More Trends Audio?
November 27, 2007
I enjoyed your review of the Trends Audio TA-10.1 integrated amplifier back in
May. I bought one and have been using it with a pair of NHT speakers and a Squeezebox. Do
you plan to review any other Trends Audio products in the future? I’m basically
interested in both the DAC and the USB converter. Thanks for such a helpful website.
Roger
You’re in luck! We have a full review of the
Trends Audio UD-10.1 USB audio converter coming up on December 15th. We’ll see about
getting the DAC in as well. Thanks for reading.
Spades to bananas?
November 19, 2007
I have some expensive speaker cables that use spades on
both ends. I just bought a receiver to replace an old amplifier and it will not accept the
diameter of the spades. I don’t want to go to the trouble of having to send the
cables to have the ends replaced. Is there an adapter that will make the spades work?
John Brock
There are a number of companies that make a single
banana connector that will work with a spade. Basically, the banana has a binding-post end
that clamps down on the spade, while the other end is a standard banana connector. Just
make sure you wrench down the adapter pretty tight so that the two don’t come apart.
Search “spade-to-banana adapter” in your favorite search engine and you’ll
have all sorts of options at many different price points.
Too much power for B&Ws?
November 16, 2007
Recently I picked up an NAD 2200 amp in mint condition
(even had the original box and Styrofoam, although the box wouldn't probably pass
shipping). Speakers are B&W 603 S3s, with an NAD T753 acting as the pre-pro. I've done
some research and found that the 2200 is capable of over 400Wpc during music peaks. My
speakers are 50-150W. Do you foresee a problem with using this amp with the speakers? I do
know how to work the volume knob, as my ears can't take it being turned past 3. I would
like to note at that volume there appears to be no distortion, thus making me believe the
B&Ws are capable of much more wattage than listed.
Zane
Your NAD will be fine with your B&Ws. The truth is
that loudspeakers are rarely damaged due to being paired with amplifiers that are rated
above the speakers’ power-handling capabilities. Actually, too little power can
damage speakers much more readily than too much. This is due to a power-challenged
amplifier’s inability to deliver clean power to the speaker when it calls for it.
Amplifiers that are overdriven will distort and that distortion can blow tweeters quite
easily. Your test for listening for distortion is probably the best way to protect your
system. If the sound is clean, then you should be fine. If it starts to distort or
compress, turn the volume down.
|
