I posted earlier about perhaps making some diy speakers as I was not happy with the sound from my bass face SPLBOX.4BL plastic speakers that cost me £9 with delivery (dunno how they do it sometimes lol was on sale). Had muffled highs and mids and a lot of distortion..
BUT I ws using this cheap crappy amp! 12V 2.1Channels 400 WATTS Car Audio Stereo Amplifier MP3 Radio Booster HiFi H6 | eBay
Then I upgraded the amplifier and omg it sound 100 times better never had a TPA3116D2 based amp before. I am driving a Panasonic subwoofer rated at 180w (prob more like 100). The two satellites are 50w each.. Basically its all perfectly matched for the amp ! Lucky me! (amp is 50w x 2 and 100w sub)
2.1 amplifier I got £17 hahah!!
BLUETOOTH HIFI POWER SUBWOOFER 2.1 CHANNEL STEREO AUDIO AMPLIFIER BOARD TPA3116 | eBay
TPA3116D2 chipset in a amp with Bluetooth I haven't even put an enclosure around it haah.
Based on that chipset.
TPA3116D2 data sheet, product information and support | TI.com
I tell you what for a set up that cost me about £26! It is great! I got the sub woofer free from family that were throwing it out, been left outside in a garden for months or years even lol Still sounds pretty clean! I reckon on ebay its so easy to find a sub nearby for cheap a hifi sub or one from a 5.1 set up..
I am amazed at the detail I am now getting from this cheap diy set up! Instead of dead highs and lacking details its actually quite a cutting sound delivering a pretty balanced clear sound of all frequencies Right down to 30hz-40 (i guess)..
Basically I have a three way set up now (2xtweeters 2xmids 1xsub) and never had that before.. Nice to feel so immersed in the sound! Having the higher frequencies physically higher in the space and sub from the ground it adds a certain immersion to the sound. I am just not used to it as I always mixed and listened to music on a two way stereo set up. I live in a tiny space so I knew to get a nice full sound I would have to opt for 2.1 to get a full range sound. Speakers have only 3 inch mid drivers and 1 high. Also they have screws on top and bottom for great outing ideas in a small space, currently simply using the supplied brace / holder as a stand for my tiny desk at the least the speakers are facing my head!
PICS OF MY MICRO SET UP!
amplifier 2.1 examples - Google Drive
Bassface SPLBOX.4BL
SPLBOX.4BL 4Ohm Waterproof Mini Box Speaker Pair 100w RMS Blue
Really fun for playing computer games on my ps2 emulator, watching movies and I will very much enjoy making music and editing video, I can tell already! And its clear enough for a basic monitoring situation kinda has a PA sound to it, like I have a micro PA on my desk it goes LOUD! 😉 Can see a house party vibe in the future for sure!
Really I love making these DIY set ups fitting around the space and budget and I am always amazed at the quality we can achieve at such low cost! Through upcycling, investigating, learning and luck! great thing is I know I can think about one day upgrading my two satellite speakers or any part of the set up.. Maybe make a DIY sub woofer.. Great hobby and really made my listening experience a totally different one, worth every minute and penny to get it right!
Rockling out to this its amazing stoner rock feeling that bass on my sub 🙂 Good set up for bassy doomy metal rock:
https://youtu.be/1HM6J_xNO3I
BUT I ws using this cheap crappy amp! 12V 2.1Channels 400 WATTS Car Audio Stereo Amplifier MP3 Radio Booster HiFi H6 | eBay
Then I upgraded the amplifier and omg it sound 100 times better never had a TPA3116D2 based amp before. I am driving a Panasonic subwoofer rated at 180w (prob more like 100). The two satellites are 50w each.. Basically its all perfectly matched for the amp ! Lucky me! (amp is 50w x 2 and 100w sub)
2.1 amplifier I got £17 hahah!!
BLUETOOTH HIFI POWER SUBWOOFER 2.1 CHANNEL STEREO AUDIO AMPLIFIER BOARD TPA3116 | eBay
TPA3116D2 chipset in a amp with Bluetooth I haven't even put an enclosure around it haah.
Based on that chipset.
TPA3116D2 data sheet, product information and support | TI.com
I tell you what for a set up that cost me about £26! It is great! I got the sub woofer free from family that were throwing it out, been left outside in a garden for months or years even lol Still sounds pretty clean! I reckon on ebay its so easy to find a sub nearby for cheap a hifi sub or one from a 5.1 set up..
I am amazed at the detail I am now getting from this cheap diy set up! Instead of dead highs and lacking details its actually quite a cutting sound delivering a pretty balanced clear sound of all frequencies Right down to 30hz-40 (i guess)..
