"I'm
not sure if this is a time
machine, a spaceship, or
something that you plug in like
a glowing gate to a higher plane
of consciousness but every time
I listen to it I disappear!"
The TORII is one of those rare
amplifiers that can liberate
even the most fanatical
audiophiles from the buy and
sell marry-go-round.
It does this by getting
everything down to the last
detail... right. The kind
of "right" that goes WAY beyond
it's impressive specs or
appearance. It was created
BY human ears FOR human
ears. With the Zen TORII,
you can see better with your
eyes closed.
One
of the reasons it can do this is
because like a Stradivarius
violin, each amp is hand voiced
down
to the finest details.
For the same reason a
Stradivarius sounds superior to
mass produced violins, the Zen
is simply untouchable by mass
produced amplifiers - regardless
of price, unless of course
you're into being pummeled by
loud obnoxious and uninteresting
amps with huge power
figures. The Zen is for
people who want more than
to just hear the music,
they want to float in it.
It's a goose bump machine if you
know where I'm coming from.
This
amplifier absolutely captures the magic of
single-ended triodes,
yet it isn't one. Over twenty
years in the making, it's
out-of-the-box design theory
and tedious (hand
built)
execution give it a sound that
simply embarrasses many hi-end
amplifiers and is to date our
best work. I
should also mention that this
amplifier is made in the USA
with our own hands. It's using
proprietary US made
transformers (real
good ones) and even
the 1/8 inch thick powder
coated chassis and solid
hardwood bases are US built.
Steve Deckert - owner DECWARE
High Fidelity Engineering
This
is a pretty ballsy 25 watt per
channel amplifier that features
2 pair of inputs with an input
selector switch and a volume
control. It works
perfectly well WITH or WITHOUT a
preamp. It's at home with most
hi-fi speakers and equally
poised with high efficiency
speakers due in part to it's
complete lack of noise or
hum. There is also a
control outside the signal path
that lets you make fine
adjustments to the high
frequencies. Along this
same theme, it has a bass switch
that lets you adjust the bass
character of your loudspeakers
to eliminate room boom
automatically and add or remove
weight.
This pure class A tube
amplifier with no circuit boards
also features a dual mono design
with fully independent vacuum
tube regulated power
supplies. It's using tube
rectification on each channel
feeding a mirror imaged push
pull layout with no negative
feedback and is fully self
biasing.
It's
an easy amplifier to own
because there is no maintenance
and no bias pots to
adjust. The tubes are not
run hard and consequently last
about twice as long, are easy to
find and their not overpriced.
You
will simply turn it on and enjoy
the music, every time.
The TORII MK IV can be used with
a variety of the great sounding
classic audio tubes which are
affordable and easy to find both
in current production and new
old stock. This makes
finding replacement tubes as
easy as any amplifier ever made.
The amplifier can run
speakers between 4 and 16
ohms.
Your TORII MK
IV is available in either 120
VAC or 240 VAC and compatible
with all voltages that fall
within +/- 10%. You can
select the voltage from within
the shopping cart.
You can
select from the Black Figured Base
(shown at the top of this web page) OR
the Contemporary Style Walnut Base
(shown above). Different woods can
be selected from within the shopping
cart. The Black Figured base is
only available in Black.
There are
also some knob choices. From left
to right are Ebony, Gold, Black, Cream,
Walnut. You can configure your
Torii with the knobs you want from
within the shopping cart.
This amp is shipped
with your choice of hand selected
and tested premium quality EL34 or
KT66 output tubes by Tungsol.
In addition it will come with N.O.S.
Voltage regulation tubes, OA3 and
OC2, New Selected 6922 input tubes
and new 5U4 rectifiers for each
channel. This factory tube
compliment is ideal for your
evaluation and even though you can
"roll" different tubes through it,
you certainly won't feel like you
need to! You will be able to
select which tubes you want from
within the shopping cart.
It's
no secret the in the world of
exotic tube amplification that
S.E.T. amps rule in transparency
and liquidity. We've all
heard statements like... "female
vocals to die for"
or "insane imaging"
when describing these jewels, but
in the same breath you'll also
hear things like "needs
an easy to drive speaker"
or "while the bass is good,
it lacks the absolute control
and dynamics of the bigger amps."
So right away you're left with a
compromise... performance vs.
musicality and grace.
S.E.T.
amplifiers are what
motivated the design of the
Zen TORII
...because
any time you have between 2 and 10
gloriously transparent watts the only
thing that could be better is more.
Designing a high power S.E.T.
amplifier requires adding another gain
stage (tube) or paralleled output
tubes (or both). Either
one causes a loss of
transparency when compared to a single
output tube per channel.
In the Zen design, even though you
have two tubes per channel, they are
not in parallel but rather transformer
coupled in series so that only one
tube is really in the signal path at
any one time.
Having such a simple signal
path gives the Zen TORII the
same transparency as our SET amps
where only 2 resistors and 1 or 2
capacitor are seen by the
signal. And to complete the
picture, we use no negative feedback,
which is easy to do if you're building
a Triode based amplifier, but the Zen
TORII is a Pentode design that forgoes
the "ultra-linear" approach in favor
of tube regulated grids on the output
tubes to help with linearity.
"After
hundreds of hours of initial
listening, the Decware Zen Torii
continues to improve, as designer
Steve Deckert said it would.
While the full review will be in issue
41, suffice to say that this is one of
the most musically engaging amplifiers
I’ve had the pleasure to
experience. If you’ve ever spent
time with a great SET and thought “If
this only had 2-3 times the power, I
could live with it,�? your ship has
arrived. After owning a number
of the world’s finest SET amplifiers,
I can easily support Deckert’s claim
that the Zen Torii is certainly the
equal of any SET I’ve owned."
-TONEAudio
Blog / JULY 26 2011
How
do you get an amplifier to sound like
it does at 2:30 A.M. (when the power
is cleanest) during the day and
virtually every time you listen to
it? Tube voltage regulation
designed to filter instead of
regulate.
First of all, the vast
majority of tube amplifiers for sale
do not even have tube
regulation. Not to
mention the obvious... but just
because an amplifier has tube
regulation doesn't mean it's going to
sound better. Tighter and more
control, yes. Better? ...not
often. The classic shunt
regulation so often seen in tube
amplifiers that do offer it, often
poisons the transparency with injected
noise that must be further
filtered. The Zen TORII doesn't
need tube regulation to improve power
supply performance. It features a dual
mono design with oversize power
supplies, one for each channel.
It's a brute force approach
that delivers over 300 ma. of current
when only half of that is actually
used by the circuit.
In this special amplifier
the Voltage Regulation tubes are wired
in series with
the load. In that configuration they
become a filtering device instead of a
regulating device. The VR tubes
place a measurable vacuum
gap between the load and the
power supply. This creates Ultra
Clean Power because all of the the
noise is filtered off. (Noise
from pollution in your local power
grid that includes the harmonics that
ultimately end up at your wall outlet
and in your amplifier.)
This
poisons virtually everyone's power
outlets but it is eliminated in the
Zen TORII. It literally doesn't
make the jump across this vacuum gap
between the cathode and anode of the
VR tubes. Talk about black
backgrounds, we could call it the
grain eliminator or the liquidity
insurance program, or just an unfair
advantage over virtually all of our
competitors.
This is one of the reasons why we
know that unless you own and
use a power generator, like the PS
AUDIO power plant as an example, there
is no way your present amplifier will
sound as good as a Zen TORII
(...assuming all else was equal and
even that's unlikely.) And if it
wasn't enough to do it once, we
employed this technology on every
stage in the amplifier and
independently for each channel.
