HIFIVE

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 3.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00 from Audiogon

Summary:
This is the closest you may get to a straight wire with gain & the shortest signal path leads you to audio nirvanna more quickly. Even if your love tubes, the TLC-1 is an excellent alternative providing an uncolored, neutral sound. I was very surprised at the dynamics it produced but naturally the source & power amp will also play an important role. I tried it on both a Belles 150A reference & a McCormack DNA-1 with excellent results. I tried both passive & buffered (buffered gives a slight more gain between the two) but I like the passive output for the best for resolution, transparency, & detail but both outputs are close. For what the TLC-1 does so superbly right I have no choice but to give it high marks.

Strengths:
The proverbial straight wire with gain but offering switching abilities. Build & parts quality.

Weaknesses:
None at this price point. Best passive preamp I have heard and no doubt contributed by the quality of the volume pot.

Similar Products Used:
Other passives & many other preamps, too numerous to list.

tlea

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $600.00 from Demo

Summary:
At full retail price, this unit has long been considered one of the great values in audio. You can find them on the used market these days for <$500, which is an unsurpassed bargain for anyone looking for a two channel music-only system. Modifications and upgrades are available from the original designer, who sold the company several years ago. I have auditioned preamps costing $2k - $3k that are no significant improvement over the TLC-1.

Strengths:
The sound is very sweet and warm, almost tube-like. It clearly was designed to be as transparent and uncolored as possible, and does a good job of it. Build quality is very good. Design and controls are very straightforward and simple.

Weaknesses:
No remote or balanced input/output (RCA only). Single pair of outputs makes bi-amping tricky.

Similar Products Used:
Adcom, Rotel, Parasound, NAD, Creek, BAT, Krell, Classe, Bryston, PS Audio

Price Paid:  $300.00 from www.hifimagasinet.co

Summary:
Believe all the hype. This is the real deal. I had read for years about the transparency and true reproductive qualities of this classic, and it is all true! Simple, clean, detailed, spacious, even a 5 year old can use it (my daughter stresses me when she starts playing it thought!), and available in the used market for cents on the buck compared to when new. Nothing comes close in its new or used price range. 10 year old technology and construction that I intend to keep a lifetime!

Strengths:
Everything but the one weakness (for lazy people or those without other newer components)...

Weaknesses:
No remote control. But this can be circumvented by purchasing a CD player, transport, or DAC that has remote functionality.

Similar Products Used:
Luxman, Denon, Arcam, and Dynaco. The Dynaco was good, but the McCormack was clearly much more accurate!!!

Price Paid:  $390.00 from Audiogon

Summary:
The TLC-1 sound can be characterized as very neutral and open, acting like, well, a totally passive unit; however, the sound in passive mode is slightly lacking in dynamics specially in the lower frequencies. For the price though, it is very hard to fault this equipment.

Strengths:
Very open and neutral sound without the harshness associated with solid states. You'll have to spend way more to beat the sound quality of this little gem.

Weaknesses:
No remote; may be a little bit too soft-sounding in passive mode.

Similar Products Used:
Classe, Parasound, Onkyo, Denon.

Price Paid:  $1000.00 from a store

Summary:
there are some better pre amps out there, ok..
but expect to start paying 2,000 and much more.
audio research, (not all), but some of their models
are simply the best on the planet.
but you combine a typical audio research pre and power
and your bill is over 6,000 +++ to start.
imagine the cables and speaker wires only costing
another grand for such a system. now that is class 1,
albeit none.

so, for us with less moola available, i want to recommend
STRONGLY what VALUE is in today's sick sick world.
TLC is the PREAMP to get, if you can find it at about
1,200 or so.. this amazing pc of work, is ALL PASSIVE
VOLUME CONTROL, thats right, you are paying half that
money for a vol. control. before you try to become
an engineer, LISTEN to it, and compare it the best
you CANNOT afford...

do you see what i mean by value now? you are geting
at least 80% of the big guys sounds for about 1000 bucks!
yes, this amp can also be activated as a line amp,
but its mostly a buffer amp, with very tiny gain.
most people upon months of comparison will probalby
pick its passive mode.

its not only pristine CLEAN (as far as a pot, and
transistors go) but, it is capable of givng you
very uncompressed n/s or e/w..horiz or vertical
dynamic range, and almost 3 D spacing of indiviadual
instruments. you are hard pressed to find a VALUE
power amp for this one...

their own dna series are well matched, but you may
wish to put ina bit more money to get a better
power amp for this pre amp.

the pre amp is almost a class 1 (subjectively as well
as from various tests, client reports, field experience
installations, reviews of IAR, etc etc etc...) and
the DNA series are a notch down at about class 2.
however, no fear...they do mix and produce
WONDERFULLY RELAXING music that
you can listen for many hours a day if you wish.

i would recommend sticking to PHASE accurate designed
speakers, which are TOO few in todays world..
wilson and spica did make those...wonderfully
accurate 3 D devices.. vandersteen is your current
day bet...of course, match and play what you chooose,
these are only my honest opinions.

may you have peace.

Strengths:
mostly all strengths here!

Weaknesses:
see below

Similar Products Used:
many..over 30yrs now..