Basically I have a three way set up now (2xtweeters 2xmids 1xsub) and never had that before.. Nice to feel so immersed in the sound! Having the higher frequencies physically higher in the space and sub from the ground it adds a certain immersion to the sound. I am just not used to it as I always mixed and listened to music on a two way stereo set up. I live in a tiny space so I knew to get a nice full sound I would have to opt for 2.1 to get a full range sound. Speakers have only 3 inch mid drivers and 1 high. Also they have screws on top and bottom for great outing ideas in a small space, currently simply using the supplied brace / holder as a stand for my tiny desk at the least the speakers are facing my head!
PICS OF MY MICRO SET UP!
amplifier 2.1 examples - Google Drive
Bassface SPLBOX.4BL
SPLBOX.4BL 4Ohm Waterproof Mini Box Speaker Pair 100w RMS Blue
Really fun for playing computer games on my ps2 emulator, watching movies and I will very much enjoy making music and editing video, I can tell already! And its clear enough for a basic monitoring situation kinda has a PA sound to it, like I have a micro PA on my desk it goes LOUD! 😉 Can see a house party vibe in the future for sure!
Really I love making these DIY set ups fitting around the space and budget and I am always amazed at the quality we can achieve at such low cost! Through upcycling, investigating, learning and luck! great thing is I know I can think about one day upgrading my two satellite speakers or any part of the set up.. Maybe make a DIY sub woofer.. Great hobby and really made my listening experience a totally different one, worth every minute and penny to get it right!
Rockling out to this its amazing stoner rock feeling that bass on my sub 🙂 Good set up for bassy doomy metal rock:
https://youtu.be/1HM6J_xNO3I
Yah any ideas on making this set up any better I am all ears, as you noticed I do like going on the cheap.. I wonder how I might make the amplifier even better, a larger power supply? A transformer?
Obvs upgrading those little speakers would be good, to something wooden, I go second hand on ebay prob warfedale, KEF or Celestion..
Obvs upgrading those little speakers would be good, to something wooden, I go second hand on ebay prob warfedale, KEF or Celestion..
Welcome to the DIY merrygoround!
The TPA3116 chip can be the heart of an extremely good sounding budget amp, if well implemented.
What power supply are you using? The TPA3116 should not receive more than 26V, but works well at 19V (typical laptop PSU) and 5A.
Assuming your PSU is up to the task, your next step depends upon your budget. I am not aware of specific upgrades to you particular board, but by reading the long TPA3116 thread on here you may get some idea of how to experiment with different capacitor and inductor values and types.
However, before that I would suggest getting some 'better' speakers. On my TPA3116 amps I have successfully used both Eltax Monitor 3 and QAcoustics 3020/2050, which seem to be readily available secondhand. I also picked up a set of TEAC speakers secondhand, which are made by Eltax.
Cheap is fun and rewarding, but it can quite easily become frustrating and expensive.
Enjoy the ride.
The TPA3116 chip can be the heart of an extremely good sounding budget amp, if well implemented.
What power supply are you using? The TPA3116 should not receive more than 26V, but works well at 19V (typical laptop PSU) and 5A.
Assuming your PSU is up to the task, your next step depends upon your budget. I am not aware of specific upgrades to you particular board, but by reading the long TPA3116 thread on here you may get some idea of how to experiment with different capacitor and inductor values and types.
However, before that I would suggest getting some 'better' speakers. On my TPA3116 amps I have successfully used both Eltax Monitor 3 and QAcoustics 3020/2050, which seem to be readily available secondhand. I also picked up a set of TEAC speakers secondhand, which are made by Eltax.
Cheap is fun and rewarding, but it can quite easily become frustrating and expensive.
Enjoy the ride.
just some basic 12v PSU but its about 5amp so not too low in amps..
will I notice much improvement with a 24v psu you reckon? I do have very sensitive ears from many years of sound engineering..
yeah the speakers seem like an obvious place to start upgrading. I am actually pretty happy with them and they fit nicely onto my desk. but I know I could use the clarity of some better enclosures and components..
I know what you man about doing stuff on the cheap but its all a learning process and actually I am already interested in electronics and audio engineering so its all jut normal every day stuff for me haha.. Generally I have been much happier with the more affordable purchases I have made. And many times when I have paid more for something I do not get the spectacular quality I was promised and there is something cheaper that does the same thing. Sure there are times when I have had to lay down cash for the industry standard option but that is a minutes amount of times!
Talking cheap, I started another thread about perhaps making a pair of satellite speakers from Fatial Pro an italian company..
build small simple cheap full range speakers for my 2.1 system...
Speaker drivers:
Faital Pro 3FE25 3" Full Range Speaker Driver 20W - 91dB - 4 Ohm *FREE P+P* | eBay
I reckon a pair of closed back boxes around those, plus DIY a new SUB will be very rewarding projects.. And a pretty simple build?
Other than that can you recommend a tiny pair of flat sounding speakers?
