Kinter MA-150 audio amplifier review, teardown and power test

[@CatFoodDraino]

Glad to see more vids of yours on amps. I really enjoy the in depth reviews. Awesome job!

[@JohnAudioTech]

+alliedradiocom many thanks for watching!

[@dxhighendamplifiers]

Very good review

[@iblesbosuok]

good comprehensive review. ST releases several pretty good audio PA chips. cheers from Indonesia

[@steverodgers1112]

At least someone is still putting videos up. I've noticed the dearth of good tech videos as well, and started to do my part by putting up a few of my own. I wish I knew why the amount of videos has fallen off so dramatically. Maybe the extensive use of ad blockers on monetized video channels? Anyway back to tech... Sounds like you need to build a preamp using a couple of op-amps on a breadboard to get the signal from your phone to line level. I ran into the same issue with some QSC amplifiers I restored. The QSC amps require about +4dbu (1.736Vpeak) to drive to full output.

[@08halit]

what chip would you recommend for bridging to get nice clean sound in car.with power boosting. i had an ide for a loong time now to make individual amps for my car where i use 1 amp for each door a 3 way amp woofer mid and high,my car is an convertible so rear has a 2 way speaker sett,i was thinking of either change the original amp or use its output and use them speaker outputs and put my amps close,in the door so it works as an amp and a filter. for an example 1 door,,it could be 2x50 for mid and high and 100 watts for bass.. or use 1 channel att 300 watts and divide it with filter to 3 way.

[@snaprollinpitts]

Hi John, I'm new to your channel, subed, but did you already make a video on that amp that you showed at 12:20. I'm looking to build my own preamp, and amp for myself. thanks mike

[@HillOrStream]

Good, comprehensive review. The only thing I'm left wondering was how much input signal was needed to reach full output, more than one Volt RMS?

[@JohnAudioTech]

+HillOrStream Good question. The IC datasheet shows gain is fixed at 26db (20x) in bridged mode, so with 6.1v rms out, I should be able to drive to point just before clipping with 305mv rms input signal. My CD player can put out a max clean 660mv signal (quite shy of true line level), so there must be some attenuation on the input caused by resistors even though the level control set to full because I was only getting 5.75v rms out. 5.75/.660=8.71x gain. If I used a 14v power supply on the amp to get a 7 volt rms output (12.25 watts into 4 ohms), I'd need about 800mv rms to drive the amp. Since the 0db line level reference of consumer goods is 1v rms, it falls within spec, although a bit more gain is still desirable since some music is recorded at lower levels.

[@logotrikes]

@@JohnAudioTech Good explanation John. I've never used a pre-amp. I only use a CD player connected straight to some power amp or another. If the power amp doesn't have a volume pot I made up a passive pseudo pre amp in a nice case just for the volume. Always works, and anything more complex would be beyond my present knowledge. I'm not that far into the hobby even though I've been buggering around for 50 years or so off and on...

[@Gersberms]

Is it just me or does it look like a very good deal if you bought one of these just for the components? You get a housing, cables with connectors, a decent audio chip, some capacitors, a potentiometer and knob, RCA connectors, a USB A connector, and a handful of random components.

[@matthewcudmore7286]

Hi John, I really like your videos and your audio knowledge is admirable. So my question is, everything today is wireless, could you make a video about the electronics involved in wireless audio? Cheers!

[@emerybryant]

hey would the rigol ds1102e give the same distortion feature that i see you use in videos?

[@_W0ut3r]

@JohnAudioTech First of all I really liked your video, very helpful! I bought one myself and overall I'm quite satisfied, there is only one thing that bothers me and I wonder if you could help me out as I lack the technical background. If I use the USB port of the amplifier my speakers are starting to make a sort of "ticking" sound (not sure if the technical phrase is clipping?). Any suggestion on how to prevent this "ticking" sound as I do want to use the USB port together with the amp (it was the whole reason why I bought this amp in particular).

