Trends Audio TA-10: Modding Potential?

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#561
Daft Power Supply -Update

Sjef said:
I don't know if it will do, in fact I think is doesn't. SNIP Please try the smps supply with and without those caps.
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Hi Again,

It's running in at the moment and, to be honest, doesn't sound that bad at all - but that might be the Sonicaps burning in too. Suffice to say, I'll run it for another two weeks or so and then change back to the float charged SLA and bare SMPS and report back what I find.

BTW, if you can get hold of a copy of the Motion Picture Soundtrack for American Beauty, give it a listen. The TA-10 does the very deep bass in a way that belies it's size. Nice one! 😎

Cheers

Jon
 
#562
What is the input sensitivity on the trend amp?

I was trying to use my Squeezebox 3 as a preamp, but the sound was not so good.

The bass response was like 1 second after the rest of the music and there was no power in it.

On slimdevices site they write this.

it is essential to ensure the source output level is matched to the amplifier input senstivity (the input level that achieves maximum power).

I have a friend who is building a new powersupply to the sb3 and hopefully it will solve the problem?

Can i change the input sensitivity on the trend amp to match the sb3 preamp?

Regards David
 
#563
Hello,

can get a tkd 2 cp pot for a good price, but only the 10k or 100k version, 50 k is not available. Is this practible or should i use better another 50 k pot?

Has someone tried an Jung regulator with the trends? Is 3A a must or can it be lower. Is there a project out there?

Thanks.
 
#564
Finally i got my mardis amp after about 2 months of waiting, and now when i tried it. I was not happy with the sound at all.

How long do it need to burn in?

My stock trend amp sounds better right now.

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#565
I'm sure it'll get better quickly. Just about every mod for me sounded worse than before, especially the FM caps. You have so many mods on that amp that I'm not surprised it's sounding worse than a broken-in stock amp. Also, give some times for your ears to acclimate. A different sound sometimes takes a while to adjust to before a definite judgement can be made. It looks like a nicely modded amp.
 
#566
Shiznit said:
How long do it need to burn in?
My stock trend amp sounds better right now.
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Let it burn for a few days. They seem to go thru a rough period right after the new caps go in. There may be some other things that change over time, too.

After about 50 hours it should start to mellow.

Remember, if you don't like it, send it back! (within the return period).
 
#567
Thx Panomaniac, i let it burn in with Purist Audio System Enhancer cd for about a week that should do something for the sound

let's hope it will sound better than the stock unit after some time playing it.

Shouldn't there be any switch to controll the blue light on the front? i can't find that one.
 
#568
Shiznit said:
Shouldn't there be any switch to controll the blue light on the front? i can't find that one.
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Yes, it's the little chromium power power switch on the back. 😉

If you have let it burn in for a week and still don't like it, you should talk to Audiomagus about returning it. I don't think the sound will change much from now on.

Reading your posts here it does not seem like the Tripath sound is the right sound for you. No worries, everyone has different tastes and different ears. Some people love the Tripath chips, other don't. That's how it goes.

It's good that you have tired to push the Tripath sound further, but you may just never like it. Some people love tube amps, others hate them. You have to find what you like best. Let YOUR ears be the judge. Find what works best and pleases you the most.

Just because a lot of other people like it, doesn't mean you have to. If that were true, I would own a lot of Madonna or AC/DC discs. I don't. :angel:
 
#569
That switch is to power up the amp, what i mean is as following. i want to get the blue light softer.

I like the tripath sound a lot, i haven't heard anything in its price range that is better.

It is so cheap so if i don't keep it in my big stereo i can play it in my bedroom or some other room 🙂
 
#570
This will involve some soldering, but you can change the value of the resistor that limits the current to the LED. Usually, it's the one right next to the LED leads on the board, but you can easily tell by following the traces from the LED lead pads. Probably you want to add a few hundred ohms to whatever value is there now. As long as you leave the current resistor in place, you might event be able to add a 1/4 watt 1k (?) ohm pot between and be able to dial the brightness.

