Galion TS A20 = $3750 USD. A big thank you to the casing designer Loren Yankowsky from Alberta. Although it did cost me more than 10x compared to a stock casing from Ali express, the custom design is so worth it. Stereophile take on the TS A20 room: www.stereophile.com/content/le-studio-du-son-java-hifi-galion-eversolo-perlisten-xlo-richard-gray%E2%80%99s-power-company More info on www.galion-audio.com/pages/ts-a20-product-description
@@CarlVanDoren61 Output are Onsemi transistors One pair of output. 160VA x 2 transformers 400k microfarads (Not a typo) Check close up screenshots of the internal parts.
Thomas, you are doing an excellent job for the community. I truly appreciate what you are doing. You bringing exceptional equipment and speakers to the majority of what people can afford. You could easily slap the audiophile badge on it and charge double to triple what you are now. Your products have also been getting high praise for your stuff from other TH-camrs .I will be purchasing your amps when I’m ready to upgrade. I wish you and your company the best luck. I know your company will succeed. You will truly become a gem for the community.
Congratulations Thomas! Your perseverance deserves a medal, and your delivery in your video makes me so absolutely curious to hear it! Congratulations again! From me and the team, Harley
You are having the most interesting audiophile journey-adventure of anyone I know. Thank you for bringing us along with such candor and humor. Showing us how you created this amplifier, with all things remarkable and other things usually left unsaid, reminds me of when plays or TV shows "break the fourth wall" to let the audience in on the story as a performed creation, making them a part of that creation rather than mere spectators. Kudos for sharing all the aspirations and tribulations of your passion project, and in that way letting us participate in the passion of your journey.
Thomas, I think it's great that you source your PCB and power supply in Canada, thus supporting domestic manufacture and employment. I appreciate western companies that make an effort to try to source components domestically whenever possible. (And I'm not even Canadian....:)
If my interests and enthusiasm for any of your products aligned and if I had the disposable income, I would never hesitate in purchasing a product from you. Your trustworthiness, credibility, ethical conscience, and allegiance to excellence emanate from the body of content you have produced with Thomas and Stereo. I have gleaned a lot from your discussions over time. I’m wishing you the best with Galion and will continue to monitor…who knows, maybe a Galion product will grace my home sometime! Thank you for your work Thomas.
Slightly strange story on capacitors: 25 years ago or maybe a bit more, An older hi-fi'er & friend & work colleague told me I really needed to change the coupling capacitors of my then-fave 'Leak' vintage model "TL(?) -25", an 2x EL34'd / per Ch' valve power amp, to then-modern polypropylene cap's on the output valve base first & told me I'll not look back then want to go through changing all cap's inside to the more accurate (yes) & better sounding (hmmm) polypropylene caps. I ordered a few of the same m/farad value to solder in after removing the original & far older U.K. made "Hunts" caps with their metal case-marked accuracy of " -10% to +30% " & caps that many (all?) u k. domestic vintage amps sold up to the early 1960's had inside. I lived in the past hifi-wise with cheap old vintage valve amps that to me, floored the then-modern Marantz, JVC or Yammy etc transistor amps, I.m.o. by a mile. I replaced only at the valve coupling points as he excitedly told me to do first saying "you'll never look back & want to change all your other caps to polyprops. After putting them in, I waited for 2 hours for warm-up playing a quiet C.D. on repeat while I went out, telling my girlfriend "leave it playing till I return" I came back & stopped the C.D. &, put a fave test-quality L.P. on, turned it up & thought "oh dear, where the heck has my good sound gone, it's ruined" To give my colleague /friend /hifi advice giver a benefit if doubt, i kept the dammed accurate polypropylenes in for 3 or 4 days untill I could stand no more & wanted my music back, do promptly soldered my original 'Hunts' caps back in ...& Voila! there was that lovely sumptuous sound back in one short soldering session. Told him at work next day about how much worse I thought they made my amp sound, he was surprised "but their accuracy is so much better than any Hunts cap'" I realised then our ears are the final decider, not accuracy windows of capacitors. Maybe it did it improve the sound of his Radford valve amp (similar, 2 x EL 34's) in his mind. I also had a Radford like his a few years later but would never have bought his polyprop cap'd amp. And Radford valve amps were my most fave, s/h dirt cheap till some hi-fi mags inc' the top-sold "Hi-fi Workd" mag told folk '"those old vintage valve power amps are brilliant in modern systems & I saw their s/h prices go up & up & up, before that, i once threw away a Rogers Cadet 3 valve pre & amp, I couldn't be bothered to order, buy & replace the power supply electrolytes for the £25 it would typically get, last time I saw one on eBay, they were bidding over £350 for the same pre & power & it was riding to whatever it may have got. (10 maybe 12 watts max from 2 x ECL 86's per ch' (& no other valves onboard the power amp as it had s/state rectifier & ECL 86's are a combined triode & an output pentode in 1 glass envelope that Dansette box record players used)
The best Class A amplifier This is definitely the best class A amplifier I’ve ever heard, just straight out of the box, and it sounds great, can’t imagine how it would sound when burnt in. I connected it to my Kudos Titan 808 loudspeakers, and used my Auralic Vega S1 as a preamp, it works flawlessly, got no problem driving my speakers, and they are 91dB in 8 ohms. We have timbre, 3-D sound, details, punch and deep bass, didn’t miss anything, and this is coming from a guy, that have had a lot of different hi-end setups over 35 years. MBL 101e MK II, Avantgarde Duo Omega, Estelon, JBL, Klipsch, Kudos, Bastanis OB etc with amps like MBL, Aavik, McIntosh, Mark Levinson, Krell, Accuphase, Wavac, Kondo, AN, Pass Labs and so on. All I can say after listening to Galion for some hours now, is that this got to be a bargain and a great value for your money, so grab one while you can 😃👌🏻
Sounds like you’re having a lot of fun. Congratulations on your commitment and putting your dream on the line. I started building audio products but reverted to my 9 to 5 for a steady salary. It’s great to have a job you love.
Thomas this brought a tear to my eye, thanks for bringing everyone such a nice amp. Although I am not really in the market for or cant really afford such a beast now, I would certainly love to try it someday...wow, beautiful
Fabien is a brilliant designer. I use tri-amplification with his creations and the sound stage is indeed fantastic. His preamp is also marvelous. This amp must sound divine!
