Hi Gsusay,
Oh, my knowledge in this area is very far from what I would like it to be, but thanks for the compliment
I take it though I can improve even more on pedagogy LOL
Happy tweaking on the second amp and should you one day need any assistance with this lastmod, just shout: you are welcome anytime, Gilles and I did it and it is quite foolproof with just 1 switch and 4 resistors
Claude
Oh, my knowledge in this area is very far from what I would like it to be, but thanks for the compliment
I take it though I can improve even more on pedagogy LOL
Happy tweaking on the second amp and should you one day need any assistance with this lastmod, just shout: you are welcome anytime, Gilles and I did it and it is quite foolproof with just 1 switch and 4 resistors
Claude
Hi, I don't know, as a source I use the Topping E30 connected to a drMordor TPA3255.
I have already ordered a 10k Alps RK27 potentiometer from Audiophonics
Any advice is welcome
There is maybe confusion. To replace the existing internat A04 pot:
- Either you use a traditional pot like the Alps, and you will have to determine where to put it (probably externally like I did because I'm not sure it will fit inside the A04 casing), between your source and the amp.
- Either you build Claude's 'suporpot' with 4 resistors (2 by channels) and a switch, and I guess it probably can fit inside the A04 casing.
But you can't use both on the same signal path. In all cases, you will first have to remove the original pot inside the A04.
About the ALPS 10k, be sure your source is able to drive this low impedance value.
- Either you use a traditional pot like the Alps, and you will have to determine where to put it (probably externally like I did because I'm not sure it will fit inside the A04 casing), between your source and the amp.
- Either you build Claude's 'suporpot' with 4 resistors (2 by channels) and a switch, and I guess it probably can fit inside the A04 casing.
But you can't use both on the same signal path. In all cases, you will first have to remove the original pot inside the A04.
About the ALPS 10k, be sure your source is able to drive this low impedance value.
Hi Nerone,
Indeed a confusion please do not connect my superpot on top of an existing pot!
As posted, it comes as replacement of the existig pot and doesn't use any pot of course. It is just a simple voltage divider (2 resistors per channel, as per schematic I have attached in my post, with a simple flick switch to commute between "direct" and "-28dB attenuation". You can of course use that in any amp, including the one you have, provided it is located where a std pot was planned.
So no pot is needed, cost is 5$, it is VERY pure and efficient (can't really better that sound quality)... all you need is to dremel out the existing pot board and connect as per schematic.
Sorry, no pix as done very differently in Gilles and mine set up, part of a much more complicated outboard scheme.
Good luck
Claude
PS: your E30 should be fine driving your 10k pot and of course no prob with my 20k superpot
Indeed a confusion please do not connect my superpot on top of an existing pot!
As posted, it comes as replacement of the existig pot and doesn't use any pot of course. It is just a simple voltage divider (2 resistors per channel, as per schematic I have attached in my post, with a simple flick switch to commute between "direct" and "-28dB attenuation". You can of course use that in any amp, including the one you have, provided it is located where a std pot was planned.
So no pot is needed, cost is 5$, it is VERY pure and efficient (can't really better that sound quality)... all you need is to dremel out the existing pot board and connect as per schematic.
Sorry, no pix as done very differently in Gilles and mine set up, part of a much more complicated outboard scheme.
Good luck
Claude
PS: your E30 should be fine driving your 10k pot and of course no prob with my 20k superpot
Hi Claude.
Many thanks for this - I don't have time to monitor the thread all the time so only got to see your post this morning.
I assume you could use a rotary switch and retain the original Knob - Even potentially adding additional levels if required.
I drive my little Aiyima A04 with an SMSL Dac with remote control so this is exactly how I use the system.
Thanks again.
James.
Hi James... that's exactly what we did for Gilles... and for me. Great minds
We have a more complex layout with both superpot for digital sources and a pot for analogue sources, hence the need for rotary switches, but that is beyond the scope of this topic as really full passive preamp territory for both analogue and digital sources. You understand what is behind, so no brainer for you to go ahead, but might sadly confuse those who aren't used to all this ...
Hi Nerone, in fact, as posted, a 3 position rotary switch is what we thought of initialy with the superpot but then we found out that 2 positions were enough to cover from max volume to completely silent! Hence a simple and cost effective DPDT switch... on top of your DAC volume control of course.
To avoid any confusion, I haven't posted on purpose Gilles or mine schematics, nor any pix, as we use 3 and 5 ways rotary selectors, BUT THAT'S ON TOP of what is discussed here and only because we had to deal with more inputs "while at it", and cover both analogue and digital sources (and even several of them, and in my complicated case also switching preamps!). That can be very confusing for those that feel this is already complicated, while very straightforward switch box without any need for development for those who are used to all this.
