300 GBP tops and insane audio... though it will destroy your neighbours sanity.

Tired9

Tired9

Tired9

Permabanned
Joined
7 Oct 2018
Posts
2,172
Location
Behind Pluto
Focal Audio 5.25" Coaxial speakers in solid wood boxes, 2" thick.
DOUK Audio 320W Bluetooth 5.0 Power Amplifier 2.0 Channel Stereo Amp (For Bluetooth and RCA / USB input and full range speaker power)
Amazon basics single RCA to double RCA cabled (Sub pre-out to Sub amp)
Vibe Audio 400.1 amp 800w. 1OHM stable.
Vibe Audio Pulse 12" 400w RMS 900w Max passive subwoofer wired to 1 OHM for maximum power from the amp.

I had a spare 1000w Silverstone Strider 80 Plus silver PSU (12 years old and still going) to power the car amp.

I am also using a Neoteck 192KHz DAC Converter Digital to Analog Audio Converter.


There is zero interference and no noise when silent or played at low volumes.
Superb clarity and the bass is enough to make your ribs shake, I have never played it on max volume, gets scary loud.


Obviously not a surround setup, just a hardcore 2.1 setup.


Stick with me I will get some images etc.
 
Tired9 said:
Focal Audio 5.25" Coaxial speakers in solid wood boxes, 2" thick.
DOUK Audio 320W Bluetooth 5.0 Power Amplifier 2.0 Channel Stereo Amp (For Bluetooth and RCA / USB input and full range speaker power)
Amazon basics single RCA to double RCA cabled (Sub pre-out to Sub amp)
Vibe Audio 400.1 amp 800w. 1OHM stable.
Vibe Audio Pulse 12" 400w RMS 900w Max passive subwoofer wired to 1 OHM for maximum power from the amp.

I had a spare 1000w Silverstone Strider 80 Plus silver PSU (12 years old and still going) to power the car amp.

I am also using a Neoteck 192KHz DAC Converter Digital to Analog Audio Converter.


There is zero interference and no noise when silent or played at low volumes.
Superb clarity and the bass is enough to make your ribs shake, I have never played it on max volume, gets scary loud.


Obviously not a surround setup, just a hardcore 2.1 setup.


Stick with me I will get some images etc.
Click to expand...
Sounds sweet. Wouldn't mind some advice as it looks like you know your stuff.... got a spare pair of Mission speakers and Denon amp I want to rig to pc, whats the best setup. Oh, and amp allows sub which i also have spare.
 
Video...

Sorry for the low light, I don't have bright bulbs in.. hate them.
Like a sensual mood.

Best heard with headphones, good ones if you have any.

I turn the subwoofer up a tad towards the end when Roxette is playing, the audio before is EQ'd in perfect harmony with the rest of the music and as not to be having the police coming round every 2 minutes.

I can turn it up more during the week if I get a day off from work, it's fun as hell as it has gobs of power.

I find it awesome how big the bass port is, I am a 6 foot lad and not the smallest of hands and lose my fist easily in it.


 
Tired9 said:
DOUK Audio 320W Bluetooth 5.0 Power Amplifier 2.0 Channel Stereo Amp (For Bluetooth and RCA / USB input and full range speaker power)
Click to expand...

As good as these little class D amplifiers are (I've picked up one of these last year to power a spare set of speakers), they certainly aren't "insane", and they may "destroy your neighbours sanity" but it will be through the amount of distortion and interference when played at even a moderate level.
 
Armageus said:
As good as these little class D amplifiers are (I've picked up one of these last year to power a spare set of speakers), they certainly aren't "insane", and they may "destroy your neighbours sanity" but it will be through the amount of distortion and interference when played at even a moderate level.
Click to expand...
Interesting, that must mean all good reviews have no clue about anything.

There are bad too, I mean faults do happen.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07XKSQHT2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Which means you think you do know!

Was it this one you tested?

There is no distortion at all, it is supplied with a 32v/5amp power supply, you can use 35v for an extra squeeze which is the amps limit.

My speakers I use are high sensitivity and rated for 50w RMS, there is no distortion even at really loud volume.

