Yeah, excepting (maybe) the kilowatt-sized Hypex modules, those cards don't have $20/channel worth of output filter on them. And the Hypex modules don't suffer from load impedance sensitivity like this card, and the Modulus86 amplifier is probably the best measuring amplifier out there that you can buy... I s'pose my card doesn't have much going for it in comparison
My card's made for TPA3116/8 enthusiasts though, goal is to make the best possible platform for this particular chip.
I pretty much always design Mean Well supplies into things in my day job, they make very high quality supplies at a good price point. Mean Well RS-150-24 should happily power 2 cards running into 4 ohm loads, RS-100-24 can handle 2 cards doing 8 ohm loads in a smaller physical size.
Buy one from Mouser or another legitimate vendor. TDK-Lambda sells the exact same supply, rebranded as their own and available on Digikey - don't remember the part # offhand. Don't buy one off eBay. Mean Well supplies are often counterfeited, and counterfeit anything that plugs into AC mains has the potential to be very dangerous.
Gary, do you still have any fully-built cards left?I do
What if my speakers are nominal 8 ohm but goes down to, say 6.7 ohm at 140hz? What does it mean if i use the 8 ohm config?
Official verdict is: three cards are still available!
One's a fully built/tested 6 ohm amp, and two are fully built with Sagami inductors but no output caps installed yet - I can set these up as either 4 or 6 ohm, or perhaps even 8 ohm (I'll check if I've got any 0.33uF film caps, I've got a Mostek film cap assortment box around here somewhere...)
$95/pop. Still have thermal pads left but no mounting hardware, I'll throw in the thermal pad for $5 but you'll have to provide your own ~4mm standoffs.
Sorue: Impedance mismatch matters most at HF (10+ KHz). At low frequencies, it doesn't make a huge difference. If your speakers are 8 ohms at those frequencies and you have a 6 ohm output filter, you'll get a bit of peaking (about 0.5dB worst case at ~20KHz) which isn't too significant.
One's a fully built/tested 6 ohm amp, and two are fully built with Sagami inductors but no output caps installed yet - I can set these up as either 4 or 6 ohm, or perhaps even 8 ohm (I'll check if I've got any 0.33uF film caps, I've got a Mostek film cap assortment box around here somewhere...)
$95/pop. Still have thermal pads left but no mounting hardware, I'll throw in the thermal pad for $5 but you'll have to provide your own ~4mm standoffs.
Sorue: Impedance mismatch matters most at HF (10+ KHz). At low frequencies, it doesn't make a huge difference. If your speakers are 8 ohms at those frequencies and you have a 6 ohm output filter, you'll get a bit of peaking (about 0.5dB worst case at ~20KHz) which isn't too significant.
Well I finally managed to solder up my 2 boards and get them running today. Never solder up a pcb with black mask before = different. Silk is done very well except no matrix re-number/back-annotation, so a bit of a search, but still orderly and a small area
I built a 4 ohm pcb with the Denon coils and a 8 ohm with the 15uF ICE from Mouser. They both sound great. First I tried with the old Buick speakers, then the Dynaudio Gemini's. Beautiful detail. When you can hear the recording medium imperfections, I call it good detail.
Power-up/down was good.
Aerosmith sounded "Amazing"
I'll see about getting some THD+N test's going next but now for dinner and some Pink Floyd.
Great job Gary Cheers Rick
I built a 4 ohm pcb with the Denon coils and a 8 ohm with the 15uF ICE from Mouser. They both sound great. First I tried with the old Buick speakers, then the Dynaudio Gemini's. Beautiful detail. When you can hear the recording medium imperfections, I call it good detail.
Power-up/down was good.
Aerosmith sounded "Amazing"
I'll see about getting some THD+N test's going next but now for dinner and some Pink Floyd.
Great job Gary Cheers Rick
With the component legend right side up, reference designators increase left to right. The "cmd-renumber" script in Eagle isn't really ideal though.
Glad you like it, really curious to see what the THD measurements look like. I switched jobs a few years ago and lost access to AP gear, if I really wanted to I could barter some access to it with my old employer, but I've been far too busy with other things.
Glad you like it, really curious to see what the THD measurements look like. I switched jobs a few years ago and lost access to AP gear, if I really wanted to I could barter some access to it with my old employer, but I've been far too busy with other things.
Okay, here are my measurements, I took on one setup (8ohm). I scanned in the test sheet, hope you are okay with that. Oops I wrote the pcb name wrong on my test sheet
I also see how the pcb was numbered, once I turn it 90 degrees = easy to follow.
Seems to be good data, nothing really stands out when compared to the device data sheet. Balanced i/p seems to do a bit better, not exactly sure why?
