Naim or Tripath

[tubehunter]

Hi all,


Here are a couple of power amps that I've built to explore their sonic abilities.
I build a lot of equipment and to fund future projects these have to go.
Both are built into substantial handmade cases comprising mainly of 3mm aluminium with copper and/or

acrylic covers. They are both less than 12 months old.


First up is a Naim 135/Av--dale n see see 200 clone.
Built as two monoblocs in one case and only share the mains switch and lead out.
spec is:
2 300va mains transformers
4 35 amp bridge rectifiers
4 100v 10000uf very high quality capacitors
output around 75 watts per channel into 8ohms and 150 watts into 4ohms
2 RCA phono inputs.

http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Naim%20clone/IMG_4927.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Naim%20clone/IMG_4928.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Naim%20clone/IMG_4929.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Naim%20clone/IMG_4930.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Naim%20clone/IMG_4931.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Naim%20clone/IMG_4932.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Naim%20clone/IMG_4933.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Naim%20clone/IMG_4934.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Naim%20clone/IMG_4935.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Naim%20clone/IMG_4936.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Naim%20clone/IMG_4937.jpg


The second amp uses 2 Tripath TA2022 - EB evaluation boards.
Each board is a stereo amp with around 90 watts into 4ohms.
I have bridged these boards so the output is around 200 watts into 8ohms.
spec is:
2 300va mains transformers one for each rail so acts like a 600va.
2 100v 10000 quality first stage capacitors
followed by
4 100v 10000 quality capacitors in a crc network (thanks Nelson Pass)
2 35amp bridge rectifiers
Custom made very quite regulated 5v power supply for the tripath input stage.
2 RCA phono inputs.

http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Bridged%20Tripath/IMG_4938.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Bridged%20Tripath/IMG_4939.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Bridged%20Tripath/IMG_4940.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Bridged%20Tripath/IMG_4941.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Bridged%20Tripath/IMG_4942.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Bridged%20Tripath/IMG_4943.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Bridged%20Tripath/IMG_4944.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Bridged%20Tripath/IMG_4945.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Bridged%20Tripath/IMG_4946.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Bridged%20Tripath/IMG_4947.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/Bridged%20Tripath/IMG_4948.jpg

£200 inc p&p each, (this covers parts cost only).


Duncan

[leo]

Excellent work! the amount of work involved and bits used building these makes them a bargain

I'd be amazed if these have not gone by today

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Blimey £200, are you not selling your self short ... They look like thay have had serious time spent on them!

[Dave Cawley]

When you say " 300vac mains transformers" presumably you mean "300va mains transformer" ?

But 200 quid including postage! Wow!

Dave

[anthonyTD]

the tripath amp is a seriously good amp, even at twice the asking price!!!
A...

[DSJR]

I wish.. Them parts surely cost more than that - and Naim charge how much for a 250 with one transformer plus an extra supply board per channel with cheap bits on...?

At current inflated rates, £200 parts equals £2500 retail at least with a nicer front panel, labour to build them and a 37% dealer margin (if he's lucky).

At Rega rates of old, I think £1600 would be a bit more realistic. For a couple of hundred the buyer has a bargain :)

[SteveW]

Sent a PM Duncan

cheers

Steve

[YNWaN]

Very well done.

That first amp isn't really a Nap135 though as it isn't regulated and doesn't use Naim amp boards (unless I'm mistaken). They look rather like Les' amp boards and, in my experience, those sound quite different.

[tubehunter]

hi all

both amps are now sold

thanks

[The Vinyl Adventure]

i would def be interested from those people who have bought these amps as to how they sound

[Mr. C]

Hamish,
You are welcome to pop down the road and have a listen to the tripath unit before it is used for something else.
Mr.C

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Hamish,
You are welcome to pop down the road and have a listen
Mr.C


... sounds like a good idea, where abouts in malvern are you? (i have been there a million times but im still a bit shit at where stuff is ... i know prestons (or "cowboy video" as i call them) erm.. and cafe nero... and st anns well... anywhere near any of those things?



before it is used for something else.


what you going to do with/to it?

[The Vinyl Adventure]

just had a look at your site...your not in malvern as such then...
id just asumed you were a normal shop, it looks like you do a similar thing to norman and ian of uhes?
in fact being from this area, you must know norman? im not sure i have met anyone in worcestershire who is remotly interested in hifi who hasnt met norman?

