TRL ST225 - Goodness anyone else own this amp

Bill,

If you are getting the battery powered Sony DVP NS900V, unless I am not recalling correctly or the design changed from when I ordered mine only the analog stage is battery powered. The digital circuit still requires AC power. You may want to check with Paul or Brian on this.

I never got to listen to my battery powered TRL CDP. It was damaged in shipping and I then decided to trade it in towards the battery powered Pre-1.5 preamp. Brian recommended the Silver model PC as he said Paul voiced the preamp with this cable.

Sherod,

In TRL's case you just have to pick up the phone and call or shoot off an email. Paul is very responsive. The TRL website isn't all that well maintained and lacking in updated information. The solid state designed gear is a relatively new venture within the last few years. Those I know that have either the ST-225 integrated, dual mono amp version, or mono blocks have been extremely pleased. Paul's new tube preamp design is supposed to be killer as well.

I have had the D-225 (non-integrated version of the ST-225) in my system for over 2 years now. It was Brian Weitzel's amp which was upgraded to current specs about a year or so ago (for free I might add). I am now using this amp with the TRL Pre-1.5 battery powered preamp. The combination is really amazing.

Bill,

What power cord are you using with the ST-225? If you're not already using one have Paul build you the Silver model he sells (for the CDP as well). It uses the same solid core copper wiring as in the amp. Great synergy and I use one on the D-225 and Pre-1.5. You won't believe the price to performance value.

In moving to Las Vegas recently the movers lost one of my boxes. Unfortunately in it were my pair of Silver model speaker cables Paul made for me. It's a tough loss to swallow, but at least the PCs made it.

Tom,

Check under Tube Research Labs. However, not much on the website. Best to give Paul or Brian Weitzel a call directly.

I have not done the comparison, but did use my TRL D-225 with both a Cary SLP-98 and Joule Electra LA-100 MkIII and can say that the solid state amp/tube preamp combination worked extremely well in my system.

From what I have read about the AH TP 2.0 the combination with a D-225 would be very interesting to hear.

My D-225 is also "sealed" but not my Pre-1.5 preamp. I believe in addition to being stripped the screws are also epoxied. Trust me, I've tried to open this thing and its not going to happen. Instead I just sit back and enjoy it now.

Mine has been problem free. Some tidbits I've been able to collect: The power supply is way overbuilt. The transformers are designed by Paul and he has them wound to his own specs as well. Computer grade capacitors are generally used. Paul uses his own choke filter design. The switches are typically Shallco 45 step attenuators with Roederstein resistors and the input selectors are usually Shallco as welll. However, I heard at one time Paul was designing his own so its possible that these are the ones used now. Instead of a typical on/off switch a high quality breaker switch is used. Internal wiring is solid core copper. Not sure about the amp, but on my preamp the internal ground wire to the IEC is not connected. I suspect this is true of the amp as well as it appears to be something consistent in Paul's designs/mods. Cardas binding posts usually my preamp uses Cardas RCA.

Paul has never been a fan of negative feedback so this is a NFB design. While listed at 225 watts (not sure if its RMS or per channel, I think the latter) its closer to 300 watts. My chassis is black and made from steel, but I think some may be the newer aluminum ones (I had custom rosewood side panels made for mine). The dual volume control knobs are usually wood (mine are purple heart) and over sized and the dual input selector knobs brass.

Other than that it just sounds real good. I'm using mine right now with a pair of Audiokinesis Stormbringer speakers after having used it with Spendor 1/2e speakers for the last couple of years.

Bill,

You described the sound quite accurately. Seems you've become quite acclimated to the ST-225. Glad to hear you are enjoying it. Now just wait until you hear the CDP with it.

Paul told me the gain on my amp was about 37db and input sensitivity .8V. I would have to agree with the gain number as most preamps I used with this amp could not get past 10 o'clock on the volume control before reaching my preferred listening level (about 90db or so). Only exceptions were the K&K Audio TVC and the TRL Pre-1.5.

On the power consumption I find the number interesting. I once had an Exact Power EP-15A. With this component as you plug gear into it the display tells you how much power consumption is being utlized. I plugged in my DAC and transport and the display read 30 watts. When I plugged in the amp I expected an increase along the lines of 500 watts or so, but the display increased to 45 watts. On occasion it would rise to 60 or 75 watts when I was playing music. I thought there might be something wrong with the EP-15A so I called tech support at Exact Power. They had me run a simple test. They asked me to get the power consumption rating for my TV and then plug it in to the EP-15A. Sure enough the display jumped up 150 watts, which was the correct power consumption rating.

I'd like to know the slew rate and damping factor of the amp. However, I've learned that Paul eschews specs when designing and relies on his ears much more.

I have the battery power supply for the Pre-1.5 preamp. I hope to some day get the battery power supply for the D-225 amp I have. In the preamp the batteries are housed within an ST-225 chassis. So that is convenient. The preamp is biased for Class A operation and if I recall runs at about 44 volts. In order to maintain a constant 44 volts the battery needs to be run in trickle charge mode. You can run it on complete battery mode but as the voltage drops and the bias moves from Class A down so does the sound quality, but it is still quite listenable. Bass becomes a bit more flubby for one thing.

I'm amazed at the transparency and detail of the TRL combination. At the same time it is extremely musical. In the right listening room the soundstage is huge, but not exaggerated like in some systems I have heard. The amp can handle any speaker load effortlessly. It never runs hot and the power supply is way overbuilt. I plug it straight into the wall now and it is dead quiet. I have tested it on a number of occasions with the inputs shorted and speakers connected. No hiss, hum, not a peep.