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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2019 19:55:11 GMT
My little TPA amp has arrived and has been hooked up. Bad start, the volume knob fell off lol Anyway, gonna leave it running in the garage for a few hours before having a proper listen but initially, very promising although there is a touch of harshness in the HF. Hopefully it'll smooth out a touch after a few hours. Also, i haven't got my own speaker cables in as the connections don't match. Interesting. No harshness on the ones I have, the opposite really. Could be your cables. My Tannoys are very revealing of any crudity or top end grittiness. Christ! Let's not start that again 🤣🤣 |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2019 21:00:22 GMT
I have swapped in my cables for the cheap cables and straight away the edginess has gone
It is very smooth in it's delivery and I've had a good hour listening to Donovan and others.
Oddly not thinking about anything other than whats playing. Absorbed, i think is the right description.
What a surprising little amp.
I've stuck a 19v laptop SMPS up it, any foreseen issues? EBay page reckons it's fine at that level. Not getting warm at all and was at a decent volume for that hour.
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Post by dsjr on Jul 29, 2019 21:07:12 GMT
Would you mind linking to the one you bought, as there's several and not all are the same.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Jul 29, 2019 21:15:56 GMT
I have swapped in my cables for the cheap cables and straight away the edginess has gone It is very smooth in it's delivery and I've had a good hour listening to Donovan and others. Oddly not thinking about anything other than whats playing. Absorbed, i think is the right description. What a surprising little amp. I've stuck a 19v laptop SMPS up it, any foreseen issues? EBay page reckons it's fine at that level. Not getting warm at all and was at a decent volume for that hour. That’s what I use. No issues. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2019 21:18:41 GMT
Would you mind linking to the one you bought, as there's several and not all are the same. I started a thread on these Dave. The info is there: audioaddictsforum.com/thread/373/nutsThe Breeze Audio is the same amp as the unbranded ones I bought by the way. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2019 21:23:55 GMT
I have swapped in my cables for the cheap cables and straight away the edginess has gone It is very smooth in it's delivery and I've had a good hour listening to Donovan and others. Oddly not thinking about anything other than whats playing. Absorbed, i think is the right description. What a surprising little amp. I've stuck a 19v laptop SMPS up it, any foreseen issues? EBay page reckons it's fine at that level. Not getting warm at all and was at a decent volume for that hour. Told ya!  I'll be putting my 150w version together when I get the chance. (the 150w is probably very optimistic, maybe more like 75w into 8 ohms and half that RMS., but we'll see, mind you the heatsink is three times the size of the Breeze Audio) |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Jul 30, 2019 4:50:49 GMT
It’s a sweet wee thing. I have no inclination to change it out of my second system.
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Post by macca on Jul 30, 2019 6:42:11 GMT
More power is what it needs. I suppose it will still be slightly veiled compared to the best but the bass performance might be a bit better.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2019 7:06:35 GMT
I have swapped in my cables for the cheap cables and straight away the edginess has gone It is very smooth in it's delivery and I've had a good hour listening to Donovan and others. Oddly not thinking about anything other than whats playing. Absorbed, i think is the right description. What a surprising little amp. I've stuck a 19v laptop SMPS up it, any foreseen issues? EBay page reckons it's fine at that level. Not getting warm at all and was at a decent volume for that hour. Told ya! I'll be putting my 150w version together when I get the chance. (the 150w is probably very optimistic, maybe more like 75w into 8 ohms and half that RMS., but we'll see, mind you the heatsink is three times the size of the Breeze Audio) Yea you did! |
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Post by antonio on Dec 19, 2019 20:33:39 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2019 20:55:16 GMT
It is suitable. It's the same one I use and it works well. Use the blue plug tip and set it on 12V. You are unlikely to need more. Interesting inverted photo, it says 'rewoP' instead of 'Power'. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2019 20:57:48 GMT
Much talk here regarding that cute little sub £20 TPA3116 amp and according to a Youtube test, the measurements aren't too bad at all if it's not pushed.
Main criticism of the common Breeze Audio version 'family' is that if pushed, the heatsink gets very hot indeed, the supply caps on one side have in the past been total cack and if used with a 24V DC supply, they can blow their tops off (current ones I believe use higher voltage types - 35V - so should be ok even with the cheap Chinese knock-off caps often used). There are also a number of electrolytics right next to the heatsink (different quantities depending on the picture) and these can get baked to death if the amp is thrashed.