Just stick to what is posted here and give it a try, there will always be ways to go beyond with more sources etc. IF needed, here we are merely talking volume pot and not complete preamp.
I hope this helps
Claude
We have a more complex layout with both superpot for digital sources and a pot for analogue sources, hence the need for rotary switches, but that is beyond the scope of this topic as really full passive preamp territory for both analogue and digital sources. You understand what is behind, so no brainer for you to go ahead, but might sadly confuse those who aren't used to all this ...
Hi Nerone, in fact, as posted, a 3 position rotary switch is what we thought of initialy with the superpot but then we found out that 2 positions were enough to cover from max volume to completely silent! Hence a simple and cost effective DPDT switch... on top of your DAC volume control of course.
To avoid any confusion, I haven't posted on purpose Gilles or mine schematics, nor any pix, as we use 3 and 5 ways rotary selectors, BUT THAT'S ON TOP of what is discussed here and only because we had to deal with more inputs "while at it", and cover both analogue and digital sources (and even several of them, and in my complicated case also switching preamps!). That can be very confusing for those that feel this is already complicated, while very straightforward switch box without any need for development for those who are used to all this.
Just stick to what is posted here and give it a try, there will always be ways to go beyond with more sources etc. IF needed, here we are merely talking volume pot and not complete preamp.
I hope this helps
Claude
This superpot impletation was the last iteration to complete my amp based on two A04. All is now finished, the lid is closed, probably for a long time (or not, who knows with Claude !..
All this has been possible thanks to Claude's knowledge and time devoted to others. "Solder, test, unsolder, test again, re-solder, test over and again, try this, report me, etc". Yes Claude at your command haha ! We really had good time together - and sometimes cold sweats too ! That was really an interesting and funny project.
The story began last summer when I wanted to give life back to my grandpa's old Pioneer amp, keeping it intact externally. In the end, this is an impressive result, massive steps forward re sound quality. For less than $250, absolutely all included (amps, SMPS, electrical and electronic components… even taxes !). And I learnt a lot.
Thank you my friend Claude ! For me, for the community.
Gilles.
!..All this has been possible thanks to Claude's knowledge and time devoted to others. "Solder, test, unsolder, test again, re-solder, test over and again, try this, report me, etc". Yes Claude at your command haha ! We really had good time together - and sometimes cold sweats too ! That was really an interesting and funny project.
The story began last summer when I wanted to give life back to my grandpa's old Pioneer amp, keeping it intact externally. In the end, this is an impressive result, massive steps forward re sound quality. For less than $250, absolutely all included (amps, SMPS, electrical and electronic components… even taxes !). And I learnt a lot.
Thank you my friend Claude ! For me, for the community.
Gilles.
Attachments
Pleasure shared and thanks for this post
I am glad we saved this old amp and hope that when lockdowns are history we can go to a shop and compare it to some nice wellknown amps.
Fabulous artcraft of yours regarding the quality of the build, looking really forward to the other projects we share where I will this time abuse a lot of your skills, Gilles
Take care
Claude
I am glad we saved this old amp and hope that when lockdowns are history we can go to a shop and compare it to some nice wellknown amps.
Fabulous artcraft of yours regarding the quality of the build, looking really forward to the other projects we share where I will this time abuse a lot of your skills, Gilles
Take care
Claude
Hi all,
Just got through reading the entire thread and let me start off by praising everyone who contributed to the discussion. Most of these threads turn into an opinion war, with members flaming each other.
I now have two of these little micro amp units. My son pulled the trigger on the A04 a couple of weeks ago. He bought it for his computer desktop to run some 5 inch full range cubes. It was better than he needed!
I borrowed it for a while to torture it and do some critical listening in the basement. I ran it to a few different speakers, and it kept up with my (modest) home theater system pretty well. That would be an Onkyo txsr674 running a little klipsch reference set. Toslink or HDMI sources. To measure the bass output, I ran it to a single JL audio 12w3d4 running one voice coil per channel. It kept up with the other Onkyo amp, a txds484, very well. Impressed is an understatement!
I gave the A04 back to my son, and immediately looked up to see what else Aiyima had like it for sale. I pulled the trigger on the A3001. Same basic thing as the A04, only it's a monoblock with a 3255 chip and a low pass filter. Just got it today, and popped the cover after a short listening session through the background speakers, two old school JVC sx-e5 in parallel connection. This micro amp is too much for them! They lose their composure past about 2 O'Clock on the volume knob, running my phone's ⅛" jack as a source.
