About to waste $40-$150 on a Sonic Impact

[TheDriver]

I'm looking at buying the sonic impact for $40 or the "Super" for $150 to power my new set of speakers

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/realitycheck2/kalinowksi.html
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/realitycheck2/kalinowksi_2.html

I just want something now and cheap. I also was thinking about building another gainclone.

What do you think about the sonic impact? Should I go "Super?"
Should I go gainclone? Or something else with bang for buck?

Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[DcibeL]

Whether you should build a gainclone or buy a small Tripath amp really depends on your power requirements. Keep in mind that there are several high power amplifier kits based on Tripath ICs if you want to stay with a Tripath based amp.

About the cheap SI or the Super-T, really depends on what you are looking for. The Super-T requires very little modifications, if any, to be a great amplifier. The price for it includes a 2A switching power supply if I remember correctly. The small SI requires much "modding" to make it into a great amplifier. So it's really up to you if you want to have to do some work or not. Building a havily modded SI T-amp means you get to pick the parts, and make the chassis look exactly how you want it. The small SI T-amp also requires that you buy or build a separate power supply.

Hopefully that can help you make a decision.

 

[ALF in AUS]

A friend of mine runs a "Charlize" ... all who have heard it rave (... to be fair, some may have raved before they heard it ... but it does have great sound). This could be worth considering if you are thinking of spending a "Super T" amount.
ALF in AUS

 

[cpemma]

I bought the basic T-amp, but an order for a 45W SMPS mains adaptor, proper speaker terminals, phono sockets and a few better (but by no means "audiophile") caps has already doubled the cost. And I still haven't bought a new enclosure and volume pot for it, which could treble the base cost and does involve some risk of ending up with a door-stop. The Super-T is decent value - if around 5W RMS/channel is OK for you.

 

[TheDriver]

Thanks guys. I am going with the Super T-amp since it already has a nice enclosure, which seems difficult to find. I need an amp now to pair with my high efficiency speakers I am getting, so I am going to use this as a starting point and look at upgrading down the road.

 

[Panelhead]

Move on to something better

I modded about four SI. The sound quality is astounding considering they were 19.95. I never could get past the ceramic input caps, just tried larger values. Those ceramic coupling caps always added a midband coloration. My attempts to use SM poly caps and attach other caps off board were failures and cost another couple SI amps.
If you do move on to better quality products, the MP My_Ref C kit sold by Twisted Pear is very good quality and works well with my high efficiency speakers. You should be able to throw it together for around 250.00. That is a 40 watter or so.
I have never tried one, but thousands swear by the gainclone and variations of it. I need to build one someday myself. I have listened to several, but never at home to really evaluate. They also work well with high efficiency speakers.


George