Hi YC, thank for your components. I spend the whole day on t-amp yesterday. Check my old equipment, check the discrete components from you and my left over from other project that done years ago, went to JP to get the balance that i don't have. Putting it piece by piece until 2am this morning. I just test for functionality but not yet connect to my bookshelf speaker yet. No smoke come out, got sound to testing speaker. Tomorrow will find time to do more testing. I do hear hissing after the upgrade, will test further.

Here is some pictures.

This post has been edited by kww: Dec 12 2008, 11:41 AM


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Actually there is an add on board holding the C14, 15 18 and 19. That is really messy wire at the back of it as I am too tired to cut to correct length and twist it.

I think is fun to work on and give some satisfaction. At least I don't see white smoke or dead.

jazzy, thanks for the 'tsunami' complement, i really don't know how to put so many components with limited space. I saw most of you put it straight but i think it is harder to work on as compare to tilt it a bit. that give more space for my big 60W soldering iron and my clumsy hand.

bsl is right, it is cheap to work on and try out. I listen for a week before modding, I think this little thing is quite clean and accurate. If it is good i will order another and get better components for it. Another hell of the day.

There is a lot of noise, i think is because of long connection for C14, 15 18 and 19. I check all the connection, is all secure. In the process to relocate the cap i broke my desoldering sucker. Ordering one in farnell now, don't trust jalan pasar thing any more.

Finally manage to find the problem, it is because of the loosen connections of C22 and 27. In the process to secure it, i accidentally pull off the whole base (I think because of reheating multiple times). I need to glue it back on to secure it in the original location even the base is out, and use jumper wire to connect to where is suppose to be. Finally it is singing again on my test speaker, sound a bit harsh, clinical and still a bit of hissing. Will try to let it burn in for some time and see how it is.

paskal, in my opinion, this little thing is quite hardy, I sent a clipping signal to it and C8 smoke and the heat melt the solder lead! I solder it back and it still sing. I think the IC will burn only if you connect the power supply wrong.

next is to find a casing that can fit it, right now too many wire hanging around and the components are all expose unsecure.

I am also looking for a casing for my t-amp with extended board plus power supply module. I think that will be as big as an astro box. I got a spoiled VCR player some where in the store room, maybe that will ok to use.

After 10 hour of listening, the t-amp smoothen up a lot, hissing sound also less. I saw somewhere mentioned new capacitors need 160hours to run in. That sound really a lot for normal listening.

xtorm, ya see you there, give me a sms when you are leaving, i can be there in 15min.

I want to build a few RCA and phono cable, i only need it in short length, anyone know where can i get belden or canare or mogami? Or you have some to let go? i only need around 3m of each.

jazzy, which shop? I seen some belden 85xx series speaker cable before 2 yr ago but not RCA or phono cable.

Jazzy, do you remember how much and model? I heard from friend L2T2S is good. But i never audit before. Any opinion?

ar188, can introduce the aunty to me?

I have try a few type of 12v power supply for my t-amp. My own findings:
- Phone charger, wallwart (adjustable), laptop power supply (about 300-450mA) - when play louder it will like switch on and off as not enough power.
- PC PSU - When play loud and continue hard hit bass, it will be softer and softer like not enough breath.

Now settle with a cannibalized 12V 3A power supply from an alarm unit. I think using a 12V car battery will further improve it performance (think of 500A reserve from the battery) but this kind battery not safe to use indoor as it release harmful gas when it charge and recharge. Maybe someone that use t-amp in car can give some comment.

Optima Yellow Top is selling like rm800 4years ago when i want to upgrade my car audio system. Until now also I haven't buy it and it just increase price not long ago. It is darm expansive

Since not much posting, i made one before CNY. Happy CNY to all t-amp modders.
Here is the most recent mod for my friend t-amp board. Only input cap (3.3uf+0.1uf) and power cap (220UF) replaced. No chance to audit it, as collection is immediate after mod.




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anyone replace the inductor with better quality like air-core before?

dylan, I don't know your mod on t-amp but my modded t-amp sound sweet when turn on.

dylan, your t-amp remind me of my old car. The first minute you can't move else the engine will die off, the next 5min the gear change will be rough, after that everything is back to normal.

Mind telling us what caps are in the board now? Is it the only change?
Mine all change except the 2024 and inductors.

Yc, long time no see, how are you?
The warm up is too little for me to notice the difference. My ear need more training. My t-amp still got hissing sound when turn on with music, but not notice even in middle of the night unless put put my ear next to the speaker. I think is because of any of these reason:
1. i mix some Jalan Pasar cap (1uF, 100pF) and resistors (10ohm, 8.2kohm) to the quality component you pass to me.
2. The component leg is too long (as seem from pic, it is about 2cm for some cap). The input cap and power cap are on another board, the wire is about 5" long.
3. A few broken connection reconnect with bare wire.

Anyway it is still very sweet and smooth, only complain from wife and kids are no remote control for volume. Now it is my dinning room DVD 2 ch home theater amp. Maybe will build another later with better quality components, looking forward for long holiday.

dylan, you can just snap a picture of the t-amp and post it here.

About the mod, you can go back to page 1, xtrom and jazzy give a lot of guide. Check out YC blog also.

Helping a friend here, he just got himself a vinyls and want to use t-amp as amplifier. He need to build a pre-amp for it to work, can anyone provide me a schematic of the pre-amp?
Thanks.

YC, how much is that pair cost?
By the way the hissing sound of the t-amp gone after about 4months of run in. Quite amazing that it need so much time to run-in (about 2hr per day).

jazzy, mine is mixing jalan pasar components (1uF, 10kohm, 0.47uF) with the quality one, i think that is the problem. Anyway it still sound sweet.
If I got time I will do another board with quality components.