New Fiio Jade Audio Level 1 TPA3255 amplifier with DAC, PEQ, sub-out, BT 6.0 LDAC

[landco1]

Vintage vibes, Small Size and some practically useful features

This is one good looking amplifier.

View attachment 534181
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This is really this small comparison to what it is making sing at the moment:
View attachment 534197


They have done few things smartly:
- Volume Knob also function to change input (quick press)
- Fiio Control app also has input selector
- LED behind volume knob isn't just for decor, different colors indicate different inputs and BT codec in use
- Bass & Treble knobs has center detent, makes it easy to set to bypass (or zero)
- All pots have very smooth operation, feels good quality
- Fiio Control app has volume limit function
- 31-band PEQ could be setup with Fiio Control app, can be applied to stereo (both channels) only
- LED could be disabled with Fiio Control app, if it bothers

Quick look at Fiio Control App run through
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31-band PEQ Settings on Fiio Control App (stereo only, no L/R individual settings)

View attachment 534195


Stock Power Supply - look at the safely certs

View attachment 534199

This amplifier does support more powerful PSU:
View attachment 534202

Idle Power Comsumption
I have it hooked up with Mofi Sourcepoint 8 speakers with 48v/10a PSU.
Idle: 9 watts
View attachment 534203

Running to slightly louder than my usual levels, I see it jumping to 10 - 11 watts with some bass heavy tracks.
View attachment 534204

Thermals
There aren't any vents/holes in the case for ventilation, but still the bottom plate is slightly warm in use so far.

Hiss, Noise, Pop
- No hiss/noise on speakers on full power
- No pop on power on/off
- It takes a second to power UP after power toggle turned ON, most likely delayed power on/off operation

USB C input allowed me to connect it directly to nVidia Shield Pro
View attachment 534206

and... so far, so good!

-----------------------------------
I will check on SW and pre-out over the weekend.
--------
P.E.
Some more Measured Parameters:
Gain: 29dB
SW Out Max: 2 V, variable with volume control knob
Pre-Out Max: 1.52 V, variable with volume control knob
……………….

Enjoy.....

Can you please tell me what "Auto EQ" in the menu means? Can you explain it in more detail?

 

[Guddu]

Can you please tell me what "Auto EQ" in the menu means? Can you explain it in more detail?

I think it was designed for headphones primarily where you could use pre-defined auto EQ profiles for different headphones.

Auto EQ isn’t related to room correction or similar.

 

[tjaa]

300 watts is a marketing number, so there are 10% distortions. It could have been written as 180 watts and 0.7%, but how magical are numbers?)

I was referring to the 0.05% distortion spec which would mean 66 dB SINAD at best as just verified by the measurements. I believe (nearly?) all tested TPA3255 amps from other brands have reached 80+.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

I was referring to the 0.05% distortion spec which would mean 66 dB SINAD at best as just verified by the measurements. I believe (nearly?) all tested TPA3255 amps from other brands have reached 80+.

The original Aiyima A07 -- a now-ancient, bargain basement, TPA3255-based power amp -- managed an 83 as per Amir's 1/1/21 review.

 

[Guddu]

I was referring to the 0.05% distortion spec which would mean 66 dB SINAD at best as just verified by the measurements. I believe (nearly?) all tested TPA3255 amps from other brands have reached 80+.

Just to be clear, I measured pre-out but not the power amplifier.
However, Fiio’s has advertised 66dB on their portal.

 

[noisey]

Those quick measurements are for it’s DAC only, not the power amplifier.
Pre-out are most likely to be used for subwoofer which should be okay to me.

From Fiio’s website:
View attachment 534338
This also should get SINAD around 66dB.

Seems like the specs were updated.

 

[Karmacoma]

I hope Amir gets one.

 

[Palladium]

I don't understand why TPA3255 integrators keep quoting the chip's theoretical 300W+300W max output numbers when that's a complete fantasy on a 240W PSU.

 

[tjaa]

Just to be clear, I measured pre-out but not the power amplifier.
However, Fiio’s has advertised 66dB on their portal.

right, my bad perhaps the speaker outs fare much better in light of the updated specsheet, Fiio has generally been honest about their specs

 

[Audionaut]

I don't understand why TPA3255 integrators keep quoting the chip's theoretical 300W+300W max output numbers when that's a complete fantasy on a 240W PSU.

