Decware: a worthwhile option?

Anyone have any experience with their pre-amplifiers?

If so how would you describe the sonic chararacteristics?

I got a super zen triode amp about a month ago after waiting 6 months for it to be built. Well worth the wait and a great value and I love that it’s made by people who care in the USA. I have many amps and this is as good as anything I’ve heard. It has it’s quirks and might not be the end all be all to all listeners, depends on what kind of listening you do. The quality of sound you get for 1000 bucks is unreal and in many ways it’s as good as amps I have and have heard that are 10X as expensive. Zen is probably a good name for it because it’s those chill and zen like moments when this thing can really connect with you. If you don’t play super loud and have decent efficiency speaker then yes this could be your amp and if you only have 1000 bucks to spend it’s a no brainer.  When a company has a long waiting list to get their products and you hardly see them used it's a pretty good sign

I've always had an interest in their amps, but never pulled the trigger.  On various forums there is a a lot of positive chatter for Decware, and when one goes up for sale on the 'Gon, it's usually gone in a day or two.

I wrote to Decware several days ago about a product and haven’t heard anything back as of yet so I get what dvc27 is saying.

You're better off giving them a call. Steve is a busy man and is more apt to have a phone conversation than an email one. I've spoken with him a couple of times and he's very friendly (as is his staff) and won't oversell you. I believe they're backlogged with orders for 5-6 months at this point. 

I currently have a Decware Phono stage and a Torii JR in my system. My speakers are 96dB open baffles. The Torii JR is not one of their flea watts. It’s more like a hybrid SET / Push Pull. That beings said, I think their 2 watt would have been fine in my system. At design line voltage, the volume never goes above 2. Speaker sensitivity is key. I use a Bob’s Devices SUT for LO carts. I wouldn’t let the accessories dissuade you. They are generally geared towards folks that need to boost a DAC because they don’t have a line stage or who want to dip their toes into Tube gear. I see a lot of people on the Decware forums who buy them but then resell because they were not needed. Be aware that if you go down this road, every weakness in you system will be exposed. I thought I had a quiet system until I got into high sensitivity speakers. I would also look at the bass in your system. I found that I had to introduce a subwoofer with the Decware amp / speaker combo. I was getting volume but not room pressure. This could be my NOS tubes, SET circuit, or the amp. I’m really not sure.

My 95db Omega's use less than .5 watt at spirited volumes in my room. I'm also very curious about Decware, I really like their low stated power draw of 65 watts max. 

I was actually going to start a thread to see if anyone knew if the SE84UFO25 was worth the upgrade over the standard model. Seems to me that the SE84UFO/02 are the sweet spot amps. 

The anniversary model looks awesome on paper but it's pricey and you could go dual mono's for the same dollars with the UFO/2 and 3's. 

Anyone heard this one yet? 

I guess when I posted this last night I had just gotten done cruising through the Decware forums where there’s a pretty high level of something verging on a secret society/cult of folks who are deep into Dec-world and all of their products. Looking back on it today, I don’t have the same feelings of frustration as I did yesterday. Apologies,  millercarbon. I am what they call a “newb”. 

I wrote to Decware several days ago about a product and haven’t heard anything back as of yet so I get what dvc27 is saying. Now I’m neck deep in researching other small tube amp manufacturers/rebuilders! I had no idea there were so many!

I can't say if they are a good option but they are a difficult company to contact, once an order is placed your emails are totally ignored.Doesnt present the wonderful customer service they advertise.

larryi i hopped on the Italian Synthesis site and it looks like they have some cool stuff..couldnt find pricing tho.Some good looking items there

I bought a used Decware Mini Torii v2. 4 watts speakers are 92db Ref 3A de Capos.
Plenty loud in a 12 x20 room with open sides

love the sound after 4 different tube amp this is the keeper had it about 10 years run 6v6g tubes sweet

In this category, what do folks know or think about Erhard? https://www.erhard-audio.com/Ray.html

Decware gear is well constructed, nice looking and reasonably priced.  Whether it is nice sounding would be a matter of personal taste and system matching.

In the systems I've heard two of their amps, it  was not for me--a bit too anemic and lifeless sounding for my taste. But, I am more accustomed to more expensive tube gear so my points of reference to similarly priced gear is limited.  For reasonably priced tube gear, I prefer the Italian Synthesis brand.  I would also look for properly reconditioned vintage tube gear.

I purchased a Decware ZLC, haven’t received it yet, but I’m eagerly anticipating. Very nice looking products for sure, overall they seem to be well received too. We’ll see...

Your speaker choices will be relatively limited with any flea watt amp. But if that is the way one chooses to go then I think Decware offers very good value.  Definitely products I would consider buying. 

I had a pair of his EARLY TorII 60 watt per channel MB..   No lack of power just a load issue on Strathearn Ribbons. For some reason that amp got a little wiggy.. Those Ribbons dropped to 1.4 ohms at 150 200 hz or so.. Did not sound good.. A push pull valve amp worked fine...High current SS worked good.. Not the single ended stuff..

Now I would have just upped the XO point to 250 or 300.. Long time ago.. I sold them for more than I paid for them..

I'm looking at his Phono pre and waiting.. Tuning up a Thoren and a R2R to give it a workout. I like the way they are built.. look inside, ART... We use to call it straight wire Point to Point.. No turret boards though.. Common ground and hot rails.. SHORT paths.. good layouts. QUIET..

They take a long time Amego... they kinda slow.. like oh so slow, ho ho ho...

HEAVY.. I like um..

So are Decware amps in the 2W-6W range actually useable in the real world with speakers of, say, 94dB-96dB efficiency and above?

Yes. Omega and Decware are a common pairing among those in this camp. I use an SE84UFO with Omega's entry level Super 3i Monitors (94.5 dB) and a DeepHemp 8 Subwoofer (high-level connection). Sounds sublime. Plenty of volume and dynamics with or without a preamp/gain stage/etc. in the mix. As long as your source puts out at least 2 volts, which the SE84UFO requires to achieve full power, you don't need another gain stage. My DAC, no problem. My turntable with on-board phono amp, not so much. I use a preamp with the turntable.

I've been looking at their line and don't see it that way at all. All low power amps are going to be useable in the real world with speakers 94dB and up- and the higher the better. I have been saying for a long time that 92dB is the lowest sensitivity I would ever considered for any speaker, and this is regardless of the amp. Obviously this is even more important with single-watt amps, and Decware is no exception. 

Seems to me all they are doing is making quality gear for advanced audiophiles. People willing to put a little more effort and planning into it than your typical buy the name brand box types that make up the vast majority of audiophiles. 

Now if they made anything that is incompatible with anything else then you would have a point. But all they are doing is what everyone else is doing. I had for 16 years an ARC phono stage that had about the same gain as the ZP3, and being an experienced knowledgeable audiophile even then knew it would be best with a medium output cartridge, or else I might need a SUT. I'm real happy with my Herron, but if I were to try something else the ZP3 is one of only two that make my list.   

To be honest, I find your "spend spend spend" criticism somewhere between aggravating and misplaced. Near as I can tell these are all very high value products. Tremendous sound quality for the money. Maybe it is just that they are intended for a customer with more experience? If so I'm sure there are plenty around happy to help you learn.

I think they are great sounding amps. Steve is a salesman at the end of the day, and they are buying it. Give him a call
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=72S0lmpju1s