S.M.S.L A200 Power Amp - Caramel or Sandpaper?
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Saturday August 24, 2024
David Mellor
David Mellor is CEO and Course Director of Audio Masterclass. David has designed courses in audio education and training since 1986 and is the publisher and principal writer of Adventures In Audio.
@Itzhak_Hasson: Absolutly love your reviews sir, thank you. š
@yc-tai: I myself find as one matures, small is now much better and preferential in most things ...
@firegardendevine6039: I've noticed on several other SMSL amps I've purchased, power consumption is always written as: X watts (Normal Volume). Perhaps there is another misprint in the A200 specs or the Chinese solved our energy crisis by harnessing free power from the ether.
@bernhardkaiser9677: I`ll opt for bone dry sarcasm! š
@ConorHanley: 18 watts is, I suppose, OK for very nearfield listening or a very sensitive speaker but I'd give it a miss. Pity , I was hoping for better.
@robertjermantowicz-uw3iw: Save your money for the FOSI V3 - 125 wpc@8 ohms using the 48 volt power supply. Price $110.
@aesculetum: You have some very mean assistants, sir.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @aesculetum: They keep me grounded.
@lornemccauley6409: I have had an SMSL AD18 amp for 5 years. I use it to power my outdoor speakers in a screened in porch. It is usually left on and forgotten. The amp is not exposed to rain but it is exposed to temperature extremes. The 1st 2 years were in Ottawa where the temperatures vary between -30C to +35C. For the last 3 years I have lived on the east coast of Canada where the temperatures aren't quite so extreme but there is salt in the air.
The sound is good but not warm.
I now have a 2nd AD18 I use in my living room powering a pair of PSB Imagine XBs which are quite detailed speakers. The amp drives well and doesn't sound harsh - to me.
@broggsey: Iām here to be vaguely distracted from nothingness for a few minutes
@Synthematix: LOL āhigh resolution power amplifierā my 1979 SONY TA636 has a range of 10hz to 50khz
@sforsure: Audio masterclass is good. How about Video masterclass?? Any recommendations please to learn video production and editingā¦ thank you
@TheFrugalAudiophile: I rarely if ever connect more than one source to these small amplifiers. So far I use them for systems that only have one source such as a desktop or a bathroom system.
@Roddy451: I do enjoy a good, wry sense of humor, especially when reviewing yet another "Bonsai" amplifier. So, they put a set of basically useless meters on the front and the power switch on the back. I would have done it the other way around... š¦š¦(here is a pair of crickets to go with that comment).
@BlankBrain: If you bi-amp or tri-amp, you can use the A200 for a tweeter amp. But it's underpowered for a tweeter amp.
@slm60uk: I feel very let down by this video's unboxing section; where have the annotations gone? I mean how the hell am I now meant to know if you are pointing at Stuff or More Stuff 'š¤·āā
@Robert-ps8fj: Vu meter add visual pleasure to your eyes while pleasurely listening to your favorite song from your good looking and good sounding speaker.
@RosemarySoriano-n6v: I'm glad you're fine now.š
@AudioMasterclass replies to @RosemarySoriano-n6v: Thank you. I am much improved however I will still advise anyone thinking of falling off their bicycle to reconsider.
@jondu-sud274: Is the unboxing music available in quadrophonic sound ?
@AudioMasterclass replies to @jondu-sud274: That would be fun but I think for the moment it will have to remain a dream (or nightmare).
@EricIolo: Anyone in the market for an amplifier at the same price, check out the the Sony STRDH190.CEK 2 Channel Amplifier with Phono Input and Bluetooth. Same price, good amp! Affiliated links should be stopped on YouTube
@AudioMasterclass replies to @EricIolo: I think that what should also be stopped is however you earn your money.
@ags2179: Ha ha, there are 11 + minutes I won't be able to claw back!
@SastusBulbas1: I cannot agree on an amplifier with a volume control and various inputs being a power amp, it is simply a small integrated amp.
Would be more interested if it was simply RCA or XLR input and binding posts out with an on/off switch. Great to see an internal PSU but a shame to see a dumb pair of VU meters that state nothing of output. I keep hoping for one of these companies to bring out a plain simple actual power amp. All I need is a plain box stereo power amp with 70w into 8ohms for an atractive budget price to pair with an old AV processor.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @SastusBulbas1: Terminologies may change over time but I'd call myself old-fashioned and, to me, if it doesn't have an RIAA input then it's not integrated.
@BlankBrain replies to @SastusBulbas1: @AudioMasterclass That's a clever definition. Perhaps the modern equivalent is whether it has a streaming input.
