Trinnov 8m 8 Channel Amplifier Review

[Rick Sykora]

Hey, it's good to do something right.....well one extra thing anyway!

Btw, any claim of more power regarding the advantage of higher mains voltage is likely more wishful thinking than anything else…

1. Really would need to know more about the power supply design, but more higher AC input voltage may not yield any significant increase in amplifier output. The ATI (Trinnov‘s apparent supplier) specs claim that current is about half when the input voltage is doubled. In simple terms, little or no increase in available power.
2. US residential incoming line voltage is 240VAC. While most house wiring is 120VAC, we do have 240 available when needed. My workbench has 240V available for amplifier testing. So just like 20A service, 240V service is simply a matter of (typically additional) wiring. Based on the ATI spec, spending anything more for higher voltage service would be useless.

 

[xavierjohn]

I see a 20-amp receptacle on the back of this unit, but no photo/information about the power cord supplied. Does it have a 20-amp plug??
Clearly, we're up into the range of a product that should probably have a 240-volt circuit......if the device will be operated near its limitations.

This is the cable that ships with it

 

[David_M]

Thanks

Amir clarified it here. Plus I can’t replicate your numbers, seem way too high. Can you demonstrate your math?


Post in thread 'Trinnov 8m 8 Channel Amplifier Review'
https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...8-channel-amplifier-review.46377/post-1654716

You are correct. I was thinking of the Purify stereo 1E400T modules based amps that were tested and needed 11Vrms from an external preamp in their low gain stage to prvide full power.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...easurements-of-purifi-1et400a-amplifier.7984/

 

[Rick Sykora]

The Buckeye delivers 26dB gain vs the only 19dB from this one. So this alone contributes to the difference in noise.

With the forum comparison to the ATI amp, worth noting that the ATI is also closer to the Buckeye gain level too. Along with the DB25 connection to their processors, the Trinnov’s lower gain is also a significant difference.

 

[amirm]

I see a 20-amp receptacle on the back of this unit, but no photo/information about the power cord supplied. Does it have a 20-amp plug??

I did note it in the review:

The sum of those will exceed the US 15 amp circuit so it is good to see the AC socket allowing for 20 amp connectivity (the cable I had mated to 15 amp plug).

 

[sarumbear]

Yeah, that's a 15-amp cord. (Probably 14 gauge.) You don't see too many cords like that with a 15-amp plug going to a 20-amp receptacle.
So, preferably, this amplifier should have a 20-amp cord plugged into a 20-amp AC outlet.

You can start to see (part of) the issue here.

Those values are continuous. An audio amplifier never requires continuous power due to the crest factor existing in all music or sound tracks.

Crest factor - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[sarumbear]

Yeah, I understand. But that's not what we're talking about here.

We are talking about power consumption of the amplifier, aren’t we? I copied below from the link I posted.

Music has a widely varying crest factor. Typical values for a processed mix are around 4–8 (which corresponds to 12–18 dB of headroom, usually involving audio level compression), and 8–10 for an unprocessed recording (18–20 dB)

That crest factor applies to the amplifier power output, hence the to the power consumption. When used for music or sound tracks power amplifiers consume around 1/5 of their rated power. In the case of this amplifier the total power will be 547 x 5 / 5 = 875W which is within the 15A cable rating, let alone 20A.

Which was the topic wasn’t it?

 

[DonH56]

Note a 15-A plug can be inserted into a 20-A receptacle. That means average consumers with standard 15-A circuits can use the cord as-is, and those with 20-A lines and outlets should be able to source sufficient current (assuming the power cord itself can handle it) using the same cord. The issue would only be at max power on every channel, something rather unlikely for most of us, and brief surges to 20-A on a 15-A circuit are usually supported.

 

[PJ 1]

I see a 20-amp receptacle on the back of this unit, but no photo/information about the power cord supplied. Does it have a 20-amp plug??
Clearly, we're up into the range of a product that should probably have a 240-volt circuit......if the device will be operated near its limitations.

@sarumbear
Well, why did they install a 20-amp power entry receptacle then?
One of the esteemed posters here is advocating testing the amplifier at full power.
A testing regime is something different than normal usage, obviously.

I'm confused by the argument that the amp requires full bandwidth testing on all channels driven. I think, and please correct me if I'm wrong, these amps overwhelmingly go into protection during such tests no? And considering how unrealistic that is for the vast majority of us, why request more than stereo pairs of modules be tested? Amir does a great job giving us very detailed data points on his amplifier measurements for us to make an informed purchasing decision. Not sure if I need confirmation that even with a 20A circuit, some of these amps won't meet their specs of all channels driven.

