AR TD sound enhancer

[Toasted Almond]

The AR TDS is now available, brand new, for $44.99. It is in the latest Musicdirect catalog, at the bottom of page 42. I think the ad stated it was originally $199.

www.musicdirect.com

 

[dingus]

foetusized,
i had feedback issues with the TDS202 when in close proximity to the Pioneer SA-7100 being used as pre-amp. keeping the TDS about 2 feet away form the Pioneer solved the noise issue. no problems with noise/feedback with the TDS and the T-Amp sitting next to each other.

hpsenicka,
i believe that Steve Gibson did house the TDS\T-Amp combo into a the same box, with very good results.

the directional arrows on the TDS IC's are there for a reason. when used directionally correctly, there is no difference in sound quality, but you will "feel" better about it. actually i had one pair reveresed, no difference when i "corrected" them.

 

[VintageNut]

you can still get the TDS202, new, on ebay for about 8.00

 

[Toasted Almond]

That is a helluva lot better than $45! I don't hang around ebay at all Vintage, so had I decided to try one I would've overspent considerably. Now I can make an informed purchase. Thanks mon!

 

[VintageNut]

No problem. Just send me 30.00 as a finders fee, and you are still ahead
I got like 4 of them off of ebay, that seller offers a good discount on shipping if you get more than one. It comes with 2 pairs of interconnects, if you got the interconnects alone at Best Buy, they would cost about what you are paying for the TDS202 package on ebay. 3 of them with shipping cost right at 12.25 each, if you win the auction at the starting bid of 7.99


http://cgi.ebay.com/ACOUSTIC-RESEAR...ryZ64615QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[hpsenicka]

I actually bought 2 of them to help amortize the shipping cost... I think 2 units with shipping worked out to around $24 total.

(I suppose that means now there are 2 new projects on my list rather than just 1!)

 

[cubdog]

I bought 2 at $7.99 ea as well. I use one with my Sonic T and the other is connected to my Sansui AU517. I haven't yet decided if I like the effect on the 517. It seems to depend upon what cd I'm playing.

cubdog

 

[outlawtigger]

I bought one, and hooked it up to my adcom's processor loop, and don't think it goes well with my system, hard to do a back to back comparison, as it is hard to get the levels, the same, there is quite a difference in level.
less bass, tho, and seems like less "soundstage"

maybe, it works better with different amps, needing/utilizing the different output level.

 

[shrinkboy]

it seems by all reports that the best application for the AR TDS is in combo with the Sonic Impact. you will also notice a favorable difference when used with a pre recorded tape. sometimes, there will be the need to boost bass when the unit is in use. but, with the AR on the 'external processor' loop of a good preamp, in front of the Sonic Impact, you will notice a definite jump up in clarity, depth of soundfield, and imaging. at least, that has been my experience. also, i sometimes like to use when watching TV. it really 'pops' voices and dialogue, and ambient sound design -- sirens, background voices, phones, dog barks etc- come in really sharp too.

i'd like it Wardsweb, who turned me on to the AR in a post that most people didn't see earlier this year, would describe how his BlueBeam (?) preamp works-- he incorporated an AR into it-- when he built it.

shrinkboy

 

[mhardy6647]

(sorry, I am feeling belligerent today)

Y'know, it's always sort of puzzled me as to why folks spend money on equipment to deliberately add distortion to their hi-fi's...

 

[shrinkboy]

mhardy-- you call that belligerent? shit, that ain't belligerent, that's down right....well, polite. anyway, i wouldn't hold out the little war of the worlds looking gizmo as the be all end all of the audio world, just a cool think to mess with for few $$ and in selected applications. that's all. but honest to goodness, it looks like its real home is alongside a Sonic Impact. they just seem right.

 

[dbwinger]

my experience

I have a couple of the AR sound enhancers. When used between the preamp ins and outs on my HK A402 it sounds great and really gives a nice clarity to the treble. I don't think it really fiddles with the bass. I use it periodically when I am listening at low levels.

I used it with a Sonic Impact T-amp and I liked it with this amp also. Gives music a little more oomph.

Last I tried it between my preamp ins and outs on my Sansui 2000X and it made things worse. It was like I turned the tone controls all the way down.

For $7.99 plus shipping I can't complain about this device. I don't think I would pay too much more than what I paid as it is kind of a last 5% kind of tweak to me. It does add a little something to the sound, kind of like a more refined loudness button.

 

[Matts99]

I used the sound enhancer with Teac AL700P amp and tube preamp connnected to Klipsch forte IIs.
The bass was MIA. I removed the unit and all was well again The interconnects that came with the unit are pretty nice. I give it thumb down.

 

[fredt300b]

It's An Autoformer

The AR/TDS unit incorporates an autoformer for each channel. An autoformer is a transformer that has only one winding that's tapped somewhere midway to modify the impedance that's seen by the source component. Being an inductor it also impacts the phase relationship of the signal. The most frequent use of autoformers is between amps and speakers - an autoformer is especially useful with a tube amp because it can make a four ohm impedance speaker seem like an eight ohm to the amp. An autoformer that's designed for line level use between preamp and amp can be built for much less than one that handles a speaker level signal because of the smaller gauge wiring needed.

Being a sucker for tweaks I bought one of the original TDS models a few years back for $200. I measured the speaker output with and without the TDS in the signal path and found it increased the signal level by 6dB in the midrange, tapering to a 4dB increase at the frequency extremes. The increase amount also varied with the relative impedances of the source and destination components - A low source impedance combined with a high load impedance produced the greatest gain. I also found it was very sensitive to any nearby power transformers and had to be placed at least three feet away to prevent hum.

The gain did produce a "loudness control" effect because the same signal at 6dB greater volume will sound fuller to human ears, but that was partially mitigated by the fact that the gain was greater at the midrange. With solid state equipment the non linear gain resulted in a reduction of treble siblance and a more tube-like midrange. I didn't like its effect with tube equipment - it made the system sound too "tubey" to my ears.

It was a ripoff at $200, but at $7.99 it's worth a try in any system. I can see where its gain effect would be especially useful with a passive pre like Wardsweb's because passives often need a boost with low level recordings. It might also sound good with a mass market receiver placed in the effects loop. I ordered three at $7.99 and will bring a couple of them to the next Lone Star Bottlehead meeting at Wardsweb's in October so others can try it.

 

[VintageNut]

Thanks Fred, very informative. I feel the need to put my smoking jacket on and grab my pipe to read your post

 

[shrinkboy]

fred-- cool post, very informative. helped splain what the little dickens is doing in there. fred, have you tried one with a sonic impact amp and high eff. speakers?

cool post. thanx