[fiveoclockfriday]

Good afternoon, I was just wondering if any current or past owners of the Sharp SD-EX111 have heard or can compare them to a Trends amp and Oppo source setup. I'm looking for a cost effective way to upgrade the sound of my system. Other components are Blue Jean Cables and a set of Hornshoppe Horns. Listening habits are just about everything, but no organ music or super deep bass stuff. I know there are some people offering mods for the Sharp, but with the internal CD player, I'm not sure I want to pump more money into it (although it's served me wonderfully for 1.5 years). Would moving to the aforementioned combo be a step up in sound quality at all? Thanks in advance. 
-Eric

[mcgsxr]

Eric, interesting post.  Could you elaborate on the balance of your system?  What speakers, and how efficient?  What type of music, and in what size of a room?

As I recall the Sharp is around 25-30wpc, and the Trend is 8-10wpc, so that could make a big difference.

I have not heard the Trend, but have heard a modded Sharp, and found that the onboard cd player absolutely held it back - I quickly moved to the inputs, and found that a good unit, that way, on my b200 Visatons.  This was a number of years ago, when Vinnie was modding them, he sent one up to me, for some fun.

[fiveoclockfriday]

I tried to touch on that in my original post, but if it wasn't clear I understand. Speakers are the Hornshoppe Horns w/ the 126 drivers. I think sensitivity on these is 94-95 db, steady 8 ohm load. Jazz, blues, rock, a little folk and 'world' music -- no organ stuff, no huge scale classical, but just about everything else. Size of room is approx 15 ft wide by 20 ft long, but it's a weird layout. I have a picture in my gallery with the dimensions measured out, there are some corners and an open hallway and things.

I don't have the manual nearby, but I believe the Sharp outputs 25-30 watts into 4 ohms, I'm not sure how much into 8.

Thanks for your help.

[Tubo]

I have both the Trends and the Sharp (no mods). Both sound wonderful running my 15-ohm Rogers LS3/5A's in my bedroom at low to moderate levels. I cannot really crank them up because I have neighbors. I have not run extensive comparison sessions, but my impression is that the Trends is ever so slightly more resolving. Both image very well and produce a very musical midrange. LS3/5A's are only 82db; I have no doubt that even the little Trends would be able to play your horns very loudly. All in all, going from the Sharp to the Trends is probably more of a sideways move than a big upgrade. It is a fun sideways move, nonetheless.

[mcgsxr]

Sorry, you clearly stated the Horns in your original post - teach me to post before a coffee!

Having played with other Tripath amps (modded), and the Sharp (modded) I would tend to agree with Tubo, that the biggest improvement in what you suggest may well be the improvement of the source.