The Truth Pre Amp Review

[steve f]

I’ve completed the Truth journey. I’m giving mine (the red one) away. Maybe I should start a go fund me page to get a Benchmark preamp.
The Truth did raise a few interesting questions. What are proper design criteria for a modern piece of audio equipment? And for assembly quality? What are the minimum distortion numbers that are inaudible?

 

[egellings]

I think that if a large reputable company offers an audio product, it is likely to be competent and well made. "Truth" looks like it was made in an amateur's basement and the drill press needed to be bolted down. Imagine how bad the PCBs and the circuit design in the thing would be if they were made by the same individual whose handiwork graces the Truth's enclosure. I bet it goes up in a puff of smoke at first turn-on if that were the case. Also, an audio preamp or even an amplifier is fairly straightforward and buildable by the audio amateur who gets prebuilt & tested modules. So someone barely competent can cobble something together that sorta works, and there'll be some gullible 'philes who will gush over it. Maybe 10 people will buy the thing, and then it will disappear from the scene. It's basically an "Aw, shucks, it was nothin'" sort of endeavor.

 

[sergeauckland]

I’ve completed the Truth journey. I’m giving mine (the red one) away. Maybe I should start a go fund me page to get a Benchmark preamp.
The Truth did raise a few interesting questions. What are proper design criteria for a modern piece of audio equipment? And for assembly quality? What are the minimum distortion numbers that are inaudible?

The minimally audible distortion on speech and music (not test signals) is around 1%, subject to some caveats, like it being low order distortion, as there's no natural phenomenon I can think of that would generate large amounts of high orders of distortion without even higher amounts of low orders.
Consequently, an amplifier with 0.1% distortion at all levels and frequencies will be inaudible under pretty much any circumstance.
Having said that, these days it's hard to make an amplifier with more than 0.01% unless deliberate, or very poorly designed, like using an inappropriate attenuator method.
As to build quality, apart from considerations of meeting safety standards, it's a subjective matter, if it looks well made, with tidy wiring and PCB assembly, then it's well made. Visual design again is subjective, and personally I dislike 'busy' front panels, with lots of different shaped controls, or illogically grouped controls. Clear labelling in a simple font also scores points in my mind. I also dislike menus, but accept these days equipment does so much that a knob a function would be impractical, but still, a clear intuitive menu structure that doesn't need a manual to operate is a plus.

On the other side, it's quite clear when something is either shoddily built, or overbuilt with no operational benefit other than looking expensive.

S

 

[manisandher]

You can have mine for half its retail price. PM me...

Apart from some minor quirks this is worth every penny for the quality output one gets.

Apparently not even worth half it's retail price, seeing as you never replied. You're wiser than I took you for.

Mani.

 

[kannan]

Apparently not even worth half it's retail price, seeing as you never replied. You're wiser than I took you for.

Mani.

Dear Mani,

I had explained in my earlier post why I dont need a preamp. I have only one source which is digital, so the pre on my Teac DAC is quite convenient and quite good as well. There is no point in adding one more pre to the chain, meaning one more set of cables.

Secondly you are UK and does not make sense to ship it from there to India as that would be expensive. I would definitely let you know by PM if anyone of my fiends is interested in taking a plunge, but I doubt due to the added cost of freight and local duties.

Regards
Kannan

 

[manisandher]

Dear Mani,

I had explained in my earlier post why I dont need a preamp. I have only one source which is digital, so the pre on my Teac DAC is quite convenient and quite good as well. There is no point in adding one more pre to the chain, meaning one more set of cables.

Secondly you are UK and does not make sense to ship it from there to India as that would be expensive. I would definitely let you know by PM if anyone of my fiends is interested in taking a plunge, but I doubt due to the added cost of freight and local duties.

Regards
Kannan

Hi Kannon, thanks for the clarification. That makes sense.

If you get a chance, take a quick listen to the files I linked to here: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ds/the-truth-pre-amp-review.23815/post-801561

These are all level-matched. One is a DA_AD loopback using an RME ADI-2 Pro. Another is the same loopback, but with the Truth in the chain. Another is the original file. To my ears, there's a clear hierarchy in SQ. The original is easily the best, by quite a margin. The DA_AD loopback loses a lot (anyone who claims that today's best ADCs are essentially perfect needs their ears checked). The Truth degrades the sound further still.

All IM(most)HO, of course.

I'd be very interested in knowing if you can tell which is which.

Mani.

 

[Walter]

The fact also remains with my Horns and an actual Truth unit hiss was inaudible from the listening position.

I can attest to that fact, having heard his system many times. I can even confirm that there was no hiss from one foot or so away, on either the weak or strong channel--I'm not sure I ever listened closer than that.

 

[pboser]

I apologize in advance if this info is in this thread and I've missed it - does anyone know what step up transformer Schilling uses for the 6dB gain version? I'd consider playing with a DIY version of this fairly simple linestage, and am curious about the option with gain.
Thanks in advance,
Pete

 

[steve f]

Why don’t you email Ed and ask him. Promise that you only want to play with the circuit type and are building only one line stage for personal use. The worst thing he can say is no. Yes this thread went pretty sideways. Ed, and a few members got a bit hostile, but he’s not a bad guy.
You can also contact a couple of transformer companies that make step up devices for moving coil cartridges. I’m sure they have something ready for purchase in their catalogs. As I understand it, Ed’s design is a buffer with a slight volume loss. Any small quality step up transformer won’t be cheap.

 

[pboser]

Why don’t you email Ed and ask him. Promise that you only want to play with the circuit type and are building only one line stage for personal use. The worst thing he can say is no. Yes this thread went pretty sideways. Ed, and a few members got a bit hostile, but he’s not a bad guy.
You can also contact a couple of transformer companies that make step up devices for moving coil cartridges. I’m sure they have something ready for purchase in their catalogs. As I understand it, Ed’s design is a buffer with a slight volume loss. Any small quality step up transformer won’t be cheap.

Hi Steve,
That sounds like a good suggestion - thanks.
Pete