@gram1608: You... sarcastic. Never!
@unclewilbur8976: Too weird.
Too annoying.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @unclewilbur8976: Result!
@bengeorgeschannel6568: This is an excellent reveiw of a product that I might have overlooked. As for the unboxing music... while it was playing, I was transported to a recording session at the Western Works in the 1979 Sheffield of my imagination for a brief moment. Fantastic!
@paulstubbs7678: "can't hear any frequency response", ah better turn it on.
@paulstubbs7678: Here for the next iteration of 'sandpaper gate' (that's how much the caramel.... bit made to me, click bait?)
@rabit818: The good: no power brick
What about āknob feelā?
@AudioMasterclass replies to @rabit818: The operation of the knob feels as smooth as though it had been recently French polished.
@inglepropnoosegarm7801: I've been using an SMSL SA-50 for the past eight or so years to power my Dynaudio Contour 1.1 speakers (which are quite fussy about amps). It's very basic, one RCA line input, a volume knob (analogue) and a push button power switch on the front, that's it. Supposedly 50 wpc (into 4 ohms), more like 30, but ample for my needs as I value what is left of my hearing. It has almost never been turned off during that time, as it consumes virtually no power at idle. Previously I had large Naim, Sansui and JVC amps. I like the SMSL more. It seems to me to have no particular sound of its own (which is good), and I basically can forget about it. It is possibly the most neutral and transparent amp that I have ever used (and I've used a lot!). I actually have two, because I bought a second as backup in case it fails, but so far it hasn't!
Edit: The first cost me 30 UKP, from Amazon, new. The second was 20 UKP 'as new' from ebay.
@howardskillington4445: Irritating unboxing music. Let's have more of Betty.
@nickmoranis2865: Every one hating each other wonāt work.
@billmilosz: 1:29 It even comes with a hash pipe!
@frogandspanner: I like an amp to be decadent yet polished and sleek, with a long, spicy finish.
@myturkishlife1777: I have the AO 200 .. its great šš
@utube4andydent: Come the audio Revolution VU will be replaced with PPM but nobody will be able to agree on a standard. Is it Peek power or RMS power. Who cares about stats as we tend to use ears to listen in other words of it is not distorted etc it must be ok. Source switching I use a mixing desk - less clicks and bangs and each channel has its own eq. Ok Iām not the usual hifi hobby person.
@utube4andydent replies to @utube4andydent: Ok impedance matching is a thing that matters.
@CarlVanDoren61: Evil twin laughter š®
@garymalone547: Everyone loves virtually useless meters.
@CarlVanDoren61 replies to @garymalone547: Yes, doesn't make $sense$ š®
@WilliamBarrow replies to @garymalone547: Wouldnāt buy one without themš
@thepuma2012: that power consumption must be another misprint
@rene_magritte: Your unboxing skills are out of this world. Bravo!
@AudioMasterclass replies to @rene_magritte: Thank you. I dream unboxing.
@frogandspanner replies to @rene_magritte: Yes - you should consider starting a model railway channel.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @rene_magritte: @frogandspanner I thought the point was to keep the items in their mint in box condition and never use them.
@johnsmith1474: To hell with the cheap amp, why support a junk brand? Instead please do tell us about the lovely carved wooden fireplace surround at (3:15).
(PS the Yamaha WXA-50 is the bright spot in small cheap class C amps, and has been tested by Amir to be excellent plus its a Yamaha.)
@AudioMasterclass replies to @johnsmith1474: It came with the house. I suspect it is a lot cheaper than it looks.
@johnsmith1474 replies to @johnsmith1474: ā@AudioMasterclass No doubt it came with the house. I restore these things, it's base looks very cheap tile, but it looks quite fine.
@ronreeder4572: If you have home theater with external devices for decoding surround codecs & music streamingā¦.
& you donāt use HDMI with ARC ā¦
Iāll bet you have a special drawer with all your remotes ā¦
@AudioMasterclass replies to @ronreeder4572: I have five in my living room including the AC. Not excessive for 2024 I think. Now, finding the one I want when I want itā¦
@artysanmobile: A new member has just arrived at the audio power rating dance. RMS, average, music, peak, max? Say hello to fleeting.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @artysanmobile: As an average kind of guy you can probably guess where I stand on this. But I have my complications.
