Temple Audio - Anyone?

[Ninanina]

Hi all

I have taken delivery of a quite amazing bit of hi-fi kit

It's the Temple Audio Bantam amplifier. It is the tinniest thing you could ever have

The thing is this has been in my system for just a few hours and it seems to be producing a sound quality that is about 95% of my best valve amplifier, seriously :eek::eek:

Did I expect it to be this good? well no not really !!

I have the amplifier on a 60 day return and to be honest if I can live without that extra 5% then this will be staying in my system

I can't quite believe that it is as good as it is but there you have it

Anyone tried this amp, and what did your think?

Bev

[rubber duck]

Welcome to the T-amp revolution! Haven't heard the Bantam but am not surprised based on my experiences with the Tripath chip.

[brian2957]

Is this the Bantam or the Bantam gold Bev ?

[Ninanina]

Is this the Bantam or the Bantam gold Bev ?

Hi Brian, it's the Bantam Gold I have

It's quite amazing for the money... :eek:

[brian2957]

Thanks Bev , I'm having a look just now.

[rubber duck]

Hmm, then it's not a T-amp but 'better than Class T' according to Bantam. Will give this a try one day.

[Ninanina]

Hmm, then it's not a T-amp but 'better than Class T' according to Bantam. Will give this a try one day.

No I think Temple just call it a class 'D' amplifier as the chip is not from Tripath. I'd certainly recommend it at the money, which is nothing compared to the rest of my 'gear'

Like I say it's at least 95% of my best valve amp, which is amazing really :D

Regards
Bev

[rubber duck]

The Oto SE is one of my favourite amps, what's the missing 5% Bev?

[Ninanina]

The Oto SE is one of my favourite amps, what's the missing 5% Bev?

It's tricky to say Jeff really; My first thought is maybe not quite so "revealing" as the Oto, but I THINK it's a close run thing indeed

I guess I THINK it's missing that 5% but until I put the Oto back into the system I won't be able to answer that totally correctly

I will probably put the Oto back into the system tomorrow and then I'll report back

It does amaze me though that this can get anywhere near the Oto; I wasn't expecting that

Watch this space, kind of... :D

[Ali Tait]

Hi all

I have taken delivery of a quite amazing bit of hi-fi kit

It's the Temple Audio Bantam amplifier. It is the tinniest thing you could ever have

The thing is this has been in my system for just a few hours and it seems to be producing a sound quality that is about 95% of my best valve amplifier, seriously :eek::eek:

Did I expect it to be this good? well no not really !!

I have the amplifier on a 60 day return and to be honest if I can live without that extra 5% then this will be staying in my system

I can't quite believe that it is as good as it is but there you have it

Anyone tried this amp, and what did your think?

Bev

Told you!!

For others- yes this is a switching type amp, but uses a more modern Analogue Devices chip ( The Tripath chip is 20 year old technology, all amps using it are using NOS chips, they went out of business in the Nineties)

I use two of them myself to run my OB's actively. Excellent amps IMHO.

Bev, if you think it's good now, get a good linear supply!

[rubber duck]

I will probably put the Oto back into the system tomorrow and then I'll report back

It does amaze me though that this can get anywhere near the Oto; I wasn't expecting that

Watch this space, kind of... :D


Looking forward to this but don't rush on my account. I'd run in the Bantam a bit longer before comparing. Enjoy!

[Ninanina]

Looking forward to this but don't rush on my account. I'd run in the Bantam a bit longer before comparing. Enjoy!

Jeff
I won't be swapping the Oto back into the system until tomorrow at the earliest, but I will keep everyone informed as to my findings.... At the moment I am seriously impressed with the Bantam Gold and if it was down to the cutest it would certainly win!!

Bev

[Rare Bird]

Anyone tried the 'XC3' Headphone amp?

[Ninanina]

No sorry Andre I've not tried it but if it's anything like the Bantam Gold then I'm guessing it will be VERY GOOD indeed

It's about the same cost of the Bantam Gold and I would certainly say that is outstanding value for money

John at Temple Audio is also a super chap to deal with and they give a 60 day trial or "your money back" which is just excellent

I would certainly say give it a go you may well be as impressed as I am

:D:D

[southall-1998]

So, this is the very same amp amp you are using, Bev.

http://www.templeaudio.net/bantam.html

[southall-1998]

Oh Bev, is your one the Bantam '''Classic'''?

[Ninanina]

Oh Bev, is your one the Bantam '''Classic'''?

Hi Shane
No it's the Bantam GOLD unit that I have

I believe the Bantam 'Classic' uses the Tripath chip but the Gold uses another form of chip; I'm no expert but I think the Gold uses an 'Analogue Devices' chip which is still Class D but cannot be described as Class T as that would mean it was from Tripath

Does that kinda make sense?

I'm on a steep learning curve myself to be honest :scratch:

[Ali Tait]

So, this is the very same amp amp you are using, Bev.

http://www.templeaudio.net/bantam.html

Nope, it's this one - http://www.templeaudio.net/bantamgold.html

[Ali Tait]

Hi Shane
No it's the Bantam GOLD unit that I have

I believe the Bantam 'Classic' uses the Tripath chip but the Gold uses another form of chip; I'm no expert but I think the Gold uses an 'Analogue Devices' chip which is still Class D but cannot be described as Class T as that would mean it was from Tripath

Does that kinda make sense?

I'm on a steep learning curve myself to be honest :scratch:

Same tech, just a more modern chip.

[Ninanina]

Same tech, just a more modern chip.

What he said :D

[Rare Bird]

If there's anything im not happy about is the finish! i wonder if they will sell bare metal!

[Tim]

All I'm saying is try the Bantum monos with a SLA battery :eyebrows:

[Ninanina]

And the amazing thing is that I have interconnects costing more than this amp, and I still think it sounds super... that's as amazing to me as it may be to all of you but there it is... :mental:

[Tim]

And the amazing thing is that I have interconnects costing more than this amp
Well there you go Bev - the dawn light approaches and isn't it bright when you can actually see it ;)

[Ninanina]

All I'm saying is try the Bantum monos with a SLA battery :eyebrows:

Do you have the mono's Tim ?

[The Grand Wazoo]

Bev, some people have FUSES that cost more than this!

[Ali Tait]

All I'm saying is try the Bantum monos with a SLA battery :eyebrows:

Haven't heard the monos in my system, but I've been told they don't have as sweet a sound as the integrated.

[Ninanina]

Bev, some people have FUSES that cost more than this!

Chris
Yeah I know it's crazy.. I can't quite believe it myself but I say things as I see/hear it, and it really does seem mad but peeps will just have to believe me on this.. :confused:

[southall-1998]

Same tech, just a more modern chip.

So, the Gold uses a more modern chip to the classic !! Have you heard the Bantam Classic, Ali?

[Ali Tait]

What he said :D

And better sound than any Tripath iteration I've heard so far.

[The Grand Wazoo]

I'm not doubting what you're saying Bev, I'm making a comment about the value for money of the amp and the price that is charged for 'some' stuff and that some people choose to pay those prices. Good luck to 'em, eh?!

[Ali Tait]

So, the Gold uses a more modern chip to the classic !! Have you heard the Bantam Classic, Ali?

Nope, but I've had several Tripath amps in the past. I liked the Hlly amp I had, a TA2022 chip, good power, up to a claimed 90w. A little dark, but a great mid IMHO, very valve like. The Gold easily beats it to my ears though.

[Ninanina]

I'm not doubting what you're saying Bev, I'm making a comment about the value for money of the amp and the price that is charged for 'some' stuff and that some people choose to pay those prices. Good luck to 'em, eh?!

Chris..... my kinda thoughts too..... :D:D

[southall-1998]

Nope, but I've had several Tripath amps in the past. I liked the Hlly amp I had, a TA2022 chip, good power, up to a claimed 90w. A little dark, but a great mid IMHO, very valve like. The Gold easily beats it to my ears though.

Any link to the Hlly TA2022 amp you had?

[Ninanina]

Any link to the Hlly TA2022 amp you had?

