When dealing with low powered equipment which use a small brick power supply, but use otherwise quality components, the brick is your weak link. Trying this type equipment will not yield the same performance with the standard power supply or so has been the case where other manufacturers used these types of power supplies. Part of the reason these are used is cost as most equipment are built to a price point and since the company is trying to yield a quality product but also save the customer money, they offer a standard power supply which will yield a decent experience, but what they offer as an option gives the owner a real desirable and perceivable difference. An update video on this product with the upgrade power supply is warranted as this is likely particularly based on what I have heard concerning the difference. A power supply is the heart of all gear and it can make a great sounding piece shine or a lesser grade power supply will only yield a satisfactory performance. It is your call Tarun, but the difference is more than subtle in this case. Class D can sound good, but design and power supply components as well as the component choices made in the signal paths are critical to making this class of amplifier sound as best it can. Glad you decided to test this brand. Still looking to see you test the Project 2 RS T cd transport with a high end dac. Their transport is the transport standard and that review is one I await with baited breath. CDs may be dead in some ears, but not with the right gear! Stay safe mates!😊👍🏻😷

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Mark, I suspected that the power supply was limiting the performance but was also curious as to how much limitations were imposed by the low power. Specifically the 20v/3A feed. The voltage seems low, do you think the rails are running at +/- 20V or are they stepped up inside? If not +/-20V seems very low. Also, in a conventional linear design you would have filter capacitors providing a current reserve when needed. How would I work out the peak current capabilities in a SMPS design like this? Sorry, to pose you so many questions but I can think of no one better than you to answer them my friend. I am curious as to how much difference the Pro-Ject PS will make. Let me find out if I can get one from them and keep the product a little longer. I will have to get around to doing that transport review as well at some stage. I know you highly rate it. Look after yourself buddy 😊👍

@markphilpot4981

3 жыл бұрын

A British Audiophile, Tarun, I hardly qualify myself as an expert on digital power supplies. There is no doubt in my mind that the external power supply option will make a difference in this piece’s performance. Otherwise, why offer it. Consider that this product, as most components, are built on a price point with money earmarked for specific needs of the product to get it to the market. This severely cuts the money that actually gets spent on production and processing. For this reason and for showing what an improvement that can be made, the company offers an upgrade feature power supply as the company is aware of the issue and is vested to see this product shine. Even in a lower price point item as this one is, it still can be a worthy design and still be improved by a better power supply to deliver all that one can ask for at this point which is pretty low. This gives people who have little to spend a glimmer of hope and at the same time, gives them a product they can build a solid low priced system. Getting hung up on specs is not necessary. I would suggest a phone call and get the skinny from the source. They should have the figures you need and the differences. It’ll make a fire video to add credence to entry level enthusiasts all over. Not everyone can afford high end gear. This is entry level gear that can have a changed personality with a power supply change. This is worthy of a video follow up with this power supply. Just call up Project and get at it. Hope this helps. It has worked on other equipment to, but not as an outboard supply. A power supply can make or break a product. This is proof one here with this product. I’ll expect a follow up on this one Tarun. This company has merit. Their products fit well into their price points. I am still waiting on the 2 RS T transport video. Hope that happens.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Mark. I am going to speak to the U.K. distributor to get the power supply upgrade. Let’s see what difference it makes 😉

@Audfile

3 жыл бұрын

But you were, you were interested.

@hugobloemers4425

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 I am looking forward to that review but this increases the price by almost 50% It will sound better but it will have to compete with more expensive amplifiers. I can not see it coming out on top in the 600 pounds bracket.

Even though I'm not interested in today's content, still watched to the end! says it all about this channel!

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you buddy. Compliments don’t come any better than that 👍😊😊

@b97209

3 жыл бұрын

Agreed. And it is fun to check out other stuff.

@michaelmityok1001

3 жыл бұрын

Same

@fts81

3 жыл бұрын

Total plonker same here. I have a class d amp, so it’s always great to learn more about it. And this channel has the greatest explanations for our hifi functioning/performance/sound

Thanks Tarun for your take on this unusual unit and for the good audio on this video.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Claude. New USB C mic, so no longer having to use adapters. Definitely a step in the right direction 😊👍

I'm combing through you videos on this fine day, with a cup of coffee. It's a little bit like asmr for me.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Hopefully, that is a good thing 😉 Thank you for watching 😊👍

Ha ha! That intro... Niiiice! Hey the new mic setup is vastly better. I believe you have found a winner, as I’m hearing far less of your room! Awesome!

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Chuk. Great to get your professional opinion my friend 😊👍

Tarun, top top top stuff from you as always! Please keep the format, it is ideal - covering every important part of a device and using understandable and relatable language when describing sound and performance. I get so pissed of when some reviewers start throwing descriptions that they even don't understand - like, "it's flamboyant and tasty" if you know what I mean...Anyway, I just want to note that Maia DS2 might be interesting for review (more than S2 I might argue) - it is 78W@8 Ohms, has a high-quality DAC with both SPDIF and USB inputs, a decent MM/MC phono, dedicated headphone amplification, sub and pre outs, in/out triggers, basically ALL that you will ever need short of a source (I dare you to find one that is not supported) and all that for less than 1000 EUR! I have my eye on that thing for a while now but I cannot find a single review on YT in English...

