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AIYIMA T20 Tube Pre-amplifier Review

Rate this preamplifier:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 10 4.6%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 37 17.0%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 112 51.4%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 59 27.1%

  • Total voters
    218
The knowledge of tomorrow is based on that of yesterday, it is by talking about it in a 'timely' (or even systematic) way that we maintain this desire to progress in the future: am I wrong?

(you're right, I'm French but what do you want: no one is 'perfect')

But it seems to me that in the last few words we deviate from the subject of this thread right after I intervened about the tubes for the AIYIMA T20, right?
 
We forgive you! :)
I don't, I'm already planning the invasion...
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The knowledge of tomorrow is based on that of yesterday, it is by talking about it in a 'timely' (or even systematic) way that we maintain this desire to progress in the future: am I wrong?

(you're right, I'm French but what do you want: no one is 'perfect')

But it seems to me that in the last few words we deviate from the subject of this thread right after I intervened about the tubes for the AIYIMA T20, right?
Yes ... nobody is perfect! ;)

It would be good though if you are still able to edit to maybe make those imposing youtube videos simple links!
Nice to be back to the surprisingly good T20. :D
 
A free software DSP will do better, in a more 'flexible' way to transform the sound reproduced than overpriced tubes (valves) without much longevity, but it's true that otherwise it looks pretty and that each era has its little nice 'retro' passage much happier than our present...
 
People Hi :D

It's a shame because I'm convinced that by removing the 2 tubes and their dedicated circuits (which 'destroy' the SINAD without actually bringing the desired harmonics 2 because of the SEPP assembly, and not SRPP, probably badly powered and optimized... in which case it would be assessed by the measurements), this device would have been very efficient in addition to having been well thought out with a 'unique', nice and modern look :cool:

NB: to obtain harmonics 2, it was enough to use OPA2828 'in the right place' in the circuit by observing figure 6-43 on page 15 of its datasheet.

This Op-Amp is excellent, J-FET type with very good characteristics and even allows, depending on the circuit topology, to do without a link capacitor unlike those of bipolar types (such as LME49720).

Although more expensive to purchase than LMEs, the savings made by not using additional 'multiple' capacitors (+ circuits + soldering + degradation of measurements + replacement to be planned over time, ect...).

But much more: obtaining a reliable device, with excellent measurements and ABOVE all a very high satisfaction of customers (who will undoubtedly praise this product) :)

AIYIMA, you only have to make a version 2 (II) or 'Pro' as some do ;)
I just listen the T20 in a good system (not a critical listening), and in stock version it sounds as good as it should. The owner has a custom mu-Follower with E88CC and Sowter In/Out balanced AC coupled transformers, created by a retired audio recording engineer (who worked for years to refine the schematic, component values, chasing for lowest THD in this configuration, using Tube CAD simulations). T20 sound quality is very close to this custom tube balanced preamplifier, that was 10 times expensive . Without proof (yet) I could say you do not know what are you talking about tubes or OPA - with all do respect. If you read this --- https://www.nanovolt.ch/resources/ic_opamps/pdf/opamp_distortion.pdf --- and comprehend, maybe you could realize that simply swapping LM 49720 with OPA2828 (OPA 828 is not dual!) cannot bring H2 magic ;(
 
Hello white noise.

With all due respect, I would like to tell you that it is so important for you to learn how to read properly before you take people back:
I never talked about OPA828 but about OPA2828 which is indeed a dual model.

After this learning (read correctly AND carefully) you will be able to read the datasheets of the OPA2828 and better understand my thinking on the H2 which is clearly indicated by the engineers/designers at TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, who may not know anything about AMPS OPs, just like me according to you, although I certainly do not have their level of expertise it is obvious.

So please, next time read correctly but also carefully, it will prevent you from unnecessarily polluting a subject by making defamatory remarks about one of its members that you don't even know.

Thank you in advance, for me as well as for the readers of this site and happy learning.

NB: don't forget to also bring comparative measurements between these two devices in order to be objective.

