# Review: TCG T-Box,  a new compact portable amp



## project86

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*INTRO[size=8pt][/size]*
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Thus far all of the reviews I’ve done here have been on readily available products. Most of them were purchased by me and reviewed for fun, but there have been a few loaners sent to me just for review, and even the occasional free sample. With all three of those types, there is still a place you can go to find and buy your own, either online or in a brick and mortar store. I’ve not had the pleasure of being sent a development prototype, and have never been included in a beta testing program. I’ve always thought those sounded fun but at the same time strange because the final product could differ wildly from the one you had been dealing with, therefore possibly making your impressions irrelevant to potential purchasers of the commercial model. [size=8pt][/size]
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In this case, a friend who was overseas at the time sent me this product as a gift. He knows I’m into headphone audio and figured I might like it. He didn't know much about it and refused to tell me the price. Judging from the box I figured it looked like a commercial product that would be sitting on a shelf for sale. I proceeded with listening for the review as I normally would. Later I looked online and discovered that there is very little web presence for this thing. The company has a website with some decent info, which I had to use translation to read of course, but there doesn’t seem to be any places selling it, or users using it. I don’t know if that makes my review irrelevant, but I’ve already done the listening and taken the notes so I might as well post it.[size=8pt][/size]
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The product in question is the TCG T-Box. It’s a portable headphone amp of very small proportions; one of the smallest I’ve seen aside from the “ultra portable” class which includes the Fiio models, the iBasso T4, the GoVibe Derringer, and a few others. Since it was given to me as a gift I have no idea what the selling price might be. I don’t get the impression that it is meant to be an all out high end unit, but based on the build quality and packaging I don’t think it is a super low budget item either. If anyone has any further information about it, feel free to post in this thread. You can see more about it on the manufacturer’s website: www.tcgcn.com You’ll need to use google translate or some other service, unless you know how to read Chinese (or just like looking at pictures).[size=8pt][/size]
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*DESIGN[size=8pt][/size]*
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I’ll begin by listing the specs as posted on the manufacturer website. I’ve rewritten and paraphrased a lot of it to make it easier to understand.[size=8pt][/size]
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Features:[size=8pt][/size]
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*Aluminum case[size=8pt][/size]
*Texas Instruments TPA152 amplification chip[size=8pt][/size]
*[size=8pt]Alps potentiometer[/size]
*Elna and Ero capacitors[size=8pt][/size]
*High capacity lithium-polymer battery (700mA)[size=8pt][/size]
*Linear Technology LTC4054 precision charging controller with smart charging circuit voltage regulator[size=8pt][/size]
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Technical specs:[size=8pt][/size]
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*Maximum output 100mW + 100mW[size=8pt][/size]
*Capable of driving 16-400ohm loads, optimized for 16-64ohm loads[size=8pt][/size]
*Harmonic distortion: THD+N <0.001%[size=8pt][/size]
*Signal to noise ratio: 105dB[size=8pt][/size]
*Channel separation: 102dB[size=8pt][/size]
*Frequency response: 10-100kHz/1dB[size=8pt][/size]
*[size=8pt]Battery life: 50-80 hours of use, 200 hours of standby[/size]
*Size: 81x50x20mm[size=8pt][/size]
*Weight: 100g (including battery)[size=8pt][/size]
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Charging is done through an included cable. One end goes into the T-Box, the other end to any standard USB port. An LED on the rear indicates charging status. On the front panel you find a fairly straight forward setup with a power switch, volume knob, 1/8” jacks for input and output, and an LED indicating power is on. There’s nothing really unique or special about the design or the specs except for the fact that size is on the smaller end of the spectrum and battery life is on the very high end. 
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*BUILD QUALITY[size=8pt][/size]*
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No surprises here; build quality on the T-Box is pretty good if not outstanding. It looks like it could easily pass for an iBasso or RSA amp if you didn’t know any better. It has nice tight panel gaps, and a quality feel on the power switch and volume knob. Even the graphics printed on the case, while somewhat more simplistic than the RSA designs, are well done. My only minor complaint is the choice of input and output jacks; they remind me of a cheap PC soundcard with their pinkish color. Indeed, the TCG website claims they are “Foxconn professional audio jacks”, and Foxconn is primarily a manufacturer of PC motherboards. I have no issue with the functionality of the jacks, as they feel solid when plugging in a headphone. My problem is purely a matter of aesthetics. On the TCG website, they show pictures of the T-Box with different color jacks: one has green jacks, which still reminds me of a soundcard and still doesn’t match the otherwise nice looking case. The other uses what appears to be a much more standard looking shiny silver/chrome type of jack, and I find it much more appealing. I’m hoping that version is an updated model as I think it would be universally preferred to the pink or green options. I've included some pictures from their website Other than that the choice of wording in the slogan: “Yours Audio Dreams” is kind of odd but not a big deal. The large yellow warning sticker appears to be easily removable, although I have not yet done so.
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In actual operation, the T-Box has fairly good quality as well. I get a very minor channel imbalance at barely audible volume, and that only when using my most sensitive IEMs. Once I turn it up to a reasonable but quiet listening level things seem very nicely balanced, so I don’t really consider it an issue. Adjusting the volume does not give any static or noise. There is very little hiss when used with the ES3X (my most hiss inducing IEMs), and again once reasonable listening levels are achieved it is no longer an issue.[size=8pt][/size]
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*PACKAGE[size=8pt][/size]*
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The T-Box comes in a retail-worthy box, and has some fairly nice accessories bundled with it. Inside the box we find expected items like the amplifier itself, the charging cable, and a user manual. What I wasn’t expecting was a very nice storage pouch, and an even nicer compact mini to mini cable. I’ve had various headphones and other gear that included some type of storage pouch, and they were almost universally worthless. This is the first one I’ve seen where it is nice enough to make me actually want to use it. And the included cable, listed as being made of “single-crystal copper”, is of high quality with Pailiccs connectors and nice black nylon sleeving. It looks like something that would sell for $20-30 on eBay all by itself (and in fact I just stumbled upon a website selling a nearly identical cable for $35). The website lists these as “promotional gifts” and implies that there is only a limited amount being included “while supplies last”. I have no idea how many they have to bundle, but I do think the overall package would go from very nice to merely acceptable if they didn’t include those items.[size=8pt][/size]
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  [size=8pt]One of the above mini to mini cables cost me about $40. The other was a free pack in. If I hadn't already told you it might be hard to guess which was which.[/size]
   