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Predrag. Very kind of you to say and much appreciated. Thank you for the heads up. Pro-ject do some interesting Box Design stuff. I would love to check it out sometime 😊👍

Brilliant review and lots of info now making sense about power of an amplifier

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Atri 😊👍

Excellent review. Even though it’s not necessarily something I’d seek out, I could see it being quite useful in a desktop system, as you mentioned. Great as usual, sir. Thanks, Tarun!

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Nick 😊

Great review Tarun. I bought a small bluetooth amp for $85 to drive a pair of Q Acoustic 2020i in a spare room. Surprisingly good amp for this application. Although my main system consists of Exposure Amps and Vienna Acoustic speakers it;s pretty amazing what can be achieved these days from class D amplifiers.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Totally agree. Thank you filofilo 😊👍

Nice to see you in focus finally! 😁

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Howard. New lighting rig purchased after quite a bit of research and tutorials on how to set up. I also used a new usb c mic for this video. The sound has improved but still not good enough as yet. Really happy with the visuals though.

Hi Tarun I liked your review very informative especially the look inside , to me the size would put off someone wanting a true Hifi amp & the price to just be a desk top system. A enjoyable watch as always thanks.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Rob. I would use it in a desk top situation too 😊

Nice video!! Like the earlier comments said, not something I’d be interested in but it was fun watching and I watched it till the end. The dc inlet puts me off big time and I guess that’s the reason the amp tops at 25W, anything beyond that I think the socket will glow.. lol. Not mentioning the use of thicker or ribbon speakercables, they could have just moved the binding posts 5mm further apart and there’ll be a chance to use all 5ways of a 5way binding post without a short. And there aren’t many low/mid budget speakers that has the sensitivity to live happily with 25W. And again, I admire and appreciate your effort and bravery to review non-mainstream audio product, without your video I don’t think people even know Project made an amp (Nothing against Project the company, my first turn turntable was the project perspective, loved it). Good work!! Keep it up 👍🏻

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Great comments and observations William. Thank you for posting 😊👍

Well done as always... I love toys and was thinking all along how I would use this ... and of course as always you come through at the end with where it would best fit it. Desktop is a great idea... I have never paid enough attention to the sound from my computer but in fact I listen to music I encounter there quite often.... maybe getting more often... even some KZread videos might benefit. Nice project... no pun intended... lol ... to think about next. Thanks.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Always a pleasure to hear from you Jerry. Thank you for watching and your continued support 😊👍

Again... consistent but also comprehensive top notch presentation...it is always the pleasure to listen to it. I would be most grateful if You could in the foreseen furure test the Warfedale newest Diamond series speakers ...model 12.1 Thank You Have a pleasant weekend

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Great to hear from you Hrvoje. Thank you for the suggestion. I am taking to IAG (owners) and hoping to get the little Evo’s in soon. Will check out the 12.1 as well 😉👍

Thanks for an honest review even if the amp doesn't really perform under all circumstances. This really is for a computer speaker for a small bedroom. I can't see any audiophile using this in their living room.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you George. I agree it is for a desktop or small study scenario 😉👍

Another great review. My understanding here is that this little amp would be more than adequate for a small bedroom or study where high volumes are not required.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

As long as you speakers are fairly sensitive (88dB or higher) and easy load to drive. Thank you for watching Dennis 😊👍

I use a small class D amp on my desk and love it after I ditched the small power brick and got one that's 15VDC 6 amp instead of the 2 amp 12VDC it came with. Drives a set of Jamo S803 speakers quite nicely now.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

I think I need to try this amp with the PS upgrade. Thank you for sharing Justin 😊

@mike_lowndes

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 maybe try it with an audiophile switching ps and a linear too?

Hey Tarun ! Reviews keep getting better & better 👍

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

I take it that you don’t like this one buddy ? 😉

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Anand 😊👍

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

I think it is a good option for a desktop, small bedroom or study setup Fat Rat. I really keen to review good sounding affordable gear. This hobby gets to expensive very quickly and it puts a lot of people off.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Fat Rat, the midrange tonality and high frequency extension are exceptionally good for the price. Just needs a bit more punch and grip on the bottom end and it would show the Iota VX SA3 a clear pair of heals. I wonder how much difference a power supply upgrade will make? What do you think, worth exploring? 🤔

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks buddy. I am going to see if I can get one from Pro-Ject and find out 😉👍

I enjoyed the review, my first time on this channel here. One aspect of Class D amps is that the impedance of a speaker at high freq. will influence the HF response of the tweeter. Many class d amps therefore have a setting where you can select impedance of the speaker connected. How a combo of speaker/amp will sound depends a lot on this interaction, perhaps even more than the power supply. if you are to do the follow-up with larger power supply, that may be interesting to look at also.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching. The modified Flying Mole in this amp seemed to be pretty load invariant but I suppose measurement would ultimately tell. I hit a dead end with the upgraded power supply and Pro-Ject have discontinued the linear PS upgrade. It is a shame as I was looking forward to seeing what difference it made.

