Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Great little Class D amp capable of driving a set of Elac Uni-Fi UB5s much louder than I can reasonably listen to them in an apartment. I didn't want to find space for a large receiver or integrated amplifier at my desk, so I took a chance on this. The STMicro TDA7498E (not TI as listed in the description) chip amp looked to meet my requirements on power and THD. After reviewing its datasheet against the popular TI TPA3116, it appeared to me as the better component. The aluminum channel enclosure is sleek and feels solid. It blends in nicely under a 27" monitor, and I appreciate the minimalism of a power switch and volume knob. I did not experience any sparking from the barrel plug. This issue appears to have been addressed with an inrush limiting circuit; on the bottom side of the board there is a TPCA8051 silkscreen designator corresponding to a FET that probably serves this purpose. Teardown photos are included. The PCBA appears to be quite well manufactured, and was clearly built on an automated line versus hand assembly. Nice to find at this price point. However, here's my one gripe as an EE that is no stranger to questioning specifications. It's disingenuous to say that this amp could deliver 160W+160W RMS. That is indeed the nominal datasheet spec for the TDA7498E, but it's only achievable under the following conditions: Vcc=36V, RL=4 Ohm, and THD=10%. The power supply shipped with this unit is only 24V, and the internal electrolytic caps are only rated to 35V. Assuming we want to stick to <1% THD with our 24V power supply and stock caps, Figure 4 in the datasheet tells us that we're able to source 60W+60W RMS into a 4 Ohm load. For 0.1% THD this figure is reduced slightly. 60W per channel is very much loud enough for my application, but it may matter to you! Overall, I'd recommend this unit.