Thank you for this very detailed review! When you said you found this little amp to be better than all the other Aiyima and Fosi audio amps you've reviewed thus far, and that it's almost approaching the sound of Class A/B amps, it caught my attention. The common stereotype is that class D sounds sterile, bright and "unmusical" (whatever that means) compared to Class A and A/B. Apparently this one does not fit that description. Do you still stand by that assessment, and does swapping the op-amps really make a noticeable difference? Sorry if I missed you addressing this in the video but why do you prefer the OPA828 in particular? Thanks again.
Yes swapping opamps does make the difference - and for good :) My IC preferred opamps are 828 and 627. 627 sounds more organic and a little v-shaped, being airy and with solid, strong bass. 828 is transparency king, detail monster, just pure amplification without any added colour, brings the truth about the amp and the music. For good and bad!
T9 - but these are very familiar. T9 is less precise, has less detail, but if you love tube sound you may like it even with stock tubes. Sound wise, A70 is better.
while i’ve enjoyed this amp i have a hard time believing (and understanding?) that it’s actually around 80-100 wpc range. erin tested and it seems true but it’s not very loud! i have to crank volume to sometimes 100 percent. in a small ish medium room. is class D and class a/b rated differently somehow? it’s my first time actually w class D power. my vintage pioneer receiver is that exact range but seems like there’s a ton of headroom / tons louder 🤷🏻♀️
If the source output is lower than usual, you'll get lower output. E.g. a walkman or phone connected to the inputs will sound much quieter tha say a dedicated component (CD deck, tape deck, etc). Maybe try using a good / decent preamp & see how that works😊
@@kosikaGaimaohh gosh. i finally tried it w a cd player (2V output signal im guessing. waaasy loud enough!! i knew phone was quieter / low volts but crazy; the contrast is vast.
@@Zimmy_1981you’re all the way correct!!! i got way better output level w cd and tape. i can’t believe how different phone is, i mean i knew it was lower voltage but wow what a contrast.
Do you know the input impedance? I have emailed the company and I think it is lost in translation. I built an analog high pass filter with a summing transformer for L and R to output mono to an active subwoofer. The input impedance of the power amp determines the crossover point when I use it. Thanks for your review and help.
@@CalebSwickMusic Unfortunately not. I can measure input resistance for you, but that's not impedance - I have no idea at what frequency this should be measured for ac signal input
@@k4syx Measuring the input resistance would be sufficient for what I need, that would be fantastic. I suppose the impedance would change based on frequency. Thank you.
Thanks for the review very analytical I'm skeptical about class d amps in general ,can you compare the sound with musical a1 class a clone you recently evaluated, the mids have the same body and 3d sound ! or less.
@@nikosdm well that wouldn't be a fair race as MFA1 is clone of one of the legendary A class amps and even as a clone costs like 2.5 or 3 times more. But it doesn't sound thin, though it doesn't have same level 3dimensionality. It sounds different from all 3255 amps that I've reviewed previously. And I get that you're sceptical, I was like that after getting A07. But then I realized these are baby steps now: and the development goes in the right direction. So I try to get every interesting device that brings something new to the table (like last week I got BRU5, 3255 with programmable DSP chip inside).
@@ChicagoRob2 Exactly, they are not as musical as MFA1, but the fact is that 90prc amps on the market is not as musical as this MF excells in this regard. But this particular cheap amp IS musical which is like light from heavens - another step for D-class!!
@@k4syx You could put together a killer system with the A70, $129 Schiit DAC, and Elac speakers. You could add a Wiim streamer and still be less than $1000, total.
@@ChicagoRob2 Yes! It's a great time to be a music lover as entry point is very low, and with every d-class generation it gets lower. Same for DACs, former flagship Sabres and AKs are really available now and 4493 or 9028 are still amazing chips!
Now that you’ve had the A70:for a while, what’s your recommendation for reasonably priced opamps? Any experience with the OPA1656? Schiit uses them in the Modi+ DAC and they sound quite good.
