wondom bru5 pc dsp configurable TPA 3255 "300w x 2" mini amplifier

[TonyJZX]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004895645420.html

here is their web

WONDOM OFFICIAL SHOP - Bluetooth Amplifier Board - Sure Electronics - BCPB - 18650 charger - T-AMP - Volume Control

Sure Electronics is a professional audio amplifier supplier that provides electronics hobbyists and business partners the middleware which can help reduce customers' development difficulties and save their precious time-to-market by making the products directly released in the market.

store.sure-electronics.com

but screwed if i can find it

it looks like this company is more geared towards arcade, gambling and professional setups


here's a screen cap of their software which gives you a taste of what's configurable

 

[GGroch]

I just got one of these TPA3255 amps through the Wondom Store on AliExpress. They are currently $30 shipped to the U.S. with no power supply. The one I received says Berrybak BRU5 on the front. On a brief test it works and sounds fine and seems well made. It accepts 18-48v DC power.

I do not think the BRU5 is compatible with Miumax software, at least, my BRU5 would not connect to it. The latest update to Miumax IOS was 2020 and my current android phone was not compatible with the android version.

Instead, when I messaged the AliExpress Wondom store they sent me a link to download the ACP Workbench v.2.24.2 windows app, which does connect to the BRU5 through a USB-C cable. ACP Workbench is also the app Acrylic sells for their streaming amp. Acrylic has posted some documentation, and some Youtube videos.

I have not played with it yet as it is not consumer friendly and will require some study. I am sure the clueless like me could make adjustments that would render the amp unusable until reversed.

Still, a very interesting and cheap choice if you are looking for a basic TPA3255 that can be with some effort customized.

 

[Jeromeof]

I might buy one - for $30 if the software was competent and the hardware reliable (and a reasonable good clean implementation of a TPA3255 amp) - I think this could be an amazing audio nerdy toy to play with. I mostly would be curious as to the noise introduced when the DSP is active? As the input seems to be only RCA or bluetooth (and not USB) if the DSP active it would need to do an ADC first - then apply the DSP - then do a DAC afterwards - seems way too good to be true for $30.

 

[TonyJZX]

there's another amp i found that also uses ACP Workbench and that's the Arylic B50... it also has sub out so there's much more to set their

you can easily set speaker vs. sub cut off etc. but it comes with a price and baggage (ie. phono)

 

[GGroch]

I might buy one - for $30 if the software was competent and the hardware reliable (and a reasonable good clean implementation of a TPA3255 amp.

The $30 is a sale price from the Wondom Store, I paid more for mine. Most places on Ali-express sell it for $38-$48. The DSP is on all the time so certainly AD/DA C. I think it is currently the cheapest TPA3255 amp on Ali-Express that has an actual chassis and screw down/banana binding posts. I cannot speak to reliability but Wondom/Sure is a more legit company than many.

 

[GGroch]

I took photos of the ACPWorkbench Software and the innards of the BRU5.

The AudioEffect screen in ACPWorkbench allows you to adjust a lot of parameters, including:

-- A 9 band parametric eq (you can adjust both at the pre-amp and output end and in addition there are several presets),
-- Dynamic Range Compression
-- Music Noise Suppressor (this is the only effect on by default)
-- Voice Cut/Voice Remove (karaoke?)
-- Music 3D, 3D Plus, Virtual Bass, Stereo Widener, Delay, Exciter, and Phase
-- Adjust gain of both the line and BT inputs

Adjustments happen in real time so you can judge the effects. You can save, import, and export configurations as well as reset (to the configuration last saved) and factory reset (to the original configuration. I have not done any of this yet, but will run another REW RoomEQ on my speakers and program those into the PEQ in the next couple of days.

Note that the "heatsink" for the TPA3255 is an aluminum block that conducts through thermal paste to the underside of the cast chassis. So you may need to reapply it.

 

[Jeromeof]

Yes would be very interested in your experience - if the noise floor is good (with DSP on and I know you said it was on all the time) and the DSP PEW filters 'sticks' after a reboot, I think I will get one to play with. I am ok with a difficult to use and complicated software UI - I have definitely written a few in my time.

