Dayton Audio DTA-1 Class T Digital AC/DC Amplifier 15 WPC

I have been looking for some time for a small portable amplifier to power two small speakers that I installed on my power wheelchair. I came across this amplifier after searching everywhere for an amplifier that could power regular speakers using a small mp3 player. When this item arrived, my first impression was that maybe I wasted my money. The amplifier is much smaller than it appears in the pictures. I thought for sure that with it being so small, it was probably just a gimmick item like the little amplifier one might find in tiny portable speakers. The amplifier was perhaps just a little bigger than two decks of cards. Assuming that I had wasted my money, I set it aside for a while and almost forgot about it when my sister dropped by to ask me for some help in hooking up speakers to her laptop computer to use at her daughters birthday party. My sister had rented a hall and had wanted to use her laptop for the music. Not understanding anything about the poor sound quality of a low-end laptop computer, she brought over her laptop and these two gigantic speakers that were originally out of a movie theater. I first tried some amplified computer speakers I had thinking that there was no way to power gigantic speakers with a little low-end laptop computer. As expected, the sound was not great using the computer speakers which were amplified. Then, just out of curiosity, I hooked up this little Dayton Audio DTA-1 Amplifier. I couldn't believe it. Not only did it power these two gigantic speakers (out of a laptop headphone jack no less), it had tremendous sound quality. The volume was very good... loud enough that I only had it at half volume... more than loud enough to use to power the speakers for DJ at this kid's Disco Birthday party. I am now thinking about getting another amp for my home computer system. I can't wait to plug it into my wheelchair's speakers... I might move my chair by sound alone LOL. I like that this allows using both battery and plug in power. It has fantastic sound quality. It has clips for hooking standard speaker wire. Includes small cable for hooking to headphone jack. You might need somesort of converter if plan to use for an Ipod. Overall... it was worth the price and seems to be a great product. One drawback to this amplifier is its battery case. It is a pain to insert the batteries.

Our house has speakers built into the ceiling of the bathroom, installed by the former owners. I decided that since they exist, we should make use of them. I bought the Dayton Audio DTA-1 after reading about how Class T amps deliver sound that doesn't seem possible for their size and price and for the amount of heat that is (not) generated by the amp. Class T amps are extremely efficient, hence much less waste heat. When I took it out of the box, i was skeptical. This thing weighs almost nothing and has a pretty minimal plastic housing that is attractive but pretty cheap. All doubts were laid to rest when I hooked this thing up, though. Given the sound it is capable of producing, I almost LIKE that it feels so chintzy because I'm reminded of what a bargain it is! Setup: I used an Apple Airport Express base station for the audio gateway from my iPhone. Airport Expresses are actually routers but you can configure them to connect to another, non-Apple wifi network in "client mode" for this purpose - and also sharing hard drives, printers. This is a setup I highly recommend as it is very discrete and gives you almost unlimited options of source content in the palm of your hand (there's an app for everything - internet radio, itunes, the Remote app, etc. etc.). You get total control over the volume, etc. from your iPhone. There is a 3.5mm jack on the Airport Express that connects to the DTA-1 using a supplied (though short) cable. When you are listening to audio on your iPhone (or iTouch), there is a small icon in most audio apps that lets you stream audio to any "Airplay devices" that it finds on your network (Airport Express being one, Apple TV being another - also fantastic with video too!) over your wifi network. Excellent, excellent technology. The sound quality is even very good! Back to the amp's performance: This little amp output sound that was warm with clear crisp highs and tight bass. It isn't going to go up against high end audio equipment but for the price and size, it is absolutely incredible! You get decent volume, though you can't get rock concert levels out of it. This should go without saying, as it is rated at 15 watts/channel. When no signal is being output but the amp is on, it is dead silent. I think this is due to the Class T and Class D's chip architecture - it is either on or off. An added bonus is that you can load this thing up with batteries and it goes mobile. I have no desire to do this but it is a cool trick. I didn't try it so I can't speak to how it sounds when on battery power. It uses 8, 1.5 volt batteries for 12 volts total, which is what it gets from the included wall wart power supply so I don't imagine it would be any different - at least while the batteries have plenty of juice left. Overall, this little amp is a steal for adding an additional zone to your audio system. It won't hold up driving your main speaker setup but, as many of the other review say, if you have reasonably efficient speakers, you'll get a LOT of good sound from a tiny and extremely cheap package. As a side note, I also bought an Audiosource AMP-100 for two additional zones (it has "Speaker A" and "Speaker B" switches) and this little amp sounds about as good as the AMP-100 when driving one set of speakers. It is 3x the price, many times the size and likely uses more juice as it is Class A vs. the DTA-1's Class T. I wish I'd bought two more DTA-1s instead of one AMP-100. PS: Sorry for being an Apple fanboy. The Airport express setup is such a good match for this product, so I included the setup prominently in the review. UPDATE: I loved this little amp when it worked but alas, it died on me. It lasted 1 year 5 months. I had it running a pair of speakers in the ceiling of the bathroom. It got used every single day... I listen to podcasts in the shower. It was well away from the shower and while there was moisture, it couldn't have gotten that much. Also, when I was trying to troubleshoot it when it died, I wanted to rule out the power supply. To do this, I tried putting batteries in it. FAIL! I didn't actually get to try it because the way the battery compartment is designed, you have to basically rip off the spring contacts from the top row of batteries to get the bottom row in. (8 batteries... 4 on the bottom, 4 stacked on top.) It sounds trivial but it really makes it almost impossible to put batteries in the damn thing and make sure all 8 springs are in tact. If you plan on using batteries to run this thing, look elsewhere.