@@k4syx Have you tried your akliam lc5 with the a70? will it be a good budget choice for the a70 or is there anything else that i should go for around that budget?
@@madeuce190 These are the best within that budget, however A70 has no space for anything discrete I am afraid. Even if you'll fit them with adapters (they are too tall to fit straight into the sockets) then you'll have problems with cooling and venting the heat as there's very little space between the boards...
@@k4syx i think ill use those dip8 flexible extenders. those should allow the lc5 to lie horizontally on the bottom board with a double sided foam tape between them working as a insulator. worst case, ill have to leave the enclosure open but that doesnt bother me much. performance is all that matters after all. but hey, thanks for the input on the lc5. placed an order on ali, now the wait begins haha.
@@madeuce190 these are great, but be warned that they DO need air circulation as they run hot. If you'll insulate them to be sure they will not touch anything (which is what we do want to avoid) it will also keep them from cooling down :(
So now you have to get the Fosi v3 mono's as well because those also have pffb. But maybe the class D Mono blocks you already teased out do this already.
When the volume is turned up, does the volume knob turn beyond the '+'? Not that anyone would listen at that level 😂 but just want to check if there are QC issues. I also observed that at very low volume levels ~ 1db there is some imbalance in channels which goes away as volume increases...
yes it does, these + and - are more for general info than scale. You can also remove the knob and put it back in the position you like more :) Havent heard this imbalance, I wasnt listening with volume so low :)
@@k4syx thanks for the link. There are 2 products, the single and the dual. As ne5532 is a dual op amp does it means that I have to chose the opa828 dual also?
@@OKeys2011 No, not yet, I was trying to reach the producer to be sure that I'm buying the real thing but every seller says they cannot help me. And I dont really trust what will be inside this small metal box as this is one area that asks for fakes.
depends on how loud you’ll need to go / how large a room. also depends on input source being higher or lower in voltage. i’ve had the volume all the way up on this amp in some cases (iphone direct to amp), and still not loud enough. it’s lacking in power at least in my case but i’ve not tried it w preamp or streamer or dac or cd player. so i’d guess it’s doubtful for floorstanding speakers to get much past 80 db at even 9-10 ft away @88db sensitivity. better to aim higher in power for better headroom and dynamic range.
@@chinmeysway Wow the only thing that comes to my mind is that possibly iphone output is somehow low level. My "studio" (cave, lets be honest) is 35sqm (m not f) and this little toy can be deafening with any speakers I own, straight from DAC (dedicated unit)
@@chinmeysway standard max V level for XLR is +2V to -2V, for RCA it's 2V. If your sources follow this you'll have twice as much on the XLR as on RCA so unless there is a gain reduction XLR will be louder. That was also true for A70 in my tests, but the reason was not the A70 itself but the source voltage level :) Yes the 3dB boost is not very loud, but I would still recommend enabling it when using both inputs. Cheers!
@@chinmeysway yes, thats the idea, to be able to amp the signal in the first step with something precise and then go full ahead with somethng less precise but way more powerful (thanks)
I ordered a D5 Pro from Fun Kenya HiFi store via Ali Express back in June and they gave me a delivery date of 8/8 but never actually sent the amp. Now they are saying I need to put the order in again and then they will refund my money for the first order. Ha ha! I think I've got my fingers burnt here. I wouldn't advise anyone to deal with this shop. Don't do it, all that glitters is not gold!
That sucks! Funkenya was fine for me for an A1 clone. I am dealing with the Fiio shop now. I ordered a $500 DAP and they sent me Bluetooth earbuds. No reply from seller so trying refund. Good luck!
@@mattmiller4978 These few times I had problems I've asked Ali to step in and I always got full refunds. These are random, like transport damages, like packages lost. It takes some time but I always got refund at the end. Try that!
