Tripath TA2020 Class-T amp

[tuyen]

I'm in the process of building an 8channel (4x stereo amps) power amp for my GOTO horn project.

Originally I was thinking of running the whole setup with valve amps, but decided to give class-T a go as the modules are rediculously cheap ($50 per stereo module) and  they can all be run off 1 car battery!   They are very efficient, although only outputting about 12watts @ 8ohm, and ~8watts @ 16ohm,  compression drivers (16ohm) are so sensitive, even 1watt is more then enough for ear splitting levels.  Plus the thought of having 4 valve amps running at once (all diferrent types), summer coming up, last months power bill,  made me think trying these class-t amps a very good idea.









My first looks of the components on the board, I can already see some potential modifications I can do to them that should improve performance  

[kajak12]

no room for duelunds or jensen caps tuyen,rubycons must come standard on 90% of boards.try elna cerefine or panasonic fc

[Hens]

Those are looking good, must trounce your yaqin since you are selling it.

[tuyen]

I'm only sellling the Yaqin to make way for the killerAMP that Paul is currently building for me.

I can't say anything about these class-T amps yet on my system as I have not heard them!  I might suit my taste (after mods of course!) or they might not.  Only one way to know..

Update:  The package is in Perth. Should be getting them early this week. Will set them up on a piece of cardboard or wood, until I work out how much total space they need and find suitable case for them.

Also looking for some spare car batteries to run these amps off. Off to the wreckers I go

[tuyen]

Received my 4 amp modules yesterday and after a quick inspection of the boards, found one board having a broken diode. So getting sent a replacement diode to fix myself from the seller.

[kajak12]

if you use dc why have a diode tuyen?

[tuyen]

No idea, I don't think it is needed for my application. The unit does accept AC power in too.  I don't have the circuit diagram which makes it hard to know which components I can remove. Am working on it though!

[tuyen]

These amps are great for $40. 

They are very detailed, smooth, not super light/thin (like my old Bel Canto class D amps) but not 'meaty' in the mids like my valve amps.  I'm guessing they would be more considered neutral  then my valve amps which are probably tuned to be weighty in the mids (which to me makes the music more realistic).

Personally, I feel they also lack a sense of engagement compared to my valve amps.  There's a 'glow' in the sound that I'm used to and I find is missing on these amps, maybe it is actually distortion I am not sure!

This is all when driving my ML-1 standmount speakers.    Could be a different story on the GOTO 4 way horns so I will still pursue with them and see how I go first before pulling the plug

[tuyen]

Couldn't go back to sleep after waking up at 4am and had twitchy fingers so ended up replacing the stock Audiophiler 2.2uf coupling capacitor (input signal path) with some spare 2.2uf Auricaps I had lying around.

Improvement (by ear) in resolution, openness (sweet!), and a touch more smoothness and body in the mids (ie. vocals sound more real, less thin, sterile).

Amazing how much difference internal components can affect the sound without even any circuit modifications, just simple parts swapping.

DIY modding is so much fun

[kajak12]

just imagine a duelund cap in that place tuyen 

[crazikid]

what value do you need tuyen.. i've got some jensen 1uf coppers papers tubes doing nothing here.. you can try them if you like

[tuyen]

Hey crazikid, they are 2.2uf for the input signal caps.   I could use those jensens elsewhere if you want to offload them


Replaced the stock 6800uf 25V Rubycon power filteration cap (the black cap sitting next to the 2 red caps) with a 6800uf 63VDC Aerovox (UK made). More clarity and resolution. Lows go lower

These amps respond really well with component changes. I'm still quite amazed how good they sound for the money.

[kajak12]

they are great caps the aerovox i used them on my wave player,cheap as chips bung for the buck cap that is i got some at home in my stash

[Hens]

haha, they actually look super cool!

[tuyen]

40uF ASC oil fill cap   in the spot where the stock 6800uf rubycon was (12v power filteration cap) ,  and I am not hearing any loss of bass or any clipping at normal listening volumes. Interesting!  Any tech-heads able to explain to me the purpose of such a originally high-value cap in that place?

Either way the ASC makes the music sound even more fluid than the Aerovox.   Very smooth sound. I like!

[kajak12]

asc cap is great tuyen stick a jensen 47uf jensen out of your yaquin