jt1stcav Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 http://www.si-5.com/frontEnd/cm_productDetail.jsp?productID=35 Seeing how popular the original Sonic Impact Class-T digital amp was a year ago, I'm wondering if anyone's familiar with their latest offering, the 10 WPC Super T? With a bigger PCB and improved innards housed in an attractive brushed aluminum chassis with upgraded gold plated RCA inputs and 3-way speaker binding posts, this updated version finally meets the needs of the home audio consumer who has no need for the plastic portable model. For only $139 with an included power supply, I'm seriously considering purchasing one to use in my system just to see for myself how it compares to my 300B SET amp (and to give my 300Bs a break). Since the original 6 WPC T-Amp was favorably compared to the likes of the Yamamoto 45 SET amp, a pair of Fi 2A3 monoblocks, and an Almarro 6BQ5 SEP integrated amp, I can only imagine this Super T can't be any worse, especially being controlled by my 6SN7 linestage preamp! After paying off a few expenses with my income tax refund, I'll probably purchase the Super T and review my findings here on the 2-Channel Forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted January 22, 2006 Author Share Posted January 22, 2006 A quote from the Sonic Impact website:"WE HAVE BEEN ASKED A NUMBER OF TIMES IF WE MADE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE SUPER T AMP AS COMPARED TO THE ORIGINAL T AMP. THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES. THE MODIFICATIONS WERE BASED ON THE FEEDBACK FROM OUR AUDIOPHILE CUSTOMERS. ADDITIONALLY, THE DEVELOPER OF THE CLASS T IC MADE 14 MODIFICATIONS TO THE ORIGINAL SCHEMATICS TO MAKE IT MORE RELEVANT TO YOUR DESCRIBED APPLICATIONS. YOU BE THE JUDGE!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 I wonder how that sucker would work as a headphone amp. It'd have to be modded, of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 Bump (I'd really like to know if these could somehow be used with my Sennheiser HD-600s...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 Depending on the headphone impedance, you may get fine results connected directly to the power amp speaker outputs. Impedance matching is only important where there is a transfer of power. The milliwatts needed to drive a high impedance headphone make this a non issue. For example, my HD424 are 2000 ohm, so at 1mW of power (that's 0.001 Watts and 1.41 Volts) it specs at a 102dB listening level, and I don't even ever listen that loud. Pauln Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 In my attempt to Google the issue, I read somewhere that the 2 channels in the SI amp have distinct and separate grounds, and that tying the grounds together (that's how headphone jacks are made, right?) might damage the amp. Intuitively, that doesn't make sense to me. I read about folks liking the Sonic Impact with AKG K-1000 phones, but they're designed to be wired to the speaker outputs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 Oh, the HD-600's have a 300 ohm impedence. EDIT: Here's a post from AA: "The lowpowered Tripath amps that I'm familiar with, based and the TA2024. sonic impact, or 2050, Teac, are bridge tied load (BTL) that don't have either speaker output sitting at gound. Rather, both connections for a given output are sitting at some voltage (+12 - +24v), and each swings in opposite polarity to provide output. If your headphone, or the connecting cable share a common 'ground', hopefully the fuse of the amp will blow before your amp and/or headphones self destructs......" Not to hopeful there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkyhambone Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 hey fini please check your e-mail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 6moons really liked it. I've been curious, but not curious enough to spend the money to order it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 I'll post a review in a week or two. Cheers, TommyK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hipnotic4 Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Full review.. http://www.michael.mardis.com/sonic/super.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Full review.. http://www.michael.mardis.com/sonic/super.htm Hipnotic, Thanks for the link. Excellent review and mod suggestions for those so inclined. BTW, Welcome to the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cotoaudio Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 I bought one of these about a month ago.. I modded a number of the original SI's so I was looking forward to this one. I have a number of commercial amplifiers to compare these to. . www.cotoaudio.com/duke (see reference equipment link) I am running it off a 12v battery.. bought it at Radio Shack the Alarm backup battery 12v 5ah.. $26 bucks. Bought a cheap charger at an auto parts store. $20. make sure you get one for these type of batteries and not a car charger.. You can get a battery and charger cheaper online or even an autoparts store).. End results... For $130 bucks plus $50 for the battery/charger Forget about it.. Absolutely no brainer purchase.. This thing kills.. It would cost you a couple of grand to get this sound.... I already swapped the RCA and Speaker jacks with Cardas jacks. Welborne labs has great prices.. Sonic Impact makes it easy as the holes are drilled for the bigger speaker posts( What a relief) and the RCA jacks go right in. I just snipped the round connectors and put them over the bigger jacks and soldered them to hold them in place.. Took me about an hour to replace all of them.. No stress no mess.. I will probably replace some of the Caps and the pot with an Alps once I have time... but for now.. The amp is driving the Lowthers and it is all good... Actualy very good.. Good luck.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klipschaholik Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 I've got two of these and use them with an Ipod and mobiblu. Use an A/C adapter in the wall. These are pretty cool but I've been wanting to put it in a nicer chassis and replace the speaker connects. I was wondering if anyone has found a source for a nicer aluminum or wood box to put these in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted February 3, 2006 Share Posted February 3, 2006 Hammond Manufacturing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted February 3, 2006 Author Share Posted February 3, 2006 Did you see this site? http://mywebpages.comcast.net/ampbox/page2.html. You may also want to check out DIYAudio.com for Class-T mods. Glad to hear you're happy with the two you purchased. Good luck with your future upgrades. Cotoaudio, welcome to the Klipsch Forums, and thanks for your review on your Super-T. I'm even more convinced now to eventually buy one and compare it to my 300B SET amp...can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted February 3, 2006 Share Posted February 3, 2006 Coto, Welcome to the forum. Thanks for the review. BTW, the home page for your website is charming. Very creative! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnysal Posted February 3, 2006 Share Posted February 3, 2006 "I'm even more convinced now to eventually buy one and compare it to my 300B SET amp...can't wait!" Jim, for the money I say go ahead BUT do not expect this to blow away a nice tube amp...I am sure the little mods bump up the sound quality as bit but having tried two tripath amps now in my system I have relegated them to non-critical uses. I liked the sound from my JFL AND Dynaco amps better, YMMV. regards, Tonyt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted February 3, 2006 Author Share Posted February 3, 2006 I hear you, Tony. I don't expect it to really blow away my SET amp, nor do I have any plans for this Super-T to replace it (I love valves too much for that). But I am interested in how this inexpensive Tripath chip-amp compares to the smooth, warm sounds generated by a pair of 300B output triodes! Plus it sounds like it would make a great temporary amp for when I need replacement tubes or if my amp should ever fail, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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