[classicalguy]

Yep, the trends and the PS it comes with should be great. That looks like a really beautiful amp.

The old T-amp did not come with a PS. I bought cheap 3a ps's from BG Micro. They don't have the same one now, but I believe this would work:

<B>PWR1246</B><BR>12V/3.33A Regulated Power Supply - PWR1246

If you get the trends, or even the new t-amp, it comes with a PS that should be fine.

I also used an SLA battery, which was also good (although a lot more trouble). I didn't notice any significant difference in sound quality with the SLA.

I have not heard the trends, but it looks like a really great amp. I'd love to hear it with Paradigm Atom V5s. I think they would make beautiful music together. With a good signal, I'm betting you'll be mighty impressed.

I have an unused t-amp sitting in the garage that I'm thinking of using in lieu of the built-in amps of my Marantz receiver. The Marantz has RCA outputs for an external amp. The Marantz amps don't sound good at all. I just moved my Panasonic sa-xr55 downstairs for my BIG speakers (and it powers them as well as my old 300 watt Adcom, which needs to go back to the shop for repair), and moved the Marantz up. I really notice a serious drop in sound quality using the Marantz's built-in amp. Harshness, lack of detail, slow sounding. So I might try the t-amp today. I'll be using the t-amp with some small floor-standing Celestion speakers. One other thing I've been thinking about is splitting the rca outs of the Marantz and using two t-amps to bi-amp the Celestions. The Celestions are bi-ampable. Only problem is I'd need another t-amp.

Let us know what you do.

 

[classicalguy]

Just to update my last post, I was motivated to install my remaining t-amp (I don't have a power supply, so I am using an SLA battery) using the front rca outs of my Marantz amp to power my little floor standing Celestion F20 speakers. Sound quality is great - far far better than with the Marantz built-in amps. Also, the Marantz provides bass management for a sub as long as I cross over at the fixed 100 hz point. I can easily switch between small/sub and full range by using the S-Direct button which eliminates bass management and tone controls. Even though my sub is no great shakes (old Parts Express 10"), it sounds better with the sub because the low end on the Celestions is pretty bad. Also, the original T-Amp supposedly had a problem with bass. Crossed over at 100hz, I get very lovely highes and mids through the t-amp, and adequate bass response through the sub. The t-amp is really a wonderful sounding amp, and it's got plenty of power for small speakers. Those of you using typical mid-fi receivers don't know what you're missing.

 

[moseboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by classicalguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif The t-amp is really a wonderful sounding amp, and it's got plenty of power for small speakers. Those of you using typical mid-fi receivers don't know what you're missing.

As long as it can drive the Atoms and I can play them loud without damaging them, then the t-amp is probably what I'm looking for. Although, "loud" is such a subjective term. I mean, with my SE530's, I can set my laptop volume to 2/25 and it's loud enough for me (4/25 if it's a quiet song). So how "loud" can the t-amp drive the Atoms within reason? Just listening level, or can I still turn up the volume sometimes? How can I tell when I'm pushing them too hard/when I'm damaging them?

EDIT: Also, which t-amp should I be looking at? I'm seeing quite a few t-amps out there made by different companies and I'm getting confused which one we're talking about....

 

[geestring]

If anything wouldn't the atoms be underpowered by a t-amp? isnt it only 10 watts?

i can get a tamp for $50, and a trends for $150... I probably will go for the tamp.

 

[moseboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by geestring /img/forum/go_quote.gif If anything wouldn't the atoms be underpowered by a t-amp? isnt it only 10 watts?

That's what I'm saying. I don't want the t-amp to be subjecting the Atoms to distorted power and ruining them.

 

[geestring]

aahh. i didnt know you could ruin speakers by under powering them...

 

[classicalguy]

Yes, you can blow your tweeters if you underpower and the amp clips. When an amp clips, it spiews out distortion that can blow the speakers. So a new amp should be turned up slowly to make sure it's not clipping.

I've never blown a speaker. A little care goes a long way.

Don't let people scare you about using a t-amp. You'd need to play really loud on inefficient speakers to blow them. Of course, if the amp clips, turn it down quickly and send the amp back for a refund.

The paradigm atoms are efficient small bookshelves with stable impedance. As I've said 5 times, I don't think you're going to have any problem powering them at ample levels with a t-amp. I have driven larger less efficient speakers without any problem.

Watts is WAY over-rated. Advent (circa 1979) made some very inefficient LARGE bookshelf speakers with large woofers, and designed a 15 watt amp to drive them. 15 good watts is a lot - to get double the output you'd need 100 watts. 50 watts is not 3 times as much as 15. It's just a little more. So try it. Turn up the volume slowly to make sure it's not clipping - clicking and distorting. I'm pretty sure that any of the t-amps with a proper power supply will run your paradigms a lot louder than you want to listen to them before clipping.

