Found an old Lepai amp, was reading about modding it, but it does not look like the newer versions, like the 2020A+...I guess Its gone to be difficult for me, Not being a nerd..It was hard enough for me to open it 
https://goo.gl/photos/Rfbz6TcTuEuAmpxy6
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
https://goo.gl/photos/Rfbz6TcTuEuAmpxy6
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Jankanda I'm in the process of modding a 2020A+, My first,The amp is ordered and most of the parts are compiled in a list but not yet ordered, I still have a few parts to research before I order. If you want I will keep you posted as to what I end up with and where to put it. As for the differences in the amps there is very little. It is my understanding that the 6 output capacitors (The 6 red ones that look like a glob of wax on two wires. just behind the speaker wire terminals and the one input capacitor, (the big can shaped one on the left are the two most sound improving mods you can make to these) their about $7.00 + shipping, and that portion of the amps are identical. Most of what you are seeing as different are the caps, some look like cans and some look like globs of wax but caps are caps globs can be interchanged for cans and visa versa. Different caps have different characteristics and produce different results, so what looks completely different to you is pretty much the same. I am doing almost all of the caps, I have 15 of 17 priced and accounted for and have a total of $10.53 in parts + s/h that's high quality Panasonic and Nichicon caps there are 2 others I'm having a little trouble finding. But like I mentioned Just the input and output caps are the major factor in the sound quality. I beleive my Email is open to the public if not hutsondave59@gmail.com if you want to do this be sure to label your email diyaudio or I could miss it. Good luck, Happy New Year!!
Lepai 2020 mod, List of caps and some other info
Keep in mind that some of you caps or of a different type than the mod caps pictured and will most likely interchange, you will have to carefully check the values printed on your caps and compare to the photo and list. That said I am pretty sure the 1 input cap and 6 output caps will interchange but compare the to the list and the wright up about the mods. The wright up is very informative. I don't know if you are aware of it but the original power supply the 2 amp ones were according to just about everything I have heard un able to power the amps efficiently at higher volume levels, a 5 amp supply is recommended.
If I think of anything else I will send it to you. I ordered my caps today so I'm waiting for the amp Tues. That will give me a little time to play with it before I get into it. What is your impression of the amp as it is in it's stock form?
Less Opinion/ Dave
Keep in mind that some of you caps or of a different type than the mod caps pictured and will most likely interchange, you will have to carefully check the values printed on your caps and compare to the photo and list. That said I am pretty sure the 1 input cap and 6 output caps will interchange but compare the to the list and the wright up about the mods. The wright up is very informative. I don't know if you are aware of it but the original power supply the 2 amp ones were according to just about everything I have heard un able to power the amps efficiently at higher volume levels, a 5 amp supply is recommended.
If I think of anything else I will send it to you. I ordered my caps today so I'm waiting for the amp Tues. That will give me a little time to play with it before I get into it. What is your impression of the amp as it is in it's stock form?
Less Opinion/ Dave
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Your English is fine, as good as mine! and it's my native speak. I have read about the pops associated with turning on and off but don't remember the exact cause of it off the top of my head, I will surely run across it again. I have a 20 yr old Marantz SR96 that I bought new in 1998, it's a rock solid tank of a receiver Iv'e added a D.A.P to upgrade it to digital preamp. wouldn't trade it, it's my baby. I'm doing this Lepai as a learning tool, for computer speakers. Next I'm going to build a 60 watt or so solid state mono sub woofer amp for the computer also. Then it's onto who knows what.
Reguards, Less Opinion
P/S do you speak German or other?
Reguards, Less Opinion
P/S do you speak German or other?
Use the "Attach Files" facility built into the Forum software.
Open "Go Advanced" and see the options list at the bottom.
Lepai 2020 arrived today(Review)
First and also final opinion. If you have $20. and have need for a adhoc computer sound system. Order now! don't forget your patch cord.
1. First hook up was with the provided power supply, and played thru small Polk satellite speakers, (Photo attached) the computer sound card and Kenny Wayne Shepard "Blue on Black" as the source. 10X Improvement over the computer sound thru the little Polks but the little nuances such as the deadened sub cords of the guitar did not show thru. So off to the living room to retrieve my surround speakers. (Polk monitors, photo attached) (T.P. roll is for size comparison only)
Another 10X improvement, those nuances were there! and with the addition of the low frequencies, this is including female companionship the best twenty dollars I have ever spent, haha. That said, at 50% volume the little Lepia will physically work the polk monitors at a level that they produce some pretty good stuff, I am impressed!!