The bass amp by the way is just a rebranded Sundown audio amp which hit's it's numbers with ease.

I do have a Denon AVR 1902 and Pioneer VSX 2014i and they sound no different to the little amp in Direct Stereo mode, I even have some Denon SC 103's that sound great on it too.
 
Last edited:
This is the Vibe 400.1 being tested, it is in Russian, but you can definitely see it's numbers.


The problem with such small amps is people believe before using them, they are trash, so they don't even bother buying to review them.
 
Tired9 said:
Interesting, that must mean all good reviews have no clue about anything.
Click to expand...
From the reviews you are so proud of:
"This amp really struggles if you crank it up past "background" noise level, if you have it on loud then you're in for a distorted shock... and it's not normal noise, it's like a dodgy low quality MP3 sound...."

Tired9 said:
Which means you think you do know!

Was it this one you tested?
Click to expand...
No I haven't tested that specific model, however I've linked the model I own (Another very similar class D amplifier that ships with the same 32V/5A Power supply, uses the same TDA7498E etc.), and when run at higher listening levels (e.g. with my pair of speakers used outdoors) there is noticeable distortion.
Compared to my budget AVR (Denon X1300W), it could easily run at higher listening without any distortion.

Class D amplifiers have their purpose - they are small, cheap, and are ideal for driving a set of small good quality speakers to use with a PC (or even a phone or MP3) for example, but if they didn't have limitations, then manufacturers would be using them in "proper" home cinema/hifi kit and in every application they could find, purely to save cost.


Tired9 said:
There is no distortion at all, it is supplied with a 32v/5amp power supply, you can use 35v for an extra squeeze which is the amps limit.
Click to expand...
35v/5amp = 191 Watts - a long way short of the 320Watt claimed power


At the end of the day as long as you are happy with the sound, that is all that really matters :)
 
Armageus said:
From the reviews you are so proud of:
"This amp really struggles if you crank it up past "background" noise level, if you have it on loud then you're in for a distorted shock... and it's not normal noise, it's like a dodgy low quality MP3 sound...."


No I haven't tested that specific model, however I've linked the model I own (Another very similar class D amplifier that ships with the same 32V/5A Power supply, uses the same TDA7498E etc.), and when run at higher listening levels (e.g. with my pair of speakers used outdoors) there is noticeable distortion.
Compared to my budget AVR (Denon X1300W), it could easily run at higher listening without any distortion.

Class D amplifiers have their purpose - they are small, cheap, and are ideal for driving a set of small good quality speakers to use with a PC (or even a phone or MP3) for example, but if they didn't have limitations, then manufacturers would be using them in "proper" home cinema/hifi kit and in every application they could find, purely to save cost.



35v/5amp = 191 Watts - a long way short of the 320Watt claimed power


At the end of the day as long as you are happy with the sound, that is all that really matters :)
Click to expand...

Interesting. The one above is very close to rated, you will never hear a 10 watts difference in loudness, so it is a moot point.

You chose a bad review versus several very positive reviews.

It completely relies on the power supply being up to standard but also the unit being non defective.
 
My housemate years ago used to do this, everything rattling and sounding awful, but he loved it used to put a speaker in the window of his bedroom so the rest of the street could also hate him as much as I did.

I'd try and block it out with a set of headphones plugged in to my strdb930 receiver
 
5punk3monk3y said:
My housemate years ago used to do this, everything rattling and sounding awful, but he loved it used to put a speaker in the window of his bedroom so the rest of the street could also hate him as much as I did.
Click to expand...
I am not that guy and I enjoy quality sound.

You get thickos driving thing shard just for noise, you also get people using big power setups for efficiency and also how low the bass can go, not boomy and awful sounding.
Below 30hz is not easy to achieve but it can be done.
 
Tired9 said:
The bass amp by the way is just a rebranded Sundown audio amp which hit's it's numbers with ease.
Click to expand...
Well, the 400.1 isnt a rebranded sundown 500d. The 500d has more filtering caps, higher rated internal fuses, more output fets. It's basically the 400.1's bigger brother . Both of which are generic class D amps, neither designed by vibe or sundown. That said, they are both very capable.

