Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo Want to Try Super Tube Sound for $20?

You think I'm joking, right? Some have followed the discussions about tube amps - I have one, and you have heard the detractors howling - you know the folks who know everything but hear nothing ... well, I found the answer - a solid state amp which sounds as good as most tube amps, a solid state amp which will knock the socks off a tubie with great specs up to about 10 wpc, a digital amp which costs about $20-40. Yes, that's right, and I'm not kidding.

I got mine and so I can now tell you about the Sonic Impact T-Amp. I paid $20 each and picked up 10 of them. I got a 3 amp 13.8 volt power supply from Radio Shack (otherwise it works on AA batteries), moved the Kenwood KA9100 and a pair of Dahlquist DQM905s out of the way, stood up a pair of 93db efficient Michaura M55s (very similar to the M22) same 5.25" aluminum driver and the 3/4" Titanium tweeter from the Merak line of speakers and the former Axiom - love this speaker), hooked up my15 year old JVC CD player, and holy samolies, the little M55s with the T-Amp just blew away the best garage system I'd ever heard. It is definitely on par with the Antique Sound Labs MG S1 15DT as to sound. The ASL is a bit sweeter, but this T-Amp is a JOKE!!! BUY ONE!!

PS I own no stock or have any interest in the manufacturer, distributor or have anything to do with Sonic Impact or the T Amp except for having gotten mine and picking my ass off the floor in giddy disbelief.

Friends, this thing is great. Go and enjoy. This is not a belated April Fools Joke. This is the real deal.

I hear ya and I know your not joking. I have had 2 for a little over 2 months!

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/sonicimpact/t.html

Okay, I just recently picked up an integrated tube amp, but at forty dollars how can I not pass this up? Looking into it. . .

Go online, get a good power supply (+3 amps, no more than 14V output), get your soldering iron out ... pick up some "L" DC power plugs, solder one to the end of some speaker wire ( I used silver Cardas, of course), get yourself a Radio Shack 1 x 1/8" (earphone jack size) male into 2 RCA male plugs ... and get gobsmacked, giddy with laughing, and then cry about all your expensive amps!!!

I picked up 10, I'm going to put together a nice 6 channel HT system using these things with some extra M55s. These things are awesome as long as you keep the output below 11 watts (15 wpc max). Your M3s will SING!

Can't believe my ears!!

This could turn into the ultimate DIY project. Talk about bang for your buck.

Wow - perhaps I may start a little speaker system sooner than I thought. I've already got a preamp - maybe coupled with this and a pair of M3s...hmmmm...

*Edit: I just ordered one of these. Lets see how they do with the M22s, Peter.

Oh, double great, now I have to move the moose from the fireplace to the back wall, AND the M3s From the back wall to a dedicated listening room-is there no end to this?

Some friends of mine moved out of the city to a hobby farm about 40 miles northwest and they have various farm animals (the goat mostly) wandering through the house pretty much at will. Apart from offering a "your plate is always clean" service I guess they offer a variety of HF dampening scenarios as well.

I guess it's too late to take the moose to the vet ?

Maybe it's an urban legend, but do goats really eat stuffed Moose heads?(the vet is also a taxidemist-extra income, fast service)

We have four grandkids living with us, so empty plates really isn't a problem. (Hey, maybe I could train the kids to stand or sit in strategic locations during serious listening sessons to approximate a wandering goat!!) Including one to hold the pillow behind my head!

goats eat ANYTHING!!

they dont care. they are filthy little animals, with little to no intelligence. there is usually one smart one in a group of 15-20, and they just follow him. but, they are very cute babies..

bigjohn

Ok, got it: Paragraph #1, the goat must be kept away from the moose.

Para #2, Oh, you have grandkids, too?

(Woah!! Better not let my grandkids read that!!!!) Only kiddin' of course!
Rich.

Hmmm, that might be an interesting project go w/ the vintage Pioneer turntable I got this weekend...

I listened to some old R&B vinyl I had. Once again, the detailed sound Axioms makes really bad vinyl pressings/recordings sound really bad. But good recordings, like one of my Whispers albums, sounds fantastic. Sound is a little thin and veiled, but I think that's due to the cartridge, and I have a new Ortofon on order. Dangit, and I thought I was done w/ my system...

I'm thinking of building a Bottlehead Foreplay preamp kit for the T-Amp. The preamp kits with all upgrades runs about $320. The amp goes for $20. The amp costs less than the "gold RCA jack" upgrade for the preamp. Oh well, as Axiom fans know all to well, cost and sound quality are decoupled values.