@WhatEver-dx3eu

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 That's unfortunate, thanks for update.

Had that one for a couple of days driving my KEF Q350. Spound quality was really good for the price and size. Unfortunatelly it was getting hot and after a while shut down with an annoying beep. I didn't bother trying another one, sent it back and got a pre-owned Naim Unity Atom. The Atom is a perfect pair with the KEF Q350... the only thing missing a bit is the base.. so considering a subwoofer

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Oliver. A decent subwoofer will certainly provide you with the bass extension you desire 😉

Awesome review and clear

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you imo😊👍

Nice review again. Imagine, they have this mono block for the ~same price. You could use two to drive your speakers and add 2 to bi-amp each. Would be interesting to front that with an active (digital?) crossover into these mono blocks. More power reserve for relatively heavy bass, more damping. And mid-high not impacted by boom-boom current draw from bass tones.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

I have briefly heard the monoblocks JP. Sounded good. We need to bring back more active crossovers and speakers that allow you to by pass the inbuilt passive crossover. Maybe with some way of protecting built the tweeter.

Hi, I’ve read in the product spec that it is “dual mono design” amp. What is the impact on the sound quality vs. a stereo amplifier? Better or worst? I like to listen vinyl on my headphones. Thanks for clarifying.

Hi Tarun, I personally wouldn't want a class D amp for my main hifi, as I'm a big fan of A/ AB class amps. I would use one to connect speakers to my computer in the kitchen. This wee amp would be ideal as a desk top amp and Project build some really nice gear, especially since they took on Musical Fidelity, which I'm a huge fan of. Most D class amps are neutral in sound and are definitely improving in sound quality. I've noticed an improved sound quality in this video Tarun. New mic maybe? Thanks for the review my friend 😁

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Good to hear from you, I agree would be great in a desktop setup with maybe baby Triangle BR02s. I got a USB C mic so no longer having to use adapters. Thank you for the feedback buddy 😊👍

Thanks for the review Tarun. Can speaker sensitivity really be trusted when pairing with amps? I clearly remember looking at the frequency response chart of a subwoofer driver that claimed a very high sensitivity, but only peaked at that level at around 80hz, and dropped significantly in lower frequencies. After that i always feel doubtful towards the sensitivity ratings in the specs.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Good point some manufacturers give accurate values and some seem to exaggerate 😉

i have connected a JAMO sub200 via MaiA S2 3.5 output but didn’t work (sub woofer)

A fine review.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Geoffrey 😊👍

Hi Tarun, thanks for the review :) Are you sure you're past the Iota's 100hour break-in? I've had it matched with some VERY forward speakers imo (Totem Rainmakers) and didn't pick up on any sharpness in any of the upper frequencies- on the contrary, I wish the Iota had even a bit more bite now that it's settled in. Paired the Totems with Marantz and even some smooth Unison Research valve amp and the high frequencies were too much for me on the Totems...

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Hi J S, oh yes we’ll past the hundred hours. I usually have new amps hooked up playing the radio and providing TV sound for al least a week before I even start any evaluations. The unit I was sent was a demo unit in any case. My unit definitely has a slight leanness in the lower mid and a bit of an edge to the upper mids.

Good advice regarding the use and partnering of this sort of amplifier, pretty much spot on. Personally, I find combining digital with sensitive analogue has never really worked, to be honest, the only reason Class-D exists is cost/size. There is no other reason you would wish to use Class-D above any other amplifier topology including correctly implemented class-B. A real drawback in Class-D is once you get beyond half power THD just goes off the scale. Last point, 38W into 4R, both channels = 76Watts. The PSU is 20V/3A = 60W. Either we break physics and the conservation of energy, or Project are not being entirely truthful regarding what comes out of the box.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Roosville1 😊

Your review is so good I watched it start to finish again just now. :) And I couldn’t help writing another comment, first time round I was trying to be fair and judge base on your introduction and have faith in you. And now I watched it again and just realised, it’s from Pro-ject!! And I must say, what an ugly enclosure! I used to be a big fan I had a Project Perspective turntable, phonostage and a dinky little headphone amp. And how did they manage to come out with an amp that looks like a Maplin DIY pro-audio kit?! And the price and features they offer? With the PSU upgrade the price will be comparable to an Iota Integrated/Power combo!! And for reputation and heritage I would have gone for Audiolab 6000A (another review from you that I thoroughly enjoyed). Project has a lot of catching up to do I guess if they were to stay in the game.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

You are right William. The build is a little basic. It does have good quality components on the inside. Thank you for sharing and raising some interesting points 😊

Does the analogue out in the back remain as pure analogue from the rca inputs to the out? Thank you in advance!

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

It does 😉

Really great review! I considered/wondered about this amp at one point, when I had a set of insanely sensitive floor standers. Still looking into well made compact amps for an office system. Would you say that a decent powered sub (with sensitive-flat bookshelfs) might help bring out some low end dynamic and speed? Thanks for looking inside and breaking down the components snd origins. Very comprehensive, and appreciated.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Hi John, the sub will give you extension and better perception of dynamics but not speed. I suspect the power supply is the limiting factor. I would mind getting the upgraded power supply from Pro-Ject to find out.

