First impressions?
Larry,
Which amp did you build? How are you powering it? It becomes rather class D generic without this info.
The impressions I had at first listen were hard to define till I heard a good piano recording. Then it hit me like a hammer that for the first time hearing recorded piano the leading and trailing edges were right! This attack and decay “rightness” made every thing seen more real and enjoyable. Further listening reviled this to be true of all sources just easier to hear with the piano piece. This class D sonic impression was first heard with a heavily modified SI then with an amp3 and finally with the superb UcD400AD. The UcD was head and shoulders above the rest in a large system but not so much in low level near field. All three have this same “rightness” and lack of signal compression about them, I am now a class D convert.
It has been said that triodes are king of low level linearity. No longer must we put up with only low level linearity but can have excellent linearity right up to full power! This also means speakers no longer have to be compromised due to inferior amplifiers. We have some great times ahead of us!
Roger
Larry,
Which amp did you build? How are you powering it? It becomes rather class D generic without this info.
The impressions I had at first listen were hard to define till I heard a good piano recording. Then it hit me like a hammer that for the first time hearing recorded piano the leading and trailing edges were right! This attack and decay “rightness” made every thing seen more real and enjoyable. Further listening reviled this to be true of all sources just easier to hear with the piano piece. This class D sonic impression was first heard with a heavily modified SI then with an amp3 and finally with the superb UcD400AD. The UcD was head and shoulders above the rest in a large system but not so much in low level near field. All three have this same “rightness” and lack of signal compression about them, I am now a class D convert.
It has been said that triodes are king of low level linearity. No longer must we put up with only low level linearity but can have excellent linearity right up to full power! This also means speakers no longer have to be compromised due to inferior amplifiers. We have some great times ahead of us!
Roger
Doh!
Roger:
Duh, I built the 2020.😕 I agree with your take on the sound. I've had 300B's and 2A3's in my system. Since all my listening is near field, I don't even need that amount of power, much less that of the 2020. However, I do need the purity and clarity without the tube colorations.
Regards,
Larry Welsh
Roger:
Duh, I built the 2020.😕 I agree with your take on the sound. I've had 300B's and 2A3's in my system. Since all my listening is near field, I don't even need that amount of power, much less that of the 2020. However, I do need the purity and clarity without the tube colorations.
Regards,
Larry Welsh
Amp?
Larry,
Sorry I may be a little dense but there were a lot of different amps mentioned in here and you never did state specifically what you have. Really we can't read minds and assumptions seem to be wrong more often than not.
You have to admit it is nice to have an amp that you can rely on to sound the same after weeks or months of use.
Roger
Larry,
Sorry I may be a little dense but there were a lot of different amps mentioned in here and you never did state specifically what you have. Really we can't read minds and assumptions seem to be wrong more often than not.
You have to admit it is nice to have an amp that you can rely on to sound the same after weeks or months of use.
Roger
Roger:
Autocostruire 2020 kit.
I just installed some Panny 2200 uf FC's. They elevate its performance considerably.
Larry
Autocostruire 2020 kit.
I just installed some Panny 2200 uf FC's. They elevate its performance considerably.
Larry
hi all,
re: different caps used for different speaker impedences, could i use *smaller* caps than the supplied .22uf, for my speakers, which are 14 ohms nominal, w/10-18 ohms min-max range?
thanks,
doug s.
re: different caps used for different speaker impedences, could i use *smaller* caps than the supplied .22uf, for my speakers, which are 14 ohms nominal, w/10-18 ohms min-max range?
thanks,
doug s.
I am surprised that there is not more enthusiasm for these fantastic amps on other U.K forums. I think that a lot of people may either be unaware of their existence, prejudiced over price or not happy to get their hands dirty. When you think how simple the Autocostruire kit is to put together, the sound quality is amazing for the price. Modding an S.I is a bit of a pain in the a*se, but I prefer my S.I (modded to be used as a power amp) over the 2020.
The S.I certainly seems to have a little more "magic" about it. Or was it because it came first and is therefore favourite ?
The S.I certainly seems to have a little more "magic" about it. Or was it because it came first and is therefore favourite ?
Re: Re: Chinese T-Amp???
Hey Puffin - that's interesting that you prefer the SI. I really like it too but I haven't compared it to any other T-amps.
I don't know enough about car amps to have a good guess - but I asked the seller and he informed me that it uses TA2020.....so out of curiosity, I bought one. And suddenly the remaining two have also sold to someone on this forum.
Puffin said:
Hey Puffin - that's interesting that you prefer the SI. I really like it too but I haven't compared it to any other T-amps.
gychang said:
I don't know enough about car amps to have a good guess - but I asked the seller and he informed me that it uses TA2020.....so out of curiosity, I bought one. And suddenly the remaining two have also sold to someone on this forum.
I had a look through the sellers other goods - "his store" - how depressing!
almost nothing is described in meaningful terms and a lot of it is astonishingly overpriced. For example, look up horn speaker, tube amplifier - tube ring shield $20 ??
I don't think I'll bookmark it!
This is stuff I would imagine is cast-offs from SE Asian factories and bought at scrap metal prices mixed in with stuff people actually want at three times the price it shoud be.
almost nothing is described in meaningful terms and a lot of it is astonishingly overpriced. For example, look up horn speaker, tube amplifier - tube ring shield $20 ??
I don't think I'll bookmark it!
This is stuff I would imagine is cast-offs from SE Asian factories and bought at scrap metal prices mixed in with stuff people actually want at three times the price it shoud be.
Russell
Thanks for the unsolicited review of this eBay store - but I was only asking if anyone knew anything about this particular Class T amplifier.
BTW - some of his items are reasonably priced if you a in my part of the world - and his service is excellent. Also, don't forget, he is Chinese and English is not his first language - so describing items in useful "English" terms might not be his forte. You seem to have a gripe against this seller??
Thanks for the unsolicited review of this eBay store - but I was only asking if anyone knew anything about this particular Class T amplifier.
BTW - some of his items are reasonably priced if you a in my part of the world - and his service is excellent. Also, don't forget, he is Chinese and English is not his first language - so describing items in useful "English" terms might not be his forte. You seem to have a gripe against this seller??
This thread got resurrected a bit off topic. So to bring it back on track, I received my TA2020 kit from Audioconstruire yesterday and had it built and running before bedtime. It's built as supplied (for now), with the .22 uf caps (8 ohm speaks) and including the 'optional' diode string and output Zobel network. Here it is in its naked glory:
Attachments
The speaker wire is Cat 5 cable. I'm running the output from the CD player (JVC 1050TN, practically an antique now) straight into the 2020. Speakers are Hemp Acoustics FR8's in vented boxes.
So how's it sound? Pretty good overall! Bass is tight and well controlled, highs are smooth, not grainy. I don't quite hear the level of detail that I get from my tube amp (Dyna ST70, with Joe Curcio's input board and regulated PS), hall ambience is not as readliy apparent. But, the 2020 has only a few hours on it, and is sure to improve with time (and some judicious parts upgrades). For the cost, I'm satisfied.
Here's a pic of the whole system. The amp pretty much disappears at this scale! You can see the reflection from the back of the Tripath chip on the book in front of the Flexi rack. The knob on the vloume pot is nearly as big as the whole amp.
So how's it sound? Pretty good overall! Bass is tight and well controlled, highs are smooth, not grainy. I don't quite hear the level of detail that I get from my tube amp (Dyna ST70, with Joe Curcio's input board and regulated PS), hall ambience is not as readliy apparent. But, the 2020 has only a few hours on it, and is sure to improve with time (and some judicious parts upgrades). For the cost, I'm satisfied.
Here's a pic of the whole system. The amp pretty much disappears at this scale! You can see the reflection from the back of the Tripath chip on the book in front of the Flexi rack. The knob on the vloume pot is nearly as big as the whole amp.
Attachments
I got the autocostruire 2020 (assembled, with Litz wire inductors option) over the summer, and have been modding it since:
- removed the pot, added off-board Alps 'black' pot, not a major upgrade... was slightly disappointed actually. I've since ditched the pot altogether, and have been using my PC to control volume. Huge improvement over these pots.
then:
- Changed 2200uf caps for Elna Silmics.