I reckon this is probably the one Shane:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HLLY-TAMP-90-90W-Class-T-AMP-AMPLIFIER-Tripath-TA2022-/260505669141

[Ali Tait]

That's the kiddie.

[southall-1998]

I reckon this is probably the one Shane:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HLLY-TAMP-90-90W-Class-T-AMP-AMPLIFIER-Tripath-TA2022-/260505669141

Looks interesting !

[Ali Tait]

Great VFM. The Gold is better to my ears though.

[Ninanina]

Some time ago I did own a Topping TP60 (I think that was the model !!) and while I think it was good the Bantam Gold leaves it standing, the Gold certainly does have something VERY musical about it, which was not present in the Topping

Mind you the Topping was only about £60 and the Bantam Gold is £189'ish. Do consider also that the Bantam Gold is hand made in the UK and comes with a 3 year warranty, AND you have 60 days to trial it

I'm normally NOT so enthusiastic about goodies but the Bantam Gold is quite a special bit of kit, IMHO anyhow !!

Try it and see what you think, that's all I can say :D:D

[Ali Tait]

+1. I think it's the best VFM amp available anywhere. Period.

[Audio Al]

Stop it Stop it Please :D I dont need another amp ( or do I :eyebrows: )

Please for you Bev that this amp has fitted in with your system , Happy listening ;)

[Ali Tait]

Al. Yes you need another amp. Thing is, it'll probably be the last one you'll buy! :D

[Audio Al]

Al. Yes you need another amp. Thing is, it'll probably be the last one you'll buy! :D

:eyebrows: Mmm Interesting , maybe I will

[Ninanina]

:eyebrows: Mmm Interesting , maybe I will

Al you having nothing to loose, you can try for 60 days from those nice peeps at Temple :D:D

[Ali Tait]

Give one a go anyway, you can always sell it on for little loss. You won't sell it though!

[Audio Al]

Give one a go anyway, you can always sell it on for little loss. You won't sell it though!

Ali , How big a performance increase with the linear power sup ?

[Ali Tait]

Depends how good the linear supply is! :D

[Ali Tait]

A big difference will be had from any half decent supply.

[Audio Al]

Do you have a link to a suitable unit ?

[Ali Tait]

Not really, mine is a DIY jobbie I got from Nick. Nowt special, just a bridge rectifier into a couple of big caps. Easy to do. Good thing with these amps, they are so efficient you don't need a fancy PS, just a clean low ripple one.

Made a big difference from the wall wart though. I'd easy build you one if you like, just for the cost of the bits. Biggest cost is the box to put it in! (As ever)

[Ninanina]

Not really, mine is a DIY jobbie I got from Nick. Nowt special, just a bridge rectifier into a couple of big caps. Easy to do. Good thing with these amps, they are so efficient you don't need a fancy PS, just a clean low ripple one.

Made a big difference from the wall wart though. I'd easy build you one if you like, just for the cost of the bits. Biggest cost is the box to put it in! (As ever)

About how much £'s Ali? :)

[Audio Al]

Not really, mine is a DIY jobbie I got from Nick. Nowt special, just a bridge rectifier into a couple of big caps. Easy to do. Good thing with these amps, they are so efficient you don't need a fancy PS, just a clean low ripple one.

Made a big difference from the wall wart though. I'd easy build you one if you like, just for the cost of the bits. Biggest cost is the box to put it in! (As ever)

Sounds like a plan :eyebrows:

PM me a price please if you can work it out

[Ali Tait]

Slow down you two!

No problem doing them, but you have to realise the cost will be close to the cost of the amp!

Biggest cost will be the box and the trannie, I'm guessing about £100ish, maybe more. Caps, I dunno off the top of my head, maybe £30ish. The rest, not much. If you still wanna, let me know and I'll cost it up. I'll send you all the prices/invoices so you can see for yourself.

[Audio Al]

Slow down you two!

No problem doing them, but you have to realise the cost will be close to the cost of the amp!

Biggest cost will be the box and the trannie, I'm guessing about £100ish, maybe more. Caps, I dunno off the top of my head, maybe £30ish. The rest, not much. If you still wanna, let me know and I'll cost it up. I'll send you all the prices/invoices so you can see for yourself.


Cheer Ali

Leave it with me I will consider it if I buy the amp , Will get back to you if needed :)

[Ali Tait]

'Kay.

That's thing with linear supplies, you have to start with a transformer and a box to put the gubbins in, say at the cheapest about £60 if you hunt around, and that's before you buy the caps and the rectifier. As I said, you're looking at about at least a ton, and that's me doing it for nowt!

Look it up for yourself..

[John]

I also have the Gold and tried a lot of T amps for me the Bantam of my favourite
The linear power supply is worth the extra costs. I was lucky I managed to get one that someone was selling so only cost me £50
Andre if you speak to the owner he might sell you the gold without the case. I just use chip have a different pre wired in and different case that my friend built A great value amp that in my systems works better than the £4000 for valve pre/power.
The extra gain you can get is great for me it means I can use a passive pre and it still rocks hard for most people this might be not to important but for me its essential

[bobbasrah]

'Kay.

That's thing with linear supplies, you have to start with a transformer and a box to put the gubbins in, say at the cheapest about £60 if you hunt around, and that's before you buy the caps and the rectifier. As I said, you're looking at about at least a ton, and that's me doing it for nowt!

Look it up for yourself..

....and you could also consider borrowing or buying a 13.8v linear PSU over the 5A needed such as sold for CB, radio hams and the like, pretty cheap to investigate before going for something ultra quiet...

[high.spirits]

With amps like this, what device do you use to switch inputs if you have more than one source?

[Tim]

Or you could consider something like this? I wasn't happy spending more on the power supply for my Amptastic Mini-T than I did on the amp itself, but the PSU it came with was dire so had to be improved.

Its not pretty and its not Hi-Fi but it is a linear PSU, that won't break the bank depending on what amp rating you go for and they start at under 30 quid! Lots of places to buy them, use Google - this is a Voltcraft FSP 1138 Bench Power Supply rated at 8 Amp and I paid 37 quid for it. They are set to output 13.8V DC, but there is a pot inside and you can turn that down to 12V give or take, so you might need a multimeter if the voltage is important. These work well with music servers too.

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/P1020397_zpsa71f6a4a.jpg (http://s173.photobucket.com/user/greatgig/media/P1020397_zpsa71f6a4a.jpg.html)

They are just a big transformer in a box, heavy, ugly and the case can hum slightly if anything is loose, but that's easliy fixed. What it does do however is improve the sound over a walwart at very little outlay, which is my way of approaching audio - the maximum sound for your pound ;)

[Audio Al]

Just looked this up

" The voltage produced by an unregulated power supply will vary depending on the load and on variations in the AC supply voltage. For critical electronics applications, a linear regulator may be used to set the voltage to a precise value, stabilized against fluctuations in input voltage and load. The regulator also greatly reduces the ripple and noise in the output direct current. Linear regulators often provide current limiting, protecting the power supply and attached circuit from overcurrent.

Adjustable linear power supplies are common laboratory and service shop test equipment, allowing the output voltage to be adjusted over a range. For example, a bench power supply used by circuit designers may be adjustable up to 30 volts and up to 5 amperes output. Some can be driven by an external signal, for example, for applications requiring a pulsed output."

[Tim]

Yup, good stuff Al - Ali is your man for advice, but ripple is bad :nono: and poor power supplies in audio can produce ripple which is audible when you have the equipment to reveal it. I'm a rank amateur though and make my discoveries by trial and error, as I'm never happy until I try it myself but its stood me in good stead so far. Ask Ali though, he's your man ;)

[Ali Tait]

With amps like this, what device do you use to switch inputs if you have more than one source?

A preamp. :-)

[Ali Tait]

....and you could also consider borrowing or buying a 13.8v linear PSU over the 5A needed such as sold for CB, radio hams and the like, pretty cheap to investigate before going for something ultra quiet...

Yep, will work, though you won't get full output power at that voltage. The Gold will take 18v max, which will give you 25w/ch.

