Dayton DTA-120 Question

[Geoff Millar]

Hello

I'm not sure if I should be address this question to PE Tech Support or this Forum.

I recently bought a Dayton DTA 120 mini-amplifier; it seems OK in sound quality and I like its small size but the output seems quite low, considering it's supposed to be 40 watts per channel into 8 ohms. I'm using it with a pair of Classix II speakers, with my iPod and a cassette deck for input.

Nothing happens volume wise until about 10.00 on the volume knob, and then after 2.00 which is a reasonable but not high volume, distortion starts to set in.

Has anyone else used this amp and had similar issues? Perhaps it's happier with 4 ohm speakers?

Thank you

Geoff

[Kornbread]

Used that amp to drive a pair of NHT2.5i's (86db, 6-3.6ohm) which aren't the easiest things to drive, nor are they too difficult.

I was impressed with it's control of the bass, its overall sound and that so much sound could come from such a small box, but they did not play real loud before you could tell the little amp was trying too hard. The NAD 2100 (50 watts) played much louder (among other things). My guess is they are an honest +30'ish watts.

With the dial below ~9 o'clock, the left channel was considerably louder than the right, and it pooped out around 2.

[jhollander]

I'm running the DTA-100 and don't have a problem in my office. Might check the power supply is it 5 amps? Speakers out of phase? With a 50hz test tone and the speakers not connected measure the voltage across one of the amps + and - then adjust the volume knob to read 2.83 volts, that would be equal to 1 watt into 8 ohms. An unusually high volume knob position could confirm a problem.

[Geoff Millar]

Thank you all for your suggestions: the power supply seems OK and I don't have the testing equipment; the speakers are definitely in phase.

However, I have a pair of MTM 6 ohm speakers which are more efficient than the Classix, so I'll see how it goes on those. The first DTA-120 I received was defective - only one channel worked - but it was cheerfully replaced by the local Oz agent.

Geoff

[Whitneyville1]

I too used a DTA-100 while assembling my ClassixII's. It nearly ran me out of the garage about half-way up using an oooold cassette deck. I think you hit the million-dollar two-in-a-row defective units.

[Geoff Millar]

Thanks - have contacted the agent for a 'replacement' replacement, will see what happens. I'm sure that I should be getting more clean volume than at present

Cheers

Geoff