savoy014

Introduction Pop Pulse is a small Hong Kong based company that offers a small but interesting offering of audio products. The T-AMP180 ("T-180") is a nicely sized integrated amplifier. Based on Tripath chips, the T-180 joins a plethora of similarly equipped electronics available in the market. Bearing in mind that many of such examples are available very cheaply off the internet, the T-180 would need to distinguish itself to stand out to attract audiophile attention. Features and Specifications The T-180 is neatly packaged, measuring just 41.2 cm wide, 34 cm in depth and 17.7 cm in depth, and weighing in at 8 kgs. The black aluminium face plate sports two identical knobs, one for selecting input (via a spring loaded knob), and the other for controlling the volume. A small plastic remote control is provided. Turning to the rear panel reveals 3 pairs of line level inputs (one of which is 3 pin XLR balanced inputs), WBT style binding posts, an IEC mains i...

Introduction Interconnects are a nice introduction to the world of DIY. The difficulty factor can vary according to your preference, and very little electronics knowledge is required. All you need are the raw materials, a soldering iron, and good soldering technique. You can easily make good interconnects that can perform well beyond your investment in material costs. RCA Plugs Your choice of plugs should have decent construction quality, precious metal plating to prevent corrosion (e.g. gold, silver or rhodium), and easy to use solder tabs. My favourite low cost RCA plugs are the Neutrik / Rean NYS-373. If you are willing to spend a little more, consider the Canare F-10 or the Neutrik Pro-fi. For cost no object experiments, I have been very impressed by KLEI Innovations' Harmony plug. I have found the Neutrik / Rean NYS-373 to be a little tight fitting on some RCA sockets, necessitating a bit of adjustment of the ground blades with needle nose pliers (protect the plated surface wi...