"Aliexpress" Subwoofer Plate Amp Review

[Grenadine]

I can't find any indication that this device has a DSP built in. Based on the description, the high-pass filter also doesn't seem to be freely configurable, as would be possible with a DSP.

Oh go back and read my comment. I was referring to another sub amp (speaker power htb-700) that I was using while Amir was testing the Ali express amp. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Azrael]

Actually, I was referring to the HTB-700. Okay, I took another look at the product page. The abbreviation "DSP" appears there once ("Subwoofer DSP Controls"). The fact that there’s a knob labeled "Delay" also suggests that a DSP might be built in—assuming they haven’t mistaken that knob for one used to adjust the phase.

What’s surprising, though, is that there doesn’t seem to be an interface that would allow you to freely program this DSP, as is possible, for example, with the Dayton Audio SPA500DSP, which has already been mentioned here.

If you have the device available, you could take a look into it to see what DSP is built in. Perhaps there’s an access point on the circuit board, so that you might be able to program it for example with SigmaStudio, assuming it’s a DSP from Analog Devices.....?

In any case, the amplifier has surprisingly few adjustment options for a device that has a DSP built in.

I still have a faint suspicion that the person who wrote the ad text might not have known that DSP stands for Digital Signal Processor, and that maybe there isn't actually a DSP built into it after all. But—as mentioned above—you're welcome to correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Grenadine]

Actually, I was referring to the HTB-700. Okay, I took another look at the product page. The abbreviation "DSP" appears there once ("Subwoofer DSP Controls"). The fact that there’s a knob labeled "Delay" also suggests that a DSP might be built in—assuming they haven’t mistaken that knob for one used to adjust the phase.

What’s surprising, though, is that there doesn’t seem to be an interface that would allow you to freely program this DSP, as is possible, for example, with the Dayton Audio SPA500DSP, which has already been mentioned here.

If you have the device available, you could take a look into it to see what DSP is built in. Perhaps there’s an access point on the circuit board, so that you might be able to program it for example with SigmaStudio, assuming it’s a DSP from Analog Devices.....?

In any case, the amplifier has surprisingly few adjustment options for a device that has a DSP built in.

I still have a faint suspicion that the person who wrote the ad text might not have known that DSP stands for Digital Signal Processor, and that maybe there isn't actually a DSP built into it after all. But—as mentioned above—you're welcome to correct me if I'm wrong.

ah i see what you meant. yes, all that is possible. it is confusing. i'd recommend reaching out to them directly: [email protected]. i've emailed back and forth with the owner/builder before. cool guy. i'm sure he can clear this up.

 

[Subwaffler]

So, something from Aliexpress isn't very good. Wow - absolutely astonishing news.

 

[mhardy6647]

So, something from Aliexpress isn't very good. Wow - absolutely astonishing news.

 

[harkpabst]

For testing I set the gain to around 25 dB (was hard as this is start of the gain knob) ...

I don't think that anybody is ever going to use it like this.

Even if 25 dB is close to the "house standard" measurements in the 12 o'clock position would have been a very useful addition. It's not too unlikely that these might no longer be noise dominated.

In almost all setups the subwoofer level can and must be set as a combination of (pre-)amplifier output voltage and subwoofer gain anyway. Especially with digital pre-amps applying a positive gain setting in the amp could potentially lead to digital clipping. Having a more sensitive subwoofer ammo is not too unusual and not even a bad idea (in my book).