• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

TPA 3116 vs the tripaths

I have a blue board incoming and.....

I am looking for a solder-free way to connect my laptop power supply to it. I don't want to cut the male connector off if I can avoid it. For the record, I have a Targus laptop power supply with multiple sized tips. I was wondering if either of these two plug sets would work, providing that I have the right size tip for the power supply, which I believe that I do.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-pair-Male..._Surveillance_Accessories&hash=item2a3dbab7ae

tips only by davidflas, on Flickr

or

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-Pair-20p...ables_Adapters_Connectors&hash=item27e4edebee

plugs with wires by davidflas, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
Jadran said:
The little greeny at 'audiobah' is bach! Time to break the bank account again, in this lazy Sunday morning :D
Click to expand...

so that is the coveted Green board huh,What is it again that makes them superior?Sorry I have a memorie disorder(mild Alzheimers)
 
cleonjr said:
so that is the coveted Green board huh,What is it again that makes them superior?Sorry I have a memorie disorder(mild Alzheimers)
Click to expand...

Well, as the add says -

Built overvoltage / current protection and the only TPA3116 based board that is 100%*

turn on / turn off pop noise FREE.

If for that alone I would say its superior to the others. I have ordered both - green and blue, and will see and hear. Now have to focus on psu, but will certainly go for those 'naked' versions and not the laptop 'bricks'.
 
cleonjr said:
ok wich board ,I am going to just do a simple 2.0 with a 6n3 pre,since I was not impressed with SQ on the 2.1 board,which board will provide Best results all around.I want to drop the hammer pASAP so preciate some help.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Amplifier-b...mplifier_Parts_Components&hash=item258fa2b6ea
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TPA3116-Cla...mplifier_Parts_Components&hash=item1c3dbdb76d
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TPA3116-Boa...456?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43c669f858
Click to expand...

If you choose the blue one, try to save few bucks and get it here - http://www.ebay.com/itm/121345963368?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
There is always time to upgrade and replace caps if you wish so why to spend more on the raw board at the start!?
 
davidflas said:
I am looking for a solder-free way to connect my laptop power supply to it. I don't want to cut the male connector off if I can avoid it. For the record, I have a Targus laptop power supply with multiple sized tips. I was wondering if either of these two plug sets would work, providing that I have the right size tip for the power supply, which I believe that I do.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-pair-Male..._Surveillance_Accessories&hash=item2a3dbab7ae
Click to expand...

Yes, those little parts are always useful and handy. Thanks for sharing these ideas!

However this US seller is not so customers friendly, for the $3.99 items he charges for Shipping: $47.01 International Priority Shipping to Croatia, !?? Too crazy

The same stuff in Chinese shops costs the same price and shipping Free!
 
Quote Jadran: If for that alone I would say its superior to the others.

For that aspect one could say it is superior to the blue/black board and the smsl3118. TI says you do not need mute to avoid pop, layout and component choice is what causes pop according to the designers and possibly how the boards are used. The mere fact that audiobah board uses the mutecircuitry could be an indication for poor layout and component choice, wouldn't you say?
 
Jadran said:
Well, as the add says -

Built overvoltage / current protection and the only TPA3116 based board that is 100%*

turn on / turn off pop noise FREE.

If for that alone I would say its superior to the others. I have ordered both - green and blue, and will see and hear. Now have to focus on psu, but will certainly go for those 'naked' versions and not the laptop 'bricks'.
Click to expand...

Let me know on the Power supplyI am going to put together a list of what I need that way I dont mess up and get offtrack like I seem to often do.I have bought 4 other amps 2 chip amps and 2 D amps.enclosures are easy I have a guy that can cut me some veneers from what ever wood I bring him,And dremel tool,plus I have a dead stereo junkyard for conecters and other stuff.

got list some stuff on the bay ,that is how i fund My hobbie:D ok check Y'all later.
 
cleonjr said:
This looks like it might be more versatile http://www.ebay.com/itm/TPA3116-Cla..._Parts_Components&hash=item1c3dbdb76d&afsrc=1 and easier for someone like me to modify to PBTL later.look at the descroiption pictures it has the layouts and all marked for dummies like me.
Click to expand...
As you wish :) I would like to stay as simple as possible, even so it's already driving me crazy :D even more while watching at one dismantled tube amplifier, and one turntable waiting to be finished... uh
cleonjr said:
Let me know on the Power supply I am going to put together a list of what I need that way I dont mess up and get offtrack like I seem to often do.I have bought 4 other amps 2 chip amps and 2 D amps.enclosures are easy I have a guy that can cut me some veneers from what ever wood I bring him,And dremel tool,plus I have a dead stereo junkyard for conecters and other stuff.

got list some stuff on the bay ,that is how i fund My hobbie:D ok check Y'all later.
Click to expand...
About PSU, I will go for something like this - 100W 18V 5.6A
or even 24V versions that can be adjusted by voltage regulator down to 21V if necessary, and it's case is even smaller and more attractive with the side heat-sinks, all by the same seller that seems pro. with happy customers.
Such PSU use Yuan-Jing for his products anyway.


@natger, I wish I could have some translator for your inputs, as I can't follow those.
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showpost.php?p=7848058&postcount=1104
and will stick to others ideas, solutions and experience (like those of the OP's http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=7840363#post7840363), and will finally do it on my own, hopefully !
 