*GEAR[size=8pt][/size]*
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This is the associated equipment I used for evaluating the TCG T-Box.[size=8pt][/size]
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SOURCE: Sansa Clip+, Sansa Fuze with modified Griffin Power Dock (line out) or Fiio L6 LOD or straight from headphone jack, QLS QA-350 player, dedicated music server fronted by a Squeezebox Touch[size=8pt][/size]
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DAC: Hot Audio DAC Wow, Audinst HUD-mx1, QLS QA-350 DAC section, Anedio D1[size=8pt][/size]
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HEADPHONES: Ultimate Ears Super Fi 3, Kenwood KH-K1000, AKG K701, 1964 Ears 1964-T, Sennheiser HD600, Grado RS1, Fischer FA-003, Monster Turbine Pro Copper[size=8pt][/size]
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*DISCLAIMER[size=8pt][/size]*
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These are just the impressions of one guy. I do these reviews for fun, not profit, and I don't claim to be any special authority. Many people have agreed with my assessments of other gear but some have also disagreed, and I totally respect that. We all hear differently on a physical level and we all have different preferences as well, so I think it almost impossible for one person’s impressions to apply to every other person. As with all my reviews, I hope you enjoy reading them and I hope they help our hobby to some extent, but I don't pretend that they are anything more than my opinion.[size=8pt][/size]
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*LISTENING[size=8pt][/size]*
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I feel it necessary to admit that I’m not an expert in portable amps. Over the years I’ve owned a Headamp AE1, RSA Hornet and SR71, Vivid Technologies V1, Qables iQube, Go-Vibe V6, and a few home made CMoy type portables. I’ve also spent time with loaners of the iBasso D10 and the Leckerton UHA6S. I feel like I have enough experience to accurately review this amp, but I readily admit there are plenty of folks around this forum who are much more “in the know” about these types of things. [size=8pt][/size]
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After burning in the T-Box for 100 hours or so I started carrying it around with me in my portable setup. I initially used it with the 1964-T custom IEMs, which are fairly neutral in presentation and thus good for comparisons. Initially I didn’t notice a huge difference compared to the Sansa Clip+ I had been using. I thought it sounded nice and clean, with nice grain free highs and good impact in the bass. But this is my general view of the sound straight from the Clip+ anyway. Only after using the T-Box for a while and then taking it out of the chain did I notice that it was actually a decent step up from the Sansa’s amp section. In comparison, the Clip+ alone sounded slightly congested and closed off. It also seemed to flatten the dynamics a bit, which made the music less engaging. I’ve always been satisfied by the sound of the little Clip, Clip+, and Fuze (which sound identical in my opinion) but I have to admit once again that a quality portable amp can take things to another level.[size=8pt][/size]
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Over time I began to get more of a handle on the sonic characteristics presented by the T-Box. It seemed to be fairly transparent, with clean and clear highs, smooth inviting midrange, and well defined lows. Soundstage performance was reasonable, with nice width and a decent amount of depth. Overall it is a fairly high performance little amp with no major defining sound signature of its own. If I had to pick an area where it deviates just a little from complete neutrality, I’d say it was a little bit relaxed in the bass department compared to some of the other portables I’ve owned. There’s not exactly a shortage of it, and it is certainly tight and controlled. But it just doesn’t quite have the same grunt as some others, and doesn’t grab your attention as much. I seem to remember my old Headamp AE1 and RSA SR71 having similar low end performance, compared to the Hornet which was more prominent. This isn’t to say it is bad…. In fact it may be more technically correct (but maybe less fun) than the Hornet or similar amps. Another area where I thought it was slightly relaxed was the upper midrange/lower treble area. Here again, the Hornet had a bit more energy, along with the Vivid V1, which makes them seem more forward and exciting but also sometimes fatiguing. The T-Box reminded me of the Leckerton UHA-6S that I enjoyed so much; both lack just the last bit of sparkle but retain good detail and air, and are rather forgiving of poor recordings. The Leckerton remains a step above but the T-Box trails surprisingly close in this area. [size=8pt][/size]
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So basically what we have here is a fairly balanced but slightly relaxed and polite amp, without any overbearing bass or glaring highs. Mids are a strong point and they deliver with a smooth, open clarity that is almost surprising coming from such a little box. They aren’t quite on the level of some of the best I’ve heard but certainly follow in the same tonal footsteps as the SR71 and the iQube. It’s hard to describe, but when I say relaxed I don’t mean the usual warm syrupy type of sound where bass is huge, mids are rich, and highs are rolled off. With the T-Box it’s more a case of relaxed as in it focuses on the all important midrange, where the “meat” of the musical content lives, yet doesn’t kill the listener with excruciating detail. That was one thing I didn’t always like about the iQube; I felt like half of my music collection was unworthy and couldn’t stand up to its scrutiny. The T-Box is more forgiving in that aspect, although this of course means a diminished capacity as far as ultimate detail. Still, there is plenty to be had here, and I really enjoyed the overall presentation.[size=8pt][/size]
