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Aiyima T9

kaopad999

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Does anyone here own or have heard the Aiyima T9?

The T9 has some very good reviews and some of the sound demos i have heard on Youtube would make you believe it sounds as good as some more expensive amps on the market.

Is it really that great, or maybe just overhyped by Youtuber reviewers in order to make some cash from promotiong the product?
 

WILL

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It is an OEM product, not really from Aiyima’s own making.
There are same product with different brand name on this item.
Quality problem was pointed out by an youtuber as well.
 
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kaopad999

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It is an OEM product, not really from Aiyima’s own making.
There are same product with different brand name on this item.
Quality problem was pointed out by an youtuber as well.
Thanks man. I really don't mind spending 80 USD on it, but i'm just wondering if there is something that's better for the same price so i dont have to go through the hassle of selling it it doesn't live up to the hype .
 

jbourne84

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I actually just joined the forum today to ask about the T9, I know a couple people personally who own Aiyima T4s and they love them. They have swapped out the tubes and the op amp chips in them... they have nothing but great things to say. The T9 interests me because of the digital inputs (which the T4 doesnt have). I just dont know if it's equally as customizable with the chips.
 

Jeromeof

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I have one of these and I think its pretty great (for the price) - I don't really think the 'issue' this YouTuber is pointing out is really an actual issue. What the device is doing is switching off the tubes when it does not receive any audio via the current input within maybe 10 seconds. So if you pause playing music after about 10 seconds it will go into this 'low power' mode by clicking. I believe this is done to make the tubes last longer (though I could be wrong), but I guess its a trade off between burning out the tubes. if you paused your music and leave the T9 switched on against constantly stopping music and starting music which might be worse for the tubes. But in my opinion realistically you are much more likely to play a playlist or an album (or queue up some music) and therefore you hear this once or twice a day.

Out of curiosity I tested the power consumption and sure enough the device consumes much less power once it goes into this mode so its definitely turning stuff off internally when this happens.

Overall I love the retro look of the device (especially in a dark room) the tubes 'glow' and VU meter is great (though the meter isn't very sensitive - you have to play loud to see it moving).

Other than that I think having a DAC and optical input is great (obviously at this price its a cheap DAC) - though I couldn't hear anything obviously bad. I had a few devices plugged in (and Volumio Mini PC via USB) and Airport Express (via Optical) and a Turntable via RCA and it was great to be able to switch with the provided remote control.

As for sound, my only complaint is, it is under powered for some of the speakers that I tried with it, especially compared Aiyima D07 which I have now switched back too using a separate DAC - but I have kept the T9 and will probably switch it back during the winter (if only for the glow of the VU meter and the Tubes).
 
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kaopad999

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I have one of these and I think its pretty great (for the price) - I don't really think the 'issue' this YouTuber is pointing out is really an actual issue. What the device is doing is switching off the tubes, if it does not receive any audio via the current input with maybe 10 seconds. So if you pause playing music after about 10 seconds it will go into this 'low power' mode by clicking. I believe this is done to make the tubes last longer (though I could be wrong), but I guess its a trade off between burning out the tubes. if you paused your music and leave the T9 switched on against constantly stopping music and starting music which might be worse for the tubes. But in my opinion realistically you are much more likely to play a playlist or an album (or queue up some music) and therefore you hear this once or twice a day.

Out of curiosity I tested the power consumption and sure enough the device consumes much less power once it goes into this mode so its definitely turning stuff off internally when this happens.

Overall I love the retro look of the device (especially in a dark room) the tubes 'glow' and VU meter is great (though the meter isn't very sensitive - you have to play loud to see it moving).

Other than that I think having a DAC and optical input is great (obviously at this price its a cheap DAC) - though I couldn't hear anything obviously bad. I had a few devices plugged in (and Volumio Mini PC via DAC) and Airport Express (via Optical) and a Turntable via RCA and it was great to be able to switch with the provided remote control.

As for sound, my only complaint is, it is under powered for some of the speakers that I tried with it, especially compared Aiyima D07 which I have now switched back too using a separate DAC - but I have kept the T9 and will probably switch it back during the winter (if only for the glow of the VU meter and the Tubes).
I don't mind it being slightly underpowered as my listening distance is only about 7 feet from my speakers
Would you say that the sound quality is on par, worse or better than the A07?
The thing that is holding me back from the A07 is the lack of tone controls and then the hassle of trying to find a decent power supply.
I have also seen the AIYIMA A08 Pro TPA3255 but can't find many reviews on that device as it's quite new.
Really trying to weigh up my options. Maybe it would be better for me to just avoid any AIYIMA products and spend more money on something like a n SMSL DA9..
 

Jeromeof

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To my ears it was on par with the A07 (but I did play around a little with the tone controls) - mainly because the speakers I had with it were too bright, but they didn't seem as bright with the A07 - though that could easily have been my imagination.
 
