artto Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 Just wondering if there are any Zen single-ended triode users in the Chicago area that might want to bring their amps over to my place for a listen. Other SE triodes such as Wellbourne or Wright welcome too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painful Reality Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 I'd stay miles away from anything from Decware. But that's just me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artto Posted April 6, 2005 Author Share Posted April 6, 2005 ---------------- On 4/6/2005 5:55:50 PM Painful Reality wrote: I'd stay miles away from anything from Decware. ---------------- Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codhead Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painful Reality Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 ---------------- On 4/6/2005 6:07:42 PM artto wrote: Why? ---------------- Because these are a huge hype sold by someone who understood quickly that everybody on the net can be an expert. It is destined to the type of customer that have been listening to a Kenwood integrated amplifier and somehow heard that tube amplifier existed. Much of those "WOW BEST AMP EVER... BLOW AWAY ALL THOSE AUDIOPHILE EXPENSIVE MACHINES" type of comments come from froots who've never heard those said expensive machines and are only comparing the Zen with the crap they had at home. If you know about Wayne "king of horns" Parham and it's crappy Pi speakers, well Steve Deckert would be the Parham equivalent for amplifiers. I had a Zen to try and rate it as the lousiest SET amps I've ever heard... Along with a stereo Cary 2A3 SET amp and good proportion of my own experimentations... I'd focus on Welborne, Wavelength Audio, Bottlehead (Paraglow or Parabee). Might investigate on the Bottlehead forum or the Welborne forum (in the manufacturer owned forums on AA). Wright Audio can be a good thing to try but those are quite strongly flavored toward a luscious midrange. Not everyone's cup of tea but really pleasing for some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnysal Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 I too got turned off by steve after two incidences; 1. I bought sub woofer plans for the best, fastest, deepest subwoofer on the planet, that when built did not meet any of the specs that steve published for it. 2. when I asked about the published output of one of his tube amps (which seemed way to high for the tube and circuit) I got stream of crap about how no one understands tube amps but him, etc., etc. to defend an obviously optimistic rating for his tube amps output. attitudes like that and exageratted claims tend to turn me off, I wasted money on some of his stuff. some friends of mine (besides jeff) have told me the same type of stories; products that did not come any where near to fulfilling the promise steve lays out for them. I would stay away BUT if you can find someone to audition them GREAT! warm regards, tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painful Reality Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 ---------------- On 4/6/2005 7:01:20 PM sunnysal wrote: 1. I bought sub woofer plans for the best, fastest, deepest subwoofer on the planet, that when built did not meet any of the specs that steve published for it. ---------------- Best on the planet??? Would Deckert become humble? I would have expected "a best on the galaxy" (at least). Yes Ye Ole Stevie is rather strong on overspec'ing his products. Especially the Zen who measure 1.5 W or so and is magically putting out 5W on paper... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev313 Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 Hey Artto - I've got Wright 3.5s and Ron W's DRD 45s BUT just had a baby March 29 and have been unable to do much of anything (as Tom B. - I've been meaning to get him over here to check out my Abbys for a while!!). Always available for pick-up (well, one anyway - so I can listen to the other) if you want to give a listen, tho. kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 Jeff: When did you have a chance to listen to this Decware amp? edit: Meaning -- was this with your Lamhorns (Lammhorns?) Can't remember if Lam has two M's or just one! I'm just curious about what speakers you were using. I almost bought one a LONG time ago, but decided not to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painful Reality Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 ---------------- On 4/6/2005 7:35:29 PM Erik Mandaville wrote: Jeff: When did you have a chance to listen to this Decware amp? edit: Meaning -- was this with your Lamhorns (Lammhorns?) Can't remember if Lam has two M's or just one! I'm just curious about what speakers you were using. I almost bought one a LONG time ago, but decided not to. ---------------- I heard it with my Lahorns. It sounded like crap. I also heard them with Cornwalls with the same pitiful result. I did not comment on the build quality but the factory unit I had was build with a wormanship much akin to a Eico kit that would have been put together by old Uncle Wilbur (you know... the one armed, half-blind guy that was not the sharpest gun in the familly). I may sound a bit harsh buy guys like Deckert that sells plans for a speaker made out of SaranWrap and claims that this will "put-to-shame-a-pair-of-(insert your favorite hi-end brand of speaker here)-costing-so-much-more" annoys me a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 What kills me is the guy wants 600 bucks for a pair. I'd think my little stereo Magnavox single-ended 6BQ5 console could hang with the Zen's, with the Mullard tube compliment. The Magnavox SE project was a little over 50, 60 bucks, minus output tubes and the rectifier. Something like that. I made a rather nice stereo triode amp for 600 bucks...... Steve is the Omar of vacuum thermionics..... 1.5 watts sounds about right a single-ended EL-84 with some feedback at average operation, triode strapped puts at a watt or less. I built a triode strapped EL-84 single ended amp, no feedback, CLC supply. With pretty nice Ampex OPT's with around 6k primary impedance. I never could get noise to where I wanted it, it has rather good damping, but the midrange is shouty, rolled off on top a bit. My conclusion: Filter the screens, get it on a scope and work out a feedback resistor and compensation cap. The Magnavox SE amp isn't as loud as the homebrew SE amp (strange that...), but is about ten times more balanced sounding. I'll sell it for 600 bucks...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 I was down at Deckert's shop in Peoria, he had some home made horns that sounded pretty good. He gave me honest advice on reconing some JBL LE-14s I brought down: don't bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Landau Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 I had the Zen in my system driving my 16 ohm Altecs. Although I was surprised by the spl that 1.5 watts can put out (it led me to buy my Wavelength Geminis) they sounded clean with no real bottom end. Overall, it was very average - like a 70's Sansui receiver with no balls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 - like a 70's Sansui receiver with no balls. Did Sansui actually manufactur gender-specific examples their 70s receivers? It would be interesting to do an A/B comaprison of the same component pre and post neutering... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Dont know about their amps - but I have been very pleased with his pre - the ZTPRE. In fact - thinking about it - this is now the longest serving element in my system. Certainly no-one ever suggested it was junk. Not the most user friendly item on the planet however.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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