TLP with Nirvana kit for sale $150

Al Garay · « **on:** 11 Feb 2003, 04:42 am »

The circuit board has been populated with the new Nirvana kit. I can include the old resistors as well. This is version 2.0 of the AKSA TLP kit.
http://www.aksaonline.com

It needs a case (I was using a SCSI external drive case, which was not ideal). It also needs a new volume control, for example ALPS Blue Pot 20k, which is what Hugh Dean recommends. Or you could try Noble or Alps Black Beauty 50k ohm from Michael Percy. Documentation is included.

My wife and I decided to buy a Bent Audio TX102 transformer based passive pre-amp to mate with my AKSA 100 watt monoblocks and Ellis 1801s. They work extremely well together, providing a very accurate presentation in a very simple to use package, with a remote control optional.

The TLP with Nirvana is also extremely well thought of ... as you probably already know.

Price again is $150. I will pay for shipping to continental USA or Canada.

Thanks,

Al Garay
Seattle WA 98177

Al Garay · « **Reply #1 on:** 11 Feb 2003, 05:08 am »

sale pending...

Al

rwalton · « **Reply #2 on:** 11 Feb 2003, 04:24 pm »

Hi Al,

I'm very glad to hear this is a good combination as I'm awaiting my TVC kit any day now. Please post your experiences with the TVC/AKSA combo as you gather them. I'll be interested to see if yours and mine are similar. I have a pair of 100W AKSA mono blocks (and a 55 Nirvana too)!

Rick

Al Garay · « **Reply #3 on:** 12 Feb 2003, 05:09 am »

Hi Rick,

I have been meaning to write a review of the Bent Audio TX102. I'm hoping this weekend I have a few hours to write my thoughts.

Here is a brief summary of what I wrote to Dave Ellis regarding my comparison to Foreplay and Grounded Grid:

In an nutshell, TX102 had:
* better balance (background instruments esp. percussion and strings do not dominate vocals)
* not too much detail (does not exaggerate reverb on strings ... that bugged my wife)
* very good depth in the soundstage, deeper than Grounded Grid, though not as tall-wide, but plenty
* seemed (to my wife who has better hearing and is a musician) more accurate
* dead quiet. Quiet passages were exactly that. No hum what so ever esp.
using the hard ground that eliminated my ground-loop problem with my source which I think may have caused the hum for the Foreplay
* more forgiving with wide selection of music (because percussions/strings can be too harsh/hot)
* far better ease-of-use. We have kids. We want them to use it. The TX102 is as easy as there is... no tubes
* related to ergonomics, we (esp. the wife) likes the looks
* remote control is available soon
* very simple, straight forward design, will not require a bunch of
tinkering to work right, no tube rolling
* John Chapman lives right across the border in the same town as Ravi,
Surrey BC. He is super nice. Very helpful. Provided me with the demo as long as I wanted. Sold it to me for a great price. I will be visiting this Friday to give it a checkup.

EchiDna · « **Reply #4 on:** 12 Feb 2003, 11:55 am »

Quote from: Al Garay

Hi Rick,

I have been meaning to write a review of the Bent Audio TX102. I'm hoping this weekend I have a few hours to write my thoughts.

Here is a brief summary of what I wrote to Dave Ellis regarding my comparison to Foreplay and Grounded Grid:

In an nutshell, TX102 had:
* better balance (background instruments esp. percussion and strings do not dominate vocals)
* not too much detail (does not exaggerate reverb on strings ... that bugged my wife)
* very good depth in the soundstage, deeper than Grounded Grid, though not as tall-wide, but plenty
* seemed (to my wife who has better hearing and is a musician) more accurate
* dead quiet. Quiet passages were exactly that. No hum what so ever esp.
using the hard ground that eliminated my ground-loop problem with my source which I think may have caused the hum for the Foreplay
* more forgiving with wide selection of music (because percussions/strings can be too harsh/hot)
* far better ease-of-use. We have kids. We want them to use it. The TX102 is as easy as there is... no tubes
* related to ergonomics, we (esp. the wife) likes the looks
* remote control is available soon
* very simple, straight forward design, will not require a bunch of
tinkering to work right, no tube rolling
* John Chapman lives right across the border in the same town as Ravi,
Surrey BC. He is super nice. Very helpful. Provided me with the demo as long as I wanted. Sold it to me for a great price. I will be visiting this Friday to give it a checkup.

Al, IMHO, you are quite free to make comments on competitor products, in open forums, but I feel that its MOST inappropriate to do so in a competitors forum...
I've nothing against you, but I don't think it is fair to post what you have here... try posting this in the Ellis forum huh?
Think of how you would feel if you were Hugh reading this post in your forum....
just my $0.02

Grumpy_Git · « **Reply #5 on:** 12 Feb 2003, 12:10 pm »

calm it there EchiDna. Al was just making a few comments there and unless we want to start doing a HD then people are free to discuss, and i might add answer questions as they like, i dont want to get lynched here but one little comment wont hurt.

As for Hugh getting upset, he's a big boy and can comment on things himself if the need arises and am sure he is confident in the ability of his product to the extent that he isn't worried by a little competition. I sure am so far!

dont hit me too hard now....

Nick

EchiDna · « **Reply #6 on:** 12 Feb 2003, 01:23 pm »

Quote from: Grumpy_Git

calm it there EchiDna. Al was just making a few comments there and unless we want to start doing a HD then people are free to discuss, and i might add answer questions as they like, i dont want to get lynched here but one little comment wont hurt.

