[wushuliu]

As a means to speed up the lovefest if anyone who is not on the current list but would like to audition, I may offer mine up for a tour . I don't have batteries however, so you will have to supply your own power.

[OzarkTom]

It maybe a long time before my amp gets back. I use the Rethm Maargas, that is 99db efficiency, so I will try the 12 volt. Then I may try the single channel on two amps with two 12v batteries and see how that sounds.

I have Cardas RCA's on order, that might be as big of an improvment as the Cardas binding posts did. I hope so.

[DaveC113]

I'm getting more interested in checking this out.

I have a Simple SE EL34 SET amp with about $1k just in parts, and many mods to the basic design. I've listened to a few class D amps and own a Trends tripath amp for a backup amp. Speakers are Omega XRS with the 4.5" driver. My system sounds very mediocre and mid-fi with the Trends amp, but with the SET amp it is transformed into something almost magical, it would be interesting if a class D amp could even come close...

[gilesw]

I've just ordered a tbi amp, would it be possible for one of you to post a photo of your battery pack and connector so I can see what sort of thing I need to build?

[Freo-1]

I've just ordered a tbi amp, would it be possible for one of you to post a photo of your battery pack and connector so I can see what sort of thing I need to build?

 
I can post a picture once my power supply arrives next week.

[wushuliu]

My view from the cheap seats: I am going the lazy route and ordered a bunch of d batteries from amazon to properly compare 24v and to gauge longevity before buying SLAs so I can have a sense of how much amperage I need (and I already have all the battery holders needed anyway from previous projects). Energizer max are rated for 20A.

[gilesw]

Jan pointed me in the direction of this site, having another look at it they do what I need for about 200$

http://www.batteryspace.com/lifepo418650battery256v2500mah64wh18arate2rx8withpcb.aspx

http://www.batteryspace.com/Smart-Charger-1.2A-for-25.6V-8cells-LiFePO4-Battery-Pack-100-240VAC.aspx

I wonder if there is anyone in the uk doing a similar thing...

[mytubes211]

Hi Tom

I have problem to post my review. It's show me this error:  The message body was left empty

[mytubes211]

OK, because I guess that my review is to big file I will separate this for couple sections, sorry about that:

Here is part# 1:

Well,here is my experience with the TBI amp as i did hear and as I see him react in my room and my system. It is important to understand that this is only for fun and nothing else. Also, everybody who will continue to read must know some basic info about me so he/she can be more in the picture of what I will paint here:
- I'm lover of single drivers/horn speakers (good horns,not honky sound)
- I'm lover of tube sound. My system:
- Tekton design Lore speakers           http://tektondesign.com/lore.html
- akustyk passive preamp                 http://www.akustyk.com/stereo_selector.html
- Jas Audio Musik 1.2 CD player        http://www.jas-audio.com/index_topic.php?did=158008&didpath=/156834/158008
- Lindemann 24/192 USB-DAC           http://www.lindemann-audio.de/en/products/usb-audio/products/usb-dac-24192/product-features/
- Gabriel Gold Rapture R IC               http://gabrielgoldcables.com/interconnects.html#rapture
- L.A.T. International SS-1000 speakers cables         http://www.latinternational.com/index.php/wire%20and%20cables/speaker%20cable.html
- Silflex Glass Toslink                       http://www.lifatec.com/toslink2.html
- Apple MacBook Air                         http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_air

[mytubes211]

Review part# 2

All the above I have had for some time and I'm very happy with. To be fair I did start compressing TBI with Trends 10.1 I have for years. Now you must be thinking that I'm crazy to plug these cables to something little as Trends but the truth is that I'm now very settled with these. I was very impressed with Trends sound years back ( at that time I have CJ LP70S amp) and I bought it new from the first distributor in U.S.A. for $100 as back up unit. Well, after all those years and the change in the economy here is this new kid on the block for couple hundred more but with more of everything. Now more details about TBI. Lots and lots of details and informations. Better deeper bass, also more dynamics. Now, I don't know if I got this right but in low levels I didn't find TBI better but boy oh boy as you crank up the volume - it all starts running at you. It must had very good communications between my speakers and TBI because I'm normally not listening in those levels but I really did enjoy that for change ( thank God that my wife went to the beauty salon for couple of hours,to be precise for four hours). So,very quickly we have a clear winner in this competition. TBI have more power and it's more ready for modifications (bigger case) and sound better in all aspects.

