Suggest me a cheap bench amp

[Patrologia]

Happy Holidays to everyone.
As the thread title suggest, I'm looking for a cheap bench amp. At present, every piece of equipment in my house was bought used. When I hear problems, I'm not sure whether the problem is with the receiver, the speakers, the component, etc... I know ideally I should restore everything to pristine working condition, but, frankly, very little of it is worth that. What I'd like to be able to do is hook up speakers to a known good (not great) amp so that I can narrow down where the issue is. It needs to be cheap, because this is NOT where I want to be spending my money. I don't have a commitment to PE, just where I found some possibilities.

It would be a nice bonus if it had acceptable sound quality so that I could use it for tunes while I'm working down there on other stuff, but that is a decidedly secondary issue. The primary is that it be reliably clean.

I've seen a couple of things on Parts Express that looked like they might be what I was looking for, but I'm hoping for advice, suggestions, and warnings.
http://www.parts-express.com/kinter...amplifier-bass-treble-rca-in-2-x-18w--310-372
http://www.parts-express.com/lepai-...-power-amplifier-with-3a-power-suppl--310-296
http://www.parts-express.com/lepai-...power-amplifier-with-3a-power-supply--310-294
http://www.parts-express.com/lepai-...dio-mini-amplifier-with-power-supply--310-300
http://www.parts-express.com/pyle-pca1-mini-2x15w-stereo-power-amplifier--248-460

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[ronscat]

I've been using a SMSL Chinese amp for 3 or 4 yrs now. Works good in my opinion. I think I gave about $45 from China. Quiet as a mouse just amps the music.

 

[Farmhand]

I've got the Lepai 2020A+ and would like to get a few more. I think there's a new model and the old ones are on clearance.

 

[drew_t]

If you've got an old laptop power brick laying around, you can get a TPA3116 amp board or pair of mono boards from China for under ten bucks. Check the "TPA 3116 vs the tripaths" thread in New Gear - Values."

 

[rave0035]

I used a version of that Pyle amp at my bench for several years. Worked great. Doubled as a utility amp sometimes.

Mike

 

[nj pheonix]

If you've got an old laptop power brick laying around, you can get a TPA3116 amp board or pair of mono boards from China for under ten bucks. Check the "TPA 3116 vs the tripaths" thread in New Gear - Values."

+1

 

[Patrologia]

I've got the Lepai 2020A+ and would like to get a few more. I think there's a new model and the old ones are on clearance.

I used a version of that Pyle amp at my bench for several years. Worked great. Doubled as a utility amp sometimes.

Mike

Thanks for the confirmation on these two, helps me to narrow it down, and good to know that people have had good experiences.

If you've got an old laptop power brick laying around, you can get a TPA3116 amp board or pair of mono boards from China for under ten bucks. Check the "TPA 3116 vs the tripaths" thread in New Gear - Values."

This is tempting, especially with the enthusiastic comments in that thread. I think for the moment though I better keep it simple, and it sounds like there's "some assembly required." My own work is not so amazing that I'd be confident saying that the problem couldn't be in any of what I'd done! I will, however, file this away as an interesting idea to pursue down the road.

I've been using a SMSL Chinese amp for 3 or 4 yrs now. Works good in my opinion. I think I gave about $45 from China. Quiet as a mouse just amps the music.

Thanks for the suggestion--I'll look into these as well.

 

[gadget73]

I have a Lepai 2020 and another Lepai something that uses different guts. One is my computer speaker setup, the other is at work doing computer speaker duty. Cheap as chips, don't sound terrible, and if the smoke comes out eventually you can buy another for the cost of a decent lunch.

 

[petehall347]

i never thought about a bench amp . i like it silent when working . then i look forward to hearing the one i am fixing . maybe its an age thing ?

 

[shelly_d]

I picked up a Kinter some time ago and think it is a fine amp as long as it has enough current. The documents recommended at least 2 amps. It is much happier on 6.

Have fun.

 

[MCM_Fan]

This is tempting, especially with the enthusiastic comments in that thread. I think for the moment though I better keep it simple, and it sounds like there's "some assembly required." My own work is not so amazing that I'd be confident saying that the problem couldn't be in any of what I'd done! I will, however, file this away as an interesting idea to pursue down the road.

You can get a fully assembled, in case, Breeze Audio TPA3116 amp off eBay for about $26 including shipping. I won't post a link, as eBay listings expire, but just do an eBay search on Breeze Audio TPA3116, pick a seller and pull the trigger.

All you need to add is a laptop brick (SMPS) power supply with the right barrel connector and an output voltage between 12V and 24V (9V to 21V recommneded for best combination of output power and sound quality). You may already have one laying about, if not, a quick trip to Goodwill should land you one for about 4 bucks. So, total expenditure about 30 bucks.

Review and tear down here:

 

[Pio1980]

Used vintage, Adcom GFA-535-II. It has dc blocking cap and self-balancing offset.
Bulletproof, common, and reliable. Generally only needs blown fuses replaced if nonop.

 

[Brickbat]

..Or a Crown D-75. Pretty bullet-proof, and has L/R level controls, which come in handy sometimes. Also has balanced or unbalanced input, and bridges with the flip of a switch. It also has a front panel headphone jack.

Oh, and it has big, beefy banana jacks for the outputs.

 

[ferninando]

tpa 3116

 

[elnaldo]

i never thought about a bench amp . i like it silent when working . then i look forward to hearing the one i am fixing . maybe its an age thing ?

To me, a "bench amp" is an amp where to connect gear under test... preamps, mixing consoles, microphones...

 

[petehall347]

To me, a "bench amp" is an amp where to connect gear under test... preamps, mixing consoles, microphones...

i dont see many things that arent amplifiers or have amps built in . if i do i just grab the nearest one that i know is working ok .

 

[Patrologia]

To me, a "bench amp" is an amp where to connect gear under test... preamps, mixing consoles, microphones...

This is what I meant, yes. I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the Lepai before I saw all the TPA3116 solutions, so for the near future I'll be going that route. Thanks for all the advice, and interesting options for down the road.