INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER TRIODE CORPORATION Co. TRI TRV-300SE WOJCIECH Pacula

COVER STORY

LISTENING EXPERIENCE

Listening to an amplifier like the TR-300SE always is quite an experience. We deal with a legend come true: a SET amplifier with a 300B valve in the output stage. Point. For a long time valves of this type were reserved for a narrow audience, due to the cost of amplifiers built around them and exotic makes of such amplifiers. And suddenly - bang! The Chinese can do the same for 5% of the price. In the beginning one cold not compare those directly with the western counterparts, but their makers were quick-learners, and in a very short time equipment "Made in China" became quite good, and some of them even extremely good, like the Dared amplifier we tested, based on the 300B valve, costing only 4000 zł (test HERE). An attack on the higher price levels begun, and the whole audio industry felt being endangered. Now it becomes clear, that competition was a positive thing for everybody. Three years ago it was unthinkable for an amplifier from a small Japanese manufacture to be sold for less than 10000-15000 zł. After the Chinese invasion everything has changed. Now it is possible if somebody wants it to be. In the shape of TR-300SE we get a perfectly made, authentically Japanese, what means designed there and soldered sole handedly by Mr. Junichi Yamazaki, priced about 6000 zł (1500 Euro), and ahich is based on the 300B valves. Of course, there is a difference in the quality of manufacturing, the sound and the components between the TRI and equipment made by Kondo, but nevertheless this amplifier has the same "way of sounding" that is achieved by the duet consisting of 300B and Japan.

It begins as if we would read a recipe for "Japanese sound": the treble of the amp a bit rounded and not as strong as in Model 5 Avantgarde Acoustic or even other Japanese valve devices from the same price range. Also the bas is not as dense as in Model 5, and is completely away from what the power amp Monster Power MPA 2250 SS presents. And given that Leaving that aside, or maybe using that for it's own purpose TRV-300SE presents a sound in a more natural, more "probable", could I say, way than the mentioned amplifiers and all others I listened to in the price range below 15000 zł. I am not a "twisted" valve lover, not even for the 300B valves, although one of the three best amplifiers I ever listened to in my life, Silver Grand Mono Ancient Audio (premiere listening test HERE) is based on those valves. But this is just an exception, the other two, including the fantastic Viola (test HERE) and the ingenious Nagra (comparison between Silver Grand Mono and Nagra MPA can be found HERE) are transistor based amps. However, just a short listening of the Tri with class accompanying equipment is enough to hear something like a facsimile of the recording room, ingeniously natural by the lack of mechanical intrusions and the lack of annoying distortion, that makes nice hi-fi from many amplifiers, but by far no hi-end.

Tri TRV-300SE is fully the elite club of 300B. This is not an attempt to be in that club, like the Dared, or even some more expensive devices, but a full scale membership. Still without a platinum or even a gold membership card, but with the right to free drinks and access to the club pool. The basis of the amplifiers sound is a very noticeable creation of sound. If we would compare the sound of, for example the mentioned earlier Monster MPA 2250 SS, a very good amplifier by its own, to building a skeleton, a backbone, then the TRI is filling all the places with tissue. These are two ways of trying to achieve the "absolute sound". Transistors go from the skeleton and slowly, rising on the scales of quality and price, fill out the holes with matter. Valves on the other hand throw in the tissue at first - and then, the higher the quality the stronger the skeleton. In the Tri you will not find ideally short leashed bass or very clear cut, or clearly articulated, instrument shapes and borders. In the contrary - when transitioning from a silicon amplifier one could think that the TRI is little detailed, and its slightly darker sound it loses the insight into the recording. (the same kind of feeling can you get listening to the phenomenal Audio Nemesis DC-1 D/A converter for the first week - test HERE). And actually it is completely the opposite: TRV-300SE reaches much deeper and better in the recording than Model 5 and other transistors. The TRI does it in another way. Instead a somewhat distorted sound shaping by giving a very clear attack, it gives a wealth of harmonics, this tissue or matter, that makes us hear a true saxophone or trumpet. That the drums and percussion, though without the phenomenal attack and fairy-like spectacle, like from the recording of Akiko Grace "Momentum" (Jroom/Columbia [Japan], COCD-53547, CD), is more "here and now", that her coloring, at first seemingly rounded and warm, is more natural, does not grate on the ears, but invites to listen more carefully to it play.

I will not hide, that at first small bands' recordings landed in the players' tray. However after Akiko I played the CD "Power of Nine" Anthony Wilson Trio (Groove Note, GRV1035-3, SACD/CD), with a large brass section and "power" in the sound. First played was a slow paced piece with a guest appearance of Diana Krall. And the ingenious presence of her voice, its depth, natural coloration, without any sharp edges but with very detailed articulation, all this seemed to confirm the Japanese amplifiers predilection for such cameral playing. However, the strong, full of passion title track, a piece to show the power of the nonet, showed, that sound amount and the speed of it diminished, even in comparison to Model 5 (27 W, class AB), but then the tenor sax played its part in a beautiful, fluent way, and was audible even under attack of its neighbors. A quick change of the recording to a quite old, but much revealing "Blue Train" of John Coltrane in the exceptionally good version by Classic Records (HDAD, DVD-A 24/192) - and the same was revealed - beautifully showed saxophone, and below it, behind it, trumpet and trombone, both very crisp, coherent, alive, but visibly in the after-plane, just a background.