[Figlet108]

The PSU would be something like this:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ne_kp5yCs5U/Uhig_QPhTkI/AAAAAAAACCw/m8kbj4xbaQg/w459-h688-no/IMG_7350_resize.JPG

The transformer is £17.63 from Rapid (http://www.rapidonline.com/Electrical-Power/Toroidal-Transformer-120va-0-12v-0-12v-88-3814)
It's 120va 5a so plenty for the BG

Caps are as much as you want to spend, from a few pounds to lots - not sure in this case it's worth spending more than a few pounds though?

Bridge rectifier for £1.18 (http://www.rapidonline.com/Electronic-Components/KBPC5006-Bridge-Rectifier-50A-600V-47-1012/?sid=128d5d7d-aa07-4452-a79b-1eb1b56358b8)

A switch for about £1. (http://www.rapidonline.com/Electronic-Components/SPST-Panel-mounting-toggle-switch-71437)

And finally a regulator. If you don't want to build your own from scratch, for £11.70 this one looks good to me (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VERY-LOW-NOISE-40-V-Adjustable-Voltage-Regulator-Board-out-2-5-19-5VDC-3A-/151032375094?pt=UK_Mobile_Phones_Communication_Rad io_Parts_Accessories&hash=item232a3b2736)

As for the box, you can always make one from bits of ply for only a few £. and have that home-made look :) e.g.:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-YyVSDLgBGnA/UhioUG5k_oI/AAAAAAAACDU/HH0scFRpt2I/w1033-h689-no/IMG_7353_resize.JPG

Don't forget AC power cable, dc cable and connectors, a LED + resistor if you want that + 4x rubber feet for the box and you'll be very lucky to get any change out of £50 just for parts.

[Tim]

Voltcraft make a range of bench supplies, which have variable outputs and more features the higher up the range you go. Some look a little less industrial too, but they don't have WAF that's for sure!

http://www.rapidonline.com/catalogueimages/module/M526082P01WL.jpg

EDIT:
Just spotted Jason's post - which is a much more elegant solution and can easily be tackled without too much of a problem. Nice one Jason :)

[Ali Tait]

Nice one Jason, aye, you can save a few quid if you make your own enclosure.

[Audioman]

I think the more interesting product is the Bantam Gold which produces 25w. The drawback of these is a single input which means using as a power amp with a passive or simple valve pre. Also power is limited unless you have efficient speakers. Probably why it works well with Klipsch as these aren't going to tax the amp in any way.

[kininigin]

The XC3 Headphone Amp / pre-amp certainly looks interesting! Wouldn't mind trying that out!!

[John]

Yes having high efficient speakers helps

[rubber duck]

I think the more interesting product is the Bantam Gold which produces 25w. The drawback of these is a single input which means using as a power amp with a passive or simple valve pre. Also power is limited unless you have efficient speakers. Probably why it works well with Klipsch as these aren't going to tax the amp in any way.

I think power tends to be overstated. The Klipsch would need far less than 25W. Bev ran them with only 12 (admittedly valve) watts and I would wager that the 10w Bantam or any T-amp would drive these easily. I drive my 90dB/W 6ohm speakers with a 12 watt valve and 10 watt T-amp without any problems in a large open-plan living room. I don't think taxing an amp is necessarily a measure of an amp's quality.

[Tim]

What is illuminating is just how good they can sound, my office near field system is a PC, JRiver & FLAC, an HRT DAC, MG G1000HD interconnects, Amptastic Mini-T and a pair of Celestion 5 speakers. Its sounds so much better than it ought to, embarrassingly so at times and adding a linear PSU improves it even more. I could easily live with it as a system if I had too. Of course it doesn't look like anything, but it sure does sound good.

I might try and find it, but I found a review or test somewhere once where a T-Amp was picked apart and it measures or sounded the same as a QUAD 405 apparently . . . I'm sure it was here somewhere?

[Tim]

Found it . . . now I would be very sceptical myself unless I repeated his test, but it is an interesting read.
You need to read through the whole thread to get the full picture. Of course a Bantam Gold put through the same test would also be interesting and on paper should exceed the T-Amp and as users report, the Gold is a notch above a mini-t apparently. I have only heard a pair of mono's not a Bantam Gold, so cannot comment, but those mono's certainly raised my eyebrows, especially when driven by a battery.

One of these fine days I'm going to build a BeagleBone Black MPD server, directly attached to a USB powered or battery powered DAC, add a pair of Bantam mono blocks and slap the lot onto an SLA battery to see what gives? That lot won't cost as much as a Purple Cabbage Patch fairy dust USB cable, but I know its going to sound freaking mad :D

http://www.avforums.com/forums/hi-fi-systems-separates/1398037-mini-t-2020-20w-class-t-amplifier.html

[John]

I had the Ampastic but prefer the Gold but like everything its just my preference

[Ali Tait]

To my ears, the Gold has a more grown up sound than the Tripath amps I've heard.

Good review here-

http://www.tnt-audio.com/ampli/bantam_gold_e.html

[bobbasrah]

Which chip is it Temple are using in the Gold Ali, do you know?
Have been following several threads over on diyaudio on and off for some time now, all quite fascinating stuff consider the tiny size of these various amps....

[Ali Tait]

It's an Analogue Devices chip.

[bobbasrah]

Sorry, meant which one...

[Ali Tait]

Ah sorry, ADAU1592.

[bobbasrah]

Ok Ali, just found the same info when I re-read the TNT review, missed it first time... Duh....

[chelsea]

Are you using the TQ cables with gold amp?

[Ali Tait]

Yep.

[wee tee cee]

I have four temple monos and an original bantum.
The monos are velcroed to the back of my speakers and are controlled by a Tisbury audio pre amp.
The monos can be adjusted for impedance via a high and low out put phono on the rear and then four different impedance settings via the power button. I run TQ black in jumper lengths.
The setting on my Spendor SP1 is lower than on my quads 63s as they are difficult to drive.
With custom length interconnects made up by Mark Grant (2000 wbt ag) to the speakers and between my dac and pre pound for pound they sound very good in either application.

The original bantum is battery driven ( the cam corder battery that was recommended by Stan Beresford for his bush master DAC it was less than £ 20 but cant remember exactly. My DAC can switch to battery only mode and with the bantum drives both speakers to an acceptable level and sounds very enjoyable.
I have a pair of mini Ts BI amping my sons system, sound quite different but still make great vfm hi fi.

John at Temple is an absolute gent to deal with and recently offered an updated PSU for the monos.....a tenner to existing customers with a IEC thrown in.

My original bantum replaced a Naim 5i......it just sounded more enjoyable to me/in my room/kit.


The next time the Scottish mafia get together at my place hopefully they can get to hear the different set ups I have and give an unbiased opinion.

[Tarzan]

I have four temple monos and an original bantum.
The monos are velcroed to the back of my speakers and are controlled by a Tisbury audio pre amp.
The monos can be adjusted for impedance via a high and low out put phono on the rear and then four different impedance settings via the power button. I run TQ black in jumper lengths.
The setting on my Spendor SP1 is lower than on my quads 63s as they are difficult to drive.
With custom length interconnects made up by Mark Grant (2000 wbt ag) to the speakers and between my dac and pre pound for pound they sound very good in either application.

The original bantum is battery driven ( the cam corder battery that was recommended by Stan Beresford for his bush master DAC it was less than £ 20 but cant remember exactly. My DAC can switch to battery only mode and with the bantum drives both speakers to an acceptable level and sounds very enjoyable.
I have a pair of mini Ts BI amping my sons system, sound quite different but still make great vfm hi fi.

John at Temple is an absolute gent to deal with and recently offered an updated PSU for the monos.....a tenner to existing customers with a IEC thrown in.

My original bantum replaced a Naim 5i......it just sounded more enjoyable to me/in my room/kit.


The next time the Scottish mafia get together at my place hopefully they can get to hear the different set ups I have and give an unbiased opinion.


A well interesting set up there Tony! Battery power works here too;).