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Since this is a fairly neutral amp, it doesn’t do much to change the core sonic signature of the headphone that you pair it with. I’m always amused when I hear from someone who has a headphone like an Etymotic ER4S or an AKG K701 and wants to use an amp or DAC to turn it into a Sennheiser IE8 or Denon D2000. If you desire a fundamentally different sound, no upstream components in the world are going to accomplish that for you; just buy new headphones! That being said, I do believe that some components either match or don’t match certain headphones according to their combined character. The TCG T-Box will generally work well with most headphones provided that you don’t expect it to majorly alter the final sound.[size=8pt][/size]
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From a power standpoint, the little T-Box is not on the same level as some of the beastly portables being put out by iBasso and RSA these days. But I found it more than sufficient for driving any IEM I tried, and even some full size headphones within reason. It drove my AKG K701, Fisher FA-003, Grado RS1, Lawton LA7000, and Kenwood KH-K1000 to earsplitting levels. Note that these are all within the recommended range of 16-64 ohms. Trying out a 300 ohm Sennheiser HD600, the result was still loud enough, but I really had to turn the volume knob to get there. Using a really low efficiency Orthodynamic headphone didn’t turn out so well; acceptable for casual listening but clearly running out of juice. But for the on the go listener who occasionally likes to use full size headphones at home, the T-Box did an admirable job. More difficult models like the K701 obviously did not achieve their full potential, but were definitely listenable and enjoyable. I especially liked how it did driving the big Kenwood K1000. These are severely underrated headphones in my book and the T-Box allowed them to really shine, making for a much better pairing than when I used my Vivid Technologies V1 portable amp.[size=8pt][/size]
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*COMPARISONS[size=8pt][/size]*
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As I mentioned before, I don’t have vast experience with portable amplifiers. It doesn’t make sense to compare the little TCG to any of my home amplifiers, so my direct comparisons were limited to the Vivid V1 and the built in amp section of my QLS QA350 player. [size=8pt][/size]
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I don’t know the technical specs, but the Vivid seems to be the more powerful unit, and pairs quite well with the Sennheiser HD600 or even the 600 ohm AKG K240DF. Aside from that the Vivid also has a more forward and energetic presentation which is very different from the polite nature of the T-Box. The Vivid can often make things sound better than they really should, but in exchange can absolutely murder some recordings. The TCG is more true to the source, giving you the basic facts of the recording in a pleasant if somewhat uneventful manner. The Vivid takes the lead when it has a synergistic pairing, such as the Sennheiser HD600 or Monster Turbine Copper. But in other cases the TCG outperforms it with a more honest representation. It really comes down to preference though, since we are dealing with 2 very different sounding amps.[size=8pt][/size]
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I enjoy the built in headphone amp section on the QLS QA350. It is clean and fairly neutral just like the TCG. The differences here are not massive, but I can confidently say that the TCG is a decent upgrade. It sounds less grainy in comparison, which results in a more liquid sounding midrange (but not overly so). It also has a more open feel to it that lets the music shine through more clearly. I suppose one would hope that a dedicated amp would be superior to a built in amp, but there’s no guarantee of that. However, in this case it does seem to be true.[size=8pt][/size]
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It’s difficult to compare the other portable amps I’ve owned, since direct A/B listening is usually the best way to note differences. Going by memory I’d say the TCG is an improvement on the several CMoy amps I’ve built, and I think I prefer it to the Headamp AE-1 and the Go-Vibe V6. It isn’t quite on the level of the RSA Hornet, SR71, or iBasso D10, and is significantly inferior to the Leckerton UHA-6 and the iQube. Again, this could just come down to my preference for the sound signature, and I think all of them were pretty solid performers (with the exception of my first CMoy build which was too noisy).[size=8pt][/size]
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*CONCLUSION[size=8pt][/size]*
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I realize that this little amp is not going to set HeadFi on fire with excitement. I don’t know if the general readership here on HeadFi will even be able to buy the TCG T-Box. If it does get picked up by a distributer, I hope they keep the price well under $200. Past that point I don’t see it competing with some of the iBasso offerings, or my personal favorite the Leckerton UHA-6. But the farther south the price goes the more solid my recommendation would become for this little amp. It’s got a very enjoyable sound, works well with pretty much every headphone you would reasonably expect it to drive, has an extremely long battery life, and is generally built quite well. Any portable amp that satisfies all of those criteria gets an easy “thumbs up” from me. The icing on the cake is the bundled premium mini to mini patch cable, which is something that most users would be spending another $20-40 on anyway.[size=8pt][/size]
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Looking over the TCG website I see that they offer several variations of their compact desktop amp called the T1, for a total of 4 products. Based on my experience with the T-Box, I would love to see them bring a few more designs to the market. In my opinion you can never have too many companies offering quality audio gear at (what I assume will be) low prices. If anyone has any further info about the company or the products, please help me out by posting it in this thread.[size=8pt][/size]
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## wsz0304

