SMSL SA50 50Wx2 TDA7492 T-AMP Hi-fi Digital Power Amplifier + Power Adapter - Silver

I don't smoke mind you, but the comparison to a couple packs of cigarettes isn't far off from accurate.If your music/amplifier needs have moved away from enormous receivers that hog desk space, to wanting a compact amplifier with built-in volume control (but no tone controls) this is a little gem. Emphasis on LITTLE. Sound quality matches the quality of my NAD gear, but uses much less power and generates so little heat you don't have to stress about blocking air vent holes (there are none) or covering it up (my mail is sitting in mine and it is still cool to the touch). And of course this is a lot easier to make space for, whether on a dressing table in a bedroom, on a night stand, next to your computer, etc.The only disadvantage is it has only one input source, via dual RCA jacks like on the back of a conventional receiver. So you won't be hooking up both a CD player and iPod Touch and computer output at the same time. You can hook up a Roku, which has L/R outputs, but you can't hookup an Apple TV, which has HDMI out. So you don't buy an amp like this to be a Swiss Army knife of features, you buy it for clean, cheap sound - SO much cleaner, better, louder than typical computer speaker solutions. Pairing this with a set of approximately $50 (a pair!)  Dayton Audio B652 6-1/2-Inch 2-Way Bookshelf Speaker Pair  and running your headphone output through this SMSL amp will produce GREAT computer monitor sound.SMSL, like many of the "newer" Tripath amp makers out of China, is using good quality capacitors and resistors. There isn't any power on "pop", or crackling from the volume control as you run it up and down. There is no audible noise if you crank up the volume control when there is no input connected. The unit feels quality through out; unlike the little power on toggle switches that can wobble a little from side to side, this one has a power button (not a cheap rocker switch). This is rated at more power than you typically get from a compact Tripath design, but as usual the rating is at a higher level of distortion - read the specs carefully, and make sure you have speakers with 87db or better efficiency. You will get plenty of volume near-field for computer use, you will get plenty of volume for room listening - but you won't have enough volume to rock a noisy party.Most of my online video watching is, by necessity (my kids hog the flatscreen), on my computer monitor. I use a Topping with built-in power supply to drive Ascend SE170's in the den. I use this SMSL in the bedroom with my iPod Touch as a source and Hsu bookshelf speakers as the output. I use OnCue Pro to put together on the fly music lists for the iPod, since Apple iTunes doesn't seem to do this easily. Both Tripath (the chip design ) amps are clean and have punchy, detailed bass. These amps aren't designed to drive inefficient speaker at high volumes, but they work well with most bass-reflex (vent hole in the front or back) bookshelf speaker. The very popular Dayton bookshelves are sealed, but so small they don't demand much power.The reason I got the big Topping was that it has a built-in power supply. I worry about the quality of the power supply on some inexpensive Tripath amps. The SMSL. compared to other compact, external power supply Tripath design amps, has a very beefy, nearly 100 watt output power brick - 4.5 amps at 24 volts (note that you should NOT use this power brick on other Tripaths, which usually take 12-14 volts). Most other external power supply amps have from 24 to 36 watts, so that is a big difference.I recommend these speaker cables with built-in banana plugs on both ends:  C2G / Cables to Go 29176 10 feet/3.04 Meters Velocity 12 AWG Speaker Cable Blue . I use them with the SMSL and the Hsu's. The built in banana plugs make hook up to both amp and speakers super easy and not a all risky (no risk of a stray wire touching the opposite terminal) (if you use zip cord, the SMSL has holes in the posts under the banana plug connectors for easy hookup).For inputting audio from the mini-jack line out on the iPod to the dual RCA inputs on the amp (which I do in the bedroom) I recommend the  Mediabridge - 3.5mm Male To (2) RCA Stereo Audio Cable - (6 Feet) - Step Down Design accommodates iPhone, iTouch, SmartPhones & MP3 cases  since this brand will connect to your iPod even through an a bulkier iPod case - something the shorter (and handier, and cheaper)  Hosa Cable CMR203 Stereo 1/8 Inch to Dual RCA Adapter Cable - 3 Foot  won't do. MediaBridge even makes a 25 foot version if you want a long run for the iPod to amp distance - but I think shorter may be better.Note there is only a single input source, and no selector on the SMSL amp itself. You can use a cable splitter so you can input a second source without having to hook up and disconnect cables. I don't find it necessary since I like selecting songs from multiple CD's, not listening to a single CD - and an iPod has the flexibility to do both, a CD player only the flexibility to do one.So what it has: RCA input (L/R); speaker cable output, via loose wire (through hole in post) or banana plug. Volume control.What it doesn't have: no tone controls (use your iPod equalizer if you want); no headphone output; no subwoofer output. No HDMI or optical or coax input. No DAC (Topping has one that can replace the DAC on your computer with an external DAC). Macs have good internal DAC's; iPod's typically sound great. Most users don't need these features (if you want headphones, just plug directly into your iPod).

