[daftKow]

Hey All,

After doing some research, I would very much like a TPA3116 amp. It's purpose would be to drive bookshelves on a desk for a computer system.

I started reading though the big thread here: http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=122011.0 and my head is spinning! It seems like a foreign language

I've absolutely no experience with electronics of soldering. The furthest I've gone is to piece together my own computer, but that's as easy as lego! (if it doesn't fit, it doesn't go there). Does this mean I'm way out of my depth in trying to build one?

Should I simply pick up something like this prebuilt one: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Finished-TPA3116-2-1-50W-50W-100W-Class-D-AMP-Amplifier-Board-/111299676080?pt=US_Amplifier_Parts_Components&hash=item19e9fa47b0&_uhb=1

How come this one is so much more expensive? http://www.yuan-jing.com/tpa3116-class-d-2-0-stereo-power-amplifier-50w-50w

Or do I brave trying to build one using this: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/1PC-TPA3116-Class-D-2-50W-Amp-kit-Amplifier-DIY-Assembled-Board-/221435884248?pt=US_Amplifier_Parts_Components&hash=item338e9b72d8&_uhb=1

If so, can anyone please recommend all the pieces I need? The connectors, the knob, the switch, the power supply, etc? Is there a step-by-step manual I can follow?

Sorry about the newbie questions, I'm brand new at this but excited to dive in. I'm just afraid of drowning Thank you in advance!

[Letitroll98]

The more expensive one has a built in power supply, in other words with the cheaper one you need to buy a wall wart or computer brick type power supply as well as the amp, with the Yuan Jing amp you just need a regular power cord.  Also it looks like the Yuan Jing amp is using the more desirable "blue board", which doesn't make it more expensive per se, just that it's suppose to sound better.

On another note, I know this is another thread on the 3116 amp, but I think it's valuable as an addendum to the regular thread if we keep this one as intended, strictly for newbie questions.  I'll admit to also being a little overwhelmed with keeping track of all the various mods and builds in the older thread.

[davidflas]

I was a total noob just like you when I stumbled onto a TPA 3116 thread on the AK forums. I ordered the $15 red board, bought a $5 wooden box from Michael's. I went to Lowes and picked up two pairs of these binding posts. http://www.lowes.com/pd_248205-60784-F3457-DM-V1_0__ I cut the plastic parts off which allows them to be installed in the holes I drilled in the wooden box. I used regular 16 gage copper speaker wire to connect them to the screw down posts on the amp. I bought this Targus 90 watt laptop power supply from Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0054JE64I/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 You'll also want to pick up one of these input cables from Ebay. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1PC-2-0CH-Audio-Input-Connector-Cable-for-AMP-DIY-/221435935758?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item338e9c3c0e I have not bothered to get a knob yet, but Radioshack sells knobs that work. Using the parts I mentioned it is all plug and play assembly. I hope this info helped.

[lacro]

My advise to any noob is decide why you want one of these amps. If it's because you just want a cheap good sounding amp but don't care about modding or building an enclosure, your probably better off just buying one of the finished amps using the 3116/3118 board.
However, if you like building, learning, modding, and have tools, the basic board can be a lot of fun, and rewarding to build.
 The blue board from Hiamplifier (E-bay) is the best deal as it includes the needed signal cable, and now includes gain resistors if you want to change the gain. All you will need is the board, a PS brick such as one from a laptop you may already have. Input jack for PS. A pair of RCA jacks, 2 sets of speaker binding posts, and some hook-up wire. You can get solderless jacks and binding posts.

Here's a pic of one I mounted on a sheet of aluminum. Note all the connections on the board are screw down or plug-in.



It slides into my case like a drawer, easy in, easy out...

[Rocket_Ronny]

Forget about building one and buy a completed amp. Costs about the same in the end and sounds better from what I heard.

http://www.yuan-jing.com/tpa3116-class-d-2-0-stereo-power-amplifier-50w-50w

Rocket_Ronny

[lacro]

Forget about building one and buy a completed amp. Costs about the same in the end and sounds better from what I heard.

http://www.yuan-jing.com/tpa3116-class-d-2-0-stereo-power-amplifier-50w-50w

Rocket_Ronny

Please explain....

It's the exact same $20 blue board. I don't see how it could sound better?? $115 plus $48 shipping! I have less than $50 in mine including PS, external passive volume pot, board, all connectors, and wooden case. About the same cost as just the YJ amp shipping.

 If you want to buy a finished amp, here is a MUCH better deal:

 
http://www.shenzhenaudio.com/smsl-sa-36a-pro-20wpc-tpa3118d2-digital-amplifier-power-adapter.html

[trackball02]

 
http://www.shenzhenaudio.com/smsl-sa-36a-pro-20wpc-tpa3118d2-digital-amplifier-power-adapter.html

Looks like a great deal. Anyone tried this amp? 

Other than the TPA3118d2 having less power compared to TPA3116, are there any other major differences in sound quality?

[Markvdv]

3118 does not have less power then 3116

[trackball02]

 On the website, http://www.shenzhenaudio.com/smsl-sa-36a-pro-20wpc-tpa3118d2-digital-amplifier-power-adapter.html
They listed the power at 25w, 4 ohms. 