[Mr. C]

Hamish,

We left Malvern some 15 months ago due to our expanding business, however the views of the beautiful hills are still very close and quite spectacular on a good morning.
Being honest a while since a flew a chopper though (9 years), let alone landed one on my lawn :eyebrows:
Since Norman has moved to Painswick I have lost track of the man.
Not sure if we had the same size as Rodbourgh castle though, however we have three dedicated 'real' listening rooms with close to 7000 sq feet intotal.
We field a different approach to most of the UK dealer network in fairness.
Any how, the offer is open if you wish to hear the ampilifer.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

coolio, steve just said about pickin me upand poping down, so yeah, i/he will let you know i guess

Normans doing fine, excentric as ever! the house in painswick is somewhat more aproachable than the hill top castle was.
this "real" listening room seems sencible to me, certainly seems like a way to provide the customer with a service above and beyond the highstreet... and what with the high street stuggling to compete with the internet, if you can separate your self from that nonsence, then good luck to you!

[SteveW]

i would def be interested from those people who have bought these amps as to how they sound

I will Hamish..I will.

Just recovering from being blown away from hearing how good Duncan's system sounded.

[Marco]

Nice one, Steve. You were at Dunc's? You should've said so and you could've popped by for a sesh here on your way back :)

Was he using his big Wharfdales? If so, how did they sound? :cool:

Marco.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

I will Hamish..I will.

Just recovering from being blown away from hearing how good Duncan's system sounded.

using my advanced levels of intelect i have deduced that you must have the naimesque one :)
id def be interested to here about it ... blessed are the aos forum members who lives are enriched with a bit-o-wiiliams audio :)

[Marco]

blessed are the aos forum members who lives are enriched with a bit-o-wiiliams audio :)


I think I'll add that to the ethos (even though in the above respect I've yet to be suitably 'blessed') ;)

Marco.

[SteveW]

Yeah... a bit-o-williams audio.
Quite an afternoon.

First off.. its a smuggling job.
Its just another box, I've had for ages.

Secondly. The man is using a Sony PS3 as a streamer like I can't believe. I still can't get mine to play audio files...but thats another issue.

Then...the Wharfedale E50's.

I'll tell you what amazed me the most.

Tomorrow I'm 53.
I know... I know.
Anyway, 29 years ago I bought a pair of E70's. As I was telling Duncan.. I had a Wolsey 18/85 (...something like it anyway) and got one one the back seat and had to go back for the other when I moved flats.
Had the Wharfedales for a few years, (in fact my wife was reminding me tonight that we have been together 29 years..so got them as we first got together !!)

Bloody big speakers that I sold eventually, never really thinking that they were of any great 'hi-fi'.
Very 80's looking . Big ol aluminium rings around the units.

Wish I'd known they could sound like they do with valve amps.

Today... Duncan's Wharfedales sounded sublime. Truely magical.

But then they were on the end of some special kit...his valve dac and amp.

Thanks Duncan. Really given me something to think about.:cool:

[Marco]

Great stuff, Steve - it seems like you've experienced quite an epiphany at Dunc's! Sounds like those Wharfs need listening to. I'll do that next time I'm round. I guess there were probably many factors at play which caused such excitement in you, not least of which was the 'valve factor' ;)

The bug is spreading and spreading fast! Visit me next time, and I'll continue the infection and turn it into an epidemic......... :eyebrows:

Marco.

[Mr. C]

I have found a soucre for the control modules, so this amp is now back up for sale.
Again £200 delivered.

[Ali Tait]

Are you talking about the Tripath amp? If so,I'll take it off your hands.

[Ali Tait]

Duncan,
Any chance of putting the pics up of the amp again please?

[Ali Tait]

Hello??

[The Vinyl Adventure]

It's is the tripath in question

[Ali Tait]

Do you know if it's been sold Hamish?

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Not sure matey, ask him
http://www.coherent-systems.co.uk/contact.asp

[Ali Tait]

I have PM'd and had no answer.I'll try that too.Thanks matey.

[Ali Tait]

Hi Mr C,are you still selling the amp?

[Mr. C]

Now sold thanks

[Ali Tait]

...And thank you sir.