Audio Alchemy DPA-1M monoblock power amplifier Specifications

Sidebar 1: Specifications

Description: Solid-state, class-D, monoblock power amplifier. Inputs: 1 pair balanced (XLR), 1 pair single-ended (RCA), 3.5mm trigger. Outputs: 2 pairs five-way binding posts. Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz, ±0.25dB. Output power (0.1% THD+N, 1kHz): 325W into 8 ohms, 400W into 4 ohms. Nominal THD+N (1W into 8 ohms): 0.05%. Signal/noise (1kHz): 100dB, unweighted. Input impedance: 100k ohms. Output impedance: 0.06 ohm. Channel separation (1kHz): 80dB. Gain: 20 or 26dB, switchable.
Dimensions: 10.4" (267mm) W by 3" (76mm) H by 11.5" (295mm) D. Weight: 16.1 lbs (7.3kg).
Finish: Silver.
Serial numbers of units reviewed: 10016010044,10016010045 (auditioning), 10016050098 (measuring).
Price: $3990/pair. Approximate number of dealers: 14. Warranty: 2 years, parts & labor.
Manufacturer: Audio Alchemy LLC, 7960 Pearl Street, Ventura, CA 91320. Tel: (805) 794-2418. Web: www.audioalchemy.com.

COMPANY INFO
Audio Alchemy LLC
7960 Pearl Street
Ventura, CA 91320
(805) 794-2418
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
funambulistic's picture

To me, that was what AA was - innovative products at (reasonably) affordable prices, which is just like the new Schiit. They had an extensive line of kit, ranging from quite affordable to just out of reach (by my financial standards). I had an AA DLC (Digital Line Converter) and it was the best pre-amp I have ever owned. Congrats to the new AA but their prices are gradually becoming too dear. Stick to the basics, AA, and give us those those affordable products!

Anton's picture

Dude, that is the new 'affordable!'

;-D

georgehifi's picture

Att JA:
Please go back to showing what coming out of the output with the square wave shots as you normally do with Class D, instead of filtering it all out???? As what you've shown, this is not what gets to the speakers and i think is a bit misleading?

Quote JA: "I used, ahead of the analyzer, an Audio Precision AUX-0025 passive low-pass filter, which eliminates noise above 200kHz that would otherwise contaminate the measurements; for the 1kHz output power tests, I also used a 20kHz brickwall low-pass filter."

Cheers George

John Atkinson's picture
georgehifi wrote:
Please go back to showing what coming out of the output with the square wave shots as you normally do with Class D, instead of filtering it all out????

The only difference is that the tops and bottoms of the squarewave are obscured by HF noise, the level of which I still mention in the text. See, for example, fig.13 at http://www.stereophile.com/content/bel-canto-design-black-amplification-system-measurements. If I filter the noise, you can then see overshoot and ringing, when it exists, which I think more significant.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

georgehifi's picture

I find it more informative to see the HF noise on the square wave, this then gives me an indication of how good the manufacturers filtering is, as it's shown now it say nothing, because it's not the real thing.

Cheers George

dce22's picture

In ucd and ncore design it's the same squarewave + 400khz 350milivolt RMS sinewave added nothing special.

On the 7th page (the last page) you can see UCD switchmode signal on high bandwith analog scope that can capture couple Mhz more than AP can and on the 6th page you can see bad Class D that pollute the airwaves
http://www.hypex.nl/docs/appnotes/EMI_appnote.pdf

The use of AUX-0025 low pass filter is not needed for measuring ucd/ncore class d(it's better not to use it the big coil of wire pickup noise and distort the signal), but you have to switch on AES17 filter so that 400khz signal not miscalibrate the AP scale.

The guy who design ucd class d does not have AUX-0025
http://repforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/topic,327.msg5253.html#msg5253

Cheers.

Les's picture

It would have been interesting to compare this to the NAD M22, which is based on the more advanced (?) nCore module. While not a monoblock and not as powerful, the M22 is at least priced accordingly (compared to the DPA-1M). I would imagine a person looking into the AA amp would also consider the NAD M22 as well...

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