Would be interested in a review of this module from Variac or anyone else who ordered it.
They have the SMPS600RS but not the SMPS800RS.
Although, do I really need the extra ~200 W...
Do you plan on running them hard into 4 ohm loads? If so two power supplies, or a bigger one might be in order.
If one board is handling the bass, while the other handles the mids and highs (tri amped) with reasonable loads and not pushed to the limits, you might be OK. The boards don't consume much power at idle, and the efficiency is pretty high, so at least 90% of those 600 power supply watts will be turned into audio watts......do you need 500+ watts of audio?
If one board is handling the bass, while the other handles the mids and highs (tri amped) with reasonable loads and not pushed to the limits, you might be OK. The boards don't consume much power at idle, and the efficiency is pretty high, so at least 90% of those 600 power supply watts will be turned into audio watts......do you need 500+ watts of audio?
strongbow60, could it be because of impedance mismatch between your source and the tpa3255 board? How is the impedance on the Wondom TAMP2500 MkII compared to the tpa3255? I've found that my rDAC sounds a little more dynamic when it drives lower input impedances which is a bit surprising to me. I haven't heard the Wondom TAMP2500 MkII but it looks like a beast!
Your setup sound similar to mine. I have two of the 3255 evm's, both in 2.1 mode. The btl channel of each goes to a sub, and the two se channels of each amp go to dual fullrange cabinets. All run from a connex smps800, and signal from minidsp 2x4HD. Im about halfway through the build.
Could be. Input impedance in the Wondom is 33k and for tpa3255 about 10k.
At the moment I'm using the preamplifier in my old receiver and don't have the specs for the pre out. I'm in the process of building a new preamp, but it will be a while before it is finished.
I could also be the capacitors. For the Wondom I user (old) Rifa PEH169 and for 3255 whatever I could find.
TPA3255 on 48v Meanwell
The TPA3255EVM I ordered 9/5/17 at 50% off arrived about a week ago. I just now got around to trying it out. It is amazing and well worth the month wait.
The speakers are DIY Klipsch inspired. If curious, Google, "Claude's "Super Heresy" from Frankensmurfs" or go to the Klipsch forum and search the same phrase. The TH subs in the background were not involved in the audtion of the TPA3255.
The gmarsh "Wiener" TPA3118 makes the 96dB efficient speakers sound excellent. The TPA3255 makes them sound excellenter (OBTW, not a real word for you those for whom English is not the primary language).
The bass is tighter and stronger. The midrange details are more defined. The treble is better than ever. Perhaps Rich, aka rhing, will chime in to offer his thoughts on comparing TPA3118 and TPA3255.
I couldn't be more pleased. Now to make a home for it and the PSU.
The TPA3255EVM I ordered 9/5/17 at 50% off arrived about a week ago. I just now got around to trying it out. It is amazing and well worth the month wait.
The speakers are DIY Klipsch inspired. If curious, Google, "Claude's "Super Heresy" from Frankensmurfs" or go to the Klipsch forum and search the same phrase. The TH subs in the background were not involved in the audtion of the TPA3255.
The gmarsh "Wiener" TPA3118 makes the 96dB efficient speakers sound excellent. The TPA3255 makes them sound excellenter (OBTW, not a real word for you those for whom English is not the primary language).
The bass is tighter and stronger. The midrange details are more defined. The treble is better than ever. Perhaps Rich, aka rhing, will chime in to offer his thoughts on comparing TPA3118 and TPA3255.
I couldn't be more pleased. Now to make a home for it and the PSU.
Attachments
With my current KEF LS50 speakers at 85dB sensitivity, it’s not entirely an apples-to-apples comparison between the Wiener 2.0 TPA3118 PBTL amps running off 13.8VDC power to the TI TPA3255EVM BTL amp running off a 350W 48VDC power supply. However, I will say that I enjoy the TPA3255EVM driving my KEF LS50 speakers just as much as I enjoyed the Wiener 2.0 PBTL amps driving my 95dB sensitive Klipsch Forte II speakers.