That's a lot of GLOW from these
beautiful tubes that don't even get
hot or wear out!
You won't find tube regulation in the
vast majority of power amplifiers, and
none that use it in this critically
important way. Yet, impressive
as it might sound it is only a small
part of why the Zen TORII can achieve
the unique sound quality that is has.
The Zen TORII uses a
unique push-pull design that employs
only a single capacitor and gain stage
to drive the output tubes, just like
our popular 2 watt S.E.T. amps.
Add to that the cleverly simple way it
preserves the even order harmonic
content and you have a push pull
amplifier that is truly unique
in the market... It has
the beauty of S.E.T. sound with the
performance of the very best
push-pull. Speed and attack are
taken to a new level here. In
fact, the Zen TORII makes most 200
watt solid state amps sound
lean and flat.
EVEN ORDER HARMONICS
ARE
WHY SINGLE-ENDED AMPLIFIERS SOUND
GOOD.
The Zen TORII has unique harmonics
giving it a sound unlike
virtually all push pull amplifiers,
solid state OR tube.
The harmonics of an amplifier can be
revealed in the distortion
measurements. There are two
types of harmonics; Even
order harmonics and Odd
order harmonics.
Musical instruments naturally create
lots of Even order harmonics. So do
single-ended amplifiers BTW.
However, I can't think of too many
things in nature that create sound
with Odd Order Harmonics, except for
solid state and tube push pull
amplifiers! This is why you
don't get an organic sound from these
types of amplifiers, and why everyone
is so gaga over Single ended designs.
Here
is a distortion graph of a typical
push pull amplifier:
This works by simply playing a single
tone at 1kHz and measuring the
echo! You can see that the first
harmonic (A) is at 3kHz - an ODD
number. The next (B) is at 5kHz
and the third (C) is at 7kHz. This is what an ODD
Order Harmonic signature looks like.
Notice there is no even order content
whatsoever. Also of interest is
the average noise floor seen between
the test signal at 1KHz and 20kHz is
about -110dB. (larger numbers
are better). Considered very good this
noise level is brought to you by a
Balanced XLR solid state push pull
power amplifier.
One of the main reasons why push-pull
amplifiers never sound like good
single-ended triodes is because most
push pull designs naturally cancel the
even-order harmonics as clearly shown
in the graph above! Below is the Zen
TORII's graph, where you will find the missing Even
order harmonics at 2kHz,
4kHz, 6kHz and so on, yet it IS a
push pull design!
And an opportunity to make a point -
the Zen TORII is also quieter than the
solid state amp in the same 1 ~ 20K
range - coming in at -125db!
Here is the superior sounding
distortion graph of a Zen TORII:
So you can see in
the explanation above why the Zen
TORII responds like a single ended
amp and why other push pull designs
sound far from it. Having the power
and control of push pull, something
no S.E.T. amplifier really has, the
TORII gives you the best of both worlds.
"DecWare founder Steve
Deckert proudly proclaims the Zen Torii
is “the last amp you’ll ever want.�? And
if you agree with Nelson Pass’ theory
that there is a best amplifier for each
type of speaker, the Zen Torii could be
just “the best�? if you have the right
speakers. TONEAudio publisher Jeff
Dorgay was smitten enough to purchase
the Torii for his reference fleet of
amplifiers. For an EL- 34-based
amplifier, the bass grip is nothing
short of breathtaking, and the Torii
renders musical detail like Kodachrome
25.
Indeed, there’s never been a better
example of specs not telling the whole
story. The Torii plays louder and
interfaces with a much wider range of
speakers than suggested by its modest
26-watt- per-channel rating. Showcasing
old-school style, the Torii is
hand-wired in Illinois by the DecWare
staff and guaranteed for life. American
craftsmanship at its finest."
The Tube
Compliment that we supply is premium
grade, hand selected and carefully
matched and tested in your amplifier!
We expect you to listen to them during
your 30 day trial while you make the
decision to keep or return the amp. (Yes
the tubes are that good).
Original replacement tubes for this
amplifier will always be available
from Decware.
Tube Rolling is a way for neurotic
audiophiles to re-voice the amplifier
to their own liking based on different
tubes that possibly better compliment
their speakers, room, or even source.
Tube Rolling with this amp is
affordable. It is also empowering when
you realize that YOU can MAKE the
amplifier sound the way YOU want it
to. Especially when the tubes
are affordable and there are so many
cool brands of each type to choose
from.
Your TORII
is 100% compatible with the
following tubes.
These are the different output
tubes that you can use in your
TORII without adjustments.
They are simply plug-in
compatible. The chart below
shows how you can taylor
the sound with these
different tubes. The meters
in the chart show how each
tube will sound in a TORII
MK IV amplifier.
EL34
KT66
6L6
350B
KT77
TUBE
TONE
POWER
BASS
HIGHS
EL34
KT66
6L6
350B
KT77
NOTE: Imaging is
not a factor of output tube
selection. Your Zen
TORII has equally
holographic imaging with any
of the tubes above.
Your
Amplifier can be configured
in the shopping cart
Voltage: We will
automatically ship your amp with
the correct power cord for your
country based on the shipping
address you supply.
Wood: Only the "Black
Figured" base is of the Victorian
style, all other hardwood bases
are of a contemporary styling.
Wood bases are user
interchangeable so if decide at
some point to change the way your
amplifier looks with a different
wood base, you will not have to
ship the amp back to have it done,
you can do it yourself with a
single screwdriver.
Volume Control: A smooth
action volume control is a
standard ALPA control with carbon
wiper. It is infinitely adjustable
and offers a slightly warmer
sound. The Stepped attenuator is
actually a 20 position switch that
features 1% metal film resistors.
With it, you can adjust the volume
in 20 steps. There is no
infinitely fine or small
adjustment like the standard
volume control, however channel
balance is usually better (with
1%) and overall transparency is
also slightly improved.
Knobs: Gold knobs are the
most popular and consequently,
kind of the standard knob for a
Torii, however if you selected a
black wood base, the Ebony knobs
match the base, just as the Dark
Walnut knobs nicely match the wood
bases made of walnut. Chicken head
knobs give the amplifier a more
vintage look and are available in
black or cream colors.
Capacitors: We use cryo
treated beeswax caps as the
standard cap in the TORII MK4
which is all a person needs to
experience a boutique cap in a
boutique amplifier! The sound is
fantastic. Since the release
of the amp, our cap supplier has
also developed an alternate cap
using copper foil that many people
like so we offer this as our Type
II beeswax cap and consider it an
upgrade of the already killer
stock caps in the amp. Same goes
for VCAP's which are also
considered an upgrade. Between the
two upgrade caps the beeswax are a
bit more organic sounding while
the VCAP's will develop slightly
more resolution over time. The
stocks caps are also organic
sounding but the most forgiving of
the three choices. Capacitors can
be changed at any point in the
amplifier's life.
Output transformers: The
TORII MK4 has a switch to go
between hi and low speaker
impedance's. This was done
so you can adjust the switch while
listening to music and determine
which sounds best with a
particular speakers. Often
running 8 ohms on a 4 ohm speaker
sounds great, so it's recommended
you let how the speakers sound
determine which setting is
best. The cart choice simply
lets you specify 4~8 ohms or 8~16
ohms.
Output tubes: This
simply means the amp will ship
with the tubes you have selected.
Shipping case: This
case is a guarantee that your
amplifier will not arrive damaged
from shipping. It also has
wheels and a handle making it easy
to transport your amplifier to and
from shows or audio events.
Once you have configured your amp,
hit the UPDATE button to see the
total price of your
configuration. Also, after
your order is placed, you will
have two weeks or more to change
any of the options while your amp
is in the Que waiting to be built,
so don't loose any sleep over what
options to choose.