@@michaelbooth6007 don't you have this in your purchase history? You just can start dispute from from there? Everything you order through Ali has order numbers, internal AliExpress unique IDs
@@veristaconvicto9881 I think the idea was that it's meant for IC replacements like OPA or AD series. To be fair, discrete A class opamps are wildly different in sizes and it's very hard not to block them not only by height, but also by spacing of other components on the board. But that's part of the fun, isn't it? :)
@@D1N02 Yes, I didn't thought about that, Bursons and some others will also fit there with no problems. Just the large ones will be a problem, but these usually pose a challenge:)
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 89 | คู่เอก "ยอดไอคิว vs คิริลล์"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Z3vYkHJ_5Ig/mqdefault.jpg)
Looking foreward to your comparison of chinese famous amp clones.
Thank you for this very detailed review!
When you said you found this little amp to be better than all the other Aiyima and Fosi audio amps you've reviewed thus far, and that it's almost approaching the sound of Class A/B amps, it caught my attention. The common stereotype is that class D sounds sterile, bright and "unmusical" (whatever that means) compared to Class A and A/B. Apparently this one does not fit that description. Do you still stand by that assessment, and does swapping the op-amps really make a noticeable difference? Sorry if I missed you addressing this in the video but why do you prefer the OPA828 in particular? Thanks again.
Yes swapping opamps does make the difference - and for good :) My IC preferred opamps are 828 and 627. 627 sounds more organic and a little v-shaped, being airy and with solid, strong bass. 828 is transparency king, detail monster, just pure amplification without any added colour, brings the truth about the amp and the music. For good and bad!
Do the taller OP amp modules clear the case?@@k4syx
Love this review .
Hi, have you had a chance to listen to the Aiyima T9 Pro? If so, I was wondering if you can compare the sound against the A70. Thank you.
T9 - but these are very familiar. T9 is less precise, has less detail, but if you love tube sound you may like it even with stock tubes. Sound wise, A70 is better.
while i’ve enjoyed this amp i have a hard time believing (and understanding?) that it’s actually around 80-100 wpc range. erin tested and it seems true but it’s not very loud! i have to crank volume to sometimes 100 percent. in a small ish medium room. is class D and class a/b rated differently somehow? it’s my first time actually w class D power. my vintage pioneer receiver is that exact range but seems like there’s a ton of headroom / tons louder 🤷🏻♀️
Which power supply you use?
And are you trying to connect it with different type of dac, mobile, laptop,CD player as a pre-amp.
If the source output is lower than usual, you'll get lower output. E.g. a walkman or phone connected to the inputs will sound much quieter tha say a dedicated component (CD deck, tape deck, etc). Maybe try using a good / decent preamp & see how that works😊
@@kosikaGaimaohh gosh. i finally tried it w a cd player (2V output signal im guessing. waaasy loud enough!! i knew phone was quieter / low volts but crazy; the contrast is vast.
@@Zimmy_1981you’re all the way correct!!! i got way better output level w cd and tape. i can’t believe how different phone is, i mean i knew it was lower voltage but wow what a contrast.
Are they SOIC NE5532 chips on the XLR section? Shame you are stuck with them. At least there are two upgradable DIPs I suppose.
@@banginghats2 yes they are and yes you can't replace them easily :(
@@k4syx Yeah, I'm nearly 66 and my eyes aren't really up to it let alone the steadiness of my hands!
Love to see how it stacks up to the Loxjie-a40, not many A40 reviews around
Yes Loxjie in general is not as popular, which is great for buyers because it lowers the prices :)
(Huge fan of D40 and D40 Pro here!)
Do you know the input impedance? I have emailed the company and I think it is lost in translation. I built an analog high pass filter with a summing transformer for L and R to output mono to an active subwoofer. The input impedance of the power amp determines the crossover point when I use it. Thanks for your review and help.
@@CalebSwickMusic Unfortunately not. I can measure input resistance for you, but that's not impedance - I have no idea at what frequency this should be measured for ac signal input
@@k4syx Measuring the input resistance would be sufficient for what I need, that would be fantastic. I suppose the impedance would change based on frequency. Thank you.