I did not do a noise test as I do not have a jig (LNA) for that. I guess I could try the HP 3478A, it is more sensitive but has no filtering.
The 3V spec looks really good, for a class "D", the 10V tests, well this is area where you really wonder about sound quality. But listening to the amp there seems to be little distortion until you crank it. For normal listening levels these are great little amps.
Sound wise the Weiner TPA3116 sounds about the same as my TPA3100 design. Maybe a little more low end punch, for obvious reasons. I have to do some more listening testing. Even on my FM radio(Si4735) it sounds really good.
Another oops, forgot to write down that I used a Micranta(24V/1A) linear bench supply running at 24VDC. Gain set for 20dB,AM0-Mode all off, Left channel tested with Dale RH-25 8ohm/25W load. Right inputs shorted with a 8 ohm load.
Gary, if you want anything else specifically tested just let me know before I tear apart the setup. Okay time for lunch
I also see how the pcb was numbered, once I turn it 90 degrees
= easy to follow.Seems to be good data, nothing really stands out when compared to the device data sheet. Balanced i/p seems to do a bit better, not exactly sure why?
I did not do a noise test as I do not have a jig (LNA) for that. I guess I could try the HP 3478A, it is more sensitive but has no filtering.
The 3V spec looks really good, for a class "D", the 10V tests, well this is area where you really wonder about sound quality. But listening to the amp there seems to be little distortion until you crank it. For normal listening levels these are great little amps.
Sound wise the Weiner TPA3116 sounds about the same as my TPA3100 design. Maybe a little more low end punch, for obvious reasons. I have to do some more listening testing. Even on my FM radio(Si4735) it sounds really good.
Another oops, forgot to write down that I used a Micranta(24V/1A) linear bench supply running at 24VDC. Gain set for 20dB,AM0-Mode all off, Left channel tested with Dale RH-25 8ohm/25W load. Right inputs shorted with a 8 ohm load.
Gary, if you want anything else specifically tested just let me know before I tear apart the setup. Okay time for lunch
Attachments
Last edited:
Spent the weekend drilling and filing with high precision. Nearly there. Just some internal wiring and front 6mm panel to contend with.
The stereo Wiener card is lonely.
I have some Cinemag input transformers for the Wiener and a 20k stepped attenuator. Presumably I wire the input from the RCAs to the attenuator, then the input transformers and then to the card?
My two amigos below.
BK
The stereo Wiener card is lonely.
I have some Cinemag input transformers for the Wiener and a 20k stepped attenuator. Presumably I wire the input from the RCAs to the attenuator, then the input transformers and then to the card?
My two amigos below.
BK
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Though it looks like there's space and standoffs for a second card. Planning on eventual dual-mono upgrade?
What made you put the linear PSU with the Wiener, and the SMPS with the DUG boards (rather than vice-versa)? Or why not same power supply for both? Just curious.
Both look great!
Just experimenting with power supplies. I really like a good linear PS! The Wiener will be used for nearfield full range duty, so black background and low power are well suited. The DUG will drive full size speakers at higher SPL, so needs a PS with real cajones and low heat. All the SMPS I've tried produce a bit of buzz with ear to the speaker, so some distance is beneficial. That was my decision process.
And yes, will go dual mono or similar! I built a second Wiener card, but haven't yet pressed it into service. Will probably go PBTL version instead.
BK
And yes, will go dual mono or similar! I built a second Wiener card, but haven't yet pressed it into service. Will probably go PBTL version instead.
BK
Hi
I have really enjoyed the Wiener now for some time without a casing. I was really open sounding and natural, with big soundstage/space and dead silent.
Over the weekend i made a Aluminum case with wooden front and back. Now is seems like the sound is also a cased in. Still clear and dead silent, but its warmer and not as open a soundstage as before.
Is this possible or is my hearing wrong. Could it be the casing, or the on off switch?
That was the only change.
I think it might be the wood as i have noticed similar stuff before. Its a little warmer sound now and i like that, but i lost some soundstage.
Any suggestions as to what might have caused this change in sound?
goo
I have really enjoyed the Wiener now for some time without a casing. I was really open sounding and natural, with big soundstage/space and dead silent.
Over the weekend i made a Aluminum case with wooden front and back. Now is seems like the sound is also a cased in. Still clear and dead silent, but its warmer and not as open a soundstage as before.
Is this possible or is my hearing wrong. Could it be the casing, or the on off switch?
That was the only change.
I think it might be the wood as i have noticed similar stuff before. Its a little warmer sound now and i like that, but i lost some soundstage.
Any suggestions as to what might have caused this change in sound?
goo
Last edited: