Just playing with my Charlize

[andy2667]

Hi all,

Had noted the potential of class D amps years ago when I was still interested in conventional low efficiency speakers. As there was little progress in the class D amp, I interest on it faded.

Since I bought a tube headphone amp in 1999, I became a tube addict, interested in High efficiency fullrange speakers. My current system consists of a Philips CD880 CDP, a pair DRD 300B SET monoblock and a pair of Bastainis Open Baffle with active sub woofer.

A recent search in this forum aroused my interested in Class D (or class T ) amp. Small, economical & inexpensive, no special requirements in power supply, flexible.........lots of good reviews on inexpensive units, lots of potentials. I can't help but trigger buying some to test and play around.

Ordered an assembled Charlize and a Monica2 from Mr. Yeo of Diyparadise, 2 Amp3 kits and one Amp6 kit from Mr. Jan of 41 HZ. Both gentlements are extremely nice and the delivery is increadible fast!! I receive the Charlize & Monica 2 in 2 days and the 41HZ kits in 3 days and the 41 HZ kits in 5 days. Completed the connectors and installation of the Charlize using the plastic case shipped with the amp. I used cheap hook up wires (telfon insulated Cat 5) and cheap RCA & binding posts (total connector cost less than USD 6). Will do the 41HZ kits latter as I am now playing with the Charlize.

I power the Charlize using an off the shelf 5A regulated power supply with selectable output voltages.

Right out of the box, the Charlize delivered very good and promising performance although the high is a little bit sharp. After playing the Charlize for two days, the hig end sharpness and eddgyness improved. The sound of the Charlize is now very very good. It has extremely good resolution and good hig end extension delivering very clear and clean sound. As a headphone users, I has always been liking clear, clean and good resolution systems. The sound stage is reasonably good with good airy sound.

I am not an audiophile but a guide love listening music and playing around with cost-effective audio gears. Therefore, I am not good at giving review or description. The performance of the Charlize is really really good when paired with high efficiency speakers causing expensive high-end amplifiers to sweat . Don't know its performance when using low efficiency speakers. I am also unable to test its bass performance as my speakers use active bass units.

Is the Charlize better than the DRD 300B SET? Not yet. The DRD 300B is an extremely good SET with excellent clarity, very good resolution, yet maintaining good lidquidity, soundstage, space , air and wormth of a good SET. Don't know if the Charlize can be improved using battery or further break-in. The Charlize is really good even compared with real HI-End.

I opine that Class T amps has really good potential and is the real ticket to hi-end sound without spending Hi-End price (this statement also applies to good and inexpensive SET amps). A real winner for music lover who won't care about brand name.

I also note that the gain clone has gained good reputation and has good potential. Have bought 2 kits from Brian to experiment.

Happy listening, DIY and experment.

[Nuuk]

Andy, this may be strange coming from somebody who is now writing reviews of hi-fi stuff, but I think that it is quite sufficient to say that you like something or that it sounds good without having to go into a lot of detail! So I'm glad that you like the sound of the Charlize - as I do.

And I applaud your desire to try the Gainclones and find out for yourself how these amplifiers sound in comparsion. Keep up the good work!

[kanaddict]

Hi Andy,

Charlize do very well with low efficiency speakers, at least at low and moderate level. I use it with some big 3-way (85dB, 4 ohm) with great result.

Also, if someone listen to two $$$ amp, but not in the same listening session. He could enjoy both very much. Then, if he compare them, he will start to find that one of them is a little bit better on some regard and the other is better on another regard. At the end, he will prefer the one who is better according to what he put on the top of is priority. So, if you compare Charlize to you SET amp, the SET amp surely have some + according to some point, but I'm sure that Charlize also have some. I would suspect that Charlize bass would be better. That said, for your personnal application, the bass performancee is not relevant and you prefer the SET. For someone else, the bass could be the little thing that make him prefer Charlize.

The important thing is that we agree that Charlize is a great amp for the $$$$


My Charlize :

http://www.kodakgallery.com/BrowsePh...1&sort_order=0

[Mick_F]

My Charlize :

Hey thats Nuuks SPMS in there, isnt it? What kind of filter do you use after it?

Mick

[Nuuk]

Hey thats Nuuks SPMS in there, isnt it? What kind of filter do you use after it?

I was just trying to see if it is or not! I don't think it is though.

[Mick_F]

I was just trying to see if it is or not! I don't think it is though.

I think you are right. I just saw there is a caption. It is said that the SMPS is german.
The filtering is also explained.....

[kanaddict]

Originally posted by Mick_F

I think you are right. I just saw there is a caption. It is said that the SMPS is german.
The filtering is also explained.....

Hi,

yes, I wrote a little comment for each picture. You can find more information about the SMPS by reading my post here :

Industrial 12V PWR supply to be used with T-amp

Regards,

[kanaddict]

Originally posted by Nuuk

I was just trying to see if it is or not! I don't think it is though.

Hi Nuuk,

this is not yours, but it a good one too. I have it setted to 13V and Charlize sound good at this setting. I wonder if I should push it a little bit more..... 13.4V.....

What do you think of the look of my amp ? The wood knobs were inspired by the work of someone you really know well

[Nuuk]

What do you think of the look of my amp ? The wood knobs were inspired by the work of someone you really know well

Well, I did think that is the sort of amp that I would like in my hi-fi rack!

I still have my Charlize in a 'pod'! That's the trouble with reviewing - you need to keep things modular!

[kanaddict]

Originally posted by Nuuk


Well, I did think that is the sort of amp that I would like in my hi-fi rack!

Thanks

I still have my Charlize in a 'pod'! That's the trouble with reviewing - you need to keep things modular!

Your pods look great ! They are unique and this is what I like of DIY cases. I came close to spend $150 CND on a case, but I realised that this would make of my amp 1 of hundreds with the same look. So, when peoples look at our DIY cases, they know that it's DIY & still they like them