@nabman_: I'm here for Betty's sarcasm. š
@1loveMusic2003: Those glasses look cool. Great video.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @1loveMusic2003: Tigerspecs.co.uk
@teashea1: NS10's - in the running for the worst speakers ever made.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @teashea1: Or the best. It depends on your type of use and what you want to get out of them. NS10 M Studio by the way. Theyāre different.
@ac81017 replies to @teashea1: @AudioMasterclass Could you do a video on Studio monitor speakers? I'm an audiophile and musician, and i don't get the point of small studio monitors compared to Big studio monitor like your 801's or my Tannoy FSM which really sound amazing. Those small boxes just sound flat and lifeless . Cheers.
@Alien-Intelligence-Agency: Im just a nosey git !! always looking to learn :)
@jondu-sud274 replies to @Alien-Intelligence-Agency: Me too
@Douglas_Blake_579: Hey David ...
"Don't let the bastards wear you down" ... Indeed! My favourite bit of pseudo Latin.
Just one thought, about using the rear power switch all the time: Current Inrush
When you turn off the AC power to a device, all the capacitors inside will discharge to zero in a couple of minutes. Then when you turn the AC back on, they all -- including the big bulk caps -- need to be recharged at the same time. This can result in a brief surge of current many times the normal consumption of the device; sometimes 10x or more. Although it is short lived, the "microdamage" to rectifiers and transformers is done and each new inrush event is going to add to it until eventually the device's power supply will fail.
The front panel "deep sleep" function is designed to mitigate this by leaving the power supply on all the time and keeping those big nasty cans of electricity fully charged and ready to go. Thus giving you only one inrush event, when you first plug the unit in.
Does this affect a device's lifetime? Yes it does. I've had problems with equipment being turned on and off all the time lasting less than half of it's expected lifetime. This is particularly prevalent in PCs where the owner is using the "babysitter switch" on the back rather than doing soft-off shutdowns. Those power supplies are often failing in less than a year, when they would otherwise be expected to last ten.
Plug the thing in, turn the rear power switch on, and leave it on... turn it "on" and "off" using the front panel switch.
We can have the whole "power switch on the volume control" discussion another time.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @Douglas_Blake_579: Certainly if you have a studio and youāve just paid $200,000 for a mixing console then you switch it on and leave it on for all the reasons youāve listed and probably more. For stuff in my home Iām a āswitch it off at the mainsā kind of guy if Iām not being lazy, but I may open the topic for discussion in a future video.
@Douglas_Blake_579 replies to @Douglas_Blake_579: @AudioMasterclass
The damage it does is real.
Over the years I've torn down a few power supplies and almost always it's the rectifier diodes that fail, because of repeated over-current pulses.
Granted, newer power supplies, especially smps, incorporate a soft-start circuit with a resistor in the input line and a relay to trip once the voltages settle in... but then it's usually the resistor that fails.
This, btw, is one of the reasons service techs use "dim bulb" tests when first firing up equipment in unknown conditions. You can see the inrush because the bulb will glow brightly at first then dim down in a few seconds. (It's when the bulb doesn't dim that we worry)
I agree this would be a good topic to delve into. Most people are completely unaware of it... but it does affect their devices.
@78sound: I like your unboxing music. Do you like kraftwerk?
@AudioMasterclass replies to @78sound: Seeing as I live within earshot of an Autobahn I think maybe I shouldnāt risk it.
@stevengagnon4777 replies to @78sound: āāā@AudioMasterclass Fortunately I have a copy of thier third album simply entitled Ralf and Florian , thank you Marnie ... I still have it. It's a real gem and certainly my favorite . It's more on the line of the second side of Autobahn , which I play often too. Yeah they took a different direction afer Autobahn . Personally I only listen to the first four albums and the first three are rare to find (at least here in the USA, still looking for hard copies of I and II ) . Just mentioning this for anyone that doesn't know their early works and might be interested in something different. A new release on CDs would be nice, my copy has been placed well over a hundred times. Have a wonderful day. Oh yeah Autobahn would do well for unpacking.
@stevengagnon4777 replies to @78sound: I do like the first four albums.
@rienpost replies to @78sound: @AudioMasterclass Any railway stations nearby?
@vZwicky: Betty and Debbie are deliciously creepy, having not yet fully emerged from the Uncanny Valley. Iām fairly certain this is intentional and Iām here for it.
@artysanmobile replies to @vZwicky: @vZwicky Their synchronized cackle lowered my testosterone.
@triton1861: ŠŠ»Š°Š³Š¾Š“Š°ŃŃ Š·Š° Š¾Š±Š·Š¾Ńš
@AudioMasterclass replies to @triton1861: Youāre welcome.