You've piqued my interest. What all do I need besides the amp to use them? A preamp and a digital source? My Denon doesn't have preouts so I can't use that. What would suggestions of things I need and their costs? Where can I find them?

Hmm. A T-amp, an Ipod, M3's in the back and a power inverter into the lighter might make for a good system in the minivan. Bet the kids would love it. Not sure about my SO.

Did you see those wild speakers in the link to the T-amp review ? They are a work of ...

Hi Player8

All you need is the T-Amp, a pair of efficient speakers (M3s would be swell) and a CD player or IPOD. The T Amp's input jack is a 1/8" earphone mini, so you can get an adaptor - 1/8" male splitting into 2 male RCA plugs (Radio Shack has them for a couple of bucks) if you want to use a full size CD player, or just use the cable supplied if you want to use a walkman, discman or IPOD. You can run the T Amp off of 8 AA batteries or spring for a DC power converter. It's max is 15 watts per channel and if you give it more than 14 volts it'll fry, so you want a 3 amp 14 volt power supply and an "L" DC power plug which you just solder to some hook up wire - connect the exposed wire ends to the power supply and the "L" plug into the T Amp. The T Amp has a volume control so - that's all you need unless you want to use multiple sources or a phono.

I've taken everyone who has come by the past few days into the garage and the uniform reaction is "Holy Sh*t!"

But isn't it a different garage now?

Just yanking your chain. I can't wait for my brother's unit to arrive. Should be fun! (My onkyo has no pre-outs, so I'll have to use a cable straight from the CD player to get a signal to the amp.)

Yes, and the acoustics are not as good in the new garage as they were in the old.

That's what I'm doing at this point - I'm using that earphone jack to twin RCA jack adapter and hooking the CDP straight into the T Amp. That's the shortest and cleanest signal path possible.

Well, you got me.
Just ordered one from Target.
Who Knew???
This'll keep me from having to run speaker wire back into the bedroom, and we'll also be able to take it out in the backyard for when we are putzing around out there.
I'll just run my little iRiver CD player off of it.
Cool.
TjB

2x6 Speeds,
I just finished building the new Foreplay III and it sounds so sweet, I also have a Foreplay 2 that I have had for about a year these are a fun project and you really get a feeling of saisfaction by doing it yourself. Try one..

Koiman, after my next round of trials, I will build one of those fire bottle preamps! I think the combination of a good tube preamp and the T-Amp will be absolute music magic.

The garage is the only place in the house I'm allowed to smoke my pipe, so I'm spending some quality time at my garage desk, where the new T Amp, and the rest of the garage set up is located. Got the jazz going, Loreena McKennett's 'Elemental,' Tony,Frank and Dean, Diana Krall, Norah Jones, Jewkes ... UNBELIEVABLE!

I can't get over how good this wee amp sounds. It is fantastic!

Well, I got mine today, and I'll tell ya' this is pretty amazing.
I don't know what tube amps sound like, but I can certainly tell you that this does not sound like $40.

Well, since you paid about $40, it does sound like 40. Makes you think twice about spending more, don't it?

(I'm still waiting for my brother's amp to arrive.)

But if it's $40, how can it possibly compare to the $2000 amps out there? It must be inferior by logic in other active threads around here...

Oops, I really shouldn't do this... <evil grin>

Nice, you made your brother buy one instead of kicking yourself?
The least you can do is buy the batteries!


How about this;
It dosen't sound like anything audio-related I've ever spent $40 on.
Wait, I've never spent (just) $40 on anything audio.
Ummm,
Where do we get in line for the torches and pitchforks before we storm the Audio Castles?

It's amazing, isn't it? What speakers are you running with your T-Amp, seabear? BTW, if you want to unleash the T Amp's music potential, get a good power converter (minimum 3 amps, maximum 14 volts) and enjoy! The AA batteries don't have enough in them to really get the thing singing.

I'm thinking of doing a project amp based on the T Amp. The project will involve:

1. Building a copper lined wood cabinet
2. Alps attenuator
3. V cap capacitors
4. Decent non-ferrous speaker terminal
5. RCA input panel

I don't think I could get away with bringing a Sears DieHard into the house, so a nice AC/DC power converter.

I have my eye on a beautiful cigar humidor which has been lying around. Could be fun!

I pulled my M2i's down from on top of the audio shelf and plugged them in. They sound amazing. First thing my fiance said was "You gotta be sh****n' me."
I also rooted around in an old electrical orphan drawer and found a power supply that had a plug that fits, and was using that last night. I'll have to check and see to make sure that it is not too much juice for it.

