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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
russ69's avatar
russ69
3,360 posts
 

You could experiment with something like this (inline attenuators)

This works in most cases, unless your custom designed amp is just crazy noisy or has way more gain than the average amp. I have 9 tube amps, all are dead quiet. 

mlsstl
1,398 posts
 

One other thought -- have you tried different tubes in your amp? I know nothing about the design of your amp, but if the hiss is equal in both channels, it may be a bad preamp tube. Ones like 12AX7, for example, are dual-channel tubes so one tube can affect both channels.  Bad driver or output tubes typically affect only one channel unless the whole complement of tubes is getting old.

kokakolia's avatar
kokakolia OP
198 posts
 

Yeah I just think that the amp isn’t built very well and that it’s crazy noisy. It doesn’t seem to bother the artisan. I essentially flushed 1800€ down the toilet. The tubes are JJ and new. I don’t want to go down a rabbit hole of spending more money to fix a lemon. I’ll return the unit tomorrow. I don’t expect a refund. I just don’t want to create more landfill.

Two amps caught my attention:

- Yamaha A 670 (brand new) 330€. It’s a 20W class D amplifier with PWM tech. It should sound very clean/neutral.

- Atoll IN30 (used, like new) 250€. Your typical A/B amplifier. Plenty of power. Shouldn’t have much noise because A/B.

My dad told me to get a power conditioner etc... But that’s just throwing more money at the problem and I don’t have much confidence in the craftsmanship. I also forgot to mention that I have a REL T5X never unboxed. So bass shouldn't be an issue.

dekay's avatar
dekay
5,363 posts
 

Not familiar with your Bluesound Node +, but it still could be a gain issue.

Aside from that do you have any other musical source gear that you can try (with the amp) besides the Bluesound, as the hiss may be caused by it (the Bluesound) and a gain/other issue)?

If not, I would try the product I suggested (or something like it) before tossing a 2K US$ unit back to it’s builder without a refund.

I listened to your speakers (YouTube) and though this is not the best way to audition speakers they seemed fairly bright with little bass/mid-bass to me (this is coming from someone who has been using wide band single drivers since 2002) and I would suggest implementing your unused subwoofer at some point.

All my single driver speakers mate best with single ended tube amplifiers and/or PP tube/SS amplifiers that have a very low damping factor as I do not use subwoofers.

 

DeKay

 

 

 

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