The assembly space shown below
was designed specifically for
the construction of these
amplifiers.
The
Zen TORII has impressively flat
frequency response. In the
range of human hearing it is
accurate to within 0.4 dB
This is a real world frequency
response measured through
loudspeakers at normal listening
levels. It is not a
simulated response nor is it the
typical measurement where the
amp is hooked up to a purely
simple resistive dummy load
instead of a complex loudspeaker
load.
Frequency response
of both channels overlapped.
Tone control at 1/2 way
point. The
minus -3dB point at low frequency
is 6Hz.
OUTPUT TRANSFORMER
COUPLING
The Zen is a very stable amplifier
capable of driving all but the most
power hungry loudspeakers because of
it's transformer-coupled output
stage. This creates a hand-shake
between the amplifier and the
loudspeaker and protects the speaker
from DC voltages should a tube ever
fail. Of course most tube
amplifiers use output transformers,
which tend to be the most expensive
single components in the amp.
This is where most amplifiers fall
short by trying to impress you with
big heavy transformers of average or
low quality. The more power the
amp has, the more likely it is to use
moderate quality transformers - at
best.
Decware transformers were designed and
are built specifically and only for
THIS amplifier. They use the
highest quality grain-oriented silicon
steel laminated cores with exhaustive
interleaving to produce the most phase
coherent wide bandwidth sound
possible. Our transformers have
always been proprietary and are a big
part of the secret behind the
Decware sound.
VOLTAGES
This amplifier comes
standard with our World Voltage
Compatible Transformer. Your amp will
be automatically wired for the correct
voltage for your country and be
supplied with the correct removable
power cord.
OUTPUTS:
1 PAIR HEAVY GOLD 3 WAY BINDING POSTS
PER CHANNEL
OUTPUT
STAGE TOPOLOGY: GND-CATHODE
TRANSFORMER RK
RLOAD
PLATE TO PLATE: 6600 OHMS
IDLE
CURRENT: 47 MILS PER OUTPUT TUBE
HIGH B+
VOLTAGE: 410 VDC CHOKE REGULATED PER
CHANNEL
INPUT
IMPEDANCE: 100 K OHMS
INPUT
SENSITIVITY: FULL POWER @ 2.0 VOLTS
POWER
INTO 3.5 OR 8 OHMS: 24.6 WATTS RMS PER
CHANNEL
NOISE:
-90dB
OPERATION:
CLASS A1
GRID
REGULATION: ONE OA3-OD3 PER CHANNEL
INPUT
STAGE REGULATION: ONE VR75~VR150 PER
CHANNEL
RECTIFICATION:
ONE 5Y3GT or 5AR4 or 5U4 PER CHANNEL
INPUT
STAGE: ONE 6N1P or 6922 PER CHANNEL
OUTPUT
STAGE: TWO MATCHED EL34 PER CHANNEL
SIZE:
19-1/8 " WIDE x 13-3/4
" DEEP x 7-3/4 " HIGH
NET
WEIGHT: 36.8 lbs.
WARRANTY:
LIFETIME TO ORIGINAL OWNER / 90 DAYS
ON TUBES
SHIPS
WITH:
PREMIUM
GRADE EL34 OUTPUT TUBES
5U4
RECTIFIERS
6922,
or 6N1P PREMIUM INPUT TUBES
N.O.S.
OA3 and OC2 VOLTAGE REGULATOR TUBES
REMOVABLE
POWER CORD
FREQUENCY
RESPONSE: 20Hz ~ 20kHz +/- 0.4dB
TOTAL
HARMONIC DISTORTION: 0.069 %
DYNAMIC
RANGE, DBA: 92.9
THIS
AMPLIFIER SHIPS WORLD WIDE!
OPTIONAL SHIPPING CASE
If you travel, or just
want a bomb-proof case to put your
TORII in, we have this custom fit case
available. Your amp can be
shipped in one. The $299 option
is available when you add your TORII
to the shopping cart.
This Military-grade
waterproof/shockproof case customized to
perfectly form-fit your amp for
transport and or shipping. The amp
fits upside down into foam.
SKB 3I Series Injection
Molded Mil-Standard Waterproof Cases
are molded of ultra high-strength
polypropylene co-polymer resin,
featuring a gasketed, water and dust
tight, submersible design
(MIL-C-4150J) that is resistant to
corrosion and impact damage.
Features a continuous molded-in hinge,
patent pending "trigger release" latch
system, comfortable, snap-down rubber
over-molded cushion grip handle,
automatic ambient pressure
equalization valve (MIL-STD-648C),
resistance to UV, solvents, corrosion,
fungus and impact damage
(MIL-STD-810F).
Case features wheels and a pull
out handle so anyone can easily move it.
We offer this amp
with a 30 day money back trial
so you canhear one in
your own room! With
less than 2% returns,
chances are you'll be like
the guy who just
wrote in our forum: "The only way
you're getting this amp back is to
pry it out of my cold dead
fingers!" -
a passionate response that's
not uncommon among Zen Torii
owners.
A few Customer
Comments...
"I will send you a fully
thought out review with some more
hours on the Torii but just wanted to
drop you a note to say how amazed I am
at the amp and how it has transformed
my system. You could charge 3
times the amount and be right in line
with market value. But that is
not the case here, this amp is better
that the products I have owned from
Pass, Krell, Rowland and even blows
away my Atma-Sphere amps. And
this is with just a day and a half
break in. There is something
just plain right about what I am
hearing. Bless you for bringing
music alive!"
-Walt R. Gardners, Pennsylvania USA
"As the
centerpiece of one of my company’s
flagship systems, the Decware Zen
Torii has pretty much killed the
audiophile in me. I am now a
simple a music lover. Its presence
marks the first time in over
twenty years of serious listening
that a particular thought has
crossed my mind: I have no reason, no
itch, no desire whatsoever to
upgrade this system. I am
baffled that this level of
immersion and enjoyment can be
had for so little. But
even more telling is that it has
made me want to explore musical
genres I had never given any
consideration to. And that’s an
even greater testament of its
virtues." -Frank D. EarHead
Audio, LLC Winchester,
Virginia
"Well, I
really don't know what to say
except that this is one amazing
amplifier. If had it on most all
of the daytime since it came in
and while the sound is still
changing as the amp breaks-in it
seems to be settling in nicely.
This amp already sounds miles
ahead of anything I've had in my
system. It sounds much "bigger"
than my current 200 wpc amps. How
you get a 25 watt amp to sound
like this is what I'd like to
know. This amp
(compared to my current 200 wpc,
class D amps) has MUCH better
weight, tonality, pitch
definition, better extension and
clarity in the treble. Grain/glare
are non-existent with the most
natural detail that I've heard.
Dynamic contrasts are much better
than my current amp - classical
music is exciting to listen now.
And as your web page states the
detail is there in the music from
an extremely low level without
turning it up. I seem to have
plenty of gain and I've yet to
clip the amp even listening at (to
me) pretty decent levels with my
Merlin VSMs. I've owned the VSM's
for about 10 years and now I know
that I really had not heard what
they can do. I've had
quite a few pieces over the past
25 years: Audio Research, Music
Reference, VTL, Atma-Sphere and
most recently my only venture into
solid state: a Channel Island D200
Class D amp. Your amp is far and
away the best I have ever heard in
my system (I had the Atma-Sphere
amps for 10 years and know very
well what they sound like) and I
will certainly not be sending it
back. I really wish I had a way to
communicate to other Merlin owners
how well this amp seem to work
with these speakers. Thank you for
an outstanding product at a very
reasonable price."
