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Class D amplifier with TPA 3250 board

Hello,

I'm new to this forum. I recently purchased my endgame setup comprised of Closer Acoustics Ogy speakers (91 SPL), REL T5X subwoofer and a custom hand built tube amplifier with EL34 tubes. The tube amplifier is giving me trouble with hissing noises, so it's constantly at the artisan's workshop. Since my speakers are extremely efficient, I was wondering about smaller amplifiers as an escape route (if the artisan can't fix the amp, he surely can). The Octavio Amp looks nice on paper. So does the Atoll IN80. Is one obviously better than the other for my revealing speakers?

Folks on another forum I shall not name seem to heavily imply that all amplifiers should sound the same (or very similar). They rave about these cheap tiny Topping/Aiyima amplifiers with class D TPA 3250 amplifier boards. These same boards are used in Genelec active monitors, so they must be good? I'm flustered because there no direct comparisons between these TPA 32xx amplifiers and more conventional/expensive branded amplifiers. The same folks on the forum I shall not name imply that I'm a dunce for spending so much money on a tube amplifier (quote: it's a distortion factory and it can't play grindcore metal music so it sucks). If it weren't for the hiss I wouldn't post here. 

Can I cheap class D amp replace a custom hand-wired EL34 tube amplifier for extremely revealing Closer Acoustics Ogy speakers?

128x128kokakolia

Showing 2 responses by timlub

timlub
2,039 posts
 

I have built several Class D amplifiers.  I used a TPA3255 by 3e audio.  I switched out a few key caps on the board. I used a 12 amp switching supply and added 120,000 mfd for the supply.  I engaged the PFFB circuit which makes the frequency response stable at all impedance loads, I wired it for balanced operation.  

It was very good.  I had several amps selling on marketplace and sold a few. That amp was snatched up first.  

timlub
2,039 posts
 

I'm not really sure what is trying to be accomplished here.  I can comment that I have built no less than a dozen class d amps from modules.  TA2024, TA2020, TA2022, Tk2050 TAS5613, TAS5630, TDA7498, TPA3255, IRS2092, a couple different Sure/Wondom tri path boards..... yada yada.  The Tri paths, when critical parts were switched out and a solid power supply was put under them, they all sounded at least decent.  A couple ended up very good. As far at the argument that an amp was tested and it was 10 percent distortion??? Take a world class Class A amplifier and drive it hard enough, it will produce high distortions too.  The question is "Can some of these little Class D amps sound good?"  You bet... Beware, some of the Class D amps that I built were not good.  The TPA3255 That I mentioned earlier turned out quite good. as did a Wondom 400 what per channel board, sorry, I don't remember the chipset on that board... it was called 400 watts per channel, when I was finished, it spec'd out at around 60 watts to 8 and 120 to 4, but either way, ended up being a nice sounding little amp.  I am only saying that when used with the right speakers a few of these little amps can perform admirably, no, not quite world class, but very satisfying, good performing amplifiers

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