Ampapa D1 Stereo Amplifier Review

[Hiten]

In scheme of things to manufacture TPA3255 based amplifier how much one can expect a price rise if one needs to implement PFFB ? Also distortion of high frequencies at 1 watt* seems highest amongst this type of amplifier. I could be wrong though.
Regards.
*The power at which most music and listening lies.

 

[lc6]

The PS can provide sustained (continuous) 240w, and more in short time. In any likely scenarios you use this amp for you can draw 136w in seconds or less (like a big explosion in movies)

Running for a few tens of milliseconds (not a few seconds) on energy stored in PS caps does not qualify as properly measured continuous power.

 

[TNT]

But with all the other features and design, I upped my rating

Since when is "looks" audio or science?
A Review it is so 33% on topic!

//

 

[delta76]

Running for a few tens of milliseconds (not a few seconds) on energy stored in PS caps does not qualify as properly measured continuous power.

Don't know what you are talking about. The PS is rated 48v5a meaning it should be able to provide that power (240w) continuously. If it can do that properly is another matter, but any decent power supply should be able to handle a spike in power higher than rated power

 

[daniboun]

Douk ignored our advice for the LDAC implementation: that alone is a complete failure. What's the point of opening a thread from the manufacturer if it's not listening at all?

 

[Herbert Shooler]

Another glorious review by Amir, great value can be obtained for little cost, I am really looking forward to the next massive earthquake in audio: His review of the Chord Quartet Mscaler.

 

[NTK]

Douk ignored our advice for the LDAC implementation: that alone is a complete failure. What's the point of opening a thread from the manufacturer if it's not listening at all?

In all fairness to Douk, just because they solicited inputs, it doesn't mean they are committed to do everything everyone asked for. LDAC decode requires a license. Every buyer, whether they want it or not, will have to bear that cost.

 

[Tovarich007]

Well, not bad for the price, for sure (winking an eye to our President), but definitely not the equal of other cheap amps from Topping, 3E Audio, Smsl.

I don't give a damn about the large digital vu meters but I would prefer a well implemented PFFB (clearly, this amp is not load immune. From 5Khz, the FR isn't linear) and also no "plop" at power On and power Off.

I'd much rather go for a small well done classic class AB amp like the Yamaha S201 (about same price, same power, but linear FR until past 20khz and much more connections In and out, and a classy/classic design). And believe me (because i have a vintage Yam amp for years), they don't draw that much power and they don't get warm.

Cheap class D amps are small and Ok, but they're not all equal.

You can get as well SOTA little jewels like some Topping or 3E, as just average good (not more) like the two Douk Audio reviewed these last days by Amir.
And by the way, who in France is going to be proud of owning an amp named Ampapa (what a silly/funny name) ?

 

[Tovarich007]

And now, a question for Amir :
Why the peak power of a lot of class D amps measures lower than their continuous power ? The difference is tiny of course, but logically it should be the contrary. I find this a bit puzzling but it should be a technical reason I guess. So, what is it?

 

[GGroch]

and also no "plop" at power On and power Off.

For the record, my D1 pushing HiVi Swan DIY 3.1a speakers at 1 foot distance I hear no plop at all. I do hear a quiet relay click from the chassis.

 

[Tovarich007]

For the record, my D1 pushing HiVi Swan DIY 3.1a speakers at 1 foot distance I hear no plop at all. I do hear a quiet relay click from the chassis.

So that's quite OK. Maybe there was a slight little defect on the amp tested by Amir.

But I'm more concerned by not linear FR in high treble. I know, the non linearty above 5/8 khz is not much and will not ne heard by 90 % of people, including me at more than 70 Y.O.
But it's the sign that PFFB isn't properly implemented and with some speakers, this could be a concern.

 

[yo!]

Forget about the nitpicky complains. This little amps look alone is remarkable bare of the price.

 

[amirm]

Since when is "looks" audio or science?
A Review it is so 33% on topic!

//

My recommendations are subjective opinions and always have been.

 

[MC_RME]

These days I don't hear much past 10k. How troublesome would that treble rise be?

It would be beneficial!

 

[lc6]

Don't know what you are talking about. The PS is rated 48v5a meaning it should be able to provide that power (240w) continuously. If it can do that properly is another matter, but any decent power supply should be able to handle a spike in power higher than rated power

If the PS is rated at 240 W sustained and the amp's measured output power is 272 W, then the only explanation is that the latter was measured over a very short period of time, with the amp drawing on energy stored in the PS caps. Which means it is more like a short-burst peak power.

 

[Mnyb]

If the PS is rated at 240 W sustained and the amp's measured output power is 272 W, then the only explanation is that the latter was measured over a very short period of time, with the amp drawing on energy stored in the PS caps. Which means it is more like a short-burst peak power.

It can also be that the PS can withstand overload during a certain time ? Why would it hard limits 240w ?

 

[delta76]

If the PS is rated at 240 W sustained and the amp's measured output power is 272 W, then the only explanation is that the latter was measured over a very short period of time, with the amp drawing on energy stored in the PS caps. Which means it is more like a short-burst peak power.

I think @amirm tests the power by either reaching 1% THD or if the amp goes into protection/clipping. The time is not a factor. My previous mentioned that in real world uses you will only run into max power very rarely (if at all), so this is not an issue.
You assumed it is impossible for the amp to provide more power than the rated output of the power supply, but it is possible. It is of course not recommended to keep pushing the amp than what the PS is rated for.

 

[JRowland]

If strictly limited to $200 MSRP, it's the best amp for the buck!

Personally, I'd spend up for the 3e Audio A7 for this class of device.

For $69 US delivered you can just get the amp without the display. This was a small PS sent for review.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...douk-a5-budget-stereo-amplifier-review.61410/
They’ve updated the crossover and I think are on version 4 now. Douk interacts in the thread which I like. I run it off a 48v 10a and I would imagine it measures similar to this D1.

 

[lc6]

I think @amirm tests the power by either reaching 1% THD or if the amp goes into protection/clipping. The time is not a factor. My previous mentioned that in real world uses you will only run into max power very rarely (if at all), so this is not an issue.
You assumed it is impossible for the amp to provide more power than the rated output of the power supply, but it is possible. It is of course not recommended to keep pushing the amp than what the PS is rated for.

If time is not a factor, then what is measured is a peak (i.e. unsustainable) power. This amp is rated at 120W+120W into 4Ω (see the Parameters section). If you think it is capable of producing more, leave it on with both channels driven to 1% THD for 24 hours and then we will see if the PS or the amp goes into overload/thermal protection.

 

[Bleib]

For $69 US delivered you can just get the amp without the display. This was a small PS sent for review.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...douk-a5-budget-stereo-amplifier-review.61410/
They’ve updated the crossover and I think are on version 4 now. Douk interacts in the thread which I like. I run it off a 48v 10a and I would imagine it measures similar to this D1.

It seems to have a better PFFB filter right? But you also lose EQ, BT and remote