[Ninanina]

I have four temple monos and an original bantum.
The monos are velcroed to the back of my speakers and are controlled by a Tisbury audio pre amp.
The monos can be adjusted for impedance via a high and low out put phono on the rear and then four different impedance settings via the power button. I run TQ black in jumper lengths.
The setting on my Spendor SP1 is lower than on my quads 63s as they are difficult to drive.
With custom length interconnects made up by Mark Grant (2000 wbt ag) to the speakers and between my dac and pre pound for pound they sound very good in either application.

The original bantum is battery driven ( the cam corder battery that was recommended by Stan Beresford for his bush master DAC it was less than £ 20 but cant remember exactly. My DAC can switch to battery only mode and with the bantum drives both speakers to an acceptable level and sounds very enjoyable.
I have a pair of mini Ts BI amping my sons system, sound quite different but still make great vfm hi fi.

John at Temple is an absolute gent to deal with and recently offered an updated PSU for the monos.....a tenner to existing customers with a IEC thrown in.

My original bantum replaced a Naim 5i......it just sounded more enjoyable to me/in my room/kit.


The next time the Scottish mafia get together at my place hopefully they can get to hear the different set ups I have and give an unbiased opinion.

Hi Tony
How do you find the Temple Mono's against the Bantam Gold?

I have the Bantam Gold on a 60 day review/return thingy, and I am mighty impressed but I do wonder if a couple of their Monos + a Pre Amp (such as the Tisbury, or maybe the Temple's own) might be even better

What do you think ??

Thanks

Bev

[wee tee cee]

don't know to be honest.....Ali Tate runs a pair of golds in his set up, and to be honest he would be the better person to ask as he is infinetley more knowledgeable than me.
Ask John at Temple, he will give you honest advice.
Glad you are enjoying the gold....give it a bit of time it will improve with run in.
My Temple amps are keepers...all of them.

I have a pair of valve mono blocks(kel84) and croft 7 power amp that are also in the fray,,,,,,they all bring something to the party. If you like the gold keep it and plumb it in when you fancy a play about........the Temple amps are great full stop/great people to deal with-for me just as important.

[Ninanina]

I think power tends to be overstated. The Klipsch would need far less than 25W. Bev ran them with only 12 (admittedly valve) watts and I would wager that the 10w Bantam or any T-amp would drive these easily. I drive my 90dB/W 6ohm speakers with a 12 watt valve and 10 watt T-amp without any problems in a large open-plan living room. I don't think taxing an amp is necessarily a measure of an amp's quality.

Well the Oto SE is only 10w and that drives the Klipsch with ease and the same goes for the Temple Bantam Gold; I never go past 12 o'clock on the volume control of the Bantam

[Ninanina]

This is the little cutie alongside the massive Audio Note Oto SE.. The Temple Bantam Gold holds itself VERY WELL against the Oto....amazing really :)

It's like a little baby Oto...... :D:D

Ok the Oto is kinda better BUT for the money the Bantam Gold is very good indeed....:scratch:

[John]

Our you using a linear power supply yet with the Bantam it does take it up a few a notches

[brian2957]

I just bought one so it's still burning in . I plug mine into a Power Inspired AG 500 and it sounds absolutely fantastic. The Bantam Gold will definetely be staying in my system. I'm well pleased with it . Thanks for bringing it back into my radar Bev.

[wee tee cee]

Aye, I think the balanced mains has helped with my monos too...

[Stubies]

This is a david and goliath story...

After the Linear PS - then we will get a chance to see the rest of the fight? :eyebrows:

Let us know!


This is the little cutie alongside the massive Audio Note Oto SE.. The Temple Bantam Gold holds itself VERY WELL against the Oto....amazing really :)

It's like a little baby Oto...... :D:D

Ok the Oto is kinda better BUT for the money the Bantam Gold is very good indeed....:scratch:

[Ninanina]

Does anyone know if I could I use a standard 12v car/motorbike battery to run the Bantam Gold? and if so would I gain as much as using a linear PSU?

Thanks for any help ;)

[brian2957]

I just bought one of these the other day and it's staying in my system . Great little amp . Bev , I just hooked up one of these PSUs today and it has taken the Bantam Gold to another level altogether in my system .
http://www.maplin.co.uk/13.8v-regulated-mains-power-units-231 It's the 7A 13.8V one I'm using.

[Rare Bird]

Get yourself one of these

[Ninanina]

Yep that's EXACTLY what I had in mind a neat little motorbike, type battery

I wonder how long I'd get between charges using it with the Bantam Gold?

I can't seem to find what the BG draws amp wise...

[Ninanina]

I just bought one of these the other day and it's staying in my system . Great little amp . Bev , I just hooked up one of these PSUs today and it has taken the Bantam Gold to another level altogether in my system .
http://www.maplin.co.uk/13.8v-regulated-mains-power-units-231 It's the 7A 13.8V one I'm using.

Thanks so much Brian I'm taking a look now...

[Tarzan]

Batteries are the way to go with Tripath type amplifiers- l know l own both, if you can get the amp off the grid you will notice a big difference!:)

[wee tee cee]

I use the cam corder battery pack Stan recommended for the bushmaster to power the standard bantum (doesn't work with the monos) to my ears it sounds smoother than the original psu or a maplins one I have. Gives me reasonable volume for about 6hrs with a battery powered DAC driving Spendor SP1s quite a bit less time if its having to drive the 63 statics.

[Nigel]

I just bought one of these the other day and it's staying in my system . Great little amp . Bev , I just hooked up one of these PSUs today and it has taken the Bantam Gold to another level altogether in my system .
http://www.maplin.co.uk/13.8v-regulated-mains-power-units-231 It's the 7A 13.8V one I'm using.

Hi Brian, just wondering how quiet these Maplin supplies are in operation?

Cheers.

[brian2957]

Hi Nigel , this thing is so good that I went and bought another for my server , which Gary (Gazjam on here ) built for me . In both cases they have made a significant difference . I'm sitting approximately six feet from both and I can't hear any noise from them at all . Also the output on these can be adjusted from around 10v output to 16v output by removing the case and adjusting the potentiometer inside ( They're preset at 13.8v ). I've already adjusted one from 13.8v down to 12v for my server . I will also be adjusting the other up to 16v from 13.8v for my Bantam Gold . I know very little about these things I'm afraid , other than they've significantly improved the SQ of my system , so have to ask Gary for advice . :)

[Nigel]

Cheers for that reply Brian. Another question, what lead are you using to connect the supply to the Bantam Gold? Am I correct in thinking the positive is the centre plug position on the incoming Bantam connection?

[Nigel]

Just found the info, centre pin positive.

[brian2957]

You have PM Nigel.

[rubber duck]

Batteries are the way to go with Tripath type amplifiers- l know l own both, if you can get the amp off the grid you will notice a big difference!:)

Or you could just use the AG1500 power regenerator which will also power your other components

[brian2957]

I'm using a AG500 and plugging in these Maplins PSUs into it has made a big difference .

[wee tee cee]

I noticed a positive improvement using balanced mains with my t amps.

[Ali Tait]

+1

[RobsterD]

Some monos delivered today ....to drive my 15" bass bins in a two way horn .

Something seems a bit wrong :eek:

http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac68/RobsterD/CIMG1332_zps075b0ec5.jpg

and the PSU

http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac68/RobsterD/CIMG1335_zps320e74d5.jpg

[Stubies]

Some monos delivered today ....to drive my 15" bass bins in a two way horn .

Something seems a bit wrong :eek:



and the PSU



Seriously!?

David and Goliath are at it again... let us know how it turns out!

Q: Will the world have a new class of paperweights? 'A Class' ?

[RobsterD]

The "other" amps are my DIY SIT's which are on the horns,they're staying .....seems it should be the other way round the Temples are tiny !!!

