Small audio amplifier?

[dddave]

I'm using my TV through an Intel NUC. It seems a good arrangement for streaming, torrent downloading, internet TV & browsing.  My only complaint is audio volume.  I have it at 100% through the NUC and then the content control but often, it can still be annoyingly low.  I use both headphones and external USB speakers.

 

I see an assortment of small B500-2000 amplifiers on Lazada but not sure if this is what I need as they seem to have only RCA type i/o jacks.  Any suggestions?  Note:  Not looking for room filling sound, just a boost of normal audio.

 

[userabcd]

I bought one of these about a year ago on lazada for about 1400 Baht, KGUSS BL50 PRO TPA3116D2 QCC3003 Bluetooth 5.0 MINI audio Digital Amplifier 50W+50W.

 

Stream most of my audio over bluetooth, but can also use a 3.5mm aux connection with unpowered bookshelf speakers and have no problem with volume in windows or android.

 

Check on lazada/shopee, there are many different small cheap amplifiers which can be used with powered and not powered speakers and with headphones.

 

If you need to convert RCA to 3.5mm, there are many small adapters and cables which can do that.

Edited June 30, 2020 by userabcd

[stouricks]

I too use a NUC for my 'media centre' and find it will do everything I need, both W10 and Linux installed. Going into self-powered speakers, or bluetooth headphones if the Mrs is about!

Check in your SOUNDS settings that it is set to high enough. Maybe upgrade your sound driver. 

[DrTuner]

You can use 3.5mm to twin RCA cable and should work fine.

[stouricks]

29 minutes ago, userabcd said:

there are many different small cheap amplifiers which can be used with powered and not powered speakers

I do not think you can use an external amp into POWERED speakers, only LINE (RCA) input.

[userabcd]

6 minutes ago, stouricks said:

I do not think you can use an external amp into POWERED speakers, only LINE (RCA) input.

Yes, you are correct, have to be careful with that.

[userabcd]

If you are on windows have you tried in sound settings, sound enhancements and tick "loudness equalisation"

[dddave]

22 hours ago, userabcd said:

If you are on windows have you tried in sound settings, sound enhancements and tick "loudness equalisation"

Yup.  Been through sound & audio settings and enhancements...all cranked to the top.   I think a small amp will fulfill my needs.

 

Thanks everybody for the comments and suggestions.

[stouricks]

1 hour ago, dddave said:

Yup.  Been through sound & audio settings and enhancements...all cranked to the top.   I think a small amp will fulfill my needs.

 

Thanks everybody for the comments and suggestions.

Make sure the Volume knob goes up to 11 !

[recom273]

About a year back I was looking at a small system for my office, I thought amps like NAD, which is a basic amp I would have bought in the UK were quite overpriced in comparison, so I stumbled upon Chi-Fi, you can find more about them on youtube and there are countless sites dedicated to every detail of this "hifi" equipment. I ordered with a few bits out of interest, and got swept along with it all, they are only 1500-3000B a piece, quite small and cute, easily collectable.

 

I wanted them to play a couple of raspberry pi streamers in the house.

 

I have an amp from FX-Audio, a mini-tube amp (I upgraded the tubes to Russian tubes), a topping headphone amp, a Khadas tone board DAC.

 

I coupled them with some bits from the US, a JDS labs Atom, a schiit audio MODI DAC and SYS passive pre and an amp from allo - a French company that manufacturers in India. 

 

I spent a fair bit on speakers, a pair or Q acoustics and a pair of Elac Andrew Jones designs, so it didn't work out so cheap, but fun and I use them all the time. Its a different sound stage to my 5.1 home theatre.