Vertical Bi-Amp 3116D2 (Sold)

This amplifier is made for bi-amping speakers that have bi-wireable passive crossovers. 

One pair of binding posts connect to the low posts and the other pair to the high level posts. 

Dual TPA3116D2 amplifiers handle the power and are handed off the audio signal by a Teradak brand Vishay precision resistor stepped attenuator volume control.   There are only two 1% tolerance Vishay resistors in the signal path before hitting the circuit board.  The amp is wired with plenum grade Cat5e (teflon insulated) & shielded copper cable.  Solid brass, vintage look toggle style power switches, gold plated, solid metal binding posts, gold plated RCA's, 3M elastomer vibration isolation pads and a textured black enamel round out the aesthetics.  Individual power supplies can be used for each section or a single, 10amp or better single supply with two power cord leads.  

"Alpha Aluminum" (Sold to Caintuck Open Baffle Speaker Co.)

Equipped with the blue/black Yuan Jing board.  Alpha brand volume pot that is tested with a tolerance of 1% between channels.  Plenum grade Cat 5e signal wiring.  

Includes a 12V/5A power supply.  Wondering what's up with the screw heads on the top of the amp?  I mount the board to the top to facilitate the shortest wiring paths possible.  Mounting on the bottom plate looks nicer, but I'm about the sound.

"Henry Ford Model T" TPA3116D2 (Sold to Caintuck Open Baffle Speaker Company)

"You can get it in any color, as long as it is black."  

Many of the inquiries I get are from audiophiles asking what is the least expensive, while still sounding good, amplifier that I can build.  Well, here it is.  A good portion of one of my simple amplifiers costs is the volume control & aluminum chassis.  When I first started building amplifiers, I used the inexpensive Alpha brand volume pot.  This is a carbon track potentiometer.  Music reproduction is a matter of taste, but I could imagine some audiophiles, who enjoy a warmer presentation, may even prefer this volume pot over a more open and revealing Vishay stepped attenuator I use.   Unfortunately, the channel matching on these Alpha pots is inconsistent, as it can be with less expensive volume controls.  Never fear though, the flea measures each channel and promptly throws any in the garbage that have more than 1% difference between channels.  This ends up being about 25% of them.  Why is channel matching important?  Imaging and the centering of the performer in the soundstage.  (when recorded that way)

I tried less expensive plastic boxes to house my amps, but I just couldn't come to terms with the low quality look, light weight & lack of RFI & EMI shielding of the die cast aluminum boxes. 

Other features of the basic "Model T" include gold plated RCA's, five way binding posts, neoprene circuit board mounts, 3M elastomer chassis vibration isolators, teflon insulated solid core copper wire, along with shielded copper & a retro look power switch.  A 12V 5A external power supply is included, unless you would like to provide your own.  

"Antenna Current" TPA3116D2 (Sold to Tom H. of Salt Lake City, Utah)

Features include the YJ "blue/black" TPA3116D2 circuit board with Nichicon power supply capacitors.  Measured .5 ohm tolerance left to right YJ volume pot.  A vintage Weston antenna current indicator panel meter sweeps to #2 on power up, with 12 Volts.

15 watts per channel into 8 ohms with the included power supply.

 

"Walnut & 24ct." TPA3116D2 (Sold to Josh R. of Louisville, KY)

This amplifier is equipped with the "Danzz" designed TPA3116D2.  An Alpha volume potentiometer, premium gold plated binding posts, real walnut veneer top, solid brass vintage look power switch, gold plated RCA connectors & 24ct. gold leafing enamel pin striping round out the rest of the amp.  A 12V/5A external power supply is included which will elicit a solid, gloriously robust, smooth, 15 watts per channel. $185

"The Ninja" TPA3116D2 (Sold to George in Richland, Washington)

This stealthy black beauty is equipped with the Valab Vishay precision resistor stepped attenuator & twisted solid core copper signal wiring.  Simple, elegant, beautiful sound.  

Vintage Aluminum TPA3116D2 (Sold to Kyle K. of Ann Arbor, Michigan)

Teflon insulated, silver plated, oxygen free copper wire throughout.  Alpha brand volume potentiometer.

Black & Brass TPA3116D2 (Sold to Randy in Alexandria, KY)

JDS Labs ODAC DAC (Sold)

I'm a fan of the JDS Labs ODAC.  It's inexpensive and sounds super.  There has been a lot written about the ODAC and there are many happy owners.  I do dislike the very small cases many USB DACS are packaged in, including the stock ODAC.  I took the liberty to mount an ODAC circuit board in a larger enclosure and wire her up with some VALAB brand, teflon insulated, silver plated copper wire.  Gold plated RCA connectors for the outputs.  $159 includes the stock JDS Labs USB cord.

Rt. 66 Tribute TPA3116D2 (Sold to Kevin K. in Costa Mesa, California)

U.S. Rt. 66 was one of the original highways within the U.S. Highway system. Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926—with road signs erected the following year. The highway, which became one of the most famous roads in America, originally ran from Chicago to Santa Monica, California.