-Bill S. Kingwood, Texas USA
"I know the amp will only
get better with time, but i can tell
you now, my friend... you didn't just
hit a home run with the new torii, but
rather a grand slam.
Congratulations on a beautifully done
amplifier."
-George K. Irvine, California USA
"This Torii is giving everything I was
hoping it would give to my music
listening. It really is the most
transparent thing I've ever used to
date. A very satisfying
amplifier in my system and a delight
to listen to."
-Chris M. Underhill, Vermont USA
"This amp has an
almost eerie sense of musical
realism! It has the clarity,
sweetness and holographic
imaging of great Single Ended
Triode amps but with
commanding weight and power.
If you thought bass was
difficult with tubes, forget
it. The TORII resolves bass as
brilliantly as it coaxes its
lifelike mid-range and
natural, airy highs from
recordings."
-Will R. Santa Fa, New Mexico
USA
An Active Thread On AUDIOGON
Might Mean More....
> 1283540711
Decware - any substance
here?
With
such a nice
and
extensively
detailed
website, I've
long been
curious about
Decware. But
with little in
the way of
genuine
reviews, and
not much in
the way of
discussion
here, I always
wonder if they
are nothing
more than
that, a great
website. They
clearly have a
dedicated fan
base, but my
problem with
the fan base
is this: most
of them (not
all of course)
seem to have
limited
experience
with products
besides
Decware, as if
they stumbled
upon Decware
and never
bothered with
other brands.
Maybe this is
positive, that
once
experienced
they don't
have the
typical
audiophile
itch to try
other amps.
I'm
specifically
struck by the
new Torii
MKIII
push-pull amp,
which in
description
and looks is
just
beautiful. So
does it
interest
anyone here?
Has anyone
actually heard
it, or it's
previous
incarnations?
If so how does
it rate
amongst the
other quality
tube amps,
whether Blue
Circle, Cary,
Vac, Almarro,
Atma-Sphere,
etc...?
09-03-10:
Azaud
It bums
me out also. I
just checked
to see if
he'll be at
RMAF and no,
again this
year he isn't
on the
exhibitor
list.
In his
defense, he
does have his
own "fest",
and I'm sure
his argument
would be that
this way you
(we) aren't
limited to one
or two systems
to listen to;
but IMHO it is
more valuable
in the course
of pinning
down what
floats your
proverbial to
be able to
hear a Decware
system, and
then listen to
several other
ideas of what
$5K should
sound like
immediately
after. Azaud
(Threads
| Answers
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09-03-10:
Ballan
I own a
couple of
Decware amps
and they are
great, and the
people behind
the product
are great.
It's one of
the few tube
products I've
owned, and the
only tube amp
I have kept.
I'm not saying
it's the best
because I
haven't heard
a lot of tube
gear, but I
think that
because it's a
small company
that has good
people behind
it, makes the
difference.
As for RMAF
and reviews?
All of that
takes money,
and when I see
companies
displaying and
advertising, I
know that
their
customers are
paying for it.
There is
nothing wrong
with that,
it's just
business, but
I have a lot
of respect for
companies that
can create
great products
and stay in
business
because they
invest in
their
customers.
There are not
many, but they
deserve
special
attention. I
feel that
Decware is
such a
company. Ballan
(Threads
| Answers
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Thread)
09-04-10:
Celtic66
I own the
DAC and it is
terrific. It
runs the
Cirrus Logic
CS 4398 DAC
chip which is
the flagship
chip. You will
find this chip
in very very
expensive
DACs. I have
friends far
tweekier than
me who love
this DAC and
other DECWARE
products.
They've spent
the time and
resources way
beyond the
average
audiophile and
simply profess
the advantages
of a small
manufacturer
such as
DECWARE who
had no
advertising
budget and can
produce
product beyond
the large
companies with
a different
business
model. Celtic66
(Reviews
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09-04-10:
Changeout
Dollar
for dollar the
Decware line
must be
classified as
top shelf
value. I have
owned the
select mono's,
Taboo,
original "blue
Torii",and the
Torii mkII.
These amps are
all fast,they
have a big
sound
stage,image
very well and
are musically
pleasing. They
are hand made
(all point to
point wiring)
in the USA
What's not to
like? They are
all low
powered,the
chassis is of
a light weight
and are not
dead quiet.
I have also
owned Cary,
McIntosh,
Airtight, VTL,
Art Audio and
others.
Decware will
hold its own
with the more
costly group.
09-04-10:
Rivieraranch
They ARE
dead quiet. No
spitting,
sparks, smoke
or humming. No
glue or cheap
Chinese parts
inside and no
gaudy
exteriors.
Their value
far exceeds
their price,
which galls
some audio
consumers who
buy in part
based upon a
large price
tag.
The designer
will make
himself
available for
personal
one-on-one
conversations
about the
equipment and
its use. They
make products
for the love
of good sound,
not just to
achieve a
per-determined
profit margin.
"Genuine"
reviews? There
are plenty of
them; some are
linked or
posted on the
DECWARE site.
A 6Moons
review of the
original TABOO
comes to mind.
In addition to
that, there
are a plethora
of detailed
posts
regarding use
and enjoyment
of DECWARE
equipment.
I have owned
several pieces
of DECWARE
equipment and
have been
happy and
satisfied with
each one. The
products go
through
updating and
revisions in
the quest for
continual
improvement.
Not going to
RMAF? So what.
The don't need
to. They are
quiet company
that maintains
a low key
profile; they
do not engage
in specious
self promotion
either.
" . . .that
once
experienced
they don't
have the
typical
audiophile
itch to try
other amps.
I'm
specifically
struck by the
new Torii
MKIII
push-pull amp,
which in
description
and looks is
just
beautiful. . .
."
09-04-10:
Clio09
I used to
own a Decware
phono stage.
Never had any
problem with
it. In fact it
was better
than a certain
solid state
phono stage at
the time that
was garnering
rave reviews
and cost 3
times as much
as the Decware
unit.
I'd love to
try a set of
their speakers
some day.
Steve knows
what he is
doing and his
business model
is quite
refreshing.
Great sound
does not have
to cost a lot.
Looks and
price seldom
equate to
better sound.
A well
designed
circuit using
good parts
with
outstanding
build quality
and thorough
testing should
be good enough
enough for
anyone.
09-05-10:
Changeout
The four
Decware amps I
mentioned in
my first post
are not the
only Decware
products I
have
purchased. I
also have the
phono stage,
ZT preamp,
HDT's and the
RL3 speakers.
All of
Decware's
offerings are
bargains in
today's
audiophile
pricing
structure. I
still own all
of them except
the "blue
torii".
My "not dead
quiet" comment
needs more
description. I
am using the
Torri mkII to
amplify the
mid range
(560hz-3350hz)
into a 118 db
efficient
compression
driver.Any
tube amp will
hiss a little
when used this
way. Power
from the
Decware amps
is low. What
do you expect
from SET amps.
Even the push
pull Torrii
can not be
considered hi
power.
Having owned
many powerful
amps, which
were not
really
musical, I
have become
fond of the
saying " if
the first watt
s*uks why
continue?". So
if you have an
exciting
musical amp
and it happens
to be lo
power- go get
some more
efficient
speakers if it
won't play
loud enough.
09-08-10:
Zygione
I'm new
here, only
because the
Decware site
is pretty
quiet these
days, so I
started
looking around
and found
Audiogon.
I just had to
voice my
opinion. I own
two Decware
amps at the
moment,
Steve's new
DAC and the
CSP2 pre-amp.
Plus two pairs
of his
speakers. I
have no desire
to go looking
for anything
else. They
just plain
satisfy. I
lusted for
years over the
high priced
gear out
there, until I
realized they
just plain
looked better
than they
sounded.
