TRL Marantz Sa-14

Hesitant to state any impressions of the TRL SA14 right now as I have only actually listened to two songs ----from a Joshua Redman/Pat Metheny CD (WISH); and a Wynton Marsalis (Hot House Flowers)CD.

Had it sitting overnight for 12 hours now breaking in.
I also lubed up the Marantz RCA connectors and power cord inlet IEC with Quick Silver contact enhancer(which takes 72 hours to settle down).
I also, of course, have my integrated MF A300 amp which was modded by TRL and has only five days break in (that will take around four weeks according to TRL).

Soooo, the following comments are to be taken with a huge grain of salt.

First impressions- Very sweet, pure, musical and engaging. Very defined on bass, but slightly shy on lower midbass and deep bass weight or heft right now.

That is all for now :)
The fun is just beginning I think :)

I will post my SYSTEM specs here later today so folks can see my setup specifics.

Lkdog,

It seems like you and I are hearing much of the same from our unbroken-in TRL SA14s. Yes, the sound is sweet, pure and engaging, with a great sense of coherence that creates the illusion of listening to real people. For example in The Corr's live unplugged album, Andrea Corr sounds Irish and her inflections and even any hesitancy or minor errors on her part are now very audible, but they somehow make her sound more human and makes the performance seem more real.

This player has the most tuneful and tight bass I've heard in my system. Deep bass can be a bit light on some recordings but on others it is all there (e.g. Maroon 5)... the player may need more break-in but it may also be the recording. Don't know.

The fun truly is just beginning. I don't mean to gush... but the TRL SA14 already sounds very good, and I have spent over a year listening to bad digital as I completely revamped my digital front end.

Be patient men. It WILL be worth your time. :-) Bass will NOT be a problem. Everything else will just get better. :-)

paul

Wow. This is a great thread. Lots of good info and candid experiences. Its better than reading a magazine. LKD very interested in the TRL Integrated amp when its finally broken in. Keep us posted.

What TRL recording? Please cough up some info on this I am very interested to know if Paul has copies available.

Thanks

Hey guys-

Posted my modest SYSTEM specs in my signature if anyone is interested to know what the TRL Marantz SA14 is mated with.

It is hard to be patient during a break in period, but it is also fun to hear changes as they evolve!

OldPet-

I should follow my own advice and encouragement about bass development in the TRL modded digital sources. I spent the weekend with the TRL Sony 595 which I loved for the full tuneful bass so moving to the newly modded SA14 is an adjustment again.

Jsala-

Yes, the bass is very musical and tuneful. My ACI Titan sub never sounded so clean! I am sure that the "heft" I was used to with the TRL Sony 595 will blossom over time.
I was listening to a Charlie Haden bass solo on the Metheny/Redman CD and it did sound live. You are right, even out of the box the air and ambience of the venue and around the players is already quite pronounced which creates a live sound.

La45-

Yes, this is a lot of fun. The most fun I have ever had with this crazy hobby. Will keep you posted on the amp and SA14 break in. The amp mod really lowered the noise floor-I am now hearing things I never did on very familiar recordings and the digital glare is largely almost completely removed (and that was with the TRL 595, not the TRL SA14).

Well...You know-that typical TRL treatment that they do!
I am really liking the amp changes from the mod.

Will keep the equipment burning in 24/7. I am taking a trip over the holiday weekend so I will not be tempted to listen over the weekend.

Regards to all and thanks for your insights.