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TPA3116 Integrated Amplifier with Cardas bits (Sold to Jake J.)

 



This commissioned integrated amplifier, with rear mounted Alps blue velvet potentiometer was built in 2020.  The recipe includes many boutique Cardas brand audiophile quality parts.  These parts include Cardas machined solid copper binding posts, Cardas RCA connectors, Cardas teflon insulated high purity copper output wire, Nichicon and Panasonic capacitors, Alps blue velvet volume potentiometer.  Western Electric panel meter adorns the walnut faceplate and sweeps to the center when the amplifier is powered on.  The amplifier was upgraded in 2022 with my current reference, a high purity copper EI style transformer.   The audiophile who owned this amplifier traded it in toward an amplifier with a different meter and faceplate.  This formerly owned amplifier is listed for sale on US Audiomart.

16x16x5.5 enclosure

20 watts into 8 ohms 40 watts into 4 ohms

TPA3255 (Sold to Michael of Perrysburg, Ohio)

 

Features include: 3e Audio Amplifier board mounted on neoprene isolators, Hammond toroidal transformer, Nichicon Fine Gold on the power supply.   KLEI Harmony copper binding posts and RCA’s.  Dueland cotton insulated tinned copper wiring with WBT silver solder used throughout.  A gorgeous sounding amplifier.

How to purchase a Fleawatt Amplifier

Since I only build amplifiers as a hobby, when one is available to purchase, it will be posted on here and US Audiomart.  I am not taking on custom builds at this time.

TPA3255 Amplifier (Sold to Robin L. of Los Gatos, California)

 


Oil varnished cedar faceplate, vintage analog panel meter, large Antek toroidal transformer, regulated linear power supply with Nichicon Gold power supply capacitors.  Belden brilliance input wire and Dueland cotton insulated stranded copper output wire.


TDA 7492 Amplifier (Sold to Jeff of Toledo, Ohio)

 


TDA7492 producing 20 watts per channel into 8 ohms.
This chip is a real sleeper. As with any amplifier, system synergy is key, but the TDA7492 is stunning with certain speakers.  The owner of this amplifier auditioned many different amplifiers with his Klipsch KLF-20 speakers and settled on this amplifier for it’s superlative sonic attributes.
This amplifier was built with a Triad Magnetics power transformer, Dueland cotton insulated output wire and Belden brilliance input wire.  A vintage panel meter adorns the hand finished cedar faceplate.

Ayima A07 Amplifier Adventures & Modifications


This modded A07 was sold to Brad M. in Stone Mountain, Georgia

 
In 2004, Six Moons reviewed the $39 Sonic Impact Tripath amplifier.  At that time, this amplifier took the budget audiophile world by storm.  The “Sonic T” as it was affectionately called, came scary close to the sound of many very respectable low watt amplifiers.  DIY Audio enthusiasts, myself included, began experimenting with Tripath “chip amps”.  Around that same time, Gainclone amplifiers, based on the class A/B LM3886 integrated circuit were also wildly popular among DIY’ers.  Then, the Texas Instruments TPA3110 & 3116 entered the scene and many audio enthusiasts concluded they were a less lean sounding alternative to some of the Tripath offerings.  Fast forward and the current budget amplifier making a splash is the Ayima A07 using the Texas Instruments TPA3255, which is the more powerful offspring of the TPA3116.  

YouTube reviewers abound and there are no shortage of positive reviews of this amplifier.   Purchasing a few of these brought me back to my Tripath amplifier modding days.  There are several recommended modifications to the A07 to make incremental improvements.  

Some of these suggested modifications are replacing the input buffer Op Amps.  Sparkos Labs specifically, makes a well executed and reportedly good sounding op amp. (Shout out to Sparkos for the quick shipping and friendly service)  The heat sink in the stock A07 is not well ventilated, so many have drilled holes in the enclosure to properly vent it.  Some of the early A07’s came with Nichicon power supply capacitors.  Mine did not and were generic types.  Replacing these is often beneficial.  These capacitors are quite close to the heat sink.  Some heat reflective tape on the side of the capacitors nearest the heat sinks was recommended by several people.  

