Review on 🔊 Compact Stereo Integrated Amplifier and DAC - Micca OriGain, 50W x 2, 96kHz/24-Bit, USB & Optical S/PDIF (Black) by Sherri Rivera

Purchased to power Micca MB42X speakers. It's perfect for her! I bought this amp because it has a USB input which works like a DAC with its own driver which allows the amp to show up as a separate playback device in the sound settings. That means when you turn on the amp it connects and automatically becomes the default playback device, and when you turn it off it automatically disconnects and reverts to the previous default device without having to manually change any settings. I have a sound card with studio headphones plugged in and this feature means I can switch between my speakers and headphones on the fly just by turning the amp off and on again. PERFECT! You don't need to touch any cables or toggle anything in Windows to switch between speakers and headphones. (Also set the volume slider in Windows to 100, although it doesn't seem like you can control the volume over USB). The build quality is fantastic and the volume knob feels very smooth and solid. Turning the knob turns the device on and off, and turning it all the way to the left turns it off. I've always preferred this to a dedicated power button. The power LED on the front is a dim red when on, meaning it's not too bright or distracting when it's on. The input select switches are also small and solid, and all the ports and inputs on the back feel solid too. I use banana plugs for the speaker cable. There is no hiss or noise coming out of my speakers when using this amp. The sound quality when using this amplifier is very full and bright, and the chip used in it is known for its high quality. Some people mention a "click" when turning the speakers on and off, but I didn't notice it at all. As far as I can tell, both the left and right channels are balanced at all volumes, and I haven't noticed any distortion from this amp. I usually hold the button between 9 and 12 o'clock when using it, but it can really pump these MB42X speakers to crazy volume levels in a small room when they're on. Haven't tested the subwoofer pre-out yet, but it's nice to know that adding a powered subwoofer later on will be easy! That's why I chose this amp. All in all this is a good amp from a good brand and I would recommend it. It has inputs that can be used with almost any modern device, meaning you can use it with your TV, PC and portable device. It also comes with an RCA to 3.5mm cable. The input selection is handy as you can connect multiple devices at the same time and easily switch between them without disconnecting anything. Most Chinese amps under $100 only have one set of RCA inputs, so you can only connect one device at a time. The cheaper version of this amp is the same, so the extra $20 justifies that price. Maybe at some point I'll move my amp to a TV if I can't get a full 5.1 channel receiver. I would recommend this amp to anyone looking for a desktop or PC solution. The USB functionality makes it really easy to integrate this amp into Windows and the build and sound quality is fantastic. Definitely worth the cheaper $50 amps.