Puffin,
It came from Buyoyo in Hongkong, and was well wrapped with no sign of damage to the packaging so I was a bit puzzled at damage to just one component. The rest of the board looks reasonably soldered (to me) and it had the Bennics caps (I found this thread later). The soldering took 10 mins, so - for the price - I decided just to leave it at that.
I'm still burning it in, and I must admit it sounds slightly better today - but I just don't get the feeling that it will catch up on the unmodded SI T-amp.
I didn't check the DC offset, there was virtually no pop at power on/off so (perhaps wrongly) I presumed it was probably OK. Would that affect the sound significantly? I'm not really a modder - though I do have a multimeter somewhere around.
There's a Maplins not far away and the foil caps are cheap. Do you think that simply taking out the ceramics would give some indication whether the mod would be a dramatic success?
It came from Buyoyo in Hongkong, and was well wrapped with no sign of damage to the packaging so I was a bit puzzled at damage to just one component. The rest of the board looks reasonably soldered (to me) and it had the Bennics caps (I found this thread later). The soldering took 10 mins, so - for the price - I decided just to leave it at that.
I'm still burning it in, and I must admit it sounds slightly better today - but I just don't get the feeling that it will catch up on the unmodded SI T-amp.
I didn't check the DC offset, there was virtually no pop at power on/off so (perhaps wrongly) I presumed it was probably OK. Would that affect the sound significantly? I'm not really a modder - though I do have a multimeter somewhere around.
There's a Maplins not far away and the foil caps are cheap. Do you think that simply taking out the ceramics would give some indication whether the mod would be a dramatic success?
I personally do not like aircore inductors, too smooth and lack detail. I removed my charlize aircores and fitted homemade torroids, this made a vast improvement in dynamics.
Just my 2p worth
In fact I have 2 sets of aircores now if anyone wants any😀
Just my 2p worth
In fact I have 2 sets of aircores now if anyone wants any😀
Alan. If you have not heard a modified S.I you don't know what you're missing. However, so far as the DC offset is concerned, I checked one of my modded S.I's (which do not have adjusters) and one channel was -2.6mohms and the other +2.00mohms.
Trends say the DC offset should be +/- 0.00mohms. In practice it does not seem to make much difference (at least to my ears) if the offset is slightly higher or lower than reccommended. My S.I's sound fine.
So far as changing components on the Trends is concerned, I would check out Michael Mardis's site. He is the kng of tweaks and markets a modded version of the Trends.
Trends say the DC offset should be +/- 0.00mohms. In practice it does not seem to make much difference (at least to my ears) if the offset is slightly higher or lower than reccommended. My S.I's sound fine.
So far as changing components on the Trends is concerned, I would check out Michael Mardis's site. He is the kng of tweaks and markets a modded version of the Trends.
Rats, this was not the plan ...
Rather than modding the SI, I thought that buying the TA-10 with its more "audiophile" components would give me the SI quality plus a few percent all round.
Then start buying new CDs and enjoy the music!
Now ... I'm stuck. Do I case the SI and add some Aurics and stuff (that's just from reading here, I've never done this).
Perhaps it is the effect of the aircores ... that might match what I'm hearing, but to change these - would I just end up converting my TA-10 into a T-Amp.
Damn you Sonic Impact - that detail and soundstage - it's like a drug! 🙂
Or perhaps the KingRex ...
Rather than modding the SI, I thought that buying the TA-10 with its more "audiophile" components would give me the SI quality plus a few percent all round.
Then start buying new CDs and enjoy the music!
Now ... I'm stuck. Do I case the SI and add some Aurics and stuff (that's just from reading here, I've never done this).
Perhaps it is the effect of the aircores ... that might match what I'm hearing, but to change these - would I just end up converting my TA-10 into a T-Amp.
Damn you Sonic Impact - that detail and soundstage - it's like a drug! 🙂
Or perhaps the KingRex ...
Puffin,
Yes, I found Michael Mardis' website early on. His mods just throw more options into the mix though ... eg. And buying something both unheard and without any reviews is OK up to a certain £ point. For me his signature version is getting there.
And for the price of his modded TA10.1 you could get two un-modded 10.1s and biamp.
I think I'll case one of my SIs, and live with that and the SA-10 (unmodded) for a while till they're well burnt in. Then I'll pick the one I'm enjoying most and do some mods. I would be looking for the mods that would make the biggest difference - input caps I presume with the SI.
Am I being simplistic or could I just poke a nail or something down each of the air-core inductors to change them temporarily?
Yes, I found Michael Mardis' website early on. His mods just throw more options into the mix though ... eg. And buying something both unheard and without any reviews is OK up to a certain £ point. For me his signature version is getting there.
And for the price of his modded TA10.1 you could get two un-modded 10.1s and biamp.
I think I'll case one of my SIs, and live with that and the SA-10 (unmodded) for a while till they're well burnt in. Then I'll pick the one I'm enjoying most and do some mods. I would be looking for the mods that would make the biggest difference - input caps I presume with the SI.
Am I being simplistic or could I just poke a nail or something down each of the air-core inductors to change them temporarily?
Alan Hope said:
Also my Trends Ta10 has arrived from Buyoyo with one dead channel for the same reason, an unsoldered inductor!
I cannot identify the RFI filter caps type: they are blue, but the case is not squared parallelepipedal like the polypropilene ones. In the shape they are like ceramic, but blue instead of brown. Could someone explain to me this enigma?
In any case, in my system I prefer a lot the Trends to my unmodified SI T-amp.
Does anyone have information about the Yulong T-amp, on sell on DiyKits website and also on ebay? $130 with toroidal transformer and detachable power cords, it looks good...
I did a search for the Yu-Long T-Amp and found a translated page that had some pictures and specifics about the amp. In my search I could not find a price. The DiyKits wbsite only had a photo of the amp.
Yu-Long T-Amp (info)
From the pictures the amp appears to have some DIY promise. There appears to be a large case and through hole components. Me, oh, my! Another T-Amp cantidate for the DIYer.
Yu-Long T-Amp (info)
From the pictures the amp appears to have some DIY promise. There appears to be a large case and through hole components. Me, oh, my! Another T-Amp cantidate for the DIYer.
I have a Mardis Trends and it is bloody marvelous! Mine also had a problem previous to arriving chez moi. They were supposed to get their act together about this...😡 It's worth paying the extra for his version, especially if you're not into the re-building, at least you know it will be working and singing properly!
Not sure whether this information is too late in the day now, but I have found a couple of uk sites that offer a money back guarantee.
a)http://www.trilateral.co.uk/
and also
b)http://www.desktopaudio.co.uk/trendsta10.1.html
I've fired a couple of emails to b)and had very quick responces to both questions, so tempted to order from them. I have no other connections to either site.
a)http://www.trilateral.co.uk/
and also
b)http://www.desktopaudio.co.uk/trendsta10.1.html
I've fired a couple of emails to b)and had very quick responces to both questions, so tempted to order from them. I have no other connections to either site.
I had a prompt and pleasant reply from David Ho of ITOK re my original disappointment with the TA-10.
1. He considers 50 hours not fully burnt-in. Given the noticeable improvement over the last 24hrs he may be right. I know that some have suggested up to 100 hours. I will get back to him once some more time has elapsed.
2. I can get my money back (up to 30 days). At the moment I do not want this - soldering the inductor was no big deal. If I had payed 3 times as much I might feel differently. It is a good enough amp - just I had my expectations very (perhaps unrealistically) high.
3. He suggested I air my thoughts on this forum. (Hope he doesn't mind that I had already done so!)
Anyway I have now bought two foil caps (26p from Maplins) for the input RFI filters. I'll do that, then continue the burn in!
1. He considers 50 hours not fully burnt-in. Given the noticeable improvement over the last 24hrs he may be right. I know that some have suggested up to 100 hours. I will get back to him once some more time has elapsed.
2. I can get my money back (up to 30 days). At the moment I do not want this - soldering the inductor was no big deal. If I had payed 3 times as much I might feel differently. It is a good enough amp - just I had my expectations very (perhaps unrealistically) high.
3. He suggested I air my thoughts on this forum. (Hope he doesn't mind that I had already done so!)
Anyway I have now bought two foil caps (26p from Maplins) for the input RFI filters. I'll do that, then continue the burn in!
TA 10.1 Update following my initial disappointment and irritated emails ...
To my surprise, an overnight staggering improvement in sound. Now burnt in for nearly 100 hours. This one needs a LONG burn-in. Still not "perfect" but I'm considering this a work in progress.
I haven't replaced the input caps yet (got them sitting waiting), and I'm going to wait till it is fully stable or I will have no way of knowing the effect the change had.
I wonder if sjef's report of improved sound following changing the RFI filter caps could just be the sort of sudden improvement that I have experienced during prolonged burn-in.
I'll wait a few days, then do a critical listen with all my test tracks, change the RFI filter caps, and repeat the listen. I'll report the results here.
To my surprise, an overnight staggering improvement in sound. Now burnt in for nearly 100 hours. This one needs a LONG burn-in. Still not "perfect" but I'm considering this a work in progress.
I haven't replaced the input caps yet (got them sitting waiting), and I'm going to wait till it is fully stable or I will have no way of knowing the effect the change had.
I wonder if sjef's report of improved sound following changing the RFI filter caps could just be the sort of sudden improvement that I have experienced during prolonged burn-in.
