Is this change to my equipment worth it?

[marchetti87]

Hello, I’m from Brazil and need some help. Sorry if I'm posting in the wrong section.

I currently have an Aiyima A07 Pro powered by a 48V 7.3A Mean Well power supply, connected to a Fosi Q6 DAC (which is linked to my PC). I don't use any EQ software in Windows - just the generic driver - and I really love the sound.

My speakers are 40+ year-old models from a once-famous Brazilian brand called Gradiente; they are very well-built, featuring silk-dome tweeters and mid-range drivers, along with 10-inch woofers. They are quite rare around here and belonged to one of Gradiente's premium lines. They are rated at 70W RMS and 4 ohms and sound wonderful - plus, their crossovers are massive.

Now, I’m thinking about swapping my Aiyima for a Fosi V3 paired with a Fosi P4 preamp. I want a setup with a cohesive design and the convenience of the P4's remote control.

Here in Brazil, things are very expensive due to the "love" taxes, and I have to do a lot of research before deciding to invest in such equipment. So, I'd like to know, in your opinion, is such an investment worthwhile? Will I see an improvement in sound quality, especially considering I’ll be adding a preamp to the signal path? What do you think?

Thanks a lot.

 

[Redacted]

Are you saying the reason for change is that you want a different look and a remote control? (but you are happy with the audio quality?)

 

[marchetti87]

Yes, that would be the reason initially, but I’d also like to know if I’ll see any improvement in sound quality compared to the Aiyima A07 Pro, even if it means using more cables and a separate preamp.

 

[Plcamp]

The suggested new components do have mildly better specs.

But I doubt it will be a noticeable improvement in sound quality, because your existing amp is already reasonable performance and adequate power output.

 

[staticV3]

Will I see an improvement in sound quality, especially considering I’ll be adding a preamp to the signal path?

Properly level-matched and without knowing which stack is currently playing: No you won't hear a difference in sound quality.

The upgrade would be for aesthetics and convenience only.

 

[Flaesh]

I want a setup with a cohesive design and .. remote control

I can't imagine how important the design of these little black boxes is to you. I have five (3 stereo and 2 mono) V3s in one stereo system now, and I rarely see them. I have a Flex8 remote (we can call it a preamp and an 8-channel DAC), but I don't use it. I don't hope this helps.

If you want to invest ~$100 in sound, you can buy a measurement microphone. IMO\IME.

 

[Ruediger]

I don't think there will be anything to hear.

Maybe if you chose an amp with PFFB, which would be an actual upgrade.

But even then it's questionable if the speakers would present a noticeable difference.

 

[AudioSceptic]

I can't imagine how important the design of these little black boxes is to you. I have five (3 stereo and 2 mono) V3s in one stereo system now, and I rarely see them. I have a Flex8 remote (we'll call it a preamp and an 8-channel DAC), but I don't use it. I don't hope this helps.

If you want to invest ~$100 in sound, you can buy a measurement microphone. IMO\IME.

Yes, and use it with REW.

 

[Flaesh]

I agree, it's the default option. REW has become the de facto standard; there's tons of information available, and .mdat format is the most convenient for communication over the world. Once upon a time, a friend exported impulse in .wav from not free fuzzmeasure to discuss with me))..

 

[Redacted]

Another way of looking at this is - what kit, within your budget, is available in Brazil?

 

[Cote Dazur]

Will I see an improvement in sound quality, especially considering I’ll be adding a preamp to the signal path?

Short answer: No.
Save your money.
But it does not mean you cannot improve your sound quality. Take the time to read the many very interesting thread, particularly in the room acoustic section, my guess is, you will soon have an improved experience and it may not cost you anything.

 

[kemmler3D]

Agree that you should try EQ before anything else. The different amp won't do anything to improve the sound really.

 

[Roland68]

Hello, I’m from Brazil and need some help. Sorry if I'm posting in the wrong section.

I currently have an Aiyima A07 Pro powered by a 48V 7.3A Mean Well power supply, connected to a Fosi Q6 DAC (which is linked to my PC). I don't use any EQ software in Windows - just the generic driver - and I really love the sound.

My speakers are 40+ year-old models from a once-famous Brazilian brand called Gradiente; they are very well-built, featuring silk-dome tweeters and mid-range drivers, along with 10-inch woofers. They are quite rare around here and belonged to one of Gradiente's premium lines. They are rated at 70W RMS and 4 ohms and sound wonderful - plus, their crossovers are massive.

Now, I’m thinking about swapping my Aiyima for a Fosi V3 paired with a Fosi P4 preamp. I want a setup with a cohesive design and the convenience of the P4's remote control.

Here in Brazil, things are very expensive due to the "love" taxes, and I have to do a lot of research before deciding to invest in such equipment. So, I'd like to know, in your opinion, is such an investment worthwhile? Will I see an improvement in sound quality, especially considering I’ll be adding a preamp to the signal path? What do you think?