Thing is, on HFS, Nick G linked to another version which is twice the price (still forty quid) but looks potentially better laid out, input buffer? and surface mount components too and with larger heatsink (I think the inductors are underneath) -
Anyone any idea what the performance difference might be? Maybe not the kind of things audiophile wet dreams are made of, but a hint at the future of mainstream audio I suspect, especially now smps units are apparently cleaner in and out than they used to be...
As nobody I've heard of has had a failure, I don't suppose it matters much. They certainly sound great for the money. |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Dec 19, 2019 21:14:52 GMT
The one i have here gets a lot of use as it's been on, constantly in my garage. If it gets cold, the CD player plays up so my CDP and t-amp have been on 24hrs a day for about 2 months now.
It isnt hot, hasnt missed a beat either.
For the ridiculour £11 i pad (i think) its a cracker
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2019 14:02:21 GMT
I'm looking for a small little system for my holiday flat and this looks perfect I'm think a Pi based streamer with Dac Hat, Breeze Audio Passive Pre and one of these amps. Not sure what speakers but the whole thing must fit inside a 23KG suitcase as it will be flying with me. I'm think perhaps the small Kef R100 or something along those lines.
Any ideas?
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Dec 20, 2019 14:57:42 GMT
I'm looking for a small little system for my holiday flat and this looks perfect I'm think a Pi based streamer with Dac Hat, Breeze Audio Passive Pre and one of these amps. Not sure what speakers but the whole thing must fit inside a 23KG suitcase as it will be flying with me. I'm think perhaps the small Kef R100 or something along those lines. Any ideas? Antonio is doing something similar. I believe he has a thread on it. |
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Post by antonio on Dec 20, 2019 16:03:53 GMT
I'm looking for a small little system for my holiday flat and this looks perfect I'm think a Pi based streamer with Dac Hat, Breeze Audio Passive Pre and one of these amps. Not sure what speakers but the whole thing must fit inside a 23KG suitcase as it will be flying with me. I'm think perhaps the small Kef R100 or something along those lines. Any ideas? These amps have a volume control, so I assume you will not need a pre, just a power supply. I've purchased JBL Control 1's, although Shane recommended a couple of other options on my thread asking for small speaker recommendations. My source will be an Astell & Kern Jr DAP. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2019 17:39:31 GMT
Any idea of siting? Also is it soft surfaces or had reflective ones. I’ve taken stuff abroad and found it can be very different.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2019 23:46:10 GMT
I'm looking for a small little system for my holiday flat and this looks perfect I'm think a Pi based streamer with Dac Hat, Breeze Audio Passive Pre and one of these amps. Not sure what speakers but the whole thing must fit inside a 23KG suitcase as it will be flying with me. I'm think perhaps the small Kef R100 or something along those lines. Any ideas? These amps have a volume control, so I assume you will not need a pre, just a power supply. I've purchased JBL Control 1's, although Shane recommended a couple of other options on my thread asking for small speaker recommendations. My source will be an Astell & Kern Jr DAP. That's good to know one less small box. I'll be using a Macbook Pro at first (which I can hotspot from my iphone) and Musical Fidelity V DAC. Just checked your thread some interesting reccomendations. I'm also considering JBL 305P Active Monitors. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2019 23:47:23 GMT
Any idea of siting? Also is it soft surfaces or had reflective ones. I’ve taken stuff abroad and found it can be very different. Mine will be sited on a long and very solid side board which is placed against a solid brick wall. |
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Post by antonio on Dec 21, 2019 5:41:15 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2019 2:27:58 GMT
That’s interesting I was looking at those Edifers recently and they’re about half the price of the active JBL but II was hoping that bit of extra cash and the 5 inch drivers would give me a bit more low end. |
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Post by antonio on Dec 22, 2019 5:46:33 GMT
The Edifiers are very good sounding, not the lowest bass, but would be adequate for me. I thought I had a problem with them, turns out it was my source (a dodgey recording on my Astell & Kern). They will be put up for sale since I've gone and purchased the JBL's to use with my cheap amp. PM me if interested.