I first meet
Steve at a
VASC show in
the Seattle
area in 2001,
after seeing
all the rest
of the gear at
that show, I
made my first
Decware
purchase, and
haven't looked
back. I've
been to his
Zenfest a few
years and it
is simple,
laid back, and
a lot of fun.
I have plans
to attend this
years fest in
just a few
weeks.
What I like
the most is,
you can get
Steve Deckert
on the phone
and talk to
the man that
built your
amp, thats
something you
can't do with
the big boys.
Zygione
(Answers
| This
Thread)
09-08-10:
Sebrof
I built
the Decware
single ended
amp kit
(EL84s, ~
$350). I also
built an
Elekit SE kit
(~$600) that
uses 6L6s and
a scratch
build 2A3
single ended
amp (~$800).
The quality
pretty much
goes exactly
as the cost
goes, in my
system to my
ears. I will
say that all
sounded very
good though.
Keep in mind
that the
Decware kit's
sound may be
compromised
compared with
a factory
built unit
(PCB vs. point
to point,
etc.).
That's pretty
much my
experience
with Decware
and with low
power SE amps.
The OP made
the point that
he felt many
Decware owners
don't have a
lot of
experience
with other
equipment so
it's hard to
get a good
read on where
the Decware
stuff falls.
Aside from 1
or 2 posters,
in this thread
it seems that
this may be
the case. Sebrof
(System
| Answers
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09-09-10:
Flaneb
Hi.....
my name is
Frank and
Steve Deckert
is imho one
the most
talented
engineers
I have come
across....let
me explain
why....although
just reading
his excellent
white papers
are a must to
understand his
philosophy.
I am in my
60's have been
involved in
music since
the late
50's.....
my living room
is currently
modwright
transporter,
emerald
physic's CS2's
the pre amp is
a pre
production
Decware
statement
piece feeding
a quad
of Eastern
Electric M156
monoblocks. I
have not found
a better
preamp
regardless of
price....but I
also love my
low output
systems...
Steve's new
Torii mk2 is
fed directly
by his new dac
into either
silverline
17.5's or
Omega super
hemps....Superb
sound..........however
my current
favorite
involves his
mini Torii fed
by apogee
firewire
(battery) into
hornshoppe
horns
with infinity
ceramic sub
and a mac pro
outputting
24/196...just
spectacular..
they are just
as quiet as my
RWA 30.2's and
Isabella which
are also
superb.
my bottom line
is Decware is
some of the
best you can
buy regardless
of
price......I
have many more
systems as I
have bought
many things on
audiogon which
I find have
some of music
most
knowledgeable
fans.
09-09-10:
Flaneb
sorry I
forgot to list
other
equipment I
owned....dynaco,ampzilla,mark
levinson,
krell..wright,
cary,
bryston....all
eastern
electric
products....other
decware
there is more
especially if
I go into
spkrs...it's
been many
years....
regards,,,;-)f Flaneb
(Answers
| This
Thread)
09-09-10:
Decware
Hi,
someone tipped
me off about
this thread,
I've read it,
and the
concern is
valid. Most
audiophiles
that have
spent real
money on main
stream
components
aren't going
to seriously
consider a
$2500 Decware
amplifier when
their cables
cost more than
that...
perhaps it
would just be
too
embarrassing,
I don't know.
This is not a
real problem
for me,
because I'm
interested in
fidelity not
fraternity.
On the other
hand, In their
defense, many
audiophiles
don't realize
that we're
comparing gear
that is being
retailed
(advertising
costs, reps,
distributors,
retailer mark
ups) against
gear that is
sold factory
direct with no
overhead at
1/3rd the
cost.
Any of our
amplifiers
could be
repackaged as
audio jewelry
and retailed
at five
figures and
sonically hold
their own in
that league.
I would invite
anyone reading
this thread
who owns any
of the
excellent high
dollar main
stream gear to
attend our
Audio Fest on
October 1st,
2nd & 3rd
and then
report back to
this thread
your honest
opinions on
what you hear,
for better or
worse. Many
attendees will
bring their
amps with them
to compare
side by side.
When the
entire room
picks one amp
over another
it's pretty
definitive.
09-10-10:
Flaneb
In
response to
the new torii
after
listening for
several
months...
A few comments
First amp that
stock tubes
don't need to
be upgraded
with NOS tubes
Incredible
bass response
unusual in
tube
amps...tight
and full...
Dead quiet
which is a
feature of
decware
designs.....
The hazen (sp)
grid mod is
worth the
price
alone..and why
it is better
than every
el34 amp.
Beautiful
construction...
The sound is
complete and
not
I compare it
to my RWA
signature 30.2
Frank Flaneb
(Answers
| This
Thread)
09-10-10:
Zygione
This was
taken from the
Decware
site....I hope
it isn't
illegal, if it
is, sorry.
To me this
just shows
Steve Deckert,
and what he is
all about by
his comment.,
As far as
reviews go, I
would prefer
to listen to
someone that
owns the
product and
lives with it
than that of a
professional
reviewer that
who opinion my
be jaded by
advertising
dollars. (Not
saying that
happens, but
you know we
all wonder,
right)
09-12-10:
Flaneb
If you
are a tube
roller as I
find it
fun....the
mini torii
could be the
most
Musical and
enjoyable amp
you can
buy....on the
decware site
Steve has a
picture of all
the output
tubes you can
use....I have
tried
Almost all of
them......it's
a blast
....married to
the right
spkrs it's
A
revelation...one
final must
have is the
additional
output
connection
You have for
use of a sub,
which gives
the signature
of the amp
Helping to
make
integration
seamless.....I
have used this
amp over a
Year and is
still one of
my all time
favorites
..... Flaneb
(Answers
| This
Thread)
09-13-10:
Azaud
The thing
that keeps me
intrigued is
the speaker
design. The
long turned
archaic
Infinity WTLC
speakers of
the seventies
were the first
speakers I
ever had a
crush on, and
Decware design
in some cases
reminds me of
them, and a
time when
audio was fun
and not so
serious.
I'm already
pot-committed
to RMAF Steve,
and I don't
think my wife
will let me go
to both
parties; but
perhaps next
year. Azaud
(Threads
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09-15-10:
4krow
I sure
don't want to
come on as
another
cheerleader,
'cuz it
usually makes
me sick. I'll
give you my
honest opinion
of the Decware
amps that I
have owned.
First, I must
say that I
have owned
many upscale
audiophile
amps., and
will tell you
they were
mostly great,
and very
expensive. I
then looked
around for
something more
affordable and
found a lot of
crap!
Fortunately, I
came across
Decware, and
found
equipment that
was quite
impressive
beyond it's
price. No
bells and
whistles
either, but a
lot of the
equipment is
VERY
versatile. I
especially
like that
because you
can tune this
stuff for all
kinds of
situations.
Maybe you need
more headroom,
maybe you need
more watts,
Decware can
handle it.
Impedance dips
a problem with
your speakers,
not with the
Decware
equipment. I
could go on,
and I won't
'cuz, once
again I don't
want to sound
like another
groupie. After
40+ years of
audio
interest, I
can recommend
no other
product more
than this. 4krow
(Answers
| This
Thread)
09-16-10:
Grobinso
Making
the leap past
the audio
store and
going direct
nets the more
experienced
audiophile
much better
value for
money I bought
a Decware Amp
back in 1998
and to this
day own a pair
of the Decware
HDT speakers,
which I'v put
up against the
likes of
Wilson Bemesh
ad
Vandersteens
and havn't
budged an
inch.
Decware is in
good company
of many
similar type
companies...
