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"Best" inexpensive Class D amp?

J

joekapahulu

Active Member
Ok, finally getting back to this after a year...between health, economy, covid blah...anyway. Did some research to ID way to go essentially looking for an inexpensive ($300-500 max say) small footprint amp for a home office/Bedroom desktop app running worst case Spendor S3/5s from a PC thru USB Dac. Options are:
!) NAD 3020D
2) Allo Volt + D
3) Amptastic mini 1
4) Temple Bantam Gold
5) BK Electronics Peerless

I have heard none of these so its a blind purchase. NAD is the most maintstream. Temple gets very good feedback as does the Amptastic. Most of these are 100% new to me coming off internet searches. Music played is diverse but lots of acoustic jazz, guitar, piano, classical guitar, singer songwriter, blues, Hawaiian.
Anyone have/had/heard these and have feedback? All responses appreciated.
 
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I really enjoy my Volt+D which is probably the least expensive amp on your list. Paired with the Splendors which are very inefficient at 84 dbs it would probably run out of gas. The +D on a good day with a 19v power supply would probably make no more than 20 watts. Do you already own the Splendors?
 
Small bedroom?
I don't have a recommendation on the amps, but with the Spendors at 84 dB on desktop/nearfield I wouldn't need more than 20 watts.
 
PG--Yes, I already have the spendors as well as some Minimus 7s which are nowhere near as nice but can be ok though I dont think they are that efficient either.
OB--bedroom is only 10 x 12 and stuff wont be played really loudly 90% of the time.

Also adding to the list a new Rega IO amp which is about $500. Supposed to be very similar to the Brio which I heard once about 3 years ago in a shop in Memphis. It was I thought pretty impressive for a small little box. This is getting more imprtant becasue the MAC MA5100 that was maybe also an option for that room is turning out to have some issues so it is no longer a candidate. Only other approach might be to buy a new amp for my main modern system and move the Marantz PM8005 into the bedroom. It would work fine sound wise but is pretty large and I dont know what I would buy to replace it...I guess it is going to take some thinking here. Appreciate the input from those who responded.
 
I have had the NAD D3020 for several years now and can attest to it being a great little amp that is very versatile and can drive even some difficult speakers well at modest volume.
 
joekapahulu said:
PG--Yes, I already have the spendors as well as some Minimus 7s which are nowhere near as nice but can be ok though I dont think they are that efficient either.
OB--bedroom is only 10 x 12 and stuff wont be played really loudly 90% of the time.

Also adding to the list a new Rega IO amp which is about $500. Supposed to be very similar to the Brio which I heard once about 3 years ago in a shop in Memphis. It was I thought pretty impressive for a small little box. This is getting more imprtant becasue the MAC MA5100 that was maybe also an option for that room is turning out to have some issues so it is no longer a candidate. Only other approach might be to buy a new amp for my main modern system and move the Marantz PM8005 into the bedroom. It would work fine sound wise but is pretty large and I dont know what I would buy to replace it...I guess it is going to take some thinking here. Appreciate the input from those who responded.
Click to expand...

What voltage power supply would you be using with the +D? I always thought 19V ( that's what allo sells ) was optimal but in a test of the +D on ASR they used a 31V which really surprised me. If you can go with the higher voltage power supply I think the +D will drive the Spendors without a hitch. The review is quite positive and confirms what Volt+D owners already know.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/allo-volt-d-amplifier-review.15539/
 
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Poultrygeist said:
What voltage power supply would you be using with the +D? I always thought 19V ( that's what allo sells ) was optimal but in a test of the +D on ASR they used a 31V which really surprised me. If you can go with the higher voltage power supply I think the +D will drive the Spendors without a hitch. The review is quite positive and confirms what Volt+D owners already know.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/allo-volt-d-amplifier-review.15539/
Click to expand...


PG thanks for the link. I read through it...interesting and entertaining. Since I am dealing with space constraints the size of the amp is an advantage. It is not the prettiest thing in the world. I much prefer what you did with yours in a black box. Looking at it from a cost POV it looks like delivered to me its about $188 add in a PS for $40-50 for a good one like a MW then we are up to $240-250 depending on shipping to Hawaii. I can get a NAD 3020D for about $100 more delivered and a Rega IO for about $150 more. So, I am leaning that way as they appear to be a bit more up the curve in terms of features and quality. That goes to my max original budget but might be the most practical approach. I do have to say though that your pictures and writings about the OB speakers have piqued my interest. It sounds like the sound is just amazing vs. the standard boxes. Bounced around Exxx looking at full range speakers but wasnt really knowledgeable enough to discern which drivers were worth the money. Found the Madisound site which has kits on it that were interesting but havent put in the research time to see what people really think about them. I am a big jazz/female vocals junkie so that is the appeal of playing in the OB area. Plus, retired and too much time on my hands....
Thanks for all your input. I learn from reading from people like yourself with way more experience.
 
