Allo Volt+ D Amplifier Review

[PeteL]

You can look at this for one example. It's a Tripath but at these prices the performance of the chip is bottlenecked by the rest of the product.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-lp-2020a-stereo-audio-amplifier-reivew.9806/

Maybe, that's a big assumption tough, what we see here is a quite simple design, there is not much to it beside the stepped attenuator, but honestly when I look at this:
https://www.amazon.com/YEMIUGO-Blue...2KXF2J24BTY&psc=1&refRID=NHXTMS4R62KXF2J24BTY
An actual filter capacitor bank, bigger heat sink, Bluetooth as a bonus. If just at glance you where to ask me which one is more expensive... I might have been fooled, and it's not a bit more, Its 6 times. Maybe you are right tough, but it's too much of a short cut to say, this 20$ amp performs bad, therefore all 20$ amps are bad. Maybe, maybe not.

 

[restorer-john]

Did not now that in english the word “stark" is used? At least my english teacher never used it.

Significant, obvious, clear, absolute.

 

[laudio]

Nice to see a tpa amp getting cred. They are good.

 

[mhardy6647]

cr@p -- now I want one of these.
For years I've been thinking these were toys...

 

[Vasr]

At least my english teacher never used it.

If your English teacher had assigned some "literary" erotica for reading assignments, you might have seen frequent use of "stark naked".

 

[Francis Vaughan]

Not unreasonably large, but not petite for sure.


While I appreciate designers adding a bit of visual flair, I think the shape of the top and bottom panels are very unfortunate. This doesn’t come through in Amir’s photos, but there are substantial curves on both panels that seem as though they would unnecessarily exasperate this issue.

Ugh. That case layout is pretty much a deal breaker. A triumph of fashion over function. It makes the amp look no better than dozens of other hobby kit amps of dubious quality. Stupid lack of care taken over functionality. One assumes the case designer and electronics designer weren’t talking.
The company would be well served by moving to a much more conventional case designed with proper ergonomics. Properly presented they may have a runaway winner on their hands. Cased like this and they will only ever sell to a niche market.

 

[Xyrium]

Or, for the price, folks will disassemble the unit, reinstall the board and guts in a project case of their liking, and sing by their desktop forever more...

The next step is make this lil' puppy into a bridged model. Look out Hypex!

 

[bunkbail]

This is nice. Now I kinda want one. Does anybody know if this laptop PSU works with this amp? It says:

Output voltage: 32V ( ±5%). Output current: 5A; Rated power: 160W.

https://www.amazon.com/Transformers-Interface-5-5x2-5mm-equipment-Communications/dp/B075XJDYDK

 

[Labjr]

Nice looking stepped attenuator. They seem to offer only one value. I wonder if they'll add models with more steps, different values and balanced?

 

[wwenze]

Or, for the price, folks will disassemble the unit, reinstall the board and guts in a project case of their liking, and sing by their desktop forever more...

The next step is make this lil' puppy into a bridged model. Look out Hypex!

For the price I can get an icepower module and save one disassembly process too.

 

[Xyrium]

For the price I can get an icepower module and save one disassembly process too.

But where's the adventure in that?

 

[restorer-john]

The next step is make this lil' puppy into a bridged model. Look out Hypex!

It's already bridged.

 

[restorer-john]

Ugh. That case layout is pretty much a deal breaker. A triumph of fashion over function. It makes the amp look no better than dozens of other hobby kit amps of dubious quality. Stupid lack of care taken over functionality.

I don't think anyone other than a young kid with an RGB LED illuminated gaming pooder in his Mom's basement would want this thing. It's one tiny step above a plain PCB blu-tacked to the desk.

It would be a good match for that other visual horror show, the geshelli headphone amplifier.

 

[tomtoo]

Maybe, that's a big assumption tough, what we see here is a quite simple design, there is not much to it beside the stepped attenuator, but honestly when I look at this:
https://www.amazon.com/YEMIUGO-Blue...2KXF2J24BTY&psc=1&refRID=NHXTMS4R62KXF2J24BTY
An actual filter capacitor bank, bigger heat sink, Bluetooth as a bonus. If just at glance you where to ask me which one is more expensive... I might have been fooled, and it's not a bit more, Its 6 times. Maybe you are right tough, but it's too much of a short cut to say, this 20$ amp performs bad, therefore all 20$ amps are bad. Maybe, maybe not.

Cant recomend the whuzi zk-1002. The aux in is shit. Sry but i have to say it. This could be a nice littel amp. But it is not, at least if you need aux in.

 

[Francis Vaughan]

Or, for the price, folks will disassemble the unit, reinstall the board and guts in a project case of their liking,

Exactly. Basically admitting that the only people that will buy it are a small number of geeks. If the manufacturers only have aspirations to be a tiny niche player selling maybe a few hundred units, well fine. But if they actually want to do better than a hobby business run out of a basement, a bit more attention to detail would make a big difference.

 

[johnk]

I have had one of these for a couple of years and have been very happy with it so far. I changed the PSU to an Alitove 24V 5A (https://www.alitove.net/product/24v-5a-bk/) which was a good improvement. Interestingly I also had an old Toshiba laptop PSU (~20 years old 15V 4A) which worked surprisingly well and is still driving my older Volt+ amp in my office - sounded better than the stock PSU.
I would be interested to try a 31V PSU now.
Thanks for the review.

 

[geoemm]

Wish it was more powerful, 33w @ 8ohms. maybe good enough for desk use

 

[bakker_be]

This is nice. Now I kinda want one. Does anybody know if this laptop PSU works with this amp? It says:

https://www.amazon.com/Transformers-Interface-5-5x2-5mm-equipment-Communications/dp/B075XJDYDK

No it won't, the jack doesn't fit. What you post has a 5.5x2.5mm jack and Allo site states:

Power Connector Jack Barrel size: 3.00mm ID (0.118"), 6.50mm OD (0.256")

 

[bunkbail]

No it won't, the jack doesn't fit. What you post has a 5.5x2.5mm jack and Allo site states:

Don't really mind the jack, can always find an adapter or alternatives for that. I want to know if unregulated 32VDC PSU will work with the Volt+D.

 

[tomtoo]

This is nice. Now I kinda want one. Does anybody know if this laptop PSU works with this amp? It says:

https://www.amazon.com/Transformers-Interface-5-5x2-5mm-equipment-Communications/dp/B075XJDYDK

Looks like the developer is her maybe you ask him? For me it looks that with 32V you are hard on the edge. But the ampchips have a overvoltage protection that would(should) kick in if it is to much.