Such a transparent (no pun intended) video about the background and philosophy of your latest product. Amazing! Currently enjoying your TS A75. This will sell like hotcakes! An affordable class A power amp. -Gavin
Just as an update to my original impressions, I've had the TS A20 for a few months now. I have to admit it took me a bit of time to get the sound just right (perfectionist here), but I managed to do so and I have to say it will be hard for me change anything about my system. I am hands down getting the best sound I've ever had at my place. I've had fancier perhaps but nothing as realistic. Everything sounds so believable. It is spectacular. The sound is really transparent, with great tone and balance. The soundstage and imaging are great even if I think the soundstage is not as deep as it could be perhaps due to the limitations of my room, but moving in not too long. Nevertheless all sounds have their location in 3D space due to a super black background and layering, and even if there is a lot of detail and air the sound does not feel dry, or unrealistic, it just feels extremely natural, soulful and pleasant in all types of music. The dynamics are great as well. Typical things that sometimes don't come out right like kick drums, clapping in live concerns, the decay of piano notes, cymbals...all sound to me just right in my current setup. Congratulations Thomas. I've heard in some reviews that the bass could be tighter but to be honest, I do not see how. True that when comparing the A20 to a class d perhaps there is a bit more emphasis in the lower region with the class d, but I would not say this was due to the bass being less tight on the A20, and in fact the bass resolution of the A20 is admirable. And my class d (Boxem Arthur 4215/e2) can't get anywhere near the quality of the midrange and treble of the A20. My system is composed of an Electrocompaniet streamer DAC (ECM1 MkII), Acoustic Invader preamp with upgraded caps and internal cabling, the A20 and Faital 3WC-10Be speakers with the level 1 crossover. I use a puritan filter as well. I've had a lot of gear come and go already but this amp is a keeper. Do not hesitate to buy one. I cannot recommend it enough.
Hi Thomas, I received the A20 in good order a week or so ago. I love everything about this power amplifier. I currently have it configured with an: Allo Digione Signature streamer (on Roon), a Gustard x18 DAC, Musical Paradise MP 701 Preamplifier, and KLH 5 speakers. I primarily listen to Jazz and Classical Music. I especially like the voicing, the clarity and the soundstage. Along with the rest of the HiFi Community I am anxiously awaiting the debut of your preamplifier. Best, Jim November 21,2024
Hi Jim I am giving the A20 serious consideration, I noticed you use a Musical Paradise 701 preamp does the A20 and 701 pair well together and have you changed anything from factory with the 701 ? One more question if a get the A20 and 701 preamp how well does this amp perform at low to moderate volumes, I will be using it in a home office ,.Thank you ,Mark
@ Hi Mark. I’ve not done any tube rolling yet because I am so satisfied with the performance even at low volume. I do intend to buy one of Thomas’ tube pre-amps when they drop later this year. Best, Jim
🙋♂️PASSION PROJECT, PASSION PROJECT, PASSION PROJECT 🥶👍 THOMAS YOU HAVE DONE ✅ WHAT I HAVE WANTED TO KNOW ALL MY LIFE,…WHAT IF YOU BUILT EQUIPMENT WITH ALL THE BEST PARTS AND HAD SOMEONE WHO KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING PUT IT TOGETHER…. NOW I KNOW…CAN NOT WAIT TO HEAR 👂 IT SOMEDAY 💚💚💚
Expensive !!! If what I want is to high I consider building myself, but many will pay for passion!!! Glad you are Canadian so 20 years from now I want here about a gossip magazine paying $130k to keep all rhe Passion you pit in the Amps private. Great Job Thomas
Congrats, now that is what you call over engineering and at that price, crazy! I don't usually listen to the demo track at the end, but man this time it really sounded amazing.
Congratulations, it looks like an amazing product. Glad that you offer a competing product to the Musical Fidelity A1 and Sugden. Class A amps are usually un-affordable. The A1 was my first 20 watts pure Class A back in the days, sounded very warm and "musical" but it fried after a few years. I am looking forward to hearing the TS A20. I know, I'll invite you for a great supper one of these days and ask you to bring it for a fun ride on my system.
Happy that you are able to have it built in Canada. That matters. Supporting North American companies matter. Look forward to what comes next from you. All the best.
Totally agree with you on the subject of wattage. imo, many folk get the importance of wattage out of perspective. My old valved mono Quad amp pair, each spec'd by Quad U.K. as 15'Watts RMS (clean) from 2 X KT66 each) drove any speaker in my ave' sized, & not small living room to louder levels than anyone could comfortably sit in front of. I'd sometimes need to make that point when they read the wattage figure in the 4 or 5 page manual that came with them. Current delivery with wattage says more to me than wattage alone (valve amps aside) An old new & s/h hi-fi shop I frequented used to like to shock some wannabe amp or speaker buyers hung-up on wattage by playing a midi oscilloscopes & later a meter-proven 2 watts max music signal & 5 watts can hurt via 90'db 1'watt @ 1 metre efficient speakers, dynamic peaks do not get squashed, you don't need 300'wstts headroom & I know most folk would be surprised at the wattage they like to listen at, even when they crank it up. Doubling an amplifiers wattage adds Three Decibels to the sound, all else being the same system. 1 dB is worked out to be the smallest difference a person with normal full hearing (not old) can perceive. Three of em ain't that much for a doubling of your potential max' wattage. A 50 watt amp needs a 500 watt amp to make a noticeable difference of volume in outdoor P.A. gear which may need it, same with any amp anywhere. All above is backed Ohm's law & electro acoustic facts. Tho rooms can give box speakers some gain in the lowest mids & increasing to the deepest frequency, like when bunged close across a 45' corner, acting as a kinda horn
I really love the A20! I'm not sure I have even broken it in yet with only about 20-30 hours of playing, but the sound is fantastic. I have it paired with a NAD M66 preamp and either some vintage Boston Acoustic Lynnfield VR975 speakers or a new set of Zu Union 6 Supremes. The BA speakers are 91 dB through 8 ohms and the Zus are 99 dB at 8 ohms, so both are well suited for the 20 watts on tap from the A20. I was concerned that the somewhat analytical M66 would be a bit too lean for the A20, but it sounds glorious. I especially love the soundstage and instrument separation that the A20 brings to the other components. I like the treble, midrange and bass control on tap. This setup really rivals the TS 120 SE in class A!
Top class, Thomas. You're a one-off guy. I wish you every success and a hugely selling, rave-reviewed power amp. All power to you; your integrity & conscientiousness to deliver high quality hi-fi products @ affordable prices is extremely admirable & most honourable, indeed. Very best wishes from a Scotsman in Japan... (p.s. I may start saving *now* - look out for an order from H/shima, JPN sometime early next year!))...
@@ThomasAndStereo I lived in Montreal for 2.5 years in the mid-90's working in independent label music distribution: What a beautiful city & such great people. Mon Francais n'est pas tres bon, mais ai fait de mon mieux pour parler le français du lycée et de la première année d'université, et les Québécois ont été très gentils. Ils semblaient également apprécier les Écossais = résultat !
@@ThomasAndStereo - Agreed! C'est tout ce que nous pouvons faire, Thomas. Cependant, j'ai constaté que les habitants de la province de Québec étaient très heureux que j'aie fait de mon mieux. Je ne peux pas demander plus que cela... Mes meilleurs vœux à vous et à votre famille.
I'm excited to hear this in my system at some point! I purchased the TS120 SE demo unit Thomas sent me last year and I loved it. I did end up trading it to my friend though. Not because anything was wrong, but I'm running big Tekton Moabs in a modest size room. The TS120's bass is so strong, it was overwhelming in my room in many cases, even to me. But my friend loves it so much in his system, that he also bought the TS A75 and is now looking hard at the A20. My new benchmark across the board of my Parasound JC5 and JC2 preamp. It's the best I've heard in my room across the board. Similar signature to the TS120, but slightly more balanced and just one step up in every catagory. Maybe two steps in sound stade. I haven't heard the A75 yet, but my friend thinks he might like it even more than the TS120 in his system. So I'm really stoked to hear both, sooner or later. Keep up the good work Thomas! PS, when you make a preamp to go with the power amps, please include 12v trigger! Thank you!
I still have to think on rebuilding my house first, but i am oficcially conviced about your products . For sure my next upgrade in the future .....now the presmp ! 😮😂
Hi Thomas, I am very happy I bought the TS A20. The sound is just so rich, organic and non fatiguing while staying transparent and revealing. After seeing one of your comments comparing it to the A75 and the 120, I thought I might miss a bit of base, but it is just spot on for my liking in my system. Interestingly, I am finding myself drawn to the music - even when I am trying to do critical listening - as opposed to getting attracted by subtle details and movements in the soundstage, even if everything that should be in the music is in the music as far as I can tell. I guess what I am trying to say is that what comes out of my speakers is just a very believable sound reproduction. Good job. I am wondering if this will remain the same once I connect a worthy streamer to my chain, or if the sharpening the images and the extra air will change this but I can always pivot if this happens. I am loving the soundstage as well. My room does not allow for a lot of depth (as far as I know) but I am getting nice width and very good height with my current setup, which for now remains a laptop, a Hugo 2, the TS A20, and the Gravesen 3WC-10BE. Once I manage to get the streamer issue sorted out, I will update, and will write a review on Galion's website. Congrats on a job very well done!!
Thanks for the feedback and I am so happy you got to experience what class A can do. Yes, the bass is very strong to the point people were guessing the amp is 150w to 200w at the audio show, but unlike the TS A75 and TS120 which are slightly tilted up, the TS A20 is neutral. Hopefully one day you can hear the other 2 amps to see how fun it is and both type of bass is good.
One more thing, what is unique about the amp is detailed and information is served to you organically, so you don't have to go into critical listening mode to hear everything. Perhaps that is why you find yourself drawn to the music because you can just relax and enjoy the amp, no need to force yourself to listen in critical mode trying to find every detail in the music.
I trully and sincerly from the heart wish you lots of sucess , the work you put in, the passion you put in , And the result a product with exceptional quality parts inside for not that much money .....bravo !
Wow! Unbelievable, put in so much money just on caps for voicing. Thanks for sharing the story how you've gone through. Wishing you a great success Thomas. 💙💙💙
Thanks, never let an audiophile be in charge of voicing and finance....my wife laughs at me, are you building a toy for yourself or are you running a business?
Amazing story about how the stars align to bring out beautiful products, . I wish i knew somebody like you here in the netherlands to help me bring my designs to market
I try I try. Not going to lie, it is not easy. For example, I actually had to go get the parts from the factory here, drive it to the designer's home so he can assemble it. It is the amount of work I need to do that is insane. When I order from China, I just need to write a check and they ship to the warehouse. However, it definitely feels more rewarding building it here near my home as I am there at every stage of the assembly. I feel so much more confident in the whole process.
@ThomasAndStereo I decided to purchase your amp and I am waiting delivery. Even though I didn't need a power at the moment, I felt you went over and beyond in R&D and belive this amp won't disappoint based on that alone. Secondly being Canadian I appreciate supporting local industry and keeping food and a roof over Canadians. I look forward to this amp, it will be powering the bouchardt S400 mrk 2.
i spent about 4k on a diy class A amp with dragon oil components and custom cnc chassis. how are you able to sell the TS A20 for sub 4k including labour!?
I have some new Zu DWX speakers on the way, this would likely be a match made in heaven. What is a recommended pre-amp for this model amp Thomas? Tube or solid state preamp?
Either tube or solidstate will work. If you want fast dynamics, then solidstate. You can even just plug it directly to the DAC, I have good results that way actually.
I received the amplifier today. I allocated some time during lunch hour to plug it in and turned my whole system on. I got no sound! Nothing! Not even a hum or hiss! Good, because I hadn't played any songs yet. I'm so used to hearing some sort of low volume hum from my tube amps; this had nothing. Excellent! I had a quick listening session with the A20. I will say that this amp did nothing wrong. Like Thomas mentioned, I could hear more bottom end with the A20 in my system. It was almost like it recovered the bottom end that I was not hearing with my other amps. The top end was refined, detailed, sparkling, but not intrusive at all. The midrange was smooth, not overly warm like the JC1 that I used to have. However, I did find it to be a little polite sounding (or should I say, not exaggerating in any area?). Maybe that's why I initially thought the amp had lower gain. Thomas later on explained the preamp matching will change the character of the A20. I do have a few other preamps, both tube and solid state. I guess I will roll them in to see how they sound. Note: Thomas also mentioned that it will take 100 hours for the amplifer to break in. Looking forward to see how the amplifier would after break in.
A gazillion capacitors at home ? You must have a VERY UNDERSTANDING wife !!! :) Well done Thomas... Trying to understand.. Waiting for the TS Navy tube preamplifier !!!
Thanks Thomas. I'd love to see a video of the designer explaining his philosophy and decision making. Especially how the speaker current is sensed and fed back.
Thomas, Nice presentation as always about your passion project. I suspect that this class A design coupled with the high cost components would yield a pleasurable sound. Unfortunately, like your other amplifier offering, there is no way to bridge into mono. I have large Dynaudio towers that as you have mentioned in the past require considerable power. Appreciated your presentation and stories nonetheless.
Hi Thomas - big fan. I bought the TS A75 and I love it. I will most likely end up buying the TS A20 amp but I am going to hold off as it would likely not get a lot of playing time as I would be waiting for the pre amp. For the A75 amp I am currently using the Freya + and I am waiting for your pre amp to match this amp. Not to put pressure on you but please do something on the pre amp side.
@@ThomasAndStereo That's the stuff! "I have simple tastes, i'm always satisfied with the best" (Oscar Wilde) .... "the best for my money, even if I have to wait a while" (me)
Hey Thomas! Young guy with a totally low student budget. I find my stereo system way too bright and I'm looking to see if I can swap some stuff out to get some warmth while keeping some clarity: I have a NAD 314 amp and old Mission 700 bookshelf speakers. Should I get a sub? Or should I swap out the speakers? Or should I sell everything else and get another setup?
Thomas there's no mention of speaker sensitivity, or speakers used. Could this be used with 89db b&w 802d2's to say a 90db listing level with great bottom end? I just got a 125amp ab that's honestly soft on the bottom end and am disappointed. Would appreciate hearing back, as I can't see it working, but numbers mean nothing. Thanks.
We were able to drive the Perlisten speakers at the Montreal Audio show with incredible bass. Mr Jazz has a b&w 802 D3 and yup no problem but you need a preamp with proper gain.
It does really depend also on the size of your room, and the distance to your listening position. Every meter further away ads considerable power needs.
I've been black markering over everyone's printing & logos for years. Including brand new components I've purchased. It's too obtrusive. I just can't tolerate it.
Looks like a phenomenal product, congratulations!! So based on your comments, pairing it with the Lumin T3 as a preamp/DAC/streamer will likely be ‘fast and transparent’…? Any thoughts?
In theory, it will be able to handle it cause we have driven Quad 2905 with it. However, as much as I would like to sell you an amp, I would advise against it because to really let the TS A20 shine, it is best to have higher-sensitivity speakers. You don't buy a $4k amp to get good results, you buy one to get OMG results.
It should. We drove the Perlisten 90db 4 ohm with incredible authority. The designer has an 87 dB speaker at home himself and can get loud volume in a mid size room.
Have you ever had the chance to experience a Steinway Lyngdorf setup? Would love to hear your thoughts vs a traditional equal value setup. A client of mine purchased the Model D, and additionally will be wiring their entire home for immersed sound. Will get to have a brief experience in the coming year once the home is complete 😁 but I'm curious how the sound would compare to setups you've experienced.
As I mentioned in the video, you can substitue the $200 Jupiter with a $20 Solen and it is just 'as good', but it will not sound the same. Canada does not make any high end caps, that is why I had to source my samples from Europe, England and USA.
Thomas - lol love this video. Did you know how many nasi lemak's and char kway teow's i had to sacrifice to buy those different capacitors to try out on my Musical Paradise dac and Preamp? Passion Project! Passion Project! lol
@@francisdelacruz6439 The thing is the amp is way more powerful than the 20w suggest so it should work with most speakers even at 87dB, I am just trying to be conservative.
If you have a DAC that has a volume knob, use that first. Else, it actually matched with most of the preamps I have tried, so any preamp you have will work.
Thanks for the passionate contribution to the community! Could the TA20 handle the dyna heritage special bookshelf, which require quite high power to drive....
Thomas, I hope you put in a balance and remote control on your preamp. Balance control sometimes is critical in getting correct imaging and soundstage.
@@ThomasAndStereo That’s a shame. I modded my preamp to have two volume controls with remote, one for each channel because I didn’t want to degrade the sound by adding another component in the signal path. I stay away from the ubiquitous Alps Blue pot (noticeably degrades sound) and use a stepped resister attenuator volume control or inductive volume control (preferred).
Omg…dream amp. Period. You are hitting these out of the park! What you’re doing for is so unique and we’re all so much better for it 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 Will it sound weird - or damage the amp - to use xlr to rca converters? Love my SPL preamp, but it has only xlr out 😞
Galion TS A20 = $3750 USD. A big thank you to the casing designer Loren Yankowsky from Alberta. Although it did cost me more than 10x compared to a stock casing from Ali express, the custom design is so worth it.
Stereophile take on the TS A20 room: www.stereophile.com/content/le-studio-du-son-java-hifi-galion-eversolo-perlisten-xlo-richard-gray%E2%80%99s-power-company
More info on www.galion-audio.com/pages/ts-a20-product-description
Motorola bipolar transistors?
Power transistors per bank?
Kilowatt toroidal size?
400k microfarads? Typo?
@@CarlVanDoren61
Output are Onsemi transistors
One pair of output.
160VA x 2 transformers
400k microfarads (Not a typo) Check close up screenshots of the internal parts.
@@asfdadfgdasfh4444 Thanks for the advice.
@@asfdadfgdasfh4444 Haha, good idea!
Nah first 2000 orders :-) u just might hit that level :-)
Thomas, you are doing an excellent job for the community. I truly appreciate what you are doing. You bringing exceptional equipment and speakers to the majority of what people can afford. You could easily slap the audiophile badge on it and charge double to triple what you are now. Your products have also been getting high praise for your stuff from other TH-camrs .I will be purchasing your amps when I’m ready to upgrade. I wish you and your company the best luck. I know your company will succeed. You will truly become a gem for the community.
Thank you, I appreciate it. I also work on giving the best customer service so it gives my company the best chance to succeed.
@@ThomasAndStereo And I agree that your price for the amp is a great value.
Congratulations Thomas! Your perseverance deserves a medal, and your delivery in your video makes me so absolutely curious to hear it! Congratulations again! From me and the team, Harley
You are having the most interesting audiophile journey-adventure of anyone I know. Thank you for bringing us along with such candor and humor. Showing us how you created this amplifier, with all things remarkable and other things usually left unsaid, reminds me of when plays or TV shows "break the fourth wall" to let the audience in on the story as a performed creation, making them a part of that creation rather than mere spectators. Kudos for sharing all the aspirations and tribulations of your passion project, and in that way letting us participate in the passion of your journey.
Thanks for the comment.
Thomas, I think it's great that you source your PCB and power supply in Canada, thus supporting domestic manufacture and employment. I appreciate western companies that make an effort to try to source components domestically whenever possible. (And I'm not even Canadian....:)
If my interests and enthusiasm for any of your products aligned and if I had the disposable income, I would never hesitate in purchasing a product from you. Your trustworthiness, credibility, ethical conscience, and allegiance to excellence emanate from the body of content you have produced with Thomas and Stereo. I have gleaned a lot from your discussions over time. I’m wishing you the best with Galion and will continue to monitor…who knows, maybe a Galion product will grace my home sometime! Thank you for your work Thomas.
Thomas LOVES capacitors.
Hell of a thing you built there Sir.
Slightly strange story on capacitors: 25 years ago or maybe a bit more, An older hi-fi'er & friend & work colleague told me I really needed to change the coupling capacitors of my then-fave 'Leak' vintage model "TL(?) -25", an 2x EL34'd / per Ch' valve power amp, to then-modern polypropylene cap's on the output valve base first & told me I'll not look back then want to go through changing all cap's inside to the more accurate (yes) & better sounding (hmmm) polypropylene caps. I ordered a few of the same m/farad value to solder in after removing the original & far older U.K. made "Hunts" caps with their metal case-marked accuracy of " -10% to +30% " & caps that many (all?) u k. domestic vintage amps sold up to the early 1960's had inside. I lived in the past hifi-wise with cheap old vintage valve amps that to me, floored the then-modern Marantz, JVC or Yammy etc transistor amps, I.m.o. by a mile. I replaced only at the valve coupling points as he excitedly told me to do first saying "you'll never look back & want to change all your other caps to polyprops. After putting them in, I waited for 2 hours for warm-up playing a quiet C.D. on repeat while I went out, telling my girlfriend "leave it playing till I return" I came back & stopped the C.D. &, put a fave test-quality L.P. on, turned it up & thought "oh dear, where the heck has my good sound gone, it's ruined" To give my colleague /friend /hifi advice giver a benefit if doubt, i kept the dammed accurate polypropylenes in for 3 or 4 days untill I could stand no more & wanted my music back, do promptly soldered my original 'Hunts' caps back in ...& Voila! there was that lovely sumptuous sound back in one short soldering session. Told him at work next day about how much worse I thought they made my amp sound, he was surprised "but their accuracy is so much better than any Hunts cap'" I realised then our ears are the final decider, not accuracy windows of capacitors. Maybe it did it improve the sound of his Radford valve amp (similar, 2 x EL 34's) in his mind. I also had a Radford like his a few years later but would never have bought his polyprop cap'd amp. And Radford valve amps were my most fave, s/h dirt cheap till some hi-fi mags inc' the top-sold "Hi-fi Workd" mag told folk '"those old vintage valve power amps are brilliant in modern systems & I saw their s/h prices go up & up & up, before that, i once threw away a Rogers Cadet 3 valve pre & amp, I couldn't be bothered to order, buy & replace the power supply electrolytes for the £25 it would typically get, last time I saw one on eBay, they were bidding over £350 for the same pre & power & it was riding to whatever it may have got. (10 maybe 12 watts max from 2 x ECL 86's per ch' (& no other valves onboard the power amp as it had s/state rectifier & ECL 86's are a combined triode & an output pentode in 1 glass envelope that Dansette box record players used)
Wishing you all the best Thomas. Hope it becomes a hit in the audiophile world
The best Class A amplifier
This is definitely the best class A amplifier I’ve ever heard, just straight out of the box, and it sounds great, can’t imagine how it would sound when burnt in.
