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TRL Dude Dilemna

Based on all the high praise for the TRL Dude preamp here and other sites, I took a chance and bought one from a local A-goner to see if it could displace an Air Tight ATC-2 preamp currently in my system. The two amps I currently use are a McIntosh MC-402 and Viva 845 SET Monos. It turns out that the Dude is not compatible with either amps due to an impedance mismatch. So I only got to hear the Dude in a compromised performance mode.
I was not quite wanting to give up on the Dude yet given everyone else's enthusiasm about its performance. I am considering the Samson monos as a natural match. I can convince myself that the Samson's could be better than the MC402..My real issue is that I would have to give up the Vivas. Not sure I can make the leap that a solid state amp will satisfy me as much as those SET Vivas. Then there is the leap of faith that I cannot hear the Samsons with purchasing them....
Has anyone replaced their SET amp with Samsons and remained satisfied with the decision? My speakers are the Green Mountain Audio Continuum 3 which are about 90db efficient with an impedance 6.5 Ohms, +/- 0.75 Ohms 150Hz to 20kHz. Thanks for your input..
tellefsen
agear
1,362 posts
 
And when you say the Vivas lack control, do you mean the bass is a little loose or bloated?

Another solution would be to have 2 dedicated systems...and the AV side would not, IMO, need to be audiophile grade....something like Onkyo.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,249 posts
 
Tellefsen,
That "purity" and "thereness" you mention is very hard for most other types(non SET) of amplifiers to achieve, at lease when compared to the better built SETs.
The trade off is relatively lower power output, but is overcome with the right speaker choice.

The Viva with the Trenner-Friedl RA Box speaker I heard at CES 2010 was ultra dynamic,impactful,energetic and the most close to 'live' like sound at that show. I was there 3 full days and heard many different rooms/systems.

Bass control has much to do with speaker selection for a given amplifier. If I did`nt have my sublime Frankenstein mono amps, the Viva Verona would sure be on my to buy list. You have a very fine amplifier.
Take Care,
isochronism
2,893 posts
 
Viva La' Vivas!! (long live the Vivas).
Match to them. Good luck
glory's avatar
glory
1,614 posts
 
TRL Dude Dilemna
Did the SET amps and did the Dude and OTL and must say they all were stellar. The OTL gave me what the SET lacked. 

For years I could not stand the SS amp sound I heard at shows but was interested in the ASR Emitter amp. Reading the 5 major reviews of this amp I still was not going to trust the positive feedback from the reviewers and buy/try it in my system. SS that does the SET sound. 3D soundstage with a Liquid midrange. Yea right. BS!

Took the hit and bought a used Emitter from a Gon member that is an amp fanatic and has had a zillion amps in system and he 
made very clear the reviews were correct. So In goes the ASR and sure enough this Emitter has been the amp I was looking for for 10 years.

The thought that reviewers talk and write from their A$$ is just not true with this amp.

Dude is gone and so are all the Pre amps and SET amps and OTL amps. The OTL comes close to the Emitter in what it does but living in FL. Way to much heat. So the Emitter is here for a long stay and is the foundation to my system.
by Glory

 

Sent from my iPhone
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,249 posts
 
As usual it all comes down to what works best for you. People go from tubes to SS amps and viceversa. Taste and systems change and evolve and sometimes can become circular.What ever type componemt makes you happy, go for it.
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