Have tried on the bass so far ..
MC2 MC450.MC650,Parasound A21,Crown DC300A,Bel Canto 150's ,1000's ,Audiosector Chip amp,Ming Da 805's,Welborne 300B and finally a Rogue Stereo 90,interesting how these little monos are comparing .....bit positive at the mo :cool:

[Ninanina]

Well the Temple Bantam Gold is STILL in the system and even with the supplied PSU I am still mightily impressed.. I will swap back to another one of my amps soon.... I keep saying I'll do that but I just keep the Gold in the system and just keep enjoying it... :doh:

[wee tee cee]

Good to hear the gold is doing the business Bev. One or two of the Scottish boys run Golds with external PSU as previously posted. Our next get together amongst the Scottish crew is imminent just dependent on everyone's commitments. I previously mentioned that my original Bantum sounds great using the wee battery pack recommended for the BM will try and marry the two up and let you know if it works with the gold.......would be a cheap option to try a battery supply for yourself.
I love the bantum and get maybe an evening listening out of it at reasonable levels with the battery.......quite a bit less grunt than the gold though. Will let you know.
Noticed Stan was offering a nice lead to connect to batteries......bike battery behind yer kit/halfords charger ?.
Will let you know if it works.

[brian2957]

Yup , I've been using the Bantam Gold for a few weeks now and I'm mightily impressed with it . I think it'll be in my system for the foreseeable future.

[wee tee cee]

Brian,
Can you bring it to the next shindig and we will see if the camcorder battery can do the biz.....
Cheers mate.

[Ninanina]

Yup , I've been using the Bantam Gold for a few weeks now and I'm mightily impressed with it . I think it'll be in my system for the foreseeable future.

Brian what other amps have you tried the Bantam Gold up against ?

[brian2957]

Had in the not too distant past NVA AP20 , dared i30 valve amp and Sony TA FE 530 ES . All good amps and I would still be using the Sony if it hadn't gone faulty. However , I wouldn't have tried the Bantam Gold and discovered how good it was .

[brian2957]

Brian,
Can you bring it to the next shindig and we will see if the camcorder battery can do the biz.....
Cheers mate.

Shouldn't see why not mate . It's quite portable (:

[Ninanina]

Had in the not too distant past NVA AP20 , dared i30 valve amp and Sony TA FE 530 ES . All good amps and I would still be using the Sony if it hadn't gone faulty. However , I wouldn't have tried the Bantam Gold and discovered how good it was .

How does it compare to the Dared amp?

[brian2957]

The dared was a hybrid and had a very good built in DAC . IMO it was excellent for the money and bettered the Rega Brio R / Rega DAC which I was using at the time . Unfortunately a change of circumstances forced the sale or I'd still be using it . The Bantam compares very favourably to the dared , however I think the Bantam is better in some areas .

[southall-1998]

This Bantam Gold is tempting me. Thinking about trying one...

[brian2957]

I'd be surprised if you were disappointed with the Bantam Gold Shane . It's excellent IMO.

[Ninanina]

This Bantam Gold is tempting me. Thinking about trying one...

Shane I will probably be accused of pushing this product, but who cares ?? You have nothing to loose, you can make use of the 60 day trial. I have had more amplifiers than I can think of and I STILL think the Bantam Gold is superb. I keep meaning to swap over to one of my other 3 amps but I just keep enjoying the Bantam Gold and can't be bothered to swap cables over :exactly:

[John]

Shane I am not to far from you and if you wish I can bring mine over for you to try out, mine slightly modified but it give a idea about the amp. It works really well in my system and I prefer it to a lot more expensive amps I had

[Ali Tait]

How is yours modified John?

[wee tee cee]

might have a bike battery psu set If i can get a hold of leads.......Stan only had a few.......could be interesting......(solar panel window trickle charger eco hi fi !)

[brian2957]

How is yours modified John?



Aye spill the beans John .

[John]

I use a slagle volume controller instead of the supplied volume control as well as linear power supply which I think is a essential upgrade

[Nigel]

Incidentally, has anyone tried a comparison between the Maplin regulated and those uber expensive linear supplies that are available?

[wee tee cee]

they work very well with a suitable battery........

[Ninanina]

I've got one of these coming to run the Bantam Gold:

http://www.sdfirealarms.co.uk/security/np7-12-yuasa-12v-7ah-battery.html

Didn't pay very much for it

I'll let peeps know how I get on once it's installed ;)

[wee tee cee]

Nina,
That should do nicely.....if you can get to an auto store/halfords etc then all the bits and bobs can be purchased cheaply.......maplins should sort you out with a centre positive 2.1 lead.
Let me know how you get on.......

[Freeman]

I've got one of these coming to run the Bantam Gold:

http://www.sdfirealarms.co.uk/security/np7-12-yuasa-12v-7ah-battery.html

Didn't pay very much for it

I'll let peeps know how I get on once it's installed ;)

How do you propose to charge the battery?:scratch:

[Nigel]

On the wee tee cee battery thread, Stan posted a link of a decent one on eBay. Mine came today but disappointingly the battery didn't.

Incidentally, I sent John at Temple Audio a question about leaving the amp plugged in 24/7 and he said that in his opinion, that is the recommended option.

[Nigel]

Battery just arrived, Parcelforce delivery.

[Ninanina]

How do you propose to charge the battery?:scratch:

Mark
I have one of these:

http://www.optimate-sp.com

Used it to charge my bike battery, it's sort of a smart charger

The new battery arrived today and is being charged right now

[Freeman]

On the wee tee cee battery thread, Stan posted a link of a decent one on eBay. Mine came today but disappointingly the battery didn't.

Incidentally, I sent John at Temple Audio a question about leaving the amp plugged in 24/7 and he said that in his opinion, that is the recommended option.

Ah found it! that looks a very neat (and cheap) solution. I was going to ask John that very same question about leaving the amp on, mines on 24/7 so thanks for that.

Mark

Mark

[Ninanina]

Hi Mark
The only thing I'm not sure of is whether I can leave the charger on all the time, even when the Bantam Gold is in use, and whether that would degrade the sound in any way

I'll maybe contact John, at Temple, to see what he thinks also..... unless anyone else can give me an idea about it :)

I'm not too technical when it comes to electrical/12v stuff, it mostly confuses me somewhat :doh::doh:

By the way how long have you had your Bantam Gold amp?

[brian2957]

I'm not an expert Bev , but I would have thought the whole idea was to totally disconnect the amp from the mains . By leaving the charger hooked up you're technically hooked up to the mains . Any thoughts on how it's sounding BTW . I will probably go down this road with my Bantam gold when funds become available.

[Freeman]

Hi Mark
The only thing I'm not sure of is whether I can leave the charger on all the time, even when the Bantam Gold is in use, and whether that would degrade the sound in any way

I'll maybe contact John, at Temple, to see what he thinks also..... unless anyone else can give me an idea about it :)

I'm not too technical when it comes to electrical/12v stuff, it mostly confuses me somewhat :doh::doh:

By the way how long have you had your Bantam Gold amp?

You know, I was going to ask the same question as to whether I could leave a charger plugged in, then I answered it myself, there would be an electrical connection between the amp and the mains so I guess that would be a source of electrical noise. Having said that, these little sealed lead acid batteries and a charger look like a very cost effective upgrade. Not sure the missus would appreciate having too swap batteries out though :scratch:

I've had the Bantam Gold probably a month now, and am loving it.

Mark

[Ninanina]

Mark
I'm glad you are enjoying the Bantam Gold, I think it's quite a remarkable amp; not just for the price but regardless of the price; It's quite a remarkable piece of equipment I think. I also LOVE the fact that it is entirely built in the UK too as I love supporting UK companies

I think it best that I disconnect the charger when using the amp, which is what I thought would be the case

Enjoy.... !!.

[Nigel]

In my opinion the battery supply is preferable to the Maplin regulated unit. Having said that, it certainly isn't as convenient.
Must say a big thank you to Ninanina for sowing the seed and to Ali Tait, Brian2957, wee tee cee, & Stan Beresford for assistance along the journey.

[Ninanina]

In my opinion the battery supply is preferable to the Maplin regulated unit. Having said that, it certainly isn't as convenient.
Must say a big thank you to Ninanina for sowing the seed and to Ali Tait, Brian2957, wee tee cee, & Stan Beresford for assistance along the journey.

