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REVIEW: Llano Designs Trinity 200 Amplifier (SS)

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Model: Trinity 200
Category: Amplifier (SS)
Suggested Retail Price: $2995
Description: Hybrid Class A Amplifier
Manufacturer URL: Llano Designs
Manufacturer URL: Llano Designs

Review by Penguin ( A ) on October 01, 2002 at 17:17:06
IP Address: 68.34.58.110
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for the Trinity 200


This is not my first encounter with the amp, but it is the first time I own one of these beasts. I made the decision to get one listening to one of my friends system where he drives a pair Apogee Calipers, or the top end of a pair of Infinity RS 1Bs with the same amp. From the get go I was impressed by the ease and presentation of these amps, so when one turned up used I jumped on it and thanks to the graciousness of the previous owner I am now enjoying the benefits of this gem. To avoid most of the techno geek babble you can go to Randy’s website and read until your heart content about the design and specs.

I got it hooked up to the speakers and the preamp and the first thing that struck me was how quiet the amp is. The background is silky black without a speck of noise. I listened to the amp with a pair of sovtek 6922’s and I concluded that (in the words of our fav insider trader) it is a good thing. A number of CDs went through the system and I liked what I heard. Since the previous owner was kind enough to give me other tubes, I decided to give a try to the once NOS Sylvania and Phillips 6922s. The difference was not subtle, any remaining grain was gone and the sound reached out in both extensions beyond my wildest dreams.

The detail is quite startling and the sound is just so real. Listening to massed strings one can sweep the resin from under speakers, the piano has hammers, you can hear the soft thuds of the keyboard when the hammers relax (not that it is a great thing from a recording, but I never hear it from any of my CDs or records), The amp represents large spaces extremely well and on the vandies it sounds oh so open, no constriction no aaargh sounds from singers, words just can not describe the “you are there” character of the music. Well almost. You can still tell that you are listening to recorded sound, but it is the best recorded sound I ever listened to in my house.

So after a few days of listening I got up the gumption to move away from the now quite enjoyable CDs and venture into the vinyl jungle. You all have to come over and listen to the sheer musical force this amp can pull off of vinyl, I just cannot describe it. Dynamic extension seems not to stop, record noise is separated from music to a degree I never heard before. The hiss of the tape on an old record bothers you about as much as the noise coming out of the HVAC registers, it is not part of the music, it is clearly in the background, audible but totally removed.

And the bass……..weight speed, extension all together. I am not buying another amp for a while. Smiling ear to ear, I think I will want to have this one buried with me when I die.


Dee
;-D


Product Weakness: It is a room heater
Black and not pretty
Low WAF
Product Strengths: Clarity
Flexibility
Musicality


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: llano design trinity 200
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Audible illusion
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Well tempered
Speakers: Vandersteen 3A Signature
Cables/Interconnects: modified DIY CVH silvers, Jon Risch CC89258,
Music Used (Genre/Selections): jazz in the pawnshop, Seffield lab 4 lab 7, lab 24, and a buch of jazz and classical CDs to numerous to mention
Time Period/Length of Audition: 2 weeks and ongoing
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Llano Designs Trinity 200 Amplifier (SS) - Penguin 17:17:06 10/1/02 ( 6)