[HiFi letters to TNT-Audio] TNT Readers' corner

TNT-Audio Readers' Corner

Monthly section devoted to your letters, positive and negative feedback about everything related to Audio and HiFi.

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June 2014

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My TNT FleXy based on Ikea Numerar slabs
Dear Lucio,
first of all I'd like to thank you and the whole TNT staff for the impressive amount of useful information you publish on your website, all for free! Secondly, I'd like to send a pic of my variation on a theme regarding your famous TNT FleXy DIY HiFi rack; I've recycled some slab of IKEA Numerar countertop (Birch). I've decided to use the three legs scheme as it is way easier to adjust and level. I've used rubber antivibration feet but I plan to experiment with spikes as well. I'm extremely happy with the result, it has been a very easy project.
Cheers!
Fabrizio - E-mail: fabrizio.cuccu (at) gmail.com

LC
Dear Fabrizio,
congratulations on your neat Flexy and thanks for the precious feedback on one of our most popular and appreciated DIY designs! Let us know your findings when I'll experiment with spikes. Eventually, use closed bolts for the top shelf, as those nude steel bars can easily damage the HiFi component that will sit on the top shelf.
Thanks again for the feedback and happy listening & DIYing!
Lucio Cadeddu

More FleXy racks
Hello there,
here are some examples of Flexy racks.
Not exactly the simple and fast solution that a Flexy is meant to be but a Flexy rack never the less.
Well after putting up with an Ikea cabinet for a few years I decided it was time for a decent rack.
The TNT Flexy is meant to be a quick and easy option but somewhere along the way my design morphed into something different. Designed to sort of resemble a Fraim rack the first step was to cut and shape the beech panels. The legs were next and the aluminium rectangular hollow sections were cut to size. Then sanded to a fine finish. Then each leg had a piece of wood cut to size and inserted into the leg. Then each piece was drilled.
Round aluminium solid rods were cut to size and sent off to a friend with a lathe for machining. He also drilled the holes in each piece for the threaded rods. The shelves were given a quick sand and finished with a coat of polyurethane.
The front legs were then dowelled and glued in place to each shelf. The rear legs were just slid down the threaded rod.
Once the glue was dry it was a simple matter of sliding the pieces together.
The rods were cut to length and a dome nut installed to finish the job. It took a while to get done, and the silver finish will not appeal to everyone, but it is a heavy, rock solid rack that does not move or wobble a millimetre.
Andrew - E-mail: kropserkel (at) optusnet.com.au

LC
Dear Andrew,
thanks for the pics of the strange and massive variation on a FleXy theme :-)
I've never liked the rear-placed third leg as it may interfere with cables. Excellent work, though!
Thanks for the feedback!
Lucio Cadeddu

Procedure for dismantling, cleaning, lubricating (?), re-assembling and adjusting a turntable tonearm gimbal
Please tell me where I can find a tutorial/guide/book containing a complete procedure for dismantling, cleaning, lubricating (?), re-assembling and adjusting a turntable tonearm gimbal.
Thank you,
John - E-mail: niurando (at) gmail.com

LC
Dear John,
generally it is not strictly necessary to dismantle a tonearm! Moreover, not all tonearms were created equal, there are many different ways to build a tonearm gimbal. In this website you'll find a complete description of the dismantling procedure of an EMT 929 tonearm, for example. And here you'll find how to dismantle a classical Thorens TP16 tonearm. Eventually, you might find our article on how to dismantle and rewire a Decca tonearm of some interest as well.
These guides are not useful per se, if you don't own those arms, but they give you an idea on how complicated and delicate this job might be. If you're confident with your DIY skills, go ahead and, following the steps you can find on these guides, try to apply the same procedures to your tonearm. You should search for the service manual of your tonearm or ask the manufacturer to supply one. Service manuals, generally, are not available for free.
Just one final suggestion: at each step of the dismantling procedure take several pics of what you're doing, as these will be useful when you'll try to put all those tiny parts together! Even asking someone to take a video could be useful.
Good luck, I hope this helped somehow!
Lucio Cadeddu

Class D amps
Dear TNT,
My name is Marcelo and I live in Rio de Janeiro - Brazil. I am 53 years old and love audio stuff.
I have a Kenwood Stereo Receiver, model KR-4140 since 1974 (true!) and with only 18 watts rms per channel (8 Ohms) it beats EASILY my 2 years old Marantz 5.1 Receiver (with 50 watts rms /channel - 8 ohms). The sound of the old Kenwood is much more "natural" and pure. With its bass and treble knobs set to "0", it sounds much more better than the Marantz with its bass and treble in 6 (which is its max.).
Last week I let the Kenwood been serviced by a special electronic tech and, at his "workshop", I was introduced to a small box (smaller than my small hands), which was a 50 watts rms/channel power amplifier. He bought a little B&O pre-mounted circuit in USA and a small metal box. Put the input and output (speakers) and the power wire on it and... that's all. I was fascinated. It sounds amazing. I saw and heard it. No one told me - I was there and saw and heard with my eyes and ears.
During this past week, I went into internet and start reading about these small (in size), but great (in sound qualities), amps and then I met the TNT AUDIO.
The amazing reviews I've read from you are from some years ago. For this reason, I would like to ask you a few questions, to "update" my knowledge about these amps (and pre).

I've read the comparative test of 3 mini amps, from 2011, and the TBI Millenia was "the winner". Is it still the best, nowadays? Can we use a pre-amp, like TCC TC-754, with it?
In this same comparative test, the TA 2.10SE (from Trends audio) was the "worse one". But I read another "single" review from it ( http://www.tnt-audio.com/ampli/trends_ta10p_e.html) and it got a strong recommendation. What if we use it with the same TCC TC-754 pre-amp?
Also, I've read good reviews, in other sites (6moons), about the Dayens Ampino.

Well, these are considered 3 "integrated" amplifiers (not power amps). As I asked, do you think they can sound better with a pre-amp? I've listed the TC-754 because I've read good things about it in TNT AUDIO page - and we can plug 4 sources on it. What about the Dayton APA 150 and DTA 120? The 150 is a class A/B and the 120 is class T, but... which one sounds better? Let's consider a NOT big room and speakers with, more than 89 dB of sensitivity.
The Dayens Ampino Stereo Power Amp (not the integrated one) also seems to be an excelent choice too (http://www.stereotimes.com/amp101112a.shtml). Again, do you think it can work fine with the TC-754 pre amp? If not, which "small" and not expensive pre would you recommend?
So, as you can see, I would like to know which, of all these small amps, sounds better (apart of Class or price) and if they work fine with the TC-754 pre amp. Can you list them in a "worse to better" sequence?
As I am always willing to learn, you can give me other suggestions about these small amps and pre.
I would like to thanks, in advance, for your attention.
Marcelo - E-mail: marceloduro (at) hotmail.com

NW
Hi Marcelo,
my advice would be to ignore all those amps and go for a chip amp based on an LM3875 chip. I appreciate that something like a Clones Audio amp is a lot more expensive but you will get what you pay for. Alternatively if you can DIY, build one either from a kit, or from scratch. Or ask the guy who serviced your Kenwood to built you one. Or if you really liked the B&O based amp, ask him to build you one too.
Whether you need a stage between your source and amp depends much on what the source component and amp are. If you do need one, I recommend the iFi iTube without hesitation.
If you are insistent on the best small class T/D amp, then I would recommend the Bantam Gold that I reviewed for TNT some time ago. It comes closest to the sound of a good (Gainclone style) chip amp but is much smaller if size is your priority.
Regards,
Nick Whetstone

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