My stock A07 did have some static while idle and rotating the volume pot.  Once the volume is set, this is a non-issue, but the volume pot, I suspect, is a very low cost affair.   I won’t post a review of the stock A07, but I would say that most of what one would read on-line or see in a video is accurate.  This is definitely a budget audiophile’s dream come true.  

I bought three of the A07’s to experiment with.  First, I did the recommended Op Amp and capacitor swaps.  In addition, I swapped the stock output wire with some short pieces of Dueland tinned copper wire.  These modifications allowed me to keep the amplifier board in the stock enclosure, although the top lid had to be modified to accommodate the increase height of the op amps and Nichicon capacitors.  These changes did make a subtle change in the sound of the stock amplifier.  Whether they were worth the expense would depend on one’s budget and how much they value incremental increases in performance.

Next, I was curious to find out how replacing the external switching power supply brick with a large, high quality linear power supply would impact the A07.  Obviously this would require a larger enclosure to envelope a big transformer and power supply board.  Since the A07 circuit board would need to be removed to mount in a larger enclosure, I also felt it was appropriate to grace the A07 with a better volume potentiometer, binding posts, hook up wire and RCA connectors.  All of these modifications and additions come at somewhat of a high cost.  Were they worth the money and time?  For me, yes they were.  The most notable improvements in my system was the separation of instruments, larger soundstage and tighter, deeper bass.  I found the sound thoroughly pleasing.  As with anything in this hobby, preferences in sound presentation are subjective and often system dependent.   

If you have an Ayima A07 and would like it modified or placed in a new enclosures with linear power supply, please contact me.  If you don’t already have one and are curious, I have a few stock units on the shelf waiting to be all dressed up.  Happy Listening!




The fully Hot Rodded Ayima A07 complete with a vintage Hewlett Packard Panel meter.






Lii Audio F-15 Open Baffle Speakers (Built for Chuck in Ann Arbor, MI)




The Lii Audio F-15 is a wildly popular full range driver that excels in open baffles.
It is a true full range driver with no help needed in the bass department.
This pair was built using 1.5” thick butcher block and steel L brackets for support.



Mark Audio Pensil 10.3 designed by Scott Lindgren

 




Having built dozens of single driver speaker designs, many of which were designed by Scott Lindgren, I must say the pensil cabinet with the Mark Audio Alpair 10 v.3 is a stellar performer.
Numerous accolades abound regarding this driver.
I built my pair using Baltic Birch, Walnut Veneer from Rockler, 
Lamp Black paint from General Finishes, outriggers, binding posts and binding post plates from Dayton Audio.  This is my personal current reference speaker.

“Coltrane” (Sold to David of Norwalk, Connecticut)

David, who commissioned this amplifier, wrote to me that he owes his passion for music, notably jazz and for fine audio wares, to his father.  He was an audiophile and introduced David to Coltrane, Monk, Errol Garner, Oscar Peterson and others.  David’s father passed away in 2014 and David felt the greatest gift his father left him was instilling in him his love of music.   At David’s request, this amplifier has been named “Coltrane”.



This TPA3116 amplifier includes a high purity copper EI transformer, a regulated power supply with Nichicon Gold Tune capacitors, Klei naked Harmony RCA connectors and binding posts. Input wiring is shielded Belden Brilliance and output wire is Dueland brand cotton insulated stranded copper. A US Navy stamped vintage Western Electric meter adorns the last piece of Ambrosia Maple from the stock I obtained with this striking grain pattern.

Ambrosia Maple Western Electric Meter (Sold to Mark of Shreveport Louisiana)

 



1/2” thick ambrosia maple faceplate with a hand rubbed oil varnish, vintage Western Electric panel meter,  made in USA powder coated aluminum enclosure, 150VA copper shielded EI Transformer, Belden Brilliance shielded input wire,
Nichicon Gold Tune and OSCON capacitors, Dueland cotton insulated tinned copper output wire,
KLEI Naked Harmony binding posts and RCA connectors.
20 watts into 8 ohms - 40 watts into 4 ohms
$975

Ambrosia Maple TPA3116 (Sold to Richard N. of El Portal, Florida)

 

This build features a 1/2” thick ambrosia maple faceplate.  Vintage panel meter.
Solen binding posts, REAN gold plated RCA connectors, large high purity copper EI transformer,
regulated power supply with Nichicon Gold Tune and OSCON capacitors.  Dueland cotton insulated output wire and fully shielded copper input wire.  



