I have posted my system if any would like to see pictures of the Samson amps. They have opened up even more and sound remarkable. |
Tvad,
They are cool at all times. I keep them on 24/7 and even when run hard they stay cool to the touch.
They are now named Samson amps as Bob mentioned above.
I just finished a full review that should post soon. |
My new M225's are coming in Monday. I will post my initial comments and a full review soon. I moved up to the TRL Dude tubed preamp and M225 mono's from by S225 integrated amp.
Tvad is correct as most every TRL owner knows this stuff is very special indeed. The new Dude tubed preamp is an absolute marvel my friends.
I also own Paul's speaker and power cables as well as his highly modified Sony CD player with battery power supply.
I purchased all of this over the last year or so. His stuff is so good it's like a whole new medium to replay music has emerged in my music room. I have an audio friend that has a way with words and I will steal a line from him here. The TRL gear I have owned makes the other gear I have owned sound like toys. Ha!
What's important is we all share our experiences in an honest and even passionate manner. I have always done this as well as other passionate posters. This is how we all learn about awesome gear from the big boys to the small and silent.
Have fun! |
Here are my comments after the first two days of listening.
I listened to amps for 6.5 hours yesterday and plan to listen more tonight. I leave them on so they should be settled in even more tonight.
The amps are named Samson and they bear that name on the front - no longer M225's.
Guys, I really can't contain myself and am having a hard time putting into words what I am experiencing. I am writing down things as I experience them on my CD's.
So very special.
I didn't know an amp could play music in what seems like a new dimension. Hard to explain, but music has a life and presence that no stereo I have heard matches.
I am also experiencing instruments and instrumental lines that before were masked or totally lost in the recording. What used to be background is now easy to follow and becomes part of the musical event. What was never heard before now emerges from a silent background as the music just floats/flows all around me with effortless yet dramatic presence.
Live music. Not a stereo! These must be heard to fully understand how they bring music to a room. Other amps are boys and Samson is a man - fully developed and in charge. I like that! Ha! I think that catches my feelings pretty well.
Every new disc brings forth another instrument that has never sounded so real, so there. The scale and beauty of the music is so live and effortless.
I cannot write more right now as my mind gets all tangled up trying to put into words the live event I am experiencing.
I just feel so blessed to have these in my home.
Bill
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Paul had put about 100 hours on them before I got them. I will let all on this thread know how they improve with time.
Bill |
I owned the Nuforce Ref 9 (not SE) amps and they were cold sounding. Forgot to mention those in my listing of other amps. Had them for a month, but I needed more body and texture then these were capable of. The Samson amps are not Class D, but A/B amps.
Also, a friend of mine owns the D225 amp and it is also wonderful, but the new Samson mono's are certainly better.
Paul and Brian have new learnings and thus the birth of Samson.
I can see why you would think Digital or Class D Grant.
They have far more scale, body, texture and dimension to them as compared to my past Nuforce experience. |
Well I have the amps in my home per the review. Yes, one can take the cover off and look inside if they want.
These are Class A/B and not Class D. Not sure why Fiddler suggests some of us (owners) are not telling the truth?
Tvad, you had mentioned you did not care for the Nuforce amps and thought that (Class D) may be the type of amp and sound of the Samsons. This was the reason for my short comparison. Clio09 also gave some spot on differences in the sound quality of Class D amps vs and these Samson amps.
Paul's has designed a new power supply that is greatly responsible for for the ground breaking musicality of these amps. |
Tvad, my mistake. I am remembering some past comments or impressions you had on the Nuforce amps.
Gammajo, my experience with Paul & Brian at TRL has been wonderful. That's all I can say - wonderful. I would start a dialog with Paul and get your own impressions over time. |
Yes, the bass is simply unmatched by a wide, wide margin compared to all I have owned. Paul said this to me and he is so right. I can now follow bass lines that were either blurred or even silent in my passed systems.
Paul has many of his own recordings which he knows like the back of his hand. At least he thought so. These new amps reveal aspects of his self produced records which he now hears for the first time. He and Brian played recording after recording so excited by Samson's power supply. They were like children having so much fun!
The power supply is the key! Paul's circuit design, wire and overbuilt parts are also key.
My Dude preamp has the same power supply design and does bass better then any SS or tube preamp my lucky ears have heard. The bass coming out of the Dude is remarkable to say the least. The two units together are pure musical heaven. |
I have heard the latest D225 stereo amp compared to the Samson mono's. As good as the D225 is, trust me when I say the Samsons are a step forward. The main reason is the new power supply. Also, each mono amp has the same sized transformer as used in the one stereo amp. There is also more room to work inside the monos making for better layout etc.
I did not hear the SE version of the Nuforce amps, but it seems Ecruz thinks even the D225 amp surpassed it. My old ST225 integrated TRL amp bested the combination of Canary CA339 monoblock tube amps ($14,000) and a fully loaded Audio Horizons 2.1 tube preamp ($3200). My old ST225 integrated is not nearly as good as the Samson and Dude!
I wish I had tried the Nuforce SE's so I could have more first hand experience with those amps. |
Goodness, Tvad is correct. V1, V2, SE confuses me, but I understand the Ref 9's V2 SE are the best Nuforce amps to date. Hope I did not mess up the model again :-)
Nuforce better call the next one Ref10! |
Love the notes!
Wait until you get to 300 hours!!!! More open and even more glorious magic!
What speakers are you using again? |
I leave mine on 24/7 - never turn them off. I used to run them 24/7 at low volume for break in. After some 300 hours I stopped that.
Bill |