Your listening feelings are only your own, the quality of your hearing and depends on the conditions in which your 'comparative test' was carried out:
this is therefore purely subjective and cannot therefore be taken into account here (on ASR) in a serious way.

Have a nice day.

Kind regards.

Jesse.

PS: the link (very old and known) dates from 2009 and brings me absolutely NOTHING.

We are in 2025 (soon 2026) and since then, OP AMPS references such as the OPA1656, the OPA1612 AND the OPA2828 have appeared and have brought better results in terms of technical characteristics.

We are no longer in the era of the big high-end brands such as Mc INTOSCH who 'stuffed' their machines at 'stratospheric' prices with OP AMPS NE5532...
... You have to live with the times ;)
 
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I even bought the T20 as well, and after a day of listening, I switched back to just the A20 to see if there was a difference. Wow, it sounded different! The T20 added more fullness to the overall sound. I haven't regretted the purchase at all.

Thumbs up for AIYIMA!
 
I concur
I even bought the T20 as well, and after a day of listening, I switched back to just the A20 to see if there was a difference. Wow, it sounded different! The T20 added more fullness to the overall sound. I haven't regretted the purchase at all.

Thumbs up for AIYIMA!
I concur. What should be interesting about this is the why. The T20 measures pretty well, indeed very well for a valve pre-amp. if you actually read the review.


In fact any distortion seems to be below the thresholds of our hearing to the extent that this has been criticized ... what's the point of inaudible distortion! Love it:D! Channel balance is superb ... the volume control is excellent. It drives my 3e audio A7 which in turn drives my speakers very well. I just wish Aiyima had put in a switchable solidstate circuit or bypass. I could have then done lovely blind tests from the remote control.
 
The overall performance may even have worsened according to the pure measurements, but I prefer the sound of the A20 with the T20 in front of it.
 
I would like to tell you that it is so important for you to learn how to read properly before you take people back:
Your lack of self awareness is really astounding.

You are seemingly trying to argue that the we (the readers) are failing to understand your points because we lack diligence or comprehension ("read correctly AND carefully"). However, as I will outline below, the failure here is not our reading comprehension, but your incomprehensible syntactic construction. Your writing is a rambling labyrinth and yet you have the audacity to mock us for not reading correctly? LMAO

After this learning (read correctly AND carefully) you will be able to read the datasheets of the OPA2828 and better understand my thinking on the H2 which is clearly indicated by the engineers/designers at TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, who may not know anything about AMPS OPs, just like me according to you, although I certainly do not have their level of expertise it is obvious.

In this run-on disaster of a sentence, you have attempted to fuse three distinct thoughts into a single sentence. The reader starts down one grammatical path, only to realize halfway through that the structure has changed, forcing them to backtrack. "...although I certainly do not have their level of expertise it is obvious." This is a comma splice that creates a fused sentence. "It is obvious" hangs off the end like a cliffhanger with no resolution. What is obvious? That you lack expertise? That the engineers are right? That the H2 is indicated? You force the reader to constantly guess the subject of your conclusions.

"...engineers/designers at TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, who may not know anything about AMPS OPs, just like me according to you..." You are attempting to use sarcasm to mock our assumption about your knowledge, but you tripped over your own clauses. I think you are trying to be ironic here - implying that claiming you don't know anything is as ridiculous as claiming TI engineers don't know anything. However, because you buried this irony inside a subordinate clause of a run-on sentence, the sarcasm evaporates. It reads literally as you admitting that neither you nor the engineers know anything.

To understand this sentence alone, the reader must hold the following variables in working memory simultaneously:
  1. The learning process.
  2. The OPA2828 datasheet.
  3. Your thinking on H2.
  4. TI Engineers' indication.
  5. The reader's opinion of your knowledge.
  6. The actual expertise level of the engineers.
A well-structured sentence connects these dots. Nobody is "misinterpreting" anything because the content is too advanced; you are being dismissed because the delivery is incoherent.

Hello white noise.

