pmsummer Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 >> "Looks like the Sonic T is back... http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=300-958" Wow, $69. I got mine for $50 less than that. It's still hooked up to my faithful Corns and sounds as good as ever. Currently $39, including power pack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted April 30, 2009 Author Share Posted April 30, 2009 Dean, You've got mail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I am getting excited about the Kenwood. I've done considerable archival research and those that bought them love them. Some appeared qualified to comment on sound quality, and all thought it was superb. However, it's the networking that I am really going to like. The features appear to be as good as the free-standing appliances like Squeezebox, and they are part of the receiver. All told, I paid less for the whole thing than you can get a decent music network appliance for. That in itself is pretty cool. Further, it has pre out, so I'll be able to use it with the ST-80 without having to switch as I do now. Looks VERY cool indeed. I remain mystified about the failure of these in the marketplace and convinced it is marketing error and peoples expectations of heft for a receiver. Glad I have none of those prejudices. "If it SOUNDS good, it IS good...and if it is CHEAP as well it is PERFECT (with apologies to the Duke)." Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 "I remain mystified about the failure of these in the marketplace and convinced it is marketing error and peoples expectations of heft for a receiver." I think you probably nailed it, they don't weigh anything at all, and people associate that with "cheap". The other problem are the prices -- they are simply too low for anyone to take them seriously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmsummer Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 "I remain mystified about the failure of these in the marketplace and convinced it is marketing error and peoples expectations of heft for a receiver." I think you probably nailed it, they don't weigh anything at all, and people associate that with "cheap". The other problem are the prices -- they are simply too low for anyone to take them seriously. Someone ought to put an 1/8" steel bottom plate like Marantz did in the '70s on some of their integrated amps. And lot's of lights, too, like a Pioneer. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 "I remain mystified about the failure of these in the marketplace and convinced it is marketing error and peoples expectations of heft for a receiver." I think you probably nailed it, they don't weigh anything at all, and people associate that with "cheap". The other problem are the prices -- they are simply too low for anyone to take them seriously. Frightening that folks are that irrational. If you could get a cancer treatment that worked for 100.00 would you insist on paying more? I rely on my ears to make judgements, not my wallet...thank God. If I didn't, I'd be a very unhappy audiophile indeed. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted April 30, 2009 Author Share Posted April 30, 2009 Yeh. Networking capability thrown in is a huge plus. I've looked at a few of the standalone appliances and thought they were a more pricey than would get me to pull the trigger for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I would like to try one of these amps but which one to try? Maybe the Sonic T would be a good one for starters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted May 1, 2009 Author Share Posted May 1, 2009 JL, The original sonic T amp or the more recent incarnation on partsexpress is an amazing sounding toy, but still a toy. The amazing thing about the board is that something with baked on solder paste actually makes music at all. It is cute, but after it's grin factor wears off, it is a bit edgy in the HF. I wouldn't waste the 40 bucks for something that you will only want to replace with a seriously made t amp of one variety or another. I'd suggest something like a Super T, if you could find one, a Trends, or a HLLY T amp 20. Any of these will are well executed examples of tripath chips. I've got more of these little guys than my wife can appreciate, so I do expect to be putting some of these units in the garage sale. well, that's my $0.02. Do what you want to do. My first purchase was the $30 buck sonic t amp. It is pretty amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 I haven't heard an answer to my ongoing question: What is so special about the Tripath chipset as opposed to the TI? I have both, and I hear no difference except that the Tripath amps are sort of like SET vs. push-pull...they don't have enough horsepower to handle pipe organ and such. Some claim SET is more articulate and refined than push-pull, but my take is largely that the rather organic visual and circuit simplicity appeals to the ascetic with a passive preamp, etc...not that they also don't hear some different flavor of accuracy as well. So why don't TI get no respect? Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 Sounds like probably good advice Daddy Dee. Say the Virtue sounds good so far? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 Dave, the Panasonics and the TI chips are liked by a lot of people. Do you belong to any other audio forums besides this one? I've had my Virtue 2 since Tuesday, but haven't even opened the box yet. My new Music Hall cd25.2 just showed up and I won't have time to play with that either -- I'm getting ready to leave for the AKfest in Michigan. I'll get back sometime Sunday afternoon when I'll set this stuff up and have a listen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted May 1, 2009 Author Share Posted May 1, 2009 Sounds like probably good advice Daddy Dee. Say the Virtue sounds good so far? Yes. It does sound good. At some point, I will want to say more about it. There are some good reviews online, and I haven't heard anything to contradict them. It's a strong candidate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted May 1, 2009 Author Share Posted May 1, 2009 Dave, On the TI, I have had a chance to do some listening to to Bob's Panny and I think the sound is very good. At some point I need to take a tripath based amp up to Bob's place for some listening. I haven't had the chance to hear them side by side, but there's not anything in my "listening memory" (not always a good thing) that causes me to think there is an appreciable difference between the two. At most, I think, some might discern a different "reference" sound, say something akin to the difference between Fisher and Eico and Scott. I have heard that difference among those old standards. However, I am not really expecting to be able to discern a difference between the TI and Tripath. In most applications, the TI chip is used in units which deliver more bang for the buck. For example, the remote thrown in with any Panny receiver would likely cost $350 to add remote facility to some "audiophile" tripath based amp. The Kenwood ethernet appliance facility also would cost more than the Kenwood to buy a standalone unit. Maybe TI is just the redneck Tripath. [] Reminds me a little of the dynamic of a Klipsch Heritage owner smiling through a buddy's explanation of why horns suck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 >Maybe TI is just the redneck Tripath. Who, me? (he said, polishing off another Lone Star). Why are the Tripaths so powerless? The TI chipsets amps are WAY overrated power-wise at 100wpc/6ohms. Actual is more like 50-60w/8ohm...however, that is more than enough for Heritage and Fraziers and much more than the Tripaths I've heard of. As to "reference," that's a mis-used world in audiophilia, IMHO. In radio, we use it as simply a known output we could agree on. JBL's and EV's were used extensively..seems like every studio had an EV Sentry in the CR. However, no one wanted these at home for music...very fatigueing. But if you mixed for it to sound good on them, it sounded good on the radio. Hence, "reference." Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blvdre Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 Not all of the tripath's are low power; the 2022 chip puts out 60W into 8ohm, 100 into 4. I wonder, if someone implemented a TI amp in, lets say, an audiophile friendly package, would they sell as well the tripath amps? One marketing advantage is that the TI is still currently in production, whereas the tripath is out of production (although there apparently is still a large stock of them out there). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted May 1, 2009 Author Share Posted May 1, 2009 Dave, Now that you mention it, does seem odd about the number of low powered tripath applications. The higher powered chips are out there. As Blvdre mentions, the 2022 is good for some substantial power. This is also the chip that was used in a Teac 5.1 receiver. I got a good deal (well would have been good if the receiver had worked) on a refurb unit. Ended up tossing it because it only run intermittently and there was no recourse on returning the unit. ' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 >Not all of the tripath's are low power; the 2022 chip puts out 60W into 8ohm, 100 into 4. I wonder, if someone implemented a TI amp in, lets say, an audiophile friendly package, would they sell as well the tripath amps? One marketing advantage is that the TI is still currently in production, whereas the tripath is out of production (although there apparently is still a large stock of them out there). Ahhh...good thought. Put one in a box with just source selector and a volume control and a 5k price tag. That would probably do it! If you left out the source selector, volume control, and put only one channel in the box, you could call it a digitial monoblock and still get 5k for it. In my case, I am quite happy to have the goodies...Dolby, AM-FM, video switching, networking, etc. for 200.00. I can always bypass it. I never heard of the Teac, DD, but then I'd never heard of the Kenwood until I ran "digital receiver" on Ebay at just the right time (7 hours before it closed out). By the way, that was one of those Ebay moments to remember. My "ouch" point was 200.00. I knew from experience that 202.50 would be the choice of someone thinking 200, but knowledgeable enough to know someone else would probably think the same. I sniped at 2 seconds for 205. Obviously, I read the high bidders book as I got it for 202.50. At 200.00 my snipe wouldn't have registered since the bidder had entered 200 as his max via the usual Ebay process. VICTORY! I know many don't like snipers, but for me, Ebay is like business: War, not sport. Sniping is open to all. I see no point in running up the bid and paying more than necessary. When Esnipe first became available I got EVERYTHING I bid on as my ouch point was usually about the going rate, and almost nobody knew about sniping. Now, it's down to about 1 of 4...but still good enough to eventually get what I want at the price I am looking to pay. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted May 1, 2009 Author Share Posted May 1, 2009 sniping is the only way I buy anything on ebay. except for BIN, of course. that was good timing to run across the Kenwood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 As I said, I'd never heard of it and couldn't find anything else under SA-XR. I was fascinated when I read the seller's info, leaning heavily after researching it on the web and finding some user's opinions on other BBS, and hooked when I found out about the network option. Of course, I had to order a wireless internet bridge to feed the port on it, and there is a long way between having such a device and getting it to work, but what the heck. Even if it give me issues with the music server part, the rest is still a heckuva deal. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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