TRL Marantz Sa-14

I just received my TRL SA14 yesterday. It was very well packed -- it must have taken a good 10 minutes to unpack... the sequence was something like:

- open outer box
- remove styrofoam and bubble wrap placed along the sides to insulate inner box from outer box
- lift out inner box
- remove layers of bubble wrap inner box wrapped in
- open inner box
- remove several layers of bubble wrap wrapped around SA14
- remove several more layers of bubble wrap wrapped perpendicularly to previous layers
- remove several layers of saran (plastic cling) wrap

Only then, finally, was the SA14 unpacked! Even the remote and the CRL power cable were meticulously wrapped in bubble wrap.

I did this at 1am so I didn't have time to even plug in the SA14, which I hope to do tonight though I am getting home late again.

La45-
I told you something happened to my TRL Sony 595 right at the 300 hours break in point. I ended up adjusting my sub (ACI Titan) gain level back a bit as the bass just kicked in at that break in point. It sounds like you are very very happy with the synergy of your system. It is exciting to hear this story. I have a long way to go right now with the TRL modded MF A300 integrated amp, and the newly received TRL Marantz SA14 tonight. The amp now has 100 hours and the SA14 has 20 minutes!!! LOL.

Jsala-

Yes, TRL packs these things like I have never seen in my life. Short of Fedex actually driving over the box with the truck-I don't see how anything bad can happen in shipping route!

Let us know how it is sounding and I will do the same.
The Marantz SA14 has very nice build quality.

Can someone tell me the website or Paul's email address cos
I am anxious to have my Marantz SA-14 v.1 modified ?

Buynow-

The general email for TRL on their CONTACT US page is:

info@tuberesearchlabs.com

He has another email, but I don't have that on this computer.

The website is:

http://www.tuberesearchlabs.com/index.htm

There are phone numbers there in the CONTACT US weblink on the Home page if you would rather call Paul or Brian at the shop.

I was able to hook up the TRL SA14 this evening. I have not taken any special care, I just plunked it on top of my pre-amp, using rubber-cork-rubber isolation feet. The hardest part was wrestling the CRL Silver power cord into place as it is thick and quite stiff. Eventually, I won.

These players are said to take 500 hours to break in, what more with a brand new power cord containing a huge chunk of metal. So I expected the sound to be poor, perhaps irritating and unmusical. Well, I'm glad to be wrong. It sounds musical and coherent. Right off the bat it displayed flashes of brilliance. As it warmed up it opened up and displayed very good dynamics and deep, tight bass. Actually, it does very little wrong even now and it sounds simply coherent and musical. It isn't yet the best digital I've ever heard as it is sometimes a bit veiled and grainy at the top end, but it absolutely kills the Marantz 9500 and my Scott Nixon TubeDac in every way. Play one of Paul's expertly recorded CDs and wow it sounds natural. In general, the TRL SA14 seeks to get out of the way of the music and just let it flow as a coherent whole. The PRAT is very good and I find myself... for the first time in many many long months... getting immersed in the music and feeling its rhythm and emotion and intuitively feeling the interplay of the various rhythms, instruments and voices.

I'll stop for now. I am quite pleased with the TRL SA14 and am very excited that after 500 hours I can expect it to sound much better. Even the way it sounds now, the $550 is very very much money well spent. This is going to be a great month.

FYI, my system consists of: TRL Marantz SA14 -> Joule Electra LA-100 Mk3 tube pre -> Acoustic Reality eAR Two digital amp -> nOrh 9.0 marble speakers. The SA14 is fed by a balanced power supply, totally isolated from the rest of the system which is fed by another balanced power supply. Cables are from CRL, Bolder Cable, Slinkylinks and Acoustic Reality. I use Echobuster acoustic treatments on the wall behind the speakers and in the room corners by the ceiling.