@@CalebSwickMusic my meter says it's 98.1k - here you go ;)
@@k4syx I appreciate it. Thanks again.
Thanks for the review very analytical I'm skeptical about class d amps in general ,can you compare the sound with musical a1 class a clone you recently evaluated, the mids have the same body and 3d sound ! or less.
@@nikosdm well that wouldn't be a fair race as MFA1 is clone of one of the legendary A class amps and even as a clone costs like 2.5 or 3 times more. But it doesn't sound thin, though it doesn't have same level 3dimensionality. It sounds different from all 3255 amps that I've reviewed previously. And I get that you're sceptical, I was like that after getting A07. But then I realized these are baby steps now: and the development goes in the right direction. So I try to get every interesting device that brings something new to the table (like last week I got BRU5, 3255 with programmable DSP chip inside).
No way will these cheap Class D amps sound as musical as an A1. They are not bad, though, and have their purpose.
@@ChicagoRob2 Exactly, they are not as musical as MFA1, but the fact is that 90prc amps on the market is not as musical as this MF excells in this regard. But this particular cheap amp IS musical which is like light from heavens - another step for D-class!!
@@k4syx You could put together a killer system with the A70, $129 Schiit DAC, and Elac speakers. You could add a Wiim streamer and still be less than $1000, total.
@@ChicagoRob2 Yes! It's a great time to be a music lover as entry point is very low, and with every d-class generation it gets lower. Same for DACs, former flagship Sabres and AKs are really available now and 4493 or 9028 are still amazing chips!
Doing God’s work
Now that you’ve had the A70:for a while, what’s your recommendation for reasonably priced opamps? Any experience with the OPA1656? Schiit uses them in the Modi+ DAC and they sound quite good.
OPA series are a very good choice, in the descending order: OPA828, OPA627,OPA1656 and OPA1612 (both at the third place)
@@k4syx Have you tried your akliam lc5 with the a70? will it be a good budget choice for the a70 or is there anything else that i should go for around that budget?
@@madeuce190 These are the best within that budget, however A70 has no space for anything discrete I am afraid. Even if you'll fit them with adapters (they are too tall to fit straight into the sockets) then you'll have problems with cooling and venting the heat as there's very little space between the boards...
@@k4syx i think ill use those dip8 flexible extenders. those should allow the lc5 to lie horizontally on the bottom board with a double sided foam tape between them working as a insulator. worst case, ill have to leave the enclosure open but that doesnt bother me much. performance is all that matters after all. but hey, thanks for the input on the lc5. placed an order on ali, now the wait begins haha.
@@madeuce190 these are great, but be warned that they DO need air circulation as they run hot. If you'll insulate them to be sure they will not touch anything (which is what we do want to avoid) it will also keep them from cooling down :(
thank you
So now you have to get the Fosi v3 mono's as well because those also have pffb. But maybe the class D Mono blocks you already teased out do this already.
When the volume is turned up, does the volume knob turn beyond the '+'? Not that anyone would listen at that level 😂 but just want to check if there are QC issues. I also observed that at very low volume levels ~ 1db there is some imbalance in channels which goes away as volume increases...
yes it does, these + and - are more for general info than scale. You can also remove the knob and put it back in the position you like more :)
Havent heard this imbalance, I wasnt listening with volume so low :)
Thanks for this review! Do you have some links to buy the original opa828? because there are many fakes on aliexpress...
I got mine here: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DFVrhDL and I really dont think these are fakes, no.
@@k4syx thanks for the link. There are 2 products, the single and the dual. As ne5532 is a dual op amp does it means that I have to chose the opa828 dual also?
And have you never tested the oracle 02 ?
@@OKeys2011 No, not yet, I was trying to reach the producer to be sure that I'm buying the real thing but every seller says they cannot help me. And I dont really trust what will be inside this small metal box as this is one area that asks for fakes.
@@OKeys2011 Yes exactly, the dual one that will have single 828s on top and bottom of the adapter
Great review
Thank you!