very good!thanks!


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## Ronald Lee

nice review! Thanks!


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## project86

Thank you.
   
  So far nobody has posted or PM'd me with any further info about this amp, or it's availability. Maybe someone overseas has seen it for sale locally? It really is a nice little performer.


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## ClieOS

T-Box is about US$91 in China. Haven't seen anyone selling it on eBay yet, but it is on TaoBao (China's eBay)


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## project86

Quote: 





clieos said:


> T-Box is about US$91 in China. Haven't seen anyone selling it on eBay yet, but it is on TaoBao (China's eBay)


 


  ClieOS, thanks for that info. Even if shipping to the USA would add $15 or $20, the total price would still be lower than what I expected based on the sound. I'm pretty impressed with it and had guessed it was maybe $150 or so. Maybe portable amps have just progressed a lot more than I knew.


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## project86

Quote: 





calvin006 said:


> A good amplifier, great reputation in China!


 


  Interesting, thanks for the info. Is it mostly sold online through TaoBao or in retail stores?


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## cigarillofiend

Just got my TCG T-Box in the mail. I'm pretty surprised at it's size; I had no idea it would be this small as it looks a lot bigger in the pictures. I'll put in some thoughts once I get more time to listen to it.
   
  *EDIT: I just noticed that your LED light is blue, and mines is a purple color? Is it just different LEDs? or does blue and purple mean something? (ie: Fully charges, Discharged, etc, etc.)