Hi Tarun, although I am not interested in this product, I watched to the end and it was interesting. I would be very interested in a Topping D90 MQA review as I have thinking about DAC. Keep up the good work. Regards Richard Herbert

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

I appreciate you watching Richard and thank you for the suggestion 😊👍

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

I appreciate the advice. Thank you Joan 😊

Another interesting video

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Ossie 😉

Hi Tarun, good review as always. There must be a market for these devices, otherwise they wouldn't build them, but it's not my bag at all. Be interesting to see how it would compare with the NAD C316BEE v2 plus Pro-Ject Box S2 Bluetooth DAC. Combined price of £440. I think there is a significant premium here for compact packaging.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Mark. I am reviewing the NAD C338 which retails for £499 and has a built in Cirrus Logic DAC.

@markcarrington8565

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Tarun, whilst the C338 is the most obvious direct competitor to the Pro-Ject, it's another Class D design. I'm going to let my unreasonable prejudice against this class of amplifiers get the better of me and predict it will be no better than the Pro-Ject. Maybe the 316 will also fall short, but at least it has the current delivery reserve to drive a good selection of speakers, rather than just the super efficient few. Actually, I'd put the modified NAD 3240 in my office up against any of them. 😉

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Mark, it not far from being really good this little amp. Just needs a bit more punch and grip on the bottom end and it would show the Iota VX SA3 a clear pair of heals. I am starting to realise that I need to see how much difference a power supply upgrade will make 🤔

@markcarrington8565

3 жыл бұрын

Good plan 👍

Do you expect a better power supply to tighten up the bottom end? I have had great success with upgrading power supplies on DAC's etcetera.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

That is what I would expect too 😉

You have reviewed a few 2-way speakers already, I like to suggest you review the latest Q acoustics 2way Active comes with Hub. That would be interesting. Advise them you operate a KZread channel reviewing Hi-Fi gear they will probably loan you a pair so you don't have to buy. Plan ahead you might be able to get a pair in a few weeks or months.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the suggestion 😉

Thanks for the review. I’m looking to purchase a pair of Klipsch RP 500M for a small home office room. Looking for advice for an AMP to pair them with. My budget is around 350-600USD. Any recommendations? Nothing too big. Would love some bluetooth or wifi options, but it isn’t necessary. Thanks.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

I would check out the NAD D3020 v2 and the PS Audio Sprout 100 😊👍

@yoitsgiook

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 thank you.

How do you like the Triangle speakers? Genese Trio?

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Review pending Jocke. Should be done in a couple of weeks 😉

Really nailed your audio quality now dude! I'm only past the intro now, but I'm very curious, as I've just bought the Pro-Ject Pre Box S3 Analogue... Haven't even run it in yet, but so far, initial impressions are positive. Simple box, simple remote, pretty, and so far sounds decent running out to my Parasound (old) New Classic. Keep up the good work sir! J James. Ps... Is that a pink jumper, or salmon? :D

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Definitely Salmon although I have no issue with pink. Very metrosexual. New Usb C mic and lighting rig. Things are moving in the right direction. Thank you for watching and your support 👍

