(regarding the Treasure 0347 stereo amplifier)

Well, think of it as a bulked-up headphone amplifier. The design is one of those "ah, I should have thought of that" moments, but the details are quite tricky, as usual.

If the extend the basic "voltage stage + current buffer" topology of the 0147 headphone amplifier out to 40 wpc territory, you end up with the 0347.

The high power means that unlike the headphone amp design you have to run it out of class A, and that means closed loop operation.
While most people might be tempted to wrap the voltage feedback around the whole shebang, this basically ends you up with a big op amp. Op amps, with their massive negative feedback design, are not so happy driving high inductance/capacitance loads like speakers.

The trick 47 labs uses is to have two feedback pathways, with heavy "local" feedback around the op amp and a small secondary global loop from...

While I wait for the guys at 47 labs to get the Treasure 0247 together, I took a look around at some of the alternatives.

The Yulong D100 looks quite attractive and for about 2/3 the price of the 0247 kit you get a fully assembled unit!

review at head-fi

Or if you can do without a DAC, HLLY audio has your standard "transistor buffered op amp" implementation in a no-frills case:

HLLY RMK-5

It's listed at $240 but for sale on eBay for only $99 right now.

Of course there are dozens, but I single those two out as being particularly deserving of "honorable mentions". I'm still set on the 0247 though.

Just placed my order for this. I am customer no. 00028!

47 Labs web page

I figure I owed it to them. 47 Labs has been good to me, and the DIY community over the years, one way or another: gainclone, phonoclone, even the DAC-of-the-Klones.

Besides, several reasons:

1. I really want to finally hear 47 labs gear, instead of trying to reverse engineer it all the time!
2. It will be interesting to compare it against the sapphire amp.
3. I'm sure it will be fun to build and examine up close.
4. It's my Christmas present.
5. And hammertone. Finish a audio product in grey, or even better, green hammertone, and its as bees to honey...

Will blog the unboxing, building, and testing right here.