I now have more than a 1,000 hrs on my mini.....and
With more than 50 active years involvement in audio, I
feel this is the best sounding amp you can buy.
Plus you have an ability to play with the sound more than any amp
I know of. I am now trying Sylvania chrome domes 6v6's with OC3's....
great sound, very open....waiting on tunsol 6l6's. Tried ken rad metal
6l6...and OC3's...good bass...slightly thick....

THE BOTTOM LINE.....this is a world class amp of the greatest
that you can buy regardless of price.
THE ONLY amp I have seen that you can listen to..all day and every day and crave more....at least to this old fart's ears....;-)f

regards,
frank
 

Sorry....you are so right..I also have a taboo and several other
works of art from Steve.....I was speaking somewhat in awe
of what I have been hearing. Having been blessed in life
I have owned many of the best......
I am fortunate to not have to work so I listen every day......
and this particular product has tripped my trigger better
than any I can remember......
"music lives forever, people don't, listen now.......;-)f

Thanks Steve...you are so right about the 12at7's.....
currently using mullard's, which is my favorite
after trying various 12au7's and 12ax7's.
All I can say is there's something about this amp that enraptures
me and my feet can't stay still................
;-)f

I feel about audio as I do about photography...there's
a picture of your pre production statement pre amp insides
and pictures of arizona on my gallery.......

http://gallery.me.com/flaneb#100280

I will say, I have never heard a better pre amp......very unique with
special  construction; the output tubes are at the output jacks
also as with the mini torii....It is so transparent that the smallest
change anywhere in the chain can be heard.
I have always felt you could use the mini as a form of test equipment...

;-)f

They are stacked for the picture.....I have not been able to find a better
combo......
regards
;-)f

Hello everyone,

I also happen to own a Mini torii now. I have had it here for a little over two weeks. It is such a strong presence in the house that I am not sure who has whom anymore, has it got me or have I got it? The living room is slowly being remorphed around its needs, now that I can finally hear music and understand what 70% of audiophile talk was about. All this time I have been hearing about veils being lifted from the music and I thought I knew what that meant.
I have just ordered a few pairs of tubes from the Tubestore.com (they are based in Ontario I think. Myself I am in Montreal) So by Tuesday I should be able to experiment with 0b3 and 0d3 voltage regulators and a pair of mullard 12at7.
So far I have been listening to a pair of 6v6 genalex (reissued) with the stock tubes (except for the 6X4 regulators, which I had to replace with something obscure, since one of the stock died out in the early hours). The Genalex felt so thin on the bass that I decided not to use them anymore and returned to the stock 6v6, which have tighter more present bass, albeit a less intriguing midrange. The Genalex I find sound particularly lush and detailed. The stock make rock music more interesting.
I tried a pair of (reissue) mullard 12ax7 and also tungsol 12ax7 and they were way too noisy. Gold pin Electro harmonix 12ax7 were dead quiet but a little uninvolving.
I built my own speakers. Audio Nirvana 10 inchers, they must have a 96db sensitivity. Their design is pretty forward and my patience is vast, so they are extremely well built and performing to specs.
Now I wish I could manage to post a pic, I don't seem to work out the protocol...
here : http://www.flickr.com/photos/61617415@N02/5608265188/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61617415@N02/5620701732/lightbox/

after extensive listening I can confirm that a pair of nos RCA 0d3 regulators have made the bass much fuller, more present, easily audible, in one word: satisfying. It is not an issue anymore. The sound is indeed punchy and resembles a solid state amp, as much as beautiful tubes can resemble that. I am using that comparison to say that it offers the best of the two worlds, it would be more exact to say that it sounds like a well built tube amp:-)
I was worrying that perhaps some detail and midrange had been lost after the addition of the bass, but I believe now that it was a mere belief ( along the lines: hmmm, the bass is too good, surely I can't have it all). But
it turns out I can.

thank you ZYGI,

my Mini torii is brand new, I have had it for two or three weeks. Is it still settling in? I noticed the bass going in and out and up and down...

but with a pair of 0d3 instead of the 0a3 the bass became a lot more present and full, whereas before it was...thin. I do have to think hard to put words on those perceptions..