Aiyima A07 MAX - Initial Comparison and Review

[Sharppain]

One more Q from me - if I want to swaз the op amps of Aiyima A07 Max with others, I have to change the two op amps on the right of the volume, right?
I do not see any others and I am checking to be 100% sure

 

[doug s.]

One more Q from me - if I want to swaз the op amps of Aiyima A07 Max with others, I have to change the two op amps on the right of the volume, right?
I do not see any others and I am checking to be 100% sure

yes, those be them. from aiyima (also note, they have revised the 50v caps to 63v):

i'm considering this amp over the v3 because it can be set to mono, and i will never use the volume pot, as it will be run from a preamp and always at full gain.
(pricing also seems to be a hair less, as well; i've seen these for $79 shipped, w/the 48v p/s)

doug s.

 

[Sharppain]

yes, those be them. from aiyima (also note, they have revised the 50v caps to 63v):

i'm considering this amp over the v3 because it can be set to mono, and i will never use the volume pot, as it will be run from a preamp and always at full gain.
(pricing also seems to be a hair less, as well; i've seen these for $79 shipped, w/the 48v p/s)

doug s.

Thanks for reply. I ordered it. So far I had active speakers to relax my ears from iems and headphones but now decided to try some passive. Got a vintage KEF Q15.2 and wanted to prepare a set for them.

 

[smacdab]

It never arrived

 

[]eep]

I just post this here since I couldn't find any other thread pertaining to the Aiyima amps.

AIYIMA announced a new product. I was so convinced and enthousiastic I bought a pair right away. That is nog something I usually do. I'm more the research and wait kind.

The A70 mono
Now on presale (5% discount) will ship on September 19.

Now why is it special? It has everything I want and need that no other mono amp in this price and quality category has.
True mono
PFFB
Auto off and 12v trigger
Adjustable sub out
Adjustable High Pass filtered main out!!! For small speakers/monitors
2 switchable inputs XLR and RCA
Switchable for main or subwoofer channel.
And the new styling totally flies with my new Laiv dac.

 

[jeromeoflaherty]

Yes I noticed this - looks like an amazing versatile piece of kick - but it sort of has 2 modes of operation as a mono amp for a full range speaker and as a mono amp for a subwoofer - no harm in that but some of the functionality only works with one of those modes and some with the other

 

[doug s.]

I just post this here since I couldn't find any other thread pertaining to the Aiyima amps.

AIYIMA announced a new product. I was so convinced and enthousiastic I bought a pair right away. That is nog something I usually do. I'm more the research and wait kind.

The A70 mono
Now on presale (5% discount) will ship on September 19.




Now why is it special? It has everything I want and need that no other mono amp in this price and quality category has.
True mono
PFFB
Auto off and 12v trigger
Adjustable sub out
Adjustable High Pass filtered main out!!! For small speakers/monitors
2 switchable inputs XLR and RCA
Switchable for main or subwoofer channel.
And the new styling totally flies with my new Laiv dac.

i'd advise you to cancel your order; otherwise you will be sorely disappointed when you discover your misunderstanding of aiyima's press - these amps do not have adjustable high pass filtered main outputs. which is a pity. and stupid, too...

doug s.

 

[]eep]

i'd advise you to cancel your order; otherwise you will be sorely disappointed when you discover your misunderstanding of aiyima's press - these amps do not have adjustable high pass filtered main outputs. which is a pity. and stupid, too...

doug s.

Please elaborate.
You have a pair for review?

So why the left front knob. What does it do?

 

[jeromeoflaherty]

Please elaborate.

So why the left front knob. What does it do?

I think the left knob works when you activate the subwoofer "mode" - this is why I said there is 2 modes for this amplifier

 

[]eep]

I think the left knob works when you activate the subwoofer "mode" - this is why I said there is 2 modes for this amplifier

That's the only thing I could come up with. However, the auto mode is very, very welcome. I often turn a volume knob when switching on or off and the image will shift to either side.

