You are so right Lon, the Torii can drive so many speakers to near perfection. I am glad I got over my momentary lapse of reason to sell it. I know now I would have regretted it. I am going to hold off on tube rolling while the Torii burns in further and I know the Amp well. The ERR's and Steve's new DNA Horn are still in my sights for this fall. I hope to go to DecFest or road trip this late summer to hear them (7.5 hour drive, St. Paul to Peoria/no biggy). I went to the Fest in 2005 and 2008 and enjoyed it very much. DeVon, Steve and Ziggy - good people.

For the next 7 to 8 months though...I am enjoyng my SE84CS, Torii 3 and SeriusXM/Dish Network. When I can't be in front of the Select or Torii, I have SeriusXM, with Real Jazz ch.6067, Contemporary Jazz ch.6066 or Classic Rock on ch.6025 & 6026 and other smatterings of stations/Blues too playing. I get new music idea's from Real Jazz 6067. I always have it scrolling/playing thru my Polk SDA SRS 1.2's. I use a .5 meter Kimber KCAG out of my DVR...nice for the 1.2's.

I'm listening to Hank Mobley right now, Bouncing with Bud. SeriusXM is always keen to recognize that while I am listening to Real Jazz right now I probably love other genre's too? They just promoed, BBC from the Vault tonight.....Led Zeppelin at 5pm central. So, lets just say I am in the sweet spot in front of SDA 1.2's at 5pm sharp and they will be utilized in all their glory! I will record it too/hang on to it for a while..... .

Anyway, cheers to you my friend. I do/have appreciated you're insight on the Torii 3 and tube rolling advice. Enjoy the weekend with great tunes!    

-Stone

I believe you.....it will sound even better in time. I have made my mind up to visit Decware and bring my Front End,  speaker cables and listen to the ERR's and the DNA Horn come September or October.

I was looking at what UpScale Audio has left of the Cary SLI 80 Signature ($4300.00). I lose no sleep owning the Torii 3 which I believe is a better topology, yielding better sound qualities. I purchased my Torii 3, Vintage Polk SDA 1, Vintage Polk SDA SRS 1.2's.....with 85 bucks to spare under $4300. I am not saying the Cary is not good. Someone on the Forum owns one and now has the Torii 3. He prefers the Torii 3. I should find/quote.

Cheers, Stone

Lon, you need to get your #27 back now that he has a Taboo in the works! That is right.....you have been with Decware products since 97 or 98. Way cool.

Well, the light bulb went off today....and I said to myself, the Torii should not be hooked up to a restricted low frequency (bookshelf) speaker. The Torii needs to BREATH. I have my SE84CS properly set up and my SDA 1.2's as well (far as solid state goes). So, I moved my LS-90's eight feet over in front of the 1.2's and just out to the left and right of the 1.2's as not to block them when in use. This opened up space to rear.........and with the bass management pots!......I have the Torii dialed in with tuneful bass and great tonal balance. I finally have heard what the 3 is capable of.  It is a SET on the TOP frequencies with BASS/tuneful and articulate. Very pleased. Other than enjoying all three systems.......and some tube rectifier + preamp tube rolling in a few months. I am done for now!  

Cheers, Stone of Tone

Very sweet set up Morganc and the Torii edging by the Frankenstein says a lot. I just moved the Torii back in to my main Rig after another 80 hours on it with secondary Rig. It needs to stay with my Select Cables and my AA front end with SDA 1's main Rig. I am very pleased. You do not want to turn this Amp down!
My system is configured on the floor.....so the swap out with my SE84CS takes all of 10 minutes. I feel I have two of the best Amps on the planet.   -Stone

I agree, Steve's choice of caps are awesome. I wonder sometimes what they would sound like with the V-Caps but I soon forget just sinking into the wonderful sound of the stock Torii.

Morgan, This is from the Torii page near bottom of Steve's explanation. I think MkIIs may have used a GE cap.

"Decware has it's own time coherent polyurethane film & foil coupling caps made to the FKP-1 specification by WIMA in Germany.  These are standard in all Zen TORII's.  Since many audiophiles are unfamiliar with our caps (we don't sell or advertise them) they ask about "possible upgrades" for these caps and list of a whole host of boutique audiophile caps they think may sound better.  Virtually all of them have been tried in house, and most are at best a sideways move, many sound worse.  The ONLY cap we have found that we feel is justifiably better than our stock offering is the Teflon Tinfoil VCAP's."

Interesting. I can see your reasoning indeed, and it doesn't surprise me that the Zen amp may be running out of steam.

Have you tried just four ERRs and two Toriis, is there a way the center channel could be blended into the left and right front?  I don't know enough about surround technology, but my two ERRs in two channel setup, firing away from the TV, give incredible sound, deep and holographic and the dialog is clear and very audible. . . .