I'm in the process of rearranging the basement, so the JL sub is getting a new box building for it's new home. It was in about 1.6 cubic feet, tuned around 30hz. The new box is going to be 2 cubes, tuned to around 24, as the previous box was made for a smaller room. This big basement is massive enough to fully appreciate the subsonic bass, but I'm not trying to make a bass refrigerator!
Just got through reading the entire thread and let me start off by praising everyone who contributed to the discussion. Most of these threads turn into an opinion war, with members flaming each other.
I now have two of these little micro amp units. My son pulled the trigger on the A04 a couple of weeks ago. He bought it for his computer desktop to run some 5 inch full range cubes. It was better than he needed!
I borrowed it for a while to torture it and do some critical listening in the basement. I ran it to a few different speakers, and it kept up with my (modest) home theater system pretty well. That would be an Onkyo txsr674 running a little klipsch reference set. Toslink or HDMI sources. To measure the bass output, I ran it to a single JL audio 12w3d4 running one voice coil per channel. It kept up with the other Onkyo amp, a txds484, very well. Impressed is an understatement!
I gave the A04 back to my son, and immediately looked up to see what else Aiyima had like it for sale. I pulled the trigger on the A3001. Same basic thing as the A04, only it's a monoblock with a 3255 chip and a low pass filter. Just got it today, and popped the cover after a short listening session through the background speakers, two old school JVC sx-e5 in parallel connection. This micro amp is too much for them! They lose their composure past about 2 O'Clock on the volume knob, running my phone's ⅛" jack as a source.
I'm in the process of rearranging the basement, so the JL sub is getting a new box building for it's new home. It was in about 1.6 cubic feet, tuned around 30hz. The new box is going to be 2 cubes, tuned to around 24, as the previous box was made for a smaller room. This big basement is massive enough to fully appreciate the subsonic bass, but I'm not trying to make a bass refrigerator!
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The covers came out just like the a04, gut shots attached. This one is a little bit different, but not complicated. No dip sockets for op amps, and this one has 3 each SMD NE5532. 25V, 100 uF chemi-cons decoupling the opa's. First opa only uses half. Couple of 10uf capxon feeding signal to the chip amp.
Power supply looks like 4 sanhwa 50V, 1000uF and a reverse polarity protection diode, and an smd ceramic. Preamp and secondary supplies run off a buck converter, LM2596.
Power supply looks like 4 sanhwa 50V, 1000uF and a reverse polarity protection diode, and an smd ceramic. Preamp and secondary supplies run off a buck converter, LM2596.
Attachments
Looking through the Ziploc home for wayward parts, alI could find was one 0.1uf Ppp cap. Looks like I'll be ordering another dozen. While I'm at it, I'll grab some more something to upgrade the 1000uf reservoir caps in the b+ line. What do you all recommend?
For now, I plan on running this bad boy into the two JVC to let it burn in, but I will eventually be using it to feed the JL at 2 ohms. We shall see how this little guy fares doing LFE channel into the budget fathom.
For now, I plan on running this bad boy into the two JVC to let it burn in, but I will eventually be using it to feed the JL at 2 ohms. We shall see how this little guy fares doing LFE channel into the budget fathom.
I don't know this amp so can't sadly assist you, but regarding the reservoir caps and this being Class D I would say whatever quality caps with low ESR and high ripple.
1000uF, albeit 4 of them, sounds on the thin side for 3255, doesn't it? There is a thread on 3255, perhaps they can be of further assistance.
Good luck with your fun project
Claude
1000uF, albeit 4 of them, sounds on the thin side for 3255, doesn't it? There is a thread on 3255, perhaps they can be of further assistance.
Good luck with your fun project
Claude
This superpot impletation was the last iteration to complete my amp based on two A04. All is now finished, the lid is closed, probably for a long time (or not, who knows with Claude
All this has been possible thanks to Claude's knowledge and time devoted to others. "Solder, test, unsolder, test again, re-solder, test over and again, try this, report me, etc". Yes Claude at your command haha ! We really had good time together - and sometimes cold sweats too ! That was really an interesting and funny project.
The story began last summer when I wanted to give life back to my grandpa's old Pioneer amp, keeping it intact externally. In the end, this is an impressive result, massive steps forward re sound quality. For less than $250, absolutely all included (amps, SMPS, electrical and electronic components… even taxes !). And I learnt a lot.
Thank you my friend Claude ! For me, for the community.
Gilles.