[mytubes211]

Review part# 3

 As on Tom recommendation I started with some bad quality recordings and I choose "Adele"- He won't go. That song has is about 2:10sec. Incredible drums finish in your left speaker. With the couple of seconds I can perfectly recognize stranght of any power amp. Actually, I end up listening to more songs so I can say that was pretty interesting to me. Not that all songs come somehow better sounding, but overall, I ended up to not make myself get up and change CD or tracks. It is a very good thing to do at beginning of the testing unit because things go from there to even better. Next I continued with some serious recordings. "Ben Harper"- God Fearing Man is about 6:10sec. It came on me big time. I picked this song because of the nature of my speakers. That Audax "gold" super tweeter made an absolutely amazing job with air and reproduction of that metallic guitar Ben is using. I can hear every pinch of his fingers/nails on spiral of the string,he is breathing as he starts to escalate and bang the guitar. In this moment, my sixteen years old son came down from his room and ask me: What is that, I like that song....I was like whoooat?  He shocked me that he liked his old man's song. Next I had to cool down a little so I choose "Oscar Paterson Trio"-You look good to me (K2HD) on iTunes. This was a free download and advertisement as an HD recording. I highly recommended this download because the recording is so, so scary good. TBI did an absolutely amazing job. What impressed me the most was the backgrounds in like about 0:50sec. In the right speaker, a bass player starts to play but also at the same time it starts to heavily breathe. I never heard it play so equally with other surroundings. Some amps do show this but it is not as forward as TBI. Is it good or bad? It really is up to your speakers and your system. It was something new for me and I did enjoy it for the time. Next was some my favorite recordings what I always use as recognizing deference in sound. I will mention to you one very interesting recording: "The Bobs"- The wind cries Mary. All songs are made with guys mouth and I did founded this very entertaining also not that bed quality recording. But true is that I did grove on Pink Floyd,Peter Gabriel,Kate Bush,Mike Oldfield..etc.. These day's I found something new in my heart: This Will Destroy You,If These Trees Could Talk,Russian Circles,God Is an Astronaut...etc..  and all Post-rock.
  I must also mention about speakers placement. I had little extra time so I played with two positions in my room. First position: in room 22 x16 ft. have speakers about 31/2 ft. from back wall and 3 ft. from side walls and about 10 ft. from each other. Speakers were very,very lightly angled in almost face strait forward. My siding position is about 18ft. from speakers. I have this way open sound with deep stage and good separation. Between changing CD I also did play with output tubes in my Jas CD player. I have these on side to play with Telefunken 12xa7-diamante series,GE 12ax7-square getter,GE 12ay7-square getter,Amperex Bungle Boys 12at7- D getter and my favorite RCA 12dt8- low square getter. I did start listening but with new production JJ ECC803s gold pins. Oh my, am I glad that I did that. Actually I found that sound wasn't balanced and I must set down closer to left speaker. When I did change next tube problem was gone. This is big because thanks TBI I know that JJ is garbage. So for change I did play AirBook to Lindemann DAC and play some files also Pandora radio. On files I have nice song from "The Devlins"- Waiting. Sound was OK but as again in my opinion I was missing tube touch from all that digital source. Lindemann is very nice DAC but I founded myself much more enjoyed tube CD player. In my opinion is that 6x4 or EZ90 power tube what makes big deference. I don't understand why companies not pay attention to buffing power with tubes. Specially in digital sources it makes huge deference. Sure, after that is all other important parts to have everything working nice but nice clean with tube stabilise power will make good start. And that brings me to time when I change batteries for power plug. It takes about 1:20sec. for me unplug power plug and go back to batteries. Four years ago I build one floor additions so I decided to make dedicated line just for audio. I never have any problem in that nature, but for over some time now my main system runs on battery and :folks batteries are batteries.Then I did change position speakers to move them to room 36 x 15 ft. This time speakers will be set totally next back wall about 9 ft. from each other but complete toe in so they cross on front of me. I'm sitting about 9 ft. from speakers. Behind me is like 27 ft. open space. This position sued me the best. Maybe give up layer's of stage but much better presence of details oh God separations and bass is just amazing. That is why I did buy Lores, not many speakers in this size and price can reproduce so steady balanced bass without distortion. I was in line to auditioned new ZU audio speakers in Princeton but for family reason I did not make there so I can't say what speakers are better. For Rocker as myself is how I like system to play.