@yyams

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Salmon/pink jumper was the basis of a Friends episode waaaaaaaay back when... Was 50/50 wether you'd get that - worth a try! And yep, you've nailed your production values there dude. If "dude" is acceptable to you, to be honest you appear more or a Sir or Dr Tarun) but hey, there's a far smaller generation gap than I'd like to admit going on here! If you clearly weren't from the dreaded "South" I'd gladly help you out with camera work and editing (it's a hobby of mine) and boost you up to Darko production levels... Ish. Shame, I bet an extra pair of hands would go down rather well while shooting. You may have to excuse my equally bald head and penchant for countryside clothes, large walking boots, and black t-shirts that have had me (very rarely but even once is too many times) confused with someone whose haircut is political not practical. Believe me, if I could have my hair back, I WOULD IN A HEARTBEAT... The point I'm trying to get at is I have to admit, I didn't notice you as anything other than British through and through until the "...supporting minorities - Hello" line. Funny how these things work eh. You would fit better into my fancy-pants southern relatives annual christmas do better than I ever have, or ever will! Now hurry up with my all encompassing subwoofer video! If you could include affordable correction boxes such as the MiniDSP HD, and the automated DsPeakear antimode Cinema 8033 (massive improvement on the "main system" with 10 minutes of set up and sweeps), well all the better... But who am I to dictate your content:P If you want a to borrow B.K. XXLS400, a diy sealed peerless XLS10, two gigantic DIY sealed box JBL 15's (designed for car audio but can be tuned with the miniDSP to, in my room to my ear, combined, run flat below 20Hz)... Along with the affordable class D amplification and DSP used to run the passive ones - 300w mono Nobsound *stifles a giggle* on the XLS10, and a Behringer A800 (one channel per 15" box) you are welcome to organise a courier there and back as long as you don't deprive me of my precious bass for more than a week or two. Actually, sorry to be so rude, but I doubt I could live without it in my "listening room" setup for more than a day or two - but the offer of the B.K. and Antimode is still open, should ever fancy that bass video and want a "budget" entry in the lineup. If I'm honest, that DIY XLS10 + Nobsound does all the real work, in setting this all up I discovered, after some miniDSP EQ and crossover point tweaking, that little box could produce not insignificant tones further below 30hz in my listening position than it has any right to! Of course, I dialled that back a bit, no point over-working it with the big boys for the heavy liftting, but small box, small woofer, TINY amplifier - WOW. The 15's only cross in around 30 and below, one being reserved exclusively for 19-25hz. Sounds excessive, but I listen to a lot of electronic and hip-hop type stuff (from Rawtekk to Clipping) and it's absolutely worth it. Oh god do I love this audiophile (still haven't passed out of boot camp) tinkering and messing about! Apologies, but I wrote all that while thinking I could live without it all should you want to borrow it, change of heat there as you have already read! I'm leaving it there, no point wasting perfectly good "check out my bass depth dude, now beat THAT" bragging - though I know a chap with a single genelec 12" studio subwoofer (the laminar spiral enclosure ones) who would blow anything I could afford out the window! Play (from youtube if you have to) DJ Shadow - The Mountain will fall (the first and title track) and listen for the tone at 52 seconds in.. How does your system handle that tone? You got that, and the higher frequencies up to crossover still work, and you my British friend, have a quality bass setup! (I just ran that test and the volume for that channel went from 1/4 to 1/2 on the dial!) Ahhhhh... The joys of multiple and excessive subwoofers. There's no kill like overkill, or if Scarface is more your thing, nothing exceeds like excess. Always a pleasure communicating with you*, one day this channel will have outgrown your ability/time to respond to viewers like you can now, enjoy it while it lasts! J James - A beginner Northern audiophile in training. (*rambling at you) Picard out.

@yyams

3 жыл бұрын

PS should you want to borrow the BK/antimode, and BK won't lend you a pair for review (which they really ought to!) I'm at jon.... d... james... AT the place where the mail is hot. Dot com.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

I loved reading your comments jjams. I definitely prefer dude! 😎 I am making baby steps to better video and audio quality, new usb C mic and lighting rig helps but I still have a lot to learn. So kind of you to offer me your subs. I do plan to do a video on subs at some point. I would like to get the BK XLS 200 in for review. Reviewing a sub is not so straight forward as the room dominates performance at those frequencies. From a reviewer’s perspective it is hard to know if the results I get in my room will be consistent with what others will achieve in their room. It is possible to assess speed and punch but extension, soundstage and the impact on overall tonal balance are going to be largely determined by the room. To get the best results you need to experiment a great deal with sub placement, I have limited options in my room. I can get good results with one sub but can’t accommodate two which would really help even the bass response over the room. My set works well in the sweet spot. Once again, thank you for your kindness and support 😊👍👍

@yyams

3 жыл бұрын

​@@abritishaudiophile7314 Ta dude:D And... That's where the antimode (admittedly another £235) comes in. as you know, you can reduce a peak, but throwing more power at a null just gives it more power to cancel out that frequency - hence Dspeaker actually recommend placing your sub in a pretty BAD spot - ie room modes everywhere, but few nulls - as they can correct peaks but nulls are just black holes for sound. the difference took "this sub thing is a bit of a pain in the backside isn't it? Why always that xHz boom? etc etc" and after one set of sweeps turned it into "OOoooooohhhhhhh NOW I GET IT!" - and there I was, listening to all my favourites over the years again and hearing them fresh again. That alone was worth the £600! Good luck getting a set for review, and remember, I'm always a courier away if you need a 400 + antimode.

With its many inputs, I'm guessing that the MaiA is at least partly aimed at budget audiophiles like me with various legacy sources who are thinking of finally joining the 21st century. (Or smoked our vintage amps.) I'm watching the development of Class D amps with interest, though it seems they still have some way to go in the speaker matching dept.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Some of the new class D amps designed by Bruno Putzey at Purifi seem interesting thisisnev. He also designed the much acclaimed N Core modules at Hypex. I am hoping to get hold of a reasonably priced amp using the N Core modules. Watch this space 😊

Such a little cutie 🥰

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you LAZY DOG. Good things can come in small packages 😉

I’m certainly looking for something like this in a bedroom setup. Just need the USB input though. Any suggestions for other small form factor amps to power my klipsch r51m speakers?

@abritishaudiophile7314

2 жыл бұрын

Quad Vena II 😊

@ednewmy

2 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 You probably won't see this all these months down on Tarun, but just wondering if you have experience with the Quad and if so what your thoughts are? Coverage of it on KZread is extremely thin on the ground!

