Sanity check: Simple TDA3116 Amplifier

[kukarzev]

Hi!

I want to put together this simple TDA3116 board:

Amazon.com: Amplifier Board, DROK TPA3116 HiFi Dual-channel Stereo Audio Amplifier Subwoofer DC10-25V Digital 2.0 Amp Module 25W+25W Output with Volume Adjustment Knob: Home Improvement

And this power supply board to power it:

Amazon.com: DAOKI AC-DC Power Supply Module AC 85-265V to DC 24V 6A Switching Power Supply Board: Home Audio & Theater

to make hopefully a reasonably high quality stereo sound using some decent bookshelf speakers in an average-size room. I have some experience with electronics but I am new to this age of pre-fabricated ultra-cheap class-D amps. So I don't know what to expect.

Could you guys comment if this makes sense and suggest changes?

It is mostly to have fun tinkering with it but I also hope that the sound will be enjoyable. If it works, I'll probably add a bluetooth board to it and put it in a clean-looking chassis or something.

Are these two boards compatible? Is it really all that's needed or it is understood by everyone except me that more work is required?

Thanks!

 

[rayma]

Are these two boards compatible?

The amp has a working voltage requirement of 10-25VDC, and the power supply has 24V @ 6A.
This combination should be ok. Double check the polarity of the connection.

 

[chermann]

Hi


as rayma said..its ok.


safety:
please be aware of the power supply module- smps it not just 240V(120V). because partly you have more voltage because of switching there (300V...). please think about that nothing /nobody can touch the primary side of the power supply!!!

chris

 

[Think]

Why is that board marketed as 2x25W while it should be able to do 2x50W@4Ohm?
2x25W@8Ohm would be correct.
It is also quite expensive and you might want to have bass and treble controls. Have a look at Ebay.

I have 2 of these power supply boards; one came in DOA and the other one I never use as old laptop bricks work fine. (safe, no emf problems, cheap and probably better quality)
3A Is more then enough, as music has a crest factor. (it contains a lot less energie then sine waves) And remember that doubling power only gives +3dB minus extra power compression. (output loss due to heat in the voice coils) So going from 1W to 2W will be a bigger difference in output then going from 50W to 100W.

If you want it louder/more output better use more efficient (dB/W) or more speakers.

What speakers do you plan to use with it?

 

[kukarzev]

Thank you for the answers and suggestions! See more thoughts below.

Why is that board marketed as 2x25W while it should be able to do 2x50W@4Ohm?
2x25W@8Ohm would be correct.
...
I have 2 of these power supply boards; one came in DOA and the other one I never use as old laptop bricks work fine. (safe, no emf problems, cheap and probably better quality)
3A Is more then enough, as music has a crest factor. (it contains a lot less energie then sine waves) And remember that doubling power only gives +3dB minus extra power compression. (output loss due to heat in the voice coils) So going from 1W to 2W will be a bigger difference in output then going from 50W to 100W.

If you want it louder/more output better use more efficient (dB/W) or more speakers.

I am going to use it for "neighbor-friendly" volume levels, so I don't think that volume is going to be an issue but I want it to be dead solid and not straining in driving the speakers at fairly low-to-intermediate volume levels.

As for the power supply - given adequate quality, my main priority is compactness and as few external wiring as possible. having a single regular power cord seems preferable.

It is also quite expensive and you might want to have bass and treble controls. Have a look at Ebay.

Bass and treble might be a good idea - but at a comparable price I can only find this 2.1 board (it is 31 on amazon, 25 on ebay). I don't really want a subwoofer, so I wonder if it is going to work well with just stereo bookshelf speakers:

Amazon.com: AOSHIKE DC12V-24V 2.1 Channel TPA3116 Subwoofer Amplifier Board High Power Bluetooth Audio Amplifier Board 2x50W+100W(2x50W+100W): Home Audio & Theater

(This one also has bluetooth which is a bonus, and some commenters say it has an undocumented USB mp3 playback feature.)

Are there other options that I am missing? Is there a way to add treble and bass controls with a separate board or it is not worth it?

What speakers do you plan to use with it?