If you do the math here: http://www.hometheaterengineering.com/splcalculator.html with 8 speakers at say 89 db sensitivity fed 200w at a 10' listening position you get over 110 db. That's more than is allowed at nearly all the concert venues I've played in the last 5 years. (Typically, 100-110 db at the mixing position/Front Of House.) Don't get me wrong, I don't like a lot of how these amps are "rated" but I'm more interested in low distortion and low noise floor. To each their own.

 

[Rick Sykora]

Note a 15-A plug can be inserted into a 20-A receptacle. That means average consumers with standard 15-A circuits can use the cord as-is, and those with 20-A lines and outlets should be able to source sufficient current (assuming the power cord itself can handle it) using the same cord. The issue would only be at max power on every channel, something rather unlikely for most of us, and brief surges to 20-A on a 15-A circuit are usually supported.

Agree, and makes sense in that at 120V and 20A, would be 2400 watts. Matches up well to 8 channels at (roughly) 300 watts each.

Close enough for me!

 

[Labjr]

Anyone who believes the amplifier needs to be tested with 8 channels at full power should be locked in the room for the test.

 

[Chrispy]

Freedom Fries

Like the fries that originated in Belgium?

 

[Adi777]

This Trinnov or Apollon Hypex NCOREx ncX500/PURIFI 1ET7040SA?

 

[howard416]

Note a 15-A plug can be inserted into a 20-A receptacle. That means average consumers with standard 15-A circuits can use the cord as-is, and those with 20-A lines and outlets should be able to source sufficient current (assuming the power cord itself can handle it) using the same cord. The issue would only be at max power on every channel, something rather unlikely for most of us, and brief surges to 20-A on a 15-A circuit are usually supported.

I haven't personally seen a NEMA 5-15P (plug) rated for 20 A but would be very interested in one if it did exist.

 

[sarumbear]

Anyways, not an amplifier I would want.
The voltage gain is too low and system gain structure issues would ensue in many cases.

It is not meant to be used with anything other than a Trinnov AVP.

 

[DonH56]

I haven't personally seen a NEMA 5-15P (plug) rated for 20 A but would be very interested in one if it did exist.

Nor I. My point, apparently poorly made, was that including a 20-A receptacle on the amp with a 15-A plug (which was being questioned in a post above) allows most consumers to use it as-is without hiring an electrician to run a 20-A drop. Those with 20-A outlets (I have three in my media room) can replace the cord with one having a 20-A plug, but for most of us plugging the 15-A plug into a 20-A outlet will be good enough for real-world use.

YMMV - Don

 

[sarumbear]

I haven't personally seen a NEMA 5-15P (plug) rated for 20 A but would be very interested in one if it did exist.

The power inlet of this device is not the normal chamfered C14 type (the kettle socket that exists on almost every device). It is the higher power rectangular C20 type. C14 is rated at 10A by IEC, where as C20 is rated at 16A. In US, UL rates C19 at 20A when used with 12 AWG wire. There is no separate 20A plug.

IEC 60320 - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Matias]

This Trinnov or Apollon Hypex NCOREx ncX500/PURIFI 1ET7040SA?

Apollon by far.

 

[sarumbear]

Nor I. My point, apparently poorly made, was that including a 20-A receptacle on the amp with a 15-A plug (which was being questioned in a post above) allows most consumers to use it as-is without hiring an electrician to run a 20-A drop. Those with 20-A outlets (I have three in my media room) can replace the cord with one having a 20-A plug, but for most of us plugging the 15-A plug into a 20-A outlet will be good enough for real-world use.

YMMV - Don

Our posts crossed. Consumers cannot get confused as the power inlet of this device is not the normal chamfered C14 type (the kettle socket that exists on almost every device). It is the higher power rectangular C20 type. Your standard kettle cord won’t work.

 

[DonH56]

Our posts crossed. Consumers cannot get confused as the power inlet of this device is not the normal chamfered C14 type (the kettle socket that exists on almost every device). It is the higher power rectangular C20 type. Your standard kettle cord won’t work.

Yah, good to note; I was not worried about the receptacle on the amp, hopefully anyone replacing the power cord will look and get the right one. We have a bunch of 20-A cords (with C20's on the equipment end) for the high-power 'scopes in the lab.