WiFi Bluetooth audio amplifiers

[Ultima357]

Hi everyone. I'm researching for a WiFi and Bluetooth audio amplifier in order to stream to it from my mobile phone and play my music through a couple of Kef speakers I already have. Be ideal if it supported multiple input devices, had remote on/off via wifi too as I plan to just put it out of the way either in a cupboard or loft space. Speakers will be wall mounted. There are more of these devices than you can shake a stick at so wondering if anyone has good/bad experience or recommendations. I run Poweramp on my mobile with high quality FLAC compressed music. I don't really want to re rip my CD collection into a new device as it's fairly extensive. Happy to switch the amp on/off by smart plug if necessary, preferably without a power on thump through the speakers. 

[ProDave]

I just used an old 1980's hifi amp with IR remote control, so that sits in a cupboard and can be controlled by it's own remote with an IR extender.

 

The aux input is fed from a Raspbery pi music box which can stream on line music, play music from it's own memory or you can cast music to it from your phone.

[Temp]

My son and I have built two different Bluetooth amps in the past two years. The most recent used one of these..

 

https://www.tinyosshop.com/tsa7800b

 

2 x 50W + 100W 2.1 Channels Bluetooth+DSP Amplifier Board 

 

It was chosen because its got a DSP engine on it which supports AMD SigmaStudio. This allows you to drag and drop functional blocks on your PC to make digital mixers and filters etc. For example his is set up to turn the standard stereo signal into left, right and sub channels.

 

At max power the distortion spec is pretty poor as it's a class D amp but at normal listening levels it sounds very good.

 

Prior to that we built a smaller unit using one of these..

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/OWAYKEY-Bluetooth-Amplifier-Channel-Output/dp/B08KYGQ1ZQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1A3DJCMM8Z2EY&keywords=OWAYKEY+Mini+Bluetooth+Amplifier+50W%2B50W+Dual+Channel+Power+Output%2C+Bluetooth%2B+AUX%2B+USB+Input&qid=1658104867&s=electronics&sprefix=owaykey+mini+bluetooth+amplifier+50w%2B50w+dual+channel+power+output+bluetooth%2B+aux%2B+usb+input%2Celectronics%2C439&sr=1-1

 

In the wooden lid of the box we also itted a wireless charger module. So all you do it put your iPhone on top of the box and it streams music and charges the phone at same time. I can't remember if it was this one exactly. We purchased a few and can't remember which we used in the end. Some were better at charging his iPhone than others..

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07DC3JL89/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For this one we used a pair of small speakers from a PC sound system all in the same box as the above. Power output is modest but way more than the speakers could handle. Again I was impressed with the sound quality at normal listening levels.

 

Think it also needed a DC-DC converter to power the wireless charger from same mains adaptor as the Amp module.

 

[Miek]

I use a Chromecast Audio which for £30 is a bargain. This outputs optical audio into a DAC and old school amplifier but it can also output analogue audio straight into the amp . 

[Wil]

I second the CCA, have several of them providing whole house synchronised music with small type D amplifiers (Lepai if memory serves). Probably not audiophile quality, but more than enough for me. 

[Ultima357]

8 hours ago, Wil said:

I second the CCA, have several of them providing whole house synchronised music with small type D amplifiers (Lepai if memory serves). Probably not audiophile quality, but more than enough for me. 

Thanks for the replies so far. Today I came across the VSSL A1 which looks pretty interesting but is a tad expensive at circa £560. The chrome cast idea is a great thought although I don't have a spare decent amplifier. But I have a chrome cast dongle somewhere and an old cheapo amp so will experiment once the temperatures return to sane levels.