Somewhat Relevant Background Info: My family has an old sony receiver for the family room. Every powered channel (not the subwoofer output) stopped working. I opened it up and everything seemed fine except for the fuses between the main laminated core transformer and the main bridge rectifier. I replaced the fuses with the same type and rating but they kept blowing up. I think the bridge rectifier is broken and is somehow creating a short circuit. I don't know for sure because I haven't tried replacing it yet. Because of this, I had the opportunity to bring our family room's speakers (a pair of Niles CTRBx center channel speakers)in our computer room for near-field, on-axis listening. They're huge on desktop. Both of my parents (I am a highschooler at the time of this review.), immediately complained but when my dad heard one of the best speakers in the house near-field he stopped. My mom still complains but hey, my dad is still on my side. Once we get an amp(either the smsl sa50 or a refurb receiver from accessories4less) for the family room its over. I'll just save up for a used niles ctrbx (We have 3 of them. To make two stereo sets i only need one more. That way, I know i won't need to buy a separate subwoofer when i get a job. Actual Review for the Dayton DTA-1 (Sonic T-amp clone): Build I was extremely surprised how small and light it is. This is my first t-amp. Its so cute. The overall build quality is good. Unlike most t-amps, it has a 3.5m trs input instead of a set of rca jacks. The spring clips on the back are annoying because they don't take low gauge (thick) wire. The on and off mechanism seems like it will get loose over time but i can't say for sure because I've only owned this for a few weeks. Installing the batteries in the compartment is a pain. The blue LED needs to be covered with tape or some black sharpie. This along with the sub-bass roll off took off a star. Power http://www.datasheetcatalog.com/datasheets_pdf/T/A/2/0/TA2024.shtml I don't have any equipment to measure it but the datasheet for the IC should be a good estimate. At 8 ohms, it should output around 5 clean watts per channel. This is more than enough for near-field and enough to fill small-medium sized rooms as long as your speakers aren't insanely insensitive (under 86db at 1 meter with one watt). You'll probably have trouble with larger rooms unless your speakers have an insanely high sensitivity over 96db. If you'd like a rough estimate of how loud it will get in your listening environment, definitely check out the link below. http://myhometheater.homestead.com/splcalculator.html With battery power, it can get pretty loud (the speakers i used to test this amp have a sensitivity of 90db) but that will drop along with the batteries' voltage. I don't have any hard numbers but reduced output is guaranteed because its a 12vdc 2 amp wall-wart vs 8 aa batteries. It doesn't have an absolutely silent turn on but it does have some kind of initial pop protection. Its certainly better than nothing *Cough* Lepai *Cough* *Cough* Audio quality There is a bit of a sub bass roll off starting at around 60hz-70hz compared to the av receiver we were using. Input decoupling and power supply decoupling capacitor upgrades are pretty popular for this amp. http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/class-d/50870-sonic-impact-5066-parts-list-modifications.html http://www.michael.mardis.com/sonic/start.html Aside from that, I have no complaints, even when comparing it with full size av receivers. Its pretty much neutral as far as i can tell. The soundstage and imaging is very good with anime and music. If the sub-bass roll off bothers you, try out an eq. EqualizerAPO is a great system-wide for windows. You have to edit a .txt file and follow a certain format to use it properly. http://sourceforge.net/p/equalizerapo/wiki/Configuration%20reference/ Capriccio and onkyo hf player are good ones for IOS. I'm sure you can find something on the android play store. My top 10 anime: 1. Steins;Gate 2. Code Geass 3. Angel Beats 4. Psychopass 5. No Game No Life (Beware of Ecchi... If you don't know what "ecchi" is, you'll find out within the first 30 seconds of the anime) 6. The Devil is a Part Timer 7. Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood 8. Death Note/AOT 9. Sakurasou no pet na kanojo 10.Plastic nee-san Should you binge on all of them this summer? Anime is not a one size fits all type thing. Go talk to someone who knows you well and watches a lot of anime. I'm sure they'll be glad to help you as long as you don't mention "One Piece", "Fairy Tail", "Bleach" "Naruto", etc...

