vintagevinyllover
08-02-2012, 16:22
Thought I'd pass this on. No doubt like a lot of you I've got bits of stereo kit via upgrade-itis etc accumulated over the years. Some of it gets sold on but inevitably some of it doesn't seem worth the bother, not because the kit isn't good or in good condition, more like because it is superseded and not "vintage desirable".
So...I've a Sony CDP XE310 CD player, inexpensive from new, bought as a stop gap and it's had about 30 minutes use in 10+ years. On fleabay it is worth maybe £20 on a good day. But it is mint, well reviewed. I also have a pair of Richard Allan Minette Gold 2-way bookshelf speakers of the same kind of vintage. Real walnut veneers, well reviewed, near mint, bi-wireable and hardly used, very rare. But again not worth much and while I think RA still exist, its a different company now. Then there are the inevitable spare cable talk interconnects and two terminated runs of Nordost flatline biwire.
Brainwave- all that is missing to create a 2nd system is an amp. Ideally I need something of good quality manufacture and quality sound, minimal inputs, decent socketry to bring it all together. Don't really want to spend on a new budget amp or risk a used classic that I will be tempted to mod /restore
Hit on the idea of investigating T-amps. Like the idea of experimenting with those, enough power for a modest system, one set of inputs, small form factor and inexpensive. In my research I also discover a lot of these are made in China- fair enough but but I don't want to risk a direct import, still want a UK warranty and frankly some of them look like they were made in my garage...plus I have no experience of this type of design
Then I found amptastic on e-bay selling their mini-T T-amp with a separate 5-amp PSU and using TA2020 chip rated at 20w. Small, enough power, well built attractive case, good socketry, a 12 month UK warranty ...and most importantly it sounds great straight out of the box.
It's not a system to take on the world of hifi, but it is surprisingly good in context of a second system and most importantly it makes me want to play my music and I get the satisfaction of using good unused kit for minimal outlay
Others say that these T-amps improve with use, so looking forward to finding out, starting right now...:cool:
Look up tclass_audio, I have no connection with them other than as a satisfied customer. The T-amp cost £65
So...I've a Sony CDP XE310 CD player, inexpensive from new, bought as a stop gap and it's had about 30 minutes use in 10+ years. On fleabay it is worth maybe £20 on a good day. But it is mint, well reviewed. I also have a pair of Richard Allan Minette Gold 2-way bookshelf speakers of the same kind of vintage. Real walnut veneers, well reviewed, near mint, bi-wireable and hardly used, very rare. But again not worth much and while I think RA still exist, its a different company now. Then there are the inevitable spare cable talk interconnects and two terminated runs of Nordost flatline biwire.
Brainwave- all that is missing to create a 2nd system is an amp. Ideally I need something of good quality manufacture and quality sound, minimal inputs, decent socketry to bring it all together. Don't really want to spend on a new budget amp or risk a used classic that I will be tempted to mod /restore
Hit on the idea of investigating T-amps. Like the idea of experimenting with those, enough power for a modest system, one set of inputs, small form factor and inexpensive. In my research I also discover a lot of these are made in China- fair enough but but I don't want to risk a direct import, still want a UK warranty and frankly some of them look like they were made in my garage...plus I have no experience of this type of design
Then I found amptastic on e-bay selling their mini-T T-amp with a separate 5-amp PSU and using TA2020 chip rated at 20w. Small, enough power, well built attractive case, good socketry, a 12 month UK warranty ...and most importantly it sounds great straight out of the box.
It's not a system to take on the world of hifi, but it is surprisingly good in context of a second system and most importantly it makes me want to play my music and I get the satisfaction of using good unused kit for minimal outlay
Others say that these T-amps improve with use, so looking forward to finding out, starting right now...:cool:
Look up tclass_audio, I have no connection with them other than as a satisfied customer. The T-amp cost £65