TRL ST225 - Goodness anyone else own this amp

Clio09

Yes, the amp is rated at 225, but Paul did say it puts out closer to 300 watts per channel. I have owned monoblock amps rated at 400 watts per channel that can play very loudly. What is special about the ST225 Int amp is even at sound pressure levels of 100db+ the music is not loud in a "headache" way.

I was listening to a live CD of blues/Jazz/Rock at db levels exceeding 105 (I don't do this often) and the music from highs to lows maintained perfect balance with no portion of the sound spectrum suffering. Same perfect balance found at low and moderate listening levels. The music simply grew in size, scale and impact. No hint of distortion, compression or shrill highs. Just perfect tone from top to bottom. This is the first time I have experienced such sonic perfection at 105 db.

The notes seem to float out into the room and swell in size and impact as I turn it up. Many SS amps "fire" the music at you.I notice this especially at loud volumes. Many tubes amps compress and start to get muddy in the bass and shrill in the highs.

Another thing I notice and enjoy all the time is how "take notice" muscular the amp is. No matter what I listen to, guitar & piano solo, Jazz, vocals, rock etc; the weight and flesh are simply awesome. The body of the instrument, the body and soul in voice, the weight and power of bass notes quick and sustained all cause me to take notice in amazement.

I can listen and do listen to music for hours with no hint of fatigue. Again, perfect tonally at ALL volumes.

Having fun,

Bill

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.

Based upon my recollection of conversations with Paul, I don't think the amps have fuses in them, but circuit breaker switch only. Besides the full spectrum tonal balance Bill experienced, one among other things that impressed me is the "density" of the sound "images" in the stage that the amp is capable of casting. I am lucky to hear some very good setups of a few top amps (i.e. Gryphon, Jadis, Goldmund, ASR, Halcro, DartZeel, Kondo, etc) at various friends' dwellings. Personally, my TRL amps have never disappointed. For people seeking truthful, distortion-free, grain-free reproduction of music, IMHO TRL amps should definitely be on the short audition list before purchased.

Just pulled a past email from Paul about never using fuses in his own designs, but circuit-breaker switches for the reason yielding much better sound. FYI, here is the spec I have collected about the amp:

Input Impedance: 68kohms
Input Sensitivity: 1.1Vrms
THD: < 0.05%
Gain: 30db
Noise Floor: < -100db
Rail Voltage: +/- 76 VDC
Power: 225 watts
Power consumption: 600 watts

Your right Howard, it has been known for years now that fuses are not the way to go . Hopefully, someday the others will catch up.