Ideally it should also have a hard reset (i.e. restore factory defaults - just in case applying some weird combination of settings cause it to get stuck in a boot loop.

I have too many TPA3255 Amp's already (With the new Fosi Audio V3 one on its way ) - but maybe room for 1 more.

 

[Jeromeof]

So I decided to buy it, since it is only Eur29 delivered.

I hope it works well but for that price I am sure I can sell it on if I am not happy with it.

Next, I just need to explain to my wife why I have so many of these small Chinese Amp's sitting around the house

 

[GGroch]

I have too many TPA3255 Amp's already (With the new Fosi Audio V3 one on its way ) - but maybe room for 1 more.

Hah! I have a Fosi V3 arriving this week too. The thing is, depending on use case, there is a good chance this $30 Bru5 will sound better than the Fosi.

ASR provides a real service objectively measuring equipment. It helps weed out the poorly designed stuff; but another benefit is that ASR inclined audiophiles appreciate great measuring gear more. I know I will subjectively enjoy the V3 more if it measures great. The Bru5 would measure much worse.

HOWEVER, parametric EQ is likely to make a bigger difference in my room than the difference in THD/Noise specs. I know I cannot hear hiss on the Bru5 beyond a foot from the speaker. I do not play my music loud. I have a normal untreated room that is not bad, but in which the speaker location was chosen based on room usage, not acoustics.
Given that I expect a blind A/B test would reveal a small difference in the amps played flat, but a bigger difference the other way when the Bru5 PEQ is engaged.

 

[Jeromeof]

I agree yes looking forward to trying it now that I have ordered it - I have an garage working space which could definitely benefit for DSP - so I will see what I can achieve with this

 

[Jeromeof]

Does it come with the software? Or could you send me a private link to download it? I might play around with the software in the next few evenings?

 

[GGroch]

Does it come with the software? Or could you send me a private link to download it? I might play around with the software in the next few evenings?

I suggest you use the AliExpress Message System to contact the Wondom Store and ask them for the download link. They quickly replied to me when I requested it and sent me a link well before the amp arrived.

 

[Jeromeof]

Thanks got a copy of the software from the Wondom store now It's the same (or similar version) as used by Arylic with their Amps and streamers - so a pretty powerful tool - looking forward to receiving the hardware now - having a PEQ built in really is a filler feature.

For those who typically use a Mac - this software does install into Crossover with no problem (though obviously I need to wait until I get the hardware to know if everything works as smoothly as it might on Windows).

 

[GGroch]

Thanks got a copy of the software from the Wondom store now It's the same (or similar version) as used by Arylic with their Amps and streamers.

One difference is that Arylic seems to have removed a lot of non-relevant controls from their custom version. The software sent to me for the Bru-5 includes settings for 5 Line inputs and several Mics and this confused me at first. I think the DSP chip in the Bru5 is used in a audio interface devices that use these features. Another difference is that the $20 Arylic version can a only be installed on a single PC.

The first thing I did when I installed it and connected the amp was to export the original settings so I could get back to them. The reset/factory reset features are supposed to do that too, but better safe.

The only thing I do not like about the amp so far is that the bright Bluetooth light constantly flashes when not connected. Note that after a Bluetooth pairing you may have to push the tiny "Pairing" button on the front to enable the line inputs again.

 

[Jeromeof]

Yes, given it so cheap I am almost thinking of buying one but shipping it to @amirm for testing.

I am not complaining for €30 but its a pity it doesn't have a subwoofer output, a 2.1 amp with DSP would be perfect as I would probably mainly use the DSP / PEQ's to adjust the low frequencies

 

[GGroch]

I am not complaining for €30 but its a pity it doesn't have a subwoofer output, a 2.1 amp with DSP would be perfect as I would probably mainly use the DSP / PEQ's to adjust the low frequencies

The Arylic A50+ Amp/Streamer has a sub out as you describe. It uses a similar MVsilicon 32 bit DSP chip (the BP1064A2 I think, the Bru5 uses the BP1048B2) and Arylic sells ACPWorkbench software for $20. Its added Linkplay streaming capabilities along with the sub out may be worth the additional cost for some.

