Have your say & ask the experts

matthewpiano:

I just can't agree with that Fahnsen. As I said before the relationship between the amplifier and speakers is crucial to a successful system. I have heard for myself the differences between different amplifiers and the way in which speakers react differently depending on the amp used. My Quad example above illustrates this only too well. The Quads are a well made and well designed speaker at their price point but partnering with a suitable amplifier is crucial to achieving the sound of which they are capable. In fact, a well designed speaker will be more revealing of what the amplifier is or isn't doing, in the same way that a quality amp and speaker set-up is more revealing of source quality. Far too much emphasis is placed on single areas of a system when the overall synergy between each and every constituent component (including source, amplification, speakers/headphones, cables and supports) can make the difference between success and a musical train crash.

Wow....this is really giving me serious concerns. I plan to travel to KL (200km from where I live) to audition my shortlisted amps, cdps and speakers. As I mentioned in my other threads, there's no way I can audition all of them together in one place. For example, when I visit the dealer that supplies Spendors, I can only listen to them partnered with their own electronics and not the ones that I plan to get. When I visit the dealer that supplies ATCs, I can only listen to the ATCs driven by that particular dealer's electronics. Same goes for PMCs. So it's absolutely impossible for me to audition the ATCs, PMCs and Spendors using the same source and amplifier.

What am I to do? HELP! I don't want to spend so much money and end up with a musical train crash!

matthewpiano:

I just can't agree with that Fahnsen.

jtein:

So it's absolutely impossible for me to audition the ATCs, PMCs and Spendors using the same source and amplifier.

Don Jr:

Call each dealer and ask them if you can bring your own electronics for the demo.

I don't have electronics of my own to bring because I'm building a system from scratch.

FrankHarveyHiFi:

It's not impossible.

It is.....I don't live in UK.

hi jtein

dont worry about it so much many people choose speakers first because thats your window to the system and does more than anything else to define the sound

once youve decided on your speakers take them to other dealers or ask to audition with similar sounding ones

alternatively if the setup you hear sounds really special then buy that one and forget your preconceptions thats what i did and i was only looking for a cd player

good luck with it 

hes saying he can audition the speakers but without the amp and cd players on his shortlist and none at home

its having been in that position before that makes me say get the speakers first 

lordmortlock:

So I've bought a little T class trends audio ta 10.1 amp for the kitchen and thought I'd see if it could power my '40s.

It did. Perfectly well. I'm not saying it sounded as good as my 909 but given it was a tenth of the price I'd be gutted if it had. The top end is more shrill and the sound isn't as fluid but the volumes ok and the sound is quite acceptable.

I've been a bit worried that by buying the ATCs I've limited myself to hulking great power amps but given that the TA 10.1 is only 10w per channel I'm less concerned now.

Which brings me back to the title of the post ...

Back to the OP, so how does the Trend Audio amp fair in its intended role, as Kitchen applicance, other than perfectly well, is it Hi-Fi  ?  Glad the suggestion is working out for you.

Neon K:

 

, is it Hi-Fi  ?  Glad the suggestion is working out for you.

 Ha! Its driving a bose 2.1 system so I guess its pushing it to call it Hifi! Joking aside it sounds great. A little bit bright at the top end imo but it does a good, honest job of delivering music of all genres across the hi, mid and low ranges.

I'm not totally sure it would make many final audition lists for a main system but given that its a) tiny and b) less than £100 I think its amazing. I've got an  AE aego M 2.1 powered system it my bedroom and I think I might chop it in for another TA 10.1 and a pair of wharfdale diamond 9.1s. Add a beresford or similar and you'd have a tidy, discrete system.

I did post thanking you for your suggestion (calling neon K) but thanks again in case you missed it.

 Jake. 

jtein:

Wow....this is really giving me serious concerns. I plan to travel to KL (200km from where I live) to audition my shortlisted amps, cdps and speakers. As I mentioned in my other threads, there's no way I can audition all of them together in one place. For example, when I visit the dealer that supplies Spendors, I can only listen to them partnered with their own electronics and not the ones that I plan to get. When I visit the dealer that supplies ATCs, I can only listen to the ATCs driven by that particular dealer's electronics. Same goes for PMCs. So it's absolutely impossible for me to audition the ATCs, PMCs and Spendors using the same source and amplifier.

What am I to do? HELP! I don't want to spend so much money and end up with a musical train crash!

At the risk of going off topic again, you should thank your lucky stars that you don't live in Perth (the warmer Perth). If I want to audition ATC speakers, I would have to fly 4000km to Sydney.  

Almost as quick to fly to KL. At least I would be able to have good char kuey teow while I was there. Music always sounds better on a full stomach.

jtein:

It is.....I don't live in UK.

one off:

hi jtein

dont worry about it so much many people choose speakers first because thats your window to the system and does more than anything else to define the sound

once youve decided on your speakers take them to other dealers or ask to audition with similar sounding ones

alternatively if the setup you hear sounds really special then buy that one and forget your preconceptions thats what i did and i was only looking for a cd player

good luck with it

Will do, one off, thanks again for the heads-up.

Antistatic:

At the risk of going off topic again, you should thank your lucky stars that you don't live in Perth (the warmer Perth). If I want to audition ATC speakers, I would have to fly 4000km to Sydney.  

Almost as quick to fly to KL. At least I would be able to have good char kuey teow while I was there. Music always sounds better on a full stomach.

Really Antistatic? No ATCs in Perth? Can't believe it! Perhaps I'll take up your suggestion and have a nice serving of char kuey teow before I start my audition rounds. You visit KL regularly?

My apologies to the thread starter for OTing.