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Post by Mr Whippy on Sept 16, 2016 22:59:07 GMT
Now this is where a loan scheme would come in really handy.
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Post by Dave on Sept 16, 2016 23:07:29 GMT
Ah, what a great idea...  |
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Post by Mr Whippy on Sept 16, 2016 23:20:48 GMT
Isn't it!?!...
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Post by Dave on Aug 14, 2017 2:29:24 GMT
I've been contemplating my navel and it transpires that it was full of fluff, so I've had the aforementioned fluff professionally removed and now I find that music is far more dynamic and mostly in tune. ...and in other news: I'm Quite liking some of the gear coming out of China just now, it's good value too. The QUAD 306 is currently taking a vacation and in its place is one of these...  Douk Audio TDA7498EAll I can say about it is that it sounds bloody good, it's Class D, employs a TL82 op-amp and it delivers 80wpc into an 8ohm load, which is nice. It runs rings around the poor 306 in every department and cost me just under seventy quid, which is also nice. Winging it's way to me from China right now is a DSD Dac with Oled display and ultra low noise linear PSU, all for under a hundred quid. Looking forward to getting that  |
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Post by MartinT on Aug 14, 2017 5:05:15 GMT
Nice to see you back, Dave, it's been a while! Glad the music is more dynamic, too.
Yes, some of this Chinese kit is very impressive. The Douk looks like a more potent but similar build Class T amp. Do you know what the main chip is? Do report on the DAC when you receive it.
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Post by ChrisB on Aug 14, 2017 5:34:47 GMT
Hi Dave. I hope you are well.
That seems like a bargain, if it does as you say. Good news.
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Post by jandl100 on Aug 14, 2017 6:11:15 GMT
Interesting amp - if those graphs on the linked page are correct, then it looks like a genuine 80W each channel into 4 ohms.
"Runs rings round the Quad 306" - yes, in a way depressingly, that seems to be par for the course with the better Chinese class D amps. They can successfully take on surprisingly good 'conventional' and well thought of amps. VFM is out of sight in terms of sq.
And not just class D, I've a Chinese built class A 10wpc transistor amp that is well into audiophile territory for not much over £100.
Can you compare the sound with other class D amps, Dave? - TA2020 and Ta2022 chip amps perhaps? (I'm familiar with those!). The TA 2020 being quite lively and open, the TA2022 taking a somewhat more leisurely view of the music. Still both excellent, though.
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Post by John on Aug 14, 2017 6:12:15 GMT
A good linear power supply should really help
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Post by MartinT on Aug 14, 2017 7:15:24 GMT
Can you compare the sound with other class D amps, Dave? - TA2020 and Ta2022 chip amps perhaps? I like the TA-2021 in my SMSL SA-S3 amp. |
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Post by Dave on Aug 14, 2017 11:57:40 GMT
Interesting amp - if those graphs on the linked page are correct, then it looks like a genuine 80W each channel into 4 ohms. "Runs rings round the Quad 306" - yes, in a way depressingly, that seems to be par for the course with the better Chinese class D amps. They can successfully take on surprisingly good 'conventional' and well thought of amps. VFM is out of sight in terms of sq. And not just class D, I've a Chinese built class A 10wpc transistor amp that is well into audiophile territory for not much over £100. Can you compare the sound with other class D amps, Dave? - TA2020 and Ta2022 chip amps perhaps? (I'm familiar with those!). The TA 2020 being quite lively and open, the TA2022 taking a somewhat more leisurely view of the music. Still both excellent, though. I believe it is 160wpc into 4ohms, 100wpc into 6ohms and 80 into 8ohms. As you may remember Jerry, I once owned an example of the venerable Amptastic Mini-T and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Well, imagine the Mini-T with more balls, a stonking, firm bottom end and dynamics which can pin you to a wall. It probably won't be to everyone's taste, but I really like it, Oh, and it can do delicate too. What's more impressive is that large orchestral works are just that, HUGE!!! |
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Post by Dave on Aug 14, 2017 12:14:17 GMT
Hi Martin, the amp sports a Tripath TDA7498.
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Post by Dave on Aug 14, 2017 12:18:46 GMT
A good linear power supply should really help I'm all ears if you have any ideas, John, as the amp arrived with a 32v, 5amp laptop style switch-mode unit. |
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Post by jandl100 on Aug 14, 2017 12:25:49 GMT
 Hi Dave - looking at Fig 7 above from that eBay listing, it's defo 80W into 4 ohms for 0.1% THD. Still not to be sneezed at! So, an Amptastic Mini-T with serious balls - very intriguing!! I do love the Mini-T, I might just invest in one of those DOUK amps myself. |
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Post by Dave on Aug 14, 2017 12:40:59 GMT
I'll take your word for it, Jerry, my technical know-how is virtually nill I'd like to try running it with a decent linear PSU at some point, however I should think a 32v, 5amp unit would not be a cheap item. |
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Post by jandl100 on Aug 14, 2017 12:53:09 GMT
It's 160W at 10% distortion.
You really wouldn't want to hear that!
0.1% distortion is the usual definition of peak power. And it's at 80W for that.
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Post by MartinT on Aug 14, 2017 14:44:43 GMT
Hi Martin, the amp sports a Tripath TDA7498. Thanks, that's not one I've come across. I shall have a look at the specs. |
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Post by Dave on Aug 22, 2017 19:07:28 GMT
Turn yer hearing aids up gentlemen, I need a word in yer lug'oles.  Ciry Audio AES Digital to Analog 24bit 192K DACYou have to hand it to the Chinese, they have the low-end hi-fi market sewn up for now, and what's more, the gear they are producing at such crazy prices is bloody excellent. Take this for example at just 70 quid, it's simple, elegant and performs on a par, if not slightly better in some respects, than my Rega DAC. Is it the best DAC out there? No, of course it isn't, but if you are looking to put together a decent sounding bedroom or conservatory system and you are watching your pennies, then do try to audition some of the kit I've mentioned recently, it's 'areet!' |
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Post by Dave on Aug 29, 2017 10:22:22 GMT
Well, I have good news and bad news: The good news is that the Ciry is a very capable DAC indeed, it has been in the main system for just under a week and will probably be staying there. I am crap at describing nuanced differences, but I will do my best. In general, the Ciry offers a livelier presentation than the Rega and is able to extract more detail from recordings where present. It maybe because of this that the Ciry seems to have more rythym in comparison to the Rega, which is less 'bouncy'. The Rega is sweeter, dare I say, more analogue, which really comes to the fore with orchestral music. That's not to say that the Ciry presents an orchestra badly, it's just different, more energetic. Considering the price it is a bit of a bargain.
Now the bad news, my FX Audio amp died yesterday. We've had a few days of hot and humid weather and this is a powerful, Class D amp mounted in a tiny enclosure and as a consequence it over-heated. To paraphrase Hot Chocolate, 'it started with a hiss' which turned into a hum after which it cut out. Now it has a perma-hum on the left channel, which is a bummer, so back to China it will go.
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Post by MartinT on Aug 29, 2017 11:02:19 GMT
Did you buy it direct, Dave, or through an agent? You may be able to claim a replacement.
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Post by Dave on Aug 29, 2017 13:23:24 GMT
I bought it directly from Douk-Audio in China and I predict a somewhat troublesome eBay message exchange via pidgin english.
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