DarTZeel Preamp

Mikelavigne: As usual, you stated exactly my feelings in a way I might have been better saying. Maybe that is why I am not a reviewer and generally not regarded as someone who is politically correct.:)

Hello All,

I think that we all can agree that adequate break in is essential for proper analysis of any audio or video component. Many great pieces of gear require a long break in period before they give you even a hint of what to expect. It is irresponsible fo a reviewer to make any bold comments before the piece was fully broken in.

Responsible journalism begins with the understanding that certain products require adequate break in before they reach their true potential. Some reviewers may not know any better ... perhaps because they haven't the first hand exposure or maybe they have a core belief that every component should only require a little amount of time to fully break in.

Regardless, the reviewer should inquire what the normal break in period is and other pertainent info, such as the DC compensation, in this case.

It should be the reviewer's goal to do whatever possible to make the reviewed piece sound optimal ... this should include proper isolation, cabling, etc.

This speaks volumes about the reviewer in question and hopefully not about the magazine as a whole.

Respectfully,

Jack Seaton

Jtin. Why didn't u just break the amp in b4 giving it to Jeff Fritz to review.

Surely u as the importer has a vested interest in making sure any unit u distribute is ready 4 action.

than no excuses.

JTinn, thanks for the offer. I'm on the E coast, hardly convenient. I didn't realize that the first run of the preamp hadn't even been shipped yet. Will you or anyone from DartZ be demonstrating the preamp at CES in Jan?

MikeLavigne, Hooper or MES, would you care to comment on the preamp alone? Did any of you hear it with an amp OTHER than the DartZ?

I was fortunate enough to be able to hear the DartZ amplifier in my own system. The owner (who I met through doing business on Audiogon) lives very nearby and graciously agreed to bring over his DartZ for a head to head showdown with my CAT JL2. We turned both amps on and went out for a bite to eat so each would be properly warmed up when we got back. Maybe it was just my speakers (EggWorks Savoys) but compared to the CAT the DartZ just sounded like a soft, smooth, dynamically compressed solid state amplifier. We just kind of looked at each other, blinked and stared. I’m sure the DartZ is just as good as everybody says it is but you should be mindful of the load it is asked to drive.