Decware - any substance here?

Gopher,
did you buy a Tori Mk 3 with VCAPs, just wondering. I recently sent my Tori back because something was wrong with it after a ton of run around but it turned out some solder joints had actually broke how is anyones guess. The other reason I sent the Tori back is that whilie using it with the GR Research Super V's I built it produced a annoyingly loud hum thru the upper driver of the Super Vl After about a year of trouble shooting and avoidance I was finaly able to send the unit back for it's supposed lifetime warranty. the unit was only partially fixed, as the attenuator was monkeyed with and still doesn't work right and there is still a hum thru the speaker, although it's not quite as bad as before. So if I had a complaint it would be when a audio builder is asked if his amp will play nicely with another person's speakers then I wish it were true of what I was told in the first place. The amp doesn not play well with the Super V and a very annoying hum omits from the speakers to this day if I'm even listening. I've had the unit completely overhauled, it has VCAP's, Shugang Treasure matching quad output tubes, the attenuator and what looks like new transformers even but non the less it does not play with my super V speakers so I am forced to sell, but not a sole is interested in buying this so called classic. Man I hate it when things like this happen. Now I can understand why he does not have but a small handful of reviews done on his equipment out of fear they'll uncover the pitfalls.Unless of course speakers and preamps are bought from decware as well then you may bery well have something there.

I can't speak for your experience but I have asked Decware a LOT of questions and everything I was told was found to be true. I just got my Torrii back from a an upgrade and my dealings were as good as when I bought the amp. The upgrade sounds as good if not better than what I was told. My first set of speakers with my Torii MKIII were Klipsch RF-7's and the combination simply rocked. No hum at all. My next pair of speakers were Decware HDT's. They don't have as much bass as my Klipsch's but they image better.

I have several hundred hours on my Torii, and it works flawlessly, dead-quiet with my Lowthers. Before selling the amp, I would try it with another pair of speakers.

Yes, lots of substance at Decware. The only product of theirs that I have purchased is a pair of DM945 stand mount speakers. They sounded great for a stand mount. From top to bottom they were great sounding. I stupidly sold them to raise some cash for another project. Man am I stupid. That is the biggest audio mistake I ever made. When I get some more money together I will purchase another pair.....

I ordered a Decware SE84CKC 2 watt Zen in early Oct--it was delivered 11 days ago. My Cary 2a3 mono blocks, along with my direct coupled Cary SLP 50B preamp, were pulled from my system, and the little $900 Decware amp was put in place. With a little over 200 hours of continuous music playing, I feel comfortable making a few comments about the performance of the new Decware amp.

My very simple system is composed of a BAT VK-D5 SE CD player, Zu Definition MK III speakers, and now a $900 2 watt Decware amp. The Decware amp has completely crushed the Cary in every important performance category. It is embarrassing to admit that I didn't have a clue how good my CD player or speakers were. I wish I could take back some of the negative remarks I have made about my BAT CD player and my Zu Def 3 speakers the past couple of years. The Cary trio, which for 12 years anchored my main system, was an extremely weak link in my system and I was ignorant to that fact. The Cary's are very capable performers in their own right, but the little Zen amp far surpasses the Cary's ability to resolve detail, create a realistic sound stage, reproduce lifelike instrument and voice timbre, handle dynamics--they simply make music sound way more real. The $900 Decware completely destroys the Cary trio. The differences are so pronounced, that comparisons are really not appropriate.

The Decware Zen performs at a shockingly high level. It difficult to face the fact that the Cary's, which I happily lived with for 12 years, are being replaced by a much superior amp whose cost is approximately 6 times less than the Cary gear. I am blown away by how the Zen has transformed my system. The little Decware SE84CKC is a fabulous amplifier!