TPA 3116 vs the tripaths

59volvo said:

where did you get the enclosure?

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Here mate: http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=190911603593&alt=web

Gnesen said:

Nice! You could always add a power switch to the back if you'd rather not risk marring the front. And since you didn't didn't add a volume pot, you now have a good excuse to build a preamp. .

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I may just do that! Even the wife doesn't mind me tinkering with these little wonders.

Which Board to buy........?

I want to buy the ultimate stock version of the blue/black board. I noticed that some of the boards on Ebay have blue components (caps) next to the inductors. Others have yellow ones in that position see photos below showing the red and blue/black boards. Is either more desirable? Sorry about the noob question, hoping to get some advice from the more knowledge members in this thread.

Blue with blue:

blue:blue by davidflas, on Flickr

Blue with yellow:

blue:yellow by davidflas, on Flickr

Red with blue:

Screen Shot 2014-04-24 at 7.20.36 AM by davidflas, on Flickr

Red with yellow:

red yellow by davidflas, on Flickr

Gnesen said:

Btw, has anyone hooked up one of these 3116 boards to two pairs of stacked 8 ohm speakers? It should be safe since the power ratings are for 4 ohms, and 5-way binding posts would make it easy to hook up both pairs to the same terminals. Even better, an A, B, A+B speaker selector switch should be easy enough. Just thinking out loud here.

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Just for the heck of it I might try that with the 8 ohm Alpha woofers in my signature which connected parallel are now 4 ohms. I believe they're 91 dbs.

Blue/blackboard is considered superior to redboard. Redboard was first 3116amp on market, with white caps in output, which were wrong value/not working best way possible with inductors used, and aimed at 8ohm speakers. Blue/blackboard was designed by diyaudio guy, design was not final but copied and appeared on ebay Aimed at 4 ohm speakers and diy modding. First version has all blue film caps I believe, maybe blue pcb too. First version also has bootstrap caps in wrong value (not specified by TI that is) But stock changes and parts do too. Now maybe seller hiamplifier changed some output caps to yellow??? or just updated photo others did not update. He is unique in delivering resistor set with amp to change gain I believe, and also puts inputlead with amp. So he might have changed outputcaps, maybe even the 2 elco's, but could also be just latest production run. Because all the fora they do sell some off them sometimes LOL

The later redboard seems to have changed output filter that should be better, still with 8 ohm aim, inputcaps are still smd, were not best, but nobody knows if they were improved, and nobody will ever know LOL you cant identify good or bad smd for input by eye. Some types give little more distortion, some values give less bass, if you buy the smd's from 100% reliable seller and don't mix them before soldering on to pcb, then you are only person that knows which ones are on pcb LOL. You can test them by applying heat/volts/current and then meassure to figure out which they are.

natger said:

Blue/blackboard is considered superior to redboard.

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Perhaps.

The real design of the TPA 3116 was done by TI not some DIY audio guy though. Same chip, pretty much same board, pretty much same basic design. And since most folks have 8 ohm speakers, then the red board would be better optimized per TI's own data sheets. Plus it comes with a volume control and costs 50% less.

The effect of the LC output filter with the 3116 is for power efficiency, not sound shaping. TI has good info about recommended values for the output filter on page 11 for BD modulation.

http://www.ti.com/lit/an/sloa119a/sloa119a.pdf

The last two boards I ordered from the bay had white caps in the picture and I ended up with blue cap boards, so who knows what you end up with when you order something. I couldn't tell you the difference, but I think the difference is probably moot anyway.

lico said:

Perhaps.

The real design of the TPA 3116 was done by TI not some DIY audio guy though. Same chip, pretty much same board, pretty much same basic design. And since most folks have 8 ohm speakers, then the red board would be better optimized per TI's own data sheets. Plus it comes with a volume control and costs 50% less.

The effect of the LC output filter with the 3116 is for power efficiency, not sound shaping. TI has good info about recommended values for the output filter on page 11 for BD modulation.

http://www.ti.com/lit/an/sloa119a/sloa119a.pdf

The last two boards I ordered from the bay had white caps in the picture and I ended up with blue cap boards, so who knows what you end up with when you order something. I couldn't tell you the difference, but I think the difference is probably moot anyway.

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So funny

natger said:

So funny

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I wouldn't make light of lico's informed comments. He's spent more time with the 31's than most of us.

natger said:

Blue/blackboard is considered superior to redboard.

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With the Fostex 207 MLTL (8 ohm) speakers red and blue sound the same. Blue is more convenient for changing parts.

skrstic said:

With the Fostex 207 MLTL (8 ohm) speakers red and blue sound the same. Blue is more convenient for changing parts.

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I also feel the two boards are fairly equal driving my Fostex BL horns and I'm using the 6n3 preamp with each.

In the quantities these boards are produced it's possible that some of the same ones may sound better than others. I've seen pictures of boards with misaligned components on more than one occasions.