Funny you had the same thought on the box.
First thing I thought of was building some sort of box/carrier for the whole thing, something to hold the power converters for the amp and iRiver CD player, the amp, the player and the cables. With just the speaker wires and one power cord coming out the back.
I've not run it very long. Any issues with heat while shut in a box like that?
What a great find!
THANKS!

Might want to look at something like this in place of a wall wart

and what might a pretty little box like that go for?

About $25.00. Check out etronics, HAM and CB online supply houses. You can probably find one for about $22.

I'd like to hear how they sound with your M60s!

Hey, Wait a second.
That power supply is $20!
This whole audiophile thing is getting way out of control.
Next thing I know I'm going to be going down to Home Depot for that thick 12 gauge stuff to replace the free stuff I had lying around in the closet.
Sheeesh!

Hey! It's an expensive habit. $20 here, $20 there, some Axiom speakers, and pretty soon you're talking real money.

Loving Life!

What a hoot

TjB

2x6--

First, thanks for bringing this to everyone's attention here. Awesome info.

I'm about as mechanically/electrically inept as one can be, so pls pardon the ignorant/basic questions. I am dying to try this thing out.

What is an "L" DC power plug? Any links to a picture of one so I can understand?

Using the photo of the Pyramid power supply, were you saying that you take the bare wire & connect it to the red/black terminals, and the other end of those wires are soldered to this "L" plug? And the plug then fits into the amp?

Thanks!
Rich

Yes samandnoah, you solder the "L" type power plug to the stripped, bare ends of some hookup wire. The "L" plug is a male jack like you see on those wall wart power converters (cell phone chargers, chargers for power drills, etc.) that is inserted into the female power receptical in the T Amp. Power plugs come in different diameters, that's why some wall warts won't fit other electrical gizmos. You use an AC/DC power converter because you need more amps than most wall warts can give you. The converter takes the 120 volts from the outlet and converts it to 13.8 volts and 4 amps. Anyway, using the right size power plug allows you to connect the converter (power supply) to the T Amp, which will only take an "L" sized power plug.

I didn't wait for the Pyramid, so I grabbed one from Radio Shack for about $45 or so but it looks like the Pyramid except it's smaller and probably not as good.

http://www.globtek.com/html/outputPlugCord.htm

Well I don't know if I'd go so far as to call it super tube sound, but this puny little thing actually works!

Just received it today (in a package so small and light it seemed they forgot to send the actual product with it) and after a search for some small bare speaker wire was able to hook it up to Peter's M22s using a cd walkman for a source. Although, when Peter and I first saw just how small it really is, our first reaction was "no freaking way this thing'll work."

It works! I initially had it hooked up to my headphone amp (A gilmore dynamic V2) with the gilmore functioning as a preamp, and although that gave a lot more headroom, I found I actually preferred the sound straight out of the T-amp - it sounded noticeably more full. In fact, both Peter and I couldn't really find any fault with it - nothing sounded like it was missing and despite the low wattage, nothing sounded thin or strained, even when at max volume, which admittedly isn't that loud - but is a bit above my normal listening level (sorry Dennis, I don't think this amp is for you). This would however be a great amp for a bedroom system.

Immediately after we'd finished listening to the t-amp I hooked the M22s back up to Peter's receiver and compared, and found that I preferred the Onkyo - it sounded more effortless and also a little better in the bass. But take into account that I was using an entirely different (and better) source, and Peter's Onkyo (obviously) has a lot more power. Might be an apples and oranges thing.

For $20, though, this is really a no brainer for anyone interested in building a small system. I'm strongly considering getting some M3s and using them with the t-amp as my computer stereo system. Thanks for the heads up, 2x6!

I agree with Adam's assessment, and here are a couple pics.

The T Amp is flat to 10 wpc output. My Antique Sound Labs MG S1 15DT puts out 5 wpc. When I had a pair of M22s, and M3s, I noticed that the ASL didn't drive the M22s nearly as well as the M3s. I use a pair of Michaura M55s with my T Amp. The Michauras are very much like the M22s, same 5.25" drivers, but use the 3/4" titanium tweeter from the M0-M1 and previous M2 (and Merak speakers as well). The M55s are much easier to drive than the M22s despite the very similar driver kit. I wouldn't judge the T-Amp based on the M22s, I think the M3s would be a mcuh better match.

