Class D amplifier with TPA 3250 board

I own a very high sensitivity, fully horn loaded system (averaging 105dB sensitivity).

After many years swapping various "classic" amps, and being more or less happy, the death of the last pure class A amp I was using prompt me to try on a very low power class D amp, with a Tripath tA2024 chip. The amp is a heavily modded (all passive components) trends TA10.1

Let me tell you, it was a shock: the tiny cheap amp not only sounded very good, it was also more silent, and of course stays cold and doesn't draw much expensive electricity.

Since then, I've replaced most stuff in my system, and I'm now tri-amping, but the tiny class D amp stayed. I use another, even cheaper, class D amp on the 60 to 500Hz range, and only the subs still use class AB amps.

I'm thoroughly happy with how it sounds, in fact I think my system is at its best with those amps, they are completely devoid of noise and very lively and detailed, almost like a SET amp. The system stays on 24/7, the amps stay cold, they are completely fool proof, very transparent (you hear every upwards change immediately), for me there's no going back! No more headaches!!!

I encourage you to try one, but be aware that they are not all made equal, maybe start with something that has some "audiophile" pretentions like a Trends or a Charlize or an Amptastic. You will be VERY surprised (always with a good preamplifier in front! The Trends and Amptastic allow you to bypass their input level potentiometer, which gives even more transparency.

They are also very sensitive to the power supply and swapping the cheap SMPS for a higher current, very low noise linear PSU and good power cords and umbilical DC cables brings huge improvements and raise the sound quality of those amps from "suprisingly decent little toys" to truly audiophile. Really, I'm not lying.

@rolox This is music to my ears! Where do you buy these amplifiers? I live in France. 

PS:

Damping factor will not be much of a concern at all if the low frequency duty is taken over by your subwoofer.

I do not used subs (just 8" single drivers running full range) which is why low damping makes my speakers sound fuller/better.

I tried a sub years ago (Gallo TR2) which I liked, but due to my using a high level connection (speaker wire in/out) the sub’s crossover was fixed @ around 100 Hz (needed to go lower and didn’t want to fuss with splitting the signals from my basic/budget preamplifier in order to use the low level inputs).

If I lived where you do I would be investing my money in a nice 2CV or DS.

DeKay

You're talking about cars? Ha! no. Unfortunately I drive a company car for work. It's a Renault Kangoo diesel 85hp. It gets me all around Paris. And I don't pay for fuel (which costs 2.20€/litre BTW). 

Folks on another forum I shall not name seem to heavily imply that all amplifiers should sound the same (or very similar). They rave about these cheap tiny Topping/Aiyima amplifiers with class D TPA 3250 amplifier boards. These same boards are used in Genelec active monitors, so they must be good? I'm flustered because there no direct comparisons between these TPA 32xx amplifiers and more conventional/expensive branded amplifiers. The same folks on the forum I shall not name imply that I'm a dunce for spending so much money on a tube amplifier (quote: it's a distortion factory and it can't play grindcore metal music so it sucks).

@kokakolia Tube amps can play grindcore just fine!

Since this is a buzz (not a hum, hum in France would be 50Hz only; since you have 100Hz you probably also have artifacts you can hear in the tweeters) and not a hiss there may be things you can do.

The first thing to do is find out if, when you short the amplifier's inputs, does the amp still make the sound?

Or does it only make it when the amp has something connected to its inputs?

If you can answer those questions we might be able to make some progress without any serious investment.

With regards to the TPA3250 and other chip-based class D amps, I think if you look at their specs you'll (and those over at ASR) you'll be surprised to find their distortion at full output is about 10%, more than your tube amp! I've got the Topping amp (the little '30 Watt' unit) and its quite boring to listen to- almost to make you think that specs are more important than the music 😁  Which they are not.

You need good specs to get the music right and plain and simple, while those chip based class D amps do some things fairly well, their specs suck. This is not to say class D does not work! But chip based class D amps don't represent the class of operation...

So answer my questions above and let's see if progress can be made.