Well I read about the now famous, dirt-cheap Lepai amp in a Cnet review some time back. I was curious how it would perform on small bookshelf speakers connected to my pc (via various dacs I own). So I checked Amazon, which steered me to the Topping brand. It cost more but was worth it according to the reviews (I checked various models but lump them together). Then I found this SMSL amp. Not many reviews but it has more power than the Topping models I was considering.I thought I'd give it a try. I was blown away! Very clean, crisp power. I don't know the real world specs but it sounds as good as the Audioengine N22 in my opinion; and for less than half the price. I don't own Topping or Lepai so I can't compare them. I can say the fit and finish is very good. It looks high end. Not cheap.I'd recommend this amp for phones, MP3 players, PC's, Sonos, etc. I doubt it puts out clean power into 8 ohms at 50 watts average at low distortion but it's good enough. I don't know if it's stable into 4 ohms but my guess is yes.My main gripes are that the power brick is almost as big as the amp and the DC connector sticks out a bit... Like it wasn't specifically designed for the unit (which I'm sure it wasn't).Otherwise, this is a very capable, clean amp for smaller, efficient bookshelf speakers.

I bought this amp to drive some outdoor speakers. It will be perfect for that application. The aluminum case, volume knob, and power button have a nice quality feel to them. The bass and mids sound good, while the treble is decent yet lacking in clarity in comparison to my Tripath amplifier. 4 1/2 stars for presentation, and 3 1/2 for sound.I bought this amp wanting to try the TDA7492 class D amplifier chip. I had initially decided on the PartsExpress / Sure Electronics 2x50w amplifier board, but after considering the added cost of power supply, and lack of volume knob, I went with the SMSL for about the cost of the Sure amp board and power supply. That's right, for a comparable price you gain the volume knob, power switch, and a nice looking case.I have a Dayton DTA-1 (Tripath amplifier) driving some Infinity Primus 6.5" bookshelf speakers (P163s, fairly sensitive at 90dB @1W,1m) and had to compare the two amps. For the SMSL, power-on was quiet, but right away I noticed an elevated noise floor in absence of source. The noise continued into quiet portions of music, but was not distracting at moderate or strong program levels. The SMSL is significantly more powerful than the Dayton (which is expected given its rating of 50W RMS vs 15 for the Dayton). The bass was stronger and the midrange seemed a little "warmer" than the Dayton, but for percussion there was a lack of detail and clarity that I have become accustomed to hearing from these speakers. My 2-way Yamaha outdoor speakers will appreciate the extra power of the SMSL, and won't miss the clarity of the Dayton since they don't exhibit the same clarity as my Infinity speakers when driven by the Dayton amp.See my images for a peek at the internals. As Adam says below, there are 3x2200uF filter capacitors = 6600uF.

sound is clear and clean.Powerful for its size. I use it to hook with a pair of bookshelf and a subwoofer. the sound fills a large living room easily with decent quality. no obvious distortion even in high volume. Even compared to a high-end amp, this little guy is mighty.

Excellent price for a really powerful little bit of kit!

for such a small size and small price - really good and powerful amplifier, bought two of these

Awesome, knob was flimsy though.

this amp is overkill for my current 2.0 setup but it is a very nice build quality.