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Amp Camp Amp [message #93422] Sat, 03 April 2021 09:28 Go to next message
Jensen is currently offline  Jensen
Messages: 14
Registered: April 2020
Chancellor
I'm looking for a fun project amp to drive my 4pi speakers. Thinking of building a pair of Amp Camp amps to run as monoblocks.
https://diyaudiostore.com/collections/frontpage/products/amp-camp-amp-kit?variant=7072933085218
They're 15 watts of class A power and supposed to be able to generate "sufficient" volumes when paired with "sufficiently sensitive" speakers. Would these be a good fit? Any feed back or alternate suggestions are appreciated.
Re: Amp Camp Amp [message #93423 is a reply to message #93422] Sat, 03 April 2021 15:18 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18786
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

I think that'll work very nicely. I run a pair of four Pi loudspeakers on an Audio Note SET amp that has about the same output drive level. It doesn't shake the house but gets loud enough to enjoy just about anything, even action scenes for home theater.
Re: Amp Camp Amp [message #93430 is a reply to message #93422] Sun, 04 April 2021 13:23 Go to previous messageGo to next message
tom-m is currently offline  tom-m
Messages: 56
Registered: December 2009
Location: Texas
Baron
Hi,
Here is my feedback and alternate suggestions.

I had ACA mono blocks about 1 year ago. I purchased the kits new, and had a qualified professional build them. His labor cost was about $325. Worth it for me. I am not a builder and wanted them done right. They were built as mono blocks, not stereo that can switch to mono. I had them built differential, balanced. I have a balanced preamp. I never thought they would be my only amps, but wanted to try them out. And not too pricey for class A.

I sold them after about 1 year of ownership. I have efficient speakers, much like Pi 3 or 4. But the amps did not provide the kind of dynamics I wanted. I like some punch and a big sound, in a medium big room. Overall, just too mellow, or laid back for me. They did sound good. Very smooth. But in the end, I just wanted more head room. I always wondered if the laptop style power supply was limiting some of the amp's dynamics and punch. I don't know.

Two alternatives come to mind, but not kits to build.

After I sold the ACAs, I purchased a used Ayre V3 amp. This used amp was priced just $200 more than I had in the kits with build cost. Totally different amp sound. Very big and dynamic. Also very quiet with he chokes Ayre uses in the power supply. The V3 is fully balanced. And some class A output.

The other suggestion is a Schiit Audio Aegir. This is a low power class A amp. The new price is about the same a 2 ACA kits. And if someone wanted more power, buy 2 and run mono. I have not heard these, but they look interesting at a good price.

In the end, you may enjoy building the kit. I am a big fan of N. Pass, and all the First Watt designs. I had a F5 about 10 years ago.

Tom
Re: Amp Camp Amp [message #93436 is a reply to message #93422] Mon, 05 April 2021 07:12 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Jensen is currently offline  Jensen
Messages: 14
Registered: April 2020
Chancellor
Thank you both for the replies. As a reward for my indecisiveness, this topic has become irrelevant. The ACA's a now sold out. I'll look into the Ayer and my be back with more questions. Cheers, J
Re: Amp Camp Amp [message #93437 is a reply to message #93422] Mon, 05 April 2021 09:56 Go to previous messageGo to next message
tom-m is currently offline  tom-m
Messages: 56
Registered: December 2009
Location: Texas
Baron
One more I just thought of, for DIY build, is Neurochrome Modulus. Lots of positive reviews.
https://neurochrome.com/
Re: Amp Camp Amp [message #93445 is a reply to message #93422] Thu, 08 April 2021 13:58 Go to previous messageGo to next message
docjrev is currently offline  docjrev
Messages: 6
Registered: February 2021
Esquire
Hi Jensen,
Here is my experience. I have 2 ACA amps configured in mono driving my Pi 4s with JBL woofers and B&C 250 tweeters. Contrary to what Tom stated above, my ACA monos can drive my Pi 4s brilliantly. I listen around 80-85 db 8 feet from my Pis. There is no loss in dynamics and I can drive the Pis louder if I wanted.

However, I also built an Aleph J and an M2x Pass amps. These 2 amps sounded different on the Pis. Better than the ACA? Definitely, but they are also bigger amps with 25 watts power per channel.

I think you will enjoy the ACA in your Pis if you will build them. You absolutely need to configure them as monos (bridged or parallel). If ever, try building the ACA amps with premium parts. In my ears, the ACA amps with premium parts sounds way better than the ordinary ones.

Godspeed.
Re: Amp Camp Amp [message #93447 is a reply to message #93422] Thu, 08 April 2021 15:35 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Jensen is currently offline  Jensen
Messages: 14
Registered: April 2020
Chancellor
Thank you for the feed back. Its appreciated. I'll let the board know where I net out. Cheers, J
Re: Amp Camp Amp [message #93454 is a reply to message #93422] Fri, 09 April 2021 11:51 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Jensen is currently offline  Jensen
Messages: 14
Registered: April 2020
Chancellor
Any feed back on the Hypex NC400s? Very reasonable price and more of a Lego than a diy project. If you listen to the science crowd, they approach "perfect".
Re: Amp Camp Amp [message #93684 is a reply to message #93454] Sun, 09 May 2021 11:10 Go to previous messageGo to next message
pjanda1 is currently offline  pjanda1
Messages: 6
Registered: March 2021
Esquire
While there are folks in the high efficiency community who think all amplifiers are essentially equal, many of us are here to have speakers that use what we'd perceive as the best amps--the tiny ones. If class D amps are interesting to you, you could start worse places than a TPA3116 amp that would run $30-40 including shipping.

I've never heard the amp camp amp, but keep in mind it was designed to be simple and safe to build--not as the highest-end First Watt design that ever was. Though, many also say that within its power limitations, it is very similar in sound to the other Pass single ended designs.

Before committing, you should also consider the F5 and Aleph J, both of which have PCBs available at the DIYAudio store. Think about whether you want more detail and dynamics at the expensive of some warmth (F5) or something more laid back (Aleph J, ACA). I've got a bit of both with F5 monoblocks and separately, an 845 SET amp. The background music systems in our house are both class D (a TK2050 driving LXminis and a TPA3116 on my wife's desk).

Paul
Re: Amp Camp Amp [message #93685 is a reply to message #93684] Sun, 09 May 2021 11:43 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18786
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

There may be some high-efficiency speaker users that think "all amps are equal," but I think high-efficiency speakers are actually the kind most likely to expose the differences between amplifiers.

A speaker that generates over 95dB/W/M is going to be usually run under a watt in a home hifi setting. So, for example, zero crossing distortion from some push-pull amps is going to be much more obvious than an 80dB/W/M speaker running at 30 watts for the same SPL. The zero-crossing distortion on the low-efficiency speaker gets "lost" because it's proportionally smaller. But the dynamic range gets lost in the low-efficiency speaker too, which is what tends to draw people to high-efficiency speakers. They sound "bigger" and more "open."

So I do think you need an amp that's clean in the "first watt." You really notice the ones that aren't.
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