This amp is amazing, both for the price and the size (and the battery-powered feature). I bought it to power a pair of Dayton DAEX25 Sound Exciters, and it is great for that purpose. But it is capable of much more. I have connected it to my Klipsch bookshelf speakers (SB-1s), and the sound quality is excellent. With a good, sensitive pair of speakers like the Klipsch, you can drive amazingly loud volume distortion free. I have even connected this baby to a pair of Peavey-12 PA/DJ-style speakers (while running on batteries), and the output is astonishing. The volume was easily adequate for a serious event, though I can't vouch for the battery life. The one complaint about this product is that it is EXTREMELY hard to get the batteries in properly. However, I'm not sure how many people will use it in a mobile application, so I gave it five stars anyway for great performance, power and price. If you plan to regularly use this on battery power, you might want to see if there are other options or be prepared for a major hassle every time you have to change the batteries.

This amplifier is an outstanding product which can run 5-10 hours off 8 AA batteries and sound great the whole time it is doing it. Don't let the power rating fool you - while this won't be able to supply the power for an outdoor rock concert, it is plenty of sound in normal size rooms with typical speakers. The best aspect of this product is that you can save the money you would have spent on a larger amplifier/receiver and put it towards better speakers from a real hifi company. It would be excellent for a computer speaker setup or a portable battery powered music system running off your cell phone/mp3 player. I personally use it with a pair of Paradigm Mini Monitor speakers, which are very high quality speakers, and the amp drives them wonderfully and louder than I could possibly want it. The only minor annoyance I have with the amp is that it is difficult to insert the batteries, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to do so and I use it off AC power most of the time anyway. At the price this is selling for, I'm nonetheless glad that my money went towards sound quality, as an easier to use battery box may have made the amp physically larger and cost more, which would sort of defeat the purpose. Anyone thinking of buying upgraded speakers for their living room TV, I'd recommend skipping the everything-in-one-box systems from the major retailers and simply get two quality bookshelf speakers and this amp. You'll be much happier in the long run and you'll probably even pay less money.

The Dayton Audio 30W amplifier is small portable amplifier that is rated at 30W @ 15W per channel. The true output is closer to 9W/channel at 0.04% total distortion. For those who are not familiar with power settings on amplifiers - what does that mean... it means that you are able to power a nice set of book-shelf speakers and completely fill the room with sound. I bought the Dayton Amplifier to power some surface transducer speakers - mainly as a way to play around and build some speakers (See an example in the video portion of the review). While my speaker experiment was not overly successful I can still say that it was not because of the amp. The Dayton Audio 30W amp delivers impressive sound out of a small (portable package). One thing to consider, since this amplifier accepts aux inputs as the source you can use the Dayton Amplifier and a pair of bookshelf speakers and get sound that is superior to most ipod docks - at a fraction of the cost. A few notes - The Dayton Amplifier can use 8 AA batteries allowing it to provide power without being tethered to a wall outlet. - Will only accept an aux. input - the only way to use standard RCA inputs (or any other type of input) is to use a splitter or Aux-to-RCA connection. - The blue light on the front is bright and a little annoying. - Two channels - each accepting thin gauge speaker wire - Dial on the front for volume control Final Verdict - I am impressed with the Dayton Audio 30W amplifier. It can serve many purposes, but it certainly can make an impressive power source for a ipod speaker system. Definitely recommended. 4 1/2 Stars

I read amazingly enthusiastic reviews of this amp and the Sonic Impact it's based on. My experience was less exciting. I am using it as a temporary solution for a living-room music system while I'm on assignment away from home, and at least for the speakers I have (infinity bookshelfs) it is no replacement for a traditional amp. There is basically no bottom to the sound: it's all treble and midrange. In this product category, I had much better experience back home with a NuForce Icon amp. It sounds *much* better -- really a viable replacement for a traditional amp -- and has better fit and finish. The basic NuForce Icon costs closer to $200 (though you can get refurbs for cheaper on occasion), but it's worth it. And for a bit more money they sell one with a built-in USB DAC. Having a good DAC is really useful, because it allows you to use rock-bottom computer equipment (like a netbook) as your music hub without sacrificing sound quality: you hook up digitally via USB, not via the cheap headphone jack. In all, this Dayton is not bad for the price, but don't expect much.