--Buckapound
 
#571
I've owned my TA-10.1 for about a week and the very first thing I noticed was that it seemed like the power supply was insufficent. Not from the size of the SMPS that comes with the unit (although that's a tip off) but the way the amp played music. When push comes to shove it sounds like a transistor amp with too small a transformer. So I did a little research on the HAM radio sites (those guys have the same issues we do with not wanting RF leakage from their power supplies).

The one that came up best reviewed was the Astron SS-10, the smallest SMPS in the Astron line (13.8v regulated, 7 amps). I ordered one and plugged it in this morning.

The differences were astounding. Dynamics, channel seperation and, bass extension and control were all improved significantly.

If you decide to try this, shop around as the price on the Astron SS-10 varies by as much as $20 depending on the retailer. Also you'll need to make your own power cable as the Astron SS-10 has screw terminals in the back. The power plug for the back of the TA-10.1 is a CALRAD 30-373 sold in most electronics stores.

Good luck and I'd be interested to hear if anyone else has had the same experience with an upgraded power supply.
 
#573
ooops! said:
I've owned my TA-10.1 for about a week and the very first thing I noticed was that it seemed like the power supply was insufficent. Not from the size of the SMPS that comes with the unit (although that's a tip off) but the way the amp played music. When push comes to shove it sounds like a transistor amp with too small a transformer. So I did a little research on the HAM radio sites (those guys have the same issues we do with not wanting RF leakage from their power supplies).

The one that came up best reviewed was the Astron SS-10, the smallest SMPS in the Astron line (13.8v regulated, 7 amps). I ordered one and plugged it in this morning.

The differences were astounding. Dynamics, channel seperation and, bass extension and control were all improved significantly.

If you decide to try this, shop around as the price on the Astron SS-10 varies by as much as $20 depending on the retailer. Also you'll need to make your own power cable as the Astron SS-10 has screw terminals in the back. The power plug for the back of the TA-10.1 is a CALRAD 30-373 sold in most electronics stores.

Good luck and I'd be interested to hear if anyone else has had the same experience with an upgraded power supply.
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Very interesting. I've only tried and prefer battery, original ps, and a XP Power SMPS, in that order. I'm sure not all SMPS sound the same. The Astron regulated linear supplies seemed to have a following when the original Sonic Impact T-Amp came out. I wonder how the regulated models compare to your SMPS SS-10. The regulated supplies are much cheaper.
 
#574
Shiznit said:
The amp is starting to sound a lot better right now 🙂

Do you guys have any recomendation on rca adapter to use if you are going to biamp with two trend amps.

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Is this good enough or should i use something else?
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The adapter you show will work at the source. You would have to run a interconnect to each TA-!0. An alternative would be a simple "Y" connector. Using a "Y" connector would provide for shorter connection, but I don't believe it really matters.
 
#575
dweekie said:


Very interesting. I've only tried and prefer battery, original ps, and a XP Power SMPS, in that order. I'm sure not all SMPS sound the same. The Astron regulated linear supplies seemed to have a following when the original Sonic Impact T-Amp came out. I wonder how the regulated models compare to your SMPS SS-10. The regulated supplies are much cheaper.
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Dweekie,

My choice of a SMPS versus a regulated linear supply was really more philosophical than a serious technical decision -- I figured if I was going "new school" with a Class D amp I should try it with an SMPS. Another (but real) consideration was the SMPS weighs 3 lbs while the equivilant Astron regulated linear supply weighs 11 lbs. I thought this was more in keeping with the Trends TA-10.1 concept.

My guess is that there is probably about as much variations in the quality of the output of various makes of power supplies on both the regulated linear and SMPS side as between the two designs.

When you run on batteries, how much current does the amp draw?
 
#576
These Astron supplies look very decent, ubfortunatly they are not available in the Netherlands or even in Europe. Does anyone know a good decent smps supply wich is available overhere. I'm a little sick and tired of paying about 40% import taxes and about 50 dollars shipping costs. I would like to try a better smps though.
 
#580
Yeah i will biamp my two amps as soon as i get a preamp.

And i will do the mardis modification on the other one to.

Maybe someone can show me how the jumper should look like?

And another Question, what performance upgrade do i get if i biamp?

better channel separation and what more?
 
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