@abritishaudiophile7314

2 жыл бұрын

@@ednewmy I haven’t heard the current Quad tame but hope I get to at some point 😊

Hey audiophile guy who would u prefer between b&w 606 s2 anniversary edition or Dali oberon 5

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

It depends on the matching amplifier. Both good speaker but I generally prefer the more natural Dali presentation 😉

Will you be reviewing either the NAD D 3045 or the C328? Thank you

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Nad C338 review pending 😉

@ayewhite333

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Wonderful. Curious to hear how it sounds in comparison to the smaller S2

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Hopefully you won’t have to wait too long 😉

How about the crown xls 2500 drivecore 2. ?? $449. Power for days

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

I am taking to a manufacturer of a good value N Core amp. Thank you for the suggestion 😉

looking to replace my smsl ad18 with something a bit better on my desktop, unfortunately this doesnt seem to be it.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Paul, I would check out the new Rega IO and then get an external Dac.

I wonder how would this compare to a comparable class AB design at this price point, say the Rega IO (if you don't need the digital connectivity).

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

I the Iota VX SA3 that I compared it to is class A/B and comparable in price 😉

@pedrovasconcelos8260

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 OK, thanks; for some reason I thought the Iota was class D...

Have you review the Sugden A21

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Talking to them. Heard it many times but not at home.

Check the Maia DS2. I got S2 to listen and liked what i heard, but I thought the power was quite low. So I ordered the DS2. Its not bad at all. And for sure it has more power than the S2 but Pro-Ject are cheating a little bit with the power specs. The specified watts are at 1% THD which is a little bit generous. I am exploring the option to make linear PSU for it, since Pro-Ject are not offering one. The tricky part is that it needs 38V 5.5A, which is about 200W. At full power the 50hz ripples will be significant and might effect the performance of the digital part.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences buddy. Good luck with the PSU 😊

Hahahaha “This thing has to deal with more prejudices than Kaitlyn Jenner” 😂🤣 this had me full on laughing. Great video as per usual.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Steven 😊👍

Another really good review Tarun, thanks. Are you sure it's made by Pro-Ject and not Dinky ;-) I'm sure it will sell but it's not my kinda thing.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching Keith. It is always going to be a niche product 😉

Hi Tarun....Advisory: Being an under-resourced, budget seeking lover of music my comment will include reference to products likely to cause elevated blood pressure and/or hoots of derision from dedicated audiophiles. Here goes...I'm wondering if this 25 Watt amplifier would be just the thing for my small room. Around 15 ft by 12ft. At the moment I have a Pioneer A107 (yes still ;) paired with..wait for it Gale Gold Monitor Speakers (from 2001). Given the box like layout of my space, its smallness I thought it maybe better to opt for a new amp and change the speakers. With that in mind would the Project MaiA S2 work well with Presonus Eris 3.5 Active monitor speakers that have the following specs: 3.5" woofer, 1" tweeter, 50W Class AB (25W per speaker), Crossover Frequency, 2.8kHz, Maximum Peak SPL 100 dB SPL @ 1m Would that be an audio/listening upgrade? Or does my present set-up have the edge? Thanks.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Ayn, thank you for watching. People should have no time for hifi snobbery, if you have a system you enjoy then that is all that matters. Unfortunately, I haven’t heard your Pioneer A107 so can say what is better. I would look for active speakers and then just add a preamp or DAC with volume controls. Check out my review of the Acoustic Energy AE1s 😊

@aynoneemooz4146

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Tarun, thanks I will be sure to look into that option

Hi Tarun - loved the review (and your channel in general). I work for Pro-Ject and would like to get in touch with you.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Shareef. Great to hear from you. If you pop your email down I will send you a message.

@shareefkfahim

3 жыл бұрын

A British Audiophile Good morning Tarun. sf@project-audio.com looking forward to hearing from you.

You need to try the SMSL SA300. It competes straight up with the IOTAVX P3 , especially at the mids and highs (might be even better at highs..). It costs 130 pounds... And I actually prefer it with my Q Acoustics 3020i compared to the P3 (using the topping E30 DAC for both). In some songs, especially for classical music and Jazz, I think it is better than the P3 with my BR03...

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your suggestion Jay 😉

@jaytorr6701

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 don't know... Might be loosing my hearing but this little thing sounds really good!

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

I will check it out Jay 😉

@jaytorr6701

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Great Tarun. You will need a DAC, the on board one is not on very good. I have paired it with the topping E30. I am really surprised how well this combo works. Look forward to a review. It is possible that my ears mistaken me.... But if not this is a killer DAC/amp combo for 230 pounds...

Are these Triangle Trio's in the background? 🙃 (Oh, yes, only now watched till the end 😀)

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

I like how you answered your own question 😉 Thank you for watching Raymondey

How much RF noise does the SMPS give out?

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

I didn’t measure it 😉

@matldn2697

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Why I mentioned this because a review of a DAC in HiFi News talked about RF noise from an external SMPS.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

@@matldn2697 there was nothing audible that I picked up but getting rid of cheap a SMPS is always a good idea 😊

Is this a phono pre-amp and amplifier in one?

