old/new topic about T-amps

shep · « **on:** 6 Jan 2007, 09:00 pm »

I'm too lazy to go hunting for the thread of a few days ago.

I only listened with half an ear. This time is concerns me directly! To wit: There seems to be very divided opinion about Tripath chip sound. May we renew the discussion please? What do some of you find as a failing or lack of and what do others find as beguiling and admirable. I gather many have graduated to higher power or switched technology altogether (tubes, SS). Has any one stuck to their original? I guess mine is typical of the breed.
http://www.michael.mardis.com/trendamp/modded.htm It has been playing nonstop for three days now and I am still under the charm. It's not that I want to find fault or conversely have my impressions confirmed. But, I am intensely curious as to the varied reactions, which are generally very contrasting, and I would like to understand more, if that makes sense. Over

shep · « **Reply #1 on:** 6 Jan 2007, 10:12 pm »

little lead ballon? Don't knock me over with your enthusiasm

robert1325 · « **Reply #2 on:** 6 Jan 2007, 11:31 pm »

HEY , hey aa

shep · « **Reply #3 on:** 7 Jan 2007, 12:07 am »

you said it aa Got yours yet?

robert1325 · « **Reply #4 on:** 7 Jan 2007, 12:09 am »

no, sooooo slow

must be the New years hang- over

shep · « **Reply #5 on:** 7 Jan 2007, 12:10 am »

coming direct from Hong kong?

robert1325 · « **Reply #6 on:** 7 Jan 2007, 12:35 am »

yes, buyoyo

robert1325 · « **Reply #7 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 08:21 pm »

Got the trends ta-10 today

The sound is very good! It beats my two SS amps with ease and connected to the Blaudio mini monitors I prefer it over my dads 300B monoblocks

More detail and very good seperation . Can't believe it, Hope it matches well with the Hawthorne Silver Iris Coax's ( now that's a mouth full!)

This is one H*ll of a bargain!

Robert

shep · « **Reply #8 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 08:25 pm »

there you are! we're beginning to grow in numbers...the inexorable march of the Trend t-10 aa

robert1325 · « **Reply #9 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 08:31 pm »

I think I can live with this amp for a long time, might be a bit to early to say but the sound is really something

And ofcourse there are some mods I could do , or go for the Charlize ta2020 ...

It can rock, better than my 2x100 watt SS. It is very revealing on poor recordings ( the only drawback sometimes)

doorman · « **Reply #10 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 08:55 pm »

My system is built around low power SET amplification, but this "hobby", is really a disease, right?! So, I've ordered a Trends TA-10, cause I'm curious, and it's cheap, and I'm as sick as the next audiophool (sigh)
Don

robert1325 · « **Reply #11 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 09:07 pm »

Hey, welcome aboard! Curious how it's going to compare with your SET

What tube is it based on?

If you don't like it , you can always mod it for fun

Robert

shep · « **Reply #12 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 09:11 pm »

Now we're rolling! I've suggested to M. Mardis building mono block 2X2O watt versions. There's got to be a way aa. Just to reiterate, I'm using mine on small tranmission lines that really shouldn't sound so good and so powerful.

doorman · « **Reply #13 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 09:22 pm »

Tube amp is EL-84 based, / tube pre, driving FE108EZ BLH's.
My expectations are fairly low, but I've been wrong more than once before!

Don

robert1325 · « **Reply #14 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 09:42 pm »

El84, read good things about those! Decware uses them a lot.

My expectations weren't high either

Shep, you can make monoblocks of them by tying the inputs together ( with a jumper inside the tiny box)

The power rating is more like 2x7 watt, without distortion.

shep · « **Reply #15 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 10:21 pm »

Mine run against the stops and don't distort. How is that possible? You mean I'm going deaaf! oh great.
I'm not touching this thing...afraid to break the spell.

slbender · « **Reply #16 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 10:52 pm »

Lead ballon ?

? Lead Ballon, oh...! You mean Lead Balloon

Well OK, I've got several all-in-one Home Theater units... DVD Player ( region free ) with a 5.1 amplifier, an AM/FM Tuner, and a single stereo analog input, and bunch of RCA and optical jacks on the back and speaker output jacks for a sub and bunch of other speakers. Its 5.1 or rather six channels of amplification, a set that came out of China back about 4 or 5 years ago, and yup, its got three of those dual channel Six Watt TA-2020 IC's in each set.

I also use one downstairs for the TV, just feeding its DVD output into my VCR and then to the TV on the dedicated Channel 0 input. Not using the internal amps here, a 40 wpc AR X-06 Integrated Receiver is doing all sound functions into a pair of vintage KLH 6 speakers.

Two of these all-in-one Home Theater sets have dead DVD Players, where the DVD and CD Lasers are blown. One also has a defective tuner, but I think all the TA-2020's are still working.

Now upstairs, its my quick and easy CD Player/Stereo System ( look ma no wires! ) I can listen to Reel to Reel tape via the Analog input, or play CD's by pressing two buttons. This is fine while my real preamp is undergoing some renovation, and I'm building a SET Amp now ( the second one, the first one used OP tubes in the 6BQ5 family ). So I dug out the chassis and parts from a SET Amp I never finished, almost ten years ago. Conceptually, that one was to use those big Russian SV-811 tubes. Ran into problems and shelved it. This newly revitalized SET Amp project will use the super-ruggedized 6094 Red Bank Bendix Tubes which came out of the Minuteman Missile System back in the mid-1950's. The rest of the tube lineup probably will be a 12AX7 followed by a 5687, maybe with both sections of the 5687 in parallel, hey, that is fairly close to what the Ongaku uses isn't it ? Anyway, I should have it done in another three or four weeks. I've already got several people interested in hearing it.. Me Too !

So for the past couple of months I've been using this all-in-one's as my CD Player, and its internal TA-2020's ( they call it Class H Digital )

hooked to my speakers. Gotta admit - Pretty Decent Sound. Not much power, and not sounding like IC's, but adequate for my room, and the not too efficient 4 way speakers I designed back about 25 years ago. Its very much in the same power range as my prior SET Amp ( the one in my picture ) and also the one I'm building now.

-Steven L. Bender, Designer of Vintage Audio Equipment

Quote from: shep on 6 Jan 2007, 10:12 pm

little lead ballon? Don't knock me over with your enthusiasm

robert1325 · « **Reply #17 on:** 16 Jan 2007, 09:01 pm »

Well, my trends ta-10 is sounding better every minute! I think there's some serious burn-in going on because the sound is very nice tonight ! I'm becoming a fan of this little amp and it's probably one that stays around for a while

Changed my profile a bit as you can see

This is one heck of a bargain!

The sound is very intimate and moving, warm and full, and great definition

Canyoneagle · « **Reply #18 on:** 16 Jan 2007, 09:17 pm »

I've had similar experiences/impressions with my little tripath amp (a used SLA-powered ClariT knockoff with numerous upgrades) - very impressive clarity, warmth and musicality. I agree it can be a bit much on bad recordings, but 98% of the time it just leaves me scratching my head with how great it sounds for such an inexpensive little amp.

I haven't heard the trends amps, but can imagine they are very similar.

Warmly,
Michael

shep · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 Jan 2007, 09:19 pm »

aa Trend rules! Hey R. do I need to get that book as an ultimate tweak or is it just to keep the baby from falling over? I haven't run mine into clipping but I hear it's very grim when that happens. I don't know if that is what you heard but I don't think so. Maybe you were driving the speakers too hard