Note that the above poster returned the amp because he heard audible noise. The A50+ uses a different TI amp chip (TPA3116) but I doubt that was the cause of the noise because the TPA3116 can measure very well. As noted I do not hear audible noise from my listening distance on my setup.

Amir tested the older Arylic A50 and it did poorly. The A50 uses a different amp chip, and lacks sub out and ACPWorkbench compatibility.

 

[Jeromeof]

The Arylic A50+ Amp/Streamer has a sub out as you describe. It uses a similar MVsilicon 32 bit DSP chip (the BP1064A2 I think, the Bru5 uses the BP1048B2) and Arylic sells ACPWorkbench software for $20. Its added Linkplay streaming capabilities along with the sub out may be worth the additional cost for some.

Note that the above poster returned the amp because he heard audible noise. The A50+ uses a different TI amp chip (TPA3116) but I doubt that was the cause of the noise because the TPA3116 can measure very well. As noted I do not hear audible noise from my listening distance on my setup.

Amir tested the older Arylic A50 and it did poorly. The A50 uses a different amp chip, and lacks sub out and ACPWorkbench compatibility.

Interesting, I had a few TPA3116 in the past and some of them did produce audible noise, so I guess it's in the implementation.

Looking forward to trying this - will be interesting if I can get it to do some nice room correction. In my 'converted garage' WFH setup, I currently have a Wiim Mini feeding a MiniDSP / DDRC with Dirac doing room correction into the Fosi Audio V3 (though this was the BT20A Pro previously - both obviously TPA3255 chipsets) and out to a set of Polk ES20.

And it works wonderful well - but I would like the MiniDSP Dirac setup moved into the main listening space in the house so was curious about seeing if I can correct the room / garage (its very minimalistic setup) but this was the measurement I got with the current setup (though 80% of this is Dirac doing its job):

 

[GGroch]

I did my 1st RoomEQ correction with the Bru5 measuring with REW on my Hivi/Swans DIY2.2a in a small apt living room. I also just received my Fosi V3, so I measured it as well.
After learning the ACPWorkbench basics, it was quite simple to key in the REW corrections and save them. My graphed results below.

The EQ made a major difference to my ears. I did not hear much difference between the unequalized BRU5 and the Fosi V3. I listen at low volumes and have some age related HF hearing loss...so I may not be as sensitive to noise differences as some. I heard little difference between the two unequalized amps.

The room corrected Bru5 definitely sounds different and better than either one. Graph attached:

 

[Jeromeof]

So I got mine today - can't wait to see how well it might work as 'replacement' for MiniDSP + Fosi Audio V3 - mostly so I can re-use those components in another room in the house.

Also, noticed that these guys have a fairly advanced new board BDM9:

 

[GGroch]

So I got mine today - can't wait to see how well it might work as 'replacement' for MiniDSP + Fosi Audio V3

I will be very interested in your evaluation. Full disclosure, during my "sales pitch" I did not mention I have some age related HF hearing loss, so your subjective evaluation will be more accurate than mine. To my ears, it sounds great.

I believe theBru5 (and probably BDM9) AD/DSP/DA stuff all works at 44/48 kHz. That will disqualify it for HiDef audio fans, and will limit its s/n when measured. I will be particularly interested in how much impact you hear on sound quality.

The only 2 things I dislike about the amp are the flashing Bluetooth indicator, and that it defaults to the Bluetooth input on power up. It requires a tap on the "Pairing" button each time to get to Line in.

The BDM9 would seem to solve the flashing light issue. I see it has a Stereo/Mono line output for a separate amp/subwoofer. I will look more closely at it and will probably put one on order. I have already built a TPS3255 using the 3E board/power supply, so may be able to plug the BDM9 into that. NOTE if ordering, It seems to come with just 1 volume pot, the tone pots and additional cables plus the USB PC cable are available to order on the same page. The "Functional Cable Pack" appears back in stock.

I see that Wiim is promising that parametric EQ will finally be added to their streamers next month, so more cheap DSP options are becoming available.