There are a bunch of people posting tests of the t-amp's output, and saying it's less than 15 watts. Their methods may be accurate, but would cause ALL amp specs to be a lot lower. Personally, I take amp specs with a big grain of salt. Unlike speaker measurements, most of the stuff published about amps can't be heard and so is irrelevant. And what is relevant is often over-stated - kind of like gas mileage on a new car. Not all watts are created equal. Some amps have headroom for musical peaks, and others don't and clip easily. THD is a perfect example. Every crappy mid-fi receiver brags about low THD numbers (.0000000000001%), yet who cares. It's inaudible. Great sounding mega-buck tube equipment has high THD. There are many kinds of distortion in amps that aren't measured. I've concluded that you can't tell how an amp will sound by the published specs.

Now, your last question is which one to get. The original sonic impact t-amp and the new v.2 are cheap, but use cheap connectors. The v2 comes with a power supply, the v1 didn't. I have 4 of the v1s that I use on computer desktop systems (and now one on my floorstanders). They all sound incredibly great. They have also been surprisingly reliable. I have had no problem with any of them, even though they are dirt cheap toy-build quality. I can't say the same for the two expensive amps I have. I have an Adcom 585 that cost over $1,000. They used defective capacators that leaked toxic juice and caused shorts. It cost me $125 to repair, and is still not working right. I have a Hafler DH-200 that needs to be serviced (and requires long warmup before sounding good). These chip amps have few parts to break, and they are much cheaper to run - they run cool. These chip amps are cleaner and quieter than any of the other amps I've used, and also sound very musical and natural.

Sonic impact also makes a Super T with better parts and connectors, for double the price of the v2. I doubt the sound is significantly different, but may be slightly improved.

The Trends is a really nice T-amp made in China with top quality parts and connectors. I'd get this one over the super T - it's improved and higher quality. I think they run about $150, so it's about 3x the price of the V2, and 5 x the price of the V1. It's worth it, but it's in a different class because of the cost.

There are some other new amps using the transmeta chip, and more powerful versions of the chip, and some class D chip amps using other chips. Maybe the thing to do is get the cheap one and see what you think. In a couple of years there are going to be lots of improved choices, and you will have spent all of $50 to get great sound out of your speakers. I'm hoping you throw caution to the wind, spend the $50 and report back. I think you'll be as impressed as I have been with the sound. When you're ready to buy a sub, you can decide to buy a new amp and will likely have more choices. You can use your old t-amp for desktop duty or something else.

 

[moseboy]

Thank you so much for writing all of that, classicalguy. I agree with everything you said: I'll just buy a cheap, great-sounding amp for now and wait until I get more speakers. Then I'll decide which amp/receiver to invest in that can drive them.

At this point, these are the four amps I'm considering:

1.) The Sonic Impact Class T Digital Amplifier Gen 2 (Sonic Impact Technologies - Class T Digital Amplifier Gen 2)
2.) The Sonic Impact 5066 15-Watt Portable Class-T Digital Audio Amplifier (Amazon.com: Sonic Impact 5066 15-Watt Portable Class-T Digital Audio Amplifier: Electronics)
3.) The Trends TA-10 Class-T Stereo Audio Amplifier (http://www.trendsaudio.com/EN/Product/TA-10_desc.htm)
4.) The AudioSource Amp 100 2-Channel Power Amplifier (Amazon.com: AudioSource Amp 100 2-Channel Power Amplifier: Audiosource: Electronics)

So looking at these (and others like it), which do you think sounds/performs the best?

 

[classicalguy]

The audiosource is not a chip amp. It's class ab and decidedly mid-fi. Scratch it off your list. I don't know if you can still get an old t-amp (no 3). Amazon doesn't have them anymore.

You can get the gen 2 (no1) for $50 at Partsexpress.

Parts Express:Sonic Impact 5065 Gen 2 T-Amp with Power Supply

No 3 is the best quality, but 3x the price. It's a question of how much you want to spend.

 

[moseboy]

Yeah, I can't even find where the Trends amp is sold right now much less how much it costs....

How does the Gen 2 compare to the Trends? Is it even close? Is there another amp out there that I'm missing?

 

[alleyezon_d]

I haven't heard the AudioSource amp, but why should it be crossed off the list just because it's not a chip amp?

 

[moseboy]

I'm not sure, obviously I haven't heard it either. I assume it doesn't sound as good because I haven't heard much about it and didn't even know about it until yesterday, but I could be completely wrong.

 

[moseboy]

Haha.... I'm all concerned about which amp to get and I'm first going to the store to check out the Paradigm Atoms tomorrow.

 

[geestring]

my t-amp 2nd gen is coming in the mail tomorrow

so we'll see how it pairs up with the atoms.

 

[moseboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by geestring /img/forum/go_quote.gif my t-amp 2nd gen is coming in the mail tomorrow so we'll see how it pairs up with the atoms.

Please, please share your findings

.

Do you have Atom v.5's?