Experiences with the Lepy LP2020A?

StoleMyOwnCar

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I should probably be asking this on Audiokarma or DIYAudio or something... I will post an appropriate topic on there later, I guess.

Anyway, here's the deal. I want to gift my friend a cheap (~30$ budget pretty much) speaker amp and give him one of my older speakers that I got from the thrift store (decent speakers mind you) as part of a gift exchange that we've decided upon with another person or two. Last January, I got a Lepai LP-2020A+ amp for that price, and it's been working great even with its bundled PSU. Now I wanted to get the same thing for him, but come to find out that Lepai is gone. There's a company called Lepy selling 2020A amps, but 2020A (note missing + sign) chips are rebranded Yamaha ICs that aren't actually the hallmark Tripath chips that Lepai used to sell for so little money. They're just normal Class D amps. At least that's what I've read.

Does anyone here have the 2020A and the original 2020A+ to compare? Technically I could do it, but I don't want to open the gift, and I might choose to return it anyway...

And actually on that subject, is there even another option in this price range that's any better? I'm giving him a choice of mostly older 8 ohm speakers such as the Pinnacle AC400 or the Design Acoustics PS55. Definitely not forking over any of my DCM CX's.
 
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The reviews for the latter don't even seem to be as good as the 2020A+'s. I didn't know parts-express still had some in stock, though. Weird. All Amazon has is Lepy. I'm kind of on the fence here as I'm not sure whether those are legitimate 2020A+'s. Most accounts I've read say that the Tripath chips ran out or something.

From what I've read on DIYaudio though, the 2020Ti chip made by Texas Instruments is a really good performer, though. I'm considering grabbing this:
http://www.parts-express.com/lepai-...io-mini-amplifier-with-power-supply--310-3000

Thanks for linking me to parts express, though. I didn't realize that's where they most of their products instead of Amazon. Pity the shipping isn't free.

Either way, back to Amazon goes this Lepy.
 
Yea Parts Express has a pretty good selection of random sound gear, always worth a look.
 
The reviews for the latter don't even seem to be as good as the 2020A+'s. I didn't know parts-express still had some in stock, though. Weird. All Amazon has is Lepy. I'm kind of on the fence here as I'm not sure whether those are legitimate 2020A+'s. Most accounts I've read say that the Tripath chips ran out or something.

From what I've read on DIYaudio though, the 2020Ti chip made by Texas Instruments is a really good performer, though. I'm considering grabbing this:
http://www.parts-express.com/lepai-...io-mini-amplifier-with-power-supply--310-3000

Thanks for linking me to parts express, though. I didn't realize that's where they most of their products instead of Amazon. Pity the shipping isn't free.

Either way, back to Amazon goes this Lepy.


 
Well frankly that thing does pretty well with the provided psu as is. I think those measurements (just voltage wise) are better than the tripath design? I think I'll buy one of them. I heard the sound is less warm for the Ti amp, so to me that indicates it's probably more neutral. My friend likes warm sounds so worst case I just give him my 2020A+ and keep the Ti. I'll just let him listen to both and make the choice. My bedroom amp is a Topping 20MKII that I'd probably prefer to both either way. It's much more neutral. This is just something to shove in my little work lab area.
 
Just ordered the 2020Ti. Will see how he likes it when it gets here from Parts Express (well and it's time for the actual gift giving). Just gotta send this Lepy back. I didn't know Parts Express had these even though Amazon didn't, thanks for the link...
 
This is just a warning about cheaper alternatives. I have the Lepai LP-808 with the Sanyo LA4636 and it is a mega piece of shit. Very very audible high frequency noise all the time. You can't hear the noise if further then about 3 feet.

I'm gonna replace it with a Sure amplifier since those seem to be pretty solid on the reviews (and use a Texas Instruments or Tripath chip).
 
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interesting... hadn't paid attention to the little t-amp scene for a long while now... seems like the majority of the tripath amps are gone...kinda figures since tripath has been out of business for a decade or something like that.

too bad, it would have been need to see what they could have done over the last ten years developing new chips .... I have read pretty mixed reviews of the texas instruments TPA stuff..
 
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