 42V/7.5A.

It is the highest voltage among the TPA3255 amplifier products so far.
 

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    AIYIMA A200.png
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Toku

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I have also seen an identical looking TPA3255 amplifier from Weilang/Breeze at Aliexpress called the "Breeze BRZHIFI TPA3255 Bluetooth 5.0 high-power fever vertical digital power amplifier 300WX2". So my question is, does Aiyima really have engineers and designers like Topping and SMSL? Or are they buying and re-labeling generic Chinese commodity products?

AIYIMA selects products manufactured by various companies and sells them as its own brand products.
For example, AIYIMA A07/AIYIMA A04 are originally products of a company called TILEAR. At first, it was sold under the TILEAR brand, but later the brand name was changed to AIYIMA. There is no change in the product at all.
AIYIMA also has its own products, but the production is outsourced to other companies. Perhaps A200 is a BRZHiFi product with AIYIMA's modifications, and I think they also commission production.
 

EJ3

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This is a review and detailed measurements of the AIYIMA A200 stereo amplifier with USB DAC and Bluetooth. It was sent to me by the company and costs about US $160.
View attachment 229400
The compact size should fit on desks well. Controls are simplicity in themselves: push in the volume control to select input (RCA or Bluetooth/USB). Rotate for volume.

View attachment 229401

Nice to see built-in power supply unlike other AIYIMA offerings that required large external ones. Design is based on TI TPA3255 IC.

AIYIMA A200 Measurements
Let's start with RCA input:
View attachment 229402

SINAD which represents a measure of noise and distortion is above average:
View attachment 229404
View attachment 229405

So the rest of the tests are with RCA input. SNR is good for class:
View attachment 229406
Even if it cost $20 more (or had a remote & cost $40 more) & if every thing was in the 78 SINAD or more zone and 16 bit of dynamic range, that is when I would be able to recommend it to others. Unless that is the case, no.
 

JRG

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The DAC is there for free and convenience.
As much as it would be "free", to do it badly, I think it is better not to do it at all.
Or, for that matter, do it right even if the final price goes up a very few dollars.

I don't think it would be very difficult to properly implement a DAC that can match the performance of the amplifier and be transparent relative to it. We are talking about a 85dB SINAD DAC. It's not rocket science.

Adding a low-quality feature to a product, no matter how "free" it is, only serves to lower the overall quality of the product. I believe that in these cases it is better to do nothing than to do it badly.

And anyway, imho, the main feature a true desktop amplifier needs is a remote control for volume and input select. Having to get up from the listening point to adjust volume is quite inconvenient...

And if it is claimed that this should be done from an external DAC (which would act as a source), perhaps it would be better to implement these amps directly as just power amps, without integrated volume or input selector, at a lower cost. This is the same issue that Topping La90 has. It would need a remote control to be a perfect product... or at least to have just a power amp version and that's it, saving costs along the way, to the benefit of the customer.
 

TonyJZX

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I always think about new products "what's this for? what's it good at? what's its "unique selling point"? is this going to find a market on ASR or with the western or Chinese audience"?

Also you sometimes see a product that excels because people sweated the details and some products are poor for some odd reason and some are just dont seem well designed and is at best, mediocre.

The A200 is a such a product... its like they took the A07, gave it an average psu and a very ordinary BT dac receiver and shipped it?

Is it worth $150? Are you better off spending more?

I feel like people here will spend $300 $450 $600 on a good product just so they dont have to feel buyers remorse on a $150 product.

So with this you get a relatively average 50w x 2 and you get a BT dac you shouldnt use. This isnt worth the bother.

Maybe it suits an indiscriminating Chinese buyer? I cannot think of any reason anyone should buy this. Either spend a bit more and get something that just performs better or spend less for similar poor results...

I also feel like people get bored with the same ordinary Class D chipsets that really arent good enough in 2020. Its now 2022.
 

Jeromeof

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With the A07 and a decent DAC (with a remote and reasonable SINAD) I see no reason for this product other than its nice to have a single unit with integrated power supply.

But I have recently got another Aiyima product the D03 and I would love some measurements to confirm what I think I am hearing which is very similar sound signature to the A07 but with Digital inputs totally prioritised over Analog. Its weak point is the ADC (as it has a 'full' digital pipeline internally), though it has slightly less power than the A07.
 
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