TPA 3116 vs the tripaths

[airbus]

There is no escape.
Useful to know there is a noticeable difference between 'cheap' and 'good' implementations. I suspect this is partly down to the amount of capacitance on good boards, eg the EVM has 2 enormous caps, whereas the YJ-likes seem not to have paid attention to this, maybe to save costs, idk.
If Allo get their skates on they might clean up with a well implemented cased budget 3255 power amp.

I suspect it's more than the caps, but I think that might have been the main reason I wasn't a big fan of the bass with the yj ($75 version of the tp 3255). A few people here, you were certainly one, had pretty clearly concluded that the tpa325x was simply superior to the 311x chips. I just had to find out the slow way, I guess.

I think about changes in audio. It's interesting to me that in the tube world the 300B and El34 are pretty ancient designs. In A/B class A transistors aren't a whole lot different either. Class D, on the other hand, seems to still be evolving at a pretty
fast clip.

 

[Ytheleus1212]

I suspect it's more than the caps, but I think that might have been the main reason I wasn't a big fan of the bass with the yj ($75 version of the tp 3255). A few people here, you were certainly one, had pretty clearly concluded that the tpa325x was simply superior to the 311x chips. I just had to find out the slow way, I guess.

I think about changes in audio. It's interesting to me that in the tube world the 300B and El34 are pretty ancient designs. In A/B class A transistors aren't a whole lot different either. Class D, on the other hand, seems to still be evolving at a pretty
fast clip.

Sure, output filtering also seems to be important, there's a lot of talk about picking exactly the right output inductors.

I have no idea what the 33xxs (or whatever) will look like, but once you get the distortion down below audible levels and the power delivery above a certain minimum that's suitable for domestic use, and efficiency above 90%, not much spectacular improvement is likely in those areas.

So I imagine it's possible the next generation will be looking toward a completely digital front end right up to the Class D power amp, with more of the required functions migrating onto the chip. That's just my guess though.

I'm so pleased you like your 3255, however you get there it's a nice thing to own. Now I suggest wait until everyone has gone out one day and see how it sounds playing it far too loud for any sensible person.

 

[Gnesen]

Finally got around to listening to my little nobsound and I'm absolutely floored at how good it is for $30. Powering it with my wife's old laptop charger hooked up to the KLH 23s I'm fixing up. Just... Way too good for the ~$50 invested. Just ridiculously listenable.

What nobsound did you get?

 

[EngineerNate]

What nobsound did you get?

I was told the product listing I ordered from was for the single chip version. I haven't opened it up to confirm.

 

[lico]

Haven't visited this thread in a while. Pulled out my TPA 3255 Eval board with 48V SMPS connected to NEC A-10 of all things serving preamp duty. Why? because I could try it. Egads, the sound is nice using the NEC phono stage for vinyl or streaming digital thru it a SMSL DAC.

I like the NEC integrated amp stage a lot for what it is, dual mono monster. Yet - class D really can open things up with certain speakers, in the end it's all about matching amps to speakers IME and having a good preamp stage.

 

[airbus]

Hopefully Allo will execute it right like they did with Volt+ and Volt+D...and hoping they will come up with standard components if not the best.... I request all to keep me posted regarding Allo's new 325X amp update

As much as I like Allo, I'd encourage folk to check out the 3e boards. They're really not that hard to wire up and stick in a box. There's no soldering to do on the board itself. It's just to the inputs, the speaker connectors, and the power switch. It's
actually a very good first diy project. Unlike building speakers, you don't have to construct a cabinet.

 

[Gnesen]

As much as I like Allo, I'd encourage folk to check out the 3e boards. They're really not that hard to wire up and stick in a box. There's no soldering to do on the board itself. It's just to the inputs, the speaker connectors, and the power switch. It's
actually a very good first diy project. Unlike building speakers, you don't have to construct a cabinet.

Do you have link to purchase the board? The one listed on their site goes to an out-of-date ebay page.

https://www.3e-audio.com/amplifier/tpa3255-2ch-260w/

 

[airbus]

I would contact them by e-mail. I did the group buy through diyaudio.com. I suspect there'll be another one soon.

3eaudio@gmail.com

 

[Poultrygeist]

I would contact them by e-mail. I did the group buy through diyaudio.com. I suspect there'll be another one soon.

3eaudio@gmail.com

Are they serious about selling them?

 

[airbus]

Are they serious about selling them?

They sell them and they did put together a website. They've been around for a few years, but the pattern before this was that
they'd post them on E-bay for a bit, then drop away for several weeks, then re-appear. It suggested to me that they have them made in relatively
small lots.

 

[lico]

My latest class D setups. I finally cigar boxed up a Meanwell SMPS and affixed the TPA 3255 EVM up top, too hard to case it all up. Shown here with some of my other favorite small components - the SB Touch and SMSL M7 DAC.

The B&K ST 120 pictured was retrofitted with IRS 2092 boards. Has large toroidal linear supply. Both the 3255 and IRS amps sound very good, but I think the IRS amp has a beefier low end. IRS is definitely noisier at zero volume, cleaning up internal wiring could help someday if I spend more time on it.

For preamp - listening now with 3 tube 6N3 and PG's Russian tube recommendations. I forgot how good class D can sound after taking a detour into high powered class AB amps. Fun stuff.

 

[Poultrygeist]

My latest class D setups. I finally cigar boxed up a Meanwell SMPS and affixed the TPA 3255 EVM up top, too hard to case it all up. Shown here with some of my other favorite small components - the SB Touch and SMSL M7 DAC.

The B&K ST 120 pictured was retrofitted with IRS 2092 boards. Has large toroidal linear supply. Both the 3255 and IRS amps sound very good, but I think the IRS amp has a beefier low end. IRS is definitely noisier at zero volume, cleaning up internal wiring could help someday if I spend more time on it.

For preamp - listening now with 3 tube 6N3 and PG's Russian tube recommendations. I forgot how good class D can sound after taking a detour into high powered class AB amps. Fun stuff.

Excellent!

 

[wushuliu]

I had IRS based Classdaudio.com amps some years back. I liked them a lot. IIRC they were a little noisier than TPA311x but more importantly they were more sensitive to it input impedance, so presentation varied based on the pre used. The dual power supply was also more work to provide. I love that the TPAs are single polarity power only. Way easier to deal with and experiment.

 

[Stefan Wood]

Finally hooked up my Volt +D and 6j1 preamp with Pyramid power source. Running them not to my open baffles, but to a pair of Parts Express C Note speakers and bi amped the low end to my plate amp and an Eminence Alpha. Using Russian tubes. Very nice combination, with a lot of clarity and bass.

 

[Yatsushiro]

The 3eAudio boards are available on ebay:

https://www.m.ebay.com/sch/i.html?sid=3e-audio&isRefine=true

 

[Poultrygeist]

Volt+D and FX tube preamp after dark.

 

[Poultrygeist]

Volt+D driving Frugal Horns

 

[john111/LZ]

 

[airbus]

The 3eAudio boards are available on ebay:

https://www.m.ebay.com/sch/i.html?sid=3e-audio&isRefine=true

That's great news.

 

[59volvo]

does anyone reccomend a paricularly good and cost effective power supply for the tpa3255 - brand/model # ?