Tron Convergence, with Firebottle modifications.

[Bigman80]

Seeing as I currently have no FB-OTP (while some mods are carried out),Alan has loaned me his Tron Convergence.

Here are my thoughts from an extensive day of listening.

Tron review,

Build & Looks

The case has plastic sides, front & back and Aluminium top and base. At this price point i would like to see a solid metal construction throughout. It's also HUGE which is........irrelevant if you have room for it!

The front is very nicely badged and the power switch has illumination which gives it a nice look and feel. Standard rubber feet are screwed in to the case.

Overall, apart from the plastic, I like the construction. Its weighty and sold looks imposing and eye catching on my shelf. Nice!

Sound

The first thing that springs to mind as i drop the needle on Noels Gallagher's High Flying Birds is how dark it sounds. The bottom end feels a bit overpowering. I adjust my speakers to Increase mids and treble via the controls on the rear panel and it sounds instantly better. So, half way into "If i had a gun" and i'm loving the channel separation and clarity. This is a very clean sounding phono stage. Treble i feel is a little rolled off and its starting to distract me. I put Eric Clapton's Unplugged album on and play "Running On Faith" This is a great track to check for detail. In the song a metal bottleneck is used and in the right system the "zing" it creates as it slides is apparent and yes, we have it and it sounds very metallic which is excellent. Guitar sounds very good with attack and decay mimicking the natural sound of a note but i still think the tone is off a little, a bit too heavy. The noise floor is extremely low and i've got as near to silence as i've heard in between tracks.

Next, Stevie Ray Vaughn – Tin Pan Alley. This track has lots of atmosphere and i'm getting it in spades through the Tron. Bass line is sweet and full. It feels "fat" too which is excellent. The Toms are very nicely replicated too. The soundstage is excellent and it really gives a sense of depth and is very 3D. Holographic isn't a word i've understood in terms of audio equipment, until now. Its actually becoming better as i listen to it, either its warming up or i am becoming more tuned in to its presentation.

Next, Yello – The Race. WOW! Those drums sound insanely good and the racing car that flies by from left to right is incredibly realistic. The depth of the singers vocals really shines through and there's a wonderful "rhaspy" quality. Again, its very clean and dynamic, subtle and engaging. Cymbals also sound very accurate, the contact of the drumstick on the metal is audible which is again a very good sign.

Next, The Beatles – Martha My Dear. Ah! The brass section has arrived and boy has it! Beautifully recreated and presented by the Tron. I am surprised at the realism of the brass. Vocals are very credible too. Quickly were on to "I'm so tired" and there's a lovely crunch to the guitars sound. Its almost grungy but that's how it was supposed to sound. "Blackbird" starts and again i'm feeling it's a little flat or dark sounding. The shimmer of the acoustic is missing slightly and McCartneys Gibson sounds a bit like an Epiphone, Good but not the real thing. Strings, Brass and Drums have sounded magnificent so far.

So, overall i am impressed by what i am hearing. I should point out that this version has been slightly modified by Alan @ Firebottle.

When i heard this Tron at Alans (pre-mod) I was underwhelmed by its performance. It sounded flat, dull and a bit lifeless. Sure, it had great clarity, soundstage, imaging and depth but it just didn't sparkle. As the listening session wore on, the Tron improved greatly but it never fully got away from sounding compressed. Post modification, it's not a different animal but it has opened up the sound somewhat. There's a bit of freedom on the notes, decay is better, attack is better and it doesn't feel as restricted as it did. Previously i felt a bit like i would if i'd bought a Ferrari that has been limited to 50mph. It's frustrating because you KNOW it can do more.

Build wise, its solid. A well designed unit that feels substantial but not quite premier. That's down to the plastic. One bit i love is the power button. Its beautiful and feels like quality. A bit of research pointed me to Maplin for a similar, if not the same switch for £9! I'm going to get a couple for future projects. The badge is well done too. The markings on the rear are disappearing though but i suspect that's down to it being 3rd hand.

Sound wise. It's solid again, but not quite premier. I also think it colours the sound. I personally prefer a transparent sound. I want to hear the record as it was made. The Tron has a voice of its own and some will love that. Tron's suggested sales figures would certainly suggest so, but i'm a purist. I want the guitar to ring and i want to hear the fret buzz. I want violins to sound harsh on the high notes. When my Daughter plays her Violin, it has a definite edge to the notes which i haven't heard here. I like the Tron, but not enough for the price. The receipt in the box says £1045.

It's a good phono stage in its stock form and if you're in the market its worth an audition. I prefer the modded version but be aware, any mods will nullify your 2 year warranty.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not reflect the views of any other person.

°°°**UPDATE**°°°

The Tron is going back to Alan @Firebottle tomorrow and I feel compelled to say a few final words

The Tron is a better unit than I original assessed. Over the few days ive had it here, its gotten a lot better which leads me to believe it needs some hours on it to burn in/run in/open up etc.

The amount of joy I felt today when the string section suddenly came alive on a Simon & Garfunkel gave me goosebumps. It was phenomenal. The midrange has a sweet point it never reached before and the bass was precise. The best part is the TONE improved. Where I felt it was quite dark previously, it now sounded better balanced in the neutral part of the scale. Although not entirely in with both feet. More like it had it's toes in the water.

Overall, I think I'll miss this phono stage a little bit. If money was no object, id have one in a flash.