I am hoping to find something of good value - trying to avoid paying for audiophile-level craziness. Perhaps something along these lines, only used and hopefully considerably cheaper:

Amazon.com: Klipsch RP-160M Bookshelf Speaker - Ebony (Pair): Home Audio & Theater

 

[kukarzev]

Hi
...
safety:
please be aware of the power supply module- smps it not just 240V(120V). because partly you have more voltage because of switching there (300V...). please think about that nothing /nobody can touch the primary side of the power supply!!!

chris

Thank you, this is a good tip! What would you say is adequate safety precaution for this type of power supply board? Once tested, I plan to put the whole thing inside some chassis. Is that enough when it is inside and on usual PCB mounts? Or I need to wrap up non-heat-dissipating parts of it in something isolating? Or something else?

 

[kukarzev]

A follow up question. In a 2.1 board with bass frequency pot, can I not use subwoofer at all or I will burn the board or lose bass? I cannot seem to find a 2.0 board with treble control for similar price... Here is the 2.1 board I'm thinking about:

Amazon.com: AOSHIKE DC12V-24V 2.1 Channel TPA3116 Subwoofer Amplifier Board High Power Bluetooth Audio Amplifier Board 2x50W+100W(2x50W+100W): Home Audio & Theater

 

[chermann]

Thank you, this is a good tip! What would you say is adequate safety precaution for this type of power supply board? Once tested, I plan to put the whole thing inside some chassis. Is that enough when it is inside and on usual PCB mounts? Or I need to wrap up non-heat-dissipating parts of it in something isolating? Or something else?

yes its "enough"...but if smps and amp is in one chassis plan enough room for cabling etc...
+ dont forget to earth GND connection



chris

 

[Think]

I have 2x the 2.1 board without bluetooth (there are a couple of versions) and it is very good. ($20) It can play the main speakers full range without sub.

Stereo board with bass and treble control $6 TPA3116D2 Dual Channel DC 12V 24V 80Wx2 Digital Treble Bass Pre Amplifier Board | eBay

Stereo board with bass, mid and treble control $8: TPA3116D2 Digital Audio Amplifier Board Dual-channel Treble Bass Speaker | eBay


Bookshelf speakers don't produce much bass, even though the specs say 45Hz-25kHz; a sub woofer might be a nice addition. (sealed sounds and integrates best, old car woofer in a corner is fine)

Reference Premiere Bookshelf Speakers | Klipsch
SENSITIVITY: 96dB @ 2.83V / 1m or 1W @8Ohm is a lie; 90-92dB/W is more realistic, but still sensitive enough to get pretty loud.

 

[doctormord]

As these boards don't have output filters, the speaker wires should/must keeped short.

 

[mikejennens]

A follow up question. In a 2.1 board with bass frequency pot, can I not use subwoofer at all or I will burn the board or lose bass? I cannot seem to find a 2.0 board with treble control for similar price... Here is the 2.1 board I'm thinking about:

Amazon.com: AOSHIKE DC12V-24V 2.1 Channel TPA3116 Subwoofer Amplifier Board High Power Bluetooth Audio Amplifier Board 2x50W+100W(2x50W+100W): Home Audio & Theater

I use that amp and am very happy with it. It can be switched to use with or without a subwoofer. You can adjust the bass and treble, the volume of each, and then use the master volume for both. In my opinion, it's a great little amp. I plan on buying a few more for gifts (and for fun!).

For a power supply, a 19-volt computer power supply will work, as will the ones linked below:

Amazon.com: Aiposen 110V/220V AC to DC 24V 5A 120W Switch Power Supply Driver,Power Transformer for CCTV Camera/Security System/LED Strip Light/Radio/Computer Project(24V 5A): Home Audio & Theater

Amazon.com: 24V 4A AC Adapter Power Supply for Zebra ZP550 ZP450 GX420d GK420d GK420t GX420t GX430T GT810 HC100 Label Printer: Electronics

Amazon.com: Superpower 24V 6A Volt AC Power Adapter Supply with 5mm DC Output Jack For LED Strip Light: Electronics

Mike

 

[Think]

As these boards don't have output filters, the speaker wires should/must keeped short.