I'll wait a few days, then do a critical listen with all my test tracks, change the RFI filter caps, and repeat the listen. I'll report the results here.
OK ...
Put the wee SI TAmp into the system - hey presto, music to put a grin on your face! TA-10 was OK, but no more ...
No point in waiting - I swapped the Trend RFI filter Capacitors (mine actually had the blue ones noted a few posts back), and have just spun a few disks:
And this makes a substantial difference. I now have detail, and width and depth to the soundstage. I could live with this amp now!
antbom - you should change these.
David Ho - which RFI caps are installed in current production TA 10.1s ?
Put the wee SI TAmp into the system - hey presto, music to put a grin on your face! TA-10 was OK, but no more ...
No point in waiting - I swapped the Trend RFI filter Capacitors (mine actually had the blue ones noted a few posts back), and have just spun a few disks:
And this makes a substantial difference. I now have detail, and width and depth to the soundstage. I could live with this amp now!
antbom - you should change these.
David Ho - which RFI caps are installed in current production TA 10.1s ?
It is interesting regarding these input caps, my Amp6 had ceramics as standard and I always felt this amp sounded a little bright.
I replaced the ceramics to 100pf blue box Evox polypropylenes.
The amp now sounds much cleaner🙂
I replaced the ceramics to 100pf blue box Evox polypropylenes.
The amp now sounds much cleaner🙂
Alan,
You said you swapped the RFI filter caps and noted an improvement. Which caps did you install??
Thanks,
Audiosteve
You said you swapped the RFI filter caps and noted an improvement. Which caps did you install??
Thanks,
Audiosteve
wich are the RFI caps?
My order at farnell is still not delivered, 1,5 month ago🙁
I want to install the SKpre , but need some desolderin braid first.
My order at farnell is still not delivered, 1,5 month ago🙁
I want to install the SKpre , but need some desolderin braid first.
See the caps at the right top side underneath the input cable marked as CD1🙂 http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=1152886#post1152886
If the ones fitted are the square blue 100pf Evox PFR I'd leave them in, they are already polypropylene.
If they are disc shaped blue or orange then they will be ceramic, if so its worth changing them.
Your order from Farnell seems to be taking a very long time Robert, is some of the parts out of stock or waiting delivery?
If the ones fitted are the square blue 100pf Evox PFR I'd leave them in, they are already polypropylene.
If they are disc shaped blue or orange then they will be ceramic, if so its worth changing them.
Your order from Farnell seems to be taking a very long time Robert, is some of the parts out of stock or waiting delivery?
Thanks , I''ll have a look when I'm home again (holiday in scotland)
My order history says all the items are shipped,
Panny FM caps
Resistor for skynet 8080
Desoldering braid
My order history says all the items are shipped,
Panny FM caps
Resistor for skynet 8080
Desoldering braid
FWIW, Everyone seems to find that the T-Amps go thru a rough period a few hours after they are first run.
They seem to get rough a few hours in, then smooth out over the next few days.
This seems to be true for stock and the modified amps.
It could be the electrolytic caps breaking in, or maybe it's the chip. I still don't know. It's not the power supply, as it happens even with a power supply that has many months of running time on it.
As for the aircoil inductors in the Trends: If you had only one bent over and pulled loose, you're lucky! Most I see are all flat - they just are not supported enough. If they flop around enough, they pull loose. That's why I use massive amounts of glue to secure them. Should help damp vibration, too.
They seem to get rough a few hours in, then smooth out over the next few days.
This seems to be true for stock and the modified amps.
It could be the electrolytic caps breaking in, or maybe it's the chip. I still don't know. It's not the power supply, as it happens even with a power supply that has many months of running time on it.
As for the aircoil inductors in the Trends: If you had only one bent over and pulled loose, you're lucky! Most I see are all flat - they just are not supported enough. If they flop around enough, they pull loose. That's why I use massive amounts of glue to secure them. Should help damp vibration, too.
I thought about changing some of the resistors on the board. Since the values aren't on the the resistors themselves, I have been trying to determine the values based on the reference design. The bank of 8 resistors between the volume pot and the chip is confusing me. I first assumed the four resistors cloeser towards the middle were all 20k values, but I can't figure out the four resistors closer to the bias adjustment. Also, I believe the resistors between the aircore inductors are values of 10ohms based on the reference design. I don't think the other resistors are in the input/output path, so I won't bother changing them. Can anybody verify the values of these resistors? I know pano mentioned some of the values on page 28, but I wanted to clarify all these values and determine if they are worth changing to the caddock mk132. Thanks.
page 7 for ref board. it even lists digikey part numbers.
http://www.tripath.com/downloads/EB-TA2024.pdf
page 7 for ref board. it even lists digikey part numbers.
http://www.tripath.com/downloads/EB-TA2024.pdf
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