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TPA 3116 vs the tripaths

cleonjr said:
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
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Can someone clarify this tip for me, as I don't really even understand what a capacitor does - you are saying that the capacitor should be installed with one lead on the power supply side of the switch, and one on the power output side? So that, if it were just a straight wire instead of a capacitor, it would effectively bypass the switch? I read the referenced article, but it didn't explain this tip in any detail.
 
cleonjr said:
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
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I can tell that I wasn't clear when I described my turn off noise issue. The noise I get from my pre isn't the switch at all, it's the popping noises that the tubes make through the speakers when cooling down, regardless of how the volume pot is set. I need to work on my communication skills. :yes:
 
davidflas said:
I can tell that I wasn't clear when I described my turn off noise issue. The noise I get from my pre isn't the switch at all, it's the popping noises that the tubes make through the speakers when cooling down, regardless of how the volume pot is set. I need to work on my communication skills. :yes:
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Your Communication is fine,As far as the pop my tube peavey amp does that too, I just think it is a tube anomaly.I am not a expert but it seems to me it is expelled electricity draining from the whatever?Mine on the guitar amps is luke a thump and then a buzz that fades away.I been hearing it so long i dont notice anymore.that my take could be your issue is different.You will get it figured out though.
 
On a related note to my previous post, I was wondering if it would be more cost effective for someone such as me who has never even held a soldering iron to buy a pre-modded board such as this one from hiamplifier:

pre modded blue black board by davidflas, on Flickr

Product Details: $48.50

1. Powered by TI TPA3116D Class-D Stereo Amplifier Chip
2. Use Nichicon E-Cap 1000uF / 25V x2
3. Use Solen MKP Film Cap - 1uF
4. Use Boxed Coupling Caps
5. Use ± 1% Metal Resistors
6. Use Shielded Inductors
7. Use 2.0 oz copper thickness with PCB FR4 material

The other idea I was wondering about was having an AK member mod a board for me, I have no idea if that would be asking a lot, or if replacing a few parts on a board is easy and quick.
 
davidflas said:
On a related note to my previous post, I was wondering if it would be more cost effective for someone such as me who has never even held a soldering iron to buy a pre-modded board such as this one from hiamplifier:

pre modded blue black board by davidflas, on Flickr

Product Details: $48.50

1. Powered by TI TPA3116D Class-D Stereo Amplifier Chip
2. Use Nichicon E-Cap 1000uF / 25V x2
3. Use Solen MKP Film Cap - 1uF
4. Use Boxed Coupling Caps
5. Use ± 1% Metal Resistors
6. Use Shielded Inductors
7. Use 2.0 oz copper thickness with PCB FR4 material

The other idea I was wondering about was having an AK member mod a board for me, I have no idea if that would be asking a lot, or if replacing a few parts on a board is easy and quick.
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That could work, although it would be cheaper to order a 'green' board from audiobah. According to OP, who has tried both, that one sounds better than the B&B board. Hard to be sure if that's still true with these mods in place, but seeing the only mods are DC decoupling caps and power caps, I would guess the green board would still be at least equally good, and it has speaker pop protection as well. With fancy-brand components from China you're never sure if they are real or counterfeit either. Personally I would apply the mods myself or else just get the green board.
 
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Has anyone compared SMSL Sa-36a Pro to another TPA3116D2 board, either "modded" or "unmodded"?

These are by far the cheapest 3116/3118 option available since they come completed with hardware/enclosure.

For $38 shipped I'm surprised there aren't more people discussing them.
 
rotini said:
Has anyone compared SMSL Sa-36a Pro to another TPA3116D2 board, either "modded" or "unmodded"?

These are by far the cheapest 3116/3118 option available since they come completed with hardware/enclosure.

For $38 shipped I'm surprised there aren't more people discussing them.
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I've compared my SMSL SA-S1 which uses the same chip (TA2020) as the SA-36A (this amp is just a newer version). The TPA3116 blows the SMSL away. No comparison.
 
Hey guys - question - about how long has it taken to get your amp from China with the free shipping? I ordered the SMSL SA-36 Pro on the 5th and live in South Georgia.

Thanks,
Ron
 
ronscat said:
Hey guys - question - about how long has it taken to get your amp from China with the free shipping? I ordered the SMSL SA-36 Pro on the 5th and live in South Georgia.

Thanks,
Ron
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I think it was about 3 weeks for me. So if you ordered the 5th it should be arriving any time now, assuming the shipping itself wasn't delayed.
 
phalanger said:
I think it was about 3 weeks for me. So if you ordered the 5th it should be arriving any time now, assuming the shipping itself wasn't delayed.
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I have noticed my shipments have come to a crawl from China,was thinking maybe the recent Iraqi issues could have triggered security precautions.I was getting my stuff within 10 days now it is from 21 to a month delivery time.these are what they look for,circuit boards and such.
 
cleonjr said:
I have noticed my shipments have come to a crawl from China,was thinking maybe the recent Iraqi issues could have triggered security precautions.I was getting my stuff within 10 days now it is from 21 to a month delivery time.these are what they look for,circuit boards and such.
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I think it's probably due to the increased demand caused by this thread and the one at Audio Circle.
 
Poultrygeist said:
I think it's probably due to the increased demand caused by this thread and the one at Audio Circle.
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I've had stuff show up in 8 days, some things take more than 3 weeks. I think it's just who the seller is and how they ship.

Reminds me of that commercial where they are firing up the production line again because some kid keeps hitting the buy it now button.
 
Poultrygeist said:
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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That is a nice review and makes me consider getting the green board. Thanks for offering your insights. I've read the green board is an easy mod to go dual mono, does it come with any info on how to do it?

I'm probably good with a single board though, would save space in my amp case, and solve the turn on pop (I don't get a turn off pop with the red boards just turn on which is handled easily by keeping the volume pots off until the tubes warm up).

In any case, the more I listen to my red board + 6N3 combo the more I like it, and lately driving a set of JBL Studio 530s there is not much I can find fault with - it's a killer combo.
 
I hate to ask the same question twice, but a while back (post #1415) it was stated that you could avoid the on/off speaker pop issue by placing a small capacitor across the switch contacts. I took this to mean that you would place the cap with one side connected to the power input side and the other capacitor lead attached to the switch contact leading downstream to the amp. Can someone tell me if this is in fact the correct interpretation and, secondly, if it would work? Seems like an easy answer to the problem, but I know virtually nothing about electronics. Can anyone with a better understanding comment?
 
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