Review: Acoustat Trans Nova Twin 200 Amplifier

I Bought one of these delicious monsters used, for $700, maybe 8 or 9 years back. It still works great, but it lets out one hell of a scary WHUMP-PP! when turned on. I always made a ritual of turning on the Acoustat, then the Pre-Amp, then the source, and it never hurt a speaker, but once I turned on the PreAmp first and blew the fuses on some small B&W speakers when I powered up the TNT- I used to always keep extra fuses around after that, but it never caused any damage, except costing me a Dollar or so for a pack of fuses at Radio Shack! I assume the turn-on thump can be fixed... as the amp sounded so great and it never caused any other problems, I was too lazy to bother with the repair shop. Now I'm only selling it because it's just too big, too powerful for the second room system I'm using it for, I plan to scale down and put a vintage receiver in this den/studio, away from the 7-channel A/V system in the front of the house...Hello from John, an Audiogon Newbie!

I own Acoustat 2+2's and have also owned Acoustat Model 2's. Previously I drove them with a McIntosh MC7300 and the sound was top-notch, or so I thought. When I acquired these 2+2’s I got with them a TNT-200 amplifier and a TNP preamp but both had sat unused for nearly 25 years and had hum, hiss, crackling controls, etc. So I set the TNT-200 aside, never giving it much thought since I had my system well sorted with the McIntosh.

I forget why, exactly (probably spurred by reading threads like this one), but I got curious about the TNT-200 a while later and started doing A/B tests vs the McIntosh. It was during a time when my father was in town visiting. Despite the TNT-200’s humming right channel, my father’s immediate reaction was that the TNT-200 sounded noticeably better than the McIntosh. I had been preoccupied with the hum problem but when I forced myself to be more objective it was obvious that he was correct (how could this ugly, buzzing amp sound better than my gorgeous Mac?!). The TNT-200 was revealing more detail and had punchier, lower bass than the McIntosh. The McIntosh sounded somewhat flat and soft-edged in comparison. We A/B'd a few more times just to confirm but it was always the same.

I decided then and there to get the TNT-200 fixed and started making a list of places that still serviced them. This turned out to be a very short list. I contacted the first place but didn’t like what I was hearing, so I continued on and lucked into Ken Ealey of www.kenealeyaudio.com. Ken not only repaired my TNT-200’s hum but I was sufficiently impressed by his knowledge and professionalism that I essentially gave him carte blanche to fully refurbish and then modify the amp as he saw fit.

It took several weeks but what I got back was nothing short of amazing. The hum was completely gone, of course. In fact, the amp was dead quiet at rest. Ken had completely rebuilt the amp including replacing the main power supply caps and numerous other parts that had degraded over time. But he had gone far beyond that, to include some circuit modifications and other enhancements that all contribute to making this the best-sounding amplifier I’ve ever heard.

On my better recordings the amount of detail presented is nothing short of astounding. This is particularly apparent on vocals and stringed instruments like acoustic guitar. Bass is deep and tight. Percussion sounds like wood blocks and rim shots are freakishly real. And splash cymbals shimmer on and on in long-lasting sustains.

I’ve had the refurbed/modded TNT-200 in line for about three months now and continue to be impressed by how great it sounds. A few weeks ago I had a visit from an old friend who had moved out of state some ten years ago. He hadn’t listened to his old stereo system in years but the 2+2 obelisks in our living room somehow caught his eye and I proceeded to give a system demo with my Cabasse demo CD.

He was stunned. He commented that he never knew a stereo system could even sound like this, i.e. so real. He could envision the performers out behind the speakers, which didn’t themselves seem to be making any sound at all (and on and on). Just how impressed was he? After never having owned a high-end system he just tracked down and purchased his own set of Acoustat 2+2’s (a pristine set of red Medallions, the lucky bstard!) and has vowed to replicate my modest system in his own house. Now he’s desperately seeking his own TNT-200 which are, unfortunately, seemingly in short supply. Small wonder.

Just sitting here reading these comments on the Acoustat amps because of a conversation I had with some audiophile friends. I have always been a big fan of the 2+2’s with the Medallion Transformers, purchased a new pair with the TNT 200 from Northridge Audio here in California. I must have had a defected amp because it was the dirtiest amp I have ever owned I took it back and had my money returned then went out and bought a Moscode 600. There was no comparison between the Moscode and the TNT.
Anyway just had to get my two cents in.

I have had Acoustat 1100s for about 20 years. I also use B&Ws. No one ever mentions what I consider to be perfect amps for the Acoustats, Audire. I have three Audire Fortes (Two biamping the Acoustats (Peerless woofers) plus one for the subs (Peerless with Thiel crossover)) and two Model 2s. I could not be much happier with them. Compared to my Classe and prior Adcom, NAD, Phase Linear, and Acoustat amps, these almost entry level Audires rock, with much more detail and punch than all but the Classe, which is just weird sounding: I had a bad input cable and was only running one channel, and guess what? The imaging of the Classe was unbelievable. In fact it seemed concocted rather than natural. It is better sounding than all but the Audires and Acoustats in stereo, but smears the sound to expand it for depth and imaging. It does have serious balls, but for its 350 watts per channel, does not sound nearly as focused as the Audires and really does not drive my subs as well as the Audires, even the Model 2s. I have a friend who was a rep for Audire, Threshold, and B&W, and his Class A Audires are even better... much better than the Class A/B Class(e)s. What a stupid pun!

In 1983 I brought home a TNT200 for evaluation. WoW!, I had to have one, but I didn't have $1200. Being a chronic tinkerer, I said maybe I can build one. The amp schematic was in the sales brocure. I disassembled the amp and took photos.
For the next year I acquired all the parts and built the amp. At one point I called Accoustat and talked to the designer Jim Strickland about the three current loop adjustments in the circuit.
Now, 24 years later I am still using my "KransNova" amp driving Magnapan speakers. I still say Wow.

The critical parameters were the capicators in the final stage. Polypropoline, polystyrine, and silver mica caps pass the audio. I spent hours fine tuning those caps to my sonic ears.
Did you know TNT200 was used in some record studios for cutting their masters?