I finished off the chip amp (TPA3116) power supply last night. I tested it at 20v into a 47R resistor and everything seemed OK, so it's now wired to the chip.
Playing it in the system now, and I am impressed with the sound.
The cheapo pre/buffer is still my favourite pre and all together they just gell.
I'm putting all further amp projects on hold for the time being.
I'd like someone else to hear what it's like, just to see if my ears really are reliable.
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
IslandPink wrote: ↑Fri Jan 26, 2018 10:18 pm
Good effort. Have you tried any other chip amps , is this 3116 reckoned to be one of the better ones nowadays ?
The last chip amp I tried properly was a 20WPC Tripath, but from vague and distant memory it was not up to much.
I do have some others somewhere, but no memory of the quality.
I've got something like 4 or 5 3116 amps floating about. They were all the rage 3 or 4 years ago and the thread on diyaudio is now immense. All the different flavour boards that were on ebay sounded different and it seems to be the biggest differentiator is the output filtering as all the boards had a different set of chokes.....
I have one that I put together myself based on the TI app note and if memory serves Nick stuck it on a breakout board for me before I bought my rework station.
For my money they're the bargain of the century for sq and at the moment I have one running in my main system since I discovered my F6 can't run electrostatics.
I beleive Steve Shiels has one or two as well and as far as I remember he likes them as well.
The earlier ones which I'm referring to were 50 watts but I think the newer ones are 100w and the 3118 which is also later is a bit more trixy for diy because it has the heat pad underneath instead of on top.
There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be
Bluetooth is a new one on me though. Does the signal transfer okay? Or is it dependant on the Bluetooth sender? Sending source signal from one side of the room to the amps and speakers on the other without cables appeals though - anyone tried it or know what's needed?
simon wrote:
Bluetooth is a new one on me though. Does the signal transfer okay? Or is it dependant on the Bluetooth sender? Sending source signal from one side of the room to the amps and speakers on the other without cables appeals though - anyone tried it or know what's needed?
Amazingly, for a tiny speaker they sound great and are water and sand proof, plus it runs for 24 hours on a single charge (Anker are better known for power packs). 2 x 6W and surprisingly good bass.
I use my phone with Spotify, YouTube or just stored music to send to it. Works brilliantly.
when I heard my first 3116 I thought my ears were playing up.
I'm not sure if this is a reliable yardstick but the 3116 thread on diyaudio is now 10,300 posts long. I reckon this probably represents a good few followers and I'm pretty sure they can't all be wrong.
and this is the cheaper end of the class D world...
There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be
A couple of years back I bought whatever was at the very fore front of digital amplifier technology from Hong Kong and under a tenner.
It brought a smile to my face - it worked! Not that bad but after a time, or a few times anyway I dropkicked the module into the recycling skip because after all, it was a bit grey,grim and grainy and I needed a 'not that good really' amp module like someone who needed an STI.
But have things moved on? With sub bass amp and blue tooth and all for a very long wait and about thirty quid. I'd be tempted if ....
A good few more years ago there was a bargain chip amp doing the rounds and I can't remember what it was. It was not digital,I rather liked it,I think it had a split voltage power supply and the version I settled down to had a valve buffer front end. I still have the makings somewhere but retired it for an Aleph 3 from Mr Pass which sounded relatively amazingly good but frightened me by getting hot enough to melt to Alaskan permafrost....from Bedford.
Philosophers have only interpreted the world - the point, however, is to change it. No it isn't ... maybe we should leave it alone for a while.
Mooching round the Class D forum on DIYA the impression I've got, rightly or wrongly, is that almost regardless of chips people that have tried these cheap amps from China are blown away by what they've got for a few quid. Sure, some have issues like turn on and turn off thumps, but what do you expect for so little outlay?
But, if these cheap boards get you 90% of the way there for a tenner (plus PS) the next 9% might cost 1000+%. And that's the rub for us nutters, sorry, audiophiles.
Nicely put Simon. No one ever said it would be easy eh! So then, how much do we enjoy messing about in the last 9%?
I'm lissnin to Tosca right now. Puccini has always got brilliant tunes up his sleeves. Consider for example the little tune he wrote for the footie world cup a few years ago. Tosca is just so very much better!
Philosophers have only interpreted the world - the point, however, is to change it. No it isn't ... maybe we should leave it alone for a while.
