Which TPA3255 amp do you recommend?

[nerone]

@daniboun, a diyaudio member compared nc400 to drMordor claiming that the latter sounded better.
Now I have read for you that nc252 is superior to drMordor, the more I read the more confused I am.
I don't need that much power, but I would like to figure out which one sounds better even if you invest more money.

 

[somebodyelse]

These claims of which is 'better' are based on uncontrolled listening, so take them with a pinch of salt. The nCores' frequency response is also pretty much load invariant while the HF response of the TPA3255 amps depends on the load (less with PFFB than without) so there may be different audible differences with different speakers.

 

[AudioGod66]

These claims of which is 'better' are based on uncontrolled listening, so take them with a pinch of salt. The nCores' frequency response is also pretty much load invariant while the HF response of the TPA3255 amps depends on the load (less with PFFB than without) so there may be different audible differences with different speakers.

This seems to be the main problem with these modules as opposed to Hypex etc. I have multiple speakers and much prefer an amp that doesn't vary its response into different loads. Many loudspeakers present complex loads to an amplifier and a "lottery" on how it pleasingly or unpleasingly changes the sound of a loudspeaker is not really what I am after

 

[chips666]

@daniboun, a diyaudio member compared nc400 to drMordor claiming that the latter sounded better.
Now I have read for you that nc252 is superior to drMordor, the more I read the more confused I am.
I don't need that much power, but I would like to figure out which one sounds better even if you invest more money.

Hi,
I owned NC502MP, NC400, Ice 1200AS2, TPA3255EVM op-amps bypassed and now i use drMordor TPA3255 blackboard with MC33272 op-amp
Differences are very small and probably impossible to pinpoint in a proper blind test
Its a matter of taste, room acoustics and loudspeakers choice
My final favorite (for the moment) was easy
I went for the cheapest
Will i get other amps in the future ? Yes for sure i am an audiophile...
Enjoy...

 

[Vict0r]

Hi,
I owned NC502MP, NC400, Ice 1200AS2, TPA3255EVM op-amps bypassed and now i use drMordor TPA3255 blackboard with MC33272 op-amp
Differences are very small and probably impossible to pinpoint in a proper blind test
Its a matter of taste, room acoustics and loudspeakers choice
My final favorite (for the moment) was easy
I went for the cheapest
Will i get other amps in the future ? Yes for sure i am an audiophile...
Enjoy...

Sorry for what is perhaps a dumb question, but where can I actually purchase drMordor products? I've Googled but all I get is forum posts about the product. Or aren't they for sale in Europe?

 

[nerone]

Hi,
I owned NC502MP, NC400, Ice 1200AS2, TPA3255EVM op-amps bypassed and now i use drMordor TPA3255 blackboard with MC33272 op-amp
Differences are very small and probably impossible to pinpoint in a proper blind test
Its a matter of taste, room acoustics and loudspeakers choice
My final favorite (for the moment) was easy
I went for the cheapest
Will i get other amps in the future ? Yes for sure i am an audiophile...
Enjoy...

Thank you, you have been very kind.
Best regards

 

[nerone]

Sorry for what is perhaps a dumb question, but where can I actually purchase drMordor products? I've Googled but all I get is forum posts about the product. Or aren't they for sale in Europe?

https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/gro...e-amp-based-tpa325x-pffb-llc-psu-board-8.html

 

[daniboun]

@daniboun, a diyaudio member compared nc400 to drMordor claiming that the latter sounded better.
Now I have read for you that nc252 is superior to drMordor, the more I read the more confused I am.
I don't need that much power, but I would like to figure out which one sounds better even if you invest more money.

If the comparison must be qualified from a purely theoretical point of view, the Hypex Ncore is better.
Now the DrMordor is great too, less expansive, but I do prefer the Jlester if I had to go for a TPA3255 amp.

With my 93DB high end floor speakers + Ribbon tweeter, the NC252MP really performs better for me... but Jlester / DrMordor are good alternative anyway.

