I think the D+ would look so much nicer with a couple of tubes mounted on top. You could do like Yaqin has done before and just wire them out of the circuit to glow when the amp is on.
TPA 3116 vs the tripaths
- Thread starter Poultrygeist
- Start date
airbus
Active Member
I've found that high 80's works fine, at least for my taste. My main speakers are 6.5" Scanspeak 2 ways (88 db or so)and the volt+D gets uncomfortably loud, though in an 11x11 room. I also have a Breeze Audio connected to a pair of Radio Shack lx5s (mine were branded RCA but sold through Radio Shack) which were officially 81.5 DB and they're quite loud in a small living room (at least according to my wife). There are a number of possibilities: speaker efficiency isn't the whole story (I think some people talk about impedance matches between amp and speakers), the manufacturer numbers are a bit more random than we think, input signal levels make a big difference (I suspect whoever designed the Breeze 3116's set the gain level very high to give the sense that they had big output. After all, most of the people buying $30 complete amps aren't hardcore audiophiles), or individual notions of what's loud enough and clear enough vary quite a bit.
I've never heard the Overnight Sensations, but as I understand it they use a 4.5 inch woofer and were tuned for maximum bass output which usually trades off with lower efficiency. A low level input signal to the Volt+D and a fairly open room and you might be straining to get them to sound loud. Tiny woofers trying to do low frequencies would need long throw cone movement which is going to take watts.
Bottom line, there's a chance that a different mid to high 80's speaker with different source and/or pre-amp might work out fine.
I've never heard the Overnight Sensations, but as I understand it they use a 4.5 inch woofer and were tuned for maximum bass output which usually trades off with lower efficiency. A low level input signal to the Volt+D and a fairly open room and you might be straining to get them to sound loud. Tiny woofers trying to do low frequencies would need long throw cone movement which is going to take watts.
Bottom line, there's a chance that a different mid to high 80's speaker with different source and/or pre-amp might work out fine.
Poultrygeist
Lunatic Member
I looked at some of my old pictures of the OS speakers. Here I'm using a TPA and tube preamp with the Overnights. The preamp would offer a little more gain but these speakers are quite inefficient at 83dbs. At the present my Overnights are in a bedroom 2.1 powered by a Panasonic XR55 digital receiver which has gobs of power.
HiFiJeff
Super Member
That's hard to answer. The Fleawatt was in an entirely different system and room. But I would have to say just because of how happy I am with my entire system now, the Volt+. The Volt+ is legit. I don't feel like I am missing anything or have any urge to spend more money to by a "boutique" amp. The performance to price ratio is off the charts. But if you are going to get one, why not just splurge and spend big money on the Volt+D?
HiFiJeff
Super Member
If you remember, I had a set amp. The Decware SE84UFO. And although it was a great amp, it couldn't match the dynamics, speed and punch of the Volt+. On some genres of music, it seemed to run out of steam. Not the Volt+. I haven't pushed it to it's limits and don't think I will. Plenty of power for my efficient ZU Audio speakers. And all the sound quality is there. Love this thing.
airbus
Active Member
I'd recommend the Volt+D over the Volt+. Yes, it's more money, but it's a shift from incredibly cheap to still cheap for the quality of what you get. The better caps and coils do make a difference. To my ear, they open the sound up a bit more. Also, the extra power does help.
If you know what you're doing and like soldering on cheaper Chinese circuit boards, I think the tpa 225x amps have more potential. I'm not one of those people and I have no idea how to tweak it. If I think of the fxpro as more or less parallel to the Breeze Audio tpa 3116, the jump from Breeze Audio tpa 3116 to the refinement of the Volt+ was pretty noticeable in some of the areas where I think the tpa 225x might benefit. Assuming that level of attention gets paid to a ready made tpa225x, it's probably going to outperform the Volt+D.
The TPA 225x is quieter in an absolute sense, appears to have greater bandwidth, less distortion on dynamic swings. I suspect some of the creaminess is due to the cheap parts and just good enough to get by design of the two tpa225x amps I have tried. I may even try one of the 3E boards. Keep in mind that I've only been running the tpa225x amps on 24 volts.
One of my TPA 225x amps has on board bluetooth audio, something that's kind of useful for non-serious listening. It gives me a second source (or more) without a pre-amp. It also has a sub-out and tone controls. I suspect the latter doesn't help the sound quality. It was $75 or half the price of the Volt+D and I think they're pretty close, though it's sort of an apples vs. oranges thing. The TPA 311x is never going to be capable of big dynamic swings, producing really deep bass, etc. It's sort of a modern version of the Dynaco Stereo 70, though it sounds much better to my ear. The TPS 3255 can do those things and I think some of the things that make the Volt+D better for now (better parts, more tweaked design) don't have much to do with the chip. IN the meantime, the Volt+D is a terrific small room amp.