[mytubes211]

Review part# 4

 OK, so here goes summary. I founded TBI very special sounded, standing in his own category. Sound is nothing like D-class very close to T-class indeed. You must test this unit before you buy because all background information's what coming at you can be somehow to much and unusual. It's all how will TBI react with your room and system.One thing I also observed is that TBI play much better when set with volume knob all the way up and with external volume control. In another words I like much better as power amp as integrated amp. Also, volume is key for this unit,more db. you play it sound more open with background coming forward much more dynamics but no distortion at all. But that again whoever experience Chris "lonewolfny42" how he can crank up then I don't know if this amp can stand  

 

[mytubes211]

Review part# 5

SYNERGY is very important in this business. I like TBI but as recommendation to somebody who is on good start to this crazy hobby. For me who goes via experience in my system with 300B,211,45,2A3,811/572,EL34 in Class A,A/B,D,G,H,T,Mosfet,JET or push pull and companies like: Consonance/Opera,Trafomatic audio,Electra Print,Dodd audio,RWA,Supratek,Jas audio,Audio space,Spectron audio, Gorge Wright audio and some costume build units. Soon coming to me again something unique as I requested. I have idea about four years ago and is time when it can be finalize. Very exited about this.

[Freo-1]

Great review, mytubes211!  Looks like yet another person finds the amp quite musical.
 
It is interesting that you found the unit to work best as a power amp.  I think that may be system dependant.  With my setup, connecting the tube Modwright Oppo directly to the TBI actually was slightly superior overall to running it as a power amp.  Each perspective owner will need to sort that out on their own system. 
 
For Low Wattage enthusiasts, this amp is definitely worth an audition. 

[OzarkTom]

It must had very good communications between my speakers and TBI because I'm normally not listening in those levels but I really did enjoy that for change ( thank God that my wife went to the beauty salon for couple of hours,to be precise for four hours).

That is a very strong point that I have found on the TBI, you can play your system at a louder listening level and it will not fatique you like other amps will.

[mytubes211]

Absoluty agree with all above.  Ritchie

[mytubes211]

Review part# 6
In like two monts ago I did buy my son these speakers: http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/hb-1.html
I was hoping to get him on my road so I see TBI as good partner for those speakers. As huge surprise for me, he come back to me and he said: It's nice Daddy but I like more what I got already. Are you asking what amp he got?  Here is it:  http://www.soundcraftsmen.com/pcr800.htm  
WHOA THAT IS DADDY'S EARS FOR SURE!!!   So he like good all school Mosfet,my job here is done.
Next stop tubes,something like this:  http://www.audiospace.com.hk/detail.asp?catid=2270&subcatid=0&pdtid=3629&private=

Cheers Ritchie                      P.S. I will try to download some pictures tom

[wushuliu]

Review part# 6
In like two monts ago I did buy my son these speakers: http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/hb-1.html
I was hoping to get him on my road so I see TBI as good partner for those speakers. As huge surprise for me, he come back to me and he said: It's nice Daddy but I like more what I got already. Are you asking what amp he got?  Here is it:  http://www.soundcraftsmen.com/pcr800.htm 
WHOA THAT IS DADDY'S EARS FOR SURE!!!   So he like good all school Mosfet,my job here is done.
Next stop tubes,something like this:  http://www.audiospace.com.hk/detail.asp?catid=2270&subcatid=0&pdtid=3629&private=

Cheers Ritchie                      P.S. I will try to download some pictures tom

Great review! Is there any chance you could put a space between paragraphs in the really long post?

[cab]

Sound is nothing like D-class very close to T-class indeed.

Class T is class d. Calling it class t was just a marketing ploy.

[mytubes211]

Great review! Is there any chance you could put a space between paragraphs in the really long post?

That is what I did in original post but I have problem to posted so I separated and squeeze lines.

Ritchie