Desktop Stereo Amplifiers - same quality as new small headphone amps

[Robin L]

You might try the pragmatic approach and get a Behringer A800
Lots of power for the price and dirt cheap. Probably "good enough" for most applications unless you need more power.
But as you might realize, there is still no "giant killer" amp so far. @bigx5murf is on the right track too. So most of us have different favorites. My current solution is even cheaper and worse, an old 5.1 all-in-one system used as a 2.1 with the front speakers replaced. All in my signature.
My plan is to use my unused Fluid Audio F5 and an old H&K 10 inch active sub. Line out from my HAD-1 and routed thru a miniDSP 2x4 with a UMIK-1 mic.

Thing is, one can find 5.1 receivers at thrift stores @<$40.

 

[NTomokawa]

That HS8I White looks appealing.

I wanted the white ones, but alas, no stock.

The white woofer cones and glowing white Yamaha logos do stand out in sharp contrast to the black finishing, though.

 

[bigx5murf]

I think the cheap class D, especially Tripath type, amplifiers do an excellent job on the desktop driving bookshelf speakers. They have more power than you need, so even inefficient bookshelf speakers are OK.

I have a few of these, a topping tp21, smsl sa-100, single and dual tpa3116 from aliexpress. The ones that's have been measured here all performed near the bottom. Funny though, the no name tpa3116 I think was the best measuring one.

These things all over state they're power by around double. So a 100W amp, only really has 50W or less. They often come with weaker power supplies that reduce actual power even more. They do start to noticeably distort before vintage amps with similar power ratings. Probably why you can find so many people claiming they sound like tubes.

I've found these things are more useful as tools. Like for running test tones when restoring speakers. Or putting on battery power to test speakers when going to purchase/sell used speakers.

 

[jhaider]

Hey, everyone.

We've obviously hit a wave of amazing desktop headphone amplifiers that are small but measure way beyond their price. Does anyone have anything in the stereo amplifier world that I could use at work to drive some bookshelfs for my desk?

ELAC EA-101, MartinLogan Forte. What distinguishes these two from others is room correction.

Between the two I prefer ELAC because it has a volume knob and has a pretty good automated routine to optimize mains-sub integration at the listening position. It also looks more expensive.

 

[M00ndancer]

Thing is, one can find 5.1 receivers at thrift stores @<$40.

In my case it's more about what I have and the need for room correction. Decent older 5.1 are big and bulky, not that cheap in the EU. (Mad taxes)
So until I get the funds for I'll stick with the crap I got until it breaks (not long now, got a low hiss when there is nothing playing)
But as I said, we all have different needs, space constraints and funds. Finally, the WAF.

 

[Willem]

Desktop use means PC as a source, so all you need is a usb DAC with volume control and a power amp. My desktop speakers (Harbeth P3ESR) are inefficient and like a fair bit of power so I am using a compact and completely refurbished 2x100 watt Quad 405-2 that I bought for 175 euro. DAC is an ODAC with an Emotiva Control Freak volume control. Since the Quad amplifier has an oldfashioned 0.5 volt input sensitivity I have added 12dB inline attenuators before the power amplifier. The sound is great, without any hiss. The speakers are on low stands to get the tweeters at ear height. Even so, I still had a bit of bass reinforcement from the proximity of the desk, but I cured that with an REW correction curve into the Equalizer APO on the PC.

 

[Lord Bobbymort]

I have this ICEpower ICE125ASX2 that I got from Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Finished-I...5ASX2-SE-Digital-power-amplifier/132638888405

Sounds great to me. I got it because of how that ICEpower module had been measured here in other amps. Using it with JDS Labs Atom and Topping D50S with PSB Imagine XB.

That's probably what I'll do is an ICEpower thing, if I ever get to getting speakers at work. It'd run a Schiit SYS to switch from my DAC between headphones to the JDS Atom and speakers from... whatever small box stereo amp I end up with. Big ol' 4 stacker. The Baconator of desktop audio

 

[Berwhale]

That's probably what I'll do is an ICEpower thing, if I ever get to getting speakers at work. It'd run a Schiit SYS to switch from my DAC between headphones to the JDS Atom and speakers from... whatever small box stereo amp I end up with. Big ol' 4 stacker. The Baconator of desktop audio

The JDS Atom has pre-amp outputs, they are enabled when you unplug your headphones. I use them to drive a pair of JBL 104 monitors, but you could just as easily plug them into a ICEpower based power amp + speakers.

 

[Johan Liebert]

I too was thinking about this.

Maybe this is an area where powered monitors have better value to performance ratio than passives if you count an amp that will do the job.

 

[M00ndancer]

Maybe this is an area where powered monitors have better value to performance ratio than passives if you count an amp that will do the job.

