3E audio Versus Icepower B&O

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The B&O is harder to screw up, because the most important parts of an amp are done by someone who knew what he did. Put it into a case that screens EMI and connect all and only those wires that are described in the manual. Now you have a 99.99% perfect amp.

With a good implementation of the 3255, a power supply well suited to audio and all connected and wired in the best possible way, you will get a 99.95-99.995% perfect amp. Chances you get wires (ground is allways a problem) not 100% right are high, also some PS are not the best choice.
Depending on your surounding components and your personal feelings, the 3255 will maybe only seem 80-99% perfect.

So, IMO the B&O needs some ignorance to become the worse amp of both, while the 3255 has to be carefully combined and perfectly finished to be on par.

If you are an experienced DIYS amp builder, both will be just great (neutral) sounding amps, very close to 100% perfect.
 
Thanks! The B&O are about ten years old, i heard class d has improved substantially over the past few years. Are there any updates for these or are they still good to go.
The 3e audio are nice but have no power supply, probably going to cost about £50 to build one.
On my last amp build i purchased Multicomp mcfe 500/25 transformers. After completion of the psu there was a loud buzzing sound coming from the speakers despite the manufacturers blurb about high quality and low radiation transformer. When the transformer was placed a metre away the buzzing disappeared. Can you recommend a transformer without this problem.
 
See, the radiation of transformers is usually no problem, it get´s weaker by the cubic with distance. For example, if you build the PCB with the power supply´s components between transformer and amp, there should be no problem with radiation. No need to get the transformer a meter away. My first amps all suffered from noise, but over the years you start to know how to handle wires and get noise near zero. If you put your ears at the tweeter and there is only a little hiss, you are there...´I never go for less.
No patented recipie, just try and error. Most problems come from ground wires gone wrong.
Switching power supply´s are no bad thing, today Iam not sure which concept ist better, sound wise. If you think about power consumption and weight, the way to go is obvious.
 
The 3e audio are nice but have no power supply, probably going to cost about £50 to build one.
10 years ago it was considered a step up in quality, arguably, to power most class D amps with a good linear supply. But the current generation of class D amps will happily tolerate a good SMPS instead, such that a linear supply will (arguably) not give any better result.
3e-audio make their own quasi-resonant SMPS specifically for the TPA3255 (US$65) -
400W 48V/8.5A Quasi-Resonant Power Supply For TPA3255 | eBay

If the 3e-audio SMPS goes out of stock - which is a common problem - consider the Connex SMPS300RS (US$65) or SMPS600RS (US$89) instead -
SMPS300RS | Connex Electronic
SMPS600RS | Connex Electronic
 
The smps and linear both have their pros and cons, i would rather build my own linear because it's all about the diy for me, ready made psu are good to go but i would much rather get my hands dirty - sorry.
I have tried everything to get the transformer to stop buzzing but placing it a metre away from the amp boards is about the only thing that works. Don't know why, if is it something about the implementation it does not like or whatever has upset it i can't figure it out. If you can please recommend a transformer that you have used without the buzzing please let me know. Thanks.
 
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I have thr 3e 3255 with a toroidal powered psu and 40kuF. Toroidal sat inches away. No noise at all. Running at 40vdc so admittedly under the full potential but it is noticeable cooler than at 50vdc.
I had a meanwell smps...not the LRS as they didn't seem to he offered in the UK. No noise came through the audio but I could hear the PWM whine of it sat in the rack. Maybe would have not been so obvious if it was in a proper amp chassis. The fan was.noisy too.
 
The smps and linear both have their pros and cons, i would rather build my own linear because it's all about the diy for me, ready made psu are good to go but i would much rather get my hands dirty - sorry.
I have tried everything to get the transformer to stop buzzing but placing it a metre away from the amp boards is about the only thing that works. Don't know why, if is it something about the implementation it does not like or whatever has upset it i can't figure it out. If you can please recommend a transformer that you have used without the buzzing please let me know. Thanks.

Hi

When you say ´buzzing’ do you mean mechanical vibrations of the power transformer itself or audio buzzing (hum at 50Hz , 100Hz) heard through the speakers?

BR
Eric
 
Have a look at the amp gallery, there you can easily recognize the good installations from the ones that buzz. Twist corresponding wires, keep those of different functions separated, use shielded for inputs and join all ground connections at one point. If you really follow these simple rules, your amp should be silent.
One problem is the ground to chassis of your enclosure connection. Some trying should let you find a way how to do it. Often this is the final problem.
 
Think I'm right in saying some ICE amps use ti chips..

I bought a 3e board and v happy with the sound. Probably the best ti board out there. Beautifully made and designed. Plan to add a saga+ shortly.

Please choose power supply carefully. 'Connex' 600smps from popular 'eastern technology' ebay site was not well made, bad purchase... some iffy quality parts and had to get bad soldering cleaned up.
 
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