I think it's very strange however to make a subwoofer amp, or switchable to... Almost all subwoofer have an amp already, almost none are passive. But many, many people have small speakers.

 

[doug s.]

Please elaborate.
You have a pair for review?

So why the left front knob. What does it do?

no, i do not have a pair. but there's a discussion about these amps on asr; and it's been indicated that the front knob is for controlling the volume on a passive sub. one of the posters said he'd confirmed w/aiyima that there is no hi-pass for the main speakers - a big disappointment, imo.

for me. it's not relevant; i have an active quad-amped system. i have two aiyima a07 pro's and like them a lot. they replaced amps quite a bit more expensive than those; i like the fact that they use a fraction of the electricity when running and when on standby. the fact that they sound great doesn't hurt either.

on the amp driving my oris 150 horns, i upgraded the op-amp to akliam lc2's, a nice improvement - a bit more detail, clarity and smoothness all at the same time. i also bought a pair for the amp driving my ribbon tweeters >7khz, but didn't bother to install them, as i had to fab a cover for the amp i installed them in - they don't fit otherwise. i felt there really wasn't much happening >7khz to warrant it. maybe i can install them in a dac or a tuner? i got the amps, 48v/5a power supplies and the 2 pairs of op amps for ~$200 shipped - it was hard to resist giving them a try.

anyway, here's the asr thread i mentioned. aiyima has also posted to this thread:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/aiyima-a70-mono-leaked.56828/

and aiyima has a web page about them. not very clear, tbh...
https://www.aiyima.com/products/aiyima-a70-mono

doug s.

 

[]eep]

no, i do not have a pair. but there's a discussion about these amps on asr; and it's been indicated that the front knob is for controlling the volume on a passive sub. one of the posters said he'd confirmed w/aiyima that there is no hi-pass for the main speakers - a big disappointment, imo.

for me. it's not relevant; i have an active quad-amped system. i have two aiyima a07 pro's and like them a lot. they replaced amps quite a bit more expensive than those; i like the fact that they use a fraction of the electricity when running and when on standby. the fact that they sound great doesn't hurt either.

on the amp driving my oris 150 horns, i upgraded the op-amp to akliam lc2's, a nice improvement - a bit more detail, clarity and smoothness all at the same time. i also bought a pair for the amp driving my ribbon tweeters >7khz, but didn't bother to install them, as i had to fab a cover for the amp i installed them in - they don't fit otherwise. i felt there really wasn't much happening >7khz to warrant it. maybe i can install them in a dac or a tuner? i got the amps, 48v/5a power supplies and the 2 pairs of op amps for ~$200 shipped - it was hard to resist giving them a try.

anyway, here's the asr thread i mentioned. aiyima has also posted to this thread:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/aiyima-a70-mono-leaked.56828/

and aiyima has a web page about them. not very clear, tbh...
https://www.aiyima.com/products/aiyima-a70-mono

doug s.

Clear.
Disappointed but not complaining. At least the color matches perfectly. And the prices are not really 'high end'.

I have a pair of Fosi ZA3's with Sparkos opamps and they sound great. The problem is, every time I turn them on or off I turn the volume slightly. The auto function will fix that.
And indeed, me too; my big amp sucks a lot of juice. My electricity bill was €160 higher than normal. Given the energy prices in the EU ...

I'll just sell the Fosi. I'll lose some money. But hey, saving money on the energy bill.

TBH the level of most reactions on ASR is awful. Lots of opinions, very little information. I did read one page before I ordered and just ordered based on my good experience with AIYIMA. Maybe that was premature.

Maybe if I get a preamp with 2 outputs I will modify another amp I have to limit the bass with a smaller input cap of high quality. Simple and effective. I'll get there someday.

 

[doug s.]

Clear.
Disappointed but not complaining. At least the color matches perfectly.

