Dayton Audio SPA300-D Subwoofer Amp Review

[carsknivesbeer]

What is it about plate amps and longevity (serious question)? Budget AVRs seem to keep on chugging but subs never last very long.

Looking to replace the plate amp on JBL 550p for a budget garage build (box and speaker are great for the price) so this one looks like a no-go.

 

[levimax]

What is it about plate amps and longevity (serious question)? Budget AVRs seem to keep on chugging but subs never last very long.

Looking to replace the plate amp on JBL 550p for a budget garage build (box and speaker are great for the price) so this one looks like a no-go.

It is hard to think of a worse environment for a high power amp than inside a sealed box that is constantly vibrating....

 

[Grenadine]

Garbage. I have an old sub that is toast. Plate amp is aged and driver surround was foam and now is 50% gone.

Was thinking Dayton plate amp. Not this one.

Check out speakerpower plate amps. https://www.speakerpower.com/products/sp1-700-ht

 

[Sokel]

The distortion pattern with no boost reminds of all these ali express op-amp knock-offs, like there's something seriously broken in there.
Distortion would go up way higher the spectrum, it's the filter in place that makes it go down after 200Hz or so.

The erratic behavior does not paint a healthy picture, at all.
I think that a second sample should be tested, this one seems toast to me.

Thanks Amir!

 

[Count Dacula]

Poor little guy. Sad to this performance. The tested amp powered a 10" in-ceiling subwoofer in our bathroom. Really, no complaints, and with the shower going, I never heard anything but clean bass. This was before the red paint job, which was done to match some other red furniture. Then it got moved to a media closet for the "bathroom sub" LOL! I like the wood.View attachment 546366

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Bathroom subwoofer...? Only one?

 

[Count Dacula]

I had an issue with the plate amp on my KEF sub making a huge racket of buzzing and vibrations.

I was converting it to passive, stripped the plate a little and in the process of reinstalling it on the sub which was playing (with a new outboard amp). Every component, connector and board were buzzing and allowing air to pass. I always thought it sounded slappy, but usually kept it tucked away with floor padding. When it was in my face on a playing sub, wow it was crazy.

Are you listening to your plate amp???

I carefully worded the title. This thread is about how crappy loose parts on plate amps can ruin a powered sub, and even a whole system. Hair-splitting system tweaks and file format wars are moot points if your sub is not happy. My old KEF B30 pwr sub amp blew up, so I'm converting it to...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Billy Budapest]

Those BASH amps that were ubiquitous for 20 years had good reputations. Class G or Class H, if so recall correctly. Not sure if they are still produced, but if someone has one they could send Amir’s way, I am sure it would yield interesting results.

 

[Billy Budapest]

We can leave SVS out of this...

Stand by for Bash

Right!

 

[amirm]

Those BASH amps that were ubiquitous for 20 years had good reputations. Class G or Class H, if so recall correctly. Not sure if they are still produced, but if someone has one they could send Amir’s way, I am sure it would yield interesting results.

A BASH amp was sent as well! At this rate, I will be testing plate amps 'till I die.....

 

[amirm]

I think that a second sample should be tested, this one seems toast to me.

See the review of the 100 watt unit with the same problem: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...on-audio-spa100-d-subwoofer-amp-review.72440/

 

[Sokel]

See the review of the 100 watt unit with the same problem: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...on-audio-spa100-d-subwoofer-amp-review.72440/

Coming back from there, yes.

Nothing broken as it seems (other than the design) .

 

[Colonel7]

That’s a bummer considering I have 2 of these and 2 10 inch sub drivers sitting in storage. On closer look, I’m probably ok because I modeled the 4 ohm drivers to use the bass boost in a small sealed box. It’ll be interesting to check the ground plane and then in-room. Have an extra minidsp HD laying around too

 

[craigenputtock]

Can someone make suggestions for better-performing (tested) plate amps?

 

[somebodyelse]

Can someone make suggestions for better-performing (tested) plate amps?

Hypex FusionAmp - not explicitly measured here, but they use the same nCore amp modules with PSU that have been measured when put in cases by Buckeye and others. The assumption is that the Hypex DSP boards are up to the same standard as their amps and preamp kit. Unlike many plate amps they have ventilation slots, and a fan in the high power ones, so you can't use them to seal the back of the speaker.

They're used in the Ascilab C8C and there were no signs of bad behaviour in the review.

 

[Billy Budapest]

Isn't this the very plate amp Wilson Audio uses in its priced like a new Toyota Corolla Loki subwoofer?

As always great review, Amir. I'm dreading the day you review an SVS plate amp now.

No, it’s not the same amp. The Wilson Loke uses a different Dayton Audio subwoofer amp with XLR connections.

I think the Loke is actually Wilson’s lowest-priced product at a hair under $9000. Yes, pretty ridiculous for your entry-level sub, but most probably due to their marketing strategy, Wilson is the highest selling ultra-expensive loudspeaker brand.

Anyway, here is the Loke amp back panel. Clearly a different product:

 

[Billy Budapest]

Can someone make suggestions for better-performing (tested) plate amps?

Those BASH amps I mentioned earlier that Amir was sent might have better performance. We shall see!

 

[Grenadine]

Can someone make suggestions for better-performing (tested) plate amps?

I'm the owner of all of these plate amps. If Amir sends my amps back soon, I'll send him the speakerpower htb-700 for testing if he agrees. although its not a plate amp, its the identical amp they use in the plate version. the output from the speakerpower amp with my 15" dayton was night and day difference compared to all these amps that were tested. it also has triple the power. haven't tested though just going off my personal experience. the speaker power feels effortless.

PLATE AMPLIFIERS

HT

www.speakerpower.com

 

[Count Dacula]

If I was starting from scratch, I'd buy a passive PA sub cabinet and maybe a PA sub amp too. It seems prudent to scrap the whole plate thing, and homebrew the amp outboard with active crossover/DSP. I was using TPA 3255 and it drove my single sub quite well. It may be a matter of economics, if you have room.... just make more cheaper subs. (ducks for cover)

 

[mhardy6647]

What is it about plate amps and longevity (serious question)? Budget AVRs seem to keep on chugging but subs never last very long.

Looking to replace the plate amp on JBL 550p for a budget garage build (box and speaker are great for the price) so this one looks like a no-go.

Yup. Heat and vibration. This is the active loudspeaker corollary, I think, of range anxiety for EVs
It's just a really dumb idea to (more or less!) seal an amplifier inside a loudspeaker box.

In all seriousness, I think the built-in obsolescence of an all in one active loudspeaker is a significant disincentive for consumer acceptance of such products. The all in one active subwoofer gets a pass, so to speak*, perhaps because it's an appendix already, so why add two appendices (i.e., the subwoofer box plus an electronics box) if one can get away with only adding one appendix?

_________________
* no crossover pun intended.

 

[mhardy6647]

Bathroom subwoofer...? Only one?

It's for number one.