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Yup 😊

@cadenouttakes3983

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Ah, maybe I'll have to pick one up for my setup. Thanks.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

@@cadenouttakes3983 please let me know how you get on 😊

It is a Swiss army knife that never ceases to give me satisfaction. Nowhere is it written that if you tap the power button the amp will mute. I replaced the remote with a self-learning one because the original is too fiddly. On the volume wheel I put an indication to understand the level from my listening point. Defects: if you connect a cable to the Output line, the volume of the speakers decreases, does anyone know why? The terminal block is too close together, I put some electrical tape in the middle for safety.

@abritishaudiophile7314

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Emilio 😊

Having reviewed a couple of class D amps . maybe it's time you reviewed a valve one, just in order to keep things in balance ; ) It's strange that 20 years down the line (give or take) since the first class D audio amp chips hit the market these are still analogue amps with digital amps (i.e. power DACs) reserved to the very upper echelons of the price ladder. I'm not aware of the technical difficulties involved but at least it seems engineers have managed to overcome initial obstacles to a successful class D audio amp implementation. As far as I am concerned, however, it will take more than good sound and a low price to convince me to buy one.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Stelios, class D certainly has come a long way in the last 20 years. I am trying to get a valve amp in and hope to do so soon. Unfortunately, some manufacturers still haven’t caught on the value of reviews on KZread. This will change and as the channel becomes more established it will be easier for me to get a wider variety of gear to review. 😉

@Stelios.Posantzis

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 That's true. Valve equipment manufacturers are smaller by definition and the logistics (i.e. cost) and risks of sending most valve amps are certainly higher. Also most valve amps start at a much higher price than their transistor equivalents, for example there are no valve amps in the 500-600GBP range as far as I know (and if there are they necessarily will be very poor affairs as things are right now). In this sense, a valve preamp review might be easier to do. The valve preamp is a rarer, more esoteric beast as nowadays the preamp per se is more often associated with turntable systems (probably due to the lack of RIAA sections in most modern amps).

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

@@Stelios.Posantzis thank you Stelios. I haven’t given up 😉

Can they make it more affordable? $650 price tag is steep.

I have a pro-ject streamer. A little box that cost $850 US. It's wonderful. I love it. But man.. their US tech support is non existent. I have called Sumiko (US distributor) and been transferred to voicemail 3 times. I've also sent them email. Dead silence. I finally offered a reasonable complaint on their facebook page and they deleted it. I was polite and used no profanity. But they vanished it. So my feelings about them are confused and disappointed. I love their digital products and of course their turntables. So I guess I'll just go sulk in a corner. Great review, btw!

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

I would get in touch with Pro-Ject directly Charles. The way you have been treated is unacceptable. I am sure Heinz Lichtenegger would be very interested in how his USA distributor is handling things.

@charlesferguson6678

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 You know you're absolutely right. In fact you've inspired me to do so. Thank you!

3:09 There must be two digital optical inputs (one's hidden by the antenna I guess)

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Yup 😉

@Stelios.Posantzis

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 I thought my eyes were fooling me until I noticed some barely visible lettering right under the antenna.

Flying mole class D chipamp? Never heard of that before... Funny name! 😜

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Qorax, great to hear from you. Link below... www.flyingmole.co.jp/new_en/

@QoraxAudio

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks for the link - learning new stuff every day! 👌

Hello. It is the end result that counts and not what equipment you have! For example if you have speakers with very correct sound but you have relatively cheap amplifier to DAC. then you can get very good end result if you understand. not always those who have SEAS exel speaker elements that get better sound than those who have the cheapest seas 8 "and 1" tweets. I have experienced this. It depends on how good you are at customizing the crossover and the box! and not always what kind of elements you use! My friend has made homemade speakers with the cheapest seas 8" and 1" tweeters and a car bass. he uses a relatively cheap DAC and amplifier. I dare bet he has as good sound quality as the ones you have!

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching and commenting skrotkalle 😊

@ford1546

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 De var da et kort svar!?

I just wish it didn't make such a noisy click when I switch between inputs. Far from the only device to do this but seems worse than most.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing your experiences JC 😊

Minority.... bold hi-fi geeks 🤣⭐️🤟

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching 😉

Ha, at 1:45 that looks like a giant hand reaching in 😃

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

You know what they say about big hands 😂

@osliverpool

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hehe 😂

Hey there! I wanted to reach out to you via email as we wanted to partner with you for some hifi equipment review.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for reaching out John. If you pop your email down below I will send you a message 😊

The scary thing about your presentation.......is.......the Jumper!, I've archived this one lest it should escape into the general public LOL..

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

My wife doesn’t like that jumper either. That is probably the reason why I still have it. I only used to where it whilst playing golf. Comes in handy as I spend a lot of time looking for balls in the trees. People need to know where to find me 😂

@brown-eyedman4040

3 жыл бұрын

Here in the U.S. jumpers are something we use to start a car when the battery is dead! But seriously, Tarun's golf game sounds a lot like mine.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

You say tomato, I say... you know what I mean. Anyway, I always manage just enough good holes to draw me back in for more punishment 😎

@mickbroad2059

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 A dodgy jumper now golf.....can it get any worse. Just employed a 600va psu on a nu-vista preamp project now that would put the wind up the class D.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Cool 👍

Does anyone in 2020 need more than like 3 inputs?

