Erik Mandaville Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 The Teacs are what we are using for home theater and two channel in the larger system. They are not little toy amps to play with, IMO, and hold their own very well against every tube amp we have. I'm able to switch the Moth SET in and out between the Klipschorns and headphones, though. It's just fun to listen to; and for music in our house, 3 or 4 watts is plenty. I've described the Teacs as being, for me, almost perfect to a fault; and are probably the one amp I have that can play all music types equally well. I just enjoy working with and building tube equipment, and we are soon to get an ST-70 (which I'm not going to touch in terms of modifications) to use as our main amplifier for the Heresy-based system. Erik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 Edit - forgot to mention - this is the JVC EX-A1. Just wondering - does anyone on the forum own one of these systems and a pair of Heritage speakers? I bought these for the holiday homes we built on the island of trikeri. This was a deliberate ploy to ensure no boomboxes and real loud systems as we sell peace and quiet on the island. With its own speakers (which are remarkable for their size) it maxes out at around 95 dB give or take (the speakers are I think 87 dB/w/m). Thing is - this is a digital amp (and a DVDa player) with 30 wpc into 4 ohms (guess 20 into 8). Would be interesting to match one of these with a pair of Khorns just to see. It even has an input on the back so you could run a TT into it. Woudl certainly make a neat system don't you think. It was about $500 when I bought it - with the speakers - which isn't outrageous considering you get a CD/DVD/DVDa player as well as amp and speakers. Nicely put together too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivendell61 Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 Weren't you planning to play with a Hypex implementation at some point? What ever happened to that? I did - but I dont think I will share the results unless you have tested one already......although I may have already done so. Max ya nut. I saw something you posted a while back about it not working out very well--but did not get a chance to respond. What you described was clearly a 'build' problem. You should be able to check the output specs on the thing, do some diagnosing, maybe talk to Hypex, and get it fixed (or maybe it is too late?....). The Hypex is well enough known and there really are no problems like you encountered--quite the opposite. That MXD1 is not *too* bad (a bit Heath Robinson). The Hypex should sound almost identical--just a bit better :-) Very, very 'neutral'--which is not too everyones liking though. It will drive the same low impedance loads, etc. There are a few bits of gear which use the Hypex--and will be around in Europe this summer--if you still have an interest in hearing one (correctly put together [A]). Unfortunatly all pricey, and more cost wise than the MXD1--but should be at some shows. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivendell61 Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 FYI: if anyone is interested in the 'Tripath' sound, etc but wants more power--an option is to convert a car amp like this Blaupunkt which uses a Tripath chip and seems to be rated at 150 watts into 4 ohm: http://www.cardomain.com/item/BLAPA2150 Some folks over at diyaudio have played with these--you can search the forum there for info. It is currently out of stock at that place--but there are other amps and sources. Tripath is now bankrupt so it is a bit unclear what will happen to them, or if stocks will be replenished. There are also various opinions about which Tripath chips sound 'best'--not sure how this one fits in that classification..... Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 The Winsome Labs Mouse looks interesting. Tripath and Hypex sound pretty different to me. They both sound real good, but I have to give the nod to the Super-T in the middle to upper registers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 Heard the mouse at a bottleheads meeting. Not bad at all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivendell61 Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 Tripath and Hypex sound pretty different to me. They both sound real good, but I have to give the nod to the Super-T in the middle to upper registers. Yes exactly! You put your finger on the primary sound difference (there are some others but not likely to be so noticable). The Tripath based Class D amps want to boost the highs a little (they are reactive into speaker load: see the Tripath data sheets or, for instance, the Stereophile measurements ). The slight 1-2dB lift is really not a bad thing--it gives 'air'--a very 'audiophile' sound quality. The Hypex does not react to load so is flat--less interesting.... The only downside to the Tripath sound is that it is an 'amp sound' and not a 'recording sound'. That tends to bug me slightly--but obviously not too much since I own 4-5 of them..... Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 The only downside to the Tripath sound is that it is an 'amp sound' and not a 'recording sound'. Any chance on getting you to elaborate on that a little? I actually think the Super-T is the best get out of the way sound I've ever heard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meagain Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 I wish someone would bring a Hypex (and/or Super T or whatever) to KlipschFest. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfogg Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 Dean, Basically the Tripaths output impedance varies with frequency. At low frequency it is very low. At high frequency it is actually very high. That means at the top end of its response it will interact with a speaker (that is reactive) much more then it will on the bottom end. http://www.stereophile.com/budgetcomponents/1006sonic/index4.html Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaiser SET say Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 Max, I don't know much on your JVC but my wife's bedroom system Onkyo PS-50 (30WPC @ 8Ohm will absolutely light up any heritage at 100db plus and sounds fantastic and like your little JVC speakers the accompanying speaker on my Onkyo also hold their own well with several monitors I've heard. Exceptional build also but this system originally retailed for $1050.00 at BB back in the mid 90's and I picked it up at closeout for half off and it was a steal IMHO[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted April 20, 2007 Share Posted April 20, 2007 That looks like a little unglazed ceramic pig sculpture up there on the shelf -- or unpainted papier mache'? I like it! Erik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted April 22, 2007 Share Posted April 22, 2007 Dean, Basically the Tripaths output impedance varies with frequency. At low frequency it is very low. At high frequency it is actually very high. That means at the top end of its response it will interact with a speaker (that is reactive) much more then it will on the bottom end. http://www.stereophile.com/budgetcomponents/1006sonic/index4.html Shawn Too funny, so it behaves like a good solid state amp down low and zero feedback tube amp up high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfogg Posted April 22, 2007 Share Posted April 22, 2007 "Too funny, so it behaves like a good solid state amp down low and zero feedback tube amp up high.:)" And since the amps output impedance changes (quite a bit) it will interact even with a perfectly flat resistive load. Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted April 22, 2007 Share Posted April 22, 2007 Tim, How the heck did you get Mrs. Kaiser to agree to LPs in the bedroom? I mean, I have LPs in our bedroom, too, but they're in cardboard boxes (on my side of the bed). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 Received the Trends TA10.1 this morning! Initial impressions:<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> Wow this thing is about 1/3 smaller than I had imagined I laughed out loud! My La Scalas have Bass! Loud, low, firm, controlled amazing. Mid and highs are big, airy, clean, and clear quite comparable to my SET. I am already convinced the Trends is finding more music in my records. Back to listening I am quite pleased. [][][] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 Well, its been a long day of intermittent listening. I changed the jumpers to make the Trends a power amp only. With all the interest in this amp and the purchases thereof I expect the forum to be seeing a lot of posts about this great little box. I'll just mention here three things I am finding...<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> One of the things that SETs seem to do with records is separate any record noise from the music by presenting the noise within a limited spatial plane whereas the music is presented in a spatial space - this makes focus on the music naturally diminish any noise present. This is something the Trends amp does even more. I listened to records today within which I anticipate hearing a particular pop or click at a certain point - I missed some of these totally listening to the music. My records sound cleaner. It has been reported that the output impedance of the Trends is not constant; that in the low frequencies it is very low like a SS amp (high damping factor), yet in the high end it is more like a SET in that the output impedance increases. Both of these attributes are thought to make a benifit per their respective topologies (SS and SET), and the Trends combines both with an increasing output impedance with frequency from very low to high. When I have tried to play SETs or any of my SS amps more than moderately loud in my place the sound sort of reaches a certain SPL where I have thought the room effects where starting to degrade the sound. With the Trends, one of the first things I noticed was that higher listening levels are accommodated by my room space just fine. This may be because although the bass is louder and more extended, it seems to be well in control even at higher volumes than I usually listen. I usually play at the 1 watt level, but the 2 watt level of the Trends is sounding fantastic without any apparent room effects at all. After a few more days of run-in I'll check the DC offset, but I have a feeling its right on. I love this little amp! I'm looking forward to other's thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meagain Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 Pauln - I'm curious how loud it can go without falling apart. Dean - earlier in the thread you said you might get one. I'm wondering if you did and how it compares to the Super T and whatever else you've tried. Has anyone tried this with Cornwalls yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 I haven't ordered one yet. I think I may bypass the stock version and try the Michael Mardis modifed version ($279). I'm also tempted to move to a higher powered version like the Winsome Labs Mouse: http://winsome-labs.com/products.htm The low watters get loud enough, but you're not going to shake the pictures off the walls. Considering the low prices, it's worth it just to buy one and see what you think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meagain Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 These things have volume knobs.... No preamp needed huh? So one could simply plug this into a wall, plug a CDP and speakers into it and be done? I wonder if it could be linked to a computer. We have the regular Sonic T. I need to listen to that again for kicks. Am interested in the beefier offerings but confused about them. These things would be great for my friend running Cornwalls - if I could find one that's good for the Corns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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