2023- Production Resumes!

I’ve spent many years hand crafting custom amplifiers based on the venerable TPA3116D2 integrated circuit.   My goal has always been to use audiophile quality parts in the recipe and design that produces sound as close as one can get to a triode tube amplifier, but without the expense of tubes. 

My amplifiers are 20 watts into an 8 ohm load and 40 watts into a 4 ohm load.  I typically recommend one mates my amplifiers with an efficient speaker system.  If you have questions about compatibility, please feel free to email me.

I’m now taking orders for 2023.  Please email me if you are interested.  

“Gershwin II” (Sold to Sean of Brooklyn, NY)

 

Handcrafted, one of a kind.
TPA3116D2 with all the boutique audiophile bits.
Vintage US Navy panel meter.
Solid walnut faceplate. 
American made aluminum enclosure.

KrappyKables Interconnects

 

It’s always exciting to discover a piece of audio gear that doesn’t just result in a different flavor of sound, but takes one’s system to the next level of musical enjoyment.  After thirty years in the hobby, this is quite a rare occurrence.

Inserting a pair of KrappyKable interconnects into my system, I had that exact exciting experience.  Using my Fostex FF165K equipped Frugal Horn XL’s and one of my TPA3116 amplifiers, I was gobsmacked by the bass response improvements over my previous two reference interconnects!  Not only was the bass deeper, but it was tight and tuneful.  Midrange was as hauntingly real as my previous cables with perhaps a bit more separation between instruments.  The bass response alone had me sold on these as my new reference.  I’m looking forward to trying out their speaker cables in the future. Link below for more information.


KrappyKables

“Texas Oak” Sold to Tim of Bella Vista, AR

 


20 watts per channel into 8 ohms.  40 watts into 4 ohms.
Handmade in Texas heavy aluminum enclosure with solid Oak side panels.
Oversized, high purity copper EI transformer, OSCON and Nichicon Muse power supply capacitors, Belden Brilliance fully shielded input wire, Alps blue velvet volume potentiometer, REAN RCA input connectors, Cardas machined copper binding posts and a machined aluminum volume pot knob.



Two input integrated (Sold to Larry of Montgomery, Texas)

 



 

Two input integrated amplifier producing 20 watts into 8 ohms.
Alps Blue Velvet volume pot, genuine Fender guitar volume knobs,
Cotton insulated high purity copper output wire and Nichicon gold tune power supply capacitor.

Perdomo 20th Anniversary Cigar Box Stereo. (Sold to Emre of NYC)

 



 Commissioned Cigar Box Stereo.  TPA3116 amplifier with 
Tang Band 3” full range drivers.  Regulated power provided by external power supply.
Inputs are 1/8” stereo input or traditional RCA’s.  Integrated power switch/volume pot.
Perfect for use with external Bluetooth receiver or Wi-Fi Streamer.


“Sotho Blue” TPA3116D2 (Sold to Rich of Clarksville, Tennessee)

 


Beautiful Maple faceplate with US Navy stamped General Electric panel meter.
R-Core transformer, Nichicon KG and Panasonic OSCON capacitors.
KLE Innovations harmony binding posts and Jupiter Condenser high purity copper hook up wire.
20 watts per channel into 8 ohms
40 watts per channel into 4 ohms

"Murat 124" TPA3116D2 (Sold to Emre of New York City)

 


This amplifier was made with an external power supply by special request.  
Hammond diecast aluminum enclosure.  Three inputs with a side mounted rotary Alps switch.
Other features include Nichicon Fine Gold capacitors, rubber isolators under circuit board, REAN RCA connectors and Jupiter Condenser cotton insulated 4N copper wire.  Cardas Solder used throughout.