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## project86

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cigarillofiend said:


> Just got my TCG T-Box in the mail. I'm pretty surprised at it's size; I had no idea it would be this small as it looks a lot bigger in the pictures. I'll put in some thoughts once I get more time to listen to it.
> 
> *EDIT: I just noticed that your LED light is blue, and mines is a purple color? Is it just different LEDs? or does blue and purple mean something? (ie: Fully charges, Discharged, etc, etc.)


 


  It is pretty tiny right? I was surprised as well.
   
  I'll have to check on the lighting and get back to you. Honestly I find battery life to last for a long long time, so much so that I never actually run out.... I just plug it in every once in a while to give it a boost. So I'm not sure if the color changes to let you know when it gets low. I'll update when I figure it out. It could be like you said though, and they just used a different LED.


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## project86

Just a minor update - I've been using the T-Box daily, in an attempt to run the battery down so I can see if the LED changes color when it gets low. So far after 5 days of fairly heavy use it is still going strong. And I can't even remember the last time I charged it so I'm sure it wasn't at 100% when I started. What a nice long lasting performance this thing has.
   
  Of course I could just leave it on all day to run down the battery sooner. But I'm fairly sure it would die when I wasn't looking and I'd miss it.So I'll keep trying.


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## i_djoel2000

project86, how would you rate this amp compared to leckerton uha-4?


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## project86

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i_djoel2000 said:


> project86, how would you rate this amp compared to leckerton uha-4?


 


  I've used the Leckerton UHA-6S and absolutely loved it, but I've got no experience with the UHA-4. I suspect the 4 is similarly excellent for its price though, which means it is probably superior to the T-Box. But I couldn't say for sure. At around $100 the T-Box is half the price of the UHA-4 so they really aren't direct competitors anyway.


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## i_djoel2000

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project86 said:


> I've used the Leckerton UHA-6S and absolutely loved it, but I've got no experience with the UHA-4. I suspect the 4 is similarly excellent for its price though, which means it is probably superior to the T-Box. But I couldn't say for sure. At around $100 the T-Box is half the price of the UHA-4 so they really aren't direct competitors anyway.


 

 yea but chinese brands are known for the price/performance ratio since the production cost there are really cheap. that's why i asked it in the first place
   
  thanks for your reply, though..


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## project86

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i_djoel2000 said:


> yea but chinese brands are known for the price/performance ratio since the production cost there are really cheap. that's why i asked it in the first place
> 
> thanks for your reply, though..


 

 That's a good point. I'm just going by the respect I have for the UHA-6S and Nick from Leckerton in general. But as you can see from my original post, I think the T-Box is also quite an impressive little amp. I bet either one would satisfy most users and the little differences would probably only come out when doing a back to back comparison.


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## cigarillofiend

I've finally had mine die on me after around 19 hours of usage. The LED doesn't change color. I think it's just a different batch and they changed to reduce costs or something.


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## project86

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cigarillofiend said:


> I've finally had mine die on me after around 19 hours of usage. The LED doesn't change color. I think it's just a different batch and they changed to reduce costs or something.


 


  Could be. Mine is still going strong, it just refuses to run out of battery. I left it on overnight and it is still on this morning. Maybe when I get home from work today (in 10 hours) it will be dead? We'll see.


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## Pitch Black

Where can i get one where can i get one where can i get one! 
Pardon the sheer excitement and bliss.
I'm seriously wondering how this stands up to the E11.


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## cigarillofiend

http://cgi.ebay.com/NE-Mini-Portable-TCG-T-Box-headamp-compact-portable-amp-/110676022248?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c4ce13e8
   
  This is where I bought mine... Not sure how compares to the E11, but it does it's job. As far as if youre gonna hear a difference in sound; I basically hear slightly detailed highs and better responses in the low end.
   
  It's also really small. I kind of expected it to be bigger.


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## Pitch Black

Dude, that link is godsent!
I'm looking into the T-box more wholly because of the build quality when compared to the E11. No comparitive reviews on SQ just yet i guess. 

Thanx!


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## TheGame21x

Okay, this is kinda off topic, but when you say your powerdock was modded, what kinds of mods did you perform? I'm interested in getting one if the mods are easy enough to perform with novice soldering skills. If not, I'll just give it a pass for now.


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## cigarillofiend

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pitch black said:


> Dude, that link is godsent!
> I'm looking into the T-box more wholly because of the build quality when compared to the E11. No comparitive reviews on SQ just yet i guess.
> 
> Thanx!


