Czepa
New Member
I'd love to build my own amplifier but now is not the time. id learn every detail of how they work, build it then probably forget majority of it. so im starting out buying good solid hardware and just building some speakers like ive wanted to do for many years (http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/Faital-3WC-15.htm#SPEAKER-KIT if you're wondering)
THREAD: Cheap amplifiers, ive tried them, i like them, they are cool and its amazing how much amplification you can get out of such compact (fist sized) devices that cost less than a carton of beer. this latest one i have is a AU$43 TPA3116D2 amp and it drives my 10" vintage peerless main 3-way floorstanding large volume vented boxes very close to their limit. the problem is (I THINK) they are running the chips as series rather than having one run as a filter and the second as amplification like i read somewhere... or they are doing some simplified circuit to keep it compact and simple, but its not bad like the last one which used to bleed electrically between the channels. there is a terrible hiss between 50-80% volume though which limits my ability to leave the computer output at a set volume and not be auditorily fatigued after leaving the speakers on standby for hours whilst reading or browsing forums. this has pushed me to change everything and buy a COMPLETE new setup- the plan: computer -> Zoom UAC-2 as a DAC, headphone amp and mic input -> Balanced TRS out to XLR input of (most likely) Behringer A800 -> 8 Ohm floorstanding loudspeakers
QUESTION: When is cheap(er) nasty and how would i know, is brand name everything? i know a brand being well known and reviewed gives insight and a path already walked, but if you were to go in blind you could equally make a mistake on the well known budget brands (nobsound? SMSL? AudioEngine?) as you may on a chinese no-brand. I know more components on boards, more chips etc. does not necessarily equal better. however, to the untrained eye how would you tell something is worth putting down cash or staying away from? i hear 'good capacitor brands' 'higher voltage caps' is there anything else?
To my eyes the berry A800 looks maybe a little bland and simple on the inside, but it has a good review here and is even labelled as a 'REFERENCE' amplifier so im inclined to lock it in but there are 2 very solid contenders in my mind, if not for the increased component count, the independent volume control is desirable (keeping "set" gain early in the chain) and having a dual mono architechture or the idea of DASH makes me curious (Class D chips feeding power to Class AB) if i can get the best of both worlds and still have audiophile grade performance and FLAT response. so what shall it be? ditch the idea of being able to deafen the neighbors and make more practical and probably better sounding speakers with one of the chinese amps? or go for broke on the behringer A800? why SHOULD i stay away from the chinese amps? im kind of tempted to just buy the qiushuo in addition just to test it cause the dual design mono looks so cool.
being my first thread please move it if this is the wrong section. photos included below:
AU$43 TPA3116D2 claimed 50W+50W
AU$<400 Behringer A800 220W+220W 8Ω
chinese ¥1288/AU$268 Qiushuo Amplifier dual mono LM3886 120W+120W(8Ω ???) im sure is running this: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/LM3886-...-120W-120W-HiFi-Stereo-2-channel/272913081255
AU$500+ but could probably find cheaper somewhere Nobsound PA-10 45W+45W(8Ω) suspected DASH AB amp stating:
Amplifier IC: Sanken SK18752*4 balanced working voltage 54V
Op amp IC: NE5532*5+NE5534*2 |-------| Volume IC: JRC-NJW1194
IF instead of this thing having bluetooth (why?) and XLR inputs, it had a USB input -> DAC chip and separate amp circuit for headphones with its own volume knob this would be a computer hifi killer and everything could be settled lol. many people would pay exotic prices for such a piece of kit. FYI: im looking for clean flat accurate reproduction of sound in my setup and im trying not to compromise on quality.
I hope you find this interesting, its been fun putting all these questions together. even for different use cases, what advice should the beginner take heed of to either avoid garbage or score audiophile grade gear with low cost in mind?
THREAD: Cheap amplifiers, ive tried them, i like them, they are cool and its amazing how much amplification you can get out of such compact (fist sized) devices that cost less than a carton of beer. this latest one i have is a AU$43 TPA3116D2 amp and it drives my 10" vintage peerless main 3-way floorstanding large volume vented boxes very close to their limit. the problem is (I THINK) they are running the chips as series rather than having one run as a filter and the second as amplification like i read somewhere... or they are doing some simplified circuit to keep it compact and simple, but its not bad like the last one which used to bleed electrically between the channels. there is a terrible hiss between 50-80% volume though which limits my ability to leave the computer output at a set volume and not be auditorily fatigued after leaving the speakers on standby for hours whilst reading or browsing forums. this has pushed me to change everything and buy a COMPLETE new setup- the plan: computer -> Zoom UAC-2 as a DAC, headphone amp and mic input -> Balanced TRS out to XLR input of (most likely) Behringer A800 -> 8 Ohm floorstanding loudspeakers
QUESTION: When is cheap(er) nasty and how would i know, is brand name everything? i know a brand being well known and reviewed gives insight and a path already walked, but if you were to go in blind you could equally make a mistake on the well known budget brands (nobsound? SMSL? AudioEngine?) as you may on a chinese no-brand. I know more components on boards, more chips etc. does not necessarily equal better. however, to the untrained eye how would you tell something is worth putting down cash or staying away from? i hear 'good capacitor brands' 'higher voltage caps' is there anything else?
To my eyes the berry A800 looks maybe a little bland and simple on the inside, but it has a good review here and is even labelled as a 'REFERENCE' amplifier so im inclined to lock it in but there are 2 very solid contenders in my mind, if not for the increased component count, the independent volume control is desirable (keeping "set" gain early in the chain) and having a dual mono architechture or the idea of DASH makes me curious (Class D chips feeding power to Class AB) if i can get the best of both worlds and still have audiophile grade performance and FLAT response. so what shall it be? ditch the idea of being able to deafen the neighbors and make more practical and probably better sounding speakers with one of the chinese amps? or go for broke on the behringer A800? why SHOULD i stay away from the chinese amps? im kind of tempted to just buy the qiushuo in addition just to test it cause the dual design mono looks so cool.
being my first thread please move it if this is the wrong section. photos included below:
AU$43 TPA3116D2 claimed 50W+50W
AU$<400 Behringer A800 220W+220W 8Ω
chinese ¥1288/AU$268 Qiushuo Amplifier dual mono LM3886 120W+120W(8Ω ???) im sure is running this: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/LM3886-...-120W-120W-HiFi-Stereo-2-channel/272913081255
AU$500+ but could probably find cheaper somewhere Nobsound PA-10 45W+45W(8Ω) suspected DASH AB amp stating:
Amplifier IC: Sanken SK18752*4 balanced working voltage 54V
Op amp IC: NE5532*5+NE5534*2 |-------| Volume IC: JRC-NJW1194
IF instead of this thing having bluetooth (why?) and XLR inputs, it had a USB input -> DAC chip and separate amp circuit for headphones with its own volume knob this would be a computer hifi killer and everything could be settled lol. many people would pay exotic prices for such a piece of kit. FYI: im looking for clean flat accurate reproduction of sound in my setup and im trying not to compromise on quality.
I hope you find this interesting, its been fun putting all these questions together. even for different use cases, what advice should the beginner take heed of to either avoid garbage or score audiophile grade gear with low cost in mind?
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