The Frazier Super Texan

I plan to pay tribute to Jack Frazier and the Super Texan model by documenting some of it's history while simultaneously providing a centralized resource for information on this rare speaker.  There is a F.U.G. (Frazier's User Group) that is quite active on Facebook.  There is also a 200+ page FUG thread on the Klipsch forum.  Unfortunately, both take hours of searching to find small bits of information pertaining to the Super Texan.  If you own Frazier Super Texan's or have ever heard a pair, PLEASE email me.  I would like to obtain as much information as possible from actual owners, past owners or those who enjoyed their sound.    I want to pay special thanks to Todd Crane and John Daggett.  Todd was the sales manager for Frazier from the early 1970’s until 1983, when Jack Frazier died and the company was sold.  John worked in the woodworking plant and the electronics plant.  Both men have been helpful in my research.  This post will continue to evolve as I collect more information.  I hope in the end, it is a good resource for the Super Texan aficionado.    



The Super Texan, manufactured first as the “Texan” with an 8” woofer began around 1959.  Later transitioning to a 12” woofer, it earned the “Super Texan” moniker.  Made by a small group of craftsman in Dallas, Texas the Super Texan was a folded low frequency exponential horn with a Frazier F-333-300 medium throw high frequency exponential horn.  The drivers installed were a Frazier F-1277 12" heavy duty woofer with 2-1/2" edgewound aluminum voice coil and 78 oz. ceramic magnet.
The F333 horn was fitted with a Frazier compression driver manufactured by Atlas.
Frazier noted frequency response of 35hz to 15,000hz with an efficiency of 105db!
The crossover frequency of the stock cabinets was 600hz with a 12db slope.  The stock crossover of the Texan was a 2.25mh coil and 24uf capacitor.  It is believed the same crossover values migrated to the Super Texan.  The dimensions of the system are 
36-5/8" x 33" x24" with a weight of 190 pounds each.
Super Texans were typically employed in Discos, night clubs, movie theaters, churches and auditoriums.


The Frazier Super Texan F1290 folded horn bass speaker was equipped with a 12" woofer.
The original woofer installed was a Frazier F-1277.  However, many are found to have Electro-Voice (EV) woofers installed.  These were special order when requested by the customer or often installed as replacements by their respective owners. (My pair had EVM 12S drivers) The horn path is 7.5 feet in length.


The F-333-300 exponential medium throw high frequency horn had a dispersion of 90 x 40 with a rated frequency response of 600-15000hz.  The impedance of the compression driver was 16 ohms. Power handling was 30 watts continuous and a rated efficiency of 119db.  Interesting note, the stock crossovers used a tapped resistor as opposed to a rotating L pad to attenuate the F-333. 

  The gentleman I purchased my pair from told me they came from the Cornerstone Church in Livonia, Michigan after it closed.  He believes that is where they lived since new, but I have not been able to substantiate that.  The seller elected to keep the EVM12L woofers that were installed.  One horn had a missing compression driver and there were no crossovers installed.



The modified Frazier Super Texans are nearing completion.  
The cabinets have a primer coat on them and are awaiting black paint.  I will be building stands and possibly baffles for the midrange horns.
The midrange compression driver is the EV DH1A with ZXPC 10x18 horns.  The bass bin is equipped with an EV12L woofer at the moment.  Ciare 12” woofers are on order.  I designed and built the passive crossovers, using measurements from my seating position and hours of listening tests with various components.
The soundstage is very large and the dynamics are excellent.  The EV DH1A combined with the ZXPC horns are very smooth and among the smoothest horn combination I’ve heard.



These photos and Super Texan story were graciously shared by Bob…..

Here's my Frazier Super Texans story.

In 1987, I was hired by the Ryan Road Baptist Church in Warren, Michigan to be their youth pastor.   The church had a "youth center" building next door to the main church building where the young people (teens) met.  In the youth center, there was a great PA-based sound system, but the speakers were unlike anything I had ever seen.

For one thing, they were huge and heavy and hung from the ceiling joists by chains.  For another, they didn't look like any speakers I had ever seen.  They had horns on top, and openings along each side for the bass to come out (I would later learn what folded horns are).  I didn't understand how they worked, or why they looked the way they did.  I only knew they ROCKED.  They could play deafeningly loud and had very clear sound, driven in mono by a sound board and a Peavey amp (model/power unknown).

I remember the church's lead audio tech telling me, "Those are really special speakers," but he didn't elaborate.  I believe the Super Texans in our youth center were originally the main speakers for the church auditorium; and that they were handed down to the youth center after the church auditorium was redone with Bose 802's.

