[hoxuanduc]

Wushuliu,

Yea, pretty amazing for $10, isn't?  Did you compare this little thing to other amps you have? I thought it sounded way better than Tripath TA2020 & 2024 amps, or even TK 2050 out there.

Duc

[wushuliu]

Wushuliu,

Yea, pretty amazing for $10, isn't?  Did you compare this little thing to other amps you have? I thought it sounded way better than Tripath TA2020 & 2024 amps, or even TK 2050 out there.

Duc

I haven't had a tripath in a long while so I can't say. It is a similar sound to the TPA3100D2 amp I have (upon which the TBI is based), so very good. These Texas Instruments TPA (not TDA, which are different) chips have a lot of potential and there are a bunch of them including 2 new ones that came out this summer. Plug and play eval amps can be bought direct from TI or digikey...

[lacro]

 I had to order some stuff from PE so I added one of the little amps to my order. It's just to help me learn as I go in this hobby. What do you guys think of adding a potentiometer as described (with wiring diagram) in the Parts Express Product Q&A for this product? I want to use a laptop as the source direct to the amp. Will the digital volume in the PC be a better choice than the potentiometer to use with this board?
 http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=320-329

Thanks,
Larry

[lacro]

Wushuliu,

Yea, pretty amazing for $10, isn't?  Did you compare this little thing to other amps you have? I thought it sounded way better than Tripath TA2020 & 2024 amps, or even TK 2050 out there.

Duc

You guys are right! This chip does sound better that the 2024 And TK2050. I need to do more AB comparison, but using the same Paradigm Atom V3 speakers I use in my nearfield desktop computer set-up, I connected the amp to my little laptop instead of my Desktop. I powered it with an Indeed 12V  5A power supply. Wow!! this little credit card size amp sounds great.

 It drives these speakers easily as loud as I want to listen from the laptop on-board sound. It's hard for me to describe the difference in sound compared to the 2024 & TK2050 as I am not versed in the descriptions you guys use, but I do feel everything is more clear, especially female voices. The highs are very crisp, I think the TK2050  may go deeper with lows, but I am comparing 2 different  computers sources, both running Pandora One. I do need to do more testing.

 I would like to be able to mount the board in something like an Altoids box.  Also, I am still wondering if using a Pot with this board will degrade the sound and I am better off just using PC volume control. Thoughts??


Her's a pic of this tiny board:


Here's it connected to the little laptop, note the TK 2050 amp in the background which is my normal nearfield set-up:



Larry

[wushuliu]

I had to order some stuff from PE so I added one of the little amps to my order. It's just to help me learn as I go in this hobby. What do you guys think of adding a potentiometer as described (with wiring diagram) in the Parts Express Product Q&A for this product? I want to use a laptop as the source direct to the amp. Will the digital volume in the PC be a better choice than the potentiometer to use with this board?
 http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=320-329

Thanks,
Larry

PM sent.

[django11]

Could someone wax poetic about the Bottleneck Quickie pre amp?  I am interested but need reinforcement.  I presently have a little pre that a member here built but it uses 6j6 tubes which are very inexpensive but very micro-phonic .

[lacro]

This little amp is amazing!! I tried it with 3 different sets of bookshelf speakers, and it's able to drive all of them to small room filling sound without distortion. What I don't understand is how can an amp that is only rated at real world low distortion numbers of only 3 watts into 8 ohms deliver this much?? I always thought that low efficiency speakers such as the Pioneer SP-BS21-LR book shelf pair which are 84db would need much higher power to drive to reasonable listening levels.
 Pairing this little gem with the Pioneers (Newegg $50 on sale frequently) would make a great Xmas gift at less than $75 including connectors. The amp could be installed inside one of the speakers or in its' own little box. I am going to try this exact combo with my flat screen tv which has lousy tiny speakers. This will save me from turning on my surround sound receiver just to listen to the news.

Larry

[hoxuanduc]

Just pull the TA3020 and TA2022 amps from Connexelectronics out for comparison.  They both have more power (300w/4R and 100W/4R, respectively) than this TPA amp. On the moderate (87db/v/m) sensitivity MTM and TMM speakers, they have more bass than the little thing, but not as textured & detail midrange and treble. In a pretty large room too (family room open to kitchen & dining area)

Too bad most people probably will not pair this amp w really good speakers.

[pandpliers]

There is so much information out there that it is hard to single out which one to try first.  Amps for $10? No reason not to experiment now!