As stock out of the box much over 50% on your volume control will start to produce audible distortion, 75% percent is dirty and the amp will shut down momentarily. At 56 yrs. old in my 12'X12' play/work room 50% is well within acceptable volume levels.
As to the volume and tone controls. I was under the impression they were junk to be disposed of, On mine I did not find this to be true, they have a firm smooth resistance to turning them and produced no noise. The tone controls when activated do draw from the amp a little volume wise but seem to do their job as intended, this became much more evident with the addition of the speaker upgrade.
In closing my summation is at the top. If I sound all giddy and enthusiastic about this, I am. I do not make comparison of the Lepai to my $1,600 Marantz receiver but $ for $ value I'm a Lepai man.
If the said improvements are to be had with the cap. replacement modd that I am now chomping the bit to install, (parts ordered) I can't wait. Results to follow.
This is only the opinion of, Less Opinion.
First and also final opinion. If you have $20. and have need for a adhoc computer sound system. Order now! don't forget your patch cord.
1. First hook up was with the provided power supply, and played thru small Polk satellite speakers, (Photo attached) the computer sound card and Kenny Wayne Shepard "Blue on Black" as the source. 10X Improvement over the computer sound thru the little Polks but the little nuances such as the deadened sub cords of the guitar did not show thru. So off to the living room to retrieve my surround speakers. (Polk monitors, photo attached) (T.P. roll is for size comparison only)
Another 10X improvement, those nuances were there! and with the addition of the low frequencies, this is including female companionship the best twenty dollars I have ever spent, haha. That said, at 50% volume the little Lepia will physically work the polk monitors at a level that they produce some pretty good stuff, I am impressed!!
As stock out of the box much over 50% on your volume control will start to produce audible distortion, 75% percent is dirty and the amp will shut down momentarily. At 56 yrs. old in my 12'X12' play/work room 50% is well within acceptable volume levels.
As to the volume and tone controls. I was under the impression they were junk to be disposed of, On mine I did not find this to be true, they have a firm smooth resistance to turning them and produced no noise. The tone controls when activated do draw from the amp a little volume wise but seem to do their job as intended, this became much more evident with the addition of the speaker upgrade.
In closing my summation is at the top. If I sound all giddy and enthusiastic about this, I am. I do not make comparison of the Lepai to my $1,600 Marantz receiver but $ for $ value I'm a Lepai man.
If the said improvements are to be had with the cap. replacement modd that I am now chomping the bit to install, (parts ordered) I can't wait. Results to follow.
This is only the opinion of, Less Opinion.
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RE: Bare Luck, and the Lepai
Dear Bear, You Sir, I would say your lucky star has gone nova. I have you beat I have had mine about 36 hours and it's still ticking. I do agree that not knowing the good I have heard about them, if I had picked this up from a yard sale table I would have put it right back. I did have the cover off and it does have quality control issues, namely dry solder joints, but none the less still operational. I have some parts ordered, caps and a big time power supply I plan to do a little hot rodding with it for the fun of it and will re solder the bad spots while I have it in the garage. If you do not want your Lepai's donate them to your local vocational school for the students to fix. Or you could repair them yourself if you bought 3 of them you must have had a want for them. There are a lot of members here that seem to be of proper Wit they could possibly help you, shoot I have about a month of electronics self education under my belt I might even be of some assistance.
On a more serious side is there a inherent problem common to the failure of your Lepai's. Better Lepai luck in the future.
Yours truly, Less Opinion
Dear Bear, You Sir, I would say your lucky star has gone nova. I have you beat I have had mine about 36 hours and it's still ticking. I do agree that not knowing the good I have heard about them, if I had picked this up from a yard sale table I would have put it right back. I did have the cover off and it does have quality control issues, namely dry solder joints, but none the less still operational. I have some parts ordered, caps and a big time power supply I plan to do a little hot rodding with it for the fun of it and will re solder the bad spots while I have it in the garage. If you do not want your Lepai's donate them to your local vocational school for the students to fix. Or you could repair them yourself if you bought 3 of them you must have had a want for them. There are a lot of members here that seem to be of proper Wit they could possibly help you, shoot I have about a month of electronics self education under my belt I might even be of some assistance.
On a more serious side is there a inherent problem common to the failure of your Lepai's. Better Lepai luck in the future.