I connected it to my Kudos Titan 808 loudspeakers, and used my Auralic Vega S1 as a preamp, it works flawlessly, got no problem driving my speakers, and they are 91dB in 8 ohms.
We have timbre, 3-D sound, details, punch and deep bass, didn’t miss anything, and this is coming from a guy, that have had a lot of different hi-end setups over 35 years.
MBL 101e MK II, Avantgarde Duo Omega, Estelon, JBL, Klipsch, Kudos, Bastanis OB etc with amps like MBL, Aavik, McIntosh, Mark Levinson, Krell, Accuphase, Wavac, Kondo, AN, Pass Labs and so on.
All I can say after listening to Galion for some hours now, is that this got to be a bargain and a great value for your money, so grab one while you can 😃👌🏻
Sounds like you’re having a lot of fun. Congratulations on your commitment and putting your dream on the line. I started building audio products but reverted to my 9 to 5 for a steady salary. It’s great to have a job you love.
Best HiFi video I've ever seen. Way to bring work home, more people/companies should be like you.
Thomas this brought a tear to my eye, thanks for bringing everyone such a nice amp. Although I am not really in the market for or cant really afford such a beast now, I would certainly love to try it someday...wow, beautiful
Thomas, thank you for sharing this journey. It is rather enjoyable
My pleasure!
Passion is infectious, and allows Serendipity to weave her magical web. DELICIOUS project!!!
Fabien is a brilliant designer.
I use tri-amplification with his creations and the sound stage is indeed fantastic.
His preamp is also marvelous.
This amp must sound divine!
Such a transparent (no pun intended) video about the background and philosophy of your latest product. Amazing! Currently enjoying your TS A75. This will sell like hotcakes! An affordable class A power amp. -Gavin
Glad you are having a great time with the TS A75!
Thomas ,...only two words i need to say : thank you .
There should be more people creating products like these .
Just as an update to my original impressions, I've had the TS A20 for a few months now. I have to admit it took me a bit of time to get the sound just right (perfectionist here), but I managed to do so and I have to say it will be hard for me change anything about my system. I am hands down getting the best sound I've ever had at my place. I've had fancier perhaps but nothing as realistic. Everything sounds so believable. It is spectacular. The sound is really transparent, with great tone and balance. The soundstage and imaging are great even if I think the soundstage is not as deep as it could be perhaps due to the limitations of my room, but moving in not too long. Nevertheless all sounds have their location in 3D space due to a super black background and layering, and even if there is a lot of detail and air the sound does not feel dry, or unrealistic, it just feels extremely natural, soulful and pleasant in all types of music. The dynamics are great as well. Typical things that sometimes don't come out right like kick drums, clapping in live concerns, the decay of piano notes, cymbals...all sound to me just right in my current setup. Congratulations Thomas. I've heard in some reviews that the bass could be tighter but to be honest, I do not see how. True that when comparing the A20 to a class d perhaps there is a bit more emphasis in the lower region with the class d, but I would not say this was due to the bass being less tight on the A20, and in fact the bass resolution of the A20 is admirable. And my class d (Boxem Arthur 4215/e2) can't get anywhere near the quality of the midrange and treble of the A20. My system is composed of an Electrocompaniet streamer DAC (ECM1 MkII), Acoustic Invader preamp with upgraded caps and internal cabling, the A20 and Faital 3WC-10Be speakers with the level 1 crossover. I use a puritan filter as well. I've had a lot of gear come and go already but this amp is a keeper. Do not hesitate to buy one. I cannot recommend it enough.
Hi Thomas,
I received the A20 in good order a week or so ago. I love everything about this power amplifier. I currently have it configured with an: Allo Digione Signature streamer (on Roon), a Gustard x18 DAC, Musical Paradise MP 701 Preamplifier, and KLH 5 speakers. I primarily listen to Jazz and Classical Music.
I especially like the voicing, the clarity and the soundstage.
Along with the rest of the HiFi Community I am anxiously awaiting the debut of your preamplifier.
Best,
Jim
November 21,2024
Hi Jim I am giving the A20 serious consideration, I noticed you use a Musical Paradise 701 preamp does the A20 and 701 pair well together and have you changed anything from factory with the 701 ?
One more question if a get the A20 and 701 preamp how well does this amp perform at low to moderate volumes, I will be using it in a home office ,.Thank you ,Mark
@ Hi Mark. I’ve not done any tube rolling yet because I am so satisfied with the performance even at low volume. I do intend to buy one of Thomas’ tube pre-amps when they drop later this year. Best, Jim
🙋♂️PASSION PROJECT, PASSION PROJECT, PASSION PROJECT 🥶👍
THOMAS YOU HAVE DONE ✅ WHAT I HAVE WANTED TO KNOW ALL MY LIFE,…WHAT IF YOU BUILT EQUIPMENT WITH ALL THE BEST PARTS AND HAD SOMEONE WHO KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING PUT IT TOGETHER…. NOW I KNOW…CAN NOT WAIT TO HEAR 👂 IT SOMEDAY 💚💚💚
@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461
🎵🎶🤫🎶🎵
Nice ! Class A Means pedal to the metal !! 400,000Uf compasitance that's crazy 🤪
CFB - Current feed back '
Expensive !!! If what I want is to high I consider building myself, but many will pay for passion!!!
Glad you are Canadian so 20 years from now I want here about a gossip magazine paying $130k to keep all rhe Passion you pit in the Amps private.
Great Job Thomas
Congrats, now that is what you call over engineering and at that price, crazy! I don't usually listen to the demo track at the end, but man this time it really sounded amazing.
Cool, thanks!
Thank you Thomas for sharing your passinated journey and bringing this amazing product to the Hifi world!
Glad you enjoy it!
