View Full Version : £30 Interim Amp - Roxel AMP-150BT
I should update my signature, as my Rega Brio R has been doing duties in the dining room since we moved 5.5 years ago - an optical signal from the TV into the Beresford DAC and then into the Brio R, with my Wharfedale Diamond 220 speakers. I don't very often play music on it, mainly TV, and it sounds pretty fine. A few weeks ago though I put some music via the laptop that is also connected to the TV and noticed that the bass level seemed very low. I lived with it for a while, but a couple of days ago tried experimenting. I swapped the speakers for a pair of Diamond IVs, and still seemed low on the bass. I bypassed the Beresford DAC and still the same. So it looks like the culprit is the Brio R... :(
I should add that apart from when I moved house and the odd power cut, the Brio R has never been switched off in the 14 years I have owned it. I suspect that may be the root cause. However, to ensure that the amp is the problem, I needed to swap it with something else. I do have spare amps, but the dining room system is installed in a sideboard which won't fit a full width component. I think I have a chip amp somewhere, but couldn't find it - I may have sold it. So the search began for a small form factor amp, very cheap, but with remote control as it is to be used for TV duties.
A bit of googling and £29.99 later, a Roxel AMP-150BT is on its way next day courtesy of Amazon Prime. https://www.roxel.co.uk/product/roxel-amp-150bt-amplifier/ It arrived this afternoon and now installed in the sideboard.
Now I am certainly not going to be claiming this is a giant killer and the hi-fi bargain of the century, but it is surprisingly good - yes, there is hiss when it is at idle (but then my Roth powered speakers in the living room and 10x the cost do this too) and the power claims of 180W RMS are a joke, but it does a remarkable job of driving the Wharfedales to a decent enough volume and surprisingly clear - and I now have bass back, sadly proving that the Brio R is the culprit there.
I am going to live with it for a while before deciding if it is worthwhile investing in something a bit more mainstream or getting the Brio R Looked at, but as a stop-gap at least, very acceptable.
Read it as 'Rotel' and thought 'That's cheap!'
Why did you leave your Brio powered up for all that time? Or does it have standby?
Why did you leave your Brio powered up for all that time? Or does it have standby?
No, no standby. I guess old habits, I have always (perhaps foolishly with hindsight) left my amps always on, in the belief that they need time to warm up, and so are always at the optimum if left on.
I probably read it somewhere, that best to leave on as switching off and on is where the wear happens, with components heating up and cooling down.
No, no standby. I guess old habits, I have always (perhaps foolishly with hindsight) left my amps always on, in the belief that they need time to warm up, and so are always at the optimum if left on.
I probably read it somewhere, that best to leave on as switching off and on is where the wear happens, with components heating up and cooling down.
Tends to be caps that go and they are rated in hours not cycles.
I'm jealous that you have Wharfedale Diamond IVs. I always loved those little things.
Read it as 'Rotel' and thought 'That's cheap!'
I read it as 'Rotel' as well! :doh:
I'm jealous that you have Wharfedale Diamond IVs. I always loved those little things.
There’s a pair on EBay around £30 delivered…. They are great, though, as are all the Diamonds I have (original Super Diamonds, IVs, 7.2s, 220s - I think that’s it!) I should use them more.
This little Roxel amp watching The Rock is actually very impressive for the price of one weekend’s wine!
I read it as 'Rotel' as well! :doh:
I suspect that’s deliberate marketing - must work! :lol:
Lawrence001
03-05-2025, 19:12
If anyone sees a decent Lixman or Accudaze amp for sale please let me know.
If anyone sees a decent Lixman or Accudaze amp for sale please let me know.
:lol:
Sadly not found a Mickintosh, either.
Or a Qwad, Ratford, or even a Narc Lefinson. ;)
Listening to some music on this this now via the Bluetooth connection from iPad and Tidal - it’s surprisingly good for 30 notes, it’s definitely still interim until I decide what to do in the dining room (may go with powered speakers in here as I have in most other rooms) but it is certainly listenable.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Pete The Cat
12-05-2025, 11:33
I use an old Denon 350SE on my desktop, which cost about £40 second hand. It has a slightly sweeter tone than that typical 'clean' Japanese sound and being a Denon it's built like a battleship. Although it's certainly not the best at anything, it doesn't do anything badly. Possibly because my expectations are lower I find it very satisfying and it makes my work easier.
There's plenty of good value kit out there. Kids of today don't realise how lucky they are with digital music costing virtually nothing and sounding as good as it does with a couple of choice bits of budget equipment behind it.
I use an old Denon 350SE on my desktop, which cost about £40 second hand. It has a slightly sweeter tone than that typical 'clean' Japanese sound and being a Denon it's built like a battleship. Although it's certainly not the best at anything, it doesn't do anything badly. Possibly because my expectations are lower I find it very satisfying and it makes my work easier.
There's plenty of good value kit out there. Kids of today don't realise how lucky they are with digital music costing virtually nothing and sounding as good as it does with a couple of choice bits of budget equipment behind it.
Good amps those, all you'd ever need in 90 percent of circumstances.
Kids today need to get past the idea that their phone speaker is worth the bother. Some youth walked past me the other day with some racket blasting out of his.
Shit music on a shit system. I mean could it be any worse?
Pete The Cat
12-05-2025, 11:48
Some youth walked past me the other day with some racket blasting out of his.
While we're at it, people who don't put their phone to their ear but instead broadcast the whole conversation to everyone around them should be given a week in the village stocks. Followed by a dunking.
Pigmy Pony
12-05-2025, 14:29
Good amps those, all you'd ever need in 90 percent of circumstances.
Kids today need to get past the idea that their phone speaker is worth the bother. Some youth walked past me the other day with some racket blasting out of his.
Shit music on a shit system. I mean could it be any worse?
Dunno, I'd have to see what he was wearing.
Pigmy Pony
12-05-2025, 14:34
While we're at it, people who don't put their phone to their ear but instead broadcast the whole conversation to everyone around them should be given a week in the village stocks. Followed by a dunking.
I'm thinking about getting one of those bluetooth earpieces that became popular about ten years ago, they must be pretty cheap by now. Then I can go around talking to myself without people thinking I'm mental.
Well the Roxel has been fine for a stand in, but I have been looking for something a little bit more mainstream and quality, whilst still not wanting to spend too much, until I decide what to do in the dining room system. Looking at small options which will fit in the sideboard, with remote control, the Tangent Ampster BT II caught my eye, and one popped up on eBay for £73.52 (silly new eBay surcharge...) so I have jumped on it. It also has an IR "eye" so potentially I can shut the door on the sideboard and still control the amp. Seems to get pretty good reviews, e.g. https://www.hifichoice.com/content/tangent-ampster-bt-ii Can't go wrong, really, at that price, and can sell on easily if I don't like it or end up with active speakers in there instead.
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