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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

Showing 2 responses by glory

glory's avatar
glory
1,613 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

 

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glory's avatar
glory
1,613 posts
 
That is my point that there are SS amps being made today that can have the SET characteristic sound and the balls of SS so you do not need two amps. The ASR does indeed have both worlds going on and I am sure many more SS amps being built today can do the same.

MC and a HNY to all you right brain SET listeners.

Ho Ho Ho.
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