As for Hugh getting upset, he's a big boy and can comment on things himself if the need arises and am sure he is confident in the ability of his product to the extent that he isn't worried by a little competition. I sure am so far!

dont hit me too hard now....

Nick

OOPS sorry if i sounded pi$$ed off... perhaps I'm just a bit too careful in what I post, and expect others to do the same... we are all our own men and it's fair to make comments, but Al's is a sorta mini review, which has a rightful home on this board, that is the Ellis forum, not the AKSA one

time for a glass o red and relax I think...

Cheers All

Ravi · « **Reply #7 on:** 12 Feb 2003, 05:40 pm »

Why do you keep mentioning Ellis forum??? THe TX102 is made by Bent Audio. And Al is a happy AKSA owner, so Hugh has nothing to worry about.

SamL · « **Reply #8 on:** 12 Feb 2003, 10:16 pm »

System matching is a tricky thing. It takes time and once you found the sound that you like it is very hard to go back. I am not sure about 1801s but my UtopiaOW1 which also design by Dennis Murphy sound quite bright. Shania Twain CDs are totally unlistenable. I had to adjust the tweeter Lpad value quite a bit to tame it down. Al Garay, have you switch to the new 1801s crossover? Dennis refine the crossover about 1 month ago and not sure if Dave have make it into production.

BTW, what is a transformer based passive pre-amp? Is it a power preamp with zero gain?

Sam

Marbles · « **Reply #9 on:** 12 Feb 2003, 10:26 pm »

Sam,

From the Bent website: It is a passive pre-amp based on the model TX102 transformer from Stevens & Billington. This transformer is used in place of the resistors that would be found in other passive preamps. It does not suffer the high ouput impedance of resistor based designs - a traditional drawback of passive designs. This makes for a better coupling between your sources and your amp.

Bent has a forum here, and their website is http://www.bentaudio.com

I have their Transformer based passive pre and think it let's more music through unalterd then any other pre I've heard.

It is not for all systems, for instance if your system is bright already you might want a warmer pre, like a tubed one.

If you want a pre that is neutral or analytical, this could very well be a great choice for you.

EchiDna · « **Reply #10 on:** 12 Feb 2003, 11:55 pm »

Quote from: Ravi

Why do you keep mentioning Ellis forum??? THe TX102 is made by Bent Audio. And Al is a happy AKSA owner, so Hugh has nothing to worry about.

ok so I'm confused

I should have said the Bent forum then...

this aint anything about Al or any other individual, it is just MY stance on the issue of intentionally or not promoting company X's product in Company Y's forum...

sorry about dragging this thing waaaaay off tangent.

U4EA · « **Reply #11 on:** 13 Feb 2003, 04:47 am »

Ech,

I would beat you with a TX102. But I can't say that here.

Al Garay · « **Reply #12 on:** 13 Feb 2003, 05:56 am »

No offense intended to the AKSA products. Like I said, I love my amps and look forward to checking out the GK1 and other future products that Dean comes up with.

For now, the ease-of-use, simpleness of design, ergonomics, ... played key factors in us (my wife had a big vote on this) going with the BentAudio. This does not meant that BentAudio makes the best products. It just works great for our needs with our current system... at this current time with two young girls who we encourage to use the stereo and use it for watching their Disney DVDs.... (by the way 2 channel HT can be darn good... I want a big sub though).

As you probably know... I am a big fan of Dave Ellis, Hugh Dean, John Chapman, Danny Richie... and the list is growing... Oh, I like Jeff Glowocki and Marcus Stuart from VampireWire.

Al

Rocket · « **Reply #13 on:** 13 Feb 2003, 11:24 am »

hello sam,

i was just interested how you purchased your dennis murphy designed speakers? i've heard the utopias a few time at war audio here in perth, they design there own speakers here using top quality components.

are the speakers mtm using the 5 inch driver?

i know this is off topic.

regards

rod

SamL · « **Reply #14 on:** 14 Feb 2003, 02:19 am »

Hi Rocket,

The design is free

http://murphyblaster.com/content.php?f=utopiaOW1.html

It is a TM using a OW1 tweeter and 6" Focal 6w4311 midbass. Very clean with good dynamic. Bass is clean and clear but may not be loud enough for most.
Do email Dennis if you plan to build this box. He will give you the new Lpad value for the tweeter.

email mail me if you have more questions.
samshlim(at)yahoo.co.nz

Sam

David Ellis · « **Reply #15 on:** 15 Feb 2003, 06:20 pm »

Sam,

Your information about a crossover revision for the 1801 is partially good and partially bad.

1. Yes, Dennis did start working on this at the end of December.

2. No, he isn't finished quite yet.

Dennis and I have swapped about 50 email messages on the subject, and I have done some crossover measurements too. However, it ain't quite finished.

When I have decided on the outcome I will post a full commentary on the pertinent issues. Until then, I really don't want to spend time any time on it.

Dave

SamL · « **Reply #16 on:** 16 Feb 2003, 02:34 am »

Hi Dave,

Surprise that you see my post about 1801 as good/bad thing.

The news about Dennis revisit 1801 appear many times on a public forum, it is known to many Mad inmate and it is definitely not a paparazzi scope. Since there's a revision, the anticipation of availability are common. I made a wrong assumption that it is available. Just as if someone assume that GK1 stage 3 is available in production when it is not. It never mean to be a "bad" thing.

Sam