Hi Nigel
No need to thank me, I just say it as I find it... Put simply I think the Bantam Gold is quite a remarkable piece of equipment regardless of price. It just seems to suit by system perfectly

I am quite sure that others that try it will have the same thoughts

Regards
Bev x

[brian2957]

That's what this forum is all about Nigel. I've received so much help from members here and it's really transformed my listening experience and pleasure . Totally agree with your assessment of the Bantam Gold Bev , it's a fantastic little amp . I'm using mine with the Maplins PSU and very good it is too. I will be trying battery power in the near future and will post my my opinion / findings on both .

[Clive]

Over a year ago I decided battery wasn't as good as my Ordo linear supply but there wasn't much in it so coupled with the convenience of mains i stuck with the Ordo. I'll revisit this when I return home tomorrow and report back, my room acoustics are different now so maybe my opinion will change.Timing depends on how long my lead acid batteries take to charge.

[Tarzan]

And better sound than any Tripath iteration I've heard so far.


l accept any challenge and doth declare my Virtue Audio Sensations to be the eighth wonder of the world and will gladly take on any Tripath amp out there- agree totally with all the hype about the Tripath chip, done right it is one of the best VFM out there, my little lounge system at the moment would give some high end systems a fright, and to think it did not cost bundles l am dead chuffed. l have four different PSU;s for the Sensation and the batteries are truly special, Black backgrounds, warm vibrant tonal colours etc etc, l have work to do but l cannot pull myself away from the lounge.


Lounge system; TEAC PD-H600 CD Payer/Virtue Audio Sensation 901 ( standard at the moment, but soon to change:eyebrows:) Audionote ANJ/D or Harbeth Compact 7ES2.

[Tarzan]

Would love to hear a Bantam at some point, heard nothing but praise for it.

[Nigel]

Does anybody know how much current the Gold draws with the volume down and just the blue LED illuminated?

[Ali Tait]

l accept any challenge and doth declare my Virtue Audio Sensations to be the eighth wonder of the world and will gladly take on any Tripath amp out there- agree totally with all the hype about the Tripath chip, done right it is one of the best VFM out there, my little lounge system at the moment would give some high end systems a fright, and to think it did not cost bundles l am dead chuffed. l have four different PSU;s for the Sensation and the batteries are truly special, Black backgrounds, warm vibrant tonal colours etc etc, l have work to do but l cannot pull myself away from the lounge.


Lounge system; TEAC PD-H600 CD Payer/Virtue Audio Sensation 901 ( standard at the moment, but soon to change:eyebrows:) Audionote ANJ/D or Harbeth Compact 7ES2.


Not heard any Virtue Audio stuff, be interesting to compare to the Gold.

[Tarzan]

Shame folk are not closer together, we could have a Tripath bake- off would be fun.:guitar:

[John]

I think Steve (electricbeach) might be planning something like that in the near future

[Tarzan]

I think Steve (electricbeach) might be planning something like that in the near future



:doh: Yes, was going to have a listening sesh with him a while ago, but it never happened for one reason or another and he is reasonably local, so it would be good to maybe have a listening session.

[Clive]

I've got around to trying my Bantam Gold with a 4Ah SLA battery in place of my regulated power supply. It's better than I remember or more likely my system and room treatments allow me now to hear the differences better.

The sound is a little smoother on unwanted sibilance and importantly there's better depth to the mid range allowing more emotion to be felt, in hifi terms this is improved micro-dynamics, I expect due to a lower noise. The difference is rather like listening during the day and late evening, again noise being the likely diffentiator.

I should add that my favourite budget Tripath TA2020 amp is the Arjen mk3. What lets it down, in common with other 2020s is a spitty mid range, the sound though is very alive but ultimately tiring. The Bantam Gold is altogether more mature sounding. I'm now awaiting a pair of monos.

Currently the Bantam Gold has surplanted my 300B SE amps with gorgeous WE valves....

[John]

Thanks for the update Clive

[brian2957]

Thanks for the update Clive . Can you please give us a link to the battery in question . I'm definetely going down this road but haven't decided how to implement this power option yet.

[Clive]

Thanks for the update Clive . Can you please give us a link to the battery in question . I'm definetely going down this road but haven't decided how to implement this power option yet.
Hi Brian, the battery I have is rather old and not holding charge brilliantly though it's ok. I've ordered 2 overkill batteries and chargers for the monos. A 2Ah should keep a Bantam Gold running for most of the day but I don't want to be charging the batteries daily so I've ordered two 7Ah batteries (for the monos) and two powerful chargers so I can charger the batteries in parallel and relatively quickly.

Batteries:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=261294016577&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:GB:3160

Chargers:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=121141907291&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:GB:3160

I've also ordered some 5A dc plugs and sockets, some of the cheap ones are only 1A. I want a good connection that won't melt!

[brian2957]

Thanks Clive.

[Clive]

Maybe this helps a little with battery selection. My 4Ah battery which either won't reach max charge or doesn't hold charge so well started the night at 13.3V. After 7 hours running into my 100db sensitivity speakers the battery is now at 12.8V, which isn't bad at all. Though you must temper this with the sensitivity of the speaker means that I'll have been taking less than 1W from the amp.

[wee tee cee]

Brian,
Before you spend any of your hard earned get a hold of my bike battery with two leads running off it-it will power the BM2 and gold nae bother. It drives two monos and the BM2 in my set up. As mentioned the most noticeable change is the drop in noise floor, its the quietest my system has been. Ali and Bernie are giving some of my kit a whirl don't know who has the battery but don't mind if you want to give it a go for a week.

Come to think of it you may be able to power the server aswell (if its 2.1 centre positive 12v).....that would be interesting. Stan set me up with three leads so that I can go totally off the grid.

Battery wise I will eventually buy a new car battery.....PM the boys and see if they are able to drop it by.

[brian2957]

Hey mate , hope they're giving you a good workoot up there . I'm looking at all the options at the moment so will wait until you're back in residence at Tony Towers and I'll pop over to have a look at your setup. I'm in no hurry as I'm really enjoying the Bushmaster / Bantam Gold combo at the moment . Cheers.

[John]

I really like getting of the grid as much as I can not possible to do it totally in my system due to power amp for bass but with most of it is possible

[wee tee cee]

Brian,
Im back up for another week, feel free to give the battery a go-it would be interesting to hear your thoughts of what it does in your set up. Im off for another fortnight after next week so dont mind popping over to collect the kit. I gave the guys the camcorder battery pack so you could power the BM with that and try the bike battery on the amp and server.....you got a battery charger?

[brian2957]

Got one in the garage mate , been there for a while ( read 10 years ) . I'll plug it in later and see if it works. Server has been hard wired so no option there to try the battery at the moment . I'd love to try the Bushmaster and Bantam Gold on battery power though. I'll talk to you when you get back buddy . Give us a shout when you're back in residence mate.

[John]

I just put in a 12v battery to Bantam worth the effort as the sound has improved compared to using my linear power supply which is now feeding the Bushmaster. More detail and the sound is so clean and musical

[brian2957]

Which battery are you using John ? Have you tried the 12V battery on the Bushmaster also ?. I'm trying to explore all the options before making a decision.

[John]

Yes tried it on the Bushmaster lots more detail but the Bantam responds better as the sound more organic this way
At some point I need to wire in the Bushmaster too I think that would be the best results
I am using the same battery as Clive but at some point will move to Lithium

[brian2957]

Interesting . Thanks John .

[Nigel]

With the yusa 12v 7ah batteries is there a definitive point at when to recharge? Is this determined by measuring the batteries voltage?

[Clive]

With the yusa 12v 7ah batteries is there a definitive point at when to recharge? Is this determined by measuring the batteries voltage?
My method is to recharge at 12V at the lowest or when convenient at more like 12.5V ish. I only chose the 7Ah batteries for price, size and not taking to long to recharge. Everyone;s circumstance will differ. 2.1Ah could be fine and a car battery would be good but heavy and huge.

