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Digital amplification in retrospect...it made a believer outta me!


jt1stcav

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People are lumping all digital amps into one big category.

There's different brands, Tripath just happens to be one of them. I'm not sure what the yamaha uses, but I know that the high end Carver uses Tripath.

For me, I just can't think of _anything_ the Teac lacks in sound. I haven't heard McIntosh monoblocks, but by far, and i mean FAR, one shouldnt criticize the weakenesses of the teac with anything lesser than the Klipsch Heritage line, at least that's my opinion.

Music just flows out of the teac, it's hard to describe it..

And when anyone in here says teac, were talking about the AL-700p/A-L700p, whichever its listed under.

-Joe

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Shawn: Read that thread. Thanks...now I am an expert :-)

Rick: Tripath link was broken.

So, does anyone know what chipset is used in the Panasonic I purchased?

100.00 amps that sound great. Did we get kicked back to 1959 somehow?

Dave

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So now I am wondering who will bring out a combination soundcard/amplifier. The idea of a Card Deluxe or ESI Pro (for those needing 8 channels) at around 500.00 ready to drive Heritage is simply too devine. The technology is obviously there.

Now, I am waiting for the 100.00 Klispchhorn, perhaps constructed of carbon nanotubes and foldable for travel.

One other thing. My respect for a number of members of this forum has increased via this thread. Those who've finger pointed at many members of the 2 channel group as "stodgy" "snooty" etc. just lost their case. When you read someone like Erik, Chris, or Shawn waxing enthusiastic about a 100.00 digital amplifier, their already solid credibility increases virtually to gold standard. That goes for several more of you as well.

Hats Off, Gentleman! You stand in the presence of objective judges!

Dave

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Okies. Tripath is a great site. I was a bit disappointed not to find a list of all products with their technology...it's almost a matter of course with most such OEM outfits so I really don't understand why they don't list this info.

I'd still like to know if it is Tripath chipset in the Panasonic SR 10X (don't think the model # is quite correct, see page 1 if you don't know what I am talking about) which I have ordered on a whim after reading this thread.

Dave

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Just got home from work...

The Panasonic does use a Texas Instruments chip. How that rates with the Tripath is anyone's guess, but from what my brother tells me, all the reviews on the Panasonic are favorable. I know Tom is very satisfied with its performance and has no intentions at present to change any settings (where does one find that information at?).

Tom also received his 5066 T-amp and it's ever so small! Straight out of the box it sounds as good as the Panasonic...smooth, detailed, with clean highs; can't tell about the bass since he's listening to Karen Peris, lead female vocals to the band "The Innocence Mission". Vocals sound wonderful thus far; lots of presence with an airy quality, and very articulate. We're very much impressed so far...imagine how better it may sound once it breaks in alittle more!4.gif

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Well, I assumed I was saving a few bucks going with he 149.00 Panasonic I ordered over the one on ebay...but I just got a watch notice that it is down to 5 hours and still no bids at the min of 130.00.

Oh, well, I am paying about the same with shipping, and will have mine a couple of days sooner.

If anyone is interested, http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5763176271&ssPageName=ADME:B:WN:US:1

Pull the item number out if the link is too long to work.

Dave

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Dave:

I suspect what you described as skepticism was in reference to my post -- you didn't indicate to whom it was directed. Sorry about the confusion on that; I see it's since been cleared up.

I've never really put it in this way, but in order to share my own very personal perspective on this issue, I could at this time build the Moondogs, the Horus amps, the Welborne Labs DRD2A3s, and Moth Audio Si2A3 amplifiers from scratch and without a schematic. This comes from having practically lived inside these amps for days on end -- I know the values of the resistors, capacitors, chokes -- literally all of it. It's just something that comes from spending a great deal of time with this type of amplifier. I have also built 3 Transcendent SE OTLs for other forum members, but would can't do the same with it that I can with the other amps.

My point is this: Despite that knowledge and ability, which has come from a great deal of work and research, I think this little Teac (A-L700P)sounds truly as good if not better than all of them. It's sonic signature is not unlike that of the SE-OTL, but I think the OTL has a little more richness in the midrange, however most likely not the same bass response due to the lower power output. The SE-OTL is under 2 Watts, whereas the Teac is rated at 30 watts/channel and has three channels. I have found it ideal because I'm using the same quality and type of amplifier to power the three quite similar front channels of our system. It seemed made for the application.

I had seriously thought about building another Horus parafeed amp for the center channel (my version is a little different from Dr. Lessard's original design -- which work well for us. He made the first, and it is a really fine example of a shunt or parallel fed single-ended amp), but the cost is way too high. The grid chokes I'm using in place of grid leak resistors in the Horus amps cost about the same as the entire Teac amp. Two little grid chokes, which are needed for two monoblock amps, could almost buy two Teac digital amps, with 6 channels of some of the cleanest power I've heard in an amp. I'm trying to find a way to jump off the never ending upgrade path, because I find myself spending so much more hard earned money on parts for new projects than I do on new music to enjoy.

There was a time a few years ago I would have been skeptical, too. I understand that. However, allow me to say -- and this is just in relation to my own thinking about things -- that I prefer to remain neutral until I have first hand experience with....what-ever-the-issue-may-be. In this case, I loved the Teac right out of the box. I recently also bought a $25 stereo transistor amp that I think gives amazingly good sound for the cost; but the Teac, at just 4 times that amount, is a more musical and useful amp. For the investment, I think it's a very rare find. However, it's lightweight and low cost may keep some from having the chance to appreciate it. That's unfortunate, I think.

So! Yeah, I like it very much. Others may not, which means that they have the option to stick with what they know and prefer.

Erik

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Jeez, Erik, I am not entirely certain you understood fully what I meant about my reaction to your evaluation of these functionally free amplifiers.

It was based on the fact that I already knew you could follow the signal path of Lord knows how many different amp designs in your head as well as change a component and know what would result.

THAT is why this whole thing blows my mind, and why I totally believe my ears are going to be astonished by what I hear.

To some degree, I am waiting for the second shoe to drop, or something like that. I believe that some market will continue to exist for exotic tube amps and such for as long as audio freaks have persistence of memory and deep pockets. But if what I am hearing about this very early generation of digital amp tech is as true as yours and other endorsements lead me to believe that it is, those indulgences will be relegated to the status of potlatch exhibitions of wealth and personal indulgence...not that there is anything wrong with that.

Know whatm sayn?

Dave

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Well, I grabbed the last two A-L700P our distributor had. What the heck. Net90 terms had a lot to do with it. At worst, I'll offer them here before the invoice is due. I wish I'd have realized sooner that they carried them. Coulda made some money!

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No problem. Right now, I want to play with both for a short time, at least. I want to hear it with the tube pre on the Khorns, but I really want to tinker with them on the Altec studio monitors. The prior comment about adding a couple jacks and biamping made a 30W light bulb go off over my head. A T(w)eac and a basic 2-way active crossover would cost less than building decent passive filters like I'd want. After that, you're welcome to play.

Uh, oh... I just remembered that Marchand is about an hour from my house...

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----------------

On 3/29/2005 11:11:03 AM Mallette wrote:

Okies. Tripath is a great site. I was a bit disappointed not to find a list of all products with their technology...it's almost a matter of course with most such OEM outfits so I really don't understand why they don't list this info.

Dave

----------------

Hi Dave,

Take a look at www.tripathpower.com for a list of more products that use Tripath technology.

Sincerely,

Vinnie Rossi

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