Torus PIU - sounds quite forward to me...

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bmckenney

Torus PIU - sounds quite forward to me...
« on: 1 Dec 2009, 08:55 pm »
I have an older 10 home for audition.  The only component on it is an LSA Group Signature integrated amp (150W per side solid state power amp section, tube line section, 1 700VA power transformer per side).  My CPD is not plugged in to the Torus. I really love a lot of what I hear with the Torus.  Obviously more transparent, better images, tone, timbre and much better dynamics too.  I realize it might be too small for my amp and I wonder if the forwardness I hear is because of current limits.  I am not hearing what I would expect from current limitations, which would be lack of dynamics or deep bass.  I am hearing a very forward presentation, I'd say especially in the mids.  My speakers are dipole and I do have room treatment and I'm used to a more laid back presentation and deep soundstage.  Maybe what I'm hearing isn't current limitations and from a current perspective I'd be OK with the smallish 10.  Maybe what I'm hearing is just a natural thing one would hear when an integrated amp has had it's AC cleaned up by something like a Torus.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Bryan

gerald porzio

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Re: Torus PIU - sounds quite forward to me...
« Reply #1 on: 1 Dec 2009, 09:46 pm »
Why not plug the amp directly into a wall socket, & judge for yourself? It should take less than a minute. The odds are that no one will have your identical speakers & acoustics. All else is speculation in free time & free space - an audiophile specialty.

bmckenney

Re: Torus PIU - sounds quite forward to me...
« Reply #2 on: 1 Dec 2009, 10:04 pm »
Why not plug the amp directly into a wall socket, & judge for yourself? It should take less than a minute. The odds are that no one will have your identical speakers & acoustics. All else is speculation in free time & free space - an audiophile specialty.

Why would I do that?  I know very well what my amp sounds like directly to the wall.  Maybe I wasn't clear, but I'm saying the Torus makes it more forward compared to no Torus.

I'm still interested in other peoples thoughts on the subject, especially if anyone can explain how the sound degrades when an amp is limited by something like a Torus PIU and whether that might show up as a more forward sound.  I do not really have the ability to check out a 15 and compare.

Thanks,
Bryan

James Tanner

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Re: Torus PIU - sounds quite forward to me...
« Reply #3 on: 1 Dec 2009, 10:47 pm »
Hi Bryan,

A 10 amp Torus should be OK given the amp size you have - do you know the maximum current draw from the total system?

Anyway a clean and filtered power supply will sometimes show up what the rest of the gear is actually doing so my only thought is your system is simply more transparent with the Torus installed?

james 

bmckenney

Re: Torus PIU - sounds quite forward to me...
« Reply #4 on: 1 Dec 2009, 11:37 pm »
Hi Bryan,

A 10 amp Torus should be OK given the amp size you have - do you know the maximum current draw from the total system?

Anyway a clean and filtered power supply will sometimes show up what the rest of the gear is actually doing so my only thought is your system is simply more transparent with the Torus installed?

james

James, one of the guys at Torus said my amp probably needs a 15, not a 10.  I believe he used the two 700VA power transformer spec's I know of and doubled them to get 1400VA of power.  I believe he also stated that the 10 can handle a load of only 1200VA.  And then he mentioned some about a ratio, or multiplying factor, and figured that the 10 could be too small for my amp.  That's why I wondered if the 10 was too small and it was resulting in the forwardness I am hearing with the Torus.  However, I don't know how any limiting current delivery sounds.  I pushed the amp a bit, up to 100 db of sound pressure from my listening chair, and I don't hear things like rolled off bass or whatever limited current delivery sounds like.  I do pick up the forwardness without pushing the amp. 

I do wonder if the increased sense of dynamics that I hear with the Torus is resulting in a more forward presentation and maybe I need to adjust something else in my system (like speaker placement, toe-in, etc).  Or maybe it's something else, good or bad, that the Torus is doing.  Could be the power cords I'm using too.

The person from Torus did state that short of throwing the breaker in the Torus, the only way of knowing if current is limited is by listening.  Well, I'm listening, and not liking one aspect of it, but maybe it's not a current limiting situation that is bringing this about.

Bryan

James Tanner

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Re: Torus PIU - sounds quite forward to me...
« Reply #5 on: 1 Dec 2009, 11:54 pm »
I tend to agree with you. Current limiting usually sounds like a loss of dynamics and control with a lack of quickness in the transients.

james

gerald porzio

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Re: Torus PIU - sounds quite forward to me...
« Reply #6 on: 2 Dec 2009, 12:35 am »
How many watts does the amp pull from the circut @ full pwr?  The owner's manual will give that spec. The current draw is c. 8.3 amps per 1kW. It'll draw more @ turn on due to the current surge, but that's not the issue here.

werd

Re: Torus PIU - sounds quite forward to me...
« Reply #7 on: 2 Dec 2009, 02:28 am »
Hi Bryan,

A 10 amp Torus should be OK given the amp size you have - do you know the maximum current draw from the total system?

Anyway a clean and filtered power supply will sometimes show up what the rest of the gear is actually doing so my only thought is your system is simply more transparent with the Torus installed?

james

James, one of the guys at Torus said my amp probably needs a 15, not a 10.  I believe he used the two 700VA power transformer spec's I know of and doubled them to get 1400VA of power.  I believe he also stated that the 10 can handle a load of only 1200VA.  And then he mentioned some about a ratio, or multiplying factor, and figured that the 10 could be too small for my amp.  That's why I wondered if the 10 was too small and it was resulting in the forwardness I am hearing with the Torus.  However, I don't know how any limiting current delivery sounds.  I pushed the amp a bit, up to 100 db of sound pressure from my listening chair, and I don't hear things like rolled off bass or whatever limited current delivery sounds like.  I do pick up the forwardness without pushing the amp. 

I do wonder if the increased sense of dynamics that I hear with the Torus is resulting in a more forward presentation and maybe I need to adjust something else in my system (like speaker placement, toe-in, etc).  Or maybe it's something else, good or bad, that the Torus is doing.  Could be the power cords I'm using too.

The person from Torus did state that short of throwing the breaker in the Torus, the only way of knowing if current is limited is by listening.  Well, I'm listening, and not liking one aspect of it, but maybe it's not a current limiting situation that is bringing this about.

Bryan

Hello BMC

What cords are you using right now? just curious