For years I have read the reviews about some of these extremely low priced Chinese integrated T amplifiers running on Class D circuitry and wondered how good they could really be for such little money. After purchasing this amp and a Lepai 2020A for about $50 the pair, I am astounded at how good these amplifiers sound. I am using them with a 25 year old pair of Linn Kan I bookshelf speakers, which are not particularly efficient (85 DB @ 1 watt efficiency), yet the midrange is quite good with both of these little paperweight-conversation piece- amplifiers. Where they are lacking is in the bass. However, with a more efficient bookshelf speaker with a small woofer and rating of 90 DB or better at 1 watt, I am sure that the bass response in these amplifiers would be more significant. As it is, both the Lepai 2020A and the Dayton DTA-1 are so good for what they are, that I doubt that you will find a better integrated amplifier at their respective prices, regardless of how long you shop for an affordable mini amplifier. I have a number of high end audio amplifiers (both solid state and vacuum tube), which can better the Lepai 20/20A or the Dayton DTA-1. However, these amps cost in the thousands of dollars, and the sonic differences, while noticeable, do not justify the fact that these amplifiers are 40 - 50 times the price. The fact is that these little T Class amplifiers offer near audiophile quality for the price of a few pizzas. If they last longer than a year or two, they must be considered an even more extraordinary value than they already are. My only concern is that with the economy in the United States being what it is, why are we not building components like these and enhancing our own economy instead of another country's? Highly recommended!

I bought it in 2018 and it still goes strong in 2021, never had any trouble with it, I easily replaced my old Stereo System from the 90s, never makes any loud noises and the sound is crisp and clean totally would recommend it. Also I like how it's designed, looks very nice.

出先で鳴らしたいスピーカーがあったため格安アンプを探してAmazonで購入しました。 乾電池で駆動でき、コンパクトで平ぺったいのでさっと持ち出せるため、家の中のスピーカーのチェックや出先でスピーカーを鳴らしたい時にちょくちょく持ち出して使っております。音もなかなか良いですし、パワーも十分です。購入して３年、いつの間にかこういう使い方をしておりました。メインのアンプとしては使っていないけど、手元にあれば便利なアンプです。

El DTA-1 es un pequeño amplificador de audio digital de clase T. Viene bien empacado, incluye el amplificador, un cable para conexión stereo de 3.5 mm, una fuente de poder de 12 v con adaptador europeo y americano y un pequeño manual. La conexión de línea es muy sencilla, solo soporta una entrada de 3.5 en la parte posterior. Ahí mismo es posible conectar las bocinas a los conectores de clip. Cabe mencionar que no le puse 5 estrellas justo por la calidad de los conectores. El frente del amplificador solo cuenta con un control de apagado/encendido/volumen muy sencillo. El led azul de encendido es muy fuerte, habrá quién desee taparlo. En cuanto al sonido, es capaz de entregar una salida teórica de 15 watts por canal a 4 ohm, esto quiere decir que usando unas bocinas de 6 u 8 ohms se tiene menos potencia. El sonido es bueno y cristalino. Los amplificadores de clase T tienen la ventaja de entregar buena calidad de audio en un espacio reducido. Se escuchan mejor que los amplificadores de los años 70 y 80. El DTA-1 Tiene potencia suficiente para llenar con sonido una habitación pequeña a mediana. Inicialmente probé el amplificador con unas bocinas Dayton Audio B652-air y no me convenció mucho por la falta de bajo, sin embargo al conectar unas bocinas de piso Pioneer el equipo se escuchó mucho mejor. No se le puede exigir demasiado volumen sin esperar falta de distorsión, sin embargo por precio y portabilidad (se puede usar con 8 baterias AA) creo que es una buena opción para armar un equipo stereo con un presupuesto limitado. Si desean más potencia y rendimiento (a un costo mucho mayor) recomiendo el amplificador de la misma marca Dayton Audio DTA-120 el cual entrega 60 watts por canal.

Doesn't look like much but drives a couple old 5.2 Ohm speakers like a champ. Crisp sound at any volume; no hums, hisses, or other artifacts that I can detect. Great buy.

No need to buy expensive amplifier. Dayton produces great sound for a reasonable price.