SMSL A50 Pro 3-channel amp

[Bleib]

I'm not sure what "low level detail" is. A quick check online shows that the term is associated with PS Audio, which is alarming. But it may be a technical term for all I know.

It's been used by amir in at least one review as well. Found it:
Dynaco ST-70 Series 3 Tube Amplifier Review

 

[USER]

It's been used by amir in at least one review as well. Found it:
Dynaco ST-70 Series 3 Tube Amplifier Review

Interesting. Thank you. Wouldn't think someone into Einstürzende Neubauten would be that concerned with something like that.

I would still like to know what that means. The example is extreme as it is in the context of an amp that produces only 11 bits. (!!!!!) I don't think I'll ever come across that problem in my life, though, and certainly that means information is missing. I would not expect something that covers 16-bits to be any sort of issue almost by definition. (Assuming this performs like the Loxjie A30, which uses the same chip, though here doubled.)

 

[Bleib]

Interesting. Thank you. Wouldn't think someone into Einstürzende Neubauten would be that concerned with something like that.

I would still like to know what that means. The example is extreme as it is in the context of an amp that produces only 11 bits. (!!!!!) I don't think I'll ever come across that problem in my life, though, and certainly that means information is missing. I would not expect something that covers 16-bits to be any sort of issue almost by definition. (Assuming this performs like the Loxjie A30, which uses the same chip, though here doubled.)

Why wouldn't I? As a supporter I pushed for keeping the dynamic range of the latest albums.
It's not after all top 40 type of pop music..

 

[USER]

Why wouldn't I? As a supporter I pushed for keeping the dynamic range of the latest albums.
It's not after all top 40 type of pop music..

Fair enough, lol. I didn't mean it in terms of dynamic range and was only thinking in the nebulous (to me) "low level details" terms. All the classic stuff I heard (and liked) was never subtle.

 

[Bleib]

Fair enough, lol. I didn't mean it in terms of dynamic range and was only thinking in the nebulous (to me) "low level details" terms. All the classic stuff I heard (and liked) was never subtle.

Well, there is some whispering even in some of the older material (Seele Brennt (80s) and Wüste (90s)), I prefer to have it as clear as possible.
Redukt live is the most brutal experience I expect to ever hear. Not one recording has come close to replicating it.

 

[USER]

Well, there is some whispering even in some of the older material (Seele Brennt (80s) and Wüste (90s)), I prefer to have it as clear as possible.

You have every right to not want hiss and I don't think this unit is for you simply because of that. If I have to actually write that out, well, there you go. That's a completely understandable position in 2024. But I'd like to separate out what actually makes a difference and what doesn't as this is ASR. I'd just rather discuss its audibility from a more objective viewpoint rather than through generalities and concepts that are not yet clear to me.

Anyways, for anyone interested, I updated my post with another investigation into the hiss that I get.

 

[ppataki]

Redukt live is the most brutal experience I expect to ever hear. Not one recording has come close to replicating it.

Just out of curiosity, are you referring to this one?

Einstürzende Neubauten - Redukt

Listen to Redukt on TIDAL

tidal.com

 

[Bleib]

Just out of curiosity, are you referring to this one?

Einstürzende Neubauten - Redukt

Listen to Redukt on TIDAL

tidal.com

Yes, precisely. I've tried many stereos and nothing reproduces how it sounds live. The chorus is absolutely brutal, exceptionally dynamic and detailed

 

[Flaesh]

3-channel amp with a full adjustable crossover (both LPF and HPF)

Not a very useful crossover IMO

 

[stbitw]

View attachment 381745
Not a very useful crossover IMO

Adjusting the slope and/or the type of filtering would have made sense, but here it's a superfluous adjustment that adds nothing. Worse still, it makes tuning more complex, especially for non-experts, and the subwoofer phase inversion, which is essential, is missing...

 

[elshaddai]

Does anyone know if it is at all possible to use the sub out connectors with a high-level connection? Because if it is possible and I can use the high and low pass filters then there is no issue for me.

Does anyone have an answer or confirmation that using speaker-level inputs on a powered sub will work with the A50 Pro's sub outs?

 

[son_of_wasps]

Got the A50 pro. Looots of noise on low volume. sucks

Can confirm. Low-volume sounds have a digital, bit-crushed noise to them. It's unnoticeable when listening to music at a normal level, as it just sort of sounds like white noise, but pure tones (i.e. the Windows speaker test sound) have some nasty harmonics, especially towards the end.

This kind of corresponds with the amp chip datasheet, which specifies "0.007% THD+N at high output levels." From my guess, I think it might be the amp chips themselves creating this noise, as the noise is present regardless of desktop (Windows) or amp volume, just always whenever sound output is quiet. The amp is completely silent when there is no sound being played.

This kinda sucks because I'm using the setup at my desk and therefore having clean audio at low volumes is exactly what I need, and also exactly what I lack.

I'm currently using USB in as Fondling2914 was, but I'm trying to get an optical input set up as that theoretically has higher resolution (192 kHz, 24 bit, as opposed to 48 kHz, 16 bit), to see if that changes anything.

Driving 8 ohm Realistic Minimus 7 speakers. Noise would probably be even less noticeable if I ran some resistors or switched to 4 ohm speakers - higher amp power, thus less noise, for same level of volume. If anyone knows more about how to do this, I'd love to hear about it.