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Decware - any substance here?

With such a nice and extensively detailed website, I've long been curious about Decware. But with little in the way of genuine reviews, and not much in the way of discussion here, I always wonder if they are nothing more than that, a great website. They clearly have a dedicated fanbase, but my problem with the fanbase is this: most of them (not all of course) seem to have limited experience with products besides Decware, as if they stumbled upon Decware and never bothered with other brands. Maybe this is positive, that once experienced they don't have the typical audiophile itch to try other amps. I'm specifically struck by the new Torii MKIII push-pull amp, which in description and looks is just beautiful. So does it interest anyone here? Has anyone actually heard it, or it's previous incarnations? If so how does it rate amongst the other quality tube amps, whether Blue Circle, Cary, Vac, Almarro, Atma-Sphere, etc...?
128x128jtnicolosi
mikes_inco
3 posts
 
Decware? Lots of substance there.

About 10 years ago I purchased a SE84 'B' from Steve and spent a good deal of time searching for the proper loudspeakers. With very low powered single-ended amps there IS NO substitute for the very highest efficiency loudspeaker you can find. I had tried 90dB single-drivers, 95dB PA drivers (with a crossover) but found no joy. I moved on to other, more powerful amps to drive my avg. efficiency speakers (90dB).

Only recently did I find a set of rear-loaded horns with Decware's modified Fostex FE206E and now I finally hear what all the fuss is about -- a 96dB crossover-less speaker properly integrated with a powered sub is a match made in heaven. Now I've got dynamics, detail, disappearing speakers and a sound-stage like I've never heard before.
gopher
499 posts
 
I'm using the Torii 3 to drive a pair of Zu Soul Superfly speakers and it is an outstanding amplifier. Top to bottom control over my drivers I have not experienced previously. DEEP POWERFUL BASS, exceptional dynamics, really great texture and tone and some of the most harmonically developed sound I've heard.

This is a reference level amp and I consider myself difficult to please. Immediately before the Torii I was using a Shindo preamplifier with 845 SET monoblocks and the Torii (naked) does most things as well, some things better!
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
OP, only thing left to do is try it.
lacee
811 posts
 
I just replaced the stock fuse with a HiFi tuning Supreme and the results are good.

If you like to tube roll , don't forget to roll the fuse also.

If you are a Re-fusenik,you'll miss the next level of performance the DecWare amps are capable of.
ajy55906
2 posts
 
Question: How much heat does the Zen Tori throw off. I went from a large class A tube rig to Class D to cut down on the heat, but I miss the tube presence.

Alan
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