I would learn over thirty years later, thanks to the internet (including your blog) that those special speakers were in fact Frazier Super Texans.  Ours did not have the logo sticker on the front of the cabinet like some I've seen; and they had two metal carrying handles on each side of each cabinet which I believe may have been added.  Otherwise, I remember them as being quite stock in appearance and function, with the original horns on top and no modifications other than the handles.

The church sold that building in 1994.  I have no idea what ever became of the speakers.

The church audio tech, who became a close friend of mine, passed away of brain cancer many years ago.  I wish I could ask him more about those speakers.

I am attaching a picture of the stage end of the youth center, with the Super Texans clearly visible.  

Regards,

Bob






    

Bond Street Tobacco lamp (Sold to Steven in Saint Hedwig, Texas)

 

Vintage Bond Street Pipe Tobacco can
like Dad used to have.  As with all of my lamps, it is 
equipped with a vintage style cloth cord and plug. Dimmer switch and LED bulb allows for just the right ambiance in your man cave.  

Radio Dial Belts Lamp (Available)

 

Vintage Radio Dial Belts store container.  Two smoked glass Edison bulbs in ceramic bases.  Vintage style cloth power cord and plug.  Dimmer switch for complete control over brightness in your man cave.  $125 plus shipping.

Frugal Horn XL with Planet 10 enabled Mark Audio Alpair 10p

 


I've built nearly twenty pair of speakers over the years.  Many single driver, back loaded horn designs including the Frugal Horn Sachiko, Saburo and numerous Nagaoka Tetsuo models.  The Frugal Horn XL designed by Scott Lindgren is likely the most successful full range, back loaded horn for it's size.  The huge Sachiko double mouth horn, using a Fostex 206e has a larger presentation, but bass is equally as deep with the Alpair 10p in the XL cabinet.  As with most single driver speakers, imaging is spooky real and the signal is incredibly pure with no baffle step correction needed.  I built this pair using Baltic Birch 18mm ply and birch veneer.  Internal wire is Dueland cotton insulated copper.

TPA3116D2 "The In Crowd" Soft Maple (Sold to Will of Arlington, Virginia)



Deep midnight blue powder coated aluminum enclosure.  Soft Maple faceplate with operating vintage Weston brand panel meter.  
R-Core transformer, regulated, high capacitance power supply, Panasonic OSCON low ESR power supply capacitors.  Jupiter Condenser cotton insulated 6n purity copper output wire.  Shielded copper input wire.  Rubber vibration isolators under the amplifier circuit board.  Rubber enclosure feet.
40 watts into 4 ohms.  20 watts into 8 ohms


 

ICEpower 50ASX2SE (Sold)

 


Powdercoated aluminum enclosure adorned with a Oak faceplate and vintage Burlington panel meter.
KLE Innovations naked harmony binding posts.  REAN RCA connectors.  Cardas solder throughout and shielded copper wiring.
50 watts per channel - 4 ohms

TPA3116D2 "Eric Coates" Integrated Amplifier (Sold to Ryan J. of Ridge, New York)

 


Features include a Made in USA aluminum enclosure with gorgeous walnut faceplate and vintage panel meter.   Alps blue velvet volume pot with vintage style knob.  Two inputs with toggle switch.
Shielded Belden brilliance input wire, Nichicon Muse power supply capacitors, PTFE insulated solid core copper output wire, filtered AC IEC, REAN RCA connectors and gold plated five way binding posts.
40 watts into 4 ohms.  20 watts into 8 ohms.




"Storyville” TPA3116D2 (Sold to Sean C. of Sacramento California)

 





R-Core Transformer, regulated power supply, Dueland cotton insulated hook-up wire, Nichicon KG and Panasonic FC capacitors,
Hickory wood faceplate and vintage General Electric panel meter.


"Kenny Burrell" 5670 Tube Buffered Volume Control (Sold to Scott K. of Ft. Wayne, Indiana)



Kenny Burrel is an American jazz guitarist known for his work on the Blue Note label.   Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan have cited Burrell as an influence.
This two input tube buffered volume control utilizes a GE brand JAN 5670 tube and a Alps blue velvet volume pot.  Adds switching between two inputs and passive volume control with the benefits of tube warmth and bloom.