OOS - Sonic Impact T-amp $29.99 +tax & shipping

[Rivian]

This amplifier has been making waves in the Hifi audio community.
Review (tnt-audio.com)
Another Review (boingboing.net)

Amazon.com $29.99

 

[corinthos]

Good, cheap amp. Have been fairly satisfied with mine for a while driving a pair of NHT SuperZero speakers hooked up to my Mad Dog Entertainer 7.1 ENVY24HT-S soundcard and some Home Depot 16-gauge speaker wire.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: corinthos
Good, cheap amp. Have been fairly satisfied with mine for a while driving a pair of NHT SuperZero speakers hooked up to my Mad Dog Entertainer 7.1 ENVY24HT-S soundcard and some Home Depot 16-gauge speaker wire.

What's the efficiency of your speakers?

EDIT: 86dB?

So no problems driving them with the t-amp?

 

[Joel Kleppinger]

I drive 89db speakers (Polk R15s) with the T-amp. I wouldn't mind having a few db higher sensitivity for more bass volume, but it can get pretty loud without distorting. I did rule out some 86db speakers, and while I think they would have been ok, I'm glad I went with higher sensitivity.

Oh, a froogle search ought to lead to a vendor that can supply the T-amp for less than $30 shipped with no tax. Vendors have had problems keeping them in stock, though.

There are many sites discussing the T-amp and offering help with mods.

 

[SonicIce]

what does an amp do anyway?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: SonicIce
what does an amp do anyway?

Provides power to unpowered speakers... like what a receiver would do pretty much in a HT system.

In these cases, an analog signal is provided to the amp and then it increases the signal strength and feeds it to a pair of bookshelf or floorstanding speakers. The higher the sensitivity of the speakers the louder the output will be for a given amount of power output by the amp.

For the t-amp the output is very clean up to something like 5 to 9 watts depending on the impedence of the speakers.

You could hook up something like ELTs to the t-amp and get some nice quality stereo output going from a computer or any other source really.

 

[Nick5324]

OOS, doesn't come with the AC adaptor, you have to use batteries, WTH?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Nick5324
OOS, doesn't come with the AC adaptor, you have to use batteries, WTH?

Yeah, it's battery powered.

You can get a power adapter from partsexpress.
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdet...&DID=7&Partnumber=300-952&ctab=14#Tabs

 

[corinthos]

i bought a universal power adapter which works pretty well with it.. word is it sounds better powered using ac adapter than batteries.

 

[SonicIce]

need something like this for my headphones wish i could try one first

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: SonicIce
need something like this for my headphones wish i could try one first

Check out Headfi.org if you haven't already to check out opinions on what would be a good match for your headphones.

 

[SonicIce]

why do receivers have video inputs? wouldn't it be better to just take the signal from the source (like a dvd player or computer) and plug it into the display?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: SonicIce
why do receivers have video inputs? wouldn't it be better to just take the signal from the source (like a dvd player or computer) and plug it into the display?

That would tend to be a good idea.

For my own experience, I have a projector that only has a single component input/s-video/composite.

For me a receiver with video switching and upconversion is allowing me to only run a single set of component cables to my projector rather than sending a signal from each source in its native form from each device.

This way I'm also keeping cable lengths down - sources only need to have cables long enough to reach the receiver and then I can make a long single run from the receiver to the projector.

A receiver may help boost some weaker signals. I haven't tried it in a straight run, but I was told that I might run into some problems running a long video run from a weaker output like from a computer.

Switching between sources can be easier. I have a nice remote that can do a lot of preset stuff of different devices, but in the case where you're using the receiver remote, it can be easier to just hit a different source button and have it swith audio and video rather than just having it switch audio and having to set the video input separately too.

So those are a few benefits I have personally liked since I've been using receivers for video switching.

 

[mawg]

Not in stock at Amazon. they want you to pre-order. I went around and around with this before. they'll keep slipping the date. If they promise to not charge your card until ship then OK. these things are great if you high-efficiency speakers. If you really want to see the story on these check http://www.forbes.com/business/forbes/2005/1003/067.html great story.

BTW, these were $19.95 a few months ago till people caught on to what was happening.

The $100 TEAC AL 700 is similar technology, 30 watts per channel, 3 channels. I'm driving a pair of Klipsch Cornwalls with the SI, a pair of Klipschorns with the TEAC. A Sony ES-333 SACD is source. Very nice tunes. Cornwalls are like 97dB @1 watt@ 1meter, the Klipschorns are 104. I don't need a lot of power.

 

[TecJunkie]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Nick5324
OOS, doesn't come with the AC adaptor, you have to use batteries, WTH?

Yeah, it's battery powered.

You can get a power adapter from partsexpress.
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdet...&DID=7&Partnumber=300-952&ctab=14#Tabs

for $20 thats a rip for an adapter

 

[MicroChrome]

Sound excellent got some hooked up to a pair of PollK R-15's.

Overall Frequency Response 60Hz - 24kHz
Lower -3dB Limit 65Hz
Upper -3dB Limit 20kHz
Nominal Impedance 8 ohms
Recommended Amplifier Power 20 - 100 w/channel
Sensitivity @1m, 2.83Vrms drive level Efficiency 89 dB
Inputs 5-way binding posts

I went to frys and for 30 bucks they have a power supply 4Amp ... Heavy duty. 13.5Volts works great!

Have Fun!


Edit

link for the lazy

 

[TecJunkie]

Back in stock!

PS

if you like this you should check out the portable speakers that sonic impact makes. I recently posted this thread about it and received them i give it a A+
Portable speaker system

 

[TecJunkie]

Originally posted by: MicroChrome
Sound excellent got some hooked up to a pair of PollK R-15's.

Overall Frequency Response 60Hz - 24kHz
Lower -3dB Limit 65Hz
Upper -3dB Limit 20kHz
Nominal Impedance 8 ohms
Recommended Amplifier Power 20 - 100 w/channel
Sensitivity @1m, 2.83Vrms drive level Efficiency 89 dB
Inputs 5-way binding posts

I went to frys and for 30 bucks they have a power supply 4Amp ... Heavy duty. 13.5Volts works great!

Have Fun!


Edit

link for the lazy

please excuse my ignorance is this a power adapter or a mobile power supply?