I love mine... I use it at the office with a pair of very inefficient Zaph B3S minimonitors (around 80db/W). Quite frankly, I still get goosebumps from my stock T-amp and speakers with a Philips Aurilium sound card (nothing fancy).
guys, I still cannot find one single post/webpage/reply where I could find all the necessary modifications required to improve the SI sound.
It seems that there are billions of modifications, but it is really hard to find the list of mandatory modifications, which would certainly improve the sound.
Could anyone help me, please.
It seems that there are billions of modifications, but it is really hard to find the list of mandatory modifications, which would certainly improve the sound.
Could anyone help me, please.
The only absolutely positively necessary modification IMHO is replacement of the input caps. That will bring the single biggest improvement.
Hi,
Just like to add my tupence worth. I currently have a SI, and heavily modded SI and an AMP3. I think we should start by saying for the price you pay for this kit they ALL sound pretty damn spectacular. I think that an unmooded Si will beat huge swathes of commercial amps without braking sweat once broken in and given a decent power source. One thing i would say though is that it my mind heavily moddinf then is really a waste of time. I did and wasnt particulary impressed with the results, it did sound better but not how i had hope for the effort invlolved. If you want to build/modd something go for one of the kits. I havent tried them all so i cannot compare them all, whta i can say is that the AMP3 sounds a fair bit better in my system than the stock or moddified SI. Also the price is rediculously cheap, i agree they can be a bit tough to put together but IMHO it is worth it and also feel that like someone has already says with such fast switch speed small traces and smt seem like the way to go.
I for one can't wait for Nuuk's round up of these class d amps to go up on TNT
phil
Just like to add my tupence worth. I currently have a SI, and heavily modded SI and an AMP3. I think we should start by saying for the price you pay for this kit they ALL sound pretty damn spectacular. I think that an unmooded Si will beat huge swathes of commercial amps without braking sweat once broken in and given a decent power source. One thing i would say though is that it my mind heavily moddinf then is really a waste of time. I did and wasnt particulary impressed with the results, it did sound better but not how i had hope for the effort invlolved. If you want to build/modd something go for one of the kits. I havent tried them all so i cannot compare them all, whta i can say is that the AMP3 sounds a fair bit better in my system than the stock or moddified SI. Also the price is rediculously cheap, i agree they can be a bit tough to put together but IMHO it is worth it and also feel that like someone has already says with such fast switch speed small traces and smt seem like the way to go.
I for one can't wait for Nuuk's round up of these class d amps to go up on TNT
phil
My experiences with SI mods have been positive except the one I shorted.
I have posted a number of times my experience of bypassing all the input components (inductor cap & res to ground) with a WIMA 2.2uf mks cap (rated as good quality) and finding that the sound lost midrange presence (although bass improved substantially)
When input components left in place and just substituting same cap for SI ceramic input cap presence returns.
I wonder is this related to the wirey sound KT reported.
I'm also looking forward to NUUK's TNT shootout on tripath amps - any announcement date NUUK?
John
I have posted a number of times my experience of bypassing all the input components (inductor cap & res to ground) with a WIMA 2.2uf mks cap (rated as good quality) and finding that the sound lost midrange presence (although bass improved substantially)
When input components left in place and just substituting same cap for SI ceramic input cap presence returns.
I wonder is this related to the wirey sound KT reported.
I'm also looking forward to NUUK's TNT shootout on tripath amps - any announcement date NUUK?
John
Nuuk and Larry
Hi Nuuk and Larry..
what power supply is used with all the tripath amps....thanks...
MMM
Hi Nuuk and Larry..
what power supply is used with all the tripath amps....thanks...
MMM
mmm:
I've been using Sealed Lead Acid batteries on them all. No arguments about PS quality or design.
Regards,
Larry Welsh
I've been using Sealed Lead Acid batteries on them all. No arguments about PS quality or design.
Regards,
Larry Welsh
brand names??
Thanks Larry:
is there a specific brand that works/sounds better???
I was thinking about using a car battery.... since no one is using it, guess I am CHANGING my mind...
alos when you turn on/off your Charlize amp, is there a loud "thump?"?
How to eliminate it if the thump is there??
besides choosing a 12v lead acid battery, how big the amperage is big enough???
Any specifict brand of battery charger that is easy to use???
Your opinions about charlize is very helpful... I am buying my Charlize....soon...
Thanks Larry:
is there a specific brand that works/sounds better???
I was thinking about using a car battery.... since no one is using it, guess I am CHANGING my mind...
alos when you turn on/off your Charlize amp, is there a loud "thump?"?
How to eliminate it if the thump is there??
besides choosing a 12v lead acid battery, how big the amperage is big enough???
Any specifict brand of battery charger that is easy to use???
Your opinions about charlize is very helpful... I am buying my Charlize....soon...
I much prefer an SMPS to a battery for the class-T amps! Smaller, and no need for a charger, and better sounding too IMHO. 😉
I found of the four class-T amps that I have listened to, the Charlize does have the loudest switch on noise. It's more like a higher frequency click than a thump.