What is your budget in the end, and what are your speakers?

 

[nerone]

For more than 5 years I have been listening to several pairs of vintage speakers and electronics from the German brand.
For example, I also discarded Tannoy Barkelay with other amps because they have terrible bass and lead to listening fatigue.
Here is a video (the video is not mine, I found it online) of a complete system similar to mine.

As soon as I have the drMordor tpa3255 I will try it on other high end speakers as you say from some friends and let you know which speakers it works best on

 

[Ralferator]

Hi,
I owned NC502MP, NC400, Ice 1200AS2, TPA3255EVM op-amps bypassed and now i use drMordor TPA3255 blackboard with MC33272 op-amp
Differences are very small and probably impossible to pinpoint in a proper blind test
Its a matter of taste, room acoustics and loudspeakers choice
My final favorite (for the moment) was easy
I went for the cheapest
Will i get other amps in the future ? Yes for sure i am an audiophile...
Enjoy...

I think i will do the same. In my experience changing the place where the speakers stand or moving the listening position by 10cm can have a much bigger influence on the sound.

 

[vball_max]

Hi all,

I am looking for a tpa3255 amp with bluetooth to use in a basement/garage set up. I have been using a SMSL SA-50 for a couple years down there and it was pretty decent. I just picked up an Aiyima A04 and A07 to test out and will be replacing the op-amps with OPA1656's when I get them. So far they sound pretty good, but havent had a chance to really test them out yet.

I would like to get a similar amp to the A07/A04 that has bluetooth capabilities. I need something completely assembled off the shelf since I dont even own a soldering iron and I really dont know much about capacitors or inductors. I can replace the op-amps though, seems simple enough. Based on a lot of reading in this thread and many others, the three I am considering are as follows:

3e audio - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001849585611.html
Seems to be the front runner based on what I've read about the quality of the components.

BRZhifi - https://www.aliexpress.com/i/4000970577819.html
Seems like an ok unit, but I read something about the power supply not being grounded properly and could be a fire hazard?

Aiyima A08 - https://www.aiyima.com/products/amplifier-aiyima-a08-tpa3255?variant=33044336541771
This is pretty new and there isnt too much info about it yet. I saw daniboun mentioned its another tpa3255 unit with bad caps, but how does it compare to the other units? Does it have the same issue of grounding the power supply that the BRZhifi has?

Any info would be helpful in comparing these. Thank you in advance!

 

[daniboun]

Hi all,

I am looking for a tpa3255 amp with bluetooth to use in a basement/garage set up. I have been using a SMSL SA-50 for a couple years down there and it was pretty decent. I just picked up an Aiyima A04 and A07 to test out and will be replacing the op-amps with OPA1656's when I get them. So far they sound pretty good, but havent had a chance to really test them out yet.

I would like to get a similar amp to the A07/A04 that has bluetooth capabilities. I need something completely assembled off the shelf since I dont even own a soldering iron and I really dont know much about capacitors or inductors. I can replace the op-amps though, seems simple enough. Based on a lot of reading in this thread and many others, the three I am considering are as follows:

3e audio - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001849585611.html
Seems to be the front runner based on what I've read about the quality of the components.

BRZhifi - https://www.aliexpress.com/i/4000970577819.html
Seems like an ok unit, but I read something about the power supply not being grounded properly and could be a fire hazard?

Aiyima A08 - https://www.aiyima.com/products/amplifier-aiyima-a08-tpa3255?variant=33044336541771
This is pretty new and there isnt too much info about it yet. I saw daniboun mentioned its another tpa3255 unit with bad caps, but how does it compare to the other units? Does it have the same issue of grounding the power supply that the BRZhifi has?

Any info would be helpful in comparing these. Thank you in advance!

