Eight Audio, Hyderabad

[venkatcr]

It is in cold storage right now. I had too much of negative feedback from forum members and I have to sit back and decide on my strategy.Most probably will do it as part of new company I have set up. But it will take time as I have other priorities.

Cheers

 

[Rabepobemababe]

My email to Eight Audio:

Dear M/s. Eight Audio,

It was a pleasant surprise to know about your presence in Hyderabad. I hail from Sainikpuri, Hyderabad, and have been an audio enthusiast (I would not call myself an audiophile) for the past few decades.

Having owned Denons, NADs, Yamahas, Marantzs and even a couple of Class D amplifiers over the last two decades, (and having three different stereo setups at present), I am now looking for a sort of "custom made", "purist" stereo integrated amplifier.

I plan to use it exclusively with a CD player. Therefore, it needs to have a single set of RCA inputs without any input selector. Similarly, it needs to have a single set of speaker outputs. The speakers I would be using are monitors with ruler-flat frequency response, and I am looking at similar linearity with respect to the amplifier. The amplifier is to have no tone-controls. Its front facia is to be minimalistic, with only a single volume knob and a power switch with delay. 4 ohm and high current capability are a must, as the amplifier will be used exclusively with 4 ohm speakers. The present amplifier is a Marantz PM-66 Special Edition. Therefore, the "purist" amplifier I am dreaming of has to be better than the Marantz. In short, a good looking black-box with volume control (much akin to the "straight wire with gain" concept of an ideal amplifier). Perhaps it can be called, "Eight Audio Special Edition." It can be a dual mono, with everything from transformer to volume control separated. Perhaps you can use two of your Premium 120watts LM3886 Parallel Amplifier kits with suitable power supplies. I have no requirement for a remote-control.

Can such an amplifier be made by Eight Audio?

Regards,

Reply from Eight Audio:

Hello,

1.Amplifier box - 3500/-
2.Amp boards - lm3886 x 2nos - 3200/-
3.Low noise PSU X 2nos - 4400/-
4.toroid transformers X 2nos - 4400/-
5.Gold plated RCA - 350/-
6. Speaker terminals - 160/-
7. EMI filter 6amps - 260/-
8. Wiring and fitting charges - 800/-

Total - 17070/-
Tax 5% - 17923/-

Lead time 7days to 10days from the date of payment

My query:

What about the cost of two volume pots? Is the design a tested one in terms of biasing, offset voltage etc.?

Regards,

Reply from Eight Audio:

Yes boards are 100% tested boards and for ic's amplifiers we don't need to set the bias as this will happen internally of ic for volume controls we have 3 models

1. WL imported - 30rs each
2. Alpha imported - 180/- each
3. Alps audio grade imported - 1528/- each

Reply to another mail about the chasis looking like one imported from China:

The chassis you saw is not imported one, we make our own chassis and proudly make in india

 

[greenhorn]

their most expensive PSU board (which I assume they have billed you for) has 63V caps on it.
If you are looking for 120W, you'll need +/-35V which translates to 100V or at least 80V rating for the filter caps with a 50%margin of safety. 63 will work, but the margin of safety is a bit low in my opinion :/
hope they will be taking care of that as well :/

 

[Rabepobemababe]

LM3886 description and specifications are here:

http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/lm3886.pdf

Seems to be a favourite of DIYers.

The description on another site says, "The LM3886 is a high performance 150W Audio Power Amplifier with Mute. The performance of the audio power LM3886, say NS, utilising its Self Peak Instantaneous Temperature (Ke) (SPIKe) protection circuitry, puts in a class above discrete and hybrid amplifiers by providing an inherently, dynamically protected Safe Operating Area (SOA). The circuit needs a well regulated and filtered 28V dual power supply. If you need some more punch extend the supply voltage up to 35V."

The following seems to be a design similar to what Eight Audio advertises:

100W LM3886 Power Amplifier

The above DIY implementation uses 50V 1000uF Blackgate capacitors. The Eight Audio's "Premium 120watts LM3886 Parallel Amplifier" board too seems to be using 1000 uF 50V Samwaha capacitors.