For comparison, isn't the TPA3116 rated at 50w, 4 ohms?

[rhing]

Your answers are here:

http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/tpa3116d2.pdf

[Markvdv]

It is easiest to consider them being the same chip, packaged in a different manner.
3118 has heatsinkpad on bottom, is a little more efficient in losing heat but relies entirely on pcb to get rid of it, the 3116 has heatsinkpad on top, when used with proper heatsink theoretically it can deliver more watts befor overheat protection. (Proper=TI design or the size audiobah ebay seller uses).
In reality I listened for hours and hours playing loud with heatsinkless 3116 (worse then 3118 when used this way) and it only gets little warm, can hardly speak about heat. Protection cuts power at 150+ °C, so...

[daftKow]

Hey All, wow ... thanks for all the responses! Reading through them and a lot of the posts over again, I think I have a better idea of what to tackle. Those "assembled" boards don't require any soldering, what a relief!

A few questions:

Red board vs Blue board, what's the difference? I see the red board has a volume knob, the blue board doesn't? So the blue board is constantly on "max volume"? How does one connect the power supply to the blue board? It looks like just "VCC" and "Ground". Do I have to cut apart the power supply connector and strip the wires to screw them into the board?

Power supply: I understand this amp has a max of 26V, but can work with power supplies down to 12V or lower. How about current/amperage? Wattage? I see some laptop bricks are 24V, 5A, 120W. Others are 24V, 2.5A, 60W. And anywhere in between.

I started poking around more and read some raving reviews on the 6N3/6Z4 preamp, so I might want to tackle that next. Some of them include a transformer. Is this the same as a power supply? Do I just splice a power cable into the transformer? I'm afraid of starting an electrical fire by doing something wrong!

Hm ... maybe toss in a PCM2704 USB DAC. I'm getting obsessed with "DIY" C&C!

Thanks again for the patience and help! Much appreciated!

[gregfisk]

http://www.shenzhenaudio.com/smsl-sa-36a-pro-20wpc-tpa3118d2-digital-amplifier-power-adapter.html

Looks like a great deal. Anyone tried this amp? 

Other than the TPA3118d2 having less power compared to TPA3116, are there any other major differences in sound quality?

I purchased this amp on the 5th and it was shipped Singapore Post on the 7th, haven't received it yet.

I have the 3116 red board I bought a while ago but haven't had time to put it together.

I do have two of the modified TBI Millenia amps and will be able to compare this amp new amp to them.

Greg

[davidflas]

Hey All, wow ... thanks for all the responses! Reading through them and a lot of the posts over again, I think I have a better idea of what to tackle. Those "assembled" boards don't require any soldering, what a relief!

A few questions:

Red board vs Blue board, what's the difference? I see the red board has a volume knob, the blue board doesn't? So the blue board is constantly on "max volume"? How does one connect the power supply to the blue board? It looks like just "VCC" and "Ground". Do I have to cut apart the power supply connector and strip the wires to screw them into the board?

Power supply: I understand this amp has a max of 26V, but can work with power supplies down to 12V or lower. How about current/amperage? Wattage? I see some laptop bricks are 24V, 5A, 120W. Others are 24V, 2.5A, 60W. And anywhere in between.

I started poking around more and read some raving reviews on the 6N3/6Z4 preamp, so I might want to tackle that next. Some of them include a transformer. Is this the same as a power supply? Do I just splice a power cable into the transformer? I'm afraid of starting an electrical fire by doing something wrong!

Hm ... maybe toss in a PCM2704 USB DAC. I'm getting obsessed with "DIY" C&C!

Thanks again for the patience and help! Much appreciated!

I can answer some of your questions, and will let more experienced members answer the rest.  In learning about the TPA3116 boards, I found that most people found 19v power supplies to be the sweet spot of power output and sound quality. Use a lower voltage one and lost WPC, go higher and lose sound quality. Check out the link I provided in my previous post to a Targus power supply.  With the blue board you will need to strip the wires of your power supply and plug them into the board. You will need to determine which is ground and which is hot. I am not confident in my ability to do that, so I have not ordered my blue board yet. I need to look into it more. Also, with the blue board you will need to use it with a preamp, or connect a volume pot.  I recommend one of the 6n3/6z4 preamps, they are great. I never had the exact one that member Poultrygeist uses, but I had one that is a step above it, and made another step up to a 6n3/6n5p preamp that also works as a headphone amp. I have had fun tube rolling as well since the tubes these preamps use are cheap and freely available. As for your question about the transformer, yes, you just splice a power cord onto the transformer. I used wire nuts to do it, since I don't have a soldering gun.

[davidflas]

Here's a few pics of the tube pre that I use. It's good for a noob like me since it is completely plug and play. All I needed to add was a standard three prong computer style power cord. It has a nice ALPS volume pot and even a fused power switch on the back.

Here's a picture of the parts, pre assembly:

DSC_4321 by davidflas, on Flickr

Assembled and ready to go:

DSC_4322 by davidflas, on Flickr

In action on my computer desk:

DSC_5104 by davidflas, on Flickr

[Odal3]

Is there anywhere  I can order the RCA input cables with quick delivery to the US. Got the audiobah green board in the mail but I got so busy I completely forgot to order the cables at the same time.