If you know what you're doing and like soldering on cheaper Chinese circuit boards, I think the tpa 225x amps have more potential. I'm not one of those people and I have no idea how to tweak it. If I think of the fxpro as more or less parallel to the Breeze Audio tpa 3116, the jump from Breeze Audio tpa 3116 to the refinement of the Volt+ was pretty noticeable in some of the areas where I think the tpa 225x might benefit. Assuming that level of attention gets paid to a ready made tpa225x, it's probably going to outperform the Volt+D.
The TPA 225x is quieter in an absolute sense, appears to have greater bandwidth, less distortion on dynamic swings. I suspect some of the creaminess is due to the cheap parts and just good enough to get by design of the two tpa225x amps I have tried. I may even try one of the 3E boards. Keep in mind that I've only been running the tpa225x amps on 24 volts.
One of my TPA 225x amps has on board bluetooth audio, something that's kind of useful for non-serious listening. It gives me a second source (or more) without a pre-amp. It also has a sub-out and tone controls. I suspect the latter doesn't help the sound quality. It was $75 or half the price of the Volt+D and I think they're pretty close, though it's sort of an apples vs. oranges thing. The TPA 311x is never going to be capable of big dynamic swings, producing really deep bass, etc. It's sort of a modern version of the Dynaco Stereo 70, though it sounds much better to my ear. The TPS 3255 can do those things and I think some of the things that make the Volt+D better for now (better parts, more tweaked design) don't have much to do with the chip. IN the meantime, the Volt+D is a terrific small room amp.
hifix
Active Member
Have you considered the c-notes ? I was going to consider building em, but the shipping was just too much.
There is a youtube clip of them playing.
Poultrygeist
Lunatic Member
I may have shared this before but it's worth repeating. The Rega RS5 ( powered by a Volt+) cost around a grand and they're 89db. Also in the picture is one of my favorite budget DAC's the Topping D30.
Stefan Wood
Active Member
I built a pair. They are very good for their price point; add a sub and it makes for a nice sound system.
hifix
Active Member
FastG
Active Member
Ordered a Volt+D and power supply, very fast shipping arrived exactly a week. The only problem is the power supply does not fit, it's too small and will not push into the amp. I have email Allo.com, but does anyone know the size of the socket in the map so I can try and pick up something local.
Graham
Graham
cipriano
Well-Known Member
FastG, I was in the same boat yesterday. Got my Volt+ without PSU (I've got many different bricks - I thought one of them would work), none fit. So today I went to Rat Shack and bought a universal laptop supply. It had 16 changeable tips and thank goodness one of them worked. Not a perfect fit but it works. I'm gonna run it at 19v and listen tonight when I get home.
One question for folks. It is a 90w model - is that too much? Should I have gotten the 75w version?
Edit- oh and as for measurements if I remember correctly it is 6.5mm 3.0mm. You could check the volumio forum just to be safe.
One question for folks. It is a 90w model - is that too much? Should I have gotten the 75w version?
Edit- oh and as for measurements if I remember correctly it is 6.5mm 3.0mm. You could check the volumio forum just to be safe.
Last edited:
Nope, 90w is not too much. The voltage is the important part, the amp will draw as much current as it needs. At 19V, a 90w power supply will have ~5 amps to give.
Archguy
Official Roiurama Factory Rep
This particular little issue is driving me crazy just now. One of my PS bricks failed and it's well-nigh impossible to find the right replacement. Doesn't help that sellers (particularly overseas) have trouble posting accurate information. And yes, it doesn't help that the input plugs come in so many different sizes.
Well that's something I didn't think of. Glad you found something, sort of.
Poultrygeist
Lunatic Member
My Volt+ and Volt+D both came with an adaptor that reduces the input to a common size. You can see it in this photo sticking out of the CM circuit. Without the CM it still must be used.
Poultrygeist
Lunatic Member
Are you sure the adaptor is not in the box?
Archguy
Official Roiurama Factory Rep
Adaptors, now there's a concept!
By which I mean, glad you 'sort of' found something, not that I'm 'sort of' glad!
By which I mean, glad you 'sort of' found something, not that I'm 'sort of' glad!
