Sonic Impact T-Amp | xltronic messageboard
 
You are not logged in!

F.A.Q
Log in

Register
  
 
  
 
Now online (1)
big
...and 188 guests

Last 5 registered
Oplandisks
nothingstar
N_loop
yipe
foxtrotromeo

Browse members...
  
 
Members 8025
Messages 2614116
Today 2
Topics 127542
  
 
Messageboard index
Sonic Impact T-Amp
 

offline pf from Finland on 2005-09-29 12:15 [#01736932]
Points: 3316 Status: Lurker



Has anyone heard anything of this or perhaps own one? There
are some crazy reviews going on about this, check
here


 

offline yann_g from now on 2005-09-29 12:54 [#01736962]
Points: 3772 Status: Lurker



agreed


 

offline pf from Finland on 2005-09-29 13:24 [#01737009]
Points: 3316 Status: Lurker



What the fuck do you agree on?


 

offline recycle from Where is Phobiazero (Lincoln) (United States) on 2005-09-29 13:26 [#01737012]
Points: 40066 Status: Lurker | Followup to pf: #01737009



some people you just have to ignore all the time
but in this case yann_g just made a horrible mistake
please forgive him


 

offline pf from Finland on 2005-09-29 14:12 [#01737049]
Points: 3316 Status: Lurker | Followup to recycle: #01737012



that might be true.


 

offline E-man from Rixensart (Belgium) on 2005-09-30 07:14 [#01737662]
Points: 3000 Status: Regular



what the, seems like a good buy!
i want one just to hear by myself how good it sounds...
30$ :| that's soooo unexpensive!!!


 

offline Xeron from London (United Kingdom) on 2005-09-30 07:16 [#01737663]
Points: 2638 Status: Regular



Italian Version.


 

offline vlari from beyond the valley of the LOLs on 2005-09-30 07:17 [#01737665]
Points: 13915 Status: Regular



not sure about the flimsy speaker-cable sockets


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2005-09-30 08:24 [#01737729]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Show recordbag



One should be winging its way to me... I'll post a brief
review once it's here.


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2005-10-23 09:06 [#01758459]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to Ceri JC: #01737729 | Show recordbag



I've finally got it set up.

I'm no hi-fi buff, so please forgive me if some of the
terminology used is slightly off, but I do consider myself
to have reasonably discerning ears and I have listened to a
few proper hi-fi setups, as well as obviously middle/low end
ones, so my reference points should be fairly accurate.

It's still being burnt-in and I've only been able to hook a
cheapo portable cd player (with a line out port) into it,
but the quality so far is fantastic. Also bear in mind that
the speakers it's currently going through are old and
battered and whilst it's definately the best sound I've
gotten out of them so far, I feel they are a bit of a
bottleneck and with better speakers, the amp could really
shine.

The soundstage is great, even in a very cluttered room
(moving house), with the speakers only about 4 foot apart,
the width of the stereo range is great and extends far
between the physical distance between the speakers. Panning
effects are awesome on it and with normal music, the
seperation between the different instruments is impressive.

Very accurate attack and decay, which aside from helping
real instruments sound good, makes it very good for IDM and
glitch as the short sharp clicks are far shorter than they
normally sound on my HD-25 sennheisers. Frequency response
seems good too.

I know it's a cliche in hi-fi reviews, but listening to
records I'm very familiar with (mostly through my Cambridge
Soundworks 5.1 system) I definately heard new things there.
On human voices you can hear lips opening before they sing,
etc. similarly things like the garbled speech on BoC tracks
are a lot clearer and you can hear low in the mix background
details without having to have it turned up deafiningly
loud.

Compared to a £10K true hi-fi setup, of course it's not
quite as good (at least not with my rough old speakers),
however, what is truly astounding is that I would say it's
better than a £800 Marantz one.


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2005-10-23 09:18 [#01758472]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to Ceri JC: #01758459 | Show recordbag



Volume wise, it doesn't have the huge drive of a bigger more
expensive amp, but to be honest, the 5W a channel is
perfectly adequate for home listening (due to the clarity of
the sound, you don't need it as loud as you might have an
inferior amp, to hear all the detail). It would be alright
for a single room of a party in a mid-large sized lounge,
but you couldn't use it for a PA in a pub, for example.
Similarly, it might lack the oomph for use in
barbeques/outside, but I've yet to test it in that way. I've
only used it with a mains adaptor (in keeping with the theme
of ghetto hi-fi, I used a £3.99 multi-adaptor from a local
electric store). However, the option of battery powering
should be good once the weather gets a bit warmer.

I've not had a chance to connect my turntable to it yet, so
I'll post more info once I've done that.

Am I glad I bought it? Definately. £26 Inc. P&P from
America, £50 CD player and a £10 second hand pair of
speakers = one hell of a system for under £80. I'm actually
considering buying another 2/3 for various uses. Possible
butchering into a seperate amp for each channel.

The only real down point is the build quality/types of
connectors used. It's unfair to be critical of such things
on a £20 amp, but considering how good the sound is, these
suck in comparison.
It's very small, lightweight and fairly pretty
aesthetically, but it's too light without batteries, so much
so that the weight of the leads in the back can make it tip
up! It's little wonder "audiophile" versions are springing
up in custom hi-fi stores, for around $500 with nice metal
cases,better volume dial, etc.

One of the additional ones I'll buy is to be used in a more
nicely housed one (probably wood with polished aluminium
panels and gold connectors), which I'll aim to make for
under £50 total.


 

offline giginger from Milky Beans (United Kingdom) on 2005-10-25 05:14 [#01760527]
Points: 26326 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag



I'm fucking sold.

I'm ordering on ASAP. Might see if I can do some DIY on it
to spruce up the connectors :)


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2005-10-25 06:36 [#01760562]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to giginger: #01760527 | Show recordbag



Let me know if you find a UK stockist. I had to get mine
from America via ebay.


 

offline pf from Finland on 2005-10-30 12:27 [#01765162]
Points: 3316 Status: Lurker



I've been planning on buying one of these and selling my old
stereos. Sucky pioneers. So does anyone know anything about
speakers? something in the range 200-400e, or does anyone
know any good links to a hifi review site?


 

offline Zephyr Twin from ΔΔΔ on 2005-11-16 21:01 [#01779834]
Points: 16982 Status: Regular | Show recordbag



wow this thing looks pretty damn nice for the price... may
have to look into getting one myself.

Thanks for the nice review Ceri. :)



 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2005-11-17 02:20 [#01779896]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to Zephyr Twin: #01779834 | Show recordbag



Hooked my turntables up to it last night and yes, it sounds
awesome with that as well :)


 

offline pf from Finland on 2005-11-17 02:59 [#01779914]
Points: 3316 Status: Lurker



Check this out, looking real nice and pro. I hope to
purchase one of these as they come available. Too bad there
aint a possibility of inputing two devices, like a cd player
and a turntable.


 

offline clint from Silencio... (United Kingdom) on 2005-11-17 11:49 [#01780366]
Points: 3447 Status: Lurker | Followup to pf: #01779914



Heh... what a coincidence!

Last post

The single input is a bit of a bastard, but then again there
are things like this which I think I will invest
in when my T Amp arrives. Thanks for making this thread
originally btw, I'd have never heard of it otherwise.


 

offline pf from Finland on 2005-11-17 11:56 [#01780379]
Points: 3316 Status: Lurker | Followup to clint: #01780366



keep us updated on what amp is like. and yeah, I've been
planning on getting one of these Audio Input Selectors when
I'll build my set. Fucking awesome. What kinda speakers do
you have?


 

offline clint from Silencio... (United Kingdom) on 2005-11-17 13:21 [#01780484]
Points: 3447 Status: Lurker | Followup to pf: #01780379



At the moment, I have Tannoy M2.5's. They sound very good
but are too big for my room really, and I'm sure are too
powerful to be driven by the T-Amp. But we will see.


 

offline pf from Finland on 2005-11-17 13:29 [#01780500]
Points: 3316 Status: Lurker | Followup to clint: #01780484



Real nice looking speakers. I've heard great things about
Tannyo's, as I've just sold my mini-"hi-fi" system, I'm
planning on getting some nice speakers, like these.
Any recommends for a dude who doesnt know shit about hi-fi?


 

offline clint from Silencio... (United Kingdom) on 2005-11-17 13:36 [#01780514]
Points: 3447 Status: Lurker | Followup to pf: #01780500



Man I know shit about hifi! Sorry dude! One thing I do know
though, is that the T Amp drives speakers at 4ohms, and
those ones are 6, so according my hazy electronics memory,
those are too powerful, but then again I cant remember if
more ohms means more or less powerful, so I am useless. My
speakers are 8 ohms, which I think means my T-amp would have
trouble driving them.


 

offline clint from Silencio... (United Kingdom) on 2005-11-17 13:37 [#01780516]
Points: 3447 Status: Lurker | Followup to pf: #01780500



Those look sweet though.


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2005-11-22 02:49 [#01784527]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to clint: #01780514 | Show recordbag



Nah 8 ohms are fine (that's what my speakers are), it just
means the amp can't drive them as hard. A few of the proper
hi-fi sites have recommended using 4ohm speakers with them
and I've been looking at a few on ebay. I might go to richer
sounds and pick up a pair in the January sales.


 

offline J198 from Maastricht (Netherlands, The) on 2005-11-22 02:52 [#01784529]
Points: 7342 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag



my speakers are 6ohm (philips). is that ok?


 


Messageboard index