 

  The build quality on the T-Box is quite superb. The only complaint I have is that the potentiometer (volume dial) on mine is slightly crooked when in the MIN or MAX position. Anywhere in between it is quite unnoticeable.


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## Pitch Black

That's something i'm willing to live with. Did your kit come with the protective sack and mini-mini cable as well?
And ultimately, is it worth the cash?


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## cigarillofiend

Yep, It comes with everything pictured in the ebay link. It's a very high quality cable, I've seen similar cables sell for atleast $30.
   
  Overall, Im happy with my purchase. My only gripe with it, is that it's too small. Call me crazy, but I wanted something the size of my iTouch so that when I stack it on top, it doesn't look uneven however it's the about the same size as my sansa fuze. Other than that, it obviously isn't a high end amp, but does it's job for $100. I found that it powers IEM's best, and it does a decent job powering mid level headphones.


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## i_djoel2000

i wonder how it sounds compared to his sibling, C&C BH. they are tagged with the same price: http://cgi.ebay.com/C-C-BH-Portable-Headphone-AMP-battery-AMP-CC-BH-NEW-/110671069268?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c4828054


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## Pitch Black

Guess i'm sold.


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## crayonhead

anyone can give the specific links they used? I'm in China and I have more choice, but I want to get the one that everyone else is getting.


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## Pitch Black

Hmm, seems like the ebay shenzhen audio store source has a new 2011 version of the T-box.
  Looks and seems to be the same thing though. Anybody has any idea on the differences?


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## cigarillofiend

Quote: 





pitch black said:


> Hmm, seems like the ebay shenzhen audio store source has a new 2011 version of the T-box.
> Looks and seems to be the same thing though. Anybody has any idea on the differences?


 

 I ordered the 2011 version just because the ship date was faster than the other one. I assume both should be the same. Here is the exact link I used. Sorry if it caused confusion.
   
  As for differences... Not sure. Maybe the color of the LED. Project86 has a blue LED and mine has a pink one. Again; this is just a guess.

http://cgi.ebay.com/2011NEW-TCG-T-Box-Portable-headamp-compact-portable-amp-/110676047409?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c4ce7631
   

  
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i_djoel2000 said:


> i wonder how it sounds compared to his sibling, C&C BH. they are tagged with the same price: http://cgi.ebay.com/C-C-BH-Portable-Headphone-AMP-battery-AMP-CC-BH-NEW-/110671069268?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c4828054


 
  I was debating that myself when I ordered my T-Box. I decided to just go with the T-Box since I couldn't find any reviews on that one.


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## Pitch Black

Roger that sir.
  Once the bank restocks, i'll hit the button.


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## project86

Quote: 





thegame21x said:


> Okay, this is kinda off topic, but when you say your powerdock was modded, what kinds of mods did you perform? I'm interested in getting one if the mods are easy enough to perform with novice soldering skills. If not, I'll just give it a pass for now.


 

 Sorry, not much info from me. I had a friend make it for me. Average_Joe here on the forum used to make/sell LODs and modded docks for the Fuze. I'm not sure if he still does though. But I believe his mods were pretty much the same as what mine has. Give him a PM if you might be interested, even if he doesn't sell them he might point you in the right direction for learning how to do it yourself.
   


  Quote: 





pitch black said:


> Hmm, seems like the ebay shenzhen audio store source has a new 2011 version of the T-box.
> Looks and seems to be the same thing though. Anybody has any idea on the differences?


 


  It seems that they (and some other sellers) like to put things in the title like "2010 version". But we never really know if it is an update or if so, what was changed. I still see listings for "New 2009 version" of the Zero DAC.


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## KevinWolf

These tiny amps are amazing, I'm willing to grab one of these!


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## pockits

I have my new toy....
  Is a very very good amp... I am amazed of the very good sound... it tends to be a little bit bright but i think that's because of the small size ergo ( problems with the condenser bank)...
   
  I am trying it with the Denons AH-A100 wowww...
   
  I think this kind of engineering is far away from crap and is close to the best around, and the portability is extraordinary, plus you got rechargeable batteries...
   
  amazing...


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## pockits

I have been listening the amplifier...
  is very very good indeed..
  I think is the best option for portability and price... Remember to use a good cable.


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## project86

Thanks for the impressions (and the nice picture!). I'm glad more people are checking out this amp - it really is a great bargain.


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## i_djoel2000

someone please compare it to C&C BH! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 it has the seducingly slim design. if it's as good as the TCG T-Box, i'm sold. lol


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## pockits

For me... is better.. and cheaper...-- Remember... use a good cable and keep yourself away from anything with silver specially if you use brighter cans or ie...


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## i_djoel2000

Quote: 





pockits said:


> For me... is better.. and cheaper...-- Remember... use a good cable and keep yourself away from anything with silver specially if you use brighter cans or ie...


 


  which one is better? and what do you mean, cheaper? they are tagged with the same price..


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## pockits

TCG-T... i think is overall better... is a very power amp, very plain... a little bit bright..
  on the other side.. you have something more.. colored... c&c is a good amp, but if you are looking for a plain, good sound... go for the tcg


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## stakarVN

First time post, been lurking a while here.
   
  Received the amp from china today, via ebay shenzhenAudioStore.  Shipped in 10 days.  Amp arrived without pouch, but with interconnect cable.  Also, the input and output connectors were silver metal , no pink or green  The blue power led is blindingly bright so I probably will replace it (swap it with the green charging led).  I also noticed on the interconnect inner cabling that it is directional; the sticker around the cable is on mine on the source side.
   

   
  The sound is open and even, I allready hear a difference now, without any burn-in.


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## stakarVN

Not that I mind  but ... where the OP received a mini-cable with "Pailiccs" connectors, mine came with "Palic" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 connectors.  As I said, I don't mind.  The printing on the inner sleeve of the cable said single-crystal copper or so I think. I'm sure it'll sound good enough for being a gift.


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## Jack C

I cant get over how thick that cable is. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Awesome looking product!
   
  Jack


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## stakarVN

There isn't any give between the woven outer sleeve and the inner cable.  It is as thick as it seems


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## stakarVN

Some more pics
   
   


 amp is a Texas Instruments tpa302


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## project86

Thanks for the pics and impressions! Yours looks better than mine with the silver jacks, but not a big deal. 
   
  By the way, I too was confused about the Palic/Pailiccs issue. I think it is just a translation thing, as they seem to use both:
   
http://palic.yians.com/en/about/


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## stakarVN

After I wrote wangshuzeng about the change to amplification chip tpa302 (from tpa152), the website at tcgcn got updated.
   
  A new tpa152 costs about 3 euros.  I think I'll buy and solder it myself.  I've never done any smd before


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## project86

Odd, when I click on your link I still see the tpa152 listed on their website.
   
  Also, from looking at the TI website, tpa302 seems more geared towards small scale speaker amplification. The tpa152 specifically mentions headphone applications. I don't know why they would switch from one to the other. Maybe they are actually similar enough where it doesn't really matter in this particular circuit, and the resulting sound is close enough.


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## stakarVN

about 4/5 down this page, it says
   
quote:


> TI, HIFI level by the United States large current professionalaudio chip _*TDA302*_
> asdriving engine,low-frequency sound fieldexpansion dive deep + special
> compensation to make up the majority of less than headphones, sound more perfect.


 
 Before I wrote him, it still was tpa152, I checked.
   
Texas Instruments states for tpa302 
   
Quote:


> Description
> The TPA302 is a stereo audio power amplifier capable of delivering 250 mW of continuous average power into an 8-
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  while for tpa152 it is
   
Quote:


> Description
> 
> The TPA152 is a stereo audio power amplifier capable of less than 0.1% THD+N at 1 kHz when delivering 75 mW per channel into a 32-
> 
> ...


 
   


  I would have liked the tpa152 driving my t-box, rather then this tpa302.


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## project86

You are correct, I just missed it earlier. But right below that it still shows the picture of the tpa152 which is what I had been looking at. 
   
  The main thing for me is that on the TI website under "Parametrics" for each chip, the 302 says "headphone channels: none" while the 152 says "headphone channels: stereo". Also from what you posted above they talk about the 302 with an 8 ohm load, and the 152 with an 32 ohm load. To me, that indicates that the 302 is meant for speakers and the 152 meant for headphones. Obviously there must be some reason why they switched, and the 302 actually costs more, so who knows?
   
  As long as it sounds good to you I wouldn't bother messing with it.


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## richard d

How much maximum voltage gain does this amplifier have?
   
  It is interesting to me the the datasheets for the
  TPA302 show the two channels have different characteristics ..
  output 2 has significantly more distortion.  The TPA152 datsheet
  may just not have that level of detail.  It could be a result
  of the ability to drive the lower load resistance to hit 8 ohms drive.


