Photos and specs Amplifier T.A.C. K-35

Classic tube amplifier with a sudden craving for modern electronic music.

Pros: easy to use, perfectly relates to academic music, jazz and, oddly enough, to electronics.
Disadvantages: does not like rock, requires special attention to the selection of speakers.

Brand T.A.C. (Tube Amp Company) belongs to the German holding Sintron. It produces vehicles under the name Vincent, and also owns radiolampovym plant in Slovakia. However, in the amplifier K-35 lamps are made in China. In the final stage of the four triode EL 34. Provisional In section one 12AU7 dual triode 12AX7 and two lamps. Apparently, the design of the device is quite traditional, but his approach to how this amplifier should be treated, not quite traditional. Anyone who is interested in lamp technology, know - in order to achieve the maximum from the machine, you need to tinker with it.

Rear panel. Four line inputs, one output on record, and terminals for connecting the speakers, impedance of 8 or 4 ohms.

Warming selection of lamps, setting tract - in some amplifiers is adjustable bias current for each light individually. However T.A.C. have a proprietary system for automatic control mode of tube stages, which does everything for you. She even natural wear lamps eventually able to neutralize to some extent. On the front panel there is light «warm up», which is lit after turning 20 seconds - no more. When it goes off, the unit officially fully operational. I must admit that, having an amplifier for several hours, I did not notice changes in sound quality associated with warming. I ventured to immediately connect K-35 to an impressive Napolnikov Dynaudio Confidence, but hoped that a tube amplifier can cope with such monsters. However T.A.C. not overawed. The sound was surprisingly ambitious and confident. Dave Gunn stood up - in the opening track of the last album Depeche Mode his voice is very powerful. However, no extra emphasis on sibilance, only a deep voice. Bass heavy, even in these, it is not generous columns, and most importantly, no problems with the dynamics. When Martin Gore hit the strings with his Gretch'a I naturally - shuddered.

Power 35 watts - quite respectable figure for a tube amp.

T.A.C. K-35 - classic lampovik with all its advantages and disadvantages. He likes the quartets of Haydn, Chet Baker, ballads performed by Johnny Hartman. All this and you will enjoy his performance. Sound solid, smooth, pleasant and interesting. But the high-spirited rock - it is more difficult. On the album, Dirty Pretty Things «Waterloo to anywhere» machinegun guitar chords mixed and bit drum turns into a buzz. As for carbon monoxide in a pub gig: all fun, but do not hear anything. Lacks sharpness, slew rate sound. Besides becoming noticeable light veil: in saturated mix instrument voices begin to mix with each other. Deciding to experiment with acoustics, I connected to T.A.C miniature outdoor amplifiers Tannoy Sun 4 T. fundamentally different ideology and design, high resistance and very small speakers, as he dealt with this Oddly enough, the bass turned almost more, but the feeling was gone boominess - these columns Sredina opened, the sound became lighter and more energetic. Even Dirty Pretty Things sounded wrong - drums, of course, remained soft and sensitive, but no problems with the phrasing was not. And so the first performance of Mahler's symphonies, I was just amazed - the big drum beats and orchestral tutti again made nervous. Still dynamics in T.A.C. very impressive, and he knows how to play loud tube amp from what you do not expect. Paired with Tannoy suddenly opened and the scene - was a distinct separation in depth, and I noticed that the sound is absolutely not tied to the columns. But the most interesting musical preferences of this amp - his attitude to electronic music. Gloomy synth design Depeche Mode or Exercise with analog samples Thom Yorke and his sound producer Nigel Goddricha - all at T.A.C sounds incredibly expressive. Every special effect causes a wave of surprise - ah, how it turns out, it sounds! On Horrewdown hill syncopated drum game confidently support a clear melody that sings Thom Yorke. His voice was perfectly audible on the background of dense sound of an analog synthesizer, drums and dry clatter of ringing bass notes. Perhaps the fact that modern electronics rather partial to analog and tube technology, and you can hear it.

T.A.C. Hi Endapparature svoeystvenny inherent minimalism: tone-absent on the front panel only selector, volume control and power button.

Frighteningly high level of distortion as compared with the modern transistor technology, at 10 kHz it rises to almost half a percent, but for a tube amp is absolutely normal. Damping factor - a symbolic meaning that demonstrates how well the amplifier can control the acoustics - barely more than 3 units. It's a bit even for a valve amp and says only that with the selection of speakers will have trouble. As demonstrated by audition T.AC copes with a variety of speakers, but try to make it work with "heavy" columns is not necessary. The upper operating frequency is 85 kHz at - 6 dB, but a flat line AFR barely reaches compulsory for Hi-Fi- parameters values in 20 kHz. Already at 25 she falls to poldetsibela and continues on a downward spiral. Thus, the power will not turn fully used to play SACD, although some above 20 kHz will be able to hear you.