Dartzeel amp lives up to hype

Earflappin....Can you provide a bit more "color" on how the DARTs differ with the Linn Klimazz Solos...the latter which I currently use? I have been considering "upgrading" amps and your exp with both would be most helpful...thanks in advance

Henryhk,

The darTZeel improves upon the Solo's performance in the following ways:

(1) Greater tonal accuracy and density - the Solo's sound "thin" compared to the dart. Instruments and voices are more fully formed and true to live music. In this aspect the dart reminds you of great tube gear.

(2) Absence of artifacts - listening to the dart there is a clarity, transparency and absence of artifacts as compared to the Solos that allows you to listen much more deeply into the soundstage. There is greater three dimensionality to the music and greater space between instruments and vocalists and no listener fatigue. I would say that the dart is just more musical. Micro and macro detail is amazing...bass notes for example can be followed note by note all the way through the long decay. The dart gives you all of this without the warmth or colorations that most tube amps bring along with the ride.

(3) Slam - My listening room is 23'L x 17'W x 9'H so it is not a large volume. But the Temptations are not an easy load either. One of things I loved about the Solo's were the slam they delivered. I love deep, controlled, strong bass. In my room on my speakers the dart easily matches the Solo's in this regard, but with superior clarity and pitch definition.

Hope this helps. In the past whenever I tried other amplifiers I always ended up going back to the Solos because of their overall performance envelope and musicality. The other amps each did something better than the Solos, but the overall package was not sufficiently better to make me want to switch. I must admit that the ASR Emitter II Exclusive was very good and had I not auditioned the dart I might have bought it. But compared to the dart it sounds colored and a bit dark.

I strongly suggest you audition the dart, but make sure it is properly broken in before you make your final evaluation. It sounds good right out of the box, but it really blooms after about 3-4 weeks of burn in.

Thanks Earlappin ...very helpful. The Linns I like due to the exactly same reasons u suggest; slam, tight and controlled bass that is deep yet not muddy, and overall smoothness and consistency across the spectrum...yet I do know it lacks that tonal color and density as you described well and having been trying to think what to do for awhile.

I want to comment about the Dartzeel failure at my home a couple months ago. When it blew a channel, we were swaping pre amps trying to see which pre was most synergistic with the Dartzeel. On initial power up a Dart channel blew. At that point I removed that pre amp, which hand never given me any trouble, and went back to the Supratek Grange. Because I alredy new I liked that one best with my current amp. But recently I put that old preamp into my system, and it blew a fuse on my power amp on power up. So mabey that pre was the caused the channel to blow in the Dart. I say mabey because, mabey the Dartzeel damaged the pre. I don't know for sure. However, the pre was a old pre and I suspet that it caused the channel to go out in the Dartzeel.

I Just wanted others to know that may be considering the Dartzeel.

Dlanselm: Certainly a single call to me could have given you the answers you are looking for. I do not even know who you are. Where did you purchase the amplifier?

It sounds to me like your preamplifier has a problem and sent DC out to the amplifier. The fuse in the amplifier did it's job.

If you want more help, please give me a call or email me.