TRL Marantz Sa-14



After speaking to Paul at TRL I am very curious to hear from those who own this unit what improvements do you hear with the player before and after the mod.

The SA-14 sounds weak in the bass and has no dynamics in comparison to some players like the Sony Scd-1 in stock form. Has anyone compared the TRL Sa-14 to the Sony Scd-1?
la45
Clio09: Glad you kept the extra HRS plates now? Have you tried the maple butcher block under the amp yet? (I spoke to Brian).

Lkdog: I remember our kitchen remodel. Establish your budget and add another 30 to 40 percent as you go along. It's worth every penny. Especially when you see your Wifes face once it is completed and she is showing it to one of her friends. Kind of reminds me of ourselves when we bring something cool home, like a new amplifier, for example.

LA45: Hey Cuz, I definitely love the looks of the 14 and yes, it will make you sleep a lot less than you should. You should be getting closer to 300 hours by now ...

Jack

Cuz,

Not there yet hope to have BIT at 300 very soon. I have tubes now so I don't run the system all the time.
There is a Marantz SA-1 listed for $2350. It would be really interesting for someone to pick up this unit and get it modded by TRL. Since people mention that the stock SA-1 is an outstanding machine, it would be interesting to see what Paul and company could improve.
Clio,

We have the same preamp (Joule Electra LA-100 Mk3). I've got mine hooked up to an Acoustic Reality digital amp (200+ watts into 8 ohms) so lots of juice for my speakers, which are simple 2 ways (though not very efficient). I find the overall sound a bit thin when I use the CRL Silver power cord on the TRL/SA14, not sure what your experience is. For my system, an AirSine power cord is a better match with the TRL/SA14, though I haven't bought one (I tried a friend's) since it is $750 for 6 feet...

- Jay
Jsala,

My speakers are not very efficient either, Spendor 1/2e, but the amp is getting the most out of them now. After some initial issues with break-in, I think the Joule and the D-225 work nicely together.

I am using the CRL Silver on my transport and the D-225 amp. I have a Virtual Dynamics NIte II on the preamp and I use a VH Flavor 4 on the DAC. I was thinking about going with all CRL Silver power cords as I don't experience the thinness you do. Obviously everything is system dependent, but I hear the CRL Gold will deliver more, especially in the bass, maybe that would be better for your system. I do like the VH Audio cables though, great price for great quality.

What tubes do you use in the Joule, I'm thinking of experimenting.