Thx, that is a good addition to the 2 cheap boards with treble and bass controls I linked some posts back.

I have an other single chip board with treble and bass, but could not find it. I got it when I ordered a TDA7498E board and they send me the wrong one; works great for a free board.

@Mikejennes; Good to read that the bluetooth version also works great. At ebay the prices seem better.

DC12-24V TPA3116 Bluetooth 4.2 Subwoofer Amplifier Board Dial Switch 2.1 Channel | eBay $24 for the bluetooth version and $19.50 without BT.

Does it have a power on/off switch for the BT or a password to prevent anyone connecting to it when not in use?

 

[mikejennens]

@Mikejennes; Good to read that the bluetooth version also works great. At ebay the prices seem better.

DC12-24V TPA3116 Bluetooth 4.2 Subwoofer Amplifier Board Dial Switch 2.1 Channel | eBay $24 for the bluetooth version and $19.50 without BT.

Does it have a power on/off switch for the BT or a password to prevent anyone connecting to it when not in use?

Thanks for the link. That's a great price.

 

[kukarzev]

Folks:

thank you for checking me, and for the suggestions!

OUTCOME so far:
I ordered the 2.1 3116 board with bluetooth and tone controls ($31), and the 24V/6A power supply board ($11) from Amazon - mainly for expediency, I have a bit of a time constraint this time, so decided to throw a few more bucks at it and get it fast.

I am going to use it with a new pair of ELAC Debut B5.2 speakers. I am not familiar with them at all but I hear very good things (do you agree?) I have an old 4.1 Marantz receiver - so I should be able to compare.

Any other ideas and suggestions? I'm still interested, and thanks!

 

[kukarzev]

A follow up question on connecting the power supply:

Should I (and can I) ground both boards (amp and power)? I look at the power supply board, and it does not have any obvious place to connect ground: just two leads for input AC and two leads for output DC.

Also, does it matter which of the input AC leads gets the "hot" wire and which one neutral?

Thanks!

The power board is this one: Amazon.com: DAOKI AC-DC Power Supply Module AC 85-265V to DC 24V 6A Switching Power Supply Board: Home Audio & Theater

 

[R Kneck]

Hi kukarzev, yes it does matter which one gets the "hot" and which one gets the neutral.

Are you in the US? If so, your home wiring should follow the National Electrical Code.

Wiring Diagrams for Electrical Receptacle Outlets - Do-it-yourself-help.com

Redd

 

[kukarzev]

Hi kukarzev, yes it does matter which one gets the "hot" and which one gets the neutral.

Are you in the US? If so, your home wiring should follow the National Electrical Code.

Wiring Diagrams for Electrical Receptacle Outlets - Do-it-yourself-help.com

Redd

Redd, house wiring is pretty clear, that's not the source of my uncertainty. It is the power amp board: it has two input leads (green) but no indication if one should be "hot" or it is all truly relative. Here are the pictures of the board I took.

 

[ICG]

Redd, house wiring is pretty clear, that's not the source of my uncertainty. It is the power amp board: it has two input leads (green) but no indication if one should be "hot" or it is all truly relative.

On AC that doesn't matter for the amp or power supply, that's only relevant for the wiring and the sockets in the house because of regulations. I would suggest you'd use the PE though if you put it in a metal enclosure.

 

[kukarzev]

On AC that doesn't matter for the amp or power supply, that's only relevant for the wiring and the sockets in the house because of regulations. I would suggest you'd use the PE though if you put it in a metal enclosure.

Wait, you got me utterly confused. What's PE? I was going to use a standard two-wire-plus-ground power cable, one one end I'll connect two wires to the amp's AC input and the ground to the metal casing of the amp (if it is metal, nothing otherwise).

On the other end of the cable I will put a standard US two-prong power plug. It sounds like it does not matter which prong goes to which of the two AC inputs.

If the case is not metal (e.g. wood), there does not seem to be any way to connect ground in the power cable in a meaningful way. Is there?

Thanks! Please tell me if I am still not getting it.

 

[Think]

What you write looks correct to me.