Also, I think you need an external power supply to get these things up and singing. AA batteries just don't have the amps to get this thing going.

Can anybody post a link to where I could get one. I'm in Canada so Target isn't an option for me.

pc mall and partsexpress.com have them. You might want to google and see who'll ship and whose price is best.

ecost has them as well, 19.95 US, and they do border free shopping for Canadians, when you go through the borderfree checkout on their website everything is calculated so you know exactly how much you are paying upfront.



Al

Well E-cost is usually good, but $25.55 CDN for shipping, $14.74 for handling(?) plus GST works out to a cool, $70.70 CDN. That's just crazy!

I got mine last week and had been trying to get one for several months. Got it from partsexpress.

The amp lives up to the hype. It's great. I used it upstairs with my old Klipsch bookshelves (90db sensitivity) and my old Technics cd player. So far, I have only listened with batteries. Wish I had M22s to use with this thing. The bass is really full and low and I hear some 'tubey bloom'. There is a soundstage (compared to nil soundstage with the 8 year old Technics receiver I was using).

I'm going to try and get another one and some cheapie speakers for the back deck for this summer. Only thing that will get me inside the house are the M60s!

btw, anyone have any recommendations on some real cheap speakers for outdoors?

Agreed!

Thanks for your help 2x7spds!

One more question: why not just buy a power cord with a wall wart, and be done with it? Am I missing some advantage/disadvantage (other than a big fat wall wart)?

Thanks again.

Rich

Watts = Amps * Volts.

15 watts per channel = 30 watts = X * 14 volts
30W/14V = 2.1 Amps.

So, I like to have a bit extra, so, I want at least a 3 amp 14 volt power supply. If you can find a wall wart which meets these requirements, go for it. I like the idea of a shielded (metal case) converter/power supply.

Since this is a digital amp, I don't believe it's affected (soundwise) by unclean power in the same way analog amps (perhaps) are.

Lorenzo,
is there a reason why one of us could not just buy one here for you and ship it up?
I'll volunteer!
TjB

I appreciate the offer Seabear, very nice of you but it won't kill me to not get one so that's ok. As usual all the regulars on this forum are the best!!!

So I was going to install some in ceiling speakers and power them with this sonic amp when I watch tv. I don't want to have to power up my whole system just to watch tv. This would do the job right?

Read the Axiom AudioFile Newsletter - April 2005 for comments on in-wall speakers.

If you plan on useing them for TV only, I see no problem whatsoever in going with in-wall speakers. After all, they're bound to sound better than most TV's built-in speakers.

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I don't want to have to power up my whole system just to watch tv.

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Why does this give me a mental picture of having to wake up the monkey on the bicycle generator, the roof opening to allow the lightning collector to be elevated and then the dramatic throwing of a radically oversized knife switch?

Bren R.

I could go for a power up sequence like that... That would be sweet.

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Why does this give me a mental picture of having to wake up the monkey on the bicycle generator, the roof opening to allow the lightning collector to be elevated and then the dramatic throwing of a radically oversized knife switch?

Bren R.

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This vividly reminds me of something I saw on the E! channel (I believe that's where it was) awhile back of whatever that blonde headed actors name during an interview of him on his balcony peddling away on a bicycle/generator to charge up the batteries for his hybrid automobile. Whatever!

Were any animals harmed in the making of that clip?

Severely. However, you must take your complaint to sir penguin.

Yeah for stuff like news and sports, i don't really want to waste electrcity on the amp powering the 5.1 and stuff. I was just looking for something better than tv speakers. Some tv's nowadays don't even have speakers built it so I don't need to hear the local news anchor through the M60's.

So having these in ceiling speakers powered by the Sonic amp thing would be ideal I think.

If you don't mind the sound coming from the ceiling, then then it's a pefect solution.

2x6 - I was hoping for at least Calvin peeing on something!

Bren R.

Peace on ya. Who's Calvin?

Calvin, of Calvin and Hobbes, the marvelous cartoon by Bill Watterson. Who, incidentally, is royally ticked at those little images of Calvin peeing on things. They're not his idea, they're not his royalties, and they're not in the spirit of the cartoon.

Well, he has a point. I never saw Ford or Chevy mentioned in any of his cartoons...

Oh come on... Calvin must be in his late 20s by now, I'm sure he has a drivers license and has some strong opinions about Ford or Chevy or both.

Wonder how he turned out ? What do you figure, maybe ended up in advertising or something ?

I've been meaning to get a decal cut for bro of Eugene the Jeep from the Popeye comics peeing on Calvin.



