NEW BRZHifi PAD-30 : Dual TPA3255 +PFFB @ $99

[daniboun]

Hi amigos
Just to share I found this new dual TPA3255 + PFFB. The price seems very attractive. Makes me think the 3E Audio A7 BTW.

I wish Amir could test it.
See attached files for details

Main spec :
PFFB
Dual TPA3255 (seems to be a one chip per channel)
Trigger
Pre-out
Upgradable Op Amps

https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/1005010539143504.html

 

[terryforsythe]

Hi amigos
Just to share I found this new dual TPA3255 + PFFB. The price seems very attractive. Makes me think the 3E Audio A7 BTW.

I wish Amir could test it.
See attached filed for details

Main spec :
PFFB
Dual TPA3255 (seems to be a one chip per channel)
Trigger
Pre-out
Upgradable Op Amps

https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/1005010539143504.html

Check with Amir, but if you can get your hands on one maybe you can send it to him for testing.

 

[daniboun]

Check with Amir, but if you can get your hands on one maybe you can send it to him for testing.

I would be happy to do it but shipping from France to him will be difficult...
Any US member that could do it ?

 

[delta76]

I would be happy to do it but shipping from France to him will be difficult...
Any US member that could do it ?

probably easier to dropship directly from aliexpress to US

 

[ferossan]

Great price! It’s excellent to see that it has a 12V trigger and a subwoofer output. It would have been fantastic if it had balanced inputs, but at that price point, maybe that's asking too much (for now).

 

[ThomDJ]

We haven't seen any reviews from BRZHifi products, have we? Would be interesting to see how they stack up.

 

[howard416]

Man, in this day and age I can't see myself buying any amp without balanced inputs.

 

[daniboun]

Man, in this day and age I can't see myself buying any amp without balanced inputs.

That's one point of view, but at that price, you can't ask for the moon... Sometimes concessions are worth it...

 

[Tell]

Man, in this day and age I can't see myself buying any amp without balanced inputs.

Why is that? What does it add that you can't live without?

 

[terryforsythe]

Why is that? What does it add that you can't live without?

Generally speaking, balanced output to balanced input provides twice the input voltage. You can use a lower gain setting on the amplifier, which tends to have a lower noise floor.

Also, balanced cables tend to be less susceptable to noise. Unbalanced cables are fine in most systems, but in systems with long cables and/or a lot of cables, noise and hum can start to creep in.

Anecdotally, I have had issues with RCA cables where the shield detaches from the connector, probably from being repeatadly connected/disconnected and moved around. This results in a dead or intermittent cable. I have not had any such issues with XLR cables. XLR cables are not bullet proof, but overall I think XLR cables tend to be a little more rugged.

 

[delta76]

Why is that? What does it add that you can't live without?

Xlr is a step up over rca which helps reduce noise, but it comes at the price of cost and size. Of course if everything else equals you should consider balanced inputs over unbalanced. But at this extreme budget you will unlikely find one, and power/distortion always triumph. If this delivers 90dB sinad and 100wpc i would pick it over an amp that has xlr but only 80dB and 50wpc

 

[Maciekw]

Xlr is a step up over rca which helps reduce noise, but it comes at the price of cost and size. Of course if everything else equals you should consider balanced inputs over unbalanced. But at this extreme budget you will unlikely find one, and power/distortion always triumph. If this delivers 90dB sinad and 100wpc i would pick it over an amp that has xlr but only 80dB and 50wpc

Sorry, but I think your post does not apply to amplifiers based on TPA3255. RCA inputs are an additional cost, because this chip only accepts balanced signals natively. If you want a unbalanced input, you need to use an additional stage (two op-amps, one per channel).

 

[Tell]

Generally speaking, balanced output to balanced input provides twice the input voltage. You can use a lower gain setting on the amplifier, which tends to have a lower noise floor.

Also, balanced cables tend to be less susceptable to noise. Unbalanced cables are fine in most systems, but in systems with long cables and/or a lot of cables, noise and hum can start to creep in.

Anecdotally, I have had issues with RCA cables where the shield detaches from the connector, probably from being repeatadly connected/disconnected and moved around. This results in a dead or intermittent cable. I have not had any such issues with XLR cables. XLR cables are not bullet proof, but overall I think XLR cables tend to be a little more rugged.

Sorry, but I think your post does not apply to amplifiers based on TPA3255. RCA inputs are an additional cost, because this chip only accepts balanced signals natively. If you want a unbalanced input, you need to use an additional stage (two op-amps, one per channel).

Yeah I know about the noise, but that's mostly in theory since even the worst amplifiers that I own (all are RCA only) doesn't have any noise (unless I put my ear very close to the speaker, but why would one do that?). Sure they are a bit more sensitive to pick up noise through the cable, but anecdotally that have never happened to me so I would never go through the hassel of even getting a DAC with balanced output, MiniDSP doesn't even offer a balanced 2x4HD so that would probably be a major headache to get a replacement for that.
Tbh I think balanced output is not too far off from being snake oil since the actual benefits from it is next to none in a home environment

 

[xanalog]

@daniboun, thank for the news.

BrzHiFi has been on a tear last year, introducing at least 4 new designs.
BrzHiFi PAD-30 is hobbled with a shipping charge of $21. Yet aliexpress has figured out a way to short-circuit tarriffs and shipping to US is -somehow- free of tarriffs.
I've had my eyes on their 2025 MALAN HDAM balanced preamp ($200), but the $71.40 "shipping" charge is the deal-breaker.