Once I move into a home with a man cave that will hold everything, I’ll be able to make more meaningful comparisons. In the meantime, I am thrilled with the performance of the TPA3255EVM powered with the Mean Well LRS-350-48 switching power supply. The bass response and the smoothness of the mids and highs from the KEF LS50’s in my living room is significantly better than anything I heard at the two audio salons where I auditioned the KEF speakers with more costly solid state amplification.
I look forward to trying the PFFB mod on this amp, and possibly adding the more linear Wurth output inductors to get the most out of this amp. For now, I am amazed at the value this amp and power supply combination provide.
Once I move into a home with a man cave that will hold everything, I’ll be able to make more meaningful comparisons. In the meantime, I am thrilled with the performance of the TPA3255EVM powered with the Mean Well LRS-350-48 switching power supply. The bass response and the smoothness of the mids and highs from the KEF LS50’s in my living room is significantly better than anything I heard at the two audio salons where I auditioned the KEF speakers with more costly solid state amplification.
I look forward to trying the PFFB mod on this amp, and possibly adding the more linear Wurth output inductors to get the most out of this amp. For now, I am amazed at the value this amp and power supply combination provide.
Pre-amp?
Rich-
Do you have suggestions regarding a pre-amp? Do I even need one?
Right now I play the headphone output of the Pono directly into the 3255. I plan to use the balanced/differential output capability of the Pono to also utilize the balanced potential of the 3255. I'm able to play at high volume.
BTW, after a few hours of listening, the fan in the PSU never started and the heat sink of the 3255 never got warm.
Rich-
Do you have suggestions regarding a pre-amp? Do I even need one?
Right now I play the headphone output of the Pono directly into the 3255. I plan to use the balanced/differential output capability of the Pono to also utilize the balanced potential of the 3255. I'm able to play at high volume.
BTW, after a few hours of listening, the fan in the PSU never started and the heat sink of the 3255 never got warm.
I have yet to hear the fan in the Mean Well turn on, and the heat sink on the module gets slightly warm after prolonged playing.
As for a preamp, I prefer a tube preamp like my ARC LS7 since it’s not a mushy, euphonic tube preamp, but very dynamic and detailed. The TI TPA3255 EVM is transparent and allows a lot of the clean and clear tube goodness from the ARC LS7 to come through in terms of rich tone. I may upgrade to an ARC LS26 with balanced outputs to go directly to the differential inputs of the TPA3255EVM.
As for a preamp, I prefer a tube preamp like my ARC LS7 since it’s not a mushy, euphonic tube preamp, but very dynamic and detailed. The TI TPA3255 EVM is transparent and allows a lot of the clean and clear tube goodness from the ARC LS7 to come through in terms of rich tone. I may upgrade to an ARC LS26 with balanced outputs to go directly to the differential inputs of the TPA3255EVM.
Given that the speakers are quite sensitive, and that the EVM is rated at about 85 uV of noise (off the top of my head), how close do you have to be before you hear any noise?
Specifically listening for ambient background noise, I could hear none. The circumstances were pausing my Pono player. Increasing the volume did not change anything. I heard nothing with my ear right next to the tweeter.
I next called in my 34 year-old son to listen. He heard nothing until he was right in front of the speakers. I cut the power to the amp, and he still thought he heard something faintly. Restoring the power had no affect.
Perhaps service in Afghanistan and nearly constant use of IEMs renders his observations suspect. Also, The TV was on with the AVR muted. There is a lot of electronic stuff (TV, AVR, security DVR, Roku and cable box/DVR) in the vicinity.
I'll repeat the experiment tomorrow with my 27 year-old son and try to eliminate the other possible sources of any ambient electronic hum. In any case, the ambient noise level of this amp through these speakers is extremely low.
