T amp Query

[icehockeyboy]

Having probably missed the one in the classifieds, I saw one branded Muse on E Bay.
It's a 2x20 watt job at only £29.99 inc postage, and I only want it for a conservatory system.

Are they much of a muchness, and is there anything to be aware of with them?

Thanks!

C. :)

[DSJR]

I'll bet they are very similar, although the better ones like "our" adopted Mini-T are supposed to have better bits around the chip and a dedicated main board (well, it has "Amptastic" prined on it :)

The cheaper ones may not have a decent power supply as supplied, so some investment in one of these should all but close the gap I suspect, assuming there is a gap of course...

£30 is nowt these days, so why not give one a try while the Amptastic is unavailable?

[hoopsontoast]

Most of the cheaper ones will not be the TA2020 chip (like the Amptastic), more likely the TA2024 chip as used in the original Sonic-T amp and Trends TA-10.

[icehockeyboy]

Most of the cheaper ones will not be the TA2020 chip (like the Amptastic), more likely the TA2024 chip as used in the original Sonic-T amp and Trends TA-10.

The one I saw states its a Muse TA 2020 T Amp...............:scratch: ?

[Covenant]

Most of the cheaper ones will not be the TA2020 chip (like the Amptastic), more likely the TA2024 chip as used in the original Sonic-T amp and Trends TA-10.

Oh yea? :eyebrows:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009RZPHH0/ref=s9_simh_gw_p23_d3_i3?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-5&pf_rd_r=01J61WSWYXTV4CMRY4N6&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=358548967&pf_rd_i=468294

Just got one-tell you what it's like in a few days.

[brian2957]

Check if the power supply comes with it at £29.99, or do you have to buy it seperately Craig .

[istari_knight]

AFAIK they all use the same identical "suggested circuit" which is found in the TA2020 datasheet.

http://www.e-ele.net/DataSheet/TA2020.pdf [page 5.]

There are minor pcb layout differences & they all use different quality parts. I would rank them in this order:

1. Topping TP20mk2
2. HLLY TAMP-20
3. S.M.S.L SA-36 / Amptastic mini-T [I think they are the same thing, my old mini-T had an smsl board inside.]
4. Muse M20 EX2

I've tried all of the above minus the Muse which uses pretty crappy parts so was never of interest. They all sound very similar so take yer pick... I vote Topping ;)

[Tarzan]

Having probably missed the one in the classifieds, I saw one branded Muse on E Bay.
It's a 2x20 watt job at only £29.99 inc postage, and I only want it for a conservatory system.

Are they much of a muchness, and is there anything to be aware of with them?

Thanks!

C. :)


As the AOS unofficial T- amp champion ( l have three of the little wonders), l can can state they all sound different, Mini-T vivid, colourful and focused, Muse M50, Dark, big open and slightly diffuse sound, and last but not least my tweaked to the eyeballs Virtue Audio Sensation M451, which is off the charts with sound quality, all Tripath amplifiers l have encountered share two fundemental traits, more power than their ratings would suggest and musicality in spades.

[istari_knight]

Oh yea? :eyebrows:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009RZPHH0/ref=s9_simh_gw_p23_d3_i3?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-5&pf_rd_r=01J61WSWYXTV4CMRY4N6&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=358548967&pf_rd_i=468294

Just got one-tell you what it's like in a few days.

Lots of mods for that one :eyebrows:

http://www.diyaudio.com/wiki/Amplifier:Lepai_T_Amp

[Covenant]

Lots of mods for that one :eyebrows:

http://www.diyaudio.com/wiki/Amplifier:Lepai_T_Amp

Ooooh! That will be fun. No bass when I got it but after 4 hours it's starting to open up. How do they do it for the money? The one I got was £17.50 without a power supply. I had a xmas Amazon voucher so it cost me £7.50 delivered. :eek:

[Tarzan]

PSU important for T-amps, got my Sensation on batteries and it sound mental, plus there are other mods inside to do.......:)

[hoopsontoast]

PSU important for T-amps, got my Sensation on batteries and it sound mental, plus there are other mods inside to do.......:)

I had the original Sonic-T amp, on batteries, absolute shite. :scratch:

Amptastic TA2020 - Brilliant little thing :)

:)

[icehockeyboy]

As I said, all its for is a small system in the conservatory, so being on par with the Lyngdorf/Usher set up won't be a problem.

[Covenant]

After 24 hours the Lepai is sounding superb, the bass is now meaty but the characteristic mid-range clarity of the 2020 board is there. It looks crap of course and the tone controls ruin the SQ-thank goodness you can take them out of circuit. I had a fairly decent power supply but I will look around for a 13.5v 4amp one.
Well worth trying one to see if you like the t-amp 2020 sound.

[jandl100]

Of the various TA2020 chip amps I've owned the Mini-T and the Muse.

imo the Mini-T sounds substantially better - the Muse was kind of crude in comparison.

Get a Mini-T - stick it in your main system, Craig .... and prepare to be surprised! :eyebrows:

[ossy]

I put the mini t in my main system and almost sold my densen beat! However, it's now doing a sterling job in the kitchen with a pair of royd minstrels, marvellous little thing.

[DSJR]

Yeah, it's a love and hate thing depending on the speakers it's asked to drive. It (Alex_UK's early Mini-T) *really* didn't much like the Harbeth SHL5, sounding like a cheap and weedy solid state amp from the 70's, but I'm glad he let me borrow it to try at home with the load-benign LS5/9's. At low volumes (the way I listen mostly these days), the sound was sublime in the mid, clean in the top and at these low volumes, the bass was tight and clear. Turn it up though, and it does get a bit ragged.

What so many may forget, it's that (IMO) the first watt or two are the most important for most domestic listening at any rate, when a humungous lifelike dynamic range isn't called for. Hope this makes sense......