I have a pair of Fosi ZA3's with Sparkos opamps and they sound great. The problem is, every time I turn them on or off I turn the volume slightly. The auto function will fix that.
And indeed, me too; my big amp sucks a lot of juice. My electricity bill was €160 higher than normal. Given the energy prices in the EU ...

I'll just sell the Fosi. I'll lose some money. But hey, saving money on the energy bill.

Maybe if I get a preamp with 2 outputs I will modify another amp I have to limit the bass with a smaller input cap of high quality. Simple and effective.

just unplug the power supply from the fosi za3's; no need to touch the volume pots. or just leave them on 24/7. they draw something like 5w at idle...

re: high-passing your main speakers, just get a quality outboard active x-over. 24db/octave - much more effective than passive modifying your amp... even when i had a "normal" stereo w/o quad-amping, i went to an active x-over more than 30 years ago. and my main speakers at the time i went to stereo subs were -2db at 20hz. the bass and the speakers themselves improved.

doug s.

 

[]eep]

just unplug the power supply from the fosi za3's; no need to touch the volume pots. or just leave them on 24/7. they draw something like 5w at idle...

re: high-passing your main speakers, just get a quality outboard active x-over. 24db/octave - much more effective than passive modifying your amp... even when i had a "normal" stereo w/o quad-amping, i went to an active x-over more than 30 years ago. and my main speakers at the time i went to stereo subs were -2db at 20hz. the bass and the speakers themselves improved.

doug s.

Maybe. But changing the input cap from 2uF to 0.1uF from MKT to PiO is actually an upgrade. And 1st order is more than enough to relieve a fullrange from bass duty.
An active crossover, if I can find one good enough, is very much contrary to my minimalist design philosophy.
And yes, I know a class D amp might not fit in that paradigm, but I'm also pragmatic. These amps sound as good or better than my other very expensive tube or transistor amps. With one exception: low level signals tend to drop off to quickly. That means I miss the hall dimensionality and microdynamics.



Unplugging the PS is a no go as well. I'm not going to crawl behind my rack 2x a day. And the 48V DC plug, absolutely not! Leaving them on ... They do get pretty warm. Class A opamps... Wear... No, I'd rather not. An auto off or 12V trigger is a lot more elegant solution.

I had hoped they had really listened to many users and reviewers about a HP filter. With an opamp pre-stage that shouldn't be to difficult.

 

[doug s.]

Maybe. But changing the input cap from 2uF to 0.1uF from MKT to PiO is actually an upgrade. And 1st order is more than enough to relieve a fullrange from bass duty.
An active crossover, if I can find one good enough, is very much contrary to my minimalist design philosophy.
And yes, I know a class D amp might not fit in that paradigm, but I'm also pragmatic. These amps sound as good or better than my other very expensive tube or transistor amps. With one exception: low level signals tend to drop off to quickly. That means I miss the hall dimensionality and microdynamics.



Unplugging the PS is a no go as well. I'm not going to crawl behind my rack 2x a day. And the 48V DC plug, absolutely not! Leaving them on ... They do get pretty warm. Class A opamps... Wear... No, I'd rather not. An auto off or 12V trigger is a lot more elegant solution.

I had hoped they had really listened to many users and reviewers about a HP filter. With an opamp pre-stage that shouldn't be to difficult.

check out sublime acoustic x-over - very minimal. retails for $600usd; sometimes come up used, but they sell almost immediately. also marchand; quite a bit larger, more money, you can find them used a wee bit easier than the sublime acoustics.

i've been leaving my aiyima a07 max's on for 9 months; no issues. including the one i built a custom cover for, w/the akliam lc2 discrete op amps. but if you want to turn the amps off and you're concerned about repeating the same volume position, just cut a narrow strip of colored self-stick paper and put it on the dial of the amp where you want it to be.

re: spendy amps i'm not using, this includes mesa baron, electrocompaniet aw75dmb, upgraded almarro a205a mkii. and the aiyima w/the akliam op-amps is driving tang band w8-1772's in oris 150 horns, from 175hz-7khz - quite efficient and easy to drive.