Well that makes sense. A DC supply provides the upper limit voltage the amp can produce. It is the peak voltage any wave form can obtain at the amp's output. Thus, when running a sine wave, it's peak will be 24 volts.
However, it will measure ~16Vrms: Vrms = Vpeak / sqrt(2).
I all,
I have been working on 'building' a little amp for myself that initially started out using a PAM8406 board, but has transpired into using a TPA3116D2 board bought off eBay.
So, I'm not re-inventing the wheel, but have learnt quite a bit along the way. First and foremost probably that you can use proper components, cables and speakers with this little marvel and the better you use with it, the better it sounds and man, this thing can sound very, very good indeed - true audiophile hi-fi IMHO. To misquote Steve Jobs, it certainly can replace many hi-fi's out there, even running on a 5V battery powerbank.
I have created a thread on my local AV Forum about my experiences with the TPA3116D2 and the smaller PAM8406 (which also sounds good but is totally overshadowed by the TPA3116D2).
My 'little amp 'system consist of:
FLAC > JRiver > Korg DS-DAC-100m > ZU Audio Mission IC > TPA3116D2 based amp > ZU Audio Mission speaker cables > Piega Premium 3 speakers + B&W PV1 sub
I use various power supplies and my favourites are battery based, even a drill battery 😉
Here is the link if anyone is interested:
Battery driven 3.5V to 5V mini chip amp for speakers based on PAM8406 - my take
and here's a picture or 2:
I have been working on 'building' a little amp for myself that initially started out using a PAM8406 board, but has transpired into using a TPA3116D2 board bought off eBay.
So, I'm not re-inventing the wheel, but have learnt quite a bit along the way. First and foremost probably that you can use proper components, cables and speakers with this little marvel and the better you use with it, the better it sounds and man, this thing can sound very, very good indeed - true audiophile hi-fi IMHO. To misquote Steve Jobs, it certainly can replace many hi-fi's out there, even running on a 5V battery powerbank.
I have created a thread on my local AV Forum about my experiences with the TPA3116D2 and the smaller PAM8406 (which also sounds good but is totally overshadowed by the TPA3116D2).
My 'little amp 'system consist of:
FLAC > JRiver > Korg DS-DAC-100m > ZU Audio Mission IC > TPA3116D2 based amp > ZU Audio Mission speaker cables > Piega Premium 3 speakers + B&W PV1 sub
I use various power supplies and my favourites are battery based, even a drill battery 😉
Here is the link if anyone is interested:
Battery driven 3.5V to 5V mini chip amp for speakers based on PAM8406 - my take
and here's a picture or 2:
Last edited:
Thanks Yatsushiro,
this is my prototype and I am building 10 in total - for friends and family. Dont know when I'll finish the other 9, since I'm having so much fun with this one.
this is my prototype and I am building 10 in total - for friends and family. Dont know when I'll finish the other 9, since I'm having so much fun with this one.
Hi all. Quick question:
I'm building my DUG-1 board into a case, and to avoid popping on power up/down, I'd like to hook up the front panel switch to the mute pin (with power switch on the back for power on/off).
I've attached the schematic, which has the mute pin on the TPA connected to J2, and the other pin seems to be connected to ground?
By default J2 is not populated and thus both pins are floating.
Now I've read elsewhere that in order to mute the circuit, you need to connect the mute pin to VCC. Is that correct? If so, what's the point of GND in J2?
Another detail is that I'd like an LED to indicate when the amp is NOT muted... The LED has a built in resistor for 12vdc input. How can I achieve this?
Thanks!
I'm building my DUG-1 board into a case, and to avoid popping on power up/down, I'd like to hook up the front panel switch to the mute pin (with power switch on the back for power on/off).
I've attached the schematic, which has the mute pin on the TPA connected to J2, and the other pin seems to be connected to ground?
By default J2 is not populated and thus both pins are floating.
Now I've read elsewhere that in order to mute the circuit, you need to connect the mute pin to VCC. Is that correct? If so, what's the point of GND in J2?
Another detail is that I'd like an LED to indicate when the amp is NOT muted... The LED has a built in resistor for 12vdc input. How can I achieve this?
Thanks!
Hi Wolla, coincidentally I am busy with the very same PAM8406 board. For starters it sounds way better than the PAM8403. I would even call it decent sounding, better than expected. Tiniest and cheapest amp I ever had 🙂 The dreaded 3.5 mm connector can be removed easily and then a decent Molex KK input connector can be soldered. I used some sheet copper to shield the input connector as it is close to the output signals.