Thanks a lot.

Using a preamplifier ahead of a well-designed TPA3251/55 amplifier is pointless. You can't win anything, but you can add extra noise.

An upgrade for your amplifier could be the 3E Audio A5se or A5, which offer slightly better measurements and greater detail. Whether this is audible depends on the rest of your system, the music you listen to, and your own hearing.
In that case, I would handle volume control via a balanced DAC.

 

[Talisman]

An upgrade for your amplifier could be the 3E Audio A5se or A5, which offer slightly better measurements and greater detail.

Please don't feed these illusions, at least here on ASR. Better measured performance virtually never means audible improvements with amplifiers. Sometimes, depending on the speakers used and the listener's age, even a pffb implementation doesn't represent an audible improvement.
I suggest our friend save his money if he thinks he'll get better audio quality in return, and only spend it if the remote functionality improvement is worth it to him.

 

[Flaesh]

Agree that you should try EQ before anything else.

I would say that first to find out what is actually happening in reality with sound. Both about the speakers themselves and about their interaction with the room and the room itself.

I really love the sound.

OK. But that doesn't mean it's impossible to improve the result.

 

[Roland68]

Please don't feed these illusions, at least here on ASR. Better measured performance virtually never means audible improvements with amplifiers. Sometimes, depending on the speakers used and the listener's age, even a pffb implementation doesn't represent an audible improvement.
I suggest our friend save his money if he thinks he'll get better audio quality in return, and only spend it if the remote functionality improvement is worth it to him.

Please don't take my statement out of context; quote the whole thing. You didn't leave out the part about "Whether this is audible depends on the rest of your system, the music you listen to, and your own hearing" by accident, surely.

Unlike many other claims made here, mine is based on personal experience from well over 100 level-matched blind tests—comparing TPA3251/55-based amplifiers against one another and against other amplifiers.
The Aiyima A07 Pro, in particular, stood out negatively to us and ranked among the lower tier of TPA3255 amplifiers.
In my experience so far, the 3E Audio A5 is one of the most transparent TPA3251/55-based amplifiers.
We conducted the blind test involving the Aiyima A07 Pro against the Topping PA5; if I recall correctly, no result was worse than 9/10 or 8/10.

 

[AudioSceptic]

Please don't feed these illusions, at least here on ASR. Better measured performance virtually never means audible improvements with amplifiers. Sometimes, depending on the speakers used and the listener's age, even a pffb implementation doesn't represent an audible improvement.
I suggest our friend save his money if he thinks he'll get better audio quality in return, and only spend it if the remote functionality improvement is worth it to him.

That's mostly true, but in extreme cases amps *can* sound different, mostly because of the way they interact with speakers in terms of damping factor, and performance changes into low impedance and reactive loads.

 

[Cote Dazur]

Please don't take my statement out of context; quote the whole thing. You didn't leave out the part about "Whether this is audible depends on the rest of your system, the music you listen to, and your own hearing" by accident, surely

Indeed you did, but you might also consider the "context" is that, the member, is very new to ASR and is most probably still believing that the electronic will affect the sound he hears, when all ASR resident realize that the changes, if any, in some rare exceptions, is minimal at best. So, as experienced ASR member, we need to point him in the direction of changes that objectively will make a difference.
I totally agree with @Talisman post, that we need to be careful, particularly when replying to new members, who, probably have not had the chance, yet, to find out about what matters and what does not matter.

 

[Roland68]

Indeed you did, but you might also consider the "context" is that, the member, is very new to ASR and is most probably still believing that the electronic will affect the sound he hears, when all ASR resident realize that the changes, if any, in some rare exceptions, is minimal at best. So, as experienced ASR member, we need to point him in the direction of changes that objectively will make a difference.
I totally agree with @Talisman post, that we need to be careful, particularly when replying to new members, who, probably have not had the chance, yet, to find out about what matters and what does not matter.

What exactly isn't clear enough about "Whether this is audible depends on the rest of your system, the music you listen to, and your own hearing"?

Take a look at my original post; you’d have to admit that @Talisman reply wouldn't have made much sense if he had quoted my entire post. That sort of thing is highly questionable to me anyway.

I don't belong to the camp that claims all reasonably functional amplifiers sound the same and there are no differences. That attitude is precisely what often gives ASR a bad reputation.

If the OP is already spending money on a new amplifier, you might as well point them toward one of the best amplifiers currently available in that price range—because, aside from raw power, the next step up to truly superior amplifiers (in terms of both performance and measurements) involves a cost that is many times higher.
Depending on the country and any current offers, the A5se and A5 cost €200 and €225–240, respectively.

 

[Flaesh]

It seems everyone has forgotten that the [possible] priorities and reasons for replacement are the design and the remote control.