The Tripath, T-Amp thread

There has been alot of interest in T-Amps lately. While I would love to see a Tripath forum I don't see that happening. Maybe we can have a tripath, T-Amp thread instead. Post pictures of your T-Amp system, amp reviews, projects etc. I'd love to hear what amp-speaker combinations have worked or not, who is running a pre amp with a tripath etc. Anything goes related to tripath. I'd also love to hear from anyone using a high end tripath amp. If you're interested post away.

cubdog

I'll join.

After reading this thread;
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=307308
I bought the featured SMSL amp03 ($30 shipped, believe it's minimally 35$ now).

I was very statisfied the little amp after the first tries.
Even so much I decided to try different (6 different models up to now) Lepai and SMSL (Hong Kong) T amps.
Some were poorly built, some better. Ime reading into other users experience with a specific product is important before getting it with these little units.
When not regarding build quality the amps based on a TA2020 chip sound a bit better than the TA2024 based designs.

One Lepai is still waiting for a resolder(?) on my attic, I gave away the 'other' models to friends.
The SMSL amp03 is still the best sounding (own 3 of them now) and I like SMSL build quality a bit better than Lepai.

I found that T amps like a decent PSU, normal wallwarts will give some interference, using a suitable laptop adapter or linear PSU will result in signal without any form of background noise.

I've coupled the T amp with nearly every bookshelf/standmount Philips and Wharfedale speaker and Tannoy 609's and 611's. I liked the 609's best by a long shot, but also found that even lesser sensitive speakers are more than 'enough' for a small room. I believe my Tannoys are rated at 90db and go loud enough to turn conversation into shouting contests... If I wanted to that is..

Do not be afraid to couple a decent T-amp with a high quality source, these little buggers will make a good source shine.

Some pics of my SMSL (the volume knob is from an old guitar);









I'd love to try a Virtue Audio T-amp btw.

Those Virtues are really nice looking. I'd love to hear one too. It's to bad there aren't any stereo shops that carry T-amps. It would be fun to demo a bunch of them.

cubdog

I'll join as well. I have a SMSL AMP-03 on the way that I'm looking forward to evaluating.

Me four.

I'll try to get some shots of mine up.

i have:

- a Dayton T-amp (the clone of the original) paired with an early PS1 and the TC-754 pre, feeding Infinity 152 speakers. That's my current office set-up, replacing a NAD C 740 receiver and, more recently, a Dared DV 6C.

- In the family room, (main systems), a King Rex T20 U amp, fed by an Oppo BDP-80, going into a set of JohnBlue 3s. Also, a Sure with a TA 2024 inside, hooked up to a Squeezebox, feeding a set of PSB Alphas. Trends 10.1 in the stack but not in play right now.

Sometimes one of the t amps is fed through an ASL tube pre-amp, sometimes not.

At various times I swap out the Alphas for bigger PSBs (B25s) and Paradigm Atoms, (v. 1).

None of my tuners are in play at the moment, but the Sure has been successfully mated to a Magnum Dynalab in the past, as well as the ubiquitous Sony HD tuner.

Ummm...I guess that makes me a t amp fan?

s.

-

I've also got an SMSL on the way to me. It's been at least three weeks since I ordered it, the anticipation is palpable.

I have a Muse MU-15 TA 2024 based amp that I use with my Stax SR-Lambda Pro's and SRD-7 energizer. It sounds very good. :yes:

I run a Virtue Audio TWO.2 and I can tell you it's worth every penny!!!

Cheers!!

sideways2 said:

I run a Virtue Audio TWO.2 and I can tell you it's worth every penny!!!

Cheers!!

Click to expand...

How about a picture of your system?

cubdog

im in with the dta-1 and a pair of baby advent 2s hooked to my 30 gig ipod. have not tried a pre yet, maybe i will hook it up to my mac-1900 which is in the closet since I got my t-amp!

I am just getting around to discovering what a T amp is. (For a while I thought it was an abbreviation for tube amp.)

Anyway I've been reading what I could find about them on the net, how some of them have been getting rave reviews, etc. I also learned that Tripath, the company that made the original T amp chipsets, no longer exists.

I suppose that an amp is not a T amp unless it uses Tripath chips, since "T amp" is apparently a trademark of Tripath. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Class_T_amplifier

What I would like to know is, now that Tripath is out of business, are the Tripath chipsets still being made by other companies, under license maybe? I have seen other models of low-power, low-cost mini amps, specifically the Pyle PCA1, which are not officially called T amps.

If they are not T amps in name, are they still T amps functionally? In other words, do they use chipsets that do the same thing the original Tripath chipsets did? Or do you definitely have to get a unit with a Tripath chipset in order to get the vaunted sound quality that the reviews rave about?

I would appreciate any info. Thanks!

Here is a picture of my temporary T-amp setup. I'm using this system while I recover from my back surgery. HLLY Tamp-90, Yaqin MS-12B with some Dynaco A-25 for the time being. Thanks to my wife for carrying the speakers up from the basement!

cubdog

not sure about that pyle amp, but yes other companies manufacture the t-chip. not sure if a licensing agreement is involved or what, but I do know that texas insturment make a t-chip as well as others.

Agellius said:

What I would like to know is, now that Tripath is out of business, are the Tripath chipsets still being made by other companies, under license maybe? I have seen other models of low-power, low-cost mini amps, specifically the Pyle PCA1, which are not officially called T amps.

Click to expand...

As far as I know, no Tripath chips are being manufactured now, and when asked, builders talk about having purchased large lots of them, just to be on the safe side. I'm a little doubtful, now that we are several years past Tripath going under, but I don't have a good explanation.

s.

edit - 69, I wrote before I read your post. Is the TI chip a true Tripath design or some variation?

edit, edit - Cub, what's the t sound like through those Dynacos?

edit, edit - Cub, what's the t sound like through those Dynacos?

Very nice. The only other amplification I've used with the Dynacos was a Yamaha CR-2020. A totally different beast so to speak. The biggest surprise to me was the amount of bass put out by the HLLY, A-25 combo. Definately not bass shy.

cubdog

A good recovery to you Cubdog..

Agellius said:

... What I would like to know is, now that Tripath is out of business, are the Tripath chipsets still being made by other companies, under license maybe? I have seen other models of low-power, low-cost mini amps, specifically the Pyle PCA1, which are not officially called T amps.

If they are not T amps in name, are they still T amps functionally? In other words, do they use chipsets that do the same thing the original Tripath chipsets did? Or do you definitely have to get a unit with a Tripath chipset in order to get the vaunted sound quality that the reviews rave about?

I would appreciate any info. Thanks!

Click to expand...

I'm sure the Chinese are already producing knockoffs of the Tripath chips, complete with the company logo. Whether they sound or last anything like the originals is another question entirely.

Voltcontrol: "The SMSL amp03 is still the best sounding (own 3 of them now) and I like SMSL build quality a bit better than Lepai."

How do you feel about it not having tone controls? Does that bug you, or do you find that the tonal balance is just what you would want anyway?

Dr. Tinear: "I'm sure the Chinese are already producing knockoffs of the Tripath chips, complete with the company logo. Whether they sound or last anything like the originals is another question entirely."

Good point, I'll bet that's exactly what they're doing.

Agellius said:

How do you feel about it not having tone controls?

Click to expand...

I don't need tone controls on an amp or pre (which does have them btw).
I do use other equalisation techniques, but usually not in my home setup.