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Any takers...?

@galessi1226

3 жыл бұрын

Yes....cassette deck......mini disc player.....computer.....cd player.....don' t need the phono section though.........sometimes I use the handle ...." Lofiguy"

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching and sharing @@galessi1226 😉

They have a similar power amp without the preamp, already have a passive one from shit

@lindsethnittisju797

Жыл бұрын

Questionmark

@abritishaudiophile7314

Жыл бұрын

You could just buy the power amp 😊

@lindsethnittisju797

Жыл бұрын

There is a s3 amp , that there is no reviews off,

@abritishaudiophile7314

Жыл бұрын

@@lindsethnittisju797 thank you 😊

@lindsethnittisju797

Жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 u gonna get it?

That intro 🤣

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

I was in a strange mood 😉

Apart from size, I just fail to see the need for this when you can get a Onkyo 9110 for 200 pounds less.... Maybe its the gimmick factor.

@abritishaudiophile7314

2 жыл бұрын

I suspect the MaiA is aimed for desktop use 😊

Class D amps are sounding very close to AB nowadays. I’ve tried quite a few (XTZ, Parasound, PS Audio etc) and you gotta hand it to them. The sound is not so clinical anymore. Soon it will be difficult to tell them apart.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching and commenting 😉

I've seen inside project-audio s2! It looks VERY messy built inside. very filled up inside. This is the recipe for noise to not so good sound! Divide the price the box costs on all the functions it has so there will not be much per function! Whether you should have an RIAA amplifier or a DAC. or preamplifier/amplifier and you want the best possible sound quality, then you should have sepparat riaa or DAC or preamplifier and not everything in the same box because then you can get interference!

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Hi skrotkalle, not everyone what’s lots of boxes. There is a lot of circuitry but it is well laid out. If you think this is messy you should look inside a Hegel.

@ford1546

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 If you are going to have a box with everything inside then you should have a fulsize box with metal walls where everything is in a row with metal wall in between! This one reminds me more of a cinema amplifier inside!

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately, you won’t get that at this price point skrotkalle. You are probably looking at things from a DIY perspective. The total parts and build cost on this needs to be under £100.

@ford1546

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Yes I know. Too bad many people think more about looks and features than about sound quality og build quality.

lol at the Kaitlyn Jenner / supporting minorities 'hello...!' bit. Watching this in my pink jumper.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Marten. I have one of those 😊👍

Jokes as well as easy to follow reviews?

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

I was in a strange mood when I filmed this. Thank you for watching pappachook 😉👍

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

It is a minimalist amp so I would expect it to sound better as well. I will have to get my hand on one Fat Rat 👍

I have to be honest, one of my biggest pet peeves with a lot of contemporary amps and receivers from more “boutique” brands has nothing to do with their performance and everything to do with the incredibly cheap remotes that are being shipped with them. Blister buttons aren’t acceptable on a device that costs hundreds of $/£ and which, if unabused, could work fine and do its basic job for years. The buttons on that dirt cheap remote will crack and fail with daily use long before the receiver will. That’s to say nothing of the fact that it detracts greatly from the experience of using an enthusiast product. You can’t claim to provide a wholly premium experience over the more mainstream offerings when every $100 A/V receiver ships with a normal remote control with real buttons on it. These dinky credit card remotes are for controlling cheap LED light strips from Amazon, not HiFi equipment.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

I agree Alex. The remote is a disappointment 😉

Sorry, but anytime I hear a class D amp, I think "Class D" Maybe some people don't mind or like it but not my thing. Maybe it will get better but so far every time someone say it doesn't sound like "Class D" I think it does, even those with tubes involved.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

I get where you are coming from James. Early class D designs have put many people off and it is going to take time before their perception changes. There are some benefits to class D designs. They naturally have a very high damping factor and low distortion due to the large amount of negative feedback. An area again that is misunderstood. Also, by not needing large heat sinks and transformers, the money saved can be put into more expensive parts elsewhere.

@fletchermunson6225

3 жыл бұрын

@@abritishaudiophile7314 I get it. Better bass control, run cooer for in cabinet active speakers. I'm a pragmatist. Just let me listen and if it's good, it's good. I'm also someone who said "No more tubes" but they keep pulling me back in. Mullard madness.

far far better choice out there then this amp brings to the table..don't need the bells an whistles class D junk ..Just a get a Good tube amp and let those beautiful tubes sing to you.

The biggest scam in audio. The bass output does not work. I gave up on the S2 but because I really need a Mirco system ( to tube snobs; yes I have a tube preamp thank you). Surprise ? The S3 bass output does not work either. How can a business create something that does not work and no one cares ?

ITS JUNK!

Left nose hole. Something funny sticking out of it. Once you notice, it distracts a lot. Call me picky.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

Shadow maybe?

It sounds like any class D amp thin , sharp, hi speed listening fatigue. RUBBISH.

@abritishaudiophile7314

3 жыл бұрын

It certainly isn’t rubbish Paul 😉