Next change, this time the material consists of a large amount of samples together with live guitars and trumpets from the CD of Ngujen Le Duos "Homescape" (ACT 9444-2, CD, review HERE) and it is even better. So visible shaped space, so clearly shown operations on phase of the signal, like in the opening song, where the trumpet is spinning around the head, I have not heard for long. Maybe, a component of natural, non-mechanical way of playnig, is the way in which TRI recreates the sound stage . Between the speakers a new space opens. Often it is said, that the musicians came to play inside the listening room, but I think, that myself and my pen-pals exaggerate in this. What we mean, is that between the speakers a new dimension is created. A recording is a different microcosm, it does not have much common with the reality, is just some creation (not re-creation). The only thing we can do is re-create that, what is written on the disk, and not reality. It means, that we have to create an image of the world behind the speakers - a different space than the one inside the room, and though natural enough, to be able to put aside your 'disbelief', the listeners suspicious nature, that enables the recognition of differences between reality and a mechanical recording. The Japanese amplifier is able to do that in a great extent. There is no 'opening' like the one associated with the top-line amplifiers, there is no three dimensionality and instrument projection on the stage, but the stage itself, the room acoustics, are so good, that we hear the reflections (or their creation, we cannot know for sure), that accompany the playing. So take a heavy beat - and it is OK. Really interesting was the fact, that TRI played rock recordings in a ingenious way. Prog-rock from the recording Porcupine Tree "Deadwings" (Lava 01130, DVD-A 24/48) sounded with verve, a fantastic bass (OK. - lower bass was a little slower and weaker) and a very good percussion foot. Every next piece sounded even better. And again three things allowed for something like that: the coloring with the harmonics, fantastic reverb, and the ability to emulate the real presence of the instruments.

Lets talk now about the weaker points. Of course, not everything on the TRI will play right, and not everybody will like the calm, "analogue" sound of the amp. I can even understand the accusations of a darker upper range. You will have to pay much more to have a better selectivity besides a great hue. But everything links together to something, that allows to show the instruments and vocals in a uncommonly natural, filtered out from signs of reproduction. The amplifier has a striking power of 8 watt per channel, and should immediately be located in the table with speakers of high effectiveness. It seems true, a short listening with Avantgarde Acoustic Nano tube speakers (test in preparation) revealed, that the bass and treble profit from it. However, most of the time the amplifier was paired with normal speakers, especially the prototype Harpia Acoustic monitors with a 84 dB effectiveness. In my listening room, 27 m2, it was sufficient to play very loud. I am being convinced for the n-th time over, that effectiveness is one thing, but current efficiency and immunity to overloading of an amplifier is something completely different. Let's not limit ourselves only to high efficient loudspeakers, this is not the way to proceed - a well built amp will handle a variety of loads. Tri TRV-300SE doesn't cost much and will play well all kinds of music. Together with the E-Sound player (test HERE) and the Harpia speakers it made a system, which in its natural sound created something, that we used to call hi-end. I am just curious of one more thing: how will this wonder-box play, if we would exchange all components to the best possible? Time will tell, I will try to make such a test. But here and now it is a splendid device.

THE MAKE

The TRI TRV-300SE amplifier is exceptionally small for a tube amplifier. Used to see giants of American origin we are prone to think: "where are the reminders of this amplifier?" After some time everything is as usual and we start to appreciate the perfection of small forms, something where the Japanese are true masters in. It is a bit like poetry: take a classic poem and haiku - both have the "something", but haiku has its "something" more dense, concentrated on a smaller surface, this makes this "something" seem larger. This device has a classic tube-amp look: in front the exposed valves, behind those a box with the transformers. The front and aft panel are made from a sheet of aluminum. In the front panel there is a piece of a titanium, matte look - it contains the company logo and the power switch, together with a blue LED. On the right hand side two aluminum knobs are visible - one is for volume, the other switches between the three RCA inputs (a bit few…) The top cover is made from polished stainless steel, on the sides there are wooden panels. The panels look very nice, but in the places, where the screws tighten them to the main chassis (and don't look very good), small fragments with no ooze are visible. Most visible elements are the tubes and the large box behind them. The valves are Japanese made Okaya, with a TRI logo - in the input and control stage the double triode 6SN7, and in the output stage the triode 300B with a slightly smaller than usual anode. The box with transformers draws attention, and this due to the unusual lack - it is covered with a burgundy metallic car varnish. On the back we have three pairs of RCA connectors and three pairs of speaker terminals (0-6-8 Ohm) - identical to those used by Rotel or Edgar.

After unscrewing the bottom cover we see the insides. Here, common to SET tubes - simplicity and moderation, the whole circuitry is put together in the point-to-point technique, almost without any printed circuit boards. It becomes apparent, that the RCA inputs are not covered with gold. Long shielded cables connect them with the (open) source selector and then to the stereo, black Alps potentiometer. From there short unshielded cables guide the signal to the triode meshes. The tubes are settled in ceramic, nice looking holders. One can see Mundorf PPM Real Cap capacitors and bipolar Nichicona ones. This part is separated from the rest of the amp by a metal shield, shielding it from RF noise and thermally from the closely located power triode holders. From those the signal goes by a short cable to the output transformers. A trick is visible, that was used to have the TRI look smaller that it's competitors - the 300B's are inserted into the enclosure to the height of the ceramic bases. This section is crowded by the power supply - there are four rectifiers (output and input tubes heating, anode voltage) accompanied by groups of Nitchicon capacitors. Two more things: the apparatus is equipped with nice looking alu-rubber feet and a cage covering the valves (EU requirement). The latter can of course be removed, and to do so, a small Phillips screwdriver of the US company Eagle is part of the standard equipment. A small thing, but a nice one.

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