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## stakarVN

I just finished soldering smd  (my first time).
   
  I replaced the TPA302 with a TPA152 found here.
   
  Results are, right away, spectacular.  Widening of the soundstage, crisper highs, fuller deeper lows.  I can also hear a lot more detail then with the 302.  For me, the 10 Euros I spent were worth it.  I can only imagine how much better it will get after 100 or so hours.


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## project86

Quote: 





stakarvn said:


> I just finished soldering smd  (my first time).
> 
> I replaced the TPA302 with a TPA152 found here.
> 
> Results are, right away, spectacular.  Widening of the soundstage, crisper highs, fuller deeper lows.  I can also hear a lot more detail then with the 302.  For me, the 10 Euros I spent were worth it.  I can only imagine how much better it will get after 100 or so hours.


 

 That's interesting. Glad you are enjoying it. I wonder why they made the change? Maybe they got a good deal on a batch of the TPA302 or something, and figured it wouldn't be a noticeable difference. Obviously that is not the case though.


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## manveru

Looks awesome. I've been researching, looking for a cheap amp to drive some re262's which I planned on getting as soon as I get my paycheck. I was looking at things like the E11 or D-Zero, but I just hate the way that type of design looks. Then I stumbled upon this little guy. I just really hope that I can get one with a tpa152, as it sounds like it is significantly better than the 302. TCG's website still lists the 152 in the specs, but I emailed wsz about it so we'll see...


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## manveru

So from what I could make out there are only tpa302 versions available now. That's too bad. The idea of a headphone amp with a chip designed for speakers inside really bugs me. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  EDIT: After having mentioned concerns about the chip, wangshuzeng emailed me and told me that they have started manufacturing them with tpa152's again and they'll be available to order on Monday.


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## audiofan4life

i_djoel2000, thanks for the link. I decided to take the (small) leap of faith and just ordered this Chinese portable amp. The photos look like solid build quality as do the parts described. The specs look even better as far as listed power and it has two output jacks, which I like. I'll post what I think after I get the unit. I just ordered the Audeze LCD-2's so will be using those. Also just ordered the Matrix desk amp based entirely on Project86's praises. (thanks P86 for your great reviews, and it appears your opinions and tastes are similar to mine.). I'll try AB'ing these two amps and discuss that as well.

Up until now I've not been seriously into headphones but have been updating stereo systems for many years. But with so much quality digital music available and so portable, it just seems like a new dimension to music listening is exploding and I've got get in on it.

One concern: Saw on eBay that USPS has just stopped allowing shipment of lithium ion batteries from outside U.S. They say UPS and FedEx still allow these items. The amp is supposed to ship USPS and I've contacted the seller asking about it and whether he will ship alternative carrier. Anyone else have recent experience with this USPS rule? Also hope my free shipment is honored.


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## Elysian

If any of you are looking for the TCG T-Box with the TPA152 amp, I found a Chinese distributor selling them for $99.99USD with free shipping.
   
  I'm buying some DIY cable connectors from them, but based on yet another great and reasonable review by project86, I'm thinking of picking this little box up for work.  Now, if only they'd do a mini DAC/AMP... 
  http://sonaraudioshop.com/en/Products/NEW-Mini-Portable-TCG-T-Box-headamp-compact-portable-amp-product_347.html
   
  They also have 3 other TCG amps.  The only differences I can immediately tell are that they use AC power (they say they have a battery charger, but I can't find any info on batteries), one of them uses the AD847 (I think this is their top model? TCG T1+ Pro), and the other two use the TI NE5534.
  http://sonaraudioshop.com/en/Products/MINI-HEADPHONE-AMP-list_50.html


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## 7nationarmy

Hey great review!
   
  I just found out that there is a local reseller of this amp here in Singapore, so I browsed and found this thread. Anyway, I found 2 models of this amp, the T box and T box+. What are the differences btn the two?


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## project86

Quote: 





7nationarmy said:


> Hey great review!
> 
> I just found out that there is a local reseller of this amp here in Singapore, so I browsed and found this thread. Anyway, I found 2 models of this amp, the T box and T box+. What are the differences btn the two?


 
   
  It looks like $10 extra and several color choices. I don't notice any other differences, but there couldn't be some tweaks to the inside or something.


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## profusion

Hi guys,
I just bought this amp here in Tokyo with a pair of new ath es700 and was wondering I put it to charging but the status LED at the back is off, will it go on when the charging is ready?


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