This little amp needs a larger decoupling cap badly. I soldered a 470 µF 6.3V polymer cap at the bottom of the board which made the sound significantly better.
I soldered some suitable Phoenix connectors to the outputs and replaced the input caps for X7R 1 µF caps of known quality. Better again but now I am seriously thinking of using film caps as I like the result so far.
Mine is used with a linear 5V 3A PSU with Rcore transformer.
This little amp needs a larger decoupling cap badly. I soldered a 470 µF 6.3V polymer cap at the bottom of the board which made the sound significantly better.
I soldered some suitable Phoenix connectors to the outputs and replaced the input caps for X7R 1 µF caps of known quality. Better again but now I am seriously thinking of using film caps as I like the result so far.
Mine is used with a linear 5V 3A PSU with Rcore transformer.
Last edited:
Hi jean-paul,
thanks for the detailed info and I'm glad you like the PAM8406. However if you like the PAM8406, I guarantee that you will like the TPA3116D2 board even more. It has much more scalabilty, has no 'pop' on switch on and overall sounds more hi-fi and much more powerful, to me anyway.
The TPA board is a bit bigger, but there is good reason to put up with a bit bigger size. It is still a very small board and more or less the size of a pack of 20's 🙄
Give it a go and let us know what you think.
Low output
I have bought a tpa3116d2 2.1 and its only putting out 10+10+20 watt rms.
How do i get more out this amp, i already use 24 volt (if i put a 12v 2A power suply on it it don't clip, why????) Now using 24 volt 2.5A
I have bought a tpa3116d2 2.1 and its only putting out 10+10+20 watt rms.
How do i get more out this amp, i already use 24 volt (if i put a 12v 2A power suply on it it don't clip, why????) Now using 24 volt 2.5A
2.5 amp is not enough. How are you measuring the Output? The max out put with a 12 volt power supply is around 7-8 volts RMS with no clipping. What is your speaker Impedance?
My subwoofer is 4 ohm and my satelite 8 ohm.
I also have a maxamp20 amplifier that have 11.5 watt RMS with 12 volt and it goes 3 to 4 times harder than my tpa3116d2 2.1( with bluetooth is goes twice the volume).
I think i are really close with this measurement. It defenitily not goes loud.
I also have a maxamp20 amplifier that have 11.5 watt RMS with 12 volt and it goes 3 to 4 times harder than my tpa3116d2 2.1( with bluetooth is goes twice the volume).
I think i are really close with this measurement. It defenitily not goes loud.
My subwoofer is 4 ohm and my satelite 8 ohm.
I also have a maxamp20 amplifier that have 11.5 watt RMS with 12 volt and it goes 3 to 4 times harder than my tpa3116d2 2.1( with bluetooth is goes twice the volume).
I think i are really close with this measurement. It defenitily not goes loud.
I also have a maxamp20 amplifier that have 11.5 watt RMS with 12 volt and it goes 3 to 4 times harder than my tpa3116d2 2.1( with bluetooth is goes twice the volume).
I think i are really close with this measurement. It defenitily not goes loud.
If i only put one satelite on it goes the same volume with 1A and 2.5A power suply so i don't think it will change
With a 24 volt supply the maximum output voltage of the TPA3116 chip is about 16 volts RMS. With an 8 ohm load each channel will draw 2 amps. A 4 Ohm load will draw 4 amps. 2+2+4 =8 amps. Depending on the crossover and the speakers minimum impedance you may need twice the 8 amps. Your power supply is 2.5 amps. You will not be able to get the maximum power available from the chip.
Perhaps the voltage gain of the 2.1 tpa3116 is less than the gain of your other amplifier so the 3116 amplifier doest seem to be as loud.
Perhaps the voltage gain of the 2.1 tpa3116 is less than the gain of your other amplifier so the 3116 amplifier doest seem to be as loud.
How do i fix it. If i put 1 channel on with a 60 watt power supply i should get at least 20 watt rms.
At 24V ~60Wrms into 4R is possible.
If your Maxamp is set at higher voltage gain, it appears to be louder at the same volume level. Check the 3116 gain.
If your Maxamp is set at higher voltage gain, it appears to be louder at the same volume level. Check the 3116 gain.