Hi' Can Aiyima A70 drive my Dali oberon 5 floorstanding speakers with full potential (sensitivity 88db, 6 Oham,Recommended Amp 30-150 Watts)
@@kosikaGaima easily. Just get good power supply for it (like the stock one)
@@k4syx thank you
depends on how loud you’ll need to go / how large a room. also depends on input source being higher or lower in voltage. i’ve had the volume all the way up on this amp in some cases (iphone direct to amp), and still not loud enough. it’s lacking in power at least in my case but i’ve not tried it w preamp or streamer or dac or cd player. so i’d guess it’s doubtful for floorstanding speakers to get much past 80 db at even 9-10 ft away @88db sensitivity. better to aim higher in power for better headroom and dynamic range.
@@chinmeyswaythank you
@@chinmeysway Wow the only thing that comes to my mind is that possibly iphone output is somehow low level. My "studio" (cave, lets be honest) is 35sqm (m not f) and this little toy can be deafening with any speakers I own, straight from DAC (dedicated unit)
this look same thing with Fosi ZA3 isnt?
The board is different though functionalities are similiar. Both companies are racign doinf similiar stuff.
fyi the 3db boost barely seems audible, and xlr is not really louder either compared to rca
@@chinmeysway standard max V level for XLR is +2V to -2V, for RCA it's 2V. If your sources follow this you'll have twice as much on the XLR as on RCA so unless there is a gain reduction XLR will be louder. That was also true for A70 in my tests, but the reason was not the A70 itself but the source voltage level :)
Yes the 3dB boost is not very loud, but I would still recommend enabling it when using both inputs. Cheers!
@@k4syxok thank you. oh one thing - is there a way to boost voltage level from say an iphone first before it hits an amplifier?
@@chinmeysway I'd say that you're looking for some kind of preamp or maybe an USB dongle with line out?
@@k4syxso a preamp (if not passive) typically has some range in voltage boost to some degree?
thanks! really enjoying your content ps 😊
@@chinmeysway yes, thats the idea, to be able to amp the signal in the first step with something precise and then go full ahead with somethng less precise but way more powerful (thanks)
I ordered a D5 Pro from Fun Kenya HiFi store via Ali Express back in June and they gave me a delivery date of 8/8 but never actually sent the amp. Now they are saying I need to put the order in again and then they will refund my money for the first order. Ha ha! I think I've got my fingers burnt here. I wouldn't advise anyone to deal with this shop. Don't do it, all that glitters is not gold!
@@michaelbooth6007 have you tried contacting AliExpress for refund? That's simplest way if anything goes wrong
That sucks! Funkenya was fine for me for an A1 clone. I am dealing with the Fiio shop now. I ordered a $500 DAP and they sent me Bluetooth earbuds. No reply from seller so trying refund. Good luck!
@@mattmiller4978 These few times I had problems I've asked Ali to step in and I always got full refunds. These are random, like transport damages, like packages lost. It takes some time but I always got refund at the end. Try that!
@@k4syx Ali Express won't recognise my order number
@@michaelbooth6007 don't you have this in your purchase history? You just can start dispute from from there? Everything you order through Ali has order numbers, internal AliExpress unique IDs
Does it sound better than zero zones?
@@Junan.Reclaimed Similar in some ways, but overall no: these are 3 times more expensive.
@@k4syx thanks. is it pffb like a70? waiting for your full review.
@@Junan.Reclaimed No, its not - review will be available soon, already recorded!
It was a design error not to have space for good op amps. This makes it impossible for me to buy the amplifier.
It will fit Sparkos and that might improve the top end quite a lot.
@@veristaconvicto9881 I think the idea was that it's meant for IC replacements like OPA or AD series.
To be fair, discrete A class opamps are wildly different in sizes and it's very hard not to block them not only by height, but also by spacing of other components on the board.
But that's part of the fun, isn't it? :)
@@D1N02 Yes, I didn't thought about that, Bursons and some others will also fit there with no problems. Just the large ones will be a problem, but these usually pose a challenge:)