joekapahulu said:
PG thanks for the link. I read through it...interesting and entertaining. Since I am dealing with space constraints the size of the amp is an advantage. It is not the prettiest thing in the world. I much prefer what you did with yours in a black box. Looking at it from a cost POV it looks like delivered to me its about $188 add in a PS for $40-50 for a good one like a MW then we are up to $240-250 depending on shipping to Hawaii. I can get a NAD 3020D for about $100 more delivered and a Rega IO for about $150 more. So, I am leaning that way as they appear to be a bit more up the curve in terms of features and quality. That goes to my max original budget but might be the most practical approach. I do have to say though that your pictures and writings about the OB speakers have piqued my interest. It sounds like the sound is just amazing vs. the standard boxes. Bounced around Exxx looking at full range speakers but wasnt really knowledgeable enough to discern which drivers were worth the money. Found the Madisound site which has kits on it that were interesting but havent put in the research time to see what people really think about them. I am a big jazz/female vocals junkie so that is the appeal of playing in the OB area. Plus, retired and too much time on my hands....
Thanks for all your input. I learn from reading from people like yourself with way more experience.
Click to expand...

Let me know when you're ready to do some OB's. :thumbsup:
 
Probably because I'm poor and cheap, but I think that you could spend a lot less and get something that might work for you as a desktop system. For me, I wanted something that would sound good, but wouldn't necessarily have to compete with my big stereo as far as volume or resolution. I wound up with a little SMSL Q5 amp that's rated at 20 watts and has a built in DAC (which sounds far better than going analog out of my iMac) and for speakers I got a pair of NHT Super Ones. I bought both though my local Craigslist ads and spent all of $70 total on both of them...

Considering that the stuff that I play off of my computer, usually youtube videos and sometimes mp3 files, are pretty low resolution audio, I'm surprised at just how good that this amp/speaker combo sounds.
 
Hopefully it's not a policy violation, but I'm selling a couple Texas Instruments TPA3255EVM boards and Mean Well 500W, 48V power supplies in Barter Town. These are the amp modules and power supplies, they're not built into enclosures. You'd have free reign on that. I'd expect I can't give the prices here but one set would fall within or below the ranges mentioned by the OP.

If this is a policy violation please feel unencumbered to report it for removal and appropriate punishment.
 
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If you have the money for the Rega IO i would get that its a killer lil amp even in absolute terms...the spendors would sing with it...
 
I have owned Spendor S3/5's and I still have a pair of the Radio Shack Minimus 7 speakers in one of my systems. Of the amps you listed, I think only the BK might have enough power to drive the Spendors. I tried to drive my Spendors with an NAD receiver that was rated around 20 or so WPC and it was not up to the task. It sounded dull and closed in. I also tried a 50wpc integrated amp, which sounded better than the NAD. At the time I owned the Spendors, the Tripath T2025 amps were introduced. I tried one of them with the Spendors and it sounded awful. However, the little T-Amp sounded ok driving the Minimus 7's. I have an SMSL TPA3116 amp in one of my systems and I really like the way it sounds. However, I would not even try to drive a Spendor S3/5 with it. IMO it does not have nearly enough power. I found the Spendors to be a demanding load for an amp and I did not have enough cabinet space to accommodate what I thought they would need to sound their best.
 
It's slightly above your budget, but you can buy a VTV branded OEM Hypex amplifier for about $550. Bruno Putzeys is among the best designers of switchers in the industry. I use a more powerful version of the same amp in the garage system. Perhaps you are aware that the products of many companies including NAD are Hypex based.

They excel particularly in midrange focus which is the core of acoustical music.

https://vtvamplifier.com/product/vtv-stereo-amplifier-based-on-hypex-ncore-nc252mp/
 
Short term I moved my printer below the desk and am using a Harman Kardon 3490 receiver I literally forgot I had in a box in the garage. My wife reminded me I had a bunch of stuff in the garage and maybe that could sub for the Marantz in one of the 2 main room systems. Went out to look around at all this old Yamaha stuff I had never used and found the HK. It is mid-fi but is fine for the USB sourced Spotify music I am listening to while in the office. It has more than enough power for the Spendors and the Minimus 7s playing in tandem. I dont do that but I tried out of curiousity. It takes up some space but just about as much as the printer so it is net net. I dont use the printer much so having it less accessible is not a big deal. I still will get an amp down the line but I think I am going to save a little more and invest in something better like a Rega Brio or Heed Elixir or something else with a smaller footprint but more power. Thanks to member niws for comments on the power requirements for the Spendors. I had not used them in a number of years and forgotten they were hooked up to a larger amp then. I decided I woud be better off with a more power amp because at some point it could become a backup to one of the other systems if issues happen there....
Appreciate all the input. It added value and helped me figure out a better strategy for this solution.
 
Emotiva had some 300 dollar ea. monoblocks that got very good reviews. Theyr'e out of stock right now but say more are coming.
 
The EMOTIVA TA 100 at 400 dollars, putting out 50 watts per channel plus it has phono inputs and a tuner section could be a real sleeper. Check them out.
 
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