[brian2957]

Yes , I have a feeling that I'll be taking the car battery option . I probably have enough space under my rack for it. I will post back here if I take this option.

[Nigel]

Cheers Clive. I have one too. I eventually would love to try a 15v battery, pity YUSA don't seem to sell one at that voltage. I reckon you could be right about 12.5v cut off point. At the moment, I have let mine run down to 12.3v and it sounds a bit lifeless.

[Clive]

We could get nerdy about batteries.....Red Top from Optima are reckoned to best with the lowest output impedance but they are in the region of 140 quid. The Yuasa have output impedance on their spec sheets so we ought to peruse these.

[wee tee cee]

Its a yuasa bike battery i have out on loan, i noticed the extra grunt it brought to the party even driving the BM2.

Im glad members are hearing the same positive improvements I did.....it is a very cost efficient upgrade. Look forward to hearing other members findings when travelling this route.

[John]

Yes the battery makes a difference I am also noticing a bit of a difference in bass too. To wire it up is quite simple I show some pictures latter

[brian2957]

That would be good John . Any of you chaps know if one of these would be suitable.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Solar-Battery-Charger-ideal-Caravans/dp/B000R0UBT8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381661858&sr=8-1&keywords=12v+solar+battery+charger

[Clive]

That would be good John . Any of you chaps know if one of these would be suitable.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Solar-Battery-Charger-ideal-Caravans/dp/B000R0UBT8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381661858&sr=8-1&keywords=12v+solar+battery+charger
I believe it's only useful for keeping a battery topped up which is not in regular use, ie regularly being fully charged. If you barely run down the battery you may get away with but if you need a deeper charge ie from about 12V, then it won't be up to it.

[brian2957]

OK cheers Clive.

[John]

This is the charger I use
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/230717838833?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

[brian2957]

John , do you disconnect the Bantam / Bushmaster when recharging the battery or is it OK to leave them connected while recharging. Cheers.

[John]

I disconnect the Bushmaster when charging it just the design of the connection that makes this the case

[John]

Here the fuse holder I use using a 3 amp on both positive and negative
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u327/Johnj_013/WP_000102.jpg (http://s516.photobucket.com/user/Johnj_013/media/WP_000102.jpg.html)
I got this from maplins

[Clive]

I disconnect the Bushmaster when charging it just the design of the connection that makes this the case
I do this too, I have a socket on the charger so I simply plug in the battery when I want charge it.

[brian2957]

Thanks gents , I thought this would be the case . Just wanted to double check.

[John]

The charger I link will trickle charge once fully charged as a safety feature
Just listening to Dhafer Youseff and what this does for vocals is beautiful Dhafer has a unusual vocal trick he sometimes uses and this now sounds the most natural and musical I heard it

[keiron99]

I've a bit of a mess of a system at the moment but putting my 5 channel AV stuff aside, I have a Rotel 1069 pre/pro connected to a giant old Yamaha receiver (DSPAX1), just making use of the power amp section. I ultimately want to move that on and as the first step I'm considering a Temple Audio amp to drive my front speakers, Monitor Audio GS10.

At 86db efficiency, would the Bantam Gold drive them adequately? Or would I be left wanting in comparison to my Yamaha (110w into 8 ohms)?

I had in mind getting a pair of monoblocks. But to the credit of John at Temple Audio, whom I emailed, he actually suggested a Bantam Gold.

I would use it as a power amp, with the power on full (I know they do a version without the volume, but I understand that leaving the volume on full is quite acceptable and it would probably help with resale if I come to sell again).

So my questions (got there in the end!) are:

1) Would the Bantam Gold - an amplifier not much bigger than a pack of fags - really be able to drive my speakers and compete with my old Yamaha?

2) Would the monoblocks be a more sensible choice?

[John]

I think you get a good trail period so I think just try and find out
The extra gain setting on the amp will help
I had some 86db speakers in my system awhile back and they sounded good but no idea how they work for your speakers. I used to have a 60w KT 88 Glowmaster and before that a Gamut D200 mk3 and very happy with the amp, but my speakers are easy to drive

[keiron99]

I've been mulling this over night and day for the last week. It's all a matter of which model I get.

The second hand values of the Bantam Gold are so robust, I feel I may as well get a new one. And since I want only the power amp version anyway, it's a tenner cheaper (£179).

The question is (and apologies for repeating a question I asked earlier but I would like more opinions) - is it worth dropping an additional £150 on getting the monoblocks? What would be the benefits of this?

[struth]

what kind of inputs does it have?

[brian2957]

Here we go chaps : http://www.templeaudio.net/products.html

[keiron99]

what kind of inputs does it have?

You mean the power amp version? Just a single pair of RCAs. It is exactly the same as the regular version, but without a volume knob.

See it about a third of the way down this page:
http://www.templeaudio.net/

[Ali Tait]

I have been told that the Gold is sweeter sounding than the monos.

[keiron99]

I have been told that the Gold is sweeter sounding than the monos.

I read your comment on that earlier up in the thread. I've no idea what a "sweet" sound is though :scratch: or indeed, why that should be. Surely there should only be positive benefits eg. more power, less distortion.

[Ali Tait]

I'd infer that the monos have a slightly harder-edged sound than the Gold.

I'd guess the differences are down to the fact that a mono is a Gold with both channels bridged, it will therefore respond differently to the varying impedance of a loudspeaker.

[keiron99]

I'd infer that the monos have a slightly harder-edged sound than the Gold.


Well, for me, as things stand, that's a good thing!

It slightly disappoints me with my system (digital files, Rotel pre/pro, big Yamaha receiver as power amps and Monitor Audio GS10 speakers) that when listening to for example The Who or Rush, it doesn't hit me between the eyes in the way that, for example, it does when I listen in the car.

[Clive]

Likewise you get more resolution when biamping, which could be construed as harder edged. I believe it's as Ali says, the amp / speaker load in combination.

[Ali Tait]

Some larger speakers would convey a greater sense of scale perhaps. If you like your speakers, then I'd say you favour a more forward sound. Perhaps a pair of Klipsch floorstanders? They would give a better sense of scale, and very easy to drive to boot.

[keiron99]

Some larger speakers would convey a greater sense of scale perhaps. If you like your speakers, then I'd say you favour a more forward sound. Perhaps a pair of Klipsch floorstanders? They would give a better sense of scale, and very easy to drive to boot.

Thanks. No chance of accommodating floorstanders. As it is, one speaker is on a cabinet and the other on a desk top (albeit both a reasonably solid), with one about 4 inches higher than the other and, I guess, too far apart (about 11 feet). there is absolutely nothing I can do about that. I was thinking of wall mounting them on very rigid brackets, but that would take them even higher, and they be right back against the wall. So I just have to love with the compromises.

[wee tee cee]

the monos have 8 different impedance settings to enable matching to different speaker loads. I conjunction with a tisbury audio passive pre I run the monos on full whack (purple output with high output phono) into the 63s to get my desired volume level on the pre to 11-12 o clock. Running sp1s the level is one down for the same volume (red output/ high output phono).
Haven't had the chance to compare a gold with the monos....I have an original bantum that sounds warmer and less detailed but very enjoyable and musical, quite a bit less grunt.

[keiron99]

Thanks wee tee cee. I guess the only sure fire way to find out is to try them both out in my home. But I feel a bit cheeky ordering both the GB power amp AND the monoblocks with the intention of sending one back.

[John]

Speak to John he seems reasonable to work with

[wee tee cee]

John is a gent to deal with...great wee British hi fi company offering superb bang for buck. The monos are very good honest amps, very little colouration.Just play what they are fed.

[brian2957]

You have PM Tony .

[Ali Tait]

I think you'd be better going for the monos TBH, given your speakers IMHO.

[wee tee cee]

Replied.

[brian2957]

Just saw this , see you then mate.

