Dipping my foot into cheap amps/DACS

[conkerman]

Thought I'd start a thread here about my latest little project.

I'm building a log cabin in the garden as a summerhouse, which I'll be insulating once I let it settle down.

I have the following to go out there.

Q Acoustics 2050i
TV
Xbox One S and maybe a Playstation 4.

I do have an old Yamaha RX-V1067 but that is a bit much, and really big.

I was browsing amazon last night and happened to buy the following.

Fosi ZA3 amp (With 48V PSU)
SMSL PS100 (HDMI ARC and bluetooth DAC for <£30)

Testing it out in the living room, and first thoughts are its better than expected, little bit 'zingy' in the treble.

Anyone else messing about in this space? The number of products is utterly nuts.

Will post findings as I go on.

[cg360]

I've done this in my home office, which is just an 8 x 6 shed

I tried a few and found 'zingy' is the dominant sound signature, but I've got a setup now that I really love. To me it has proper hifi 'heft'. Controlled bass, smooth treble and also very accurate/transparent.

Where I am now is:

Spotify from MacBook via USB
iFi Zen Dac/Amp
Ancient Denon PMA 255 UK
Q Accoustics 3010 on home made wooden stands
Some super cheap foam insulation sound trap things on the wall

This is on a desk so near field but it sounds really good. Cost me about £200 all in and I'd need to spend a lot to upgrade it meaningfully (I'm used to the old upgrade ladder from past hifi adventures). My impression is the Zen was a big improvement over other DACs (Topping etc) and the Denon is light years better than the amps I was playing with (Fosi etc D Class stuff). I wouldn't doubt the amp and speakers' ability to fill a small room. All to my preferences and ears, of course.

Mainly listening to jazz and electronica (IDM), but works really well for all genres - those are just what I like to listen to when working

[danb79]

I've a few t-amps to play with

Have this SMSL: https://www.amazon.co.uk/AD18-Stereo-Amplifier-Blu...

I've a Topping T60 buried somewhere in its box, in the loft and I've another one somewhere, think it's another SMSL but one of the channels stopped working

The SMSL I use in my spare room, as well as an Arcam Alpha 10 integrated and my NAD C320BEE amp alongside a Rega Apollo (original) CDP and a NAD C545BEE CDP too. The Arcam Alpha 9CDP I had has now died unfortunately

They all run either Acoustic Energy AE109 or B&W 602S2 speakers. I did have some original Neat Motive 2s up there too, but someone was after I set and I sold them to get some room back

[conkerman]

Well, about 10 hours playback in and it's actually not bad.

Either the zingyness has settled down a bit, or I have just got used to it. I suspect the DAC/bluetooth, but will experiment in a couple of weeks when back from holiday. (I have a Zen Dac on my desk), I can lash up a CD player and see how it goes.

I really wanted a DAC with HDMI ARC and bluetooth, the outrageously cheap PS100 is probably a stopgap.

Quite good fun this

[danb79]

conkerman said:

Well, about 10 hours playback in and it's actually not bad.

Either the zingyness has settled down a bit, or I have just got used to it. I suspect the DAC/bluetooth, but will experiment in a couple of weeks when back from holiday. (I have a Zen Dac on my desk), I can lash up a CD player and see how it goes.

I really wanted a DAC with HDMI ARC and bluetooth, the outrageously cheap PS100 is probably a stopgap.

Quite good fun this

T-amps I've aways found them to be lively to begin with, they soon calm down with a good few hours between them

I either feed them with my CDPs (with the few CDs I have) or stream Apple Music via an old ATV > optical out > Fiio D3 DAC > RCA into the amp etc

Thinking of getting one of the Wiim boxes to connect up there as well to see how that goes

[conkerman]

It seems I can connect my phone directly to the PS100 via USB C and it will power the DAC.

I'll probably end up connecting up an old PC as a streamer.

Been blasting out Bohren & Der club of gore, Boards of Canada and Seconds out by Genesis (good for determining hot treble) and all is good.

