Sean: I am indeed a longtime customer and friend of Mr. Tinn's. I'm actually quite proud of that association. And there was no "lack of willingness" to divulge which dealer I was working with. I simply didn't think it appropriate to bring Mr. Tinn any further into this thread. One more thing: This thread was set up by ME, not Mr. Tinn.
There's no conspiracy going on. I chose to review the DarTZeel and start this thread because I was sufficiently impressed with it and thought it should be brought to the attention of more people. My review, and the start of the thread, were established WELL before the Stereophile review. Just check the dates.
You're right about the amp not being ideal for tough loads. I brought that up in my review. But it doesn't mean that it is completely useless with anything but 8-ohm loads. Quite the contrary. I've heard it drive several 4-ohm speakers with ease. But there's no doubt that the amp is more comfortable with lighter loads. I own the Von Scweikert VR-9s, which are 96dB efficient, and my DarTZeels mate incredibly well with them. I never hear any sense of strain or breakup, even when I crank it.
By the way, where did you get your measurements from? I couldn't find any. Even if the amp does measure less than spectacularly, IMHO that means little in the end. Look at all the $299 Sony receivers that, technically, measure well but that suck sonically in the context of a high-end system. Numerous companies, particularly WAVAC, sell products that measure abysmally, yet apparently there's something about the sound quality that keeps customers willing to shell out $50,000-$100,000 for them.
If you're so inclined, try and listen to the DarTZeel with a reasonable load and an open mind, and you may well change your tune. The amp isn't for everyone, to be sure, but for those who've heard it and bought it, like me, it represents the peak of their amplifier experience.
There's no conspiracy going on. I chose to review the DarTZeel and start this thread because I was sufficiently impressed with it and thought it should be brought to the attention of more people. My review, and the start of the thread, were established WELL before the Stereophile review. Just check the dates.
You're right about the amp not being ideal for tough loads. I brought that up in my review. But it doesn't mean that it is completely useless with anything but 8-ohm loads. Quite the contrary. I've heard it drive several 4-ohm speakers with ease. But there's no doubt that the amp is more comfortable with lighter loads. I own the Von Scweikert VR-9s, which are 96dB efficient, and my DarTZeels mate incredibly well with them. I never hear any sense of strain or breakup, even when I crank it.
By the way, where did you get your measurements from? I couldn't find any. Even if the amp does measure less than spectacularly, IMHO that means little in the end. Look at all the $299 Sony receivers that, technically, measure well but that suck sonically in the context of a high-end system. Numerous companies, particularly WAVAC, sell products that measure abysmally, yet apparently there's something about the sound quality that keeps customers willing to shell out $50,000-$100,000 for them.
If you're so inclined, try and listen to the DarTZeel with a reasonable load and an open mind, and you may well change your tune. The amp isn't for everyone, to be sure, but for those who've heard it and bought it, like me, it represents the peak of their amplifier experience.