T-Amp - which chipset / best implementation?

[MotherSky]

Having zero experience of class D, I'm hoping someone out there might be able to offer some pointers...

My teenage son has asked me for advice on something reasonably compact to plug his MP3 player into - I initially thought that some active speakers might be best, but they are rather out of budget, so I thought that some bargain speakers (I think some of the early 90s Mission are reasonably efficient) and a T-amp of some description might be a more interesting proposition

Looking on ebay, most appear to have Tripath 2020 or 2024 chipsets - anyone have any experience of these - and is there any particular design/make/implementation that's thought to be superior? they all look very similar and yet vary wildly in price

any advice greatly appreciated

MotherSky

[Matt J]

Bit of a can of worms this, some think they're en excellent bit of kit for the money, others think they're shite.

I use the Topping TP20 (TA2020) with a pair of Mission 760ise and I like it very much, for under £100 for the lot I'm extremely happy with it.

I would guess the TA2024 would need very sensitive speakers as real world wattage is going to be well under 10, even though the TA2020 is advertised at 20w when you look at the figures it's more like a genuine 12w, if that.

The Topping also seems to have the edge with build quality, if you can ask for much at £50.

[alphatoner]

http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread....-eBay-bargain!

Take you a while to wade through it, but at the end of the day. either will do the job admirably for the use your son wants from it. Don't be put off by some of the negative stuff flying around, most of that is to do with T-amps used in high-end systems. I believe EVERYONE would say that at £60 they make a pretty good budget system and as an amp for an MP3 source then they are just perfect.

[MotherSky]

thanks for that - what a monster of a thread - and one that for some reason I was unable to find using the inaptly named "search" facility

[HectorHughMunro]

Have a look at this too; http://www.tnt-audio.com/ampli/scythe_sda1100_e.html . There are other class D implementations at the budget end that don't involve Tripath.

Personally, I'd go for a 2022 or a 2020. The 2024 is too lightweight and not good enough. I have tried all three. The Topping TP20 or Tp21 are good recommendations.

[michaelbug]

I would also take a look at the Bantam by Temple Audio http://www.templeaudio.net/bantam.html , I own the bantam and a couple of the monoblocks, great amps in my opinion but slightly more expensive than the ebay bargains.

[Cable Monkey]

What sort of budget are we talking about? Having spent some time in a shop that does some disco and pro kit recently, there are some compact and decent sounding active speaker solutions (which are almost certainly T or D configurations). HTFR is in Birmingham so not that far away from you and have a lot of active monitor solutions by companies like Behinger, Tascam and M-Audio. Go in there, have a listen and see if there is anything you fancy.

[JANDL100]

It was me that started that monster thread.

Based on a fair amount of experience now, I'd say I have a decent handle on the differences in sound between the 2024, 2022 and 2020 chipsets.

Basically, the lower the chipset number, the higher the rez and the more transparent the sound. The TA2020 being the most transparent and fastest sound of all, imo, and by a fair margin. Trying to put numbers against it - TA2020: 10, TA2022: 8, TA2024: 5

But there's no doubting that the TA2022 amp I tried (A HLLY Tamp-90) was easily the most powerful and had the strongest bass. And even among those who really like the t-amp sound, some prefer the rather smoother TA2022 amps to the stark transparency of the TA2020.

Personally, I still think the Mini-T TA2020 amp is the best amp I have ever heard, but you do sacrifice some bass wallop and control for the articulate transparency that I hear in the mids. And you probably do need easy to drive speakers.

Other folks hear it differently, as ever!

[Papa Lazarou]

Best amp you've ever heard?



I would've thought my LVs an easier load than your MBLs and i've heard far better amps powering my speakers. The NAF absolutely murders it - in every possible way!

[JANDL100]

Yes, well ... we've had this discussion in the other thread!

I just tell it like I hear it.

[Tarzan]

Jerry! Jerry!

[Hornucopia]

For MP3s? 2020 is just FINE!! And will run lots of reasonably 'normal' speakers.
I never had a problem with a 'Son of T' running Snell Es; Glastonburys; SD1s......

[cjr]

Just bought a 2020 Mini-T, will hook it up to a Sony Pure DSD SACD, and try with a plethora of speakers, budget Castles, Tannoy Rev R1s, Then move it up to the Diapasons. Need a low volume compact design for my PC study.

[florette69]

I use a british-built Bantam (with the 'inferior' TA2024) driving a pair of only moderately efficient Charios, with my telly, and it sounds fine. I'm sure any T-amp with pre-owned speakers would be a fine solution for MP3 playback.

[MotherSky]

thanks for the useful advice chaps - i've gone ahead and ordered a TA2020 based T-amp sold under the 'Muse' brand - £43 delivered from a UK seller

i'll now look out for any cheap boxes with benign load characteristics (overall efficiency is not necessarily desirable - i don't want to be subjected to Slipknot at high volume...)

naturally i'll be wiring it all up with Nordost Valhalla

MotherSky

[JANDL100]

thanks for the useful advice chaps - i've gone ahead and ordered a TA2020 based T-amp sold under the 'Muse' brand - £43 delivered from a UK seller

I have A Muse TA2020 amp in my 2nd system, powering some nice Usher x719 standmount speakers. It sounds damn good, and the Muse totally outclassed my old Quad 77 integrated that I used to use there. To say that my 2nd system has received a new lease of life would be a complete understatement. ... and I have now sold the Quad 77 amp for £165.

Much looking forward to your views on the Muse TA2020 amp.

[0rangutan]

I have been using a Muse TA2021 amp as a bedroom system, in conjunction with a Squeezebox Touch and Opera Mini's.
Very very happy with it.
The 2021 chipset is 25w.

[cjr]

Just hooked up the Mini-T 2020 to a pair of 8ohm Castle Cliftons, and my Dell Hybrid soundcard. Bass is a tad light, excellent clarity though, goes plenty loud with these speakers, but will try it around the systems I have, next up source to be connected will be a Sony BD S760 player, then the Diapasons. Stunned at size of the thing, an excellent compact amplifier. An excellent way to spend £60.

[cjr]

Has passed it "upgraded" speakers test today, tried it on the Diapason Emera's, fed from a Sony CDP-X3000ES, lovely sound coming out, does not go headbanging loud, but enough volume for easy listening to my ears - SQ is excellent. Certainly a stop gap for anyone buying a pair of senstive 6-8ohm speakers and saving up for a bigger amplifier. Ie to get loudness levels up, but I am very impressed with this for the money - very impressed indeed. Compactness is superb, Can see a number of scenarios I will be using this, PC, Laptop, compact holiday system. Trying the Sony S760 with this tonight as a CD system.

Speakers used :

http://www.tnt-audio.com/casse/nux_emera_e.html

"The efficiency of both speakers is stated as 89dB/w/m. The nominal impedance is 8 Ohms"

[JANDL100]

thanks for the useful advice chaps - i've gone ahead and ordered a TA2020 based T-amp sold under the 'Muse' brand - £43 delivered from a UK seller

MotherSky

Hi MotherSky

Did you get the Muse TA2020 amp?

If so, what do you think of it?