Yours truly, Less Opinion
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RE: Results Lepai 2020A modd
I have Installed all of the prescribed capacitors the results have been good. Upon testing after instillation. I had problems that turned out to be a solder joint that appeared to be good but was faulty, (my bad) these boards are of poor quality as apposed to others and will not tolerate much abuse when removing the old components, this was the cause of my bad connection when the caps were installed. NOTE! before de solder of the old components turn the board over and cut as much excess wire as possible that sticks through the board, this will make the removal much easier and require less heat to the solder joint for a quick and complete release of the component preventing possible damage to the board.
Results of the mods were quite satisfying, the overall performance of the amp is much improved. The sound quality is much improved as advertised by the originator of the mod. Base response is the most noticeable as is the overall power output of the amp, the improved sound reinforcement is quite noticeable through out the audio spectrum. Before the mods the Activation of the the tone control circuit would have a definite effect on the volume and sound quality, deactivation would relieve the additional load and the volume and quality would improve somewhat. After the mods the overall sound reinforcement was greatly improved. The activation of the tone control circuit has no noticeable effect on the out put volume and the performance of the tone controls are greatly improved turning them into a welcome addition to the amplifier.
Summation, I would not replace all of the caps as prescribed, the higher capacity input cap highlighted in yellow and the output caps highlighted in red are the major factor in the improvements. Cost U.S was about $7.00
The amp I purchased ( 1/10/2016) is a somewhat different PSB layout as well as some of the components, there is little room on the newer PSB for the larger output capacitors so I installed the two center caps ( 1 per Channel) from the backside of the board to alleviate the lack of room issue. The caps installed from the backside can be mounted horizontally to allow for reinsertion of the board back into the stock cabinet, I did not take this into consideration until after the fact, mine is now a open air amp for the time being.
Pictures are of my modified amp.
I have Installed all of the prescribed capacitors the results have been good. Upon testing after instillation. I had problems that turned out to be a solder joint that appeared to be good but was faulty, (my bad)
these boards are of poor quality as apposed to others and will not tolerate much abuse when removing the old components, this was the cause of my bad connection when the caps were installed. NOTE! before de solder of the old components turn the board over and cut as much excess wire as possible that sticks through the board, this will make the removal much easier and require less heat to the solder joint for a quick and complete release of the component preventing possible damage to the board. Results of the mods were quite satisfying, the overall performance of the amp is much improved. The sound quality is much improved as advertised by the originator of the mod. Base response is the most noticeable as is the overall power output of the amp, the improved sound reinforcement is quite noticeable through out the audio spectrum. Before the mods the Activation of the the tone control circuit would have a definite effect on the volume and sound quality, deactivation would relieve the additional load and the volume and quality would improve somewhat. After the mods the overall sound reinforcement was greatly improved. The activation of the tone control circuit has no noticeable effect on the out put volume and the performance of the tone controls are greatly improved turning them into a welcome addition to the amplifier.
Summation, I would not replace all of the caps as prescribed, the higher capacity input cap highlighted in yellow and the output caps highlighted in red are the major factor in the improvements. Cost U.S was about $7.00
The amp I purchased ( 1/10/2016) is a somewhat different PSB layout as well as some of the components, there is little room on the newer PSB for the larger output capacitors so I installed the two center caps ( 1 per Channel) from the backside of the board to alleviate the lack of room issue. The caps installed from the backside can be mounted horizontally to allow for reinsertion of the board back into the stock cabinet, I did not take this into consideration until after the fact, mine is now a open air amp for the time being.
Pictures are of my modified amp.
Attachments
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I'm at 2 months with about 8 hours a day at work on mine.
Being at work it doesn't get cranked, with the exception of the time I left it set on high and connected up remotely to my PC to turn the music on the scare my coworkers.
I did the same upgrades to it about a week ago and although it is better, for me it wasn't a night and day difference along the lines of when I upgraded capacitors on the TDA7297. But I think that may be a case of the 7297 starting out worse; I need to bring the 7297 back in for comparison (there seem to be a lot of different versions of the 7297).
Hi invaderzim, I have little experience with the 2020, mine was purchased 1-10-2016 from a high volume dealer so I'm assuming it's the latest version produced. The one thing I can say for sure and may pertain to your older version is that the 2 amp power supply's that came with the older versions are insufficient, the amp is under powered and has no guts, the 3 amp supply that came with mine is functional and I suspect the recommended 5 amp supply would be yet another improvement??? I'm working on that now with a salvaged supply from a from a decommissioned tape deck. In retrospect I wish I would have replaced the components one at a time and tested, but but but I didn't. That said I intend to play some more with it for the experience if nothing else, if it pops! I'll have that to fix.
P/S SPEAKERS!
P/S SPEAKERS!
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