2. amps-preamps
  3. 1283540711

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
samelung
3 posts
 
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.
psag
518 posts
 
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.
dklk
38 posts
 

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.....
2a3nut
4 posts
 
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!
snapontom
6 posts
 
I am having my CSP2+ Decware pre-amp upgraded to the newly available cryo treated beeswax capacitors for use in my analog system
More to discover