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Model: | Trio C-100 |
Category: | Integrated Amplifier (SS) |
Suggested Retail Price: | $1595 |
Description: | ICE Control Amplifier |
Manufacturer URL: | PS Audio |
Model Picture: | View |
Review by JimOfOakCreek on January 26, 2008 at 11:58:37 IP Address: 65.26.194.23 | Add Your Review for the Trio C-100 |
(In a Nut Shell):
The PS Audio Trio C-100 is a 100w/ch (200w/ch @ 4 ohms) integrated ICE digital amp. This is a dual mono-design. The C-100 has an interesting method of volume control. It uses ‘Gain Cells’ which (PSA claims) has no volume attenuation or coloration to degrade the signal. Also it can take in very strong signals without distorting, up to 10 volts RMS. http://www.psaudio.com/articles/gaincell.asp
I may experiment by using it as a power amp in combination with a tube preamp at some point in the future.
It has a surprising amount of juice especially for such a small light-weight amp (8”Wx14”Dx3”H. about 9 lbs). It drives the current hungry Magneplane MMGs easily to loud levels. Layout is simple. On the contoured front panel there’s a volume control, a selector button and 3 blue source lights. On the back there are 3 sets of single-ended (RCA) inputs, 1 set of pre-outs, 1 set of high quality speaker connectors that accept spades or bananas and a power on-off switch. PSA recommends it be kept on 24/7.
It has some faults. New out of the box, the C-100 needs a break-in period because it was too edgy. (not as bad as my Panasonic SA-XR50 when new). The soft touch plastic remote has some functions not relevant to the C-100 and is a PITA.
After a break-in period of about 100 - 150 hours the overall sound has opened and strikes me as being very slightly warmer than dead neutral. It’s exceptionally quiet. With the volume max’ed and no signal from my PC, I hear no hiss, nothing at all. It delivers micro-detail and a tightly defined image. The soundstage has a lot of depth so you get an excellent 3D impression with focused listening. It matches up very well with Magneplane MMGs which are just a bit on the bright side IMO.
Equipment: PSA Trio C100, PSA Digital Link III DAC, Magnaplane MMG, Dayton 10" SW
(The Long Version)
Comparing the C-100 with my Panasonic SA-XR50 (also a class-d amp), the Panny has a brighter and cooler presentation. This compliments certain music rather well such as Gary Burton’s vibes from the album ‘Matchbook’. With the Panny, the high notes of Burton’s vibraphone give a pleasant ring in your ear with decays that seem to last forever. Of course this is a matter of personal taste and some listeners may find the effect to be too much. The presentation of the C-100 doesn’t resonate the vibes in your ears but probably is more accurate.
When compared to the C-100, the Panny is a bit edgier on some recordings, although I didn’t notice this until I did a direct comparison to the C-100. On Oregon’s “Music Of Another Present Era”, the obo and guitar combination on some tracks were a bit grating with the Panny (only when compared with the C-100). This has something to do with the recording but the Panny accentuated the problem I believe.
The Panny equals the C-100 in detail with a similar well focused but (maybe) slightly smaller soundstage. On concentrated listening, the Panny lacks a bit of depth. The soundstage on the C-100 may be a tad bigger with performers that seem slightly taller. The sound of the C-100 is smoother and more refined. The C-100 ‘feels’ like it has more juice than the Panny and drives my MMGs to loud levels without strain. The Panny has a slightly softer bass. I use a Dayton 10” subwoofer in my system.
Comparing my Jolida 1501 (a tube/MOSFET hybrid), both the Panny and the C-100 have better detail and a tighter soundstage. The Jolida’s soundstage is similar in size to the C-100 but more diffused. The Jolida has softer bass than both. The bass is not as deep and blooms a bit in comparison. The Jolida’s sound is warmer over all. The Jolida’s high end is slightly less extended but smooth but mellow. The Jolida has some very nice qualities but it’s a different presentation than class-d.
When I played Miles Davis’s ‘Flamingo Sketches’ alternate take, I listened with all three of the above amps. With the Jolida, at first I thought Jimmy Cobb’s brush strokes on the snare drum were actually the sounds of Master Tape hiss for a split second. With the brighter Panny I could tell instantly they were brush strokes that varied in pitch. With the C-100, the brushes sounded granular, varied in pitch and gave the impression of moving in a circular motion (which they were of course).
On Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side Of The Moon” in the track “On The Run”, the sounds of ‘running footsteps - out of breath’ never sounded so distinct as with the Trio C-100.
Both male and female vocals are warm and in-the-room-real. Diana Krall’s “Live In Paris” is something special to experience.
The C-100 works well with my MMGs driving them to loud levels without strain. PS Audio specs are 100w @ 8ohms with peaks @ 150w and 200w @ 4 ohms with peaks @ 300w. But the C-100 is supposed to be a combination of the P-200 preamp and the A-100 power amp. The A-100 is rated at 300w/ch into 4 ohms therefore I would expect the C-100 to be rated the same. At any rate the C-100 delivers amazing amounts of juice for such a small form factor.
I think system matching may be important with the C-100. I wouldn’t combine the Trio C-100 with darker speakers such as a Vandersteen 1C. I rate my MMGs as on the slightly bright side of neutral, whereas the C-100 may be slightly warm. My PC is used exclusively as my source in combination with a PS Audio Digital Link III DAC which up-samples to 24/96 or 24/192. I always use the 192 kHz setting which gives a very slightly brighter presentation. This total combination works really well. The amp is extremely efficient never getting past warm. Appearances are important too. I like the small size and contoured face plate. I describe it as the ‘less-is-better-than-more’ Zen simple look.
For me the most important aspect of any system is detail and imaging. The amp excels at presenting detail with a very strong soundstage. Since it’s slightly warm it’s easy to listen for extended periods without fatigue. That is one area where it is noticeably better than the Panny XR50. It’s hard for me to find any faults with sound of the C-100 since it matches up so well with the MMGs. Keep in mind that I may be a bit biased in my opinion.
There are some mods available for this amp which could further improve its performance. I haven’t heard a modded C-100 so I don’t know if its worth the expense or not. In stock form the Trio C-100 is quite good.
Peace
Product Weakness: | Poor remote, break-in period required |
Product Strengths: | Non-Fatiguing, Imaging and detail, Compact/Efficient/Sweet Appearance |
Amplifier: | PS Audio Trio C-100 |
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | None |
Sources (CDP/Turntable): | PS Audio Digital Link III DAC, PC w/iTunes |
Speakers: | Magneplane MMG |
Cables/Interconnects: | Heavy/Generic |
Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Jazz. FZ, Rock, Soft Machine, Passport |
Room Size (LxWxH): | 24 x 18 x 8 |
Room Comments/Treatments: | Throw Rug On Hardwood, Draperies, Stuffed Furnature |
Time Period/Length of Audition: | 1 Month (100-150 hrs) |
Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
Your System (if other than home audition): | N/A Zippo |
i've had my C-100 for about 3 months now, and i agree, it's a keeper.
i'm mildly surprised that you're calling it warm. i generally associate warmth with a midrange roundness and rolled off treble, and what i hear from my C-100 on the high end is extended, airy and crystalline, with well-defined tight mids. it has oodles of detail without being analytical.
it doesn't have that soft sound that i think of when i hear the word "warm." when i auditioned the Rega Mira 3 amp to go with my Rega speakers, i heard warmth.. way too warm for me. the C-100 by comparison, is neutral and tight.
likely, my source is affecting my impressions, a lowly Oppo 970. my next upgrade will probably be the Digital Link III that you already have... maybe with the Cullen Circuits mods. that probably won't be for another several months, however.
anyway... LOVED the review... great to read a review that validates my own love affair with this little powerhouse.
I don't want to give the impression that the C-100's high end is rolled off in any way. That's not what I meant by my description as "warm". I was refering to tonal balance.
