[bullethead]

Has anyone heard the Pop Pulse T40i?  I am looking into this one, and am also considering the Trends TA-10.1 as well.  I want to build a fun budget system, I already have speakers with 90db of sensitivity that I could use, just am looking for some input on these little monsters of amplification. 

[Rashiki]

A cheap option would be to get one of the Sonic Impact amps. They've updated the original design a little and raised the price, but it's still under $70.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=300-958

 -Rob

[Canyoneagle]

I have a "Super-T" amp that someone gifted me, with no power supply (all you need is a $19 12V PS from sonic impact, or go on battery power).

I'm willing to share the love (i.e. give it to you) if you pay shipping.  - this has been 'spoken for'.

I also have a DIY copy of the RWA "Clari-T" amp, with blackgate caps, etc etc.  It is battery powered, with probalbly another 6m to 1 year before a new battery is needed.  Unfortunately, the person who made it did a sloppy job of GLUING the battery into the case.  Also, the volume control is the same as the T-amp it came from, and can be scratchy (a simple replacement with an Alps unit would solve it).  That said, it is an invredible sounding little amp - a highly modified version of the Sonic Impact Super T-amp.
Anyway, I now have a Red Wine sig 30,2 and no longer need this amp.  I bought it on Ebay for $200, but would let it go for $75 plus shipping.

All of this said, 90dB (IMO) is riiiiight at the margin for these lower-powered amps.  If you listen nearfield or do not require listening at "live performance" levels, they will work.

PM me.

Warmly,
Michael

[low.pfile]

A cheap option would be to get one of the Sonic Impact amps. They've updated the original design a little and raised the price, but it's still under $70.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=300-958

 -Rob

If anyone wants to play around with one (Sonic Impact 5065 Gen 2 T-Amp)I am going to release mine into the wild soon. It is only 2 weeks old and used less than 1 week- while awaiting my RWA30.2 . So once I find the box and bits I was going to post it here for about $50shipped. Surprising little tyke.

[bullethead]

I thought about it for awhile, as I see from some comments and others around the web, that Class-T amp will just become another expensive paperweight.  I'll spend that money upgrading some cables instead.  Cheers!

[Wind Chaser]

I thought about it for awhile, as I see from some comments and others around the web, that Class-T amp will just become another expensive paperweight.

If you haven't heard one, you'll never know for yourself.  The reason why these little amps have gained so much attention in the first place is because they are extraordinary musical.  They are not the most musical amps in the absolute sense, but in reality there is no end all be all. 

T amps are without equal in value and combined with the right source, if you can live with a few watts, you may well be blissfully satisfied.  Having owned and heard a number of entry level T amps, I'd say the Sonic Impact's the weakest of the lot and the DIY Charlize the best by a long shot.  Unlike the Trends, the Charlize rarely comes up in the used market.  In a head to head comparison with a very highly regarded SET (costing 14X more money) the Charlize vindicated itself quite well, in so much that the differences were few and far between.

[tanchiro58]

I thought about it for awhile, as I see from some comments and others around the web, that Class-T amp will just become another expensive paperweight.

If you haven't heard one, you'll never know for yourself.  The reason why these little amps have gained so much attention in the first place is because they are extraordinary musical.  They are not the most musical amps in the absolute sense, but in reality there is no end all be all. 

T amps are without equal in value and combined with the right source, if you can live with a few watts, you may well be blissfully satisfied.  Having owned and heard a number of entry level T amps, I'd say the Sonic Impact's the weakest of the lot and the DIY Charlize the best by a long shot.  Unlike the Trends, the Charlize rarely comes up in the used market.  In a head to head comparison with a very highly regarded SET (costing 14X more money) the Charlize vindicated itself quite well, in so much that the differences were few and far between.

I own the Altmann BYOB amp (Charles Altmann uses chip too-but not sure what kind?), RWA Clari-T dual mono and Charlize 2 (with power supply). Altmann BYOB (10 watts)and RWA Clari-T (6 watts) are battery-powered except Charlize2 (not sure the output power). They all sound excellent with my Omega Hemptones (96dB) speakers. 

[DaveC113]

I thought about it for awhile, as I see from some comments and others around the web, that Class-T amp will just become another expensive paperweight.  I'll spend that money upgrading some cables instead.  Cheers!

You'd be surprised. I have a Trends powered by an oversized linear regulated power supply, Shinkoh resistors in the signal path, BG power caps and volume pot bypassed. Its a good amp paired with the right (93 dB+) speakers, especially single drivers. I am also using the Trends with a tube preamp, which helped a lot. The upgrades only cost $35 altogether, and its good enough that I'm dropping $50 to put in some nicer coupling caps too. I have been building a SET amp which is almost ready, and I'm happy to have the Trends as a backup or maybe use it in a 2nd system.

 

[wilsynet]

I owned a KingRex T20 with PSU for awhile.  I drove a pair of Zu Druids, which are quite efficient.  The sound can sometimes be a little thin, but putting a Modwright SWL 9.0 SE preamp in front fixed that rightly.  It sounds ridiculous to put a $2200 preamp in front of a $250 T-AMP driving a pair of $3400 speakers, but while I had this combination I never thought I was missing much in the way of anything at all.

