JL ELectronics Sylph-D200 Amplifier Module Review

[SylphAudio]

We added a mono PBTL module version of this amp "Sylph-D400M". https://www.jlelectronicsph.com/pro...5-mono-single-supply-48v-rtr-amplifier-module

Somebody, sell this amp as a finished product without a built-in power supply.

Hi, this is only available as a module for now. Thanks!

 

[preload]

JL Electronics?
Are the lawyers at JL Audio taking a smoke break right now?

 

[SylphAudio]

JL Electronics?
Are the lawyers at JL Audio taking a smoke break right now?

JLE, not JL-E. No need to be acerbic. Anyway, we are gearing towards the Sylph branding.

 

[howard416]

Two of these for mids & highs, plus two TPA3255EVM boards (if you got them on sale) would be a very cheap way to get a medium-powered 4-way stereo amp system that is essentially more-than-good-enough from an audible standpoint.

 

[SylphAudio]

Based on Amir's measurements, this is will be a bullet proof module for bass-mid frequencies. You just need to find a low wattage amp with a very low THD+N in the high frequencies for biAmp.

Sylph-D200 for bass-mid up to 3kHz. (or 1.2 kHz)
Then another amp for 3kHz to 20kHz. A 20W amp will suffice based on this article.

 

[howard416]

I don't see any issues with the Sylph-D200 for highs, even. The harmonic distortion products in the upper registers fall outside our hearing range, and even the IMD from higher up is most likely to be masked by the speaker's distortion products.

 

[SylphAudio]

I don't see any issues with the Sylph-D200 for highs, even. The harmonic distortion products in the upper registers fall outside our hearing range, and even the IMD from higher up is most likely to be masked by the speaker's distortion products.

Agree, but for the lows, I suggest getting a module with replaceable opamp socket so that the tonality will be consistent.
Sylph-D200 (PFFB enabled) can be used for highs in 500Hz and up, then another module for the lows 20Hz to 500Hz.

 

[pseudoid]

Even it's just a rumor...Where is the rumor come from?

LOL! It probably arrives from the same source where all other rumors are incubated!

 

[pseudoid]

...I've been thinking of redoing the entire 'Rating' system based on S/N at 5 W (or at max power), you think people will have interest in that?

I think ASR has reached the amount of caveats which can be concisely added to that great graph in the "Review Index" tab.
IMHO >> leave it be, as apples (or oranges) to apples (or oranges) >> ??@RatedPower

 

[douede]

...I've been thinking of redoing the entire 'Rating' system based on S/N at 5 W (or at max power), you think people will have interest in that?

IMHO 5W would be usefull, as "average" listening power.

 

[SylphAudio]

Tried the Burson V6 Vivid opamp.
Input coupling cap used is Nichicon Muse BP.

Initial impression is that the sound is very lively, specially the voice and percussions. No harshness in the highs, sibilance = very good, and sounds natural.

 

[douede]

Hi JLesterP.
Nichicon Muse BP : After many tries, i always found them sounding "glassy", too "liquid", kinda sterile/cold.
If they are the best choice as input coupling caps in your amp, i'll have to change my opinion about them...(but i don't have - yet- your amp to test that...)

 

[SylphAudio]

Hi JLesterP.
Nichicon Muse BP : After many tries, i always found them sounding "glassy", too "liquid", kinda sterile/cold.
If they are the best choice as input coupling caps in your amp, i'll have to change my opinion about them...(but i don't have - yet- your amp to test that...)

Nichicon muse UES BP sounds rough, but I think it is good enough and has a pleasing distortion. I will try Nichicon Fine Gold next.

 

[ethangab]

Nichicon muse UES BP sounds rough, but I think it is good enough and has a pleasing distortion. I will try Nichicon Fine Gold next.

how about the silmics II?

 

[SylphAudio]

how about the silmics II?

I was using 10uF 25V 7mm diameter Silmic II as the default input coupling caps for Sylph-D200. It's good but I'm not comfortable with overall sound balance, so I tried different input coupling caps.

Then, I tried to use 10uF Silmic II 35V with 5mm diameter that I used with my TICore260BTL modules (RFS-35V100ME3#5). Sound signature is almost the same as Silmic II 25V 7mm dia, but the 35V smaller diameter one has an overall clearer, open sound, and the highs are also more balanced. It also sounds better than the UES BP so we have replaced all our Sylph modules with that cap (our shipments since November 2021 uses the latest input coupling caps).

Sylph-D200 only has 4 input coupling caps on the signal path. So if you replace other TPA3255 modules that have a single supply on their frontend buffers (which use 8 input coupling caps), the sound will become muffled since the sound signature of Silmic II will stack up.

I used UES at the buffer frontend and Silmic II caps on TPA3255 input side with my TICore260BTL before to avoid the muffled/muddy sound.
Then I just converted the opamp rail to split supply to delete the input coupling caps on the opamp side. Then renamed it to Sylph-D

 

[SylphAudio]

Here's my listening impressions after using the Burson Vivid V6 for quite some time.

Strengths
- voice, percussion, and strings
- realistic instrument presentation
- soundstage and echo can be easily heard
- good for jazz, or coffee shop genre

Weakness
- forward sounding, slightly aggressive presentation.
- looks like a sound effect has been applied?.

Also the pins are thick, so the sockets went loose after I placed it on my module.

I'd still be trying other opamps to search for a smooth flowing, balanced sound, OPA1656 is close, but I think I can find a better match for a TPA3255 system.

 

[BDWoody]

Here's my listening impressions after using the Burson Vivid V6 for quite some time.

Strengths
- voice, percussion, and strings
- realistic instrument presentation
- soundstage and echo can be easily heard
- good for jazz, or coffee shop genre

Weakness
- forward sounding, slightly aggressive presentation.
- looks like a sound effect has been applied?.

I'd still be trying other opamps to search for a smooth flowing, balanced sound, OPA1656 is close, but I think I can find a better match for TPA3255 system.

Do you use controls when making these observations?

 

[SylphAudio]

I have identical Sylph-D200 modules here with different opamps placed. So any minor variance in sound can be easily heard.

 

[BDWoody]

I have identical Sylph-D200 modules here with different opamps placed. So any minor variance in sound can be easily heard.

So, no controls. Any measurements that would show where these sound differences are coming from?

 

[maty]

Here's my listening impressions after using the Burson Vivid V6 for quite some time.

Strengths
- voice, percussion, and strings
- realistic instrument presentation
- soundstage and echo can be easily heard
- good for jazz, or coffee shop genre

Maybe, the harmonics? dominant and decreasing even harmonics... Maybe with H2 something high.