Small Class D Amp?

[2Btoo]

Hi,

Quick question. I am looking for a small amp to drive a pair of JBL Control 1's and was wondering what anyone would recommend. It will be fed with a Chromecast Audio and hence could have a RCA/Jack input or an optical input with a built in DAC. It will be used in an outside (but covered) summer house so ultimate sound quality is not the top priority but I don't want it to sound ghastly.

Options seem to be along the following lines:

Fosi Audio 2x50W for £46 from Amazon.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Channel-Stereo-Amplifier-...

SMSL SA-50, again from Amazon, for £63. I have one of these already, running some Control 1's from another CCA in our kitchen and it sounds very decent (particularly given the cost)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gemtune-SA-50-Amplifier-s...

Monacor 2x25W thing from Farnell for £50. (This probably isn't a Class D, so shoot me.)
https://cpc.farnell.com/monacor/sa-50/amplifier-st...

Which would you choose? Any and all other suggestions (within reason) welcomed .... thanks!

[Crackie]

I'd go for the FOSI amp or one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07JRC1ZJQ/ref=emc_b_5...

They both use Texas Instruments TPA3116 chips which sound excellent..........the FOSI uses one chip and the NS-20 uses a pair of them. They both come with power supplies rated at approx 100watts total. The NS-20 will need a bigger 200w PSU if it is to deliver the 100w + 100w the amp is actually capable of. The good news is that the FOSI unit is shipped with a power supply that is capable of delivering the rated number of watts.

Dotted about the house, I've got two similar 50w + 50wTPA 3116 chip amps........and two more 2.1 units ( 50w + 50w + 100w ) units which use a pair of the TPA3116 chips instead of one chip in the 50w + 50w units. I tried one of the 2.1 units for the first time yesterday and powered it with one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07TTRY6XF/ref... and fed it the variable output from a Wadia CD player......the sound quality was superb.

Edited by Crackie on Tuesday 8th June 17:05

[CorradoTDI]

Another vote for the FOSI...

I'm actually running some Control 1 Pro's which are 150W / 4 Ohm so I went for the more powerful version and very pleased with it.

It's simple, well made and runs nice and cool with the external PSU - drives the speakers really well!

I paid £45 for mine direct from Fosi - I thought I'd have to wait for a couple of weeks for shipping but it actually arrived the next morning via Amazon Prime (which I don't have) so they appear to use Amazon to drop ship.

Amazon price is currently £75.99!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TDA7498E-Channel-Audio-Am...

Edited by CorradoTDI on Tuesday 8th June 21:13

[2Btoo]

HI,

Thanks for the suggestions. It seems that one selects a Class D amp based on the chip it runs and then fit it with the biggest PSU that it will handle.

CorradoTDI said:

I paid £45 for mine direct from Fosi - I thought I'd have to wait for a couple of weeks for shipping but it actually arrived the next via Amazon Prime (which I don't have) so they appear to use Amazon to drop ship.

Amazon price is currently £75.99!

Thanks for this. How did you order directly from Fosi? Their website appears to be here and is unusable!

https://fosiaudio.com/

[CorradoTDI]

I think that's where I ordered but it's maybe down due to the current Internet outage...

I can give you an email address later if it doesn't come back.

[CorradoTDI]

^ It's working now :-)

[2Btoo]

CorradoTDI said:

^ It's working now :-)

Woot - thanks! Less than £40 too!