[struth]

John is a gent to deal with...great wee British hi fi company offering superb bang for buck. The monos are very good honest amps, very little colouration.Just play what they are fed.


had a listen to Tony's monos and they are indeed very musical, as is Brian's gold for that matter...thoroughly enjoyed my visit..many thanks to Brian for being so accommodating

[brian2957]

You're very welcome Grant . Pleasure having you over mate . Another face to a forum member and another friend made . It's always interesting to hear about other peoples systems and their taste in music.
You've got to come to the next gathering of the 'Scottish mafia ' . I'm pretty sure you would enjoy it :)

[wee tee cee]

working through my list of new music.....crackin tunes today (tony joe white-just left him playing, if yer toe don't tap to him yer dead!!!!!) Thanks for the hospitality, enjoyed my last afternoon to myself.....

[brian2957]

Good to have you over mate . Hope the wife's up early tomorrow to pack the sannies and the Yoplait yoghurt. Make sure she pins the bus pass to the inside pocket o yer troosers :lol:

[wee tee cee]

canny see it.......

[michaelgb]

Anyone tried a gold with proac's m?

[Ned664]

Hi Bev,

I recently tried this amp. I was looking for a possible replacement for my Musical Fidelity X-A1. I love the sound of the MF but the buzz from the external PSU was annoying. As it is a no risk option given the returns policy I purchased a Bantam Gold. Whilst I was impressed by the sound from its tiny dimensions I'm afraid it did not match that of the MF. It seemed to me as though the sound was a little muddied, not quite as clear. Curiously it seemed better matched to my CD player (Little Dot Transport and DAC) than my TT. As vinyl is my preferred format the Bantam has to go back. I guess what this has emphasised for me is the need to match components for the particular sound one is looking for.

[Ali Tait]

These kinds of amps are very dependent on the speakers they are asked to drive IMHO, I've found they only sound at their best with easy to drive loads.

[John]

As Ali says they are not going to suit every speaker >But also try the higher gain setting it might help

[Nigel]

Plus leave it plugged in for a hundred hours. I wasn't initially 100% convinced either. As John says, it's got to be the higher gain setting for vinyl, that's how I use it.

[Canetoad]

The Bantam Gold I ordered arrived last Saturday and I have been listening to it since then. It replaces an Amptastic T-amp connected to my PC. The Bantam is definitely better than the T-amp, as it should be. It's worth more than double. It has the same clarity but seems to be better at soundstaging in my system. I'm using an HRT Musicstreamer II, Bantam anda set of Mission 760s. Very enjoyable and I don't think I need to make any further changes anytime soon.

Forgot to mention I'm powering it with a Maplins linear PSU. The 3 amp model set to 15 volts. Maybe an upgrade here might help...

[John]

Go to battery if you can Its worth the effort Bernie

[Ali Tait]

Bernie, I have ordered one of the batteries Stan linked to previously, hopefully it'll be here before the weekend, we can give the amps a try either way.

[StevenZ]

I know this is an old thread but I was hoping to hear from some of you who may still be using the Temple amps. I just placed an order for a pair of monoblocks and their XC3 preamp. My speakers are a pretty easy load (Mark Audio Alpair 10.3), so I have no doubt the monos will be capable of driving them to my heart's contempt, but I do wonder about the "sweetness" or lack thereof. The Mark Audios are brutally honest and are easily the most revealing speakers I've had in my home so I'm a bit nervous when powering them with cold sounding electronics.

Unfortunately I no longer see the 60-day trial offering on Temple's site so I think even if they don't mate up well I'm stuck with them. I've got an Astron RS-12A power supply that I was hoping to use on the Monos, but John suggests I pick up another. I'll have to try dual mono power supplies when I save up a bit more money as sinking nearly $800 USD on the Temple gear has put me in a crunch.

Any long term users care to chime in?

[Clive]

I run Mark Audio Alpair 12Ps with Monos....no issue with coldness.

[Ninanina]

Steven, Tony (wee tee cee) has owned Temple amps for quite a while so he can give you an honest opinion on them... he might be along soon or you can contact him via PM... :)

[wee tee cee]

As Nina said I have used, owned and happily retain all the temple amps that have came into my world.

Happy to answer any questions you have.

John at Temple is a proper hi fi guy with exemplary customer service from my own experience.

Like everything in hi fi synergy is crucial-I have paired the amps with all manner of speakers to great effect.

If I can I will help.

[StevenZ]

Sorry for the late reply, for some reason I'm not getting my email notifications when replies are posted. In any case, thanks for the responses. I'm happy to report that I picked up the monos from the post office today and I'm utterly gobsmacked with the sound I'm hearing. I've had some really good amps come through my listening room and I don't ever recall hearing this type of synergy before. With the Mark Audios music just flows so great. The Monos seem to have a death grip kind of control on the drivers. Everything is tight, tuneful and oh so beautiful no matter what the volume level is. I know there's a bit of a honeymoon phase with most new gear so I'm trying to be a bit reserved until I can at least get a hundred or so hours on them but definitely they are impressive right out of the gate.

I did try them on a pair of Polk Audio LSiM707 speakers and I wasn't all that impressed. They seemed to be a bit bogged down by them, not revealing nearly as much detail, though I question the speaker's own ability to resolve detail as well. It's definitely possible that the Mark Audios are just leaps and bounds more resolving, and I think I'll stick with that assessment for now. There's a reason why those Polks are already on the chopping block ;) and the Mark Audios have been with me since I started the hobby 5yrs ago.

I'll definitely report back when I've had proper break-in time on the monos.

I do have another question though, and perhaps wee tee cee might be best to answer this. I ordered the combo from temple audio; XC3 preamp and dual monos. My question is this: I haven't seen a single review of this preamp online anywhere, even on TA's own website. I'm a bit nervous about it's arrival actually as I was told by John there was an issue with an order of 110V transformers so it's departure is delayed a week or two, which is why I only have part of my order currently. In any case, I wonder just how good the preamp actually might be or if it could possibly be a weak link in the TA lineup. I really doubt TA would produce it if they thought it wasn't equal to or beyond what the other products are.

Anywho, have any of you heard one? Any thoughts?

Cheers,
Steven

[StevenZ]

By the way, I just figured out why I wasn't getting notifications. Still getting used to this forum's layout.

[StevenZ]

I run Mark Audio Alpair 12Ps with Monos....no issue with coldness.

Oh I bet that sounds sublime. I had the 12P's at one time but never game them a chance. I can see how the monos would compliment them so well. Do you have any pics of your setup?

[wee tee cee]

Steven,
I haven't heard the Temple pre but will be interested in your findings. I run all my kit from a 12v battery ( big car battery thats fed with a solar panel).
Once you have a couple of hundred hours on the amps its well worth trying battery or beefed up PSUs.

Regards Tony.

[StevenZ]

Thanks Tony. I actually have a single power supply right now but will be picking up another soon to run with my monoblocks. They are 15v linear power supplies capable of 12amp peaks. I got Johns blessing to use these and even John himself was excited about the results. Will definitely keep you guys posted on my impressions.

[wee tee cee]

It will be interesting to hear how you get on. If you get the chance try a big car battery...its the cleanest sound I have heard.

I run Frugel 3s that Alpair drivers,wonder if there is synergy thing going on?

I run 4 monos -two aside by splitting the phono signal and speaker out puts....the extra amp just adds loads of refinement/control. Might be worth consideration if you get on well with the current pair.

[MarginWalker]

Has anyone tried their harmony phono stage/selection box?

[StevenZ]

Just a bit of an update. I'm now powering both monoblocks with a single Astron RS-12A and it's sounding wonderful. I've snipped the wires from the stock PSU and have hardwired it to the binding posts of the Astron. I did try something else though; I had some 16awg extension cord wire laying around and some spare 2.1mm x 5.5mm plus so I wired up my own connectors for the Monoblocks. The cords i built seem to have sucked some of the life out of the monos... very weird. Some of the magic seems to have gone. So in went the old "stock" wires/connectors.

Also, I received the XC3 this morning and it appears to have been damaged in shipping and had a few other issues I'd rather not speak about. Long story short, it's headed back to Temple. I'll be replacing it with a Tisbury passive preamp. Will update again when the Tisbury arrives.

Cheers,
Steven