Route 66 served as a major path for those who migrated west, especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and it supported the economies of the communities through which the road passed. People doing business along the route became prosperous due to the growing popularity of the highway, and those same people later fought to keep the highway alive in the face of the growing threat of being bypassed by the new Interstate Highway System.

This unique, one of a kind piece of audio art  is equipped with the very popular Yuan Jing blue/black TPA3116D2 circuit board.  This might be one of the only audiophile amplifiers to have a keyed on/off switch.  An extra key for under the floor mat is included.  The volume pot is the very transparent Teradak stepped attenuator.  Teflon coated solid copper signal wiring.  The paint is a textured black with a chrome plated, solid brass volume shifter knob.  Not only is this amplifier a one of a kind conversation piece, it sounds finely tuned & should transport you to audio nirvana.  Comes with a 12 volt/5 amp power supply that will allow the amplifier to accelerate to 15 watts per channel into an 8 ohm load.

Espresso & Brass (Sold to Wesley T. of Statesville, North Carolina)

Equipped with the YJ blue/black TPA3116D2 & a very transparent sounding 100K Teradak stepped attenuator.  Espresso brown & brass accents.  24K gold pinstripe.

"Back in Black" TPA3116D2 (Sold to Ron in Livonia, Michigan)

Antique Copper 3116 (Sold to Joe S. in El Paso, Texas)

I experimented with a painting & weathering technique to give this amp an old, worn out look.  I'm not satisfied with the outcome.  The amp uses the "blue/black" circuit board that everyone is drooling over.  Rather than scrapping it, I'm offering this amp at less than parts cost.  Uses shielded input wiring and a YJ volume pot.  (sounds eerily similar to the Alps blue velvet)  Includes a 12V 5A power supply.

"Hammered" TPA3226 with Alps Blue Velvet (Sold to Scott in Tarzana, California)

A vintage look giving a nod of admiration to the classic hammertone gray Garrard 301 turntable.  Yuan Jing "blue-black" board mounted on neoprene isolation pads.  Alps Blue Velvet volume pot & a rotating on/off switch.  (on left)

Plastic Prototype TPA3116D2 (Sold)

Yuan Jing "no pop" green circuit board (sonically neck and neck with the blue/black circuit board) mounted in a Hammond resin chassis.   This build was also done to demo a new volume potentiometer & shielded cable.  After a couple hour listening session, these new parts were declared keepers.  I probably won't use the plastic boxes again due to the light weight, but I will use the shielded cable and new volume pots here and there.  If you use heavy cables, you'll have to weigh this down somehow.  Fill it with all the excess coin you'll save buying this prototype.  $120

Metal & Maple TPA3116 (Sold to Randy in Alexandria, KY)

        TPA3116 with TeraDak stepped attenuator.   

Amtrans Gold Plated OFC Wired TPA3116D2 (Sold to Dean M. in Massachussetts)

This is the first amplifier I've built that incorporates Amtrans gold plated oxygen free copper hook up wire.  The wire is teflon insulated and expensive at $14 for 3 feet.  You may not be a believer that wire makes a difference in audio reproduction.  I do.   Other parts used in this build is an Alps Blue Velvet volume pot,  solid brass, gold plated, five way binding posts, real walnut veneer & a genuine Peavey guitar knob.  My favorite new accent is the solid brass switch and solid machined brass on/off plate. 

The "Audiobah" sourced circuit board is mounted on vibration isolating neoprene washers and 3M elastomer pads are affixed to the bottom of the chassis.  

I received these unsolicited comments after the amp was delivered:

The amp sounded great out of the box, but I  wanetd to let it burn in for a few days before I got back to you about the sound.  In short, it sounds fantastic.  I'm not great with the adjectives, but suffice to say you knocked this one out of the park!

Many thanks,

Dean

"Kind of Blue" TPA3116D2 30 Watts x 2 (Sold to Jeff A. in New Jersey)

This amplifier is equipped with the "Audiobah" Model AC1308 1.0 TPA3116D2 circuit board.  This is the first of three amps I will build with this board.   Listening tests confirm it is a keeper.  Silky smooth midrange and highs, with the well known tight bass of the 3116.  As I've written before, I won't sell an amp with a board I wouldn't use myself in my rig.  I recently discarded three different 3116 circuit boards that I didn't care for.   Parts on this amp include side chassis mounted, five way, gold plated, insulated binding posts,  gold plated RCA inputs, genuine Fender chromed brass volume knob, Alpha volume pot & twisted solid copper signal wiring.   Hand made little chunks of audio art.  No two ever the same.

Alps Blue Velvet & Jupiter Cotton Insulated Wire Volume Control (Sold to George S. of Towson, Maryland)

 

Equipped with "boutique" Jupiter Condenser 26ga. 4n purity cotton insulated copper wire.  100K Alps Blue Velvet potentiometer is star grounded for maximum noise free operation.  Die cast aluminum chassis for maximum RFI & EMI rejection.  Gold plated RCA connectors.