On the cheap.
I would definitely go second hand for something similar to Eltax. I like those 80's made in UK speakers like KEF and Celestion I still have my pair of Celestion 1's in my mums attic, love those speakers and mixed a lot of video and music on them! They have loads of bass for their size and nice accurate but warm lively sound..
I never heard anything by Eltax.
I guess the trick is with this set up is finding speakers that will fit on my desk! Needs to have main driver size of 3 inches or something..
Was a pair of metal goodmans monitor speakers made in japan on ebay for £20 seemed they would def be a step up from my blue plastic bad boys..
Although I do like these bassface speakers they are surprisingly detailed. Treble is not harsh. They are quite sensitive too!
And that I am wanting to spend very little on my set up..
I did some hunting and my subwoofer is a bit flimsey ahha its from a hifi system (panasonic wak640), dunno how they go way with putting 180w on the back. It seems to onlny go own to about 50 hz accurately but down to -46 it is -16db!!
will I notice much improvement with a 24v psu you reckon? I do have very sensitive ears from many years of sound engineering..
yeah the speakers seem like an obvious place to start upgrading. I am actually pretty happy with them and they fit nicely onto my desk. but I know I could use the clarity of some better enclosures and components..
I know what you man about doing stuff on the cheap but its all a learning process and actually I am already interested in electronics and audio engineering so its all jut normal every day stuff for me haha.. Generally I have been much happier with the more affordable purchases I have made. And many times when I have paid more for something I do not get the spectacular quality I was promised and there is something cheaper that does the same thing. Sure there are times when I have had to lay down cash for the industry standard option but that is a minutes amount of times!
Talking cheap, I started another thread about perhaps making a pair of satellite speakers from Fatial Pro an italian company..
build small simple cheap full range speakers for my 2.1 system...
Speaker drivers:
Faital Pro 3FE25 3" Full Range Speaker Driver 20W - 91dB - 4 Ohm *FREE P+P* | eBay
I reckon a pair of closed back boxes around those, plus DIY a new SUB will be very rewarding projects.. And a pretty simple build?
Other than that can you recommend a tiny pair of flat sounding speakers?
On the cheap.
I would definitely go second hand for something similar to Eltax. I like those 80's made in UK speakers like KEF and Celestion I still have my pair of Celestion 1's in my mums attic, love those speakers and mixed a lot of video and music on them! They have loads of bass for their size and nice accurate but warm lively sound..
I never heard anything by Eltax.
I guess the trick is with this set up is finding speakers that will fit on my desk! Needs to have main driver size of 3 inches or something..
Was a pair of metal goodmans monitor speakers made in japan on ebay for £20 seemed they would def be a step up from my blue plastic bad boys..
Although I do like these bassface speakers they are surprisingly detailed. Treble is not harsh. They are quite sensitive too!
And that I am wanting to spend very little on my set up..
I did some hunting and my subwoofer is a bit flimsey ahha its from a hifi system (panasonic wak640), dunno how they go way with putting 180w on the back. It seems to onlny go own to about 50 hz accurately but down to -46 it is -16db!!
Maybe pick up the Allo capacitance multiplier and hook it up between your power supply and the amp? This was one of the tricks that Allo used on their Volt + D amps.
Capacitance Multiplier
Capacitance Multiplier
I was also pretty stunned at how a set of free speakers along with a $15 Bluetooth tpa3116 board, and an old laptop power supply was better than the systems I’d had most of my life!
yeah!
I got the cheapest amp on ebay it was £7, many years ago. Actually I ended up with my celestion 1's and this amp and the combo was amazing! I actually tried to upgrade it several times and nothing eve gave such a deep bass response. Dunno why but it was just a really nice sounding Philips chip I guess.. I still have that amp! For 10 years haah
once I found an amplifier outside my house it was 1983 japanese hifi amp, big heavy thing. I also found a pair of damaged warefdale speakers, I repaired them a bit and plugged it all in it was AMAZING!! Best amp i ever used, huge transformer in there!!
Hobo audiophile! 😉
I got the cheapest amp on ebay it was £7, many years ago. Actually I ended up with my celestion 1's and this amp and the combo was amazing! I actually tried to upgrade it several times and nothing eve gave such a deep bass response. Dunno why but it was just a really nice sounding Philips chip I guess.. I still have that amp! For 10 years haah
once I found an amplifier outside my house it was 1983 japanese hifi amp, big heavy thing. I also found a pair of damaged warefdale speakers, I repaired them a bit and plugged it all in it was AMAZING!! Best amp i ever used, huge transformer in there!!
Hobo audiophile! 😉
I have the same amp, great stuff. Unfortunately I messed up an managed to rip off a component on the board. Now I can't find it and I don't know what it was. @jdominicjackson, could you please identify / or take a close up pic of the component?
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