[Rclark]

Hey welome!!- The amps are dead quiet, break out the 30/130 and run that in too, hook it up like your dreaming about and sit back and enjoy, no need to plan run in--order pizza, change CD, order chinese, change CD, order cheesesteak, change CD, sleep a couple hours, Change CD, continue.....

Thats all the direction you need here my friend...plug it all in and crank it up, do have any type of pre-amp around?? I turned my TWO.2 30/130 w/Auri's into an amp only with the jumpers and the 30/130 and making it an amp only were the best things I did. There are a few Piano M1 CD players I'm seeing used--I don't know why as they are out of stock for awhile and I think Seth may be close to exhausting his remaining inventory, a Virtue amp and Piano and like PBJ.........enjoy
 Ed

i have the new Emotica ERC-2 cdp (sold my Erc-1 to get it) and I love it, I'm using it as a transport into my Emotiva XDA-1 DAC, which also functions as a preamp, and yes I disabled the TWO's volume control and let the XDA just run into the amp straight and it was an audible improvement.

 I'm listening to it right now, it's beginning to open up, and I am just seriously impressed with the amp, it sounds incredible, I am getting undelievable performance out of these speakers, and these are just cheap "mid-fi" junk.

[Rclark]

RealTraps is an excellent source for info/ articles re: room treatments, speaker placement, listening position, room nodes, etc..

This link is for the "old school" frequency sweep method (SPL meter, listening to individual tones, recording results & experimenting w/ speaker placement/ treatments, then re-test):

http://www.realtraps.com/test-cd.htm

It really helps w/ understanding your room's net effect to the "sound" you hear or don't hear (peaks, nulls, boominess, etc.).

It also references more detailed software options, but I'm personally not there yet.

It takes a lot of research & effort to learn, but it will help optimize your new equipment to full advantage.

 Thanks!  Yes, I plan on doing all of these things, then mess with power cables and power treatments. Room treatments, it's hard to figure which diy project to go with. For certain I'll be building corner superchunks, but as far as my 4"*2*4 traps I haven't decided which to do yet. Do you have any basstraps you like?

[brother love]

I did DIY (2) 2' x 4' x 4" bass traps & (4) 2' x 4' x 2" early reflection panels/ SBIR behind speakers.  I initially did a corner super chunk, but ended up a different route (long story, I'll spare the gory details).  A lot of it depends on your room specifics (rug, hardwood floors, windows, blah, blah).  Measurements you take will help identify problem areas to tackle.  You may even need diffusion. Mostly, it's about getting some helpful treatments on the walls/ corners to tame peaks/ nulls & even things out.

30v PS vs. battery kit (I like both, but prefer battery kit), sound treatments, power cords, equipment, room specifics, etc. etc.:

All of it falls under YMMV.  It's all good really, as you are making improvements along the way. Some will be more noticeable or significant than others. What doesn't work, return or sell.

Another good sound treatment source w/ affordable ready made items is GIK Acoustics. They have an Audio Circle forum & there is a general  Acoustics Circle forum as well.

Whatever you do, have fun along the way. With the Two.2 & N3S's that will be a far easier task. 

[Rclark]

ok, so I suppose I'll finish the speakers, build the subs, then measure, then start room treatments. I was listening all morning and the amp seems to be going through that rollerycoastery break in to where it's not sounding as good as it did. I've read to expect this and that soon it will "bloom" into its final sound, which is apparently awesome. Which is great because it sounded phenomenal last night.

 ...Outside sanding my N3S about to put the 3rd coat of clear semigloss.

 So you recommend the Dodd? Thinking about replacing the XDA-1 with a new DAC in the future and adding a nice preamp. Or buffer, Dodd's got a buffer as well. He says it will pair up well with the Virtue.


 Edit: just laid down with my fiance and took a nap, she actually listened to Coltrane, which is funny. I gotta say, even at this very early stage, of all the improvements to my "system" at this point (and it's completely across the board improved with just this amp - the amp was an even bigger improvement than adding the ERC-2 or the XDA-1) the three things I take away the most, that I enjpoy the most is the loss of that fatigue and distortion from the MM amplifier. Music is now completely non fatiguing and easy on the ears. Secondly is the huge dynamic range. I am completely drawn in by drums now, it's like I never heard drums before on my system. All the cymbal hits, all that high range sound is now part of the music, and it's incredible, but the whole range is equally improved, and thirdly, it's the precision of the instruments, and their seperation. The acoustic guitar on my Emotiva audio sampler (very well recorded) sounds like a real guitar, in my bedroom, very dimensional and dynamic. And I know that once I get N3's up with Platinum bypass caps, norez, etc, it's going to be a very very special combo. Very excited. I am very pleased with this amp.

[Rclark]

There is however a buzz that comes and goes. I'll move the ps tonight. That might be it.

[Jason T]

T-amps have a tendency to pick up RF noise and are especially susceptible around crt tv's or computer monitors.

Enjoy your amp if you have any questions feel free to email us.
 

[Rclark]

No CRT's here. Does it diminish with the battery supply? Its not a super big deal, I've been dealing with noise like that all my life. You gotta be up next to the speaker to hear it. I just wanted reassurance that something wasn't Wrong with the amp itself, which in every other way is running like a champ.


 Edit: I just got home and unplugged the PS from the wall, moved it away from the rest of the wires and plugged it into a strip and it went away some (the hum). It's a PS thing, I'll figure it out. I plan on doing cables and some conditioning as well later. All good here 

[Rclark]

... came home tonight and there's nobody here, it's dead quiet, I have nothing else turned on. Reached down and turned on the amp. Nope. It's a very audible hum. I can actually hear it across the room. Doesn't seem to matter where I plug it in  There's nothing else on. If I had to guess I'd say it's about 40db hum. Annoying.

 Is something wrong with the amp? It plays music. If nothing wrong with the amp, is this something that goes away with better power supply? Power conditioning?

Have you considered balanced circuitry in your next amp?

Other than this issue I love the thing.


Edit: hum becomes near inaudible after I fire up the DAC and cd player. It's now super quiet in here again. My laptop fan is louder. The hum is still there and I can still hear it from my desk 5 feet away but it's much quieter with the gear on.

[Jason T]

unhook the interconnects from your dac and try it again. have only the power and speaker cables hooked up to the amp and see what happens.
I have a feeling the amp is picking up noise from the dac when its off, sounds weird i know but its not uncommon at all.

[Rclark]

Yup, that's exactly what was happening. But then I disconnected the xda and used the virtue as an integrated and then I have a wierd buzzing sound on the left channel that only occurs at certain positions of the volume knob.

I'm going to get my speakers built, get some proper cables going out to them, and then reevaluate the issue from there.

Other than that I am completely thrilled even at this minimum level: stock supply land crap speakers and cables. Even now it is ridiculously good. So be back in a few weeks and if I have issues I will just pm you Jason.

[Rclark]

 those shiny red things are cryoed speaker cables from user Zmanastromy, ready for action, still zip tied.

My amp was purchased from Jack Caldwell of Holistic. Apparently it had the distinction of being their RMAF amp.