3M urethane isolation feet.   

"Positive Feedback"

I typically get e-mails from audiophiles who buy my amps, letting me know they arrived unscathed & surprised by the sonics.  Recently, I received more of a review, from Michael, who purchased one of my amps.   His comments were completely unsolicited.  I asked him if I could post his words to my blog and he obliged.  Here are his comments:

As it is right now, I prefer this amp to many SE tube amps and highly acclaimed solid state integrated amps that have come through the system.  It's not as romantic, lush, or other additive adjectives that SE brings to the table, but it sounds more real and clear.  I'm around live music on a regular basis, and this amp offers a detailed yet musical presentation that  I think accurately captures the gestalt of the artists/engineers intentions.  It has more heart and soul compared to my other amps.

$3,000 sound for a total cost of about $150.  It kind of feels like the emperor's clothes story….when comparing it to the rest of the overpriced high-end spread.

I'm using this with a pair of Triangle Zerius, and the gain from the amp, along with my transformer volume control, is just about perfect in my small room.  If anyone is looking for a great match, a used Triangle Zerius or Titus would be a great suggestion.

Thanks for offering an interesting and great sounding amp at a price everyone can afford.  I might be interested in trying an integrated DAC with the ability to switch between my external phono pre to on-board DAC.  I'll keep up with your webpage to see if you ever make such a thing.

Regards,

Michael

24kt gold pin stripe JDS Labs ODAC TPA3116 (Sold to Craig G. of Tarzana, California)

This is the second amplifier I've created with a built-in DAC.  The JDS Labs ODAC is one of those stellar "bang for the buck" DAC's.
http://www.jdslabs.com/products/39/odac-objectivedac/
You have to spend a lot more money to get a significant sonic benefit over the ODAC.  If you can hear the difference between interconnects in your system, you'll immediately realize the improvement of having the DAC just inches away from the amplifier board.   Eliminating a set of interconnects can get us that much closer to the original signal.

Parts utilized in this build include a Yuan Jing TPA3116D2 (blue/black circuit board), Dayton gold plated five way binding posts,  24kt gold leafing enamel pin striping, red enamel with three coats of gloss clear,  solid brass, gold plated volume knob,  Alpha brand 50K volume pot & a combination of twisted solid core copper/shielded copper signal wiring.   

Valab Rhodium Binding Posts TPA3116D2 (Sold to Tom of Salt Lake City, Utah)

Premium Post TPA3116D2 (Sold to Todd E. of Redding, California)

FEEDBACK FROM THE OWNER...

"Got the amp last week.  Excellent for the cash. No question. I am really amazed that something so tiny and so LIGHT can drive two 6 foot tall speakers with 4, 10" woofers, 4 mids, and two tweeters. Amazing really. Does great with voices. Been really busy so I have not had time to play around A / B -ing it with my other amps, but again I am really impressed with what I have heard so far. I am running a mac laptop, just standard 320 mp3's into a Michael Yee / Musical Surroundings MYDAC II through the USB input. Very simple set up, so compact. This uber simple set up would be very hard to beat for the money.

I am excited to try it with some of my smaller speakers once I get some free time. Excellent packing and shipping time too. Thanks for everything. I LOVE the aesthetics of it, the green cube light, the retro switch. Aluminum / Walnut. So cool."

Happy,

Todd

Display Case TPA3116D2 Amplifier (Sold to Michael S. in La Crosse, Wisconsin)

Glass & wood 8"x10" display case with a Yuan Jing TPA3116D2 mounted inside.

13.8 volt, 5 amp external linear power supply feeds it.

High quality gold plated five way binding posts & Neutrik brand RCA inputs with gold plated connectors.  This power supply gives this amplifier a lot of authority.

Rawson Tribute Edition Amplifier (Sold to Tom H. in Salt Lake City, Utah)

TPA3116 with built-in JDS Labs ODAC (Sold to Sergio in Norwalk, CT)

Fleawatt TPA3116D2 with built-in, directly wired to the amp, JDS Labs ODAC. 

http://www.jdslabs.com/products/39/odac-objectivedac/

 One USB input connects directly to your computer or USB digital audio source.

Direct signal path from the DAC to the YuanJing "black board" amplifier circuit board with a short length of solid core twisted copper wire.  An Alps blue velvet volume pot compliments this circuit nicely.  Combining this highly regarded Class D amplifier with a directly wired giant killer DAC approaches the pinnacle of high fidelity audio with very little cash outlay.  As with all my amplifiers, the amplifier board is vibration isolated on neoprene isolation washers.  High quality gold plated five way binding posts.  3M brand isolation pads on the bottom of the solid, die-cast aluminum chassis.   A copper faux steam gauge and copper colored hardware makes for an understated, mild steampunk theme.