GaN by GaN Class-D with SMP complete for $940, ready to go just put in a box.





Just so it's known, I’m an in Australia and have no affiliation whatsoever to do with GaN or their retailers, so one here thought.
This thread is purely for those that have the mechanical aptitude and can mount this bundle in a box and have something very special, for less than $1000, and have preamp, source selector, volume control, and DAC!! as well as the GaN amplifier itself all in one box.

https://gansystems.com/evaluation-boards/gs-evb-aud-xxx1-gs/

Yes Mouser ran out very quick last week, so I pulled the old thread, there are 10 coming in one and a half months, then they say after that, lead time 36 weeks for more stock.
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/GaN-Systems/GS-EVB-AUD-BUNDLE1-GS?qs=%2Fha2pyFaduh5O8IrjWWQf12B...

Then there are still 4 x here, https://www.richardsonrfpd.com/Products/Product/GS-EVB-AUD-BUND
my EE tech buddy bought the 5th one yesterday. https://ibb.co/VtwF9GF

Cheers George

128x128georgehifi

Showing 1 response by atmasphere

Shouldn't you listen to this evaluation board before encouraging people to buy it? There is a chance it might not live up to your expectations. The board design might be intended more as a demonstration of power efficiency rather than sound quality.
@mspot  There is a reveiw of this evaluation board on audioscience.com from last June:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/gan-systems-amplifier-eval-board-measurem...
Amirm (the guy testing it) concluded:
MOSFET transistors have revolutionized computing and switching power designs. It is nice to see a new type become available after decades of refinement of MOSFET. GaN transistors offered by GaN systems show a path to cooler running, more efficient and better performing amplifiers and power supplies. The eval unit unfortunately doesn't show the improved performance due to different target for it. So best to look at commercial implementations that shoot for state of the art implementations.
On August 25th George brought the thread back to life when he tried tried to get Amirm to add more feedback to the amp, so as to possibly change his conclusion. This is seen on page 7 of that same thread linked above:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/gan-systems-amplifier-eval-board-measurem...
There were two prior threads to this one, both of which George started and later deleted, mostly on account of that conclusion of Amirm's. IMO you do want to pay attention; also note that this evaluation kit does not provide any heatsinking means, so its power supply is current limited to prevent damage to the output devices if driven to full power into 4 ohms. It should be 400 watts, but is current limited to 114 watts to prevent overheating. Output devices in a switching amplifier can go into thermal runaway because as they get hotter, their On resistance increases, which causes them to run hotter. So lack of a heatsink is a serious issue for an audiophile. Its not if your intent is simply to evaluate the devices, and for that purpose this kit works really well.