I am guessing that Eight Audio's implementation is probably a copy of an already tested implementation, something similar to what Norge does with Rod Elliotte's designs.

Only an unbiased listening session would probably throw light on the capabilities or otherwise of this implementation.

 

[keith_correa]

With which design/s of Rod Elliott does Norge do what?

 

[captrajesh]

I happened to come to Hyderabad and called the number mentioned on few occasions but got no response. I called again a while ago and someone answered. I introduced my self and expressed my desire to sample their stuff. He said that they don't stock anything and make things on firm order online.
He sounded quite unenthusiastic! Wonder how they think of making it big with this kind of attitude!!

 

[kcnanand]

I had bought a 2 Channel "Speraker" Protection and a custom toroidal transformer with dual 22, 15 and 0-12 out. The transformer was well made with correct specifications.
The Speaker protection also functions perfectly. I had retrofitted in my old A1 amp and could not detect any coloration. (been listening to that amp for 15 years so i know the default sound).
Now i have ordered a "Hi Fi Two Band Tone Control" with inbuilt NE5532 based preamp. will post quality/result once i receive it. Planning to use it with my TA2022 based amp. currently using a Marantz based preamp from china.(J74+K170+A970+C2240 Tone plates (Marantz circuit) ).
The company seems to make items only on firm order which IMHO may be necessary due to the limited market in India

 

[venkatcr]

Reply from Eight Audio:

17K is bit too much. I am planning to visit Hyderabad and have some serious discussion with them. In the meantime, I am corresponding with designers abroad to see if I can get something done. This is going to take time, given my pressure of work.

Thanks

 

[sathiamoorthy]

He sounded quite unenthusiastic! Wonder how they think of making it big with this kind of attitude!!

If he is behaving with our moderator like this, he may shout at us :yahoo:

 

[prasad1964]

Have bought a TDA7294 stereo kit from Eight Audio yet to test it. Items looks good. Used Nichicon capacitors.

 

[prasad1964]

For Toroidal transformers Torotrans (Web: Toroidal Transformers, Toroidal Power Transformers, Manufacturer, Pune, India)
Manufacturer of Toroidal power and current transformers. Located Pune in India. Contact person Mr Mahesh.

 

[adas]

hello everybody ,
read the entire thread , my question is how do think the manufacturer will measure the Thd or the SNR for a given amplifier which ever they design .Industry standard for a measuring a audio amplifier is Audio Precision , the lowest cost for such a system is 6000$ ..... In india only one manufacturer use them that is Sonodyne and may be unisound ....For any kind of serious development a lot of instruments are required.. just assembling circuits published in the internet and play some music through it , shouldn't ever be considered as audiophile grade ....
just mt two cents ....

 

[doors666]

hello everybody ,
read the entire thread , my question is how do think the manufacturer will measure the Thd or the SNR for a given amplifier which ever they design .Industry standard for a measuring a audio amplifier is Audio Precision , the lowest cost for such a system is 6000$ ..... In india only one manufacturer use them that is Sonodyne and may be unisound ....For any kind of serious development a lot of instruments are required.. just assembling circuits published in the internet and play some music through it , shouldn't ever be considered as audiophile grade ....
just mt two cents ....

and what, that makes sonodyne audiophile? Just having an AP system also should not make your systems audiophiles. What if AP tells someone his amp is junk and he decides to still go ahead and sell it in the market.

since when did the audiophiles started going by the measurements:lol:

decent sound cards do a very reasonable job of mesuring amps.

The pcb designs do look quite ordinary though.

 

[adas]

and what, that makes sonodyne audiophile? Just having an AP system also should not make your systems audiophiles. What if AP tells someone his amp is junk and he decides to still go ahead and sell it in the market.

since when did the audiophiles started going by the measurements:lol:

decent sound cards do a very reasonable job of mesuring amps.

The pcb designs do look quite ordinary though.

Yes very true that just having a AP doesnt make the any amp audiophile grade ... but you do get a quantitative measurement of how the amp will sound and there is a lot of difference between a amp with 0.1% and 1% thd similarly SNR, cross talk , IMD ETC ETC are important. Yes the sound card based approach works no issues there , but my question is, does the manufacturer 8 audio do all these measurement ??