Hello!
Finally I am far enough along to post details of the new pre-amp I have been working on. Before I do I'd like to say sorry to all those folks hanging on waiting for the new pre-amp for the endless delays. This has taken much longer than I'd hoped.......You'll see from the description below and from the details in the 'Bent Modules' post that it has been much more than just a re-work of the original NOH pre-amp. I tried to take all the features of both the TAP and the NOH pre-amp, along with all the features I had requests for into account and come up with an entirely new design.
Even though the basic design has been nailed down for a time I've been putting off posting about it - it's been quiet here lately and I've been getting a ton of stuff done! Please don't e-mail for more info right now - just post questions here. That will save a lot time answering the same questions via e-mail and allow everyone to benefit from the answers.
No pricing is posted yet. I'll be working that out over the next few weeks and will post that as soon as I can. My aim is to deliver the first systems this NOV. If there are any features that I have left out please post about them and I will try and incorporate them before I button everything up!
This new Pre-amp will replace both the TAP Classic and NOH pre-amps and will be sold as the TAP pre-amp. Like the NOH and TAP Classic it is designed every step of the way with the finest parts for the best sonic performance. It is a 2 box design using a 'Base Unit' and a 'Bent Unit':
1- The Base Unit
The Base Unit contains the system control circuits including the following:
- Level Control knob and Level Display.
- Mute Button.
- Input Select Buttons and Input select Display.
- Input Phase button.
- Tape Output Button and LED display.
- Remote Control Reciever for full remote control of the above functions.
There are 2 Base Unit Options -
TRIK Unit - Designer package along the lines of the original TAP control unit. New design but still very 'What the heck is that?' in the way it looks.....I won't even attempt to describe it here. Pics when the prototype is complete.
BASIC Unit - a lower cost but still full function option in a small clean package.
Both Base units have all the features above and they have outputs to connect to a single Bent Unit for a stereo pre-amp or to multiple Bent Units for a multichannel system.
2- The Bent Unit
The Bent Unit contains the audio signal path circuits. This includes:
- Input Connectors and switching
- Output Connectors
- TX102 Transformers and switching
There are 3 Bent Unit Options:
- 'ONE' - One RCA Input / Dual RCA Outputs
- 'FOUR' - 4 RCA Inputs and Dual RCA Outputs + Tape Output
- ' SIX' - 4 RCA Inputs + 2 XLR Inputs / Dual RCA + Dual XLR Outputs / Tape Output.
If it sounds complex it is only because I am making it sound that way - it is not! As in the previous TAP system the Base Unit connects to the Bent Unit via a simple fibre optic cable. This completely isolates the Base Unit from the Bent Unit allowing the Bent Unit to be placed anywhere in your audio rack so you can keep the interconect cables as clean and short as you possible. This frees up the Base Unit so it may be located in an easy to view and reach location in your rack or anywhere you'd like in your listenning room.
Other New Features are:
- The 'FOUR' and 'SIX' Bent Unit systems enable Phase Switching via front panel push button and also via remote control.
- Phase switching uses miltiple switch contacts so no additional junk is introduced to the signal path.
- There are now 34 Level Steps from mute to +6.
- Gain mode (+6db gain) is automatically engaged - once you pass unity gain the pre-amp then switches to +2, +4 then +6db.
- Channel Ballance control via remote control.
- Trim Controls for each channel at the base unit allow perminent channel to channel level adjustments that are saved in memory. This is used for level adjustment between channels for room imballance or in multichannel systems.
- Very short and clean signal path.
- Any input(s) can be easily programmed as an HT bypass input.
More details about the individual circuit boards are in the follow up post to this one called 'Bent Modules'.
The new pre-amp has been deisgned to be very 'buildable' and so a kit offering does not make sense. The kit cost would be very close to the cost of the finished units. What will be offered is all of the internal modules that make up the TAP pre-amp system - and some more modules as well.
One easy and fun DIY project would be to start with a finished Bent Unit (all the audio path wiring) and built a nice housing for the Control unit circuit board. That way the enclosure the user sees can look anyway you'd want and it makes for a fun creative project without the hassle of point to point wiring (like the traditional TVC required). That setup can actually be built with no soldering at all! We'll continue to stock and offer the full line of standard parts such as transformers, switches, connectors, etc. for more traditional projects.
Many Thanks!
John Chapman
www.bentaudio.com
