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Scythe SDA-1000 feedback
Ciao Lucio Cadeddu,
First, Congratulations, you have the best hifi magazine in the world.....by far!
I'm from Portugal and a "hi-fi" fan for 15 years. Too many equipments, upgrades, etc...you know...
Well, I read your review of the Scythe SDA-1000, and I must admit I said to myself: - Ok, what he means is that it is listenable, not a 100€ Philips micro system...?
Somehow I effectively bougth one (possible the only one here in Portugal...) for fun and for believing in your words (why would anyone geopardise a magazine for a 50€ amp?).
I bougth it for 46,80€ and had a 5 days run-in. I don't have words for it. It beated hands-off my Audiolab 8000A integrated amp wich costed me 560€ in 1995. I didn't compare it with my other amps because I'm afraid of the result.
Serious. Partnered with a pair of B&W DM601 S1 I am redescovering the fun in Hi FI once again.
Yeah!
Ciao,
Raimundo - E-mail: raimundo.constancio (at) gmail.com

LC
Dear Raimundo,
thanks for trusting in my words! Trusting a reviewer should always be avoided but, for 46 €, I admit it was a small risk, after all. I'm glad to know it made you rediscover that HiFi can also be entertaining :-)
It also made me rediscover how HiFi components can be ridiculously overpriced :-(
I hope the guys at Scythe don't try to exploit my review to increase the price, it would be a commercial mistake.
Thanks for the feedback!
Lucio Cadeddu

Question about Squeeezbox
Dear Nick,
I have just bought a Squeezbox [the latest version called the Classic which I think is Squeezebox 3]. I have read all your past articles on TNT about the Squeezebox and I wonder could you please answer a question which I don't think is dealt with. I want to use the Squeezbox into a DAC rather than into a pre-amp. So I am not interested in improving the analogue output.
So my question is: what can I do to the Squeezebox to improve the signal fed to the DAC or is it all a function of the DAC i.e. if the DAC is good enough everything should work fine.
Thanks,
James - E-mail: j.hamilton (at) iol.ie

NW
Hi James,
I hope that you will find all you need to know here but if not please ask.
Regards,
Nick Whetstone

Scythe SDA-1000
After reading the recent review on TNT-Audio, I've tried to purchase an SDA-1000 amplifier only to find it's been discontinued. I was hoping to find a supplier who still had some stock, but no such luck.
I contacted Scythe USA and they advised me that a revised version of this amp is due out at the end of the third quarter of this year. I'm awaiting it anxiously. I hope the price doesn't go up much.
Ted - E-mail: fairfieldt (at) medinaconsultants.com

LC
Dear Ted,
I've received similar letters from readers living in different Countries worldwide. It seems the little gem has gone out of stock a couple of days after the review went online (!!!). Some website has declared it "out of stock" and put it again as available at 3 times the original price. Sad but true. I know nothing about a "revised version", I just hope the price doesn't go up ridiculously. I'll contact Scythe to know what's going on. Of course if price increases too much its quality/price ratio (now stellar) will become just "average". At 3 times the original price there are other chip amps that sound similar if not better.
Hope this helps,
Lucio Cadeddu

Static build-up and vibrations
Hi, I am in the process of gathering enough information about the parts needed to build two audiophile quality TNT FleXy racks, I was wondering if there is a procedure to stop plexiglas from static build up and whether the usage of isolation spikes or feet is necessary to improve resistance to vibration.
If you have any answers to these questions or have a referral to someone who could it would be most appreciated.
Cheers,
Kynan - E-mail: kynan10 (at) hotmail.com

LC
Dear Kynan,
there are many products that create an antistatic barrier on plastic surfaces. Just ask your wife! Furniture cleaning sprays (most of them) use an antistatic formula that works quite well.
To prevent vibrations perhaps spikes aren't the best solution, soft rubber feet being much better in this department. You need to transform vibrational energy into heat, hence you need a material that can deform.
Hope this helps,
Lucio Cadeddu

Glisdome sliders
Hello,
I was interested to see your website about these sliders. I have a pack that my father bought many years ago from a quality furniture store here in the UK. They are brilliant for putting under white goods/heavy furniture so you can move it. But I only have 4 and would like more. I have phoned several DIY/furniture stores and no-one has heard of them.. Do you know please where I might find them?
S White - E-mail: julian_white.t21 (at) btinternet.com

