TPA 3116 vs the tripaths

I actually have another of their amps ,the TPA3251-based G3H. It is very nice! The problem is that now they only sell larger volumes of amp modules to distributors, and not individual amps to end users.

How did you get yours? Did you have to setup a group buy? I'm interested in their G36d and G33d.
 
It would most likely have to be a group purchase.
pricing says >= 5 for US$265-280, so lets say $280/unit for a small batch

The back of my envelope says
TI 3255 EVM board full price $150
800W SMPS probably <$100
Total ~$250, no cooling.

or 3e audio 3255 (if you can get one) <$100 last I looked
800W SMPS <$100
Total $200, no cooling

So it's not a bad price, but I think you'd need a big order to make it a nailed on bargain for a low cost DIYer.
 
Ive got the cheap Aliexpress tpa3255 board . Its powered by a 12v batterry with a buck converter set at 39v , battery is charged with its own solar panel, we're totally off grid here. Volume is controlled with an Alps rk27 pot. The head unit is Rpi with Allo Dac and 2tb hard drive with flac files. The power for the Pi, Dac and hard drive is by the rest of the house 24v system using a step down converter. With no mods or tweaks this is the best sounding system that I've owned. There's a great tpa3255 thread on diyaudio with lots information on design and improvements but personally im blown away with what I have. Thanks to this forum and thread I've realised great sounding hifi isnt just for the rich , its available to us all, yeah we may have to build a box, screw in a few wires but its all there, indeed it is here, in this forum with readily available help. Thanks Poultry for starting a great thred and thanks to all the contributers and free thinkers for helping me put together a fine system. X
 
How did you get yours? Did you have to setup a group buy? I'm interested in their G36d and G33d.
I bought mine a couple years ago, when they were recently introduced to the market. They were selling one at a time to individual consumers then. But if I understand correctly, I was one out of only a small handful of people who actually bought one, so they quit selling dividual people like that. I have the amp with the case and volume control. It seems to be really well-built, at least for what it is. I love the sound of it, and it is my go-to amp for when I don't need huge amounts of power. I can get about 120 clean watts out of it, which is probably more than I need 99% of the time.
 
I bought mine a couple years ago, when they were recently introduced to the market. They were selling one at a time to individual consumers then. But if I understand correctly, I was one out of only a small handful of people who actually bought one, so they quit selling dividual people like that. I have the amp with the case and volume control. It seems to be really well-built, at least for what it is. I love the sound of it, and it is my go-to amp for when I don't need huge amounts of power. I can get about 120 clean watts out of it, which is probably more than I need 99% of the time.

120w of clean power into 8ohms is a lot! Most of the amps I own that can do that are over 30lbs!
 
120w of clean power into 8ohms is a lot! Most of the amps I own that can do that are over 30lbs!
Behold the beauty of class D! Of course, it distorts like a banshee after that...

Actually, it has pretty effective distortion limiting.
 
That’s sweet looking! You can put these TPA boards in anything. It’s time to get creative. I wonder what it sounds like.

On another forum someone bought one, and it seems it has the same issues of hum with nothing playing, and channel imbalance at low volume, and too sensitive volume knob, that the cheap tpa3116 amps such as the breeze audio have. Looking at the youtube tear down of it. Most likely gain mod can be done on it with the same surface mount resistors.

 
I look forward to the day that the 3255 builds become as cheap as the 3116 builds are today.

KingBubba, you can get a TPA3255 built, finished amp for under $50 +shipping right now on AliExpress. I have one coming (12-20 days). Then you have to decide what kind of power supply you want to use.

I'm very excited to try it, it seemed worth the experiment. Can't wait to see how it does vs my other pre-built TPA3116 and TPA3250 amps.
 
I have never been on AliExpress. I should give it a look.

You can get two different TPA3255 pre-built amps on eBay for $60 or under + shipping. One with treble/bass and one without. AliExpress was just a bit cheaper.

I had been waiting for a pre-built TPA3255 to hit about that price point. I got one without the treble/bass controls thinking that the signal path would be cleaner.
 
TI 3255 EVM board full price $150

I bought mine when they had a sale. 85 bucks or so for the EVM with shipping...and then I spent another 80-100 on parts for a 48V linear supply. A little over 200 bucks I suppose, but I had cases on hand to use. Which are vintage tube amp cases, one for the supply, the other for the 3255 EVM.
 
On another forum someone bought one, and it seems it has the same issues of hum with nothing playing, and channel imbalance at low volume, and too sensitive volume knob, that the cheap tpa3116 amps such as the breeze audio have. Looking at the youtube tear down of it. Most likely gain mod can be done on it with the same surface mount resistors.

It looks quite unique... but i'd hate to accidentally fall asleep on a table with that amp on it. :D
 
Ive got the cheap Aliexpress tpa3255 board . Its powered by a 12v batterry with a buck converter set at 39v , battery is charged with its own solar panel, we're totally off grid here. Volume is controlled with an Alps rk27 pot. The head unit is Rpi with Allo Dac and 2tb hard drive with flac files. The power for the Pi, Dac and hard drive is by the rest of the house 24v system using a step down converter. With no mods or tweaks this is the best sounding system that I've owned. There's a great tpa3255 thread on diyaudio with lots information on design and improvements but personally im blown away with what I have. Thanks to this forum and thread I've realised great sounding hifi isnt just for the rich , its available to us all, yeah we may have to build a box, screw in a few wires but its all there, indeed it is here, in this forum with readily available help. Thanks Poultry for starting a great thred and thanks to all the contributers and free thinkers for helping me put together a fine system. X
Echo those compliments to PG,hes constantly stimulating ideas.....and purchases!:rolleyes:
By the way,spent much time in the area around Foix,favourite bit of France.Many pilgrimages to Montsegur.
Amazing part of the world you live in.:)
 
I bought mine when they had a sale. 85 bucks or so for the EVM with shipping...and then I spent another 80-100 on parts for a 48V linear supply. A little over 200 bucks I suppose, but I had cases on hand to use. Which are vintage tube amp cases, one for the supply, the other for the 3255 EVM.
I got mine in the half price TI offer too (I think I would have gone for the 3e version otherwise), though I didn't go for a linear supply partly because I wanted it to be reasonably portable to take advantage of its undoubted capacity for partying, and partly because of the cost of a big current 50V linear supply. I don't have a collection of huge transformers sadly, I should maybe spend some time trash diving. Certainly if I luck out finding a transformer I will make one but the cost from new components is prohibitive (unless I am missing something, quite possible) and I think the chip was designed to tolerate SMPS very well.
However, since I don't think you can get EVM boards half price for now, I listed the full price in an attempt to present realistic options. I didn't list the $50 board + power supply options which maybe I should have.
 
Echo those compliments to PG,hes constantly stimulating ideas.....and purchases!:rolleyes:
By the way,spent much time in the area around Foix,favourite bit of France.Many pilgrimages to Montsegur.
Amazing part of the world you live in.:)

Your right about him stimulating ideas and purchases, trying to justify spending on an Fx tube preamp, probably could if I'd hadn't spent 1/2 the cost of one on a volume pot.
Yes it's a beautiful part of France, we're about an hour SW of Foix, lot more forest here.
 
On another forum someone bought one, and it seems it has the same issues of hum with nothing playing, and channel imbalance at low volume, and too sensitive volume knob, that the cheap tpa3116 amps such as the breeze audio have. Looking at the youtube tear down of it. Most likely gain mod can be done on it with the same surface mount resistors.


I noticed that it comes with a 19v 6a power brick.
 
Back
Top Bottom