- It came with .33 caps for 6 ohm output. Changed these for Vishay MKP1837 0.22uf, for 8 ohm.
- changed 2.2uf input caps for Intertechnik Audyn Cap Plus poly caps.
- lowered gain, using 4x20k resistors (not upgraded ones though).
I think sound has improved, but to be honest it's difficult to say because I cannot compare side by side and the gain has changed.... and the amp is now in a different setting, with components that have also been burning in.
Next upgrades;
- change input caps to obbligato caps (just curious)
- change resistors to AN tantalums and put gain back up slightly.
Overall, I like this board. Very solid, even for a noob solderer like me. With everything thru-hole and no SMDs, it's very easy to work on and mod.
Sound is first rate. I have the amp paired with planet10's frugel horns.
- removed the pot, added off-board Alps 'black' pot, not a major upgrade... was slightly disappointed actually. I've since ditched the pot altogether, and have been using my PC to control volume. Huge improvement over these pots.
then:
- Changed 2200uf caps for Elna Silmics.
- It came with .33 caps for 6 ohm output. Changed these for Vishay MKP1837 0.22uf, for 8 ohm.
- changed 2.2uf input caps for Intertechnik Audyn Cap Plus poly caps.
- lowered gain, using 4x20k resistors (not upgraded ones though).
I think sound has improved, but to be honest it's difficult to say because I cannot compare side by side and the gain has changed.... and the amp is now in a different setting, with components that have also been burning in.
Next upgrades;
- change input caps to obbligato caps (just curious)
- change resistors to AN tantalums and put gain back up slightly.
Overall, I like this board. Very solid, even for a noob solderer like me. With everything thru-hole and no SMDs, it's very easy to work on and mod.
Sound is first rate. I have the amp paired with planet10's frugel horns.
also forgot to mention that I'm powering it the linear regulated PSU also sold by autocostruire.
Next round of experimentation will involve SLA battery and an SMPS.
Next round of experimentation will involve SLA battery and an SMPS.
Well - I got one of those Chinese Lepai T-amps and they are indeed based on TA2020. The PCB is all through hole stuff - so no fiddly SMDs. It comes in an aluminium case and is ready to go. The sound is also quite good - better than my stock SI T-amp....smoother treble and much better bass.
If you are interested in one - look here:
TA2020 T-amp
If you are interested in one - look here:
TA2020 T-amp
Autocostruire 2020 amp
I'm interested in possibly putting together one of the 2020 amps but don't know what parts to buy from Autocostruire. The module with the RCA inputs would be my choice. Can someone tell me what transformer, power supply, case, speaker posts, etc. would be needed to make a fully operating amp? A friend will help me assemble it, so that is no problem.
Thanks for any advice.
I'm interested in possibly putting together one of the 2020 amps but don't know what parts to buy from Autocostruire. The module with the RCA inputs would be my choice. Can someone tell me what transformer, power supply, case, speaker posts, etc. would be needed to make a fully operating amp? A friend will help me assemble it, so that is no problem.
Thanks for any advice.
Autoconstruire sells a suitable power supply and transformer, but the combination cost nearly as much as the amp! Other options would include a solid lead acid battery (and a suitable charger) or a 12 volt switching mode PS. I use one of the latter, bought on e-bay, with the voltage tweaked up to 13.5V. Looks kind of like this one.. Cheapest solution I could find. I put a couple of extra caps across the output for extra filtering. Works fine and the amp sounds pretty good, though I have not compared its sonics to a battery or a linear supply.
Case? Whatever you want. Wood, metal, plastic, cardboard, almost anything has been used. Mine's still caseless, I figure I'll run across an interesting box for it one of these days.
Speaker posts, anything from Radio Shack cheapies to fancy WBT posts that cost more than the amp would work. For now, my wires hook striaght to the screw terminals on the board. I think they may just stay that way, simple is good!.
Case? Whatever you want. Wood, metal, plastic, cardboard, almost anything has been used. Mine's still caseless, I figure I'll run across an interesting box for it one of these days.
Speaker posts, anything from Radio Shack cheapies to fancy WBT posts that cost more than the amp would work. For now, my wires hook striaght to the screw terminals on the board. I think they may just stay that way, simple is good!.
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