Last edited:
Jadran said:
As you wish :) I would like to stay as simple as possible, even so it's already driving me crazy :D even more while watching at one dismantled tube amplifier, and one turntable waiting to be finished... uh

About PSU, I will go for something like this - 100W 18V 5.6A


will that PS drive 2 3116 units?
Click to expand...
 
Jadran said:
The first one, so called - official version, is somehow overcrowded with all those caps - has 23 in total!?, but the green one is the only one with two relays for speaker protection, and has only 2 caps!? I mean, the chips are same on both but what does the black one need all those capacitors, and no relays. More I think about it more I'm confused :headscrat
Click to expand...

Answer you quote was to this post you had.

Green board does not have relais(or relay), those are 2 double inductors you see near output. Green board has more capacitors then blue/blackboard has, but they are tiny SMD parts, there are also about 10 more SMD resistors on the green boards and a transistor. So the green board has much more parts, none being relais(or relay).

Clearer now?
 
Last edited:
God, how I like such simple and clear posts as this one;

In my opinion this board (Green, Model AC1308 (from audiobah) was the best of all available. I built several "blue boards" and this "green board" which I kept for myself.

I must say that when my 3116 is driven by my Aikido tube pre I get the impression that it sounds almost as good as my 2a3 monos, with better bass.
When 3116 is fronted with a simple Alps volume pot the sound becomes strident and flat, stepped attenuator sounds somewhat better. I just can't get past the idle noise issue on my 95db speakers, so it may never make it from "backup" amp into the main rack.

For the price I don't think I could get anything better than this.
Click to expand...

source:
 
I am reading the AC trheads on the 3116 and boy this little amp has quite the following.most of the big wheels there are the same ones here and over at DIY too,this board ha really evolveld since PG first started the thread.I think soon It might be time to do some detailed project stickys for parts and tweaks and so on.I am not very nimble in the diy area,but I have done some small things that I have done before.well anyway these amps are making history.oh yea and the most important part of doing these is the POwer supply that is a def sticky subject(to me anyway)
 
The guy that made the post regarding the green board being superior is a friend of mine. Quite an electronic whiz kid as well as a profession violinist.

He builds Aikido's, resells them and has done mods for me on other gear. He knows his stuff so if he says the green board is better I trust his judgement. He's the reason I bought the green board.
 
Well there is simplifying and oversimplifying, and hyping an unobtainium that will be available again, whatever works for you:)

Green audiobah board copies from TI evm like others, nothing unique to that board with regard to mute, other chinese copied this too.

+The audiobah output inductor coils are probably far superior to what other standard boards use.

+On input (decoupling) the green board has a resistor and capacitor probably all finished (power)amps should have and not all other boards have. (It might even be a low pass RC filter not sure)

(-/+)It also has another resistor in series on inputsignal, this lowers the gain, high input tubepre gets attenuated a little there, increasing those resistors will decrease tpa3116 gain further to have more range in volumecontrol with the overpowering tubepre's. These 2 series resistors might be unique to the audiobah boards, don't remember seeing them on other boards, wushuliu might see opportunity here or confirmation, audiobah board might select higher gainsetting by standard gainsetting resistors and then reduce that gain again by these added series resistors. Is SQ decrease by resistor overcome by SQ increase through higher gainsetting of tpachip??

Upon improving a 3116 board performance Texas Instruments support answers:
Use at least X7R or better capacitors (MKP/MKT).

Here the green board probably is inferior to other boards on market (mkp/mkt are not better for all purposes)

Then there is the layout of routing powersupply signal and small signal inputs. Green board has the noisiest, worst layout on pcb in this regard, hence my remark earlier you could probably best cut the pcb trace to the left powersupply decoupling/bulk ecap and wire the powersupply directly to these ecaps (there might be power taken from original trace for chippin 1,2,3 or 12(mute) better check befor cutting in wrong place).

Can the green board be the best standardboard? Yes. Do people mod the imperfections of the green board? I haven't read about it, those tiny smd parts could be too much trouble or limit what can be done, or they just say idle noise is too much for my 95dB speakers, damn shame I couldn't fix that:)
 
While mods are fascinating, readers here in the modern day hifi forum are less likely to mod their gear than would be the case in the DIY forum.

Since the TPA31** can be plug and play and requires so little for an enclosure I started the thread "here" with the hope of attracting those who've never tried anything like this before. Based on comments so far, I think that has happened.

Let's not lose sight of those trying to get their feet wet on a first project.

Has anyone tried the TPA3118?
 
Poultrygeist said:
While mods are fascinating, readers here in the modern day hifi forum are less likely to mod their gear than would be the case in the DIY forum.

Since the TPA31** can be plug and play and requires so little for an enclosure I started the thread "here" with the hope of attracting those who've never tried anything like this before. Based on comments so far, I think that has happened.

Let's not lose sight of those trying to get their feet wet on a first project.

Has anyone tried the TPA3118?
Click to expand...

Yes I agree I am A novice,But I am learning a lot fast,I have looked at the 3118 it looks like another nice one gonna get the 3116 done first I have been side tracked,with other boards and chip amps(7498 which I really like)but I want to go at the 3116 in a honest effort ,I had the 2.1 but the SQ just wasnt there but I dont think the amp was at fault I give blame to the tone controls and whatever preamp was on it.i am gona do this board first http://www.ebay.com/itm/TPA3116-Cla..._Parts_Components&hash=item1c3dbdb76d&afsrc=1 then I will get another for a PBTL build with the 6n3 Preamp.wish I could find a power supply that would power everything in one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom