Pyle PCA3 Stereo Power Amplifier, Black, One Size

Recently I wall mounted an 40" Insignia (Best Buy) brand TV in my bedroom and I wanted more volume and better quality sound than an average sized TV can provide. I put the TV up using a home made wood bracket with a bottom shelf to hold a DVD player, an Amazon Fire TV media streaming box and a Pyle-Home amplifier. It's really a great set up, it looks and sounds wonderful. Pyle has probably exaggerated the wattage of this amplifier (along with the rest of the audio industry). I would guess that it actually puts out about 15 watts RMS (a conservative rating method) but because of the logarithmic way that the amplitude of sound is measured 15 RMS watts will drive a speaker to HALF of the volume that you could get from an amplifier rated at 150 watts RMS. The point is unless you want to go deaf or already are deaf this amplifier will give you loud high quality audio for your videos and games. I am using a connecting cord with a 3.5mm mini phono plug on one end and two RCA plugs on the other end to send the sound from the earphone jack of the TV to the amplifier. I could have used the line out jacks on the TV but by using the earphone jack I can control the volume of the amplifier with the TV remote. I saw some user comments about inadequate volume from this amplifier which was attributed to thin speaker wire. Normally I would agree that you should use 18 or even 16 gauge wire in a speaker installation but with a small amplifier like this you can get by with thinner wire. For speakers I salvaged some 20 year old ones from a small Aiwa stereo that measure about 8 x 12 inches. These speakers had wires that are about 22 or 24 gauge running out of a hole in the back of the enclosures. Rather than taking these speakers apart to attach thicker wire I used the existing wires. The amplitude is 100% satisfactory. What is really more important with a small low power amplifier like this is that the volume of the sound going INTO the amplifier is adequate. Fortunately my TV has plenty of power coming out of the headphone jack. As far as the quality and appearance of the Pyle amplifier is concerned I love it! It is compact, housed in a sturdy metal cabinet, has soft pads on the bottom to protect whatever is underneath, it's fused to protect it from overloads, has high quality spring loaded hardware to easily attach the speaker wires, beautiful blue flashing LED lights on the front to indicate power output for each channel and best of all two knobs to adjust the bass and treble. This two knob system is infinitely better than the 4 and 5 way toggle "idiot buttons" that are typically found on even expensive receivers and amplifiers. (Are you listening Panasonic, Sony, Yamaha, Samsung et al?) With just two knobs you can adjust the sound exactly the way YOU like it.

WOW! I'm sort of an audiophile, and this was way more of a value for me than i was expecting. Mainly because i was just searching for a chepish amp to power my patio speakers, for my audio source was a laptop with DJ software etc. I needed an amp. This is a great amp! It also has a really nice remote. BUT here's the thing! It ALSO accepts a usb, which i loaded with songs. It also accepts a sd card too! (which i loaded with even more tunes!)... IT Has bluetooth! I connect my laptop wirelesssly to it and BAM- instant connection!. I then bluetoothed my phone to it, (Alexa Music etc!) BAM- Instant music everythwere! THEN!!!! I found out it also has a FM radio receiver BUILT IN! It pulls in FM stations from 75 miles away! Trust ME, you cant beat this price for all it does!!! The remote has no instruction book, so you have to play with it to figure it all out! Has a EQ built in too. Press the mode, key, you choose the source, then use the arrow keys to skip songs, play and pause...even volume up and down! Mode key same way for the radio tuner and EQ settings. This unit is built to last and is loaded. The dual sound is excellent, and the word MINI... is just the size, which is perfect for what i'm doing. Friends bluetooth hook up their phones and play their own stuff too...it's a party NOW!

I purchase a 42" HD LCD TV, close to two months ago. The quality and volume of sound coming from the unit was insufficient for my taste. I decided to add external speakers to it. In reviewing the owner's instructions manual, it stated that speakers can NOT be installed directly to it but must go through an amplifier. Also, being that I wanted the speakers where I sat meant stringing wire to them or getting a wireless speaker system. I went with the wireless. After ordering this amplifier and a wireless speaker system, receiving both in just a few days, I then set them up. Except for the extremely bright, constantly flashing LEDs on the front of the unit (others had the same complaint on reviews I read {putting 2 strips of black electrical tape fixes the problem}), the entire set-up WORKED great for just over 3 weeks. I had the amplifier set to 1/3 volume and the speakers to even less, with the quality of sound being an improvement over what the TV alone produced. I started to get distortion and then the audio from the speakers just ceased. In troubleshooting, I determined this unit had failed since audio signal still existed coming from the TV and the speaker system functioned properly when I tested with a different signal source. I began preparing to repack the unit for return shipment but after reading the requirements of PYLE PRO on returning the failed item for repair or replacement, I decided not to. It was MY COST to send the unit back and then MY COST AGAIN, paying an additional $20 for THEIR return shipment back to me. I decided it was not worth the expense, since for a few dollars more, I could get an entirely new unit. I've decided to look for an amplifier made by another Manufacturer. I originally recommended this unit but because of its immediate failure, I have serious doubts on its quality and it hurts me to say that I NO LONGER recommend this unit. I do recommend the "Royal Machines 29297W WES 600 Wireless Stereo Speaker System" that I purchased though, a great addition for under $80.

I got the PCA3 to go with my 30 watt Panasonic SB-403 Turbo Thrusters from 1984. Previously I had them attached to a 100 watt per channel Pioneer receiver that I bought new in the late 1990s. The Turbo Thrusters were sort of a downgrade from the 100 watt Technics speakers I was originally using (a mutt system bought off the Circuit City showroom floor/display/open box)...not exactly a downgrade, just going for some smaller floor speakers. The receiver pushed them beautifully. When the Pioneer died I got a Lepai 2020A+ and the pseakers sounded great with it. After five years the Lepai died and I got a Lvpin clone of the Lepai. The Lvpin couldn't hold a candle to the Lepai. Shrill and full of distortion and just too much bass even with adjusting it. To get on with my long-winded review, I finally decided it was time try something else for my entertainment setup. All I need to do is push these two 30 watt speakers for the output of my desktop computer. That's not my computer only. That's movies played back on the computer and a turntable, cassette deck and VCR connected to the computer basically as computer peripherals so I can convert anything I want to digital easily. I thought I was getting the bare bones model of the PCA3, but this one has the FM receiver and inputs for SD cards and USB. I really wasn't too happy with getting extras...extra stuff to break and collect dust like the SD card and USB inputs that I already have on my computer. But, it is what it is. The SOUND is comparable to the Lepai which was supposedly 20 watts per channel. According to the manual this PCA3 is pushing around 15 watts, so not too far off. I've still never understood speaker wattage mumbo jumbo and this was no exception. I first bought it because I thought I would be getting a bit of extra power, then I read about ohms and that threw it off by half because my speakers are 8 ohms, leaving me wishing I'd gone for the 2x120 (for 60 watts of power???) before I even received this one. Now that it's all set up I'd say it sounds really decent in a small room. Decent enough that I don't see a reason to return it for "false advertising" (which is really what these wattage ratings are. REALLY!) Nowhere near the distortion of the Lvpin crap and it gets fairly loud before I notice any distortion. I'm really satisfied with the sound. I only chose to cover the power indicator LED. Yes, the LEDs are way too bright but when I'm watching old TV shows online or vloggers/podcasts on Youtube, the level indicators rarely light up. I've never exactly been into the "theater experience" with movies either. Just some clean sound that's not too loud and bassy, so movies sound pretty good to me too...without much activity from the indicator lights. When I crank up some music they'll come to life and I like that. I think they look cool with the music. Just one problem with those indicators. The left side is a little less sensitive than the right. The speakers sound balanced to my ears but even when I'm playing a mono recording (1960s 45 rpm records converted to digital and to TRUE mono) the right indicator jumps up by one notch over the left. It even does it on the FM radio function. Only a minor annoyance. It annoys me but I'll get over it. Speaking of the FM radio, it sounds tinny and weak. I'll probably never use it again after testing it. I tried the USB input with a memory stick full of MP3s. I couldn't get it to work. Didn't try the SD card input because I don't think it can play back pictures which is all I have on SD cards. I don't use Bluetooth so the antenna stayed folded and tucked away. I wish I could take the antenna off completely but it seems permanently attached. tl;dr this long-winded run-on paragraph: The PCA3 sounds good. I wouldn't pair it with any speakers higher than 30 watts or so. One star off combined for the uneven level indicators and all the extras that I didn't want and didn't order. I like it fairly well.

I've now had my PYLE amp for about six months. I use it for boosting my audio from my tower PC to some Bose 301 speakers and it really drives those speakers very nicely! When we have guests over (when it's nice out - not cold like it's getting now) I'll run my speaker wire outside and bring out the Bose speakers and fire up PANDORA ONE on my PC (no ads - full digital stereo and it's only $3.99/mo!) I can crank up this little amp for 5-6 hours at a time with FULL BLUES on the indicators and it only gets so hot - but plays so cool! It'll pump out great music that can be heard nice and clear all over our backyard (we live in the country - so it's not like I'm being a jerk to neighbors!) And for indoors, I have the Bose speakers on each side of my desk and it simply blows away those little cheap computer speakers you see with the 12v. adapters, etc. I use it every day and it just works perfectly! Tough little bugger too! I dropped it once about 4' to the floor...that was several months ago. No issue. Solid state and solidly built and an incredible value without anything else you don't need! (although I wish it had a balance control) It's exactly what I was wanting. This amp has WAY exceeded my expectations! Now I'm wondering if I shouldn't have gotten one with a little more 'juice!' I still may - and run that to our TV for some affordable cranking on our movies!

I bought this amp from Amazon about one and a half years ago, and it still works well. I had a couple of very large and expensive JVC speakers (converted to 4 ohm) that I inherited, with no way to use them. They were the bare-wire type of connection, and I needed a way to connect them to an MP3 player. This amp, when used with the right RCA plug adapter, made a useful transition to the larger speakers, producing excellent sound, rich with bass and treble, both of which can be adjusted, though I've never had that need. With the MP3 player turned up to full volume, I can achieve comfortable listening with the amp at a quarter volume. Usually, I set both the player and the amp to half volume to save battery life. Some people have complained in their reviews about the bright blue LED lights, which generally serve no purpose. When used in my condo, I could not turn up the volume loud enough to make even the lowest level of lights come on. At least, I couldn't do it without making the neighbors mad. At work, I've managed to turn it up to one or two levels of lights at a loud but hopefully not injurious level. Hence, someone who's into easy listening will probably never see them. Blue LEDs are several times brighter than their red counterparts, and though they were recently invented and thought to be the next great fad, manufacturers are quickly learning not to use them so much any more due to complaints about their intensity. The only issues I've had with this device are minor. I have been in the habit of transporting it frequently, which resulted in the loss of one of the rubber feet. I had to buy replacements. The other problem was the smell it produced when it became warm through use. When it was sitting on a shelf by itself this was not a problem. When I had it on the desk in front of me the smell of hot electronics was unpleasant.

just now hooked up my new pyle pca3 had the old model with no blue tooth had it and used it everyday for years but rca jacks got bad .So got this today and a really good little amp.. for tv laptops ect..... 10/10

I bought this amp as a sub-woofer amp and it does the job! My new Pioneer 919 blahbitty blah receiver has a PRE OUT SUBWOOFER (RCA style) output, and I happened to have a new-in-the-box 12" woofer from Radio Shack that I picked up years ago on clearance for 10 bucks. Add in a $40 sheet of plywood and my build time, and I've got a low cost, high quality sub-woofer. The Pioneer receiver does just about everything except run out and start my car (and I'm wondering if it'll do that!), so it's too dad-gum complicated. In contrast, this amp could hardly be simpler. It has two RCA style inputs (Left and Right), two speaker-wire outputs (Left and Right), Treble gain, Bass gain, Volume, and an On/Off switch. I saw on other reviews that people used the amp to power an old pair of speakers while playing their iPods. I felt that if the sub-woofer thing didn't work out, I could still do that as Plan 'B'. Fortunately, Plan 'A' is working. I have a nice Belkin 25 foot cable with RCA ends coming from the Pre Out Subwoofer out of the receiver and going into one of the channel inputs (Left) on this amp. Then I have a monster cable, bare-end wires coming out of the corresponding (Left) channel output going directly to the Radio Shack 12" woofer. No crossover or filtering! I'm not sure, but I'm guessing the receiver filters out the high freqs and passes only the lower freqs, 800 hz and below. Anyway, it sounds good, does what I want it to do, and even has nice blue LED indicators that light up when the bass pounds out the beat of a song, or explosions from a game. It's about the size of a thick paperback book, and if I needed too, I could easily unplug everything and take the amp out to my garage for duty playing my iPod.

Have only had it for a few days but so far so good. Super easy to set up and works well. Can’t beat the price point for the quality you get with this.

Muy ad-hoc para una casa

Excellent product

This is absolutely amazing! This is very simple to use and provides great sound quality. Live it! I would recommend this cost effective mini digital amp!

Excelente producto, lo compre para utilizar mis bocinas pyle recien compradas y son el complemento correcto. Excelente para escuchar radio y musica. Inesperadamente trae tambien bluetooth integrado ademas de reproduccion por USB y SD.