Trends Audio TA-10: Modding Potential?

[Davet]

BI-Amp

The attached link will answer some questions and may spawn more.
http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/general/messages/57210.html

 

[Shiznit]

Thx for the link, but has anyone tried to biamp the trends and what did you get as result?

 

[robert1325]

I finally hooked up the SKA SKpre boards to my trends ...
I like the sound so far, it has more weight and power.

But the hum is louder than before ... What can I do about this?

 

[dweekie]

I finally hooked up the SKA SKpre boards to my trends ...
I like the sound so far, it has more weight and power.

But the hum is louder than before ... What can I do about this?

Does increasing/decreasing the distance between the skpre and the trends pcb affect the hum?

 

[robert1325]

Hi,

Both are stuck on the wooden board I made...

But I think I'm taking it out again, it sounds weightier and more dynamic but the magic T-amp sound is lost . ( It sounds like a normal SS amp now)

 

[LTK]

Sorry to hear it didn't work out too well Rob, shame you can't tweak the Pre to try and get it to suit, with the Burson Buffer it does not seem to add much signature.
Are you still using the Bolder modded squeeze box?

 

[robert1325]

Hi,

Yes I am... but the pure sound of that combo seems to get lost.

It's a more upfront kind of sound similar to my old cambridge 640A amp... Spectacular at first but not easy listening.

 

[robert1325]

I want to hook up an external volume pot, can I go straight into the obbligatoos or should I go into the Jumpers?

 

[daggerlee]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anybody else had encountered the problem of the flickering LED light. I saw one post way back that mentioned it. The LED light flickers a lot, and sometime turns off completely. Is this indicative of a greater problem with the amp? I've been using it for two weeks or so and haven't encountered any other problems.

 

[robert1325]

I'm using this external pot

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.

And I connected it the same as YEO of diyparadise connects his Alps blue...

http://www.diyparadise.com/charlize.html

There's no sound, just the usual hum ( Always there )

The pot is grounded from the J4 LR and I go in at J3 LR (trends)

 

[Pano]

Just wondering if anybody else had encountered the problem of the flickering LED light.

There was a batch of amps with bad LEDs a little while ago. The LED starts to flicker, then usually go out for good.

It's the LED, not the amp. The newest run of amps does not seem to have this problem.

 

[robert1325]

does anyone know what could be wrong with my vol pot hookup?

 

[Davet]

VRs

Based on the link it looks as if you have the pot connected properly. A couple of thoughts:

1. How is the pot mounted and if mounted on something metal is it (the metal) grounded?

2. What is the value of the potentiometer?

3. Did you verify that the resistance varies between the wipers per the link? i.e. the resistance goes from 50k to 0 ohms when rotated.

 

[robert1325]

Hi,

1.The pot is mounted on a wooden board, No metal.... the hum does get louder when I touch it.

2.It's a 50k pot

3. How can I measure this? I have a DMM...


Thanks

Robert

 

[daggerlee]

Thanks for the reply Pano. Guess I'll have to buy a new LED...

Another question. I got some auricaps in today. Which way do I install them? I found this website which advises:

One lead is black and the other one red. If the capacitor is used in the signal path the signal must enter through the black lead and get out through the red one.
If the capacitor is used as power supply bypass unit, the black lead should be connected to ground and the red one to the + or - voltage. Finally, if the capacitor is used in loudspeakers crossovers, the red lead should be toward the + terminal and the black one towards the - one.

Should I install them like the Michael Mardis version a few pages back, then?

 

[Pano]

For the Auricaps the red wire goes toward the FRONT of the amp. The front is the end with the voume knob.

You will not damage the Auricaps if you do it the other way, but they are supposed to sound better with a higher potential on the red end.

 

[daggerlee]

Nevermind, I traced the circuit...

 

[daggerlee]

I installed the auricaps and 3300uf Panasonic FMs, sounds great

pano, I also replaced the LED, but this one is also flickering. I am thinking there may be something up with the power supply, or perhaps a bad solder joint somewhere. Any suggestions on what I should troubleshoot?

 

[Pano]

pano, I also replaced the LED, but this one is also flickering. I am thinking there may be something up with the power supply, or perhaps a bad solder joint somewhere. Any suggestions on what I should troubleshoot?

Hmmm.... Beats me.

Do you have a spare LED and resistor that you can connect temporarily back near the switch? If that flickers too, the power connector or the power supply might be at fault.

You can also put a voltmeter on the legs of the LED and watch what readings you get when it flickers.

Is the amp running OK?

 

[Sjef]

Now that I have done all the modding on the Trends it's a much better amp then before, not the best in the world but it's pretty good by now finally. thanks to all of you guys specially for mentioning the Obbligato polyprop/oil caps they sure are nice with the Tripath. I'm running them on my little speakers at the moment (PHL1220 bass/midrange with Focal Audiom TLR tweeter) wich is a much better combination then on my big loudspeakers (JBL 2226, Phy-HP LB21 midrange, ESS AMT tweeter) because like the Phy-HP doesn't like an amplifier with too much control.

But o.k. now it finally sounds good enough for me to listen to for a longer period of time there's still something lacking wich is "drive". Yes they do sound like an amp with a way too small power supply but in some way I like the SMPS much better then battery power.

So the story continues to find a really good high powered 12V smps. All suggestions are welcome as long as it is directly available in Europe, not available to Europe like I mentioned earlier, anything from the states will cost me at least 50 dollars shipping plus 40% taxes unless somenone sends me a package disguised as a box of chocolates maybe.