The T20 is quiet, has a touch of warmth, and music and details come from a black background.  My experience with the T20 led me to a Red Wine Audio Signature 30.2, which is several classes better and revelatory in comparison, but at more than 10x the price I think that's a reasonable expectation.

The T-AMP represents incredible value, and if I were building a budget system today around a pair of efficient speakers, then a T-AMP along with an active line stage (perhaps the KingRex preamp?) would certainly be on my short list.

[slbender]

I've been using a KLH Digital made-in-china home theater unit for a while now, hooked to various speakers as a background system.  It actually has six channels of these little dual channel Digital Class H or Class T 6 wpc. integrated circuits as the power amps, with outputs for six speakers (5.1) as well as toslink digital out, digital in, and other inputs (9 RCA's, Svideo) but I only use mainly the Analog Input - 2 channel.  I have two spare and identical units, which are constantly under foot; in the spares, the digital amps work as well as the digital volume control and input selector, but the DVD player and FM tuner are totally  non-functional, the display works so-so..  In any case, they come up looking for the DVD and finds no disc; so one must switch to the Analog input and then the set works like any other amp from line level input with a volume control. I use it for a Reel to Reel to speakers.  I never hooked up more than two speakers, so have not tried the other variations.

I'd part with either spare unit if someone is really interested in trying it out cheaply, for $50. each plus $25. shipping to all 48 states; or only $15. for shipping if you happen to be along the North East coast.

Two units available, first come first served.


-Steven

Has anyone heard the Pop Pulse T40i?  I am looking into this one, and am also considering the Trends TA-10.1 as well.  I want to build a fun budget system, I already have speakers with 90db of sensitivity that I could use, just am looking for some input on these little monsters of amplification. 

[WerTicus]

i used 3 class t (sonic impact original amps) amps one to run each driver in a 3way system and the result was pretty good for 45bucks of amplification.  certainly unbeatable for the price...

I run nu force amps now they cost 66x more but probably only sound 3x-4x as good

[bullethead]

The reason I mentioned the Pop Pulse T40i was due to the fact that it delivers 24 watts per channel, I don't expect this to drive my Dynaudio's, but I did buy those 90db Carbon Fiber Insignia speakers awhile back when they were all the rage (and they are just sitting there collecting dust now).  Wondering if it's worth it to even give it a shot.  I assume that it is, but $225 is a pretty hefty drop in the bucket for something that may not work well.

I'll most likely give it a shot though, the coolness factor seems appealing enough.

[bacobits1]

Anything from Audiomagus can be returned.
A friend of mine just got a modded Trends T10.1 amp and it's pretty damn good.

D

[thx1138]

I've been out of audiophile for many years and I'm getting back in. What is the verdict on Class T? It seemed like the big hit in 2004 - 2005 but where is it now? Can't find a Teac Reference A-L700P 3-Channel Power Amplifier even on eBay. Tri-path had some financial difficulties. Then again, Audio Research still sells a T-amp based multi channel amp. Guys, what's the verdict? One hit wonder? Something better came along? Not enough power? Audiophiles on the endangered species list? Or is everyone using Charlize 2 now? What commercial class T amps are still in production? I'm probably crazy, but I like these J-S 2203AA speakers and I'm gonna go over to their headquarters here in Taipei and try to buy 5 left-channel speakers and use them for a 5.1 setup.

[JLM]

thx138,

Certainly the little Class T amps were a fad, and for the price the original Sonic Impact had to be tried.  Then vendors offered all those improved versions.  The "problems" with class T (to me) are:

1. Not enough power for the speakers that most tried them with, but they do hit way beyond the rated 6 wpc.  (Like the poster above with 90 dB/w/m speakers, I tried that in a 2,000 cubic foot room, worked well, but was not ideal.  I moved to 40 wpc and the speakers transformed from polite dinner guests to NFL linebackers in tuxedos.)

2. For some reason, most are sold with only one maybe two sets of inputs.  Even the Nuforce Icon, a most promising piece with 12 wpc, with threes sets of inputs, but none are RCA.

3. They just aren't big enough or sexy enough or expensive enough to be keepers or to be taken seriously for very long.

4. At 6 wpc their natural competition were SETs, and the SET crowd are quite loyal/fanatical to tubes.

IME they, with a Squeeze Box or Duet are the obvious choice in a small, inexpensive system.  Finding the right speakers is the only challenge, but Omega would be a good starting point.

[reddmadder]

Hi,
 Go to
http://www.trendsaudio.com/EN/Reviews/Reviews.htm
Read about the Trends amp...a killer piece of gear.

[rajacat]

  The little Trends 10.1 received an excellent review by 6moons.

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/trends/ta10.html
 

[hoxuanduc]

Good news! The nuforce does have RCA input.

[thx1138]

So class T lives! That Trends got some strong reviews. And for a kit there's the Charlize 2. There are even some higher power class T chips. Are there any Class T that drive headphones? Or that drive 5 or 7 channels for home theatre? I guess the most interesting is finished commercial products that are still in production. Maybe something a bit lower budget than this http://www.audioresearch.com/150M.html which I guess is still made but not listed on their product page.