It's hard to A/B power supplies but so far I haven't noticed an advantage with the 19v vs the 12v.

I have a friend in town who says his red board and 6n3 pre destroys his Music Angel tube amp. He's using the combo with some very nice Tang Band speakers.

Poultrygeist said:

Just for the heck of it I might try that with the 8 ohm Alpha woofers in my signature which connected parallel are now 4 ohms. I believe they're 91 dbs.

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I finally had a chance to drive stacked 8 ohm speakers last night:

Little Bear P-5 tube pre --> blue/black amp --> stacked Nova 7Bs/Optimus 1Bs.

All I can say is "wow!". The amp was only powered by a 12V 6A power supply and drove this combo to uncomfortably loud levels (12 ft listening distance) with no apparent distortion, and it didn't even break a sweat.

Wish I had the right equipment to take some "scientific" measurements on power output, spl, frequency response, etc. I'm seriously considering selling all my mainstream receivers and amps and building a single system or two around the 3116s. All I would really need to add is a phono pre.

skrstic said:

With the Fostex 207 MLTL (8 ohm) speakers red and blue sound the same. Blue is more convenient for changing parts.

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The stock red and blue sound the same to me too.

I was able to solder up my Phono Pre and get it and my 3110 into a box. I forgot to, and really dont know how to, add a grounding post for the TT.

If I bolt down the 3110 to the wooden box, can i wrap the ground wire around one of the screws and call it a day?

Here are some pics, I didnt drill my holes nice and square, but its in the back whos gonna see but me. and I probably could have used thinner and shorter wires, but its what I had on hand and any shorter and I couldnt get it all soldered in the box.

randerson07 said:

I was able to solder up my Phono Pre and get it and my 3110 into a box. I forgot to, and really dont know how to, add a grounding post for the TT.

If I bolt down the 3110 to the wooden box, can i wrap the ground wire around one of the screws and call it a day?

Here are some pics, I didnt drill my holes nice and square, but its in the back whos gonna see but me. and I probably could have used thinner and shorter wires, but its what I had on hand and any shorter and I couldnt get it all soldered in the box.

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Nice build! I have really enjoyed seeing what others in this thread have done with their TPA 3116 and 3110 amps. Happy listening

natger said:

So funny

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Which part?

If you read that data sheet - with 8 ohm speakers and 10 uH inductors like the blue board has, you'll get peaking at 20 kHz. In fact, the recommended inductor size for 8 ohm speakers is 33 uH, but since they are usually "large and bulky" slight peaking can be tolerated to reduce the inductor size. Reducing inductor size also increases THD.

22 uH inductors (like the red board has) are the recommended value for 6 ohm speakers. Which is what I listen to.

randerson,

Love that bullet box amp.

Those solder-less speaker binding posts are getting popular.

Thanks guys.

I bought a boat load of these binding posts when I bought my house. I had them wire it for sound and needed connectors on wall plates that looked pretty.

I ended up using them maybe once and then hard wiring the rest of the time. Your post about these posts made me go dig them out of moth balls and re-purpose them lol.

Couple photos hooked up..




I repurposed a hookup box I made for battery chargers from my rc racing days and used my super old pyramid power supply for both boards.

So far it sounds pretty good on the boston HD5s need to hook up some speaks with some bottom end to see how well it really sounds.

davidflas said:

Nice build! I have really enjoyed seeing what others in this thread have done with their TPA 3116 and 3110 amps. Happy listening

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+1

Btw, what phono pre did you (randerson07) use?

Gnesen said:

+1

Btw, what phono pre did you (randerson07) use?

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This cheap kit from parts express

Http://www.parts-express.com/velleman-k2573-riaa-stereo-phono-preamplifier-kit--320-261

for 6ohm speakers like the pioner bs22s or the dayton b652s which amp board is better to use the blue/black or the red?

59volvo said:

for 6ohm speakers like the pioner bs22s or the dayton b652s which amp board is better to use the blue/black or the red?

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If you don't have or want a preamp get the integrated red board amp. But I mainly listen to the blue/black power amp paired with the 6n3 tube preamp which is nothing short of amazing.

I have the Pioneer 22's and the newest Dayton B652's. The Dayton's are not only much cheaper at $35 but sound better especially with the 3116. The Pioneers require a sub but the Dayton's can go it alone. Compared to the rear ported Pioneers the sealed Dayton's are almost OB like with their openness and airy quality. Hats off to PE for correcting their tweeter mistake with the new Dayton's.

One reason for the Dayton's extreme openness is, unlike the Pioneers, there's no passive crossover to veil the sound. The drivers run full range with just a single cap on the tweeter.

I plan to add more damping material and upgrade the tiny cap on the Dayton's. The lettering is very small but looks like 6 u 8. Does anyone know if that's another way of writing 6.8 uF ?