Because you can change the PSU.
Devices with a built-in power supply use the actual power ratings.
A 48V 12.5A power supply makes the setup look more realistic, though the question remains whether the circuit board, other components, and—above all—the cooling system are adequately designed to handle the 3255’s performance capabilities.

P.S.
I'm more concerned about the small heat sinks used in TPA3255 designs than I am about the power ratings. At high continuous power, you can expect about 50 W of heat dissipation per TPA3255 board. This is only feasible with
passive cooling: a large heat sink, about 0.8–1.5 K/W
Active with a fan: a smaller heat sink is possible, about 2–3 K/W

But almost none of the boards have that.

I’ve equipped the amplifier, which I power with a large power supply, with thermal paste and a massive heat sink. Not pretty, but effective.

 

[SampleSizeOne]

View attachment 534492

Heat dissipation is my main concern with all of these small power amps and I have a similar operation in mind where I would use an old CPU cooler as a passive heatsink.

I still haven't gone ahead with buying one but I'm hoping to make a decision soon.

There's still some amp reviews I'm waiting for to be released. The Fiio amp discussed here looks great but the measurements and expected heat dissipation seem to be less attractive.

 

[TurtlePaul]

Heat dissipation is my main concern with all of these small power amps and I have a similar operation in mind where I would use an old CPU cooler as a passive heatsink.

It need not be that big of a concern. Class D amps can have about 1/10 the waste power of some of the heavy bias class AB designs. It doesn't take a big heatsink to cool an output transistor which is greater than 90% efficient. There are Youtube videos of testers running these class D amps into load resistors at 2 x 100 watts and the amps can do it all day long (but get quite toasty). That is much more difficult than any real world audio signal.

You mention that you were considering attaching an old CPU cooler, so I assume you are a PC enthusiast. Do you have a modern semi-passive PSU unit for your PC? Mine does not engage the fan until the PC is pulling 200 watts. And it does this despite being only slightly larger than a desktop class D amp and about the same weight. These class D amps use similar technology to an 80+ Gold/Platinum PSU and have similar efficiency curves. There is no reason for a device than outputs up to 200 watts to need to have more than 15-20 watts of power losses (and hence need large or active cooling).

 

[TurtlePaul]

P.S.
At high continuous power, you can expect about 50 W of heat dissipation per TPA3255 board.

I call BS. 50 watts of heat dissipation at the output transistors is impossible on a TPA3255 board (unless you try to reach the marketing figures if 2 x 300 watts, which is also actually impossible).

 

[Chanur]

Fiio suggested I could use this as a headphone amp.

 

[Guddu]

Internal:

 

[MCH]

Internal:

View attachment 534903

wow it really looks like the Fosi ZA3, they must have hired the same odm.
Was there any picture of the i/o board?

 

[Guddu]

PCB Comparison - Fiio Jade Audio Level 1

 

[Jeromeof]

I see FiiO have a measurement showing the effect on the treble from an 8Ohm load (obviously without PFFB) and other speakers will interact differently - though I do think the PEQ more than makes up for this especially if you can do some in-room measurements:

 

[Transistor]

Because you can change the PSU.
Devices with a built-in power supply use the actual power ratings.
A 48V 12.5A power supply makes the setup look more realistic, though the question remains whether the circuit board, other components, and—above all—the cooling system are adequately designed to handle the 3255’s performance capabilities.

P.S.
I'm more concerned about the small heat sinks used in TPA3255 designs than I am about the power ratings. At high continuous power, you can expect about 50 W of heat dissipation per TPA3255 board. This is only feasible with
passive cooling: a large heat sink, about 0.8–1.5 K/W
Active with a fan: a smaller heat sink is possible, about 2–3 K/W

But almost none of the boards have that.

I’ve equipped the amplifier, which I power with a large power supply, with thermal paste and a massive heat sink. Not pretty, but effective.

View attachment 534490

View attachment 534491

View attachment 534492

It looks unsightly. What is the point of a bright red amplifier that is completely obscured by a massive black heatsink?

 

[Guddu]

wow it really looks like the Fosi ZA3, they must have hired the same odm.

Was there any picture of the i/o board?

will try to find.

I see FiiO have a measurement showing the effect on the treble from an 8Ohm load (obviously without PFFB) and other speakers will interact differently - though I do think the PEQ more than makes up for this especially if you can do some in-room measurements:

View attachment 535036

Where have they published it?