For example, I
own an Vaughn
Audio
Amplifier and
Audiosector
Dac.... All
sold direct
and all bought
unheard.
09-18-10:
Finsup
OK, I
know this
thread is
posted in the
Amp / Preamp
section but
since this is
probably the
longest thread
about Decware
outside its
own forums and
the OP's title
is whether
there is any
substance
about Decware,
I’d like to
know if anyone
has any
experience
with his
speakers --
specifically
his corner
horns or the
ERRs.
Yeah, I know,
different
speaker
designs, but I
have different
applications
hence the
question. Finsup
(Answers
| This
Thread)
12-07-10:
Lacee
I just
got word today
that my Select
Zen Triode is
in the final
stages and
should be in
my system
between now
and the new
year.
Perhaps not
the best time
of year to
send things,
but that's how
it goes.I'll
keep my
fingers
crossed.
I am not a
stranger when
it comes to
amplifiers and
I am also a
musician , so
I'm one of
those rare
audiophile/musician
hybrids, the
ones with a
music system
that's
somewhat more
involving than
an Ipod or
pawn shop
throw
together.
At the moment
my speakers
are Ref 3A
Grand
Veena,amps are
Red dRaggon
Leviathan sigs
mono
blocks(which I
have no
negatives to
speak of)Audio
Valve Eclipse
preamp, Rega
P9 TT,Grado
cart,Audio
Aero Capitole
cd player.
I have two 30
amp dedicated
lines, the one
for the amps
has a Shunyata
Hydra two
direct wired
to the panel
via a Wattgate
20amp
receptacle at
the 10 guage
romex end and
a Shunyata
Annaconda
Helix to each
mono block.
The other 30
amp dedicated
line has an
Annaconda 20
amp Helix to a
Shunyata Hydra
8, then a
Python cx into
the pre amp
and 2 hybrid
DIY power
cords into the
CD and tt.
Other amps I
have owned
include the
following-
1961 Bell
tubed
integrated
,Dynaco st
70,Moscode, CJ
MV75A-1,Blue
Circle BC2
monoblocks,Meitner
mono
blocks,Classe
DR8 mono
blocks, VTL st
85, Michaelson
and AustinTVA
and Grant
Lumley el34 pp
tube amps,Atma
Sphere
S30,Cary sei
300B, and I've
auditioned Mac
275 v, Art
Audio Cariisa
and Pass Aleph
3 on my
current
speakers.
So I've pretty
well got a
good take on
amplifier
differences.
I look forward
to the little
Zen, and I
hope 2 watts
will be enough
power,but it
should be in
my application
and listening
environment.
I will post
later when I
and the amp
get better
acquainted.
I do have some
great
expectations,
specifically
that this is
the end of the
line for me.
If what I have
read about it
proves true,
then it just
may be.
12-08-10:
Martykl
Anyone
heard their
omni speakers?
The design
concept looks
a bit like my
Ohms - nearly
full range
omni driver
crossed to a
relatively
conventional
tweeter at a
very high
frequency.
However, these
appear to be
more sensitive
and capable of
higher output.
12-08-10:
Soundgasm
Marty, I
just ordered a
pair this
week. If
nobody else
weighs in
(info on them
is pretty
scarce here),
I'll report
back once I
get a few
miles on them. Soundgasm
(Threads
| Answers
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Thread)
12-09-10:
Drumsgreg
I own the
Decware CSP2
and the
Decware Taboo,
I use this to
drive my
hornshoppe
horns, I have
owned a lot of
gear over the
years, but I
have to say
the Decware
gear has been
some of the
best sounding
amps I 've
ever owned,
dead quite, no
noise what so
ever, just
beautiful
sound from the
speakers. All
of this can be
had at a very
good price
from Steve,
great service
and you can
get him at
almost every
phone call,
great guy ,
great
products. Drumsgreg
(System
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| Answers
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Thread)
12-15-10:
Arkprof
I've got
a Decware
SE84, has
maybe 2 watts
per, something
like that, and
lots of
synergy with
my Tekton Lore
speakers that
offer 98dB
sensitivity.
Wanted to get
either the
A205A or A318B
Almarro amps,
as I've owned
several of
each over the
years and have
loved them,
but wanting
and finding
aren't the
same. Decided
to give
Decware a try
AND very happy
that I did.
Sturdy
construction,
minimalist in
appearance,
and plenty of
power with my
speakers. I've
thought about
getting a
second to have
mono-block
amplification,
but simply not
necessary in
my case.
Plenty of
volume when I
want to push
it a bit.
Anyway, for
the price and
performance
... difficult
to beat. Give
Decware some
serious
consideration. Arkprof
(Threads
| Answers
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Thread)
01-04-11:
Lacee
I just
received my
Decware amp,
it was shipped
Dec 23 and I
got it this
afternoon,and
everything was
in perfect
condition.
The packaging
was well done,
double boxed,
triple if you
count the box
the tubes came
in.
So after a
couple of
hours to get
the chill out
of it I
decided to
tube and wire
it into my
system.
I have a
dedicated 30
amp line into
a Shunyata
receptacle
then into a
Shunyata 20
amp Annaconda
to the Hydra
2, and then a
Python CX into
the amp.
The speaker
wires are
Clear day
single strand
pos and neg to
jumpered Ref
3A Grand Veena
speakers.
I then used a
Shunyata
Annaconda to
power my Audio
Aero CD player
and sent the
signal via 20
foot RCA Audio
Art
interconnects
to the Decware
amp. The CD
player is on
another 30 amp
line and into
a HYdra 8.
One little
wrinkle was
that the
inputs on the
rca inputs are
not marked and
of course I
got nothing
out of the
left channel
until I
plugged the
interconnect
over to the
left side of
the amp.There
are two sets
of inputs on
the amp,but
you need to
plug into both
the left side
of the amp and
the right
side, you
can't plug
both into just
the right side
which is the
norm with most
amps,or at
least in my
logic.
In any event
even after
just ten
minutes(I'll
need 200 hours
they say for
it to come up
to speed)this
is a very
surprising
little
sleeper.
I was
expecting it
to not have
much reserve
volume wise,
but in my case
there's room
to spare on
the dial!
Turning the
nice shiny
gold volume
control on the
top of the
unit to 11
O'clock gets
me to the same
levels that I
normally
listen at with
my regular
mono blocks!
2 watts vs
1000 watts-I
am amazed at
what power you
really need to
listen at
reasonable
volume,
granted my
listening room
is 22 x12 x8.
What I am very
pleased with
is the fact
that the Ref
3A Grand Veena
speakers can
be added to
the list of
speakers that
the Decware 2
watt single
ended EL84 amp
can drive.
And drive very
nicely I must
add.
So next it's
back down for
some more
listening.
I'll post
again in
awhile with
further
ramblings.
So, I would
have to say
that there is
some real
substance with
this product
and if anyone
with Grand
Veenas wants
to try a nice
SET on the
cheap and not
feel short
changed, give
this little
jewel a try.
They have a 30
day free
trial, so no
risk,,no risk
of sending it
back is more
like it.
01-05-11:
Panu21
find the
mini torii
very
enjoyable.
also oun zdac
with the gain
stage which i
find to be a
fabulous
combo. Gain
stage acts
almost like a
preamp which
can add body
to a recording
especially at
lower to med
volumes Panu21
(Threads
| Answers
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Thread)
I
just ordered a
pair this
week. If
nobody else
weighs in
(info on them
is pretty
scarce here),
I'll report
back once I
get a few
miles on them.
Soundgasm
Was it the
ERRs you
ordered?
Curious if you
have anything
to report?? Finsup
(Answers
| This
Thread)
01-13-11:
Lacee
An
audiophile
friend of mine
had a listen
to my system
with the new
ZenSelectadded
to the mix.
