Mallette Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 >I tried my daughters mp3 player but it didn't sound as good, she has them recorded at too low of a rate or something ( never got the whole mp3 thing yet ). The highest mp3 rate isn't high enough, IMHO. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshnich Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 i too bought one of these amps from parts express. I hooked it up in mygarage to a pair of Warfedale W70 three way speakers. I have to say that this amp is a joke. Its really just a toy. Not sure who here has used them as a main amp so I apologize in advance, I have a few clock radios that will surpass this unit for sure. JOSH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Mobley Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 I have an original version T-amp, on a wall wart, hooked up to a ES-333 CDP and and a pair of virgin untouched '60 KHorns. they're on a 24' wall seat is 12' back deac center. Sounds good to me. Bass? Edgar Meyer's bass sounds great on there. Would I try to entertain the entire neighborhood? No. But it';ll run fine at 85-90 at the chair. It's clean and crisp. Too bad about that scratchy volume knob. I don't turn it much anyway. It's easy to admit the snob appeal rating is low, but who cares? For $22.95 I wasn't expecting something in platinum and Rosewood. Dave Mallettes live recordings are killer on this setup. It's not that I have a mean streak or anything, just an "offbeat" sense of humor. I want to build a impressive looking tube amp with cool El Grande power tubes, wires coming out of the tops, etc. Real nice faux rosewood box with handmade solid copper top plate. Little hinge in the back, lift the front and waa-laa, a T-Amp under there. Probably some poor guy would die of a sudden attack of audiophilia nervosa right on my living troom floor. Be hard to explain to the cops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Dave, I'll be looking forward to whenever you have a chance to get the tio board in a PC. Seems like I read a review of one of those little guys that was dated in 2001. Hard to believe they've been around that long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 i too bought one of these amps from parts express. I hooked it up in mygarage to a pair of Warfedale W70 three way speakers. I have to say that this amp is a joke. Its really just a toy. Not sure who here has used them as a main amp so I apologize in advance, I have a few clock radios that will surpass this unit for sure. JOSH Wharfedale? Try a Phase Linear 400. I am surprised you get any sound at all from them with that poor thing. Give it a break or get some reasonalby efficient speakers. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshnich Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Not that it matters, but the Wharfedales are actually pretty efficient speakers. I use to drive them just fine with a Dynaco ST35 - which is 17 watts a side. Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Not that it matters, but the Wharfedales are actually pretty efficient speakers. I used to drive them just fine with a Dynaco ST35 - which is 17 watts a side. Josh Never saw an efficient Woofdale, but that doesn't mean they didn't make one. They made a lot of speakers for a lot of years... That would leave a malfunctioning amp. While it might not be to your taste, the question is just that, taste. Not accuracy or great sound. Having three variations of this design, I can confidently state that no audiophile would say it sounded bad...perhaps not exactly to thier taste. That means what you have must be DOA, as I've no reason to question your hearing. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaudeJ1 Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 >I tried my daughters mp3 player but it didn't sound as good, she has them recorded at too low of a rate or something ( never got the whole mp3 thing yet ). The highest mp3 rate isn't high enough, IMHO. Dave The Lame encoder with Variable Bit rate set on the highest quality will produce the lowert bit compression ration and the highest resolution possible with an MP-3, but only when you RIP your own CD's or digital files from LP's. The i-tunes type of files are crap because they want the smallest file possible of "tolerable" quality to maximize cash flow from their servers. If they allowed an iTunes file to be tiwce as large with good fidelity, their gross sales would be cut in half, hence the crap sound kids are listening to, also revealed by the new Klipsch headphones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 I heard one of these $50. T-amps today pushing a pair of Heresy III's, pretty impressive unit when not pushed too hard. Well worth that money for it, first watt or 2 sounds good .............. Hard to believe ......... I've heard more expensive gear not sound as well.............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cut-Throat Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Yup - and as long as you keep that frame of mind, they are good for what you pay for them. When someone starts to compare them to a $1500 tube amp, then they fall plenty of short. But the mistake is comparing them to expensive tube gear in the first place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 compare them to a $1500 tube amp I'm not doing that at all, ................. but some of those Best Buy $199.00 units don't sound as good as the sonic-amp. $50. doesn't buy much anymore, but those amps are worth that !!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cut-Throat Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 compare them to a $1500 tube amp I'm not doing that at all, ................. but some of those Best Buy $199.00 units don't sound as good as the sonic-amp. $50. doesn't buy much anymore, but those amps are worth that !!!!!!!!!! Yup, well worth it! - I bought a Trends - the size of a deck of cards and it is fun to put it between a pair of Khorns and watch people's faces! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cut-Throat Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 If anyone is looking for cheap new amps, you might try these for $158 bucks. http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product.asp?product_id=50-6062&catalog_name=MCMProducts They are 60W/60W, are made out of metal, have real RCA jacks, 2 inputs, 2 sets of speaker binding posts and a volume control. Have you ever heard them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Audiosource -- buy it at Partsexpress for $60 less: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=302-601 I tried one last summer along with this one: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=300-812 Both of them have the classic solid grate sandpaper thing going pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Parts Express is like 20 minutes from my house, and it's hard not to take advantage of their 30 day deal and try stuff for nothing. Since I spend so much time and money down there with them for network parts they're pretty cool about it -- I finally got to a point where I would just tell them "It's probably coming back, but I'd like to try it." I've tried just about all of the inexpensive amps, including the Audiosource preamp (baaad), Tried some TASCAM stuff -- really liked the audio portion of the DVD player -- but the picture was terrible. The only two things from them that I ever liked was the QSC PLX and SI Super-T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjgeraci Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 For anyone who is doing the active thing, you might be shocked to hear one of the T amps just on the upper end. Disappointed that they no longer make the "Super" versions. Just handling an upper horn - the t amps do not have to do too much. I now run my 902s (with Trachorns) on just a Super T amp, cut off a 1000 hz, high pass. The sound is amazing enough that I'm keeping my eyes open for another Super T to keep as a spare since they quit making them. The originals are not shabby on the upper end, but the Super sounds a bit better. May have to pick up one of the version twos. Carl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted March 31, 2008 Author Moderators Share Posted March 31, 2008 i too bought one of these amps from parts express. I hooked it up in mygarage to a pair of Warfedale W70 three way speakers. I have to say that this amp is a joke. Its really just a toy. Not sure who here has used them as a main amp so I apologize in advance, I have a few clock radios that will surpass this unit for sure. JOSH It's not used as a main amp, it's used as a portable battery powered amp, but with the LaScala top and mwm bottoms and AA crossovers you would not want to stand 10' in front of them. The way they sat in that pic it was 95 DB at 25' with a battery powered cd player and no distortion. I have no idea what the efficiency is on that set up, If anyone knows about what it would be please tell me ! Thanks Never did answer the bass question, it has plenty of bass, way more the the Cornwalls. I had thought about adding another bin for each side but I don't think it needs it, the bass is huge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundbound Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 dtel, I know you're very happy with this system as it serves its purpose extremely well. You did an amazing job on your speakers and I know they sound awesome! Wish I could hear them. Have you or do you have plains to hook up other components to your speakers for a try? I bet just about anything will make those speakers sound great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted April 1, 2008 Author Moderators Share Posted April 1, 2008 dtel, I know you're very happy with this system as it serves its purpose extremely well. You did an amazing job on your speakers and I know they sound awesome! Wish I could hear them. Have you or do you have plains to hook up other components to your speakers for a try? I bet just about anything will make those speakers sound great! Yes, I want to hook up the HK 930 and see how they sound, just never did it yet, I have to do it outside, the workshop is only 18 x 30. I did try the t amp on the Cornwall lll's with a normal cd player, it did very well, but I like the HK 930 better on them so I would probably like the shop speakers even more with the HK. All I have is a HK 930 and a Yamaha for HT, and I'm not about to unhook all the wires going to the Yamaha when I know the HK sounds better for 2 CH. Tried the HK and the Yamaha on the Cornwalls it was not even close the HK is much better for 2CH. I don't think I will ever need the extra power of the HK, but I would like to hear what it sounds like. I wish every one could hear them, they would be suprised ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaudeJ1 Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 i too bought one of these amps from parts express. I hooked it up in mygarage to a pair of Warfedale W70 three way speakers. I have to say that this amp is a joke. Its really just a toy. Not sure who here has used them as a main amp so I apologize in advance, I have a few clock radios that will surpass this unit for sure. JOSH It's not used as a main amp, it's used as a portable battery powered amp, but with the LaScala top and mwm bottoms and AA crossovers you would not want to stand 10' in front of them. The way they sat in that pic it was 95 DB at 25' with a battery powered cd player and no distortion. I have no idea what the efficiency is on that set up, If anyone knows about what it would be please tell me ! Thanks Never did answer the bass question, it has plenty of bass, way more the the Cornwalls. I had thought about adding another bin for each side but I don't think it needs it, the bass is huge. The efficiency of the MWM-s cab is about 108 db/watt at 1 meter, which about the same as the K-401/K55 without the autoformer padding it down 3 db. The tweeter is about 105. So I can see where it's pretty loud. I listen to about 20 milliwatts of power indoors per bin (I have 4) on normal music. When it's cranking to earbleed levels, I measure about 4 watts per bin. Bass uses the most energy since you have to move the most air. Like Roy says, the bass horn is most important for lowest distortion. Unless you have experienced the extremely low distortion, great detail, and solid transients of MWM's you never real bass before. I say this as an owner of Klipsch Corner horns for 30 years. MWM's are amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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