Loxjie A30 Amplifier Review

[pnobrega]

Does anyone know if the TOSLINK receiver can handle 24/192?

 

[PeterMac]

It should. but I will test optical soon with Chromecast Audio.

 

[pnobrega]

It should. but I will test optical soon with Chromecast Audio.

thanks.. I'm trying to figure out some issues I have with 192/24 flacs using optical...

 

[Laserjock]

thanks.. I'm trying to figure out some issues I have with 192/24 flacs using optical...

Where’s the optical coming from?

 

[pnobrega]

Where’s the optical coming from?

from a just boom digit hat, in a pi 3b+... as far as I know both should have no problem with 192/24.. But when I use roon I get this warning and just skips the songs

 

[radix]

I am pretty sure that the error message "An audio file is loading slowly. This may indicate a performance or hardware problem" is an error with the source into Roon, not the output from Roon. I would look at your hard disk or internet connection, or wherever the file comes from.

If you google "An audio file is loading slowly. This may indicate a performance or hardware problem." you will find a lot of cases in the roon community. AFAIK, these have been solved by cleaning up the library, disabling the iTunes monitoring, fixing a failing disk, or similar things.

AES/toslink/spdif are all unidirectional. Once it leaves the Raspberry Pi, there is no feedback, so Roon would no be able to display any message about it. You would only hear that it sounds very very bad if there was a format issue (unsupported data rate or encoding over the PCM).

So, the error must be at the input to roon or the connection between roon core and the roon bridge (the raspberry pi).

Marc

 

[PeterMac]

+ Although not advertised as part of the features, the USB input is capable of DSD decoding. (not sure max DSD )

i do not think so it can capable of DSD decoding. I tried with Foobar2000 and SACD plugin and not work via USB in DSD decoding mode. Only work "DSD over PCM" mode at only 44.1kHz, nothing higher like 88.2kHz... etc.

 

[pnobrega]

Another noob question: for this amp, I'm better with 6ohms speakers or 8ohms?

 

[Zek]

For speakers, their sensitivity in dB is more important than impedance.

 

[pnobrega]

Sensibilidad 88 dB, impedancia 8 ohmios, potencia 100 W.. Good?

 

[PeterMac]

in 4ohms = 40W, in 8ohms - 18W, but like Zek said. I had KEF Q100 with 8ohms and 85dB and they sound great. I even not play more that 40 which is really loud. Scale is 0-60.

 

[linuxfan]

i do not think so it can capable of DSD decoding.

Google tells me the LOXJIE A30 uses a Realtek ALC4050 USB interface chip, which apparently reports itself to the host operating system as a generic "USB Audio Class 2 Device" and will then work with the standard USB Audio2 driver in Windows 8 and 10. This USB chip is quite advanced; it supports high data rates and DSD, but I suspect it's probably limited by the standard Windows 8/10 driver. The solution would probably be to install a better vendor-supplied driver ... but presently Realtek does not provide one.
But even if you had a better USB driver for the A30, you still could not play true DSD - because the DAC chip in the A30 (ESS ES9023) does not support DSD.

If you really want to play DSD sources into an A30, use a DSD-capable outboard DAC.

 

[PeterMac]

someone on reddit said that Loxjie A30 supprot 88.2kHz, 176kHz via optical/coaxial not via USB. So this will be solved a problem, maybe it will be not native DSD but convert to PCM but in nice high sampling rates. I will try soon.

"I own A30, a little PSA about it: - Coaxial input is shared with right AUX input - you can't use both.- Built in DAC doesn't support x2, x4 etc of 44.1 kHz through USB - so you can't play 88.2 kHz etc. bitperfect. What's strange it does by Toslink (and Coaxial). That said it sounds awesome and build quality is great. Especially for the money"

 

[linuxfan]

someone on reddit said that Loxjie A30 supprot 88.2kHz, 176kHz via optical/coaxial not via USB.

Yes, that's quite feasible. The s/pdif interface is different from the Realtek USB interface.

 

[spotifyguru]

Hi Everybody,

My Receiver just died and I was thinking of switching to the A30, will it be able to power my 2 speakers?

Specs:

https://imgur.com/a/QzFLg1a

I watch movies so I would like it cinema loud but obviously not hearing damage loud. Sitting about 10ft away from the speaker.

Thanks.

 

[milan616]

Hi Everybody,

My Receiver just died and I was thinking of switching to the A30, will it be able to power my 2 speakers?

Specs:

https://imgur.com/a/QzFLg1a

I watch movies so I would like it cinema loud but obviously not hearing damage loud. Sitting about 10ft away from the speaker.

Thanks.

With only 18W on tap for 8 ohm I don't think this is the amp for you. The calculator says for 85 dB (cinema reference level) at 10 feet with 8 dB of headroom you're at exactly 18W. And that's if the specs are accurate, many loudspeaker makers overstate their sensitivity 1-2 dB. If you go a little quieter or sit a little closer you can eek out a bit more, but for 8 ohm speakers you'll probably want something with a bit more power.

 

[Toku]

Hi Everybody,

My Receiver just died and I was thinking of switching to the A30, will it be able to power my 2 speakers?

Specs:

https://imgur.com/a/QzFLg1a

I watch movies so I would like it cinema loud but obviously not hearing damage loud. Sitting about 10ft away from the speaker.

Thanks.

The Loxjie A30's MA12070 amplifier chip can output 35W/26V (8Ω, 1kHz, THD+N=1%) power with a BTL connection.
The power adapter that comes with the A30 has a 24V output, so the power will drop a little, but your speaker's efficiency is as high as 90dB, so you should be able to drive it reliably.
However, it is impossible to play at a loud volume that vibrates the room.

 

[biglebowski]

OK, ran some more test and analog input actually is fine. For consistency I set all integrated amps to gain of 29 dB. Here, doing so resulted in much higher noise level. If I turn the volume down and increase input to 1.9 volt, I get the same result as digital:

So the preamp is noisy.

Maybe you should edit the main post to clarify the chip is not a MA12070P but a MA12070 ?
That would also make it clearer that there is actually no ADC after the analog input.

 

[Kristosf]

i do not think so it can capable of DSD decoding. I tried with Foobar2000 and SACD plugin and not work via USB in DSD decoding mode. Only work "DSD over PCM" mode at only 44.1kHz, nothing higher like 88.2kHz... etc.

Right, I was trying with DSD64 and it didn't work, had to change to PCM conversion

 

[funkyblue]

Very happy with the Loxjie A30. Have been using a USB UCA202 and Lepai LP-2020A with boombox speakers for many years. (Which replaced an old Phillips stereo with USB input.)

Wish I'd upgraded sooner. Loxjie A30 paired with a cheap secondhand pair of Q Acoustic 3010 speakers, is so much better! Foobar2000 and my large FLAC collection are happy.

Thanks to the many for the helpful suggestions, review and advice. Such a friendly site for newbies.