Are there still 'good' dirt-cheap Class D mini-amplifiers?
A few years ago they were all the rage, but I haven't really seen or heard anything about them in a long time.
Posted Feb 13, 2022, 1:57 PM UTC
918
I have two of the LePai 2020TI’s (newer ones that parts express has). Used them for two sets of outdoor speakers and they’re doing just fine.
I’ve still got some original 2020’s with 60W power supplies powering various bookshelf speakers with no complaints. This was my default amp I’d buy for friends to show them what you could do with two speakers versus having just a soundbar or a Bluetooth speaker.
I’ve also had great luck with SMSL amps, those are pretty inexpensive.
7
Fosi / Nobsound / Other rebrands make pretty good, cheap amps. I have 3 now, and they are just as comparable to my Pioneer receiver + Yamaha stereo amps, which cost 3-4x more.
I recently got one of their valve pre-amps, which sounds remarkably better than my Project pre-amp for my TT, which was also 3x more.
They have their quirks but seriously not bad for their prices.
7
The Infineon ma12070 and TI Tpa325x chips are probably the current price/performance leaders. The aiyima a07 (tpa3255) has decent power (50w in 8ohms) and good performance specs for about $80. Something like the smsl a100 (ma12070) will give you about 20w in 8 ohms but a digital input and sub out for about $95. Below that you’re in TPA3116 territory (all your $40-50 amps) which measures slightly worse but still probably more than serviceable for desktop or small rooms
4
I have recently bought from AliExpress a brzhifi rocking an infineon MA12070 for 23 euros and i have been amazed, super powerful and clean, I'm very happy with it
3
Amazon still has a zillion to choose from.
3
The kinter 2020 t-amp is decent. I use them in garage and kitchen. The Aiyima A07 is better if you have good speakers
3
Were there ever any?
2
There were the Lepai 2020 and a few others that were like $20-40. For a while on here the default rec for someone who wanted a cheap setup that wasn't terrible was one of those and a pair of Dayton speakers
3
I’m in the market for a cheap amp to power my Acoustic Research AR-15s in the bedroom. My old cheap one is now sending clipping pulses so it’s time for a new one. In my research, I was looking on here and the side bar for options and, yeah, the recommendations seem dated. I hopped on to Steve Guttenberg’s YT channel and saw he was recommending the Dayton Audio DTA-2.1 BT2. It’s not at all a 30$ option you and I both were initially looking for but I think I’m going to spend the extra money for that option. Coming from Steve, I’m inclined to spend a little more for his suggestion.
2
Parts express sells over a half dozen under $50
1
yes
1
What's considered cheap? Aiyama a07 is common recommendation. There are still sub $100 amps out there.
I'm thinking of the like $30 lepai kind of stuff. They used to be popular and they still exist but nobody really talks about them any more
Wow, that lepai is now $35-40. When they were about $20, it was a good value.
At their current price, I'd pay the extra $10 or so for a smsl with binding posts and better amp chip.
Maybe that's why you don't hear about them anymore. They're just not as good a value as they used to be.
That makes a lot of sense, there are a bunch of $60-150 ones now with good featuresets and stuff
It's honestly really hard to beat the aiyima a07. I got one after I built low sensitivity speakers and needed something better than the smsl sa36 I had. Absolutely worth the small price increase. I think most people have moved over to amps like the a07 as it poses a much better value than the really inexpensive stuff..
Theyre gritty & clips right away. They were great at the time but this is antiquated advice now.
That's a good one.