HiFiJeff
Super Member
View attachment 1350698 View attachment 1350699
The new unit is a joy,im thrilled to bits to be honest.....both CD,DAT and vinyl are utterly captivating with this little system.
Been listening to a LOT of music.....
View attachment 1350698 View attachment 1350699
The new unit is a joy,im thrilled to bits to be honest.....both CD,DAT and vinyl are utterly captivating with this little system.
Been listening to a LOT of music.....
Youre quite right,such fun.Yesterday i connected my TT[Audionote] up to this combo and tonight im reaping the sonic delights.
Ill have to get my torch and magnifying glass to identify tubes,may take some time,but will fulfill the mission.
How much would a sound like this cost when i was just a lad i ask myself compared to todays prices.
Until the Chinese revolt of course......
Me too. I am finally after a week getting some good listening in and what an amazing system this is. I dont see tge point of spending more money to get better sound. I just M83 Before the Dawn Heals Us. The BEST I have ever heard it!
You got the Volt+D! I knew you already had the Volt+. Glad you're liking it!
And Before the Dawn Heals Us is a great album!
No, I still have the normal Volt+. What I have had for a week is the FX Audio Tube Pre. And I am LOVING the combo of the Volt+ and FX Audio.
Continuing our general TPA discussion, has anyone tried this amp:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Finished-T...r-amplifier-Bluetooth-AMP-300W-2/143023047407
TPA3255, rated for more power, has bluetooth but I'd want to use line in for better sound quality.
Or is there another cheap TPA3255 that people have been looking at?
Interesting, if you get one I'd love to hear about it in detail.
I have a 3255 amp made from the TI EVM board so I'm not in the market, but I know people who are looking for non-DIY 2.0 versions having heard it. I would be more comfortable recommending it if a willing and knowledgeable lab rat volunteer were to show up.
I think some really good commercial versions are bound to turn up in time, the chip itself is quite capable of audiophile level performance. Not only does the chip practically refuse to distort before your ears start bleeding, even if you drive it to clipping it detects that and refuses to output the clipping signal, protecting your speakers.
One thing I have found is that if you crossover at say 100Hz to an externally amplified (or active) sub, it reduces the amount of heat the 3255 produces by a lot and would make up for the small-looking heatsink and moderate amount of capacitance on that board. Not that it produces a lot of heat, but it does throw out some at louder volumes. I'd be drilling strategic holes in that case I suspect if it became a problem.
If you get one I would also suggest a 48V supply, the 30V low end they list is too low imo. It's going to have a lot of power in reserve for most domestic applications, which means the chip is just coasting rather than straining at the edge of its performance envelope for good sound quality.
Overall, just between you and me, the 325x, being a next generation chip, is objectively a distinct improvement on 311x in every area but cost and maybe heat generation and power supply needs. But for that price, doubled for an appropriate power supply, as long as it has no disastrous design faults, it looks a bargain to me.
Well put, and on the whole, I agree.
I'm currently running my TPA 3251EV module off a 400VA toroidal via a power/rectifier board with 28000uf capacitance of smoothing goodness.
Probably have $200+ in it and that's not including the fact that I got the the board for half price, the tranny at a discount, and already had a serviceable box for it.
Imo, totally worth it......even at $300+.
If I weren't already knee deep in multiple preamp boards at this point, I'd def spring for that $60 box just to try it.
Some of the cheaper available switching power supply options for a TPA 3255 based amp:
In my opinion, slightly anemic, but should work just fine, and I like the heat sink. Basically a Meanwell type unit without the top.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/350W-Switching-Power-Supply-48V-6-5A-12V-2A-Dual-output-for-Power-Amplifier/112595449197?_trkparms=aid=555018&algo=PL.SIM&ao=1&asc=20131003132420&meid=92fd5e5bea1f4c5f860647f45161a43a&pid=100005&rk=1&rkt=11&mehot=pp&sd=263341969257&itm=112595449197&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851
A few more amps on tap. They come in various voltages. You have to specify. The 45V version looks the ticket.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-500W-amplifier-switching-power-supply-board-dual-voltage-PSU-30V-70V/111985889668?_trkparms=aid=555018&algo=PL.SIM&ao=1&asc=20131003132420&meid=1187672b276b4436919b3cd761cc1f1f&pid=100005&rk=1&rkt=12&mehot=ag&sd=112595449197&itm=111985889668&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851
You'll of course have to box either of these should you choose to use them permanently.
I was lucky to get the 3255 EVM in the half price offer, so I paid about US$200 in parts including an unboxed SMPS similar to what you listed. Partly I feel fortunate to get such a refined power amp for such little money (relative to what I could buy in a shop), and partly I feel very smug for spotting the chance. However, it seems possible there will be very good amps appearing from China with similar performance to mine going for much less money than I paid, and I may have to re-calibrate my smugness. Reluctantly. But in theory it's good that amps are getting cheaper and better at the same time. I think it's hard to appreciate just how good these chips are without hearing them.
I ordered the TPA3255 amp, $54 shipped from AliExpress. I'm excited to try it and compare to my other TPA-based amps.
I ordered a 48V 3A switching PS. It looks similar to the 12V & 19V I use for the single and dual TPA3116 and the 24V I use for the TPA3250. So I'll be testing them all with similar, relatively low quality PSes.
Yep.Again, well put.
But as far as I know, there is nothing available, so far, which exceeds the specs of the TI EVM's re the TPA 32xx family.
Knowing what I know now, I'd have no qualms about paying full price for any single one of those boards [I own all three]. Totally worth it.
But yeah, it's frustrating that the cheaper implementations are either flawed [the FX PRO 3250] or that folks resist putting a few more dollars into a sufficient power supply for the other Chinese boards...as if it doesn't matter. Because, yes, it does absolutely make a difference.