Congratulations, it looks like an amazing product. Glad that you offer a competing product to the Musical Fidelity A1 and Sugden. Class A amps are usually un-affordable. The A1 was my first 20 watts pure Class A back in the days, sounded very warm and "musical" but it fried after a few years. I am looking forward to hearing the TS A20. I know, I'll invite you for a great supper one of these days and ask you to bring it for a fun ride on my system.
Happy that you are able to have it built in Canada. That matters. Supporting North American companies matter. Look forward to what comes next from you. All the best.
Yes, very much agreed.
I try, maybe if this venture is successful, I will come out with a class AB amp and a Pre amp next year from Canada.
@@ThomasAndStereo that would be great. Canadian manufacturers are doing great things.
Thrilled for you and glad to hear this journey. =) ... Looking forward to more listens on your gear =)
More to come!
Love what you do and the story behind. Very impressive. It will sell like crazy!
Totally agree with you on the subject of wattage. imo, many folk get the importance of wattage out of perspective. My old valved mono Quad amp pair, each spec'd by Quad U.K. as 15'Watts RMS (clean) from 2 X KT66 each) drove any speaker in my ave' sized, & not small living room to louder levels than anyone could comfortably sit in front of. I'd sometimes need to make that point when they read the wattage figure in the 4 or 5 page manual that came with them. Current delivery with wattage says more to me than wattage alone (valve amps aside) An old new & s/h hi-fi shop I frequented used to like to shock some wannabe amp or speaker buyers hung-up on wattage by playing a midi oscilloscopes & later a meter-proven 2 watts max music signal & 5 watts can hurt via 90'db 1'watt @ 1 metre efficient speakers, dynamic peaks do not get squashed, you don't need 300'wstts headroom & I know most folk would be surprised at the wattage they like to listen at, even when they crank it up. Doubling an amplifiers wattage adds Three Decibels to the sound, all else being the same system. 1 dB is worked out to be the smallest difference a person with normal full hearing (not old) can perceive. Three of em ain't that much for a doubling of your potential max' wattage. A 50 watt amp needs a 500 watt amp to make a noticeable difference of volume in outdoor P.A. gear which may need it, same with any amp anywhere. All above is backed Ohm's law & electro acoustic facts. Tho rooms can give box speakers some gain in the lowest mids & increasing to the deepest frequency, like when bunged close across a 45' corner, acting as a kinda horn
I really love the A20! I'm not sure I have even broken it in yet with only about 20-30 hours of playing, but the sound is fantastic. I have it paired with a NAD M66 preamp and either some vintage Boston Acoustic Lynnfield VR975 speakers or a new set of Zu Union 6 Supremes. The BA speakers are 91 dB through 8 ohms and the Zus are 99 dB at 8 ohms, so both are well suited for the 20 watts on tap from the A20. I was concerned that the somewhat analytical M66 would be a bit too lean for the A20, but it sounds glorious. I especially love the soundstage and instrument separation that the A20 brings to the other components. I like the treble, midrange and bass control on tap. This setup really rivals the TS 120 SE in class A!
What power does it draw? My Rotel RB-1582MKII is 550 watts @ 240Volts here in Australia. I love my Rotel gear!
another giant killer !!! congrat Thomas for all the dedication into this passion project.
Thanks a milion!!
A tube preamp with the tubes hidden in the chassis would be nice.
Top class, Thomas. You're a one-off guy. I wish you every success and a hugely selling, rave-reviewed power amp. All power to you; your integrity & conscientiousness to deliver high quality hi-fi products @ affordable prices is extremely admirable & most honourable, indeed. Very best wishes from a Scotsman in Japan... (p.s. I may start saving *now* - look out for an order from H/shima, JPN sometime early next year!))...
Much appreciated!
@@ThomasAndStereo I lived in Montreal for 2.5 years in the mid-90's working in independent label music distribution: What a beautiful city & such great people. Mon Francais n'est pas tres bon, mais ai fait de mon mieux pour parler le français du lycée et de la première année d'université, et les Québécois ont été très gentils. Ils semblaient également apprécier les Écossais = résultat !
@@Voidoid77 Mon français n'est pas très bon non plus mais j'essaie.
@@ThomasAndStereo - Agreed!
C'est tout ce que nous pouvons faire, Thomas. Cependant, j'ai constaté que les habitants de la province de Québec étaient très heureux que j'aie fait de mon mieux.
Je ne peux pas demander plus que cela... Mes meilleurs vœux à vous et à votre famille.
I'm excited to hear this in my system at some point! I purchased the TS120 SE demo unit Thomas sent me last year and I loved it. I did end up trading it to my friend though. Not because anything was wrong, but I'm running big Tekton Moabs in a modest size room. The TS120's bass is so strong, it was overwhelming in my room in many cases, even to me. But my friend loves it so much in his system, that he also bought the TS A75 and is now looking hard at the A20.
My new benchmark across the board of my Parasound JC5 and JC2 preamp. It's the best I've heard in my room across the board. Similar signature to the TS120, but slightly more balanced and just one step up in every catagory. Maybe two steps in sound stade. I haven't heard the A75 yet, but my friend thinks he might like it even more than the TS120 in his system. So I'm really stoked to hear both, sooner or later.
Keep up the good work Thomas!
PS, when you make a preamp to go with the power amps, please include 12v trigger! Thank you!
I still have to think on rebuilding my house first, but i am oficcially conviced about your products .
For sure my next upgrade in the future .....now the presmp ! 😮😂
Hi Thomas, I am very happy I bought the TS A20. The sound is just so rich, organic and non fatiguing while staying transparent and revealing. After seeing one of your comments comparing it to the A75 and the 120, I thought I might miss a bit of base, but it is just spot on for my liking in my system. Interestingly, I am finding myself drawn to the music - even when I am trying to do critical listening - as opposed to getting attracted by subtle details and movements in the soundstage, even if everything that should be in the music is in the music as far as I can tell. I guess what I am trying to say is that what comes out of my speakers is just a very believable sound reproduction. Good job. I am wondering if this will remain the same once I connect a worthy streamer to my chain, or if the sharpening the images and the extra air will change this but I can always pivot if this happens. I am loving the soundstage as well. My room does not allow for a lot of depth (as far as I know) but I am getting nice width and very good height with my current setup, which for now remains a laptop, a Hugo 2, the TS A20, and the Gravesen 3WC-10BE. Once I manage to get the streamer issue sorted out, I will update, and will write a review on Galion's website. Congrats on a job very well done!!
Thanks for the feedback and I am so happy you got to experience what class A can do. Yes, the bass is very strong to the point people were guessing the amp is 150w to 200w at the audio show, but unlike the TS A75 and TS120 which are slightly tilted up, the TS A20 is neutral. Hopefully one day you can hear the other 2 amps to see how fun it is and both type of bass is good.
One more thing, what is unique about the amp is detailed and information is served to you organically, so you don't have to go into critical listening mode to hear everything. Perhaps that is why you find yourself drawn to the music because you can just relax and enjoy the amp, no need to force yourself to listen in critical mode trying to find every detail in the music.
