"Tutu" - 150W Tripath Class D monoblocks

The Tripath modules are the T3 150W monoblocks. The gate controller chip proudly displays the Tripath name. The modules are quite small and cut down. No mechanical speaker protection, only small electro on board and not a lot of parts. Could be a sign of better things to come. The tranni is a 300VAC 30-0-30 and I paralleled the secondaries. That provides 30VAC @ 10A. Rectification is by a 10A rec. bridge which is soldered directly onto the first cap to ensure maximum current transfer to that cap. The secondaries are soldered directly to the rec, bridge. A 0.1uf poly bypasses the first cap to reduce bridge and cap noise. And as usual it has its own mains EMI\RFI filter.


The caps are 2X Mundorf MLytic 22,000uf 63V (44,000uf per monoblock). They are ultra low ESR audio grade and cost $60 each a total of four is required. Power wiring is via thick speaker wire and wiring to extra heavy duty speaker binding posts is very thick speaker wire and is quite short. A RFI choke is around the power cord.

Connection to the board is by large brass spades so a board replacement is an easy job. RCAs are solid copper, palladium and Teflon. The enclosure is steel with a nice finish. Only four large screws hold the enclosure together as a lot of it "clicks" together. Speaker binding post are two way, are insulated and solid brass, big and heavy but nice!! The PS will deliver 420W and the amp can deliver 300W into 4ohms or 150W into 8ohm with 300W peaks. I called the monoblocks "Tutu" (think Mola Mola)

Tripath 180W Class D power amp with V1.3 EAT boards.

Here is the latest amp boards (V1.3) from Eastern Audio Technologies. The front of the brd. is very different but not the backend. This still has speaker crowbar protection and the great sound of a true Tripath Class D. With 180W RMS into eight ohms, on tap, this amp will drive any load easily. To ensure maximum current transfer into the first 8,000uf cap the 10A bridge is soldered directly onto it. I doubled the thickness of the wiring from the 500VAC tranni to the first cap. A second 8,000uf cap provides all the filtering. There is more (10,000uf) storage onboard. I called this amp "The Ghost" because is so transparent.

I usually tin the heavy multi-strand hook-up wire which brings DC power to the brd. and hooks-up the speakers to the brd. But why pass the power and the audio output through another different laying, this time tin and lead. So bare copper connection are made where required. Result is a cleaner, clearer more transparent sound. So good a friend heard one track with this amp and his AU$22K Harbeth 40.2 speakers and bought the amp on the spot. He already had some expensive SS amps but this bested them all. Good result all round.