He felt it was
the best amp
he's heard in
my quest for
another amp
for the Grand
Veenas.
01-26-11:
Soundgasm
Finsup,
yes, it's the
ERR's which I
ordered. I
just got
confirmation
that they'll
ship to me
this Friday -
I'll be sure
to post back
once they're
up and
running. Soundgasm
(Threads
| Answers
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Thread)
02-09-11:
Soundgasm
Finsup,
I received the
ERR's today,
after some
delay over the
holiday/new
year. This
won't be a
full review
since they're
freshly
set-up, but I
wanted to get
back with some
information
about this
loudspeakers
since it's a
little bit
scarce here.
I ordered the
plain cherry
finish, and
the fit &
finish of the
speakers is
very very
good. They
were packaged
well enough to
survive a
shuttle
launch, and
arrived in
perfect shape.
No
documentation,
but I called
Steve at
Decware and he
was very kind
with his time,
answering my
few questions
clearly.
By way of
confession,
these speakers
are about
making the
best of a
marginal
living room
situation. The
room is very
bright,
approximately
25Lx13Wx8H,
and the space
flows on both
ends to much
larger
volumes.
Speakers need
to be close to
the walls, and
in practice
people move
throughout the
space rather
than sitting
in a sweet
spot. While
it's not the
room I do my
critical
listening in,
I do want it
to sound
good...without
looking like
some kind of
Temple of
Audio.
The ERR's are
fairly
underserved
with a
Peachtree
Decco
containing a
Cullen-modded
Sonos playing
lossless
files. Cables
are Rega SC42.
So they're
slumming a
bit. They're
replace some
Rega RS5's,
which were
wonderful, if
traditionally
'focused' in
their design,
and a single
Gallo TR3 sub.
My initial
set-up has the
speakers
nearly 18ft
apart,
toed-in, very
near the wall,
facing the
room as well
as the
openings to
the other
volumes. Right
now, the ERR's
are simply
sitting on
hardwood
floors on
their
integrated
plinths -
they're not
spiked. Steve
said this was
entirely
optional -
they're
threaded to
accept spikes,
the use of
which he said
may affect the
bass (but
nothing else).
Between their
newness, my
neophyte
experience,
and the fact
that this iw
significant
across the
board jump in
performance
from my
previous
(beloved)
speakers, I
think all I
can really
offer right
now is that
they are
exceeding my
expectations,
which were
good bass
response, open
not shrill
highs, not
fussy about
placement,
clean look
that works
with our
modern
furniture
(hey, I don't
live alone),
and most
importantly,
throwing a
large and (er)
diffuse stage.
That is, the
stage is
something
between
remarkably
coherent and
still quite
good over an
enormous
portion of the
rooms. While
this isn't a
particularly
'audiophile'
observation,
with the RS5's
I had about
20SF of sweet
spot, 150SF of
OK sound, and
140SF of lousy
sound in that
room. Now I've
got what
sounds like
80SF of sweet
spot, no bad
spots
anywhere,
really, and
damn good
sound
everywhere
else...including
the adjacent
dining/kitchen
room. It's
just what I
was looking
for.
I'll continue
to play with
them, give
them better
amplification
and sources,
and post more
newbie
comments here,
but for now
it's clear
that I got
what I was
looking for.
Very pleased
with the
company,
service,
product
finish, and
design of the
ERRs.
My apologies
that this
'review' isn't
better
informed, nor
more
traditional in
terms of what
I'm looking
for from my
speakers.
02-09-11:
Finsup
Soundgasm,
Just a quick
note as I only
did a quick
read-thorough
on your post.
First,
congrats on
your new
speakers! And
thanks for the
follow-up.
04-30-11:
Jwt
I own the
TORII MK III
w/ VCAPS. I
got the unit
about 1.5 wks.
ago after
about a 2month
wait. The amp
is still
breaking in,
the VCAPS
rather as I
only have
about 350
hours on the
amp. The VCAPS
take 1000
hours so a
real review of
this amp isn't
possible. What
I can say is
the amp won't
push my SF
Auditors with
any kind of
volume, they
are 88 db. I
can say that
the amp easily
pushes a pair
of Vince
Christian E-6
90db to high
levels with
clipping. That
combo with a
sub is
immensely
revealing, too
much so at its
current break
in point. It
sound amazing
but a tad
forward, which
is a combo of
a very highly
resolving amp
and highly
resolving
speakers. Not
to mention I
have highly
resolving
cables.SR. The
amp though at
low volumes is
truly amazing
in its
resolving
power, I hear
details I
didn't know
existed in my
Analog
playback
hardware.
Somewhat
ruthless
combo, if the
material isn't
top of the
line then you
hear what is
on the
material
nothing more
nothing less.
The real deal,
100% percent.
A value that
goes beyond
words, 100%. A
complex piece
of simplicity
100%. The last
amp most would
ever need
100%.
Listening to
the designer,
worth the
price of
admission
right there. I
have compared
it to a 4500$
Meridian Amp
that is
outstanding
and a Jeff
Rowland Amp.
The Meridian
Amps will
stand up to
just about
anything IMO.
They are
sleepers, most
folk think of
Meridian for
digital but
they started
out making
amps. I have
three M amps.
The Rowland
amps I have
had are also
great but in
comparison to
the Decware
TORII MK III
I'd have to
say the
Rowland and
the Meridian
at 2 and 3
times the
price of the
DECWARE, not
in same
league, even
remotely. Hand
built point to
point bullet
proof design,
adding the
VCAPS and
Treasure
Output Tubes
set the
stage/foundation
for ANYTHING
you can throw
at it. NO
AUDIO
SALESPERSON
has a right to
cut this amp
down because
they know of
something
better,
because in
reality they
don't and if
they do it
would cost
30K. The audio
industry sells
unbelievably
overpriced
crap in
reality most
which lose its
value so fast
you wouldn't
have time to
look at your
watch. Its no
wonder the
like of many
of these big
companies keep
changing
hands,
everything is
unpredictable.
I just don't
know what to
say about
retail audio
except for
that it is a
rip off big
time not to
mention a bad
investment. I
cannot think
of ONE piece
of audio or
video
equipment that
even comes
close to the
value of the
Decware Torii
MK III or any
of Decware's
amps for that
matter. Built
to last a
lifetime,
amazing
sounding,
unbelievably
flexible,
economic, burn
so much
electricity I
would consider
them for LEED
points opposed
to almost all
Transistor
based amps.
Its amazing
more engineers
don't get the
BIG as well as
Steve Deckert
has, I am
blown away at
what kind of
system a
person can put
together from
Decware for
the cost of a
medium high
end pair on
speaker
cables. Really
makes me
wonder just
how much
bullshit there
is flying
around from
Audio Dealers
and their
respective
lines. A true
money making
machine that
we assist you
into
foreclosure in
a heartbeat if
you follow any
one of these
such dealers
advice and buy
say a Meridian
Surround Sound
Processor, or
a Theta
Surround Sound
processor, or
a Krell and
the likes. Who
needs a 35K
pair of Wilson
speaker's, to
waste money.
Its really
sad, but the
upside is you
still can buy
a Decware Amp
and be ahead
of the game in
every regard
and still have
plenty of
money to buy
material to
listen to This
all from a guy
who has
learned the
hard way.
Cheers Jwt
(Threads
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05-25-11:
Abcxyz
Several
years ago, I
bought a
Decware 34I to
replace my
Audible
illusions 3A
and Belles Hot
Rod amp. The
34I was so
much more
involving and
i found myself
stuck in front
of my system
for hours. I
did not think
that any gear
could
captivate an
adult like
this but this
amp did it for
me! It drove
my Vandersteen
1Cs at low
levels with
such detail
and also at
such high
levels but not
clipping these
speakers!