@@ThomasAndStereo looking forward to it!
@@ThomasAndStereo I completely agree. Well done!
@@DSor1 For you who owns a Cayin Soul 170i, one of the best tube amp I have ever heard to say all this means a lot to me.
I trully and sincerly from the heart wish you lots of sucess , the work you put in, the passion you put in ,
And the result a product with exceptional quality parts inside for not that much money .....bravo !
Thanks!
I so want one now,....shame that i have other priorities at the moment ....bummer! !!!!!!!
No XLR input?
Wow! Unbelievable, put in so much money just on caps for voicing. Thanks for sharing the story how you've gone through. Wishing you a great success Thomas. 💙💙💙
Thanks, never let an audiophile be in charge of voicing and finance....my wife laughs at me, are you building a toy for yourself or are you running a business?
Amazing story about how the stars align to bring out beautiful products, . I wish i knew somebody like you here in the netherlands to help me bring my designs to market
Thomas thank you for supporting Canadian business and economy.
I try I try. Not going to lie, it is not easy. For example, I actually had to go get the parts from the factory here, drive it to the designer's home so he can assemble it. It is the amount of work I need to do that is insane. When I order from China, I just need to write a check and they ship to the warehouse. However, it definitely feels more rewarding building it here near my home as I am there at every stage of the assembly. I feel so much more confident in the whole process.
@ThomasAndStereo
I decided to purchase your amp and I am waiting delivery. Even though I didn't need a power at the moment, I felt you went over and beyond in R&D and belive this amp won't disappoint based on that alone. Secondly being Canadian I appreciate supporting local industry and keeping food and a roof over Canadians. I look forward to this amp, it will be powering the bouchardt S400 mrk 2.
@@chrishmeet Thank youuuuuuu
Great Thomas!! Very interested in the preamp!!
Soon soon!
Is it tube or solid@@ThomasAndStereo
@jamestartaglia7686 preamp is tube
@ThomasAndStereo how much h will it be...I have two CARY audio tube pre and there sold state the best sounding is slp2002 with mulllards!!!!!
I also think it would have looked cool with clear plexiglass top on your amps!
i spent about 4k on a diy class A amp with dragon oil components and custom cnc chassis. how are you able to sell the TS A20 for sub 4k including labour!?
I have some new Zu DWX speakers on the way, this would likely be a match made in heaven. What is a recommended pre-amp for this model amp Thomas? Tube or solid state preamp?
Either tube or solidstate will work. If you want fast dynamics, then solidstate. You can even just plug it directly to the DAC, I have good results that way actually.
@@ThomasAndStereoso not very picky then, that’s great news. Great job on the new build Thomas!
I received the amplifier today. I allocated some time during lunch hour to plug it in and turned my whole system on. I got no sound! Nothing! Not even a hum or hiss! Good, because I hadn't played any songs yet. I'm so used to hearing some sort of low volume hum from my tube amps; this had nothing. Excellent!
I had a quick listening session with the A20. I will say that this amp did nothing wrong. Like Thomas mentioned, I could hear more bottom end with the A20 in my system. It was almost like it recovered the bottom end that I was not hearing with my other amps.
The top end was refined, detailed, sparkling, but not intrusive at all. The midrange was smooth, not overly warm like the JC1 that I used to have.
However, I did find it to be a little polite sounding (or should I say, not exaggerating in any area?). Maybe that's why I initially thought the amp had lower gain. Thomas later on explained the preamp matching will change the character of the A20. I do have a few other preamps, both tube and solid state. I guess I will roll them in to see how they sound.
Note: Thomas also mentioned that it will take 100 hours for the amplifer to break in. Looking forward to see how the amplifier would after break in.
You are a great salesman. I want to buy one now. 😂
If there ever is a hall of fame for audio reviewers, Thomas is a first ballot inductee.
This is the SUBLIME DIVINE of audio engineering I have been waiting for my entire life! You Sir > are an > AUDIOPHILE GOD!!!
Congrats!!! Looks like you are really having fun. Cheers!
I am!
Canadians love their CAPS.....First Angela Gilbert Yeung and now Thomas and Stereo :D
It is a Canadian thing :)
A gazillion capacitors at home ? You must have a VERY UNDERSTANDING wife !!! :) Well done Thomas... Trying to understand.. Waiting for the TS Navy tube preamplifier !!!
Brilliant video! One of your best. Really informative,and easy to understand
Thanks Thomas. I'd love to see a video of the designer explaining his philosophy and decision making. Especially how the speaker current is sensed and fed back.
Bravo !!! Well done.
Thomas,
Nice presentation as always about your passion project. I suspect that this class A design coupled with the high cost components would yield a pleasurable sound. Unfortunately, like your other amplifier offering, there is no way to bridge into mono. I have large Dynaudio towers that as you have mentioned in the past require considerable power. Appreciated your presentation and stories nonetheless.
You if you have Dynaudio, you would need the TS A75 to drive them.
Morning Thomas, can I check if you are planning to produce TS A20 with XLR input?
Thank you for taking time to read
Thanks, there are no plans to make a TS A20 with XLR
Hi Thomas - big fan. I bought the TS A75 and I love it. I will most likely end up buying the TS A20 amp but I am going to hold off as it would likely not get a lot of playing time as I would be waiting for the pre amp. For the A75 amp I am currently using the Freya + and I am waiting for your pre amp to match this amp. Not to put pressure on you but please do something on the pre amp side.
Ah, it has to be perfect before I launch the preamp
Ok - I am sure it will be worth the wait….
@@ThomasAndStereo That's the stuff!
"I have simple tastes, i'm always satisfied with the best" (Oscar Wilde) .... "the best for my money, even if I have to wait a while" (me)
Hey Thomas! Young guy with a totally low student budget. I find my stereo system way too bright and I'm looking to see if I can swap some stuff out to get some warmth while keeping some clarity: I have a NAD 314 amp and old Mission 700 bookshelf speakers.
Should I get a sub? Or should I swap out the speakers? Or should I sell everything else and get another setup?
Hi Thomas , I hope this is successful for you .
Don't know if this is feasible , can you implement a switch to turn the amp to a Balanced mono block?
Congratulations Thomas! Which of your 3 amps would pair best with the Magnepan 1.7is ?
@@devduttpatnaik1766 Maybe the TS A75 or my upcoming new amp after summer
Hi Thomas, will tsA20 be able to drive well Dynaudio confidence 50 or 60 speakers. Will it be able to produce the promises of the amp?
Interested in a comparison to Shiit Aegir 2
Hi Thomas, will TS A20 be able to drive well Dynaudio confidence 50 or 60 with all the promises of the amp?
Great amp. Is there a reason why RCA only? No XLR?
A question of cost and if you want true XLR, complexity
You have my attention and respect. Great job good sir!!
Awesome! Thank you!
Hey Thomas which preamp would make a good pairing with this please. I am looking for an amp for near field listening with spendor classic 4/5 speakers
Thomas there's no mention of speaker sensitivity, or speakers used.
