Aiyima A07

Aiyima A07 Review

Note: This is an old review copied over to this new website.

This is such a fantastic Amp - this was the first truely “pragmatic’ audio device that I bought in probably 10 years, a total bargain with quality sound.

Why Upgrade

This a quality amp at a super reasonable price. I was looking for a good amp for my next upgrade in my working from home office.

I was a bit skeptical that this would not live up to some of the hype I read about it. Specifically, this is the darling of the budget audiophile community on AudioScienceReview, youtube and Reddit but given the price and how I wanted to setup the audio in my working area I went for it.

Working from home during the pandemic has made me appreciate good audio that is simple to use and quick to launch and while previously I had gone for an Bluetooth Amp ( the Aiyima A05 ) for this latest upgrade in my main daily working space, I decided I wanted to use a Raspberry PI “network streamer” running Volumio initially with my old floorstanding Castle Speakers but then I upgraded them to the Q Acoustics 3020i. Both speakers sounded amazing with this amplifier and I could really feel the clean “power” that this provided compared to the earlier A05 that I had previously

These speakers deserve some power and this Aiyima has the right specs for the job.

Measurements:

A review on AudioScienceReview finally convinced me that I should upgrade. This is the review: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/aiyima-a07-tpa3255-review-amplifier.18984/

This review made me realise that I could get “audiophile” level quality at a reasonable price with just the right features for me. Hence it was the first “pragmatic audio” device I have bought. Here are Amir key measurements:

With a SINAD of 83 it is far from the best amplifiers but this SINAD score is good enough to be “transparent” to most normal humans where any improvements in this score only mean better engineering and are effectively inaudible.

Load dependency on TPA 3255 ampfliers:

But the review did highlight something that is still a problem for these TPA3255 amplifiers, specifically load dependencies where the frequency response isn’t flat at all frequencies e.g.

The roll off especially in higher frequencies i.e. > 10K can be audible and depending on the speaker connected to the Amp this change in frequency response maybe either go down or go up considerable (causing the speaker to be very bright).

Some tone controls or obviously some EQ can “fix” the issue but obviously it would be better not to have this issue.

Features and specifications:

This Amplifier proves you don’t need lots of “features” so its best feature is probably its simplicity.

• Chipset:
  The core of the A07 is the Texas Instruments TPA3255, a high-performance class-D power amplifier that allows the A07 to deliver a clear and powerful audio output.
• Power Output: It offers up to 300W of power per channel at a 4-ohm impedance, which is quite substantial for its size. At an 8-ohm impedance, the power output is around 150W per channel.
• Efficiency: Class-D amplifiers are known for their efficiency, and the A07 is no exception. It boasts a high level of efficiency, which means it generates less heat and consumes less power compared to class A/B amplifiers.
• Design: The A07 comes in a compact, sleek, aluminum enclosure which not only provides excellent heat dissipation but also gives it an aesthetic that suits modern living spaces or work areas.
• Connectivity: It includes multiple input options such as RCA for analog input and Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless connectivity, making it versatile for various audio setups.
• Controls: It has simple controls for volume and power.

Pros:

1. Very powerful and accurate sound for size and especially for the price. While It can’t get to 300W with the supplied power supply, it was easily able to drive these speakers to a level that would annoy my neighbours if I wanted.
2. While I am no audiophile the sound was clear even at very loud volumes and I got an impressive sound stage with the setup (and it brought out good bass from the Castle speakers).
3. The 3.5mm ‘audio’ output connector can actually be used as an second input
4. The volume knob feels like quality (as does the whole device really) really well put together
5. No clicking (which I believe can happen with these desktop amps) when turned on or off

Some room for improve (very minor really)

1. Given that the 3.5 mm can be used for input as well as the RCA inputs its a shame they don’t have a simple input selector - but both work and I imagine as long as both don’t get input at the same time I imagine it won’t cause any leakage between the inputs
2. While its bigger than the previous bluetooth desktop amp I purchased - its still needs a bit of care plugging everything into the back to avoid interference as there isn’t much space
3. Its a pity Aiyama don’t have options for different power supply on Amazon as I might have paid a bit extra for an even more powerful power supply

Back of the A07 is still very tight:

Rating

I initial gave this a pragmatic rating of 5 but I have recently lowered the ranking, not because this is suddently a bad amplifier but I have gotten newer similar amplifier’s like the Fosi Audio V3 and the Aiyima A07 MAX have both taken the crown from the A07 as they are slightly better and still reasonably priced.

Summary

Overall I am now very happy with my Volumio RaspberryPI streamer plugged into this Desktop Amp feeding my new 3020i speakers - feels like a great bargain upgrade to enhance the music in my working area.