Tekton Double Impacts

Kenny, it is a new sound for you after a bit of time off from 2a3’s. If you were to listen to the 2a3 only for say two years and then pop in a more powerful OTL etc.., then you would be equally pleased and excited about what that new sonic flavor brings that you have been missing. It’s just the way it goes with great amps of different sonic flavors. Great OTLs, SET DHTs, PP EL34s, Class A SS, Class D, Hybrids ( I love these), all bring a slightly different sonic flavor that can certainly please us greatly for long periods of time. Make a change to a new amp and enjoy a whole new flavor with all of the freshness and excitement that goes with that. All our favorite music now delivers a slightly different experience, that if in our enjoyment zone, becomes a new musical high!

The key is the new amp must be in our wheelhouse of musical enjoyment. Some have a smaller wheelhouse, while others have a very wide wheelhouse. Many fall in between.

I have no doubt the 2a3 amp is fantastic, I owned two, but one cannot dismiss the role "new" plays to our ears with the above caveat.

This is not true of women, or more specifically, our spouses.  Only one best for life with no other options even looking good. 😀

It just amazes me that 3.5 WPC is driving the DIs. I can't get the concept out of my head. I still feel like that if a buy the 2a3 that it won't have enough headroom even for my small room. That's just my rational mind talking. 

Kenny,

great summation and I couldn't agree with you more. The less analytical my mind is the more I enjoy the musical experience. It took me years to figure that out as I seemed to be always listening for some audiophile sound effect instead of becoming immersed in the music. I'm very much looking forward to Charles bringing his Frankensteins over to hear with my MZ2 and DI's.......I also look forward to getting his accessment of my system and ideas to improving it.

Grannyring,

so insightful and so true. I've found myself loving the sound of a new piece of equipment and either grew tired of the new sound or realized I preferred the previous piece of equipment afterall. And yes......the same doesn't apply to the wife ( just in case she's looking over my shoulder :)

evolvist,

I hear you. Even after listening to my DI's with the 1 watt MZ2 for the last 3 months it still boggles my mind how good it sounds. I've finally given up trying to figure it out and am enjoying the beautiful music it creates. Obviously there are limitations, it wouldn't suffice for large orchestral music or concert level rock concert listening but for up to mid 90 db sound levels it's amazing. And yes, very dynamic ( less dynamic at the top end of its output) with deep, tight bass. I have no idea how it does it. For me adding a 3.5 watt 2A3 SET will give me about 5 db more headroom and I'll be quite happy. I'm still going to set up a second SS system for HT and rocking out to though. 

grannyring,

Very valid points and I couldn't agree more.


evolvist,

"It just amazes me that 3.5 WPC is driving the DIs. I can't get the concept out of my head. I still feel like that if a buy the 2a3 that it won't have enough headroom even for my small room. That's just my rational mind talking"

I can understand exactly what you are questioning because I wandered about it to.

I have probably used more different amps then most have with the DI's from the 1watt MZ2S,which is a lot of fun but not quite enough pwr,to the 700 watt ps audio mono's that I borrowed and I can tell you that in my 20x25x9 room that has a open kitchen on one side the 3 watt 2a3 will rattle the walls if needed and easily reach peaks of 98db at my listening position 10ft away and just sound marvelous doing so.When I had the Zu audio Druid v's and later the Definition 4's which are rated much higher efficiency the 3watts wasn't enough and a 845 tube set amp was a much better match.

It just proves to me how easy the DI's are to drive and other speakers may have a higher efficiency rating but they are a tougher load for a Amp.

Like I always say you may just have to try one out for yourself and see how you like something.

Now if I use my 8watt Yamamoto 300b amp,it has enough pwr to be convincing playing full orchestra music very loudly but that's only 5% or less of the music I generally listen to.

Mac,

I hope that you and Charles have fun trying some different gear combinations and be sure and let us know how it works out.

Kenny.

I've been trying different Amps with the DI's and lately have been using SS amps even though I prefer tubes overall. A friend from our local audio club came by this morning and brought a 30 year old amp from a company that has been long out of business. He was one of the owners in fact.

The 200 watt Mirror Image 1.1 SB power amp is class A A/B with class A for the first 30 watts and with the DI' I'm betting it never left class A as we listened this morning. I wasn't expecting anything to really beat the Bencemark ABH2 by much but this 30 year old amp is like us old men, don't underestimate us. I was floored how much this amp controlled the DI's. I have not heard this much tight bass out of the DI's until now.

My friend David tells me good luck finding one on the used market as not that many were made to begin with and in the 80's it was one of the more expensive amp made at the time. My friend left the amp with me for a while so I will keep listening.

Lance