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Looking for a small amp

Takato

Takato

New Member
Hello there! I'm looking for a small amp for bookshelf speakers. It has to be small because I use them in my desktop, so I can't look for a "regular" size.

Currently I'm between this ones:

OSD AMP120
FX Audio D802
SMSL Q5 PRO
Topping V3

Which one will be the best? Almost all of them are in the same price range (except for the Topping which is the cheapest). My speakers aren't the best in town, but they work good, they're JBL.

Thanks!
 
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Don't have any real advice for you, having never heard any of those amps (NAD 3020 is as small as I go - is that too big? GREAT AMP!). But the FX Audio Tube-1 is a great little preamp/buffer, for the price. Both in terms of build quality/looks, and sound quality. I'd be curious about their amps.
 
Thanks for your answer! I mean small in size. I have another bigger amp with bigger speakers which I use for my listening, but right know I'm looking for a small sized amp for my desktop.
 
the skipper said:
Dunno exactly what your application/expectations are but this little guy powers a pair of JBL L-26 Decades to clean, loud (but not wall shaking) levels for Pandora from a smart TV in our 13 X 20 bedroom . It ain't fancy and won't impress anybody but it perfectly fits my needs.

View attachment 1164338

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FZKA28...81db-21ea11796a56&ie=UTF8&qid=1523835080&sr=1
Click to expand...
Saw one somehow powering the background music in a restaurant. I was impressed. I have one, but it's still in the box like a couple others I haven't got around to playing with yet.
 
I have an SMSL SA-50 that worked quite well with a buddie's Pioneer SP-BS-22's. Although it has more power than the Lepy (Lepai) it doesn't have tone controls.
 
I have a FX-Audio DAC-X6 sitting here - its a dac with headphohe amp. Works, sounds good enough, much better than onboard.

FX Audio does really suffer from "little chinese children remove caps off old electronics and place them into bins labeled "can use is like new for FX-Audio".
Means: there are no new or oem caps in the thing.

I ordered the 6 psu caps and a couple of smaller "nichicons" that measured way off.

Result: sound the same as before, basically. :)
 
I realize there a number of Lepai LP2020A fans about.
But the newer version Lepai LP2020TI is quite good as well. Uses TI's TPA 3118 chip.

https://www.parts-express.com/lepai...-stereo-amplifier-with-power-supply--310-3000

Concerning the tone controls: Imo, it's best just to use the tone bypass switch on these amps.
To my ears, one of the clearer examples of tone controls making the sound distort in odd ways.
I wasn't happy with mine until I bypassed them.

While I haven't tested this to see if it's true, I did also see info on one forum saying that the tone controls aren't actually "flat" when set mid way.
You reportedly have to turn them all the way to "10" for "flat".
 
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