True. I have a pair of Fluid Audio F5 and a 10" powered sub in boxes in the attic. Might go that route with a miniDSP and the 2.1 plugin.

 

[bravomail]

Hey, everyone.

We've obviously hit a wave of amazing desktop headphone amplifiers that are small but measure way beyond their price. Does anyone have anything in the stereo amplifier world that I could use at work to drive some bookshelfs for my desk? Same idea, best price/performance as possible, like how the JDS Atom and Grace SDAC and the like have taken over as the budget headphone kings.

Thanks!

I'm afraid there is no ready-made amp like that. U can assemble Purifi - see DIY thread in forum.
Also u can try powered speakers. The way they design the amp in those (JBL 305 and 705) is to equalise "not-so-perfect" speakers, so the end result is a recommendation from Amir.

 

[mcgo]

“Nobsound Mini 50W x 2 TPA3116 2.0 Channel HIFI Stereo”

cost: $28.00 w/ included 19V power supply!

TPA3116D2 (x2)
WIMA caps

 

[Putter]

You might try the pragmatic approach and get a Behringer A800
Lots of power for the price and dirt cheap. Probably "good enough" for most applications unless you need more power.
But as you might realize, there is still no "giant killer" amp so far. @bigx5murf is on the right track too. So most of us have different favorites. My current solution is even cheaper and worse, an old 5.1 all-in-one system used as a 2.1 with the front speakers replaced. All in my signature.
My plan is to use my unused Fluid Audio F5 and an old H&K 10 inch active sub. Line out from my HAD-1 and routed thru a miniDSP 2x4 with a UMIK-1 mic.

I have a Denon AVR-1610 which actually is used in a 7.1 system with height speakers. What people don't realize that most of the innovation in amplification and digital conversion occurred in the AV Receiver market. You get sophisticated subwoofer frequency controls for different sized speakers. You also get Audyssey MultEq for room eq which while not the most the sophisticated system is certainly an improvement over what 'audiophile' amps offer. I also find that the equalization above Schroeder frequencies to be an improvement although the degree of improvement seems to dependent on how flat the speaker measured to begin with. The measured limitations on amplification and D/A conversion that Amir has found on various AV receivers including various Denons are audible to me. Note that I listen nearfield at levels in the 80 db range (my ears won't tolerate any louder).

As noted there are issues trying to shoehorn a bulky AV amp into a desktop setup. A multi tier setup helps.

 

[bigx5murf]

“Nobsound Mini 50W x 2 TPA3116 2.0 Channel HIFI Stereo”

cost: $28.00 w/ included 19V power supply!

TPA3116D2 (x2)
WIMA caps

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This one hisses if you don't reduce the gain. Requres replacing tiny smd components to do so.

 

[M00ndancer]

I have a Denon AVR-1610 which actually is used in a 7.1 system with height speakers.

Similar here in my livingroom: 5.1 system (From my signature) "Living room: Denon AVR-1611eu | ChromeCast Ultra | Dynavoice Magic S-3 EX v3 | Magic C-4 EX v3 | Magic Sub 8 EX v3" and the MultiEQ is really usable.

 

[sgent]

ELAC EA-101, MartinLogan Forte. What distinguishes these two from others is room correction.

Between the two I prefer ELAC because it has a volume knob and has a pretty good automated routine to optimize mains-sub integration at the listening position. It also looks more expensive.

Paradigm sells the PW-Amp which also has ARC and is $249 from their website currently. Note, it also did not perform great on ASR's review.

 

[VMAT4]

Has this model gotten anyone's attention? Only about $140 US. It'd be nice if it was tested and measured well.

 

[A800]

You might try the pragmatic approach and get a Behringer A800
Lots of power for the price and dirt cheap. Probably "good enough" for most applications unless you need more power.
But as you might realize, there is still no "giant killer" amp so far.

I agree with the A800.
Incredibly good amp for the money.

 

[Lao Lu]

Has anyone heard the small TEACS ?

 

[maxxevv]

I'm afraid there is no ready-made amp like that. U can assemble Purifi - see DIY thread in forum.
Also u can try powered speakers. The way they design the amp in those (JBL 305 and 705) is to equalise "not-so-perfect" speakers, so the end result is a recommendation from Amir.

That's exactly what I did. I just plug my 306P MkII's into my DAC via XLR. (mainly because they were so cheap on offer at US$172 / PAIR)
They come with some adjustment functions via dip switches and the changes from them are quite obvious, and frankly, for my modest needs, they are more than adequate. Only issue with them is that they are slightly too big for most desktops. A 5" version such as the 305P MkII or equivalents from other brands with a separate active subwoofer might work better.