Before the
separates, I
had the Cary
SLI-80 which
was sweet and
tubey (and
slow) compared
to the
Decware. The
Decware 34I
was more
dimensional
and fast,and
the notes
would just
hang on some
recordings.
Then, a year
or so later, i
tried the 84C+
(with 1/2 the
power) and the
music sounded
even clearer
(but less
powerful) with
the Vandies so
i reluctantly
sent it back
to the
manufacturer.
I owned lots
of gear (Cary,
Rogue, Belles,
Audible
Illusions)before,
but the
Decware amps
are the best
sounding amps
that i ever
had. Highly
recommended. Abcxyz
(Answers
| This
Thread)
From what
you've written
it sounds like
the Torii is
hyper
resolving--is
it ever
distractingly
so? I favor
musicality,
tone and
dynamics over
uber-detail.
Do you think
the amp errs
to the
analytical
side at all?
For example, I
have owned and
ultimately
sold
Atma-sphere
which seemed
to do most
things very
right and
impressively,
but ultimately
was
uninvolving
for my
preferences.
The Torii is a
serious
contender for
me--especially
wanting a
successor that
sounds as good
or better than
my 845 SET
without being
as big a
safety hazard
to my infant
son/putting
out as much
heat. Gopher
(System
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Thread)
05-26-11:
Abcxyz
What I
meant by very
detailed at
low levels,
was that you
hear all the
notes of the
music clearly
at a very low
level without
needing to
have it
playing fairly
loud to
distingush all
the
instruments in
the music. I
would not call
the amps i
heard hyper
resolving or
analytical but
more like a
pleasantly
dimensional
sound of
music. Abcxyz
(Answers
| This
Thread)
05-26-11:
Mystang
JWT are
you useing a
preamp or
source direct
into the
Torii?
I,am also
curious about
the trebel and
bass switches
and how easy
is it to set
them for your
speakers?
05-31-11:
Dies_irae
I
understand why
a low profile
designer/manufacturer,
especially one
a bit
iconoclastic
and with a
dedicated fan
base, might
generate some
of these
impressions,
but in my
dealings with
the Decware
community, I
believe these
are inaccurate
impressions.
Many in the
Decware user
base have in
fact been all
over the map
with product,
and some might
be relatively
untested, but
once seduced,
stay seduced.
;-). I came to
Decware late
in life,
having been a
builder or
owner of
everything
from Dynakits
as a youngster
to Carver to
Quad
(electronics
and speakers),
Linn,
Infinity,
Conrad-Johnson,
Maggies,
Acoustats,
Transcendence,
etc. So,
please try not
to form
impressions
about a
product based
on
misinformation
about its
customers. Dies_irae
(Answers
| This
Thread)
05-31-11:
Scrubjay
I
understand the
interest in
comparing
Decware to
other stuff,
but I, like
many Decware
users are
either
long-time
audiophiles,
DIYers or/and
musicians….a
crowd that is
accustomed to
critical
listening. I
personally
prefer to
compare
Decware to
life. This is
not the same
as comparing
gear, but it
is the most
valid
comparator I
can think of.
I just want it
to feel as
real as I can
get it without
breaking the
bank. I also
want a certain
level of
flexibility
within this
"realness."
This requires
that special
balance of
detail,
liquidity,
tonal balance,
weight,
definition,
openness and
all those
other things
we try to
describe sound
we love with.
But those
things are
never
enough…..it
needs that
special
indescribable
quality that
makes me happy
and amazed
when I listen.
The final
determinant:
does it suck
me in to the
music.... am I
fully engaged
and captivated
by the music?
And this can't
happen unless
it sounds and
feels
extremely
lucid and
complete.
As to whether
the Torii is
too detailed.
The amp is
very detailed
in every
respect due to
its quality,
simple and
synergistic
design….it
even uses
regulator
tubes in
parallel for
power filters.
But is also
liquid,
slightly warm,
and has deep
and detailed
bass….not
cold. All
delivered with
speed and
open,
harmonically
textured
definition. If
you look at
the Decware
forum, you
will not find
many Torii
posts wanting
more bass. For
more, this amp
taught us that
more room
treatment may
be needed to
utilize the
amazing bass
it offers.
Anyway, I
would call the
detail real,
not hard or
clinical.
You also have
five sets of
tubes you can
roll, so not
to worry if
the voicing
from Decware
(which is very
good) needs
adjustment to
your tastes.
It is a
tribute to how
revealing the
amp is that
all of them
make big
differences in
my system.
Even a 50s-60s
tungsol OB3
reg compared
to Sylvania
OB3s of the
same period
are similar,
but real
choices…not to
mention more
apparent tubes
like many
available
6-type input
tubes. And
with the bass
pots, treble
cut knobs,
bias and
impedance
switches,
Decware starts
us off well,
but gives a
lot of
flexibility to
tailor the amp
to tastes.
Not that I
want the amp
to gather too
much attention
as it takes a
while to get
stuff as it
is, but this
might answer
the question
about Decware
going to
shows....it
appears that
they have more
than enough to
do as it is!
And yes I am
biased, and
glad I found
them. Their
design work
suits my ears
and budget.
Happy
Listening!
Will
As to whether
the Torii is
too detailed.
Not for me,
but I am into
detail. The
amp is very
detailed in
every respect
due to its
simple and
synergistic
design, even
using
regulator
tubes in
parallel for
power filters.
But is also
liquid,
slightly warm,
and finally,
has kick assed
bass. All
delivered with
speed, depth,
texture, and
open but not
cold
definition. If
you look at
the Decware
forum, you
will not find
many Torii
posts wanting
more bass. For
more, this amp
taught us that
more room
treatment may
be needed to
utilize the
amazing bass
it offers.
Anyway, I
would call the
detail real,
not hard or
clinical.
You also have
five sets of
tubes you can
roll, so not
to worry if
the voicing
from Decware
(which is very
good) needs
adjustment to
tastes. It is
a tribute to
how revealing
the amp is
that all of
them make big
differences in
my system.
Even a 50s-60s
tungsol OB3
compared to
Sylvania OB3s
of the same
period...not
to mention
more apparent
tubes like the
input tubes.
And with the
bass pots,
treble cut
knobs, bias
and impedance
switches,
Decware starts
you off well,
but gives you
a lot of
flexibility to
tailor the amp
to tastes.
Not that I
want the amp
to gather too
much attention
as it takes a
while to get
stuff as it
is, but this
might answer
the question
about Decware
going to
shows....it
appears that
they have more
than enough to
do as it is!
And yea I am
biased, my
system is
mostly Decware
at this point,
and I am glad
I found them.
Their design
work suits my
ears and
budget.
This amp is shipped
with your choice of hand selected
and tested premium quality EL34 or
KT66 output tubes by Tungsol.
In addition it will come with N.O.S.
Voltage regulation tubes, OA3 and
OC2, New Selected 6922 input tubes
and new 5U4 rectifiers for each
channel. This factory tube
compliment is ideal for your
evaluation and even though you can
"roll" different tubes through it,
you certainly won't feel like you
need to! You will be able to
select which tubes you want from
within the shopping cart.
...because
any time you have between 2 and 10
gloriously transparent watts the only
thing that could be better is 
The Zen TORII uses a
unique push-pull design that employs
only a single capacitor and gain stage
to drive the output tubes, just like
our popular 2 watt S.E.T. amps.
Add to that the cleverly simple way it
preserves the even order harmonic
content and you have a push pull
amplifier that is truly 