LC
Dear Mr. White,
Teflon® sliders are very easy to find, even online. A quick search with Google gives you dozens of different options. For example, Hardwarestore.com has these in stock as well as levelingmounts.com. I've even found some of these on Amazon. In the UK you can find these directly on Ebay (the link opens a direct Ebay auction). There's no need to search for the exact model I reviewed, any Teflon® slider will do the trick.
Hope this helps,
Lucio Cadeddu

T-HiFi
Dear sir Cadeddu,
I've read your article on TNT-Audio about the Power-TI s and I'm very interested in buying or to try it out for myself but I can't get a reaction from the manufacturer.
Do you know if they are still existing and where I can get a Power-TI amp?
Cheers,
Axel - E-mail: aboon (at) woningstichtingdenhelder.nl

LC
Dear Axel,
T-HiFi is up and well, as far as I know. Indeed, they have some new design based on IcePower Class-D modules that is claimed to be better sounding than their previous integrated Tripath-based amps. They are also about to release a 180 watts per channel integrated amp based on Tripath bridged-mode modules. Their e-mail is: info (at) t-hifi.com [substitute (at) with @].
I promised them a review of their IcePower-based amp so long time ago but I failed to find a free slot into my busy schedule. And it's a pity, because IcePower modules are extremely interesting. So many things, sooo little time.
Hope this helped,
Lucio Cadeddu

DAC shootout
Hi Nick,
how is the ultimate Monica 3 dac project going with the many Paul Hynes liltle pws's? But I am reacting to your wonderful usb dac shootout and I have question of the Devilsound USB DAC version x?
Was it version 1 or version 2? Since shortly they have an improved version 2 and I wonder which version you reviewed?
Regards
Kyrill - E-mail: kyrgoo (at) gmail.com

NW
Hi Kyrill,
Paul Hynes has been extremely busy of late and I am yet to receive some regs to go into the M3. I can confirm though that they made a substantial improvement to the M2 and I can only presume that it would be the same sort of improvement in the M3. I believe that Paul Needs has tried them in his M3 and you could confirm that by going on the DiyParadise forums: http://diyparadise.com/forum/index.php?board=5.0
My apologies for omitting to declare that it was the Devilsound Version 2 USB DAC that I reviewed for the shoot-out.
Kind regards
Nick Whetstone

Power supply
Hello I'm mailing from Sweden, excuse my poor English but I hope that you understand what I'm writing.
I've read your review and purchased a TCC 750 preamp and another power supply: 12 12 V AC/DC adapter and 1,5 AMPERE.
I'm waiting to install it on my Thorens TD 166mk V with Ortofon om 10 pickup.
My question is: is 1,5A enough power for the TCC 750 or should I have more? If yes what should I buy?
Thx
Rudolf - E-mail: bezvezius (at) hotmail.com

LC
Dear Rudolf,
1.5A should be enough for the TCC 750 though "more is generally better" when it comes to power supplies. You'd be safer with a 3A AC adapter, possibly something from Zetagi (as suggested in that review) or similar product. Anyway, feel free to test the preamp with your 1.5A adapter: chances are you'll be more than satisfied with its performance.
Hope this helped,
Lucio Cadeddu

Soliloquy 5.3 speakers
Hi there, I have just been offered a pair of these speakers to go with my Arcam amp and don't really know anything about them! Apart from they were quite expensive! I was planning to pay UKP400 for them! Could you advise me if this a reasonable cost to pay and if there are any special connections issues when connecting them up. They have 2 meter cables with them.
Please excuse my ignorance and would appreciate any advise.
Best Regards,
Carl - E-mail: CDean (at) camvaceng.com

DH
Hi Carl,
I don't know these speakers, but Soliloquy speakers have a good reputation in N. America, and I see that there is a very positive review of this model in Stereophile by a well-informed reviewer, so they should be good. Even TNT-Audio positively reviewed a pair of Soliloquy speakers back in 2001, exactly the model 6.2 (Ed.'s note). There will be no connection problems with your Arcam amp. Nice to have cables with them, though 2m may not be long enough.
UKP400 is not cheap for used speakers, even for speakers costing around $2000 new, so my advice is do your utmost to try to listen to them first. At least where they are now, and best of all in your own home.
However, if they are in good condition, mechanically and cosmetically, from a seller you can trust, then I suspect you will not go far wrong with these. Note that the Stereophile review says that they need quite a long time to run in too, so ask the seller how long he or she has used them.
Hope this helps,
David Holgate