Everything being relative, I was comparing the sound against a Panasonic XR50 which is definetly brighter than the C-100.
Ihe highs are extended and detailed on the C-100. But I thought the sound was > > slightly < < more focused on the midrange; whereas the Panny's sound is more influenced by the treble.
I hope I am making sense to everyone.
i gotcha.
i set my father-in-law up a few years back with an XR55 powering a couple of Athena bookshelves... just based on the online buzz about both products. i was completely dazzled by the sound for a mere $300 total. of course, the room had unnaturally good acoustics to start.
the one thing i had to do was dial down the treble on the XR55 by -4dB. but each time i came back to visit, i could turn the treble up one more dB. the XR55 now sits at -1/-2dB, depending on the recording, and while i wouldn't exactly call it "smooth," it does have a nice sparkle to it.
when you compared your panny to the C-100, were you using the digital or analog inputs on the panny?
The XR55 is still my main amp. It biamps my Silverline Sonatinas. If change the source or cables or power cords I immediately notice an improvement in the overall sound..meaning that my XR55 is not the bottle neck. Seems like better the jitter free signal the better the sound of the Panny. Also, something like the Black Sand Violet power cord (used with an adapter) improves the sound of the Panny.
I dont have the heart now to spend more on amps !!!
(BTW, it is not at all bright for me. I craved for some detail with the Audio Refinement Complete and I got it with the Panny)
Yup, The Panasonics are a HUGE bargain. Plus, if you consider that they have 2 optical and 2 d-coax inputs, (therefore you don't need a DAC), the Panny's are an INSANE bargain!!!
I only use digital these days. I had a USB/SPIDF converter that had optical/coax out. I used USB from my PC to USB/SPIDF converter Optical out to the Optical-In on the Panny.
i see. so the comparison was source -> signal converter -> XR50 vs. source -> DLIII -> C-100?
Yes it was easier to switch USB devices (DLIII to Converter etc)thru Vista on the PC for quick comparisons between Panny and C-100.
Otherwise I have to go source > DLIII > Panny analog-in then switch to source > DLIII > C-100 by disconnecting RCA on one and reconnecting to other.
Keep in mind the Panny will convert Analog to Digital anyway if I go source > DLIII > Panny analog-in. Either way the Panny's ADC or DAC get in the way.
replace the Jolida in your system?
I've been experimenting with using the pre-outs of the Jolida into the C-100. Using the Jolida 1501 as a preamp has been an interesting and enlightening experience.
However, at this point I am planning on trading the Jolida in for a respectable preamp. So, to answer your question, yes, the C-100 will replace the Jolida.
Great review -- I was surprised to hear you say that the amp sounded a tad warm and that you wouldn't pair it with dark speakers, neither of which is the standard rap against class-D gear.
Have you heard the Bel Canto EvoII-gen2, or anything in the current generation of products by Naim? You're definitely singing my song with your praise for this particular piece.
Peace to you, too.
Dave.
Well, if Jim describes the sound as warm, I dont think it would sound anything like Naim. This was one integrated amp I was hoping to replace my Nait 5i with. I still might give it a try.
Glad you enjoyed the review. I haven't heard anything from Bel Canto.
The warmth of the C-100 surprised me as well, not what I expected from Class-D. ICE technology obviously has a slightly different sound than Class-D from Panasonic /TI.
Nice review. Thanks!
What did you think of the C-100 bass overall?
How was the bass impact, speed, depth, and definition or ability to clearly delineate among the very low frequency instruments? I found the Bel Canto ICE based M300 monos lacking in this area which caught me by surprise because my other class D amp excelled in the bass region in every respect mentioned above. The Bel Canto M300 bass was there but it was poorly defined, not clear, almost muddy.
Since the Trio is ICE based, I'm very curious to know how it does in the bass region.
I found the bass response to be quite good. Exactly what I would expect from class-d. It was better than my other 2 amps mentioned in the review. In no way would I characterize it as muddy.
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