The irony is that you have produced a response so riddled with syntactic errors, logical fallacies, and performative rage that you have become the static. You are not communicating or contributing anything.

"making defamatory remarks about one of its members"

Defamation is a legal concept involving the damage of reputation through false statements of fact. Someone disagreeing with your interpretation of an Op-Amp datasheet is not defamation. It is a disagreement. By escalating this to "defamation," you look hysterical, not authoritative.

"Your listening feelings are only your own, the quality of your hearing and depends on the conditions in which your 'comparative test' was carried out: this is therefore purely subjective and cannot therefore be taken into account here (on ASR) in a serious way."
Subject-Verb Agreement: "Feelings" is plural. "Depends" is singular. You cannot marry them. Sentence Fragmentation: You have spliced three different ideas together into one grammatical trainwreck.

You clearly want to be the "Expert in the Room." But you cannot claim the high ground of "Science" and "2025 Modernity" when you write like a petulant child. You are demanding respect for your intellect while displaying a total lack of discipline in your communication. I get that English is not your first language, but if you are going to attack other users and assert that misinterpretation of your posts is the readers fault on an English language forum, perhaps you should make sure you are actually writing in coherent English?
 
Hello morejazzplease.

I will try to learn English and its syntax properly, I invite you to learn 'everything else'... :rolleyes:

Do not try to divert people's attention by pretending not to have understood my terms, judging them incoherent or even imprecise.

The only purpose of my intervention is to warn that this device is poorly designed and that it only brings an unequivocal degradation to the measurements:
is it much clearer this way for you ?

That said, you will understand that I will stop responding to your 'sarcasm' because this is neither the goal sought in this topic nor the goal of this forum, we will all agree ?

So I invite you to go to social networks that are 'fond' of this kind of 'conversation'... :facepalm:

Yours truly.
 
Hello morejazzplease.

I will try to learn English and its syntax properly, I invite you to learn 'everything else'... :rolleyes:

Do not try to divert people's attention by pretending not to have understood my terms, judging them incoherent or even imprecise.

The only purpose of my intervention is to warn that this device is poorly designed and that it only brings an unequivocal degradation to the measurements:
is it much clearer this way for you ?

That said, you will understand that I will stop responding to your 'sarcasm' because this is neither the goal sought in this topic nor the goal of this forum, we will all agree ?

So I invite you to go to social networks that are 'fond' of this kind of 'conversation'... :facepalm:

Yours truly.
The way you write makes it hard to follow your logic. About halfway through your posts I give up because I'm confused about what it is you are trying to convey. If you wrote shorter sentences we would understand you better. If you are trying to use sarcasm and irony, you should flag them. This is an international site and not everyone can spot these rhetorical devices.
 
@ICIETDIYEUR try copilot or chatgpt if you are not already for translation: both are better than Google Translate.
 
It's not a matter of language skills, those are easily good enough.

It's a matter of communication skills in general. The goal is making others follow your train of thoughts. It's not enough to just write down your own thoughts, they're often chaotic and multi-layered; you need to restructure them in a coherent way before you put them into speech or writing, so that others (who naturally don't think like you internally) can follow it.

Then, smaller mistakes with spelling and grammar and sentence structure don't matter at all, because others can still easily see the general idea. "Easy to follow" is the main principle of effective communication.
 
The only purpose of my intervention is to warn that this device is poorly designed and that it only brings an unequivocal degradation to the measurements:
is it much clearer this way for you ?
Thank you, @ICIETDIYEUR, you are suggesting that you know or have a copy of the T20 Schematic and/or Circuit diagram, and (All) the Circuit Board/CB components, aren't you, is that correct? To ask, what are your thoughts of the PSVANE 12AX7 valves that have been utilised with the T20 design?
 
Hi KL....

I have nothing to think of it: it is you who are listening ;)

Proposing a device with a poorly designed circuit with valves that offer technical characteristics as well as measurements that are worse than current techniques makes no sense or interest in my opinion... :confused:
 
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