I have huge doubts as to the quality of the audio though. Not because of the 400.1, but because you're subwoofer designed and built for car applications outside of car. This can work fine if you are using some kind of room correction or at least DTA, but even then a small ported sub isnt going to be particularly accurate and it wont have much of a bottom end below whatever that port is tuned to and vibe dont even bother telling us on the website so yeah... That coupled with stereo speakers driven from an amp presumably with no high pass filter would suggest initially at least that the frequency and phase response of that system is probably all over the place.

I'm no strange to use car audio gear at home - i've been using a sealed 15" JBL GTO in the living room for years and my pc audio setup includes a sealed 10" boss. Sealed because they are easier to integrate and in both cases i am using room correction to properly time align the drivers. You cant just slap a ported sub in a home system and expect it to sound great, no matter how loud it is.

Tired9 said:
DOUK Audio 320W at 10% distortion Bluetooth 5.0 Power Amplifier 2.0 Channel Stereo Amp (For Bluetooth and RCA / USB input and full range speaker power)
Amazon basics single RCA to double RCA cabled (Sub pre-out to Sub amp)
Vibe Audio 400.1 amp 800w 400w RMS @ 1ohm. 1OHM stable.
Vibe Audio Pulse 12" 400w RMS 900w Max 300w RMS passive subwoofer wired to 1 OHM for maximum power from the amp.
Click to expand...
 
james.miller said:
Well, the 400.1 isnt a rebranded sundown 500d. The 500d has more filtering caps, higher rated internal fuses, more output fets. It's basically a the 400.1's bigger brother . Both of which are generic class D amps, neither designed by vibe or sundown. That said, they are both very capable.

I have huge doubts as to the quality of the audio though. Not because of the 400.1, but because you're subwoofer designed and built for car applications outside of car. This can work fine if you are using some kind of room correction or at least DTA, but even then a small ported sub isnt going to be particularly accurate and it wont have much of a bottom end below whatever that port is tuned to and vibe dont even bother telling us on the website so yeah... That coupled with stereo speakers driven from an amp presumably with no high pass filter would suggest initially at least that the frequency and phase response of that system is probably all over the place.

I'm no strange to use car audio gear at home - i've been using a sealed 15" JBL GTO in the living room for years and my pc audio setup includes a sealed 10" boss. Sealed because they are easier to integrate and in both cases i am using room correction to properly time align the drivers. You cant just slap a ported sub in a home system and expect it to sound great, no matter how loud it is.
Click to expand...
So why are you doubting I made any adjustments?

What I hate is how defensive you guys are and you lack any ability to be reasonable, you just point out things that most people already know.

Slap some **** together, yeah no it will never sound great, any audio done like that won't sound great even if it comes form the engineering gods on some forbidden planet.

The speakers I run are pretty **** for bass, the Focal audio's, they literally don't move unless I push the bass knob up on the DOUK Audio which kind of negates the need for a high-pass filter as they get all the high information with ease, they were not designed for bass.

The boxes I built are small purposely to limit the drivers from over-excursion.

But this amp won't deliver mighty bass anyway so that saved me some.

The 12" driver is capable of 27hz as I tested with a frequency tester just listening to it, I could enhance this frequency by placing the sub in the cupboard with the door off it's hinges simulating a cabin, but you just get boomy bass at all frequencies, unnatural sounding,. but it is not comfortable there, the volume drops off the lower it goes which seems to be the box, not exactly the subwoofer driver it's self.

The cut off on the bass amp is 15hz, it simply cuts off. Not a major deal breaker.

I run the subwoofer with the low-pass filter at 100hz.
 
Last edited:
james.miller said:
If you were using any kind of room correction, you'd have said so. And since neither the douk or the vibe offer anything close to room correction, and you've since replied and still havent said you are, then my only conclusion is...you are not.

Am i wrong?
Click to expand...
Windows has room correction in the sound properties, yes I am using it, but it don't do much, the sound signature is still pretty much the same.

The Subwoofer has it's own gain control as does the stereo amp.. which makes this kind of pointless to begin with.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom