Kinter K2020A+ Teardown & Testing
The board is laid out almost identically to the Lepai LP-2020A+, however if you look closely at the traces and component positioning/labels, you can see that it was re-laid-out and is not an exact copy.
Power handling is just barely better than the Lepai LP-2020A+ as well. The surprising part for me is that this amp actually sounds better – yes, better than its namesake. Specifically, it’s noticeably more clear / articulate. Listening to Daft Punk’s Solar Sailor, this amp brings through more texture in the eighth-note beat from the beginning and more depth and presence when the ambient tones come in around the 1-minute mark.
It’s worth noting that the Kinter’s over-voltage protection is a bit more zealous than the others. Running it over-voltage, the Kinter’s LED lights up, but the amp itself stays off – no sound at all. If you slowly increase the voltage, you can hear the over-voltage protection trip at 12.5V. The Kinter’s included power supply puts out a measured 12.29V.
Overall, I would say if you’re looking for the best sounding cheap amp, this is the one to get. For 1/2 of the cost, though, you can get the Lvpin LP-2020A+ which sounds identical to the original/unobtainable Lepai LP-2020A+ to my untrained ears.
1% THD @ 40Hz, JBL LX-22 Speakers
Input Voltage | Input Current | Input Power | Volume | Output Voltage |
---|---|---|---|---|
12V | 1.3A | 15.6W | 73dB | 8.4V |
1% THD @ 1kHz, JBL LX-22 Speakers
Input Voltage | Input Current | Input Power | Volume | Output Voltage |
---|---|---|---|---|
12V | 0.77A | 9.24W | 112dB | 8.65V |
Specifications
Brand | Kinter |
---|---|
Model | K2020A+ |
Manual | Kinter K2020A+ Operating Manual |
Amplifier Chip | Tripath TA2020-020 |
Availability | ~$40 on Amazon |
Face Text | Kinter® LIMITED EDITION TRIPATH K2020A+ |
Board Text | KINTER® K2020A+ China 2017/10/8 |
Right Channel | Top White Jack |
Left Channel | Bottom Red Jack |
Input Power Label | DC12V5A |
Included Power Supply | TH-120500 12V/5A |
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