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AUDIO FORUMS >> General Discussion and Support >> mods and cryo opinions
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Message started by don pettit on 06/20/09 at 16:29:13

Title: mods and cryo opinions
Post by don pettit on 06/20/09 at 16:29:13

hi folks, brand newbie here. recently purchased csp2 and zen84c+. am absolutely pleased. am very curious about the christmas mod which is claimed to vastly improve performance. how much $ is involved? turnaround time? also, does there exist a consensus of opinion as to the merits of cryo treating? have changed out my wall receptacle, treated my power cords and sent a set of tubes in for treatment. plus myrectifier tubes have been treatedand installed. each step seems to have brought about an improvement or at least i think so. am i kidding myself or not? thanks for any help. don pettit

Title: Re: mods and cryo opinions
Post by Lon on 06/20/09 at 17:03:35

Welcome! Please post! :)

Here is what Steve has to say about the installation of the mod in the white paper:

https://www.decware.com/newsite/paper145.htm

"This mod can be done on The Torii Mk II and all of the Zen Triode amplifiers except for the Mini Torii. Cost is $100.00 plus return packing and shipping. The mod will include going completely through your amp to be sure it's in perfect spec. If you've purchased a Zen Triode amplifier used, this mod will re-instate the lifetime warranty.

If you would like to get the Christmas comes early mod, just pack your amp so it can't be damaged and fill out the RA form here on the web site. Print it out and include it with your amp. We will contact you a few days after it arrives.

BTW, If you get this mod and don't agree that the improvement absolutely eclipses anything else you could have done for a hundred bucks, you can send the amp back and have the mod removed and your money returned, less shipping costs.

Thanks,

Steve Deckert"

There's no mention of turn-around time, but I believe the sonic improvements, and the attention to the whole amplifier and lifetime warranty refresher is worth the money, for sure.

Title: Re: mods and cryo opinions
Post by Lon on 06/20/09 at 21:53:30

Oh and PS: I've used cryo'd tubes. . . I think they're an improvement in my systems.

Title: Re: mods and cryo opinions
Post by don pettit on 06/20/09 at 23:07:10

hi lon, i see that you are one of the senior troopers here and am grateful for you responses. have you tried cryoing any of your other stuff besides the tubes? do you know who is best to turn to for this work? all help is bribe eligible(lol) don pettit

Title: Re: mods and cryo opinions
Post by Lon on 06/20/09 at 23:10:21

No, I haven't tried cryoing anything else though in the past I've used Cat-5 and Cat-6 speaker wire that had been cryo'd as part of a group buy project here. The wire sounded good, but I didn't have any experience with the wire before cryo'ing.

I don't actually have knowledge of how and where to do cryo'ing sorry. I've pretty much given up that sort of thing and tube-rolling etc. It was driving me mad. Too many possibilities, listening to too many different aspects of the reproduction. I'm happy with the sound I have now and am focusing on listening to music.

Title: Re: mods and cryo opinions
Post by proud_indian on 06/21/09 at 05:44:10

Hi Don,

As far as cryo goes, I have tried them on tubes and various items and feel that the best bang for the buck would be the tubes and the power cords. You can do the RCA plugs etc but the law of diminishing returns sets in.
Regarding the CCE mod, if you are into DIY ( if you can basically solder) it takes all of 5 minutes. If you are not into it, then it is worth the 100 bucks that Steve is asking for. If you have cryoed your EL84's then they would not be needed. You would need the 6p15p/SV83 for it to work.
A slightly expensive mod would be V caps for the amp.
Another interesting purchase ( if you are into CD's) would be the Zbox, and of course if into serious DIY, then the Zkit 4.

shreekant :)

Title: Re: mods and cryo opinions
Post by d_zoolander on 06/21/09 at 07:17:57

I have cryo'ed tubes from here in the past
http://www.cryoplus.com/

If you just want to buy cryo tubes, they have some here

http://www.cryoset.com/

I have found cryo treated tubes offer improvement in the mid-range. However, the CCE mod is far more noticeable. You will instantly hear the difference if you are used to listening SV83 or 6p15p tubes

Title: Re: mods and cryo opinions
Post by don pettit on 06/21/09 at 17:45:18

thank you proud, lon, and zoo. much good advice. am proceeding with it. don pettit

Title: Re: mods and cryo opinions
Post by veryoldcat on 06/21/09 at 20:25:37

Hi Don,

To my ear, the difference regarding cryoed "military" SV83's makes it well worth the effort. In fact, the driver tubes and even rectifiers seem to benefit.

The 6n15n-ev's are far more open sounding across the board to my ear, when cryoed. Every now an then I regress and try an uncryoed pair, but my impression stays the same.

Yes, agreed; the "CCE mod" has taken the SE84xx amps a gigantic step up, far more so than any other tweak. The benefit is huge. I feel sorry for any one using a similar type amplifier that is restricted to EL84's only (where the suppressor is internally connected and the mod is useless).

I've now incorporated the same mod into an old ST70 using EL34's, with similarly stunning results. I can hardly believe what I'm hearing.

In fact, now I wonder if some version of this same mod might be beneficial to EF86's in lower level driver circuits :-?

Yes, the cryoing of the output tubes is really worth it, but get this CCE mod done at your earliest possible convenience.

Karl

Title: Re: mods and cryo opinions
Post by Dirty_Dawg on 06/21/09 at 20:50:53

My sense tells me, after some brief experience with cryo'ed tubes, that some of the simplest things, such as cables, connectors, Things we often take for granted in our happy charges toward the best sound, could possibly benefit the most from a cryo treatment.

Their individual contributions to perfection in reproduction will probably be far less noticeable than some of the more complex equipment, such as transformers or tubes, but it seems reasonable to me that many of these simple things could be far improved by cryo'ing, especially if you imagine the stresses these simple things undergo in their manufacture and take into account the total sum of all "simple things cryo'ed at once" as one experience.

I would be intrigued if someone had the resolve to undertake such an involved project.

Title: Re: mods and cryo opinions
Post by don pettit on 06/22/09 at 00:52:54

hi very, what a great bunch of folks! i guess i'm damned if i do. am sending my zen to steve tomorrow to be christmased. as with others i can't stand the idea of it going out the door. but i do want to be able to unhook the hafler ss amp as soon as the li'l dude comes back in the door. thanks for the responses all!! don pettit

Title: Re: mods and cryo opinions
Post by Lon on 06/22/09 at 01:39:31

I think you're making a good move, I bet the mod really is worth the money!

Title: Re: mods and cryo opinions
Post by don pettit on 06/22/09 at 05:37:02

hey guy, who would know about good moves better than you? but total faith in our leader, right? don pettit

Title: Re: mods and cryo opinions
Post by proud_indian on 06/22/09 at 05:47:33

Yes Dirt... the cryo process will not transform your system. It will at best make it better. I have access to a cryo shop, so I cryo anything I get my hands on. I would not know the difference it makes on Power cords, cause I cryoed them anyway, the moment I got them.
When things remain in your system for a while, you do not notice their existence, at times even forget about them. Knowing that it can only do good rather than bad, I get it done.

shreekant :)

Title: Re: mods and cryo opinions
Post by 76doublebass on 06/22/09 at 15:40:57

Hi its Don C. This subject of c ryo is interesting and IMO Cryo makes a big improvment in the overall accuaracy of the system. I had cryo'd much with my previous system and will need to continue with my Decware system as well. Thanks for the web sites on Cryo I will give one of them a call today. It seems like they have a very fast turn around time and charge by the pound it looks like. :)