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TPA 3116 vs the tripaths

Without the $50 3 tube preamp I wouldn't be nearly as fond of the TPA's as I am.

That cheapo preamp adds just the right amount of warmth and tube bloom to keep me engaged and shaking my head in disbelief.
 
@Poultrygeist: you use the Audiobah green board I think. What is the preamp? Thanks.


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prighello said:
Well, I finally finished my blue/black board. Was going to put it in this awesome cigar box I got but the walls were too thick so I ended up with a plastic project box.

I must say I am shocked by it's performance. I used to think amps were all the same but this one is clearly different than the SMSL TA2021 Tripath I was using in the same system. Frankly, the SMSL sucks compared to this TPA3116.:yes:

The sound stage is bigger and there is a greater sense of presence in the room, like the performers are actually there. The speakers seem to just disappear and vocals come alive. Wow. :music:

I'd say I was crazy or it was placebo because I built something, but my wife who is not into this stuff at all commented on how much better things sounded. She never says this even when I ask her to demo speakers with me. She usually says they all sound the same. So something's here.:scratch2:
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Put the tube preamp and then you will be surprised with the sound quality. I know that I am. (3 tube + YU red)
 
I think this is it. DIY Magic Sound Buffer 6N3 X 2 + 6Z4 Tube Preamp + 220v or 110v Transformer " and the seller is pokerelectronic


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micho said:
I also found this. I wonder how different it sounds than yours. http://www.ebay.com/itm/111315284863


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I had that preamp for a while after upgrading from the Little Bear 6J1 based preamp. It was an upgrade, but not as much as i thought. I settled on a Little Bear P8 preamp because it has a much better volume pot, and parts overall. It is also a headphone amp, but I don't use that function. I like the P8 so much, that I just bought a second one. :banana: It make a good partner for the blue/black board that I built into a wooden box.

Poultrygeist said:
micho,

I'd expect that preamp to sound pretty much the same as mine. Looks like no assembly is required.
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Actually, that pre ships as a kit, but assembly is very easy, after all I was able to do it, so anybody can. :D
 
@Poultrygeist, sorry I ask you too many questions. Do you have the Hiamplifier one? I read that you love the Audiobah's sound the most but do not know if you tried this one? http://www.ebay.com/itm/121294927725
Hiamplifier guy was bashing Audiobah's design in one of the forums. Do not know if it was true what he said or just a competitor:) So manu forums talking about TPA boards my head is spinning:)



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I don't have the Hiamp but I'm sure it sounds great. They all do.

Can't say yet if the Audiobah's my favorite but I do love the fact there's no pop at turn on/off.
 
Poultrygeist said:
I don't have the Hiamp but I'm sure it sounds great. They all do.

Can't say yet if the Audiobah's my favorite but I do love the fact there's no pop at turn on/off.
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I have been reading about the turn on/off pop issue with interest as it has been a non-issue for me. At turn on I switch the preamp on first, then plug in the amp. At turn off I unplug the amp first, then turn off the pre. For on I get no noise, turn off a very quiet pop in each speaker. I have the pre volume turned down in both cases. Now, if I turn of the pre first I get all kinds of popping etc..
 
davidflas said:
I have been reading about the turn on/off pop issue with interest as it has been a non-issue for me. At turn on I switch the preamp on first, then plug in the amp. At turn off I unplug the amp first, then turn off the pre. For on I get no noise, turn off a very quiet pop in each speaker. I have the pre volume turned down in both cases. Now, if I turn of the pre first I get all kinds of popping etc..
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I found this TIP - Place a small Class X1 rated capacitor (around 0.1 uF /275 volts is fine) across the switch contacts. This will help protect the contacts from arcing and also stop them from making a noise when the switch is operated. This is optional but recommended. here is the whole article http://www.decdun.me.uk/gainclone_psu.html
 
cleonjr said:
Ok well I guess I got it right cause it is pushing the 2 ohm sub hard no heat of any kind.wish I had some kind of meter or something to measure and see if I am getting 200 watts or not,it seems like it has some punch,is there a meter that does that and relatively cheap?


