Aiyima T9 Pro with HifiberryOS 🎶
1.4.2023It was in the mid 1990s when my godfather introduced me to his passion of music reproduction, praising the great speakers by the small label of
Orbid Sound from
Odenwald area, Germany. Amazed at how good music can sound (even if compressed in
ATRAC codec using Sony
Minidisc further on), I was now a Hifi enthusiast as well.
When I was 14, I was lucky enough of being able to afford a small
technics SC HD-310 stereo investing all of my confirmation money. I did use it as my main (and only :-)) system 10+ years from that.
It must have been around the early 2010s when I first got to know about
Class D Amplifiers. As of writing this, it is 2023 I am still into that.
Main System and Signal Path
Aiyima does a pretty good job at designing and manufacturing Class D Amps, I would say. For their A07 model in conjunction with a capable low-ripple psu, I have sold my NAD C326-BEE. Further signal chain consists of an RPi 3B+ and a Hifiberry Digi+ Pro Hat, both fed by an ifi iPower, followed by a Fosi DAC-Q5 into an FX-Audio Tube-01 Tube Buffer with General Electric JAN 5654W new old stock tubes, powered by an ifi iPower X.
While using AirPlay 2 and also listening to Radio Swiss Jazz aacPlus stream on a regular basis, main audio source is Tidal Hifi Plus using HifiberryOS and the Tidal Connect Docker by TonyTromp. Speakers are a pair of Mission 700 from the 1980s.
New Amp Combines it All
Some people might consider this signal chain to be extensive. It does sound good enough. The folks at Aiyima apparently found this signal path to be worthwile as well and took a few steps to combine this way of sound processing into one single device: The Aiyima T9 Pro. It excels. I run it via its USB interface and have another RPi 3B+ hooked to it. Hagen was kind enough to point out how to use HifiberryOS with USB audio devices.
Even the great TIDAL Connect Docker works, even in Hi-Res Mode as the T9 Pro indicates 96khz input, where available.
In my sleeping room, the T9 Pro drives a pair of turquoise DUAL MN 8010 speakers from the 1990s. They originate from german hypermarket chain Karstadt efforts of stepping into the upper hifi segment.
The T9 Pro also features Toslink, Coax, Cinch RCA und Bluetooth aptX inputs by the way. In size, it is approximately only a stack of 10 slim cd jewel cases. And its speaker terminals are fairly small. 1,5 mm² is possible. Otherwise use small banana jacks.
As a side note, if you consider buying the amp, make sure to get the T9 Pro model.
I do recommend it to everybody. Thanks Aiyima, we are not affiliated but I am convinced by the performance of this precious Amp. Bang for the Buck. Now we are talking!
Update: tubes rolled for GE JAN 5654W
Replacing the stock 5725 tubes with GE JAN 5654W gives additional warmth, softer vocals and more powerful bass punch. Tube rolling and New Old Stock are great newly coined terms, too. The process is as easy as 1,2,3, they just sit in a circular 7-pin socket. Try it!