I would guess that the only way to eliminate this is to have some sort of muting arrangement (either manual or automatic) on the output of the amp.
I found of the four class-T amps that I have listened to, the Charlize does have the loudest switch on noise. It's more like a higher frequency click than a thump.
I would guess that the only way to eliminate this is to have some sort of muting arrangement (either manual or automatic) on the output of the amp.
hi!
yes! charlize has her own way of announcing her arrival huh? 😉
the input cap is charged up upon turn-on. and since it's a 10uf cap, you get that loud noise. buzzzzzz....
we tried smaller caps but didn't like the bass. we know charlize got a good low end! so it'll be a waste to limit it with a small cap.
one way to overcome this, is to add a switch to "mute" or "awake" charlize. if you see the jumper on the pcb, with the tripath chip wordings facing you, the bottom 2 pins are shorted. this "awakens" charlize. if these 2 pins are opened, charlize is "muted".
this is how i wire up charlize. leave the switch in "mute", power it up, then toggle it "awake".
works great! 😀
donjuan
yes! charlize has her own way of announcing her arrival huh? 😉
the input cap is charged up upon turn-on. and since it's a 10uf cap, you get that loud noise. buzzzzzz....
we tried smaller caps but didn't like the bass. we know charlize got a good low end! so it'll be a waste to limit it with a small cap.
one way to overcome this, is to add a switch to "mute" or "awake" charlize. if you see the jumper on the pcb, with the tripath chip wordings facing you, the bottom 2 pins are shorted. this "awakens" charlize. if these 2 pins are opened, charlize is "muted".
this is how i wire up charlize. leave the switch in "mute", power it up, then toggle it "awake".
works great! 😀
donjuan
Now how good is that sort of service! 😉 The manufacturer comes here and gives us the solution! 
Thanks Yeo, that's a good solution and better than relays/switches on the outut.
Looking at your picture, I presume that there is a wooden lid to go on that box; there is no heatsink on the chip, and you don't exactly live in one of the coldest countries on this planet! What I am getting at is that the 2020 obviously runs very cool.
Somebody (Roger) asked how I got on running the class-T amps in my plastic 'pods'. The answer was that I found no heat problems at all. And looking at your amp, it seems neither have you! Don't you just love these Tripath chips! 😉
Thanks Yeo, that's a good solution and better than relays/switches on the outut.
Looking at your picture, I presume that there is a wooden lid to go on that box; there is no heatsink on the chip, and you don't exactly live in one of the coldest countries on this planet! What I am getting at is that the 2020 obviously runs very cool.
Somebody (Roger) asked how I got on running the class-T amps in my plastic 'pods'. The answer was that I found no heat problems at all. And looking at your amp, it seems neither have you! Don't you just love these Tripath chips! 😉
Batteries
mmm:
Brands don't seem to matter with SLA's. I have a number, from 3.4 - 12 AH. The only differences are the hours between charging. Even the small ones are good for a day's use. As an experiment, with my first modded T-Amp, I timed the hours used and the output voltage with a 7 AH SLA. At 41 hours, the T-Amp quit. The voltage was 7.2 vdc. However, they all sound best with fully-charged batteries. Any charger intended for SLA's will work.
nuuk:
The mute switch works a treat.
Larry
mmm:
Brands don't seem to matter with SLA's. I have a number, from 3.4 - 12 AH. The only differences are the hours between charging. Even the small ones are good for a day's use. As an experiment, with my first modded T-Amp, I timed the hours used and the output voltage with a 7 AH SLA. At 41 hours, the T-Amp quit. The voltage was 7.2 vdc. However, they all sound best with fully-charged batteries. Any charger intended for SLA's will work.
nuuk:
The mute switch works a treat.
Larry
Another job to do then Larry (about 8567 on the list I think
).I was thinking of using the circuit with the NE555 and a relay to automatically switch the mute function a few seconds after power up!
Similar to this:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
distortion
Donjuan:
the grave distortion, above 7 or 8 watt, shown on your website(assuming you are Yeo) was measured with, or without a heat sink??
so the chip NEVER gets hot at all??
There must be a better choice for the dark red/brown color caps?? what will you do to them if money is not an object???.
at this price, i can spend it..... 😀
is there a better way to customize the charlize for 16 ohm speakers???
I will do everything and anything...
music/signals will not travel through The Mute/awake switch, am I right?? I can just use cheap wires/switch if this is the case....
I am anal, I know...
thanks to al...
Donjuan:
the grave distortion, above 7 or 8 watt, shown on your website(assuming you are Yeo) was measured with, or without a heat sink??
so the chip NEVER gets hot at all??
There must be a better choice for the dark red/brown color caps?? what will you do to them if money is not an object???.
at this price, i can spend it..... 😀
is there a better way to customize the charlize for 16 ohm speakers???
I will do everything and anything...
music/signals will not travel through The Mute/awake switch, am I right?? I can just use cheap wires/switch if this is the case....
