Review on Lepai LP 168HA 40 Watt Amplifier Output by James Kapihe

I bought this for possible use in a 12 volt standalone audio system. While testing it in my RV with a pair of Micca MB42x speakers, smoke came out. After disassembly I found that the 5V regulator used to power the USB port had melted. This is a simple LM7805 low current voltage regulator. I should add that nothing was connected to the USB port and there was no short circuit on the pins. This "7805” burned out with a supply voltage of 13.5 V and no load. This is perfectly in line with the operating parameters of the 7805 (and other 12V devices of this type), so I can only assume that this is a counterfeit part. After removing this chip the amp works but it sounds crappy. I won't be using it in any project and will look for something else. The build quality is what you would expect from such a cheap device. For $20, it's not a huge loss, but it's still disappointing.