crazytubepower Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 ctp, how was it with the merlin any better with the bass? The bass is now great....it slams. Once you get a pre on the teac it is better. Running it solo is a mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 Funny you should say that... As a SET listener I had a similar first impression - where's the bass, and why is there so much background hash in the sound? The answer is in the proprietary circuit that allows the processor to learn the switching characteristics of the transitors, and this takes time. After a few albums the bass was there in spades - low fast, distinct and not boomy. The background hash faded away after about 10 records through the system. Don't give up on it yet. Just give it some time. This is one of the few components that really needs to "burn in" in order for the circuits to behave to specifications in the long run. And be sure you have the little volume pots turned all the way up. The instructions don't mention the "learning circuits"... some internet sites do. I bet if you bear with it a little longer it will start to change your mind. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codhead Posted August 28, 2005 Author Share Posted August 28, 2005 Well, if that's the case, Shawn just got himself a pretty good deal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 Maybe Shawn would sell it back for $90 after he teaches the circuits how to behave? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben. Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 Well, classy of you to go ahead and let Shawn still have it. My experience was the same upon first listen. It was decidedly pedestrian. After leaving it on for a couple days, it sounded much better. Bass is very good, though from 200Hz on up, every tube amp I've heard destroys it (even mediocre units). The Red Wine mods are tempting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 Codhead, Burn it in for a couple hundred hours and give it another listen before you send it off to Shawn. It won't get too hot and may just sound better. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 To my ears the stock teac sounded pretty good. Especially with a Peach preamp driving it. I've heard the Redwine mods. They are good. But, to my subjective sense of bang for the buck, not a good deal. For the total cost of $500 + shipping, I'd rather put my money in tubes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codhead Posted August 28, 2005 Author Share Posted August 28, 2005 No big deal to me. I just hope Shawn enjoys it. It's all sealed up, addressed, and ready to go. Man, an amp with a "brain". Pretty soon they'll start talking... "You're clipping me, Dave!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 Amps don't need brains to talk - my SETs often speak to me. They say, "Turn us up, you'll like it!". Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivendell61 Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 The answer is in the proprietary circuit that allows the processor to learn the switching characteristics of the transitors, and this takes time. After a few albums the bass was there in spades - low fast, distinct and not boomy. The background hash faded away after about 10 records through the system. Don't give up on it yet. Just give it some time. This is one of the few components that really needs to "burn in" in order for the circuits to behave to specifications in the long run. And be sure you have the little volume pots turned all the way up. The instructions don't mention the "learning circuits"... some internet sites do. paulin has been mislead.... ....totally baloney. The Tripath circuit has no 'learning circuit'. It is a basic D class amp. (see here: http://www.classd.com/oem_products/products/class_t.htm) I can almost guess where this comes from by reading Srajen Ebaen's fanciful description of the Bel Canto. You can also put together a much better, modern Class D amp, for the same price as a (mediocre) modded Tripath Teac. .....just an idea.... Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonfyr Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 So this amp supposedly integrates a neural net too!? [][][^o)] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 TEAC is the commodity line from this manufacturer. TASCAM is the industrail line. it would be interesting if TASCAM had a TRIPATH amp. I have forum member LEOK design implmentation of the TRIPATH and it is nice as a back up. It is nowhere near the soundstage and realism of tubes though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnysal Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 I like the tripath, where I currently use it (with my klipsch patio speakers) it has good bass and sounds really good. it sounded pretty good hooked up to my klipschorns as well, far better than a $100 amp should. regards, tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 http://www.tascamcontractor.com/products/PA-30.html They don't give enough info on their website, but this could be a Tripath amp. 30 wpc. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfogg Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 The idea of the Tripath 'learning'most likely comes from Tripath themselves since they claim this in their material. It is in the 'White Paper' at: http://www.tripath.com/support.htm For example. I highly doubt this is any sort of long term adaptation though, I would expect whatever it does happens very quickly. Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 Interesting info from the linked page. I disagree with his 5 out of 10 rating for sound quality. I'm going to give it a solid 7.5. His comment about EMI makes me wonder if the unit is very sensitive to where it is placed. This might explain the wide disparity in opinion about the sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 His comment about EMI makes me wonder if the unit is very sensitive to where it is placed. This might explain the wide disparity in opinion about the sound. --- Should be shielded like any good digital device. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codhead Posted August 29, 2005 Author Share Posted August 29, 2005 The Teac was very quiet at idle. No background hash with the music paused. I can best describe the sound as being similar to what you would experience with a very low-end CD player. Keep in mind that this was a head-to-head comparison of a $100 SS amp against a $9,000 tube amp. I'm probably a little jaded from what I'm used to, but I'd still have a hard time characterizing the Teac's sound as anything approaching smooth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivendell61 Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Dean, Not sure if you have already had the mods done on your Teac--but have you looked at this guy: http://www.boldercables.com/Store.asp?m=TheBolderCableCompany&n=10&k=134306&s=+MODIFICATIONS He mods it keeping the AC intact--if that option interests you. Besides that--not sure how he differs from Vinne/RWA.... I think the disparity in opinion you mention is just the normal variation in perception of sonic qualities. If you plunked down a QSC, or a Bryston, or a VAC in front of a sample of Forumites you would have wide disagreement. Add to that the clear sticker price disparity...and that almost assures wider divergence (see codheads post above and the assumption of correlation between price and subjective perception). Once a mod removes the Teac/SI OEM stumbling blocks--i.e., the sub Tripath spec parts which limit freq. resp--the Tripath amp will only differ from a cheap Topaz (or a mid-priced WAVAC) in subjective choices of who likes what sonic colorations--but it will sound the equal of either in any objective measure--most likely better. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 not the Teac, the Sonic Impact, just got the Red Wine Clari-T amp, playing it on LaScallas and loving it so far, still has a bit of the steely high end... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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