[@LeandroRangelMusic]

Can it work on mode "bridged" for a subwoofer?

[@sampathkrishanthyoganathan5788]

actualy is it good or bad?. and how about the loudness of this amp just like

[@andresaparicio3781]

If I connect it to a battery of that size how long will it last?

[@wearefiresidesessions]

Can it power a 4ohm 12inch sub

[@philipcatalano1]

Yes

[@iceberg789]

nice ! like your random videos and tech videos !

[@joohop]

You should build thr best amp Ever Fella !

[@mifo1133]

where did you get it? on aliexpress they are for 10€ lol

[@tinachen6588]

Hi ,you can get it by www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Kinter-MA-150-car-power-amplifier_62328684325.html?spm=a2700.icbuShop.41413.8.31fb1c03FuYBRm

[@rajivdogra1250]

sir explane mute standby or dc volume cantrol tda 7297 tda7297

[@qwertyasdf66]

That standby quiescent current seems far too high to me. Is that normal for this type of thing? I was expecting microamps, not milliamps.

[@JohnAudioTech]

Although the chip may have a standby mode pin, it is not used with this amp, so it is always on drawing current as is the 5v regulator.

[@qwertyasdf66]

So what exactly was turned off when you disconnected the remote power control lead? (14:24) I'm just specifically curious about that because some day i want to put an amp in my motorcycle so i'm going to need to be really careful about quiescent current draw. (Maybe i'll end up just powering the whole sound system via a relay/mosfet to be on the safe side).

[@JohnAudioTech]

Oh sorry, I recant what I said previously. I forgot about the remote lead. I had to watch my own video to see what I said as I recorded it over a year ago. For only 4ma to be drawn with the remote line removed, the chip must have been put into a standby mode. I'd assume the current is being drawn form other parts of the circuit such as the 5v regulator. If you don't need the USB port, I'd remove the regulator and see what the standby current drops to.

[@qwertyasdf66]

Lol all good, you don't have to remember details like that from over a year ago! Thanks for the clarification. If I do have a go at it I'll mention the results here.

[@michaelfigueroa8640]

thanks for the review

[@lucasfish888]

I know that this is an old video, Im just a noob with audio. Just wanna know if this amp can power a lanzar 2x 150 rms subs?

[@JohnAudioTech]

If they are 4 or 8 ohm, this can work although it is not a powerful amp.

[@cbucks6613]

@@JohnAudioTech ok so im being told its 100 watts and is that true

[@jovannagomez1475]

hey would these power a 80rms 8ohm subwoofer

[@JohnAudioTech]

It should work but would be better to use a 4 ohm sub because the amp will deliver more power.

[@arlansoares2501]

Será que dá pra turbinar esse aparelho

[@nissmo2761]

is tda 7377?

[@tinachen6588]

yes ,its for 7377

[@aljivenalejo3904]

I think for me it needs pre amp for that

[@MrPrinceofallsaiyan]

is it bridgeable?

[@JohnAudioTech]

+MrPrinceofallsaiyan Each channel is formed already as a bridged configuration, so no it can't be bridged to one channel.

[@MrPrinceofallsaiyan]

+JohnAudioTech thanks

[@OtisAdonisChad]

Good job. Subscribed.

[@lucich57]

Les compre Kinter MA-150 audio por medio de LINIO y me llego malo. Linio no se ha hecho cargo, esto me tiene molesto y estoy advirtiendo a todos mis amigos que esta marca no responde por sus aparatos. I bought them Kinter MA-150 audio through LINIO and I got it bad. Linio has not taken charge, this has annoyed me and I am warning all my friends that this brand does not answer for their devices.

[@listerine-pr5lt]

Bypass the diode to get what you want is easy fix

[@jeffm2787]

I trust Chinese products more with Chinese capacitors vs Chinese Products with so called 'Japanese' capacitors. Why, because half the time you end up with a Chinese cap that's on it's second or third life being reused and re-labeled as a 'Japanese' branded cap.