I have owned four of BrzHiFi products, since 2020 and have nothing to complain or nit about.
Those were the heydays of "Chinese audio hardware" invasion and their designers were not yet so cost-concerned.
The umbrella company was [is?] called "FoShan BoRuiYanDa Tech'y Co., LTD"

This PA-10 power-amp was my desktop workhorse [w/the rare ANALOGY I/Os] but has been relegated to garage-duties in early 2025.

It's a Class A/B power amp, w/a 150W toroid [aka 'ring cow'?], using 5532(5x)/5534(2x) roll-able op-amps, and JRC-NJW1194 for volume.
I also use a BrzHiFi 100W, dual-output (5Vdc/12Vdc), LinearPowerSupply that has been modified w/a front-panel V/I meter and output EMI filters (w/50k operating hours).
The other 2 BrzHiFi hardware are their PA-6 power-amp (USB/RCA/Sub/SPDIF/BT) and one of their old RCA-to-XLR, dual-channel, transformer-based passive Volume control.

 

[terryforsythe]

Yeah I know about the noise, but that's mostly in theory since even the worst amplifiers that I own (all are RCA only) doesn't have any noise (unless I put my ear very close to the speaker, but why would one do that?). Sure they are a bit more sensitive to pick up noise through the cable, but anecdotally that have never happened to me so I would never go through the hassel of even getting a DAC with balanced output, MiniDSP doesn't even offer a balanced 2x4HD so that would probably be a major headache to get a replacement for that.
Tbh I think balanced output is not too far off from being snake oil since the actual benefits from it is next to none in a home environment

For most people, in most home systems, unbalanced is fine. I used unbalanced RCA cables for decades. As noted, the only issue I had is the shielding detaching from the connectors after years of use. Some people do have noise issues, though, especially on long cable runs. For those people, balanced cables may help their situation.

It's not anywhere close to being snake oil; it is just a slightly superior way of delivering the signal. I get my balanced cables on Amazon for a very reasonable cost; a 2-pack of Cable Matters 6 ft. cables costs $14.39.

Just go with what floats your boat. If you like unbalanced, stick with it. If someone likes balanced, fine.

 

[xanalog]

Humorous side:

Although I see improvements in their chinglish (no typos, above), what they mean and how they got there is a mystery.
At least, this BrzHiFi PAD-30 does not have a "cow-ring" inside but is ready to ignite, w/o warning!

ADD: OIC! "h1-f1" is supposed to be "Hi-Fi"

 

[daniboun]

Humorous side:
View attachment 505648
Although I see improvements in their chinglish (no typos, above), what they mean and how they got there is a mystery.
At least, this BrzHiFi PAD-30 does not have a "cow-ring" inside but is ready to ignite, w/o warning!

ADD: OIC! "h1-f1" is supposed to be "Hi-Fi"

We're ready to do anything to sell, lol. I hadn't even noticed that clumsy performative speech.)))

 

[daniboun]

@daniboun, thank for the news.

BrzHiFi has been on a tear last year, introducing at least 4 new designs.
BrzHiFi PAD-30 is hobbled with a shipping charge of $21. Yet aliexpress has figured out a way to short-circuit tarriffs and shipping to US is -somehow- free of tarriffs.
I've had my eyes on their 2025 MALAN HDAM balanced preamp ($200), but the $71.40 "shipping" charge is the deal-breaker.

I have owned four of BrzHiFi products, since 2020 and have nothing to complain or nit about.
Those were the heydays of "Chinese audio hardware" invasion and their designers were not yet so cost-concerned.
The umbrella company was [is?] called "FoShan BoRuiYanDa Tech'y Co., LTD"

This PA-10 power-amp was my desktop workhorse [w/the rare ANALOGY I/Os] but has been relegated to garage-duties in early 2025.
View attachment 505591
It's a Class A/B power amp, w/a 150W toroid [aka 'ring cow'?], using 5532(5x)/5534(2x) roll-able op-amps, and JRC-NJW1194 for volume.
I also use a BrzHiFi 100W, dual-output (5Vdc/12Vdc), LinearPowerSupply that has been modified w/a front-panel V/I meter and output EMI filters (w/50k operating hours).
The other 2 BrzHiFi hardware are their PA-6 power-amp (USB/RCA/Sub/SPDIF/BT) and one of their old RCA-to-XLR, dual-channel, transformer-based passive Volume control.

I remember that amp well; I almost bought it. It uses 4 Sanken SK18752.
It looked well-designed internally but wasn't very powerful: 2x70W/4R (check attached file)

 

[xanalog]

I remember that amp well; I almost bought it. It uses 4 Sanken SK18752.
It looked well-designed internally but wasn't very powerful: 2x70W/4R (check attached file)

BrzHiFi PA-10 has/had an Easter-Egg on its main PCB, that most owners don't even know about... and is quite the trick (see green arrows below):

Clever though they may be, I was never able to determine what (part of the audio spectrum?) excites/triggers the pulsed/strobing of these two thin and buried LED strips.

 

[daniboun]

BrzHiFi PA-10 has/had an Easter-Egg on its main PCB, that most owners don't even know about... and is quite the trick (see green arrows below):
View attachment 505833
Clever though they may be, I was never able to determine what (part of the audio spectrum?) excites/triggers the pulsed/strobing of these two thin and buried LED strips.

Strange indeed... anyway, getting back to the main topic: I'm curious to know how this Pad-30 amp performs