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camtwister
08-05-2012, 21:20
As much as I enjoy fireworks; the curvet of flame, the crackling colour trails of white hot metals and the aftertaste of smoke, I'm less enthusiastic when this happens in my amp rack.
Who would have thought that spinning a Joan Armatrading album would involve such drama?
If there was an Olympic discipline that involved launching from your listening position on the settee, flying with arms outstretched in the style of a superhero and turning off your exploding valve amplifier, before finishing with a forward roll under the dining table amidst detonating transformers, then I would be a potential medal winner.
Let it be a warning to those seduced by the painted ladies of the Orient.

Whilst I wait for my cheap little single ended EL84 amplifier to be replaced with an expensive single ended EL84 amplifier, I need an ankle biter to excite my drivers.

I chose this:

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/8267/amptastic1.png

http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/8281/amptastic2.png

Reid Malenfant
09-05-2012, 21:20
Damn, I thought you were operating on the Mini-T due to the picture with the vice :lol:

For the money & size/power etc I'm impressed, I'm glad I bought one, though it'll be featuring in some kind of very modest kitchen system as I find they are very good at lower volume levels. Very good indeed!

A few watts is more than enough for more than background levels & these excell at this :D

camtwister
15-05-2012, 08:39
I bought a Mini-T to use in the interim whilst my new amp is being built.
I've listened critically for about 25 hours to date, with it powered-up continuously for the past seven days.
Very first impressions: it's fast! Although also, anaemic.
Impressions now that I'm one week older: it's fast!
There's more flesh at the bass end but it still has a cool signature -
in comparison to my Class A amplifiers of comparable audio power output, both valve and solid-state.

I'm feeding it from my Croft pre-amp and the Mini-T is plugged in turn into a 3-way Monitor Audio floorstander that'll deliver 90dB at 1m when prodded with 2.83 Volts.
Sensitive enough for the amp to cope with the moderate SPL, up to 85dB(A) or so in the near-field, that I require from my second system. Perhaps there's one crossover too many for the little 'un.

It's obviously not a 20W device at anything approaching agreeable distortion levels. Using a clever, subjective and far from scientific formula (otherwise known as a guess) I calculate it puts out about 5-6 clean watts.
I have the 5A power supply and get a disquieting and increasing oscillation from my drivers as I move the gain pot past two o'clock.

The Mini-T is prodigiously good value.
I'm impressed with its resolution and the mid-range reproduction is convincing.
I can't wait to go back to glowing bottles and Class A but that's more of a comment about my tastes than the ability of the Lilliputian amplifier.
It's an interesting experiment, I don't regret the purchase and I've no doubt there's more to learn.

realysm42
15-05-2012, 09:34
You should post more, your writing style is entertaining.

bobbasrah
15-05-2012, 10:08
I was waiting for the explanation of tweaking a Mini-T with two spanners and an oil can?

wee tee cee
15-05-2012, 10:56
you could always buy another and bi-amp with it.....mine have been on for a while now and are settling down nicely. I look forward to giving them a proper listen on my next days off.
Tony

camtwister
15-05-2012, 16:01
You should post more, your writing style is entertaining.


That's generous, thanks.


I was waiting for the explanation of tweaking a Mini-T with two spanners and an oil can?


You would wince if you saw the hammer.


you could always buy another and bi-amp with it


Yep, I could but the purchase was to temporarily fill an amp shaped gap in my system until my bespoke Decware is complete. I was curious enough to try a T class device rather than buy a second hand amp for a similar price.

wee tee cee
18-05-2012, 18:00
Must admit with two bi-amped mini t amps I have the most enjoyable sound I have yet produced in my room. I have been going through stuff I haven't played for ages.....It must be a synergy thing...they work really well in my set up and are providing a really enjoyable experience.
Tony.

DaveK
18-05-2012, 18:51
Must admit with two bi-amped mini t amps I have the most enjoyable sound I have yet produced in my room. I have been going through stuff I haven't played for ages.....It must be a synergy thing...they work really well in my set up and are providing a really enjoyable experience.
Tony.

Synergy - there must be a lot of it about - I have 2 Mini-Ts, each one 'doing' one channel and I really like the end result - no plans to change anything in that area.
Dave.

amptastic
18-05-2012, 18:54
Hi camtwister - glad you're enjoying your Mini T. We're happy to offer you an existing customer discount on a second Mini T if you contact us via PM/email.

Glad you're unharmed by the exploding valve amp incident. *Yoda voice* High voltage they are!

camtwister
19-05-2012, 09:43
Hello Chris,

Indeed, I am enjoying the Mini-T, whether exploring its capability in the context of my systems or simply listening to music with it.

Thanks for the offer. First class service.

WAD62
21-05-2012, 08:13
Mine's been in use in my kitchen setup for more than 18 months now, along with an SB receiver.

As we have yet to get an extractor fan both units are covered in chip fat and meat juice!!! ;)

Thankfully they're sealed units...and are still going strong :)

wee tee cee
10-06-2012, 18:02
I put the two mini T's in my sons system ( Belkin cables--4 x co-ax interconnects with the yellow inserts .....maplin phono splitters... Belkin speaker cables.....dac majik with russ andrews psu....kef iq50 speakers....belkin usb with lossless i tunes files ). It sounded very respectable indeed. The imaging and sound stage was the best I have heard.
I run senn hd650s with a MF head phone rig.....this very modest set up was sounding very headphone like....really made me and my son stop in our tracks---he showed me his arm at one point with goose bumps!!!!!
they are exceptional bits of hi-fi....regardless of price.
Thanks Chris.....