Connect OUTPR OUTNR and SWP together for the positive speaker terminal

and OUTNL OUTPL and SWN together for the negative terminal
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A guy at DIYaudio helped me figure the wattage it is around 250 watts that is awesome for a sub amp
 
davidflas said:
I have been reading about the turn on/off pop issue with interest as it has been a non-issue for me. At turn on I switch the preamp on first, then plug in the amp. At turn off I unplug the amp first, then turn off the pre. For on I get no noise, turn off a very quiet pop in each speaker. I have the pre volume turned down in both cases. Now, if I turn off the pre first I get all kinds of popping etc..
Click to expand...
That's the rule that apply to any hi-fi device - amp/preamp, isn't it?!
Source>preamp.>amplifier, when switching ON or vice verse when switching OFF, and volume always down! That's to any and more expensive device, and not just for $15 worth Lilliputian :D

I still don't understand what do you mean by - 'unplugging' the amp., and why? :scratch2:
 
Jadran said:
That's the rule that apply to any hi-fi device - amp/preamp, isn't it?!
Source>preamp.>amplifier, when switching ON or vice verse when switching OFF, and volume always down! That's to any and more expensive device, and not just for $15 worth Lilliputian :D

I still don't understand what do you mean by - 'unplugging' the amp., and why? :scratch2:
Click to expand...

The interesting thing is that it's not the amp making the noise, it's the pre making them, even when volume is down. In fact, I had the pre connected to my emotiva amps and it sent them into protection when I turned it of first by mistake. As for unplugging the amp, that's because it's my self-built blue/black board and it has no power switch.
 
Spent the afternoon comparing the stock red, b/b, and green boards.

For the first time I paired the TPA's with a Bottlehead Foreplay III preamp driving Lowthers while powering the woofers with a plate amps using an Ashly active crossover. The source I used is a Marantz SA8004 playing Diana Krall's "Love Scenes" in SACD.

One thing I quickly learned is the TPA's only get better with better gear. If you relegate these boards to driving cheap PC speakers you will never realize their full potential. Guess I'm somewhat guilty here as I thought they hung the moon with the $35 Dayton B652's.

The Foreplay III is hand built, point to point and loaded with Auricaps as well as all the upgrades. That preamp with the TPA's literally brought tears to my eyes. The 6n3 preamp is amazing and as good as it sounds it still lags behind the Foreplay.

I can not stress how much a fine tube preamp will add to any of the TPA's. Buy a used $500 tube preamp and paired with a $28 TPA you'll have a system that would crush most high end boutique amps.

My favorite of the group turned out to be the green board. Loved how clearly it allowed me to hear Diana's breaths in "How Deep Is the Ocean". Heard a little sibilance from Diana with some of the boards but none from the green board. Unlike the others it never made an audible pop.

The B/B came in second. While I thought it more detailed than the red board and equal to the green board it seemed less smooth than either.

The 3110 while the cheapest of the lot held it's own and had an advantage with the Lowthers/Foreplay. Due to it's lower power it was a better match for the first step position on the Foreplay's twin attenuators. The others with greater power required tweaking the active crossover input/output levels.

As I said earlier all these TPA's are winners and are very close in performance. They all have a similar house sound and are far more alike than different.

Next time your audio buddy says he's got a thousand or so to spend on an amp tell him he can do much better with a $28 TPA3116 and a good tube preamp.
 
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Thanks for your review Poultrygeist. It made me pick and order a green board for my second build. In addition to the different 3116 board I will also pick a heavier chassis this time and build in a transformer and add a powerswitch. The lightweight plastic chassis I used for my first build, while economic and okay-looking, is so light that I always have to worry about the cables (which are many times heavier than the amp) dragging the amp down with them. A valve preamp is still being worked on, bidding on the local auction sites :). I'm hoping that combo will fix the slightly grainy/harsh character which is the only criticism I have on my current 3116 amp (B/B with solid state preamp).
 
Great review PG...makes me want to adopt a tube-pre soon. I'm wanting something with a remote. I've hooked up the red TPA to my Usher speakers and man they sound great.
 
Normally I would say there is no significant power difference between sure3110 and the 3116's. On Lowther's the difference could be due to the 20 ohm impedance the Lowthers might have in a horn enclosure, no idea what the powerrating for any of these amps are on 20 ohm. I do know the 3110 would be only one not peaking, the 22uH output filter 3116's will peak excessively and the 10uH outputfilter will peak even more.
 
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