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Post by dsjr on Dec 22, 2019 18:37:00 GMT
Well, you lot can rave over tiny little power amps which limits clean volume into any reasonable speaker and means you need very efficient speakers. For hardly much more in today's economic climes, I'd look at one of these - www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_a800.htmBloody thing even measures ok - about current Naim levels for distortion and IMD apart at 19-20k, in a different world from CB era Naim if old 'Choice tests are anything to go by... Totally load tolerant too - www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/behringer-a800-stereo-amplifier-review.10499/A hundred and fifty quid including VAT people!!!!! Used domestically, it shouldn't be unreliable either... Of course, it's Behringer, so not something to boast about on forums, but I bet it'd 'sound' great with say, a later Quad preamp like a 66 or 77. Wish I could do this to prove it..... |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2019 18:40:28 GMT
Well, you lot can rave over tiny little no-power amps which limits clean volume into any reasonable speaker and means you need very efficient speakers. That's wrong Dave. Did you try one? |
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Post by dsjr on Dec 22, 2019 19:03:46 GMT
I ordered the forty quid-ish black one but had to cancel.
My reply has disappeared, but when I had the Krell 50S here, the middle bias lamps were always on (somewhere around 5W i believe) and the top lamps came on often (20W+ output). I sold the amp to macca because I had the thing cooking too much and couldn't use it the way I wanted to with it in a cupboard - I tried it twice for half an hour each session and worried for its safety..
I suppose a Mini-T is way off piste now, but when I had one here, it sounded horrible - thin, harsh and it got worse the louder it went. I'm sure a Mini One is better and maybe the amps you use are better again and far cheaper. For this old bod, the aforementioned Behringer is a FAR better bet and into the likes of Harbeths, the slight rise in inaudible? distortion at very high frequencies wouldn't be noticed anyway...
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2019 21:29:17 GMT
Well, you lot can rave over tiny little power amps which limits clean volume into any reasonable speaker and means you need very efficient speakers. For hardly much more in today's economic climes, I'd look at one of these - www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_a800.htmBloody thing even measures ok - As some of us are thinking of using the T Amps in 2nd systems that looks a bit big. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2019 21:30:38 GMT
Well, you lot can rave over tiny little power amps which limits clean volume into any reasonable speaker and means you need very efficient speakers. For hardly much more in today's economic climes, I'd look at one of these - www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_a800.htmBloody thing even measures ok - about current Naim levels for distortion and IMD apart at 19-20k, in a different world from CB era Naim if old 'Choice tests are anything to go by... Totally load tolerant too - www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/behringer-a800-stereo-amplifier-review.10499/A hundred and fifty quid including VAT people!!!!! Used domestically, it shouldn't be unreliable either... Of course, it's Behringer, so not something to boast about on forums, but I bet it'd 'sound' great with say, a later Quad preamp like a 66 or 77. Wish I could do this to prove it..... Looks interesting. Might buy one someday and keep for backup duties. Good thing it's got RCA input. Can directly connect my CD player to it. S. |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Dec 22, 2019 22:00:11 GMT
Well, you lot can rave over tiny little power amps which limits clean volume into any reasonable speaker and means you need very efficient speakers. For hardly much more in today's economic climes, I'd look at one of these - www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_a800.htmBloody thing even measures ok - about current Naim levels for distortion and IMD apart at 19-20k, in a different world from CB era Naim if old 'Choice tests are anything to go by... Totally load tolerant too - www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/behringer-a800-stereo-amplifier-review.10499/A hundred and fifty quid including VAT people!!!!! Used domestically, it shouldn't be unreliable either... Of course, it's Behringer, so not something to boast about on forums, but I bet it'd 'sound' great with say, a later Quad preamp like a 66 or 77. Wish I could do this to prove it..... I think you've got this way off, Dave. The little T-amp is less than £20. That's massively LESS than the amp you've linked to and as for the sound, OK, it not going to pull up trees but how you have described it is just not how it sounds here. |
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Post by dsjr on Dec 22, 2019 22:05:27 GMT
I had the Mini T and *here,* it wasn't very nice at all although it does justice with its owner driving Diamond 220's at low levels while he works.
I suspect that when I can play the speakers, I play a lot louder than I should - cough...
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2019 22:13:53 GMT
I hope nobody's confusing the 'Mini T' amp with the Breeze Audio TPA3116. They are not the same thing. I should know, I own both.
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