Snapper() Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 SOLD Item: T.A.S.S Intro Sound Decoder / Pre-ampLocation: Melbourne, BULEEN 3105 or CBDPrice: $250Item Condition: Excellent - only minor surface scratchesReason for selling: Was never required, but that's no reason not to buy it.Payment Method: Pickup - Cash, Paypal, COD OnlyExtra Info: Paypal, Cash, Master/Visa Card (yes really, I do have a machine!) A piece of Melbourne history that may be remembered by some! Originally developed locally by Surya Moorthy of 'Absolute High End' in Melbourne, and a subsequent attempted patent this was essentially an early version of signal processing. There were even speakers developed by Colin Watmough to complement this, and it was demonstrated at Melbourne Audio club back in 1998 (Minutes - Melbourne Audio Club 1998). Effectively this creates a pseudo Surround Sound effects from 2-Channel audio. It was Surya's opinion at the time that the end was nigh for 2-Channel and that users wished more real world auditory experiences. As it turns out there is a place for both. Either way - it is still a good pre-amp without the effects side, and worth a small fortune back in the day (a few thousand i believe). Price? I really have no idea what this is worth, and more than happy to flog it on eBay with some pretentious drivel about it's glorious and sordid history (since apparently Surya closed shop and buggered off with peoples $$). I don't personally have any tubes, but it is reported to produce a 'tube like' sound to some people (is it grammatically correct to say you 'like tube like' sound?). I originally picked this up with some other items (I really just wanted the custom made Audio cabinet). Some may love the sound and the ability to twiddle the dials, others may wish to sacrificially burn it with a picture of Surya on it. Either way i'm ok (I'd prefer the first). Hopefully this isn't the most interesting thing you have read today. If so, you should get out more. Related Information: SNA Thread - TASS + whatmough speakers Melbourne Audio Club - Minutes 1998 Patent Pictures: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian McP Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 Most probably built by the late Lewis Muratori for Surya as it's inscribed Muratori on the rear panel. Lewis was a well respected speaker guru and from memory sold some of his early models through Absolute High End. regards Ian 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scumbag Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 (edited) Simon, That was quite literally the most interesting thing that I've read all day. I'm going to go out for a walk now though on your advice. I wonder how hard i would be to pull open the cover? That might give people some more idea of the workings (is it Class-A for example)? If you turn the ambience to it's lowest settings does it effectively become a standard to channel preamp? GLWS. Edited March 16, 2017 by scumbag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blybo Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 There must have been a few incarnations of the pre-amp, as my parents example didn't look like that. It died a death and couldn't be repaired...I still have the power amp and sold the Whatmough Tre speakers late last year. It was an amazing system to our ears back in the day. I believe my parents spent north of $9k for the system including an Arcam Alpha 9 CD player. I was told Surya sold a 50% share in business to 4 or 5 different parties. Ouch. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper() Posted March 16, 2017 Author Share Posted March 16, 2017 2 minutes ago, blybo said: There must have been a few incarnations of the pre-amp, as my parents example didn't look like that. It died a death and couldn't be repaired...I still have the power amp and sold the Whatmough Tre speakers late last year. It was an amazing system to our ears back in the day. I believe my parents spent north of $9k for the system including an Arcam Alpha 9 CD player. I was told Surya sold a 50% share in business to 4 or 5 different parties. Ouch. If only hi-fi appreciated over time. ... which if you own a pair of NS-1000m they do because there is a pair on offer for $4000 on eBay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper() Posted March 16, 2017 Author Share Posted March 16, 2017 5 minutes ago, blybo said: There must have been a few incarnations of the pre-amp, as my parents example didn't look like that. It died a death and couldn't be repaired...I still have the power amp and sold the Whatmough Tre speakers late last year. It was an amazing system to our ears back in the day. I believe my parents spent north of $9k for the system including an Arcam Alpha 9 CD player. I was told Surya sold a 50% share in business to 4 or 5 different parties. Ouch. We call that 'oversubscription'. I don't doubt it was a high end item - i find it more interesting from the historical aspects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper() Posted March 16, 2017 Author Share Posted March 16, 2017 21 minutes ago, scumbag said: Simon, That was quite literally the most interesting thing that I've read all day. I'm going to go out for a walk now though on your advice. I wonder how hard i would be to pull open the cover? That might give people some more idea of the workings (is it Class-A for example)? If you turn the ambience to it's lowest settings does it effectively become a standard to channel preamp? GLWS. heh. I can take it apart. I'm happy to even lend it out if someone wants to play with it and give a proper opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keys1234 Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 It says Phono on one of the dials ,does it have a phono stage in it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper() Posted March 16, 2017 Author Share Posted March 16, 2017 Yes - and perhaps the title is misleading, but this is a pre-amp that supports several standard RCA / AUX inputs as well as a Phono stage. It also has a 'direct' output that (although i've not used this way because of my interest in hearing the sound processing features) i assume bypasses the signal processing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misternavi Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 Simon, That was quite literally the most interesting thing that I've read all day. I'm going to go out for a walk now though on your advice. I wonder how hard i would be to pull open the cover? That might give people some more idea of the workings (is it Class-A for example)? If you turn the ambience to it's lowest settings does it effectively become a standard to channel preamp? GLWS. i bought the last one that was on sale in these classifieds for a friend. i could not get the ambience adjustment to work, maybe it was my faulty ears and I couldn't tell the difference or faulty unit.i couldn't open it as I didn't have the right screw bit.sound wise: smooth and warm. Sent from my iPhone using Telepathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper() Posted March 16, 2017 Author Share Posted March 16, 2017 Sold pending payment to a Sydney sider! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red MacKay Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 (edited) I was at that MAC demo in the room at Absolute that night. A couple of weeks later I even had a unit on loan for A MAC home meeting (GTG) at my place. I loved it!!! But alas, it was like $1500 for the bottom of the range and I could not afford it at the time. (maybe I was just too tight!) On some material it was spectacular! For most material it presented a far more realistic presentation. Some tracks, well there was little to no difference. It all depended on the spacial cues present in the recording. I still remember a track by the Rolling Stones at my place in Sydare Ave at that GTG, and the 3D effect/soundstage that arvo. It was awesome, but somehow the TASS Sytstem was overlooked and forgotten to audio users. Maybe it was the seller? Importantly, Surya always stated that if you could hear sound coming from the rears, then you had the ambience volume too high. The rears also needed to be set at 90 degress to the listener and inline with the listener position too. What it excelled at, was that it left the main two channels alone, unmolested. The TASS unit was only used to supply sound to the rears. Well, that is how I used it. that way "purity and integrity" was maintained in the two ch. Yes, Lewis assembled most of them, but not all. In his Will, Lewis actually bequeathed me his personal TASS unit, (much to my surprise) it looks like an old fashioned toaster that you open from the sides. After he died I got to go through the remnants of his workroom after everyone else and found a thick folder full of schematics etc for these units. That did not go to the tip, I am Custodian of this material. I now have two others of these units and plan to get one going in my system one day. I am strictly a two ch man and this will suit my needs a treat. I recently also purchased a Surround Master thingy of Charlie van D. that does sort of the same thing. It will be a great A/B. The pre unit in the TASS units I found a little pedestrian, from memory you could just turn the volume pot to max and just use the ambience control, it's been a long time! Yes, I love these units! I might have to get one fired up really soon... Edited March 16, 2017 by Red MacKay additional info added 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blybo Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 4 minutes ago, Red MacKay said: What it excelled at, was that it left the main two channels alone, unmolested. The TASS unit was only used to supply sound to the rears. Well, that is how I used it. that way "purity and integrity" was maintained in the two ch. Weird, there must have been a 2nd generation, as my parents system was only 2 channel, no surrounds involved and the pre looked nothing like that. My parents would have bought theirs in the mid 90's as I know they didn't move into that house till I was 22 ('93) and it replaced a stolen Luxman "midi" system they had when they moved there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lansche plasma guy Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 This unit was designed and built by Lewis for Surya. It was very heavily based on a dynaco unit with slight changes and re-marketed as Surya's T.A.S.S. system. Could sound really great on classical records in particular. Not very transparent to the source though. LPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper() Posted March 17, 2017 Author Share Posted March 17, 2017 Hi all, just to answer some of the questions before i close this off. 1. Yes - this does behave like a standard pre-amp. If you use the CD/Phono Inputs and 'Normal' outputs it bypasses the processing stage. 2. The Ambience feature is quite interesting - listening to Ben Harper sounded awesome, although vocals were a little recessed. Don't have / listen to classical, but yes - i can see with instrumental and orchestral music this would have the ability to be very interesting. 3. The Uni-bass I didn't quite get - only minor changes, and not sure they were positive ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Point source Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 On 16/03/2017 at 0:38 PM, Snapper() said: If only hi-fi appreciated over time. ... which if you own a pair of NS-1000m they do because there is a pair on offer for $4000 on eBay! Don't tell @evil c can't believe he sold em! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper() Posted March 17, 2017 Author Share Posted March 17, 2017 Don't tell [mention=116153]evil c[/mention] can't believe he sold em! I think im covered. I heard he cant read [emoji4] Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red MacKay Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Not sure about about the evil one's reading capabilities, but he sure can talk! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evil c Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 5 hours ago, Point source said: Don't tell @evil c can't believe he sold em! Some of us move on - Brian ! Onwards and upwards and all that . (even @buddyev is ! ) 5 hours ago, Snapper() said: I think im covered. I heard he cant read Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk But I have good people that can ! 5 hours ago, Red MacKay said: Not sure about about the evil one's reading capabilities, but he sure can talk! You can talk Redmund - in fact I struggle to interrupt you ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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