I am anal, I know...
thanks to al...
hi all!
yeah, charlize runs pretty cool. actually if you touch the copper plate behind it, it's warm to the touch so if you feel it's better to mount a little heatsink, by all means... go ahead! 🙂
last time i looked into a mirror... i'm still yeo. 😀
the distortion figures are from tripath. they test it at 13.8vdc. no idea as to whether they used a heatsink or not.
those are elna cerafines. they sound good! and they don't need all the run in like black gates! it's really a matter of taste. if you wish to swap the cerafines, by all means, go ahead.
the speaker impedance is part of the output filter. we'll hv to run some simulations to get back to you. problem is, i don't hv a pair of 16ohm speakers to try...
yes. music signal does not travel through it but it doesn't mean you can get a switch so chip that it debounces like crazy.
donjuan
yeah, charlize runs pretty cool. actually if you touch the copper plate behind it, it's warm to the touch so if you feel it's better to mount a little heatsink, by all means... go ahead! 🙂
last time i looked into a mirror... i'm still yeo. 😀
the distortion figures are from tripath. they test it at 13.8vdc. no idea as to whether they used a heatsink or not.
those are elna cerafines. they sound good! and they don't need all the run in like black gates! it's really a matter of taste. if you wish to swap the cerafines, by all means, go ahead.
the speaker impedance is part of the output filter. we'll hv to run some simulations to get back to you. problem is, i don't hv a pair of 16ohm speakers to try...
yes. music signal does not travel through it but it doesn't mean you can get a switch so chip that it debounces like crazy.
donjuan
thanks Yeo...
I meant the caps around the air core inductors... are they caps??? do i need to change them for better sound??(they are prabably output filtering caps)
I know what cerafine looks like cus I have plenty of them in my old Marantz SA-1 player.. They have full body vibrations at lower end(if not the tightest/fasTest) Natural smooth mid range and a clean clear crytalized high frequencies...
i want to try your Tripath amp because I first saw the Cerafine, second, saw the Rubycon and thridly the aircore inductors... 😀 and that they are fully assembled...!! I once paralled cerafine and Black gate caps together and they sound promising!!
I am technically challenged but I know a bit or two about sounds from parts.....from my diy mistakes...
the money from my messed up components is probably good enough for few high end systems.. ;-) i got more than 10 K of components that are messed up by yours truly, in my basement..
do you still want to sell me your charlize?? 😀
get back to my original concerns... what's the best alternatives for the chubby red/brown caps which locate around four inductors.???
have you heard Sonicaps???(teflon)
someone told me it is the most transparent caps so far(the favorite of the month??)
http://www.gr-research.com/components/SoniCap.htm
I meant the caps around the air core inductors... are they caps??? do i need to change them for better sound??(they are prabably output filtering caps)
I know what cerafine looks like cus I have plenty of them in my old Marantz SA-1 player.. They have full body vibrations at lower end(if not the tightest/fasTest) Natural smooth mid range and a clean clear crytalized high frequencies...
i want to try your Tripath amp because I first saw the Cerafine, second, saw the Rubycon and thridly the aircore inductors... 😀 and that they are fully assembled...!! I once paralled cerafine and Black gate caps together and they sound promising!!
I am technically challenged but I know a bit or two about sounds from parts.....from my diy mistakes...
the money from my messed up components is probably good enough for few high end systems.. ;-) i got more than 10 K of components that are messed up by yours truly, in my basement..
do you still want to sell me your charlize?? 😀
get back to my original concerns... what's the best alternatives for the chubby red/brown caps which locate around four inductors.???
have you heard Sonicaps???(teflon)
someone told me it is the most transparent caps so far(the favorite of the month??)
http://www.gr-research.com/components/SoniCap.htm
i see! sorry for my ignorance.
these are polyester caps. they are at the output stage, meant for output filtering. of the 6, a pair is meant for the zobel network.
don't worry about these parts. there are bigger things to worry about.
thx!
donjuan
Full marks for your willingness to experiment (there is no substitute!
)Was that by any chance the person selling them? 😉
Your bank manager would probably want me to point out to you that many of these so-called' exotic components don't necessarily sound better, they sound different! Sure, some are doing something better but for the most part it is a question of taste.
Can you imagine a food forum? Which is the best cheese? Is Cheddar better than Edam? Have to tried Mozzarella on toast? Which Camembert tastes best? There would be even less agreement than we get on diyAudio sometimes!
In short, the best components are the ones that you like the sound of best in your system! And that will depend a lot on what else is in that system.
May I make a suggestion? Buy two of the Charlize amps (no, I'm not on commission 😀 ) Keep one 'as it comes' and use the other as a test bed for different components. Change only one component (in each cahnnel) at a time and have a good listen to both amps over a reasonable period of time. That's the best way to find the 'ideal' components. And what sounds 'best' in your system may not necessarily do so in mine (because our CDP and speakers have different signatures)! 😉
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