Bren R.

doesn't really look like peeing, so much as "prison love"...

Bren, does he drive a jeep?

I have, I have!

Last of the AMCs; made, like my Axioms; in Canada!!

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Bren, does he drive a jeep?

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Why, yes, that was kind of the crux of the joke.

Bro's got a black Cherokee... before that it was a red Cherokee. Since he always drives it to shoots, and it invariably ends up in a shot at some point, we joke that it's going to have to sign an Screen Actors Guild card.

Bren R.

i thought that was the joke and was kindof asking tongue in cheek. but i really like that idea i hate those calvin decals i think i will buy a jeep just to steel your idea. lol

What a great thread! You folks have convinced me to get the T-Amp. I'll probably get it from Parts Express as they had no problems in shipping a previous order to South Africa.
Just a few questions:
I'm currently using just bare speaker wire at the binding posts on my M22's, which are connected to my receiver.
I'm thinking of running new speaker wire from the T-amp to the M22, and terminating the M22 end of the T-amp's speaker wire with banana plugs.
Will the input signal from the T-amp still get to the M22, even if I've already got bare speaker wire (from my receiver) in the binding post? Or do I have to buy stackable banana plugs and use banana plugs for both the receiver and the T-amp wire at the M22 end?

If I understand what you mean, and if I remember correctly (and somebody will have to corroborate this), it is NOT A GOOD IDEA to hook two amplifiers to one set of speakers at the same time. Don't do it until somebody with more knowledge than I says it's OK to do so. You'll probably need some sort of a switch box to connect two amps to one set of speakers.

Ajax, thanks for taking the time to answer. Only 1 of the amplifiers would be powering the speakers at any given time.
Why else would stackable banana plugs plugs be invented if this wasn't a possibility.

Oh Frell! I just tried ordering and Parts Express requires a minimum $100 dollar amount for an international order.
Damn, got all excited for nothing.

I concur with Jack. Even if you're only powering one at a time, current is still going to be flowing through both cables. Stackable banana plugs, as I understand it, are often used for adding other speakers to the same speaker output, such as running a pair of center speakers off of one center amp.

zathras- who is the 'new' female on your avatar. is she an actress or model or something.. i dont recognize her..?

and where are you "international". i love to know where folks are from.

bigjohn

bigjohn, my avatar is the delectable Indian hottie Bipasha Basu. She's a model and Bollywood actress. In terms of sex appeal, I find her much more desirable than the other Bollywood actress everone seems to favour, former Miss World Aishwarya Rai (seen recently in Bride and Prejudice).

I'm from Durban, South Africa.
And I've seen enough US tv to guess that you're a proud Texan.

Thanks for the advice on the stackable banana plugs everyone.

Well, as Ken said, and drawing on some caveat I ran across long ago, if you have two amps connected to one set of speakers, even with one of them off, the current from the one that is on, is going into the speakers and then back down the other set of speaker wire to the speaker outputs of the other amp, and I think current flowing INto an OUTput is a "no no." I do hope that someone who knows what they're talking about will chime in here (No offense meant, Ken. You're right about the function of stacking bananas. )

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stacking bananas

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That sounds like something out of spiffnme's "movie" collection...

EEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWW!

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spiffnme's "movie" collection

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i dont find that funny at al.... OK, yes i do..

ya know, i bet craig has a bathroom reader chock full of hetero jokes that he is just gonna unleash on us one day. we keep pushing him like this, the guy is liable to crack!!

jeff foxworthy style...
YOU might be a hetero if.......

..you have less than 3 bee-gee's cd's in your collection.
..the word "fabulous" is not in your daily vocabulary.
..the news of a Cher and Prince concert tour doesnt make you pass out with excitement..

did someone say bananas?? its time for lunch..

bigjohn

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I'm from Durban, South Africa.

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Yes, but are you the one who was, the one who is, or the one who will be?

B5 4EVR!!!

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I do hope that someone who knows what they're talking about will chime in here

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Just from basic electical circuits theory, by adding additional elements to the circuit, you're changing the load... it won't remain 8 ohms. stacked bananas parallel the load, so the load appears lower from the point of view of the driver. Someone mentioned the example of one amp driving two centers... this appears to the the amp as a single equivalent load of half the original impedance (assuming both centers are matched... 2 parallel 8 ohm speakers look like a single 4 ohm speaker).

