Trends Audio NEW Headphone Tube AMP: UPDATE W/ Photos - Page 3

Can PA-10 be used with IEMs ?
I have Westone UM2 and I consider this little amp but I'm not sure if they work together.
IEMs are very sensitive and I’m afraid that I will hear noise from this amp.

Any new thoughts about this?

Hello everyone , it's Max from Italy , yes a newby , on writing here of course.
I've bought the unit , and ... got problems, the tube supplied didn't work on a channel , replaced with a new ehx same tipe, seem (still some differences between channels).
It sounds quite fine , i mean :
-connected as "pre" to the ampli (Nad c325 bee) it sounds far less larger in immage with and far less deep then
connected as a source, USED LIKE THIS it sounds quite fine , still some strangeness on hi tones ex. cimbals

But I've said I have problems:
-the unit become in half an hour Damn Hot , U can't keep it in your hand!!!

Obviusly I've set properly working tensions of anodes , and expirienced too that it takes time and re-set the voltage.

Using it as a head-amp ...ummh what can I say .. well I'm not e VERY headfier , say When I can I use Loudspeakers , night time I use Shneisser HD 555 ( I know really not the best compared to Yours but still nice all in all )
Well really is better the out from the Nad , say Lacks on control on deep basses, strange midrange haze, flat (non expressive) Hi tones.
..probaly a weakness on the two elna duorex II 1000u used ...WITHOUT small mkp bypass caps! :-(

Well .. I think my device really don't work properly:
As some one expirienced same very Hi temperature of the unit ? (U really cannot keep It in your hand!!!)

cheers Guys

Max

-edit-

I Forgot:
I use it with a keces usb dac really nice sounding (after mods like caps rolling, ac filtering ecc... ) thanks David ;-) , Van Den D102 III connected

Very nice pics Ken...
about the "softennes" I suggest U to try lover anode voltages try 15v or 14v ..
some softness out , and don't ask me why.
I found it softness, after burn in, not really musical (it seems to have sort of a cushion between the ears and the speakers (some very nice NHT classic 3's) or the headphone!
Try it as a "pre" ..than tell me
I really don't think is transparent and detailed!
or maybe my mods on Nad c 325 made it a real MONSTER of an integrated amp...
but I really don't think so.

cheers

Max

hi guys

somethink some people would like to know:

Frequency rensponse



noise floor (...floor ?.. it seem more like mountains)



and what it is about thd?..
..second and third obviously.. like good tubes do (yes.. those lovely glowing little glass ;-) ..)



all taken through emu 0404 (not a bad device)

the two power supplys where decoupled by a (quite big) shaffner power conditioner.

..any questions?

Hi guys , in comparison the measures without the PA-10 in series.

...and to be tranparent clear I'll post U the link of a review about Trends PA-10

Trends Audio PA-10 tube pre amp review - [English]

and, Ken , it is a good review ... not a bad one!

Hi Ken , really pleased about your interest in my posts , but , I would like , as U are a seller of the unit , if U did expirienced hi temperatures on the Unit (pa-10) say one hour after switch-on. (again , mine it is so hot that U cannot keep it for more then few seconds).
The measures set up is easy, and to be clear I've posted (not yet passed throught the moderator) the charts with out the unit in series.
..so:
- E-mu 0404 usb (outside the pc obviusly)
- Trends pa-10 half a meter away from E-mu , both on the desk
- the two power supply (of E-mu and Trends ) ac line (220v) decoupled by a Schaffner FN2090-3-06 ( E-mu directly on ac trends filtered)
- E-mu and trends conneted via van den hul d 102 III hybrid
- set the level half (12 0'clock) on E-mu input
- set the level obout 10 on trends
- set the level on E-mu out till RightMark audio analizer v. 6.2.3 gives "ok" (say just before yellow line on vu meters of the program)
- start the test

...that's all ken

comments about the charts?
noisy power supply ( - 60 db on 100 Hz hum! ), laks on first octave frequency response , thd is ok 2nd and 3rd harmonics (depents on the input level) , is a tube.

note that the E-mu input was set "ground lift" , otherwise noise floor get really worse.

about the sound IN MY SETUP ... I've described.

cheers

Max



p.s. Merlino is the Italian for "Merlin" or "Myrdin" in gaelic... the famous Mage
... ever heard about?

... and maybe "fancy" is the hardware under test ... like its spec.
However mine is very usefull to warm up a cold cup of coffee

I am curious if anyone has listened to the Trends amp with any of the Ultrasone headphones?

I can confirm what people say about this amp:

 

Stock chinese tube from stock model sounds like CR*P, insta-roll recommended, it has no scene (k701 sound like closed headphones with this tube its THAT bad) and bass is awful.

 

I switched the stock tube for RFT ECC82, and i got hypnotized with the sound clarity, control and scene instantly when i turned it on, even thou it wasn't burned in yet.

 

This amp offers sound compared to 3x more expensive hybrids. Actually i boutgh all Trends Audio products and i can recommend them all, especially the TA-10.

 

I read that you can't just pull and plug a replacement tube for this amp?  Something about having to match voltage or something....I dunno.  Is it just plug and play?  

 

I bought mine 2nd hand and when music is not playing or is on low volume, I hear noise/hiss/light crackling in my left earphone.  I've tried with my DT880 250Ω and Triplefi10.  Sounds clean and decent to me, but maybe no warmth that I was expecting (my first tube amp).  What could this hiss be?  It's not the source or the source cable.  Even with no input the sound is still there when I plug in headphones or IEMs.    

 

when i pulled it, the hiss/fuzz/light crackling sound went away.  that's probably a good sign, right?  just need to replace tube?   

 

In fact, after I plug it back in, there is no sound even when I turn it on.  It takes a minute or so for it to warm up and make that sound in the left ear...  Again, i can't hear this noise when I have my music up at listening volume.  

 

http://tctubes.com/mullard-12au7-ecc82-iec.aspx is what it has in there.  Mullard IED 12AU7A/ECC82 GT. BRITAIN .   Does this mean that it isn't the stock cheap tube?  It's around $50 on that website for one tube, while there are ones that sell for less than $15.

 

Also a heads-up I'll be posting this in the classifieds as soon as I'm able since I want something portable soon.  I joined sometime early February..  

Edited by hyogen - 3/2/12 at 2:37am