[aceinc]

I just built a pair of 18" Subwoofers which qualify for C & C as I only paid $250 for a pair of Ultimax UM18-22s.

I am looking for power amps to power them and saw these;

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803314997270.html

Which after shipping push the limits of C & C at $412.37 (If you consider them 2 components it works ).

Does anyone have experience with these, or with AliExpress Class D amps in general?

The purpose would be for my subs, but I move & test things frequently, and I might use them to drive inefficient speakers for testing, etc.

[RickB]

I've ordered a set, they seem to have the same internal boards (with what seems to be a cleaner layout) as the Zero Zone amps tested on TNT HiFi: https://www.tnt-audio.com/ampli/zerozone_irs2092_e.html

[FullRangeMan]

This TNT amp is a plant, have 600W 8ohms and even more at 4ohms, not easy to a powerful amp to be refined, detailed and smooth. I believe a smaller 100W or 150W 8ohms version will sound refined with most plus 96dB speakers IMO.

[Letitroll98]

Yeah, we're perfectly fine with endorsing these as C&C components.  They ever so slightly stretch the individual components limit, but we've always allowed that and more for special products.  And I don't for a second believe the claims of 1,000. or 800 watts, but who cares, at half the advertised power they're in the very high powered component category.  I'm very interested in where this goes.  Issues of reliability and quality control often rear their ugly head in time with these no name type products.  Great find guys.

[aceinc]

I've ordered a set, they seem to have the same internal boards (with what seems to be a cleaner layout) as the Zero Zone amps tested on TNT HiFi: https://www.tnt-audio.com/ampli/zerozone_irs2092_e.html

When you receive them I would be interested in your opinion.

[RickB]

I, too, am interested...the fellow I work for is really interested in these Chinese amps, we have bought a set of  Goldmund monoblock clones, a Pass X160 clone, an FM Acoustics clone, a Dartzeel clone, a set of the Fosi V3 monoblocks, and a Orsefon C22 clone...notice, I use "clone" in its most liberal fashion!

I showed him a couple of YouTube videos from the HiFi Zone channel and he got all excited!

This guy can buy whatever he wants, we have a current set of ARC Reference SE series monos and preamp, Rowland monos and preamp, real Pass X200.5s, speakers from everyone  from Aerial to YG...so, it's fun to compare. just a PITA for my old body to move and set up the gear!

A picture from before we added the ARC stuff, definitely NOT cheap and cheerful!





.

[RickB]

Some of the Chinese things amongst other gear:




So you have an idea of what they will be being compared with.

We feed either a WiiM Pro+ or an Aurender N100 into the Esoteric CD/SACD player as a source.

[aceinc]

I, too, am interested...the fellow I work for is really interested in these Chinese amps, we have bought a set of  Goldmund monoblock clones, a Pass X160 clone, an FM Acoustics clone, a Dartzeel clone, a set of the Fosi V3 monoblocks, and a Orsefon C22 clone...notice, I use "clone" in its most liberal fashion!

I showed him a couple of YouTube videos from the HiFi Zone channel and he got all excited!

This guy can buy whatever he wants, we have a current set of ARC Reference SE series monos and preamp, Rowland monos and preamp, real Pass X200.5s, speakers from everyone  from Aerial to YG...so, it's fun to compare. just a PITA for my old body to move and set up the gear!

A picture from before we added the ARC stuff, definitely NOT cheap and cheerful!





.

Since he has money to spare  perhaps he can help out us cheap & cheerful folks by buying a pair & testing with the uber high resolution gear he has and letting us know the results.

It would be a test us C&C folks couldn't afford to do

[RickB]

That's what I am doing!
When I mentioned earlier that I ordered the amps, that's true, I ordered them for him!
I'm his trained audio monkey and erstwhile assistant...I get to play with his toys and not have to buy them myself!

[JMW73]

For that price you could easily be in a Behringer.  Possibly one with DSP, which you are going to want.

[FullRangeMan]

This is a nice system, especially the room. 

[aceinc]

For that price you could easily be in a Behringer.  Possibly one with DSP, which you are going to want.

The Behringer with DSP would have more power. More power than the Crown (with DSP) I am currently using. However both of those amps have fans which need to be dealt with.

I am thinking these amps have no fans, are aesthetically more pleasing (to my taste), and could be used in other experimentation I do, such as driving Maggies or Carver ALS.

I would have bought them already but RickB said he ordered them and will report back, so I am waiting to hear what he says.

[aceinc]

I'm his trained audio monkey and erstwhile assistant...I get to play with his toys and not have to buy them myself!

Sounds like a fun gig

[RickB]

Sounds like a fun gig

It can be, but he is ADD, OCD, and frequently A-Hole, and as I have been through several physical and health issues some things are just not too fun...and at 72 just don't have the strength and physical capabilities I did a decade ago when I first started working with him, sometimes it's just stress, not fun.

But I still feel better overall having something to do and being a bit productive rather than just sitting around and playing with my stuff and waiting for the end!

[aceinc]

It can be, but he is ADD, OCD, and frequently A-Hole, and as I have been through several physical and health issues some things are just not too fun...and at 72 just don't have the strength and physical capabilities I did a decade ago when I first started working with him, sometimes it's just stress, not fun.

But I still feel better overall having something to do and being a bit productive rather than just sitting around and playing with my stuff and waiting for the end!

I am your age and still working. But I am still having fun.

The one thing which I have taught myself (audio wise) which has helped me immensely in tuning my systems is, how to use REW. Being free software, it is C&C. There are a plethora of YouTube Videos and lots of people who post about it. If you don't already use it, check it out.

When do you expect delivery of the amps?

[JMW73]

The Behringer with DSP would have more power. More power than the Crown (with DSP) I am currently using. However both of those amps have fans which need to be dealt with.

I am thinking these amps have no fans, are aesthetically more pleasing (to my taste), and could be used in other experimentation I do, such as driving Maggies or Carver ALS.

I would have bought them already but RickB said he ordered them and will report back, so I am waiting to hear what he says.

I did a fan mod on mine... wasn't loud before, and now dead silent.  I agree, they are ugly.  I have mine hidden behind my rack.  No need to display it!

[RickB]

Got the amps unpacked yesterday and hooked them up to a pair of Soundlabs M-1s:







.

[aceinc]

Got the amps unpacked yesterday and hooked them up to a pair of Soundlabs M-1s:







.

What's the deets?

Do they seem anywhere near as powerful as they claim?

Considering the speakers, I imagine if they are noisy, muddled or weak it would show up rather quickly.

[RickB]

Not noisy, not muddled, extended as all get out, and definitely powerful...the M-1s blew the internal protection fuses on a set of Jeff Rowland 735 monos before a moderate listening level was reached...in other words, the M-1s are demanding!

The little digital amps will in this instance drive them to uncomfortably loud levels with no distortion.

The change from day one to day two was significant, stridency diminished and depth and image location improved.

It ha been my experience with digital amps (ever since the  Sonic Impact days!) that they take a while to fully settled down and show you what they are capable of, so I'll leave these guys running for a while and see how they progress.

So far the guy whom I bought these for just laughs because he feels like they are stupid good for chump change...

.

[RickB]

In the FWIW category, the Fosi V3 monos couldn't drive the M-1s...bass notes at moderate levels absolutely sucked the amps dry to where they were cutting out repeatedly on demo tracks like Boz Scaggs' "Desire" at normal, not too loud, listening levels.