Expectations had been totally busted. Maybe get a new DAC soon

[danb79]

conkerman said:

It seems I can connect my phone directly to the PS100 via USB C and it will power the DAC.

I'll probably end up connecting up an old PC as a streamer.

Been blasting out Bohren & Der club of gore, Boards of Canada and Seconds out by Genesis (good for determining hot treble) and all is good.

Expectations had been totally busted. Maybe get a new DAC soon

Haha welcome to the rabbit hole

I'm mightily impressed with the SMSL DL200 DAC I've got between my M2 Mac Mini and JBL 308P MkII studio monitors

I've got a Firestone Spitfire MKII DAC in the loft somewhere; should dig that out and get it used in my spare room system; the FiiO D3 DAC does such a good job though; belting for £20!

[Semmelweiss]

I needed something cheap & cheerful when my NAD 3020e went on the blink...

I purchased a Douk Audio ST-01 PRO 200W Hifi Valve Amplifier Mini Tube Amp (£139.99) & a WiiM Pro Streamer (£149). Output to a pair of 1969 KEF Concerto Speakers. I tube-rolled the amp with a DollaTek Matched Pair 7 Pin GE JAN 5654W valves.

I am amazed every time I play music using this system and will never go back to the NAD amplification.

[conkerman]

After my T778 exploded, I agree with you.

It was quite spectacular.

[Semmelweiss]

conkerman said:

After my T778 exploded, I agree with you.

It was quite spectacular.

Nearly £3k is quite an expensive bang...My 3020e needs recapping, but I can't be arsed.

[OutInTheShed]

Semmelweiss said:

Nearly £3k is quite an expensive bang...My 3020e needs recapping, but I can't be arsed.

Probably worth selling it on ebay, it's a nice project for a hobbyist,

Some of these amps seem to go for nearly as much as projects as they do working.
Or it could make a case and power supply for a DIY amp for someone.

[944 Man]

What is a 3020e? I have a 3020 and I'm familiar with the small black 3020V2.

[Semmelweiss]

944 Man said:

What is a 3020e? I have a 3020 and I'm familiar with the small black 3020V2.

https://www.avforums.co.za/threads/nad-3020-and-its-variants.65692/

There were quite a few different variants.

[danb79]

944 Man said:

What is a 3020e? I have a 3020 and I'm familiar with the small black 3020V2.

This is the 3020e - just a reiteration of the 3020:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296627858294?_nkw=NAD+3...

I had one many years back; it blew up. Replaced it with a brand new C320BEE at that time, and I've still got that and it works faultlessly...

Had the C326BEE, C355BEE, C375BEE integrated amps also and all were battleship build quality and sounded superb to my ears; their sound suits me and my tastes in music very well...

My Arcam Alpha 10 has just started to crackle on the right channel; I'll remove the cover and give it a clean inside and see if that changes it; but the NAD C320BEE has taken its place with the AE109s in the spare room and it sounds fantastic and for me, works with the Acoustic Energy speakers better than the Arcam!

[Semmelweiss]

NAD = best Bang! for Buck

[danb79]

Semmelweiss said:

NAD = best Bang! for Buck

Massively capable amps and with bags of power to boot. IMO NAD under rate their amps; I'ven had my C320BEE drive some difficult speakers from Neat, Spendor, PMC and it never struggled, at all

[conkerman]

OutInTheShed said:

Probably worth selling it on ebay, it's a nice project for a hobbyist,

Some of these amps seem to go for nearly as much as projects as they do working.
Or it could make a case and power supply for a DIY amp for someone.

On It's 3rd failure, it was replaced under warranty with a favourable deal on an ARCAM AVR21

The Arcam sounds great, but is a pain in the arse to use. But I wanted something with Dirac. Class A/B so gets a bit warm.

Edited due to booze induced sloppy typing when on holiday.

Edited by conkerman on Wednesday 21st August 16:00