Additionally, when there's two active drivers on one load (2 amps, one speaker), unless there's a perfect match of voltage between the two drivers, one will source current and the other will sink current. This may not be an issue if the amp was designed to handle it. Was your amp designed to handle it? If you can't absolutely say "yes", I'd go on the side of caution and not drive both of them into one speaker.

OTOH, My M60s have two sets of banana sockets. They're tied together with metal straps. You can use two amps on this speaker by removing the straps and then each amp drives one set of banana sockets. Internally, they're isolated from each other so there's no current flowing between the amps. It's really that each amp drives its own speaker, but these speakers share a cabinet.

Now we leave my area of expertise and get into yours.

What's the advantage of using two amps on a single speaker? Is it just to get a large amplitude (volume)? I'm not sure of my power ratings, but my amp can drive the M60s, QS8's and VP100 well enough to more than fill my room. Why do I need more than that?

By adding more power capabilities, but listening at the same volume, you'd stay away from the maximum power that the amp is capabile of delivering. Is there less distortion when staying away from the maximum power level? I've seen that distortion in old (like 1940s) amps, but I wouldn't think it would be as prevalent in modern amps. Is it?

Enjoy!

I set up one of the T-Amps with the Ah! Njoe Tjoeb CDP driving a pair of M22 like Michaura M55s wired through a Velodyne CHT 10 subwoofer. UNBELIEVABLE! This little, plastic 15 wpc amp (with Radio Shack 13.8V/3Amp power converter) filled my large family room (cathedral ceiling) with glorious music.

I can't do an A/B with my 5 wpc tube amp because the tubie needs a bit of tech attention after the move and is out of commission.

This T Amp makes music!!

As to stacking amps, why? If you have efficient speakers (Axioms) you don't really need more than 5 wpc to generate substantial volume levels. If you want head whacking volume levels, go with a more powerful amp. These T Amps are pure to about 10 watts output, get a bit strained above that, but 10 wpc into 93 db efficient speakers is LOUD friends.

If you can find one of these T Amps, grab one, or more. They are a hoot!

I've had mine for several weeks, and just laugh out loud whenever i turn it on.
This past weekend a buddy who is seriously into the A/V stuff came up for the first time to hear the Axioms and new gear.
He was blown away by the Axioms. It was the first time he had heard them.
Then I set up and turned on the T-Amp with the M2i's.
He was simply staggered. Just kept laughing and laughing.
His wife came into the room, and wanted to know what was going on, and all he could do was point at the T-Amp.
Finally he was able to get out, "It's from Target, and it costs $30!"
I think he is already ordering 5 of them to set up a whole house system for a friend of his wife.
Because of how good this thing is, I am thinking of abandoning the front effects speakers with the Yamaha DSPs and seeing if I can trade my M2i's in on a set of M3i's to set up a bedroom system with the T-Amp.
What a Great, Great Tip this was!
Thanks 2X6!!!

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This T Amp makes music!!

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I agree that this is a great little amp, but "make music" is quite an exaggeration. An amp is not a musical instrument, nor should it be. This amp amplifies music cleanly, which is especially impressive considering how inexpensive all its components are.

Come on Pmbucko, you're just a little miffed because the $20 T Amp is better than what you're running, right?

PMB's sour note is probably borne of the false belief that all amps sound the same. They don't. The T Amp is really astonishingly good!

Check back to the initial review my brother (adamp88) posted. Based on a casual A/B session, we both agreed that my Onkyo sounded more open and natural than the T-amp. If the T-amp cost closer to $100 or $200, I don't think I'd recommend it to anyone, as SS amps can be had at that price which provide more power and authority.

I do not tend to make blanket statements, but here's one I'll cop to: all amps do not sound the same. We all agree that tube amps do not sound like SS amps. Digital amps are another breed of SS amp altogether, so until I see some data and statistics, I am not going to state or implicate that they sound the same as other amps.

What I will say is this. By implying that you can hear the difference between amps of like technology (i.e. SS vs SS), you are saying your ears are far finer and more accurate at picking out audio "signatures" than hundereds of inidividuals of wide and various backgrounds who have participated in blind listening tests performed under controlled (read: variables minimized) listening tests.

Are you really that good, or are you allowing other well-known influences to cloud your judgment?

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Come on Pmbucko, you're just a little miffed because the $20 T Amp is better than what you're running, right?

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Nah, I gotta agree with Peter on this one. It's another one of those hyperboles that really undermines believability.

Like "the Sony DXC-D50WS is such an incredible camera it makes your subject look like a professional actor even if they rolled out of the elementary Christmas play!"...

Bren R.