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kaopad999

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To my ears it was on par with the A07 (but I did play around a little with the tone controls) - mainly because the speakers I had with it were too bright, but they didn't seem as bright with the A07 - though that could easily have been my imagination.
Thanks . Reason why i want tone controls is becasue my Q acoustics 2020i's can get bright especially with poor recordings! , so having tone controls is a must. If i were driving my Mission Lx2's then i would have no issues as they never get bright no matter what genre i throw at them.
i mayjust take the chnace with the T9, or maybe even look at the AIYIMA A08 Pro TPA3255 which does have tone controls.
 

ZolaIII

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Thanks . Reason why i want tone controls is becasue my Q acoustics 2020i's can get bright especially with poor recordings! , so having tone controls is a must. If i were driving my Mission Lx2's then i would have no issues as they never get bright no matter what genre i throw at them.
i mayjust take the chnace with the T9, or maybe even look at the AIYIMA A08 Pro TPA3255 which does have tone controls.
Tone controls won't work, put a high-self on 8500 Hz, Bandwidth Q 1.2, - 4 dB in PEQ settings. I have Q3030i, it's a same twitter and aim them to about 15° horizontally to your listening spot.
 
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kaopad999

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Tone controls won't work, put a high-self on 8500 Hz, Bandwidth Q 1.2, - 4 dB in PEQ settings. I have Q3030i, it's a same twitter and aim them to about 15° horizontally to your listening spot.
Thanks mate. That's very helpful.
 

ZolaIII

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I don't know is this cheap enough and if you already have a DAC (because digital input is bad on it) but if so consider:
Mentioned QA's sound better on solid state and as they are efficient enough 50W @8 Ohm's is plenty for them even with EBU R128 and EQ. Main problem with cheap generic Chinese one's (including most of AIYIMA's) is relatively bad power supply brick adapter which isn't so in this case (power supply is integrated). If money ain't that much of a problem consider mid entry level Yamahas (AS, R-N range), I am happy with my R-N402D which I got second hand in mint condition for around 250 $/€ (it just isn't for a lo impedance speakers that fall to 3 Ohm's or lower with it's dumping factor).
Best regards.
 
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kaopad999

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I don't know is this cheap enough and if you already have a DAC (because digital input is bad on it) but if so consider:
Mentioned QA's sound better on solid state and as they are efficient enough 50W @8 Ohm's is plenty for them even with EBU R128 and EQ. Main problem with cheap generic Chinese one's (including most of Aima's) is relatively bad power supply brick adapter which isn't so in this case (power supply is intended). If money ain't that much of a problem consider mid entry level Yamahas (AS, R-N range), I am happy with my R-N402D which I got second hand in mint condition for around 250 $/€ (it just isn't for a lo impedance speakers that fall to 3 Ohm's or lower with it's dumping factor).
Best regards.
Yeah, i was thinking of maybe just looking for a secondhand intergated amp. I've just seen a Nad C 320BEE (50 watts per channel) on marketplace going for 165.49 USD
 

ZolaIII

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Yeah, i was thinking of maybe just looking for a secondhand intergated amp. I've just seen a Nad C 320BEE (50 watts per channel) on marketplace going for 165.49 USD
I don't know about that one and it doesn't sound like a value even if it's not older than couple of years as users were not exactly thrilled with it (tho some lived happily with it for 12+ years) and it used to go for 250~270 $ new. Anyway don't buy anything older than couple of years and preferably properly mesured (hire or elsewhere). Mentioned AIYIMA A200 is actually quite a deacent performer.
 

TonyJZX

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it has 3.5mm aux out so you can very well use a 3.5 -> 2 x rca

there seems to be quite a few Chinese compact inexpensive tube stage preamps/dacs/ digital amps whatever so you're in an embarrassment of riches if you want to delve into this... whatever this is... its probably not "hi-fi" is it?
 

ZolaIII

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Is it possible to use the T9 as a pre and connect a power amp? So you would have T9-sound and enough power :)
Just use something like this (this is a passive one, doesn't add to output level but you can add gain on both sides I/O).
 

May Kasahara

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there seems to be quite a few Chinese compact inexpensive tube stage preamps/dacs/ digital amps whatever so you're in an embarrassment of riches if you want to delve into this... whatever this is... its probably not "hi-fi" is it?
I don't know if I understood the question correctly. And I have no idea about the technical structure of the T9.

I imagine it like this:
Source -> Pre (Tone controls) -> Output Buffer (Tubes) -> TPA3221 -> RCA
or
Source -> Pre (Tone controls) -> Output Buffer (Tubes) -> 3.5mm Aux -> PowerAmp

If that's the case, why isn't this hifi?
 

TonyJZX

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i'm being facetious about the 'hifi' thing... I think the Chinese are just adding "marketing' tubes to the output stage to add distortion to the sound... like many I am dubious about any tube equipment.

about the 3.5 mm - it looks like just a standard line out to do as you please... either as a subwoofer or a line out for a power amp

but again, the whole premise of this is dubious but its cheap enough that if you like the sound then good, but if you dont you havent risked a lot of money
 

May Kasahara

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Yes, I am well aware that the T9 is not a tube amp in the classic sense, but a cheap Class-D amp with tubes for the output buffer (even if it is advertised differently). And yes, probably only distortion is added.
I think I'll give it a try to see what the difference is from integrated Class-D amplification to a separate power amp.
 
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