Can an audiophile find joy in an under $100 amplifier?

The Dayton Audio DTA-120

(Credit:Parts Express)

The Dayton Audio DTA-120 stereo integrated amp isn't very big, but for anyone searching for a decent amp that won't break the bank it's a real contender. First, let's look at the numbers: It's rated at 50 watts per channel for 8 ohm speakers; 60 watts per channel for 4 ohm speakers; the rear panel has stereo RCA inputs and speaker cable binding posts. The front panel has a 3.5 mm stereo minijack input, a 6.3 mm headphone jack, and a volume control. The DTA-120's extruded metal chassis feels solid, it's tiny, just 2.2 x 3.4 x 5.5 inches, including feet, faceplate, and volume knob.

The separate power supply box is about the same size as the amp, so it's a good deal larger than your typical wall wart.

I used my old PSB Alpha B speakers and Oppo BDP 105 Blu-ray player for most of my listening tests. Nothing about the DTA-120's sound made me feel like I was listening to an entry-level amp. It was reasonably powerful, imaging was spacious, the sound was neither bright nor dull. I played a bunch of tunes and was perfectly happy with the sound. I also watched a few movies, and even without the aid of a subwoofer the little Alpha Bs provided satisfying, though not room-shaking, bass.

I plugged in my Audio Technica ATH M50 headphones and liked what I heard. The DTA-120 summoned up a lot of detail from the M50s and bass definition was well ahead of what I get from these 'phones plugged into my iPod Classic or Mac Mini computer.

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Nintendo Network stutters under holiday traffic, Pokemon Bank and Transporter delayed

Unwrap a Wii U this holiday season? Apparently, you weren't the only one: the company's Nintendo Network seems to be stumbling over increased traffic. "Players are having trouble setting up Nintendo Network IDs and downloading content in the Nintendo eShop on both Wii U and Nintendo 3DS," Nintendo writes on its US support page. "We truly regret the inconvenience, and wish to reassure everyone that providing a solution is our top priority."

The network issues are sure to be a thorn in the side of new users pursuing the Wii U's requisite updates, not to mention current owners hoping to check out this week's eShop sales. Folks planning to pick up Pokemon Bank and Poke Teleport (a pair of programs designed to allow players to save, store and transfer their pocket monsters between new and old versions of the games) will have to wait too -- both apps have been delayed until the network issues can be resolved. With any luck, that won't take too long, but if you care to nip at Nintendo's heels you'll find the company's official announcement at the source links below.

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Source: Nintendo (1), (2), (3)

Game Informer Tags: 3ds, nintendo, Nintendo Network, Wii U Next: Official CyanogenMod ROM now available to every Oppo N1
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UPS and FedEx buckle under holiday load, leaving retailers and families in the lurch

Didn't get your Christmas presents in time? You're far from alone. Seems that both FedEx and UPS greatly underestimated the number of packages that would be passing through their systems this holiday season. More consumers are doing their gift shopping from the comfort and safety of their computers, bombarding our already stretched parcel services -- it's not surprising that something had to give. According to a spokesperson, FedEx handled roughly 275 million packages between Thanksgiving and December 22nd, while the US Postal Service said it saw a 19 percent increase in volume over last year (UPS declined to say exactly how much its expectations were exceeded). While these companies insist that the vast majority of packages were delivered by their promised December 24th deadline, a small portion did not make it in time to be placed under the tree on Christmas morning. Both the delivery companies and retailers are working to repair the damage, but the writing may be on the wall for 2014. The deadline for Christmas orders will undoubtedly be earlier next year, but the more immediate problem will be making things right with consumers this year.

A number of companies, including Amazon and Kohl's, have been proactive in addressing the situation. The former is refunding associated shipping fees and even offering $20 gift cards to those who didn't receive their packages by the 24th. Kohl's is contacting customers whose deliveries were delayed and offering to fully cover the cost of items delivered late. Walmart also appears to have suffered at the hands of over-extended delivery companies and is offering customers gift cards (usually $25) as an apology. Additionally, 1-800-Flowers also saw a small percentage of its orders delayed and is offering $20 refunds, while Groupon is handing out $25 toward a future purchase.

Next holiday may see scaled-back promises from both retailers and shipping companies, as well as increased investment in infrastructure, but this year's issues do not appear to be due to a lack of effort or preparation. UPS workers put in plenty of overtime and even made deliveries on Sunday, but it simply seems that its network was not capable of keeping up with the flood of last-minute orders. Amazon also did its best to avoid complications by hiring 70,000 seasonal workers, only to be thwarted by overwhelmed delivery companies. If your packages didn't arrive on time, you can contact the retailer's customer service to see what sort of compensation they're offering. Though, your best bet is to get your Christmas shopping done before December 23rd next year.

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Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, New York Times Tags: amazon, delays, fedex, groupon, kohls, shipping, ups, walmart Next: Engadget Podcast 374 - 12.26.13 .fyre .fyre-comment-divider

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The Audiophiliac's under $100 holiday gift guide

The Hifiman RE-400 in-ear headphones

(Credit:Sarah Tew/CNET)

Music and audio bling make terrific presents, so here's a nice assortment of goodies. While audiophile gear can be quite expensive, picking out a selection of terrific gift ideas that won't break the bank is still doable. Prices start at $10 and go up to $100. I'll trot out another list of $100

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Dell unveils education-focused Chromebook 11, arriving in January for under $300

As promised, Dell has taken the wraps off its first Chrome OS device, the Chromebook 11. The 11.6-inch, 2.9-pound laptop is built with the classroom in mind, and it should ship in tandem with a Wyse PocketCloud app that should make it easy for students and teachers to share their work online. Its 1.4GHz Celeron processor and 16GB solid-state drive are no great shakes, although the system could be the Chrome OS longevity champion -- Dell estimates a 10-hour battery life that could beat out Acer's long-lived C720. Educators who want the Chromebook 11 will have to be patient, though. A version of the portable with 4GB of RAM doesn't ship to the US and UK until January; there will also be a 2GB model for cost-conscious schools, but it's only arriving sometime in the first quarter of 2014. Dell expects to sell at least one model under $300. Dell Chromebook 11

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