Snade
humble AK member
Thanks to AK members Analog Addict and Strawman for alerting me to this unit and how to do the modification.
Short story: Radio Shack right now sells a 25 watt per channel digital integrated amp for $15. It works very well. It does require a simple hack to work as an amp.
(correction based on feedback after the original post - this amp is not a true "digital" amp. It is a normal A/B amp, and it is designed for 8 ohm speakers, asking it to drive speakers below 8 ohms can cause it to over-heat.)
This is what it looks like:
Background: Radio Shack released this unit as the Accurian Digital Audio Receiver / Amp intended to be a part of a wireless system to power two speakers in the back of the room of a 4 speaker surround system. There is also a "transmitting" unit (you don't need this) that would broadcast the source to the receiver / amp unit in the back of the room. Some smart people released a simple hack in 2006 to disable the "receiver" board and simply use the unit as a digital amp. If you google "accurian amp mod" you will find these older posts from last year.
This is the amp on the radio shack web site:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049804
Important note on finding one: May 3, 2008 update - the web site shows it in stock (after being out of stock the past several months) so you can try there. Many reports that these are very hard to find in Radio Shack stores and your best bet is ordering via the RS web site.
August 2008 update: Sorry, it is no longer available from the Radio Shack web site.
My Story: I read the posts on AK yesterday, drove over to my local Radio Shack, bought the only one they had in the store ($16.03 with sales tax), did the mod in about 15 minutes (I'm slow) and connected it to my Insignia speakers and a CD player. It sounds very good.
The Mod to make it work as an amp: In short, you open it up, remove the green "receiver" board, close it up, and now it is an amp.
Tips to Open it Up:
Turn is upside down. See the 4 rubber feet, these are lightly glued, so remove them by prying them up with a small screw driver. With the feet removed, you can insert a philips head screwdriver and remove the 4 recessed screws, there is also a fifth screw near the center. Remove the fifth screw and open the unit up - you will see the green receiver board.
Now follow these steps to remove the green "receiver" board:
This is what it looks like with the green board and two black cables removed:
Note, you don't have to remove the green receiver board, you could just disable it by pulling out the two plugs in Step 1 above and the mod will work. By removing the board you may improve air flow just a bit.
Now close it up and give it a try (tip - replace the recessed screws by putting it right-side up and inserting each screw on the tip of the screw driver pointing it up as you insert and screw). The two RCA plugs in back that are labeled "line out" are actually now your single source plugs to connect to your tuner or CD player.
Initial reaction to the sound: Much more powerful than a T-Amp, good dynamics, the high end is a bit harsh but it needs break-in time to smooth out.
Not better than a good integrated amp, but it's 15 fricken bucks. Just have fun.
Cheers, Snade
Short story: Radio Shack right now sells a 25 watt per channel digital integrated amp for $15. It works very well. It does require a simple hack to work as an amp.
(correction based on feedback after the original post - this amp is not a true "digital" amp. It is a normal A/B amp, and it is designed for 8 ohm speakers, asking it to drive speakers below 8 ohms can cause it to over-heat.)
This is what it looks like:
Background: Radio Shack released this unit as the Accurian Digital Audio Receiver / Amp intended to be a part of a wireless system to power two speakers in the back of the room of a 4 speaker surround system. There is also a "transmitting" unit (you don't need this) that would broadcast the source to the receiver / amp unit in the back of the room. Some smart people released a simple hack in 2006 to disable the "receiver" board and simply use the unit as a digital amp. If you google "accurian amp mod" you will find these older posts from last year.
This is the amp on the radio shack web site:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049804
Important note on finding one: May 3, 2008 update - the web site shows it in stock (after being out of stock the past several months) so you can try there. Many reports that these are very hard to find in Radio Shack stores and your best bet is ordering via the RS web site.
August 2008 update: Sorry, it is no longer available from the Radio Shack web site.
My Story: I read the posts on AK yesterday, drove over to my local Radio Shack, bought the only one they had in the store ($16.03 with sales tax), did the mod in about 15 minutes (I'm slow) and connected it to my Insignia speakers and a CD player. It sounds very good.
The Mod to make it work as an amp: In short, you open it up, remove the green "receiver" board, close it up, and now it is an amp.
Tips to Open it Up:
Turn is upside down. See the 4 rubber feet, these are lightly glued, so remove them by prying them up with a small screw driver. With the feet removed, you can insert a philips head screwdriver and remove the 4 recessed screws, there is also a fifth screw near the center. Remove the fifth screw and open the unit up - you will see the green receiver board.
Now follow these steps to remove the green "receiver" board:
This is what it looks like with the green board and two black cables removed:
Note, you don't have to remove the green receiver board, you could just disable it by pulling out the two plugs in Step 1 above and the mod will work. By removing the board you may improve air flow just a bit.
Now close it up and give it a try (tip - replace the recessed screws by putting it right-side up and inserting each screw on the tip of the screw driver pointing it up as you insert and screw). The two RCA plugs in back that are labeled "line out" are actually now your single source plugs to connect to your tuner or CD player.
Initial reaction to the sound: Much more powerful than a T-Amp, good dynamics, the high end is a bit harsh but it needs break-in time to smooth out.
Not better than a good integrated amp, but it's 15 fricken bucks. Just have fun.
Cheers, Snade