Could this be used with 89db b&w 802d2's to say a 90db listing level with great bottom end? I just got a 125amp ab that's honestly soft on the bottom end and am disappointed.
Would appreciate hearing back, as I can't see it working, but numbers mean nothing. Thanks.
We were able to drive the Perlisten speakers at the Montreal Audio show with incredible bass. Mr Jazz has a b&w 802 D3 and yup no problem but you need a preamp with proper gain.
It does really depend also on the size of your room, and the distance to your listening position. Every meter further away ads considerable power needs.
When will you unveil that Navy preamp tho?
Still working on the sound. No idea.
This amp sounds awesome 🎉 Do you think this would be able to power Kef R3 meta's at all?
1000000000000% I had the Meta and your R3 will shine like no tomorrow. You wish your R3 would sparkle even a bit more, you got it.
Congratulations on finally getting this to market!! 4k... going to save up a bit 😊
How are these for 24/7 duty? Or is it perhaps class A in general isn't good for 24/7 power on?
@@jemi7566 The designer designed it for being on most of the time. Class A needs a certain time to hit peak performance.
uhhh this is sooo tempting... a masterclass Amp with soul!
Congratulations!
Thomas Congrats Awe-inspiring achievement🤩🤩🤩 Looking forward to the preamp and the reviews on the combo soon😍😍😍 You are my STAR🤭👍👍👍
Haha, thanks.
I like your quote dragon oil capacitors😂😂😂😂 😂❤!
Loving your work Thomas can you make the logo smaller though. It does dominate a bit too much
I've been black markering over everyone's printing & logos for years. Including brand new components I've purchased. It's too obtrusive. I just can't tolerate it.
@TriAmpHiFi I'm sure you'll get it right, maybe a half size brass or gold logo to delineate the difference to the other classes in the range.
What is the pre amp Thomas ? And how much isit.?
That is a tube preamp, around $2000 to $2500.
Looks like a phenomenal product, congratulations!! So based on your comments, pairing it with the Lumin T3 as a preamp/DAC/streamer will likely be ‘fast and transparent’…? Any thoughts?
Will this handle a 4ohm speaker that has 85db sensitivity? The min requirement for the speaker is 50 watts.
In theory, it will be able to handle it cause we have driven Quad 2905 with it. However, as much as I would like to sell you an amp, I would advise against it because to really let the TS A20 shine, it is best to have higher-sensitivity speakers. You don't buy a $4k amp to get good results, you buy one to get OMG results.
Any idea how many dB of feedback he added to circuit?
I will need to double check, it is considered a low feedback design…maybe roughly in the range of 30 dB or so
Hi Thomas, when will you review the trio10/Heil? Thanks for your passion!
Would this amp work well with 87dB efficiency speakers? Like the Magico A5s?
It should. We drove the Perlisten 90db 4 ohm with incredible authority. The designer has an 87 dB speaker at home himself and can get loud volume in a mid size room.
I hope one day we will see a Galion Audio preamplifier!
This winter!
I want to pre order 😃one
Impressive presentation. I want one. You make a helluva sales pitch.
Have you ever had the chance to experience a Steinway Lyngdorf setup? Would love to hear your thoughts vs a traditional equal value setup.
A client of mine purchased the Model D, and additionally will be wiring their entire home for immersed sound. Will get to have a brief experience in the coming year once the home is complete 😁 but I'm curious how the sound would compare to setups you've experienced.
Not the setup but just the amp, it is very good.
@@ThomasAndStereo hope you get to review the Model B's or higher one day.
Can u install in ur amps the capacitors as good as Canadian but made in somewhere else? I think u can figure it out.
As I mentioned in the video, you can substitue the $200 Jupiter with a $20 Solen and it is just 'as good', but it will not sound the same. Canada does not make any high end caps, that is why I had to source my samples from Europe, England and USA.
Could you do a cheaper version without the super duper caps?
Maybe in the future, but a class AB one.
Thomas - lol love this video. Did you know how many nasi lemak's and char kway teow's i had to sacrifice to buy those different capacitors to try out on my Musical Paradise dac and Preamp? Passion Project! Passion Project! lol
Very exciting! Definitely something I’ll look at for an amp upgrade in future. Will the matching Navy preamp have XLR inputs?
Bravo Thomas!!
Can you list popular speakers that pair well or with synergy on this amp? Looks to be a nice amp as good or better than Pass Labs?
Any speaker that is above 87 dB will work well with it. Except Magnepan. Single driver speakers, I would recommend more to go with tubes.
@@ThomasAndStereo So care in partnering with bookshelf speakers, many to have bass are kind of inefficient…
@@francisdelacruz6439 The thing is the amp is way more powerful than the 20w suggest so it should work with most speakers even at 87dB, I am just trying to be conservative.
Looks great! Is the amp single ended or push-pull?
It is push-pull so it goes up to 40w.
Looks fantastic! One question I have is why no xlr?
Cost and complexity. Also XLR is good for long distance cabling mostly.
Hi, will this amplifier be delivered to Germany and will it be able to operate on our voltage? A very interesting device that I would love to hear.
Yes, just order it with 230v!
@@ThomasAndStereo Thank you for the info, I just saw it in the shop. Best wishes from Germany
Hi Thomas, I have a Supratek Cabernet pre amp with a lot of output gain, how would this amp work with my pre?
My speakers are 87db,
Thanks.
The designer's own speaker is 87db and as long you are not in a big cathedral ceiling room, it would be fine. Preamp with high output gain is fine.
@@ThomasAndStereo thanks for taken time to reply 👍🏻
So if no preamp is available yet. What pre amp should we use currently?
If you have a DAC that has a volume knob, use that first. Else, it actually matched with most of the preamps I have tried, so any preamp you have will work.
@@ThomasAndStereo thank you Thomas. I am considering this amp!
Thanks for the passionate contribution to the community! Could the TA20 handle the dyna heritage special bookshelf, which require quite high power to drive....
At 85 db, you probably better off with a more powerful amp like the TS A75.
Thomas, I hope you put in a balance and remote control on your preamp. Balance control sometimes is critical in getting correct imaging and soundstage.
@JohnLee-db9zt sadly I did not.
@@ThomasAndStereo That’s a shame. I modded my preamp to have two volume controls with remote, one for each channel because I didn’t want to degrade the sound by adding another component in the signal path. I stay away from the ubiquitous Alps Blue pot (noticeably degrades sound) and use a stepped resister attenuator volume control or inductive volume control (preferred).
Galion ts a20 is not for sale in europe? too bad, would like to test it
@frankd.b.9233 sure it is.
Hi Thomas, question. I’d the amplifier design op-amp? Thank you
There is no op amp in this amplifier.
Omg…dream amp. Period. You are hitting these out of the park! What you’re doing for is so unique and we’re all so much better for it 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Will it sound weird - or damage the amp - to use xlr to rca converters? Love my SPL preamp, but it has only xlr out 😞
Thanks. Oh its fine to use the converters.
@@ThomasAndStereosweet 👍🏼🙏🏼