Personal computing discussed
Moderators: renee, Captain Ned
dextro wrote:Tripath is old news peeps, its trash. A few years ago I moved on to TI TPA3118 (aka TPA3116) chipset for power amp...a huge improvement. Since then I've moved on to the newer and even better sounding TPA3250 chip family, which is also higher power. It's really an incredible leap over the TA2020 and TK2050, and I'd put it up against any stereo amp 500$-1000$ or moer. You can find the TPA3250 for cheap (~80usd) in the FXaudio FX-502Spro amp in a decent implementation, just make sure to swap out the fake opamps in the sockets for something decent (LM4562 etc). A little bird told me that Allo is coming out with a TPA3255 amp in the next few month also, which I will be picking up. IMO there has been some stagnation in the audio amplifier world, there is very few entities actually producing up to date designs featuring up to date chips. I've seen companies still producing new amps based on LM3886 which while well known is a decades old design by now.
Right now my setup JDSlabs OL DAC -> FX502Spro (opamp swapped, powered by lab bench linear PS 24V) -> Philharmonic BMR. It sounds absolutely incredible and real with anything I throw at it., and the only really expensive part is the speakers, which (while well worth it) you can easily get good sound with something cheaper.
You can find lots of info about TPA3250 around if you look, unfortunately only 1 quality finished design (soon to be 2) I've found, but there are lots of class-D haters about, and just others who are'nt caught up. so please just try the amp instead of wasting money on old tripath stuff, you will not be disappointed