Send me a private message, I have the Black PCB A04 (Tilear 2.1) to sell with nice mods, updated inductors, updates OP amps + Audio Grade SMPS LLC PSU, this version sounds awesome and is no more produced )

 

[vball_max]

Send me a private message, I have the Black PCB A04 (Tilear 2.1) to sell with nice mods, updated inductors, updates OP amps + Audio Grade SMPS LLC PSU, this version sounds awesome and is no more produced )

I'm really looking for something with Bluetooth. I'm also in the US and I think I saw you say something in one of your threads on diyaudio that you don't ship to the US.
But thank you for the offer. It's very generous of you to offer that to me. And thank you for sharing all your knowledge on here forums about these amps. Your posts have been very helpful for a noob like me!

 

[daniboun]

My pleasure what a pity ) If you have a average budget go for the Shui Yuan with the mods I made ) You won't be disappointed !

 

[vball_max]

My pleasure what a pity ) If you have a average budget go for the Shui Yuan with the mods I made ) You won't be disappointed !

That looks like a great amp! But like I said, I need a completed unit off the shelf. Do you have any thoughts of the 3 that I mentioned in my first post? If you had to pick one, which would you choose?

 

[Guddu]

Hi all,
I just picked up an Aiyima A04 and A07 to test out and will be replacing the op-amps with OPA1656's when I get them.

Won't you need to solder OPA1656 to 8 pin dip to use with A07 or have you you found it already soldered?

 

[vball_max]

Won't you need to solder OPA1656 to 8 pin dip to use with A07 or have you you found it already soldered?

I found them here already soldered: https://www.ebay.com/itm/333850298075

 

[Ralferator]

Hi all,

I am looking for a tpa3255 amp with bluetooth to use in a basement/garage set up. I have been using a SMSL SA-50 for a couple years down there and it was pretty decent. I just picked up an Aiyima A04 and A07 to test out and will be replacing the op-amps with OPA1656's when I get them. So far they sound pretty good, but havent had a chance to really test them out yet.

I would like to get a similar amp to the A07/A04 that has bluetooth capabilities. I need something completely assembled off the shelf since I dont even own a soldering iron and I really dont know much about capacitors or inductors. I can replace the op-amps though, seems simple enough. Based on a lot of reading in this thread and many others, the three I am considering are as follows:

3e audio - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001849585611.html
Seems to be the front runner based on what I've read about the quality of the components.

BRZhifi - https://www.aliexpress.com/i/4000970577819.html
Seems like an ok unit, but I read something about the power supply not being grounded properly and could be a fire hazard?

Aiyima A08 - https://www.aiyima.com/products/amplifier-aiyima-a08-tpa3255?variant=33044336541771
This is pretty new and there isnt too much info about it yet. I saw daniboun mentioned its another tpa3255 unit with bad caps, but how does it compare to the other units? Does it have the same issue of grounding the power supply that the BRZhifi has?

Any info would be helpful in comparing these. Thank you in advance!

Since i had the SMSL SA-50 myself for a while - how would you compare the Aiyima A04 and A07 to it soundwise and powerwise?
For a good sounding and reliable bluetooth-amp i got this one recommended:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/400...earchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

 

[Guddu]

Since i had the SMSL SA-50 myself for a while - how would you compare the Aiyima A04 and A07 to it soundwise and powerwise?
For a good sounding and reliable bluetooth-amp i got this one recommended:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/400...earchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

It looks like a bluetooth preamp + A07, however A07 has 2 nichicon capacitors and this one has one (if it is original nichicon... lol).
It surely will save you buying additional bluetooth adaptor and gives you tone control which could be handy but I would have just got A07 or A04 along with a separate better bluetooth adaptor keeping amplifier isolated from additional preamp processing.
***** I am not saying that this one is bad though.

 

[daniboun]

That looks like a great amp! But like I said, I need a completed unit off the shelf. Do you have any thoughts of the 3 that I mentioned in my first post? If you had to pick one, which would you choose?

The 3E Audio finished amp is just OK.... Measurements show this :



My Shui Yuan sounds better no way !