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AUDIO FORUMS >> General Discussion and Support >> Advice: SE84UFO25 or Sarah 300b
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Message started by Morph on 05/13/25 at 11:50:36

Title: Advice: SE84UFO25 or Sarah 300b
Post by Morph on 05/13/25 at 11:50:36

I hope this post finds everyone well.

Thank you in advance, I was hoping for a little guidance. When I first ordered my Decware amp I chose the Zen Mystery amp. My system has changed significantly since then and I now think that either the SE84UFO25 or Sarah 300b would be more suited to my system.

On a Decware amp, I’d mainly be listening to vocal jazz at low to moderate volumes, either streamed or from my turntable. I purchased a cheap Chinese 3W amp to test and the volume this produced at 60% maximum volume from my preamp was more than adequate, so the power of either of these shouldn’t be an issue. So mainly it would be the voicing of the two amps. Living in Australia, I haven’t had the opportunity to listen to any Decware products.

I know it’s an impossible question, but I’m just wondering which would be better for vocal jazz. The system is an Antipodes Oladra into a T+A DAC 200 into a solid state preamp and driving quite sensitive custom open baffle speakers.

Thanks!

Title: Re: Advice: SE84UFO25 or Sarah 300b
Post by kulafu on 05/13/25 at 12:54:14

I listen to vocal jazz as well. I have both and I would recommend the Sarah 300b.
Bob

Title: Re: Advice: SE84UFO25 or Sarah 300b
Post by Lon on 05/13/25 at 13:45:54

I'm a huge jazz fan, instrumental and vocal. I had SE84UFO3 Monoblocks with all the mods for five years, then moved to the SEWE300B. I don't think you would go wrong with EITHER amp if your speakers can handle the lower wattage of the SEUFO25. My speakers could (HR-1) BUT the SEWE300B drives them with a sense of ease and authority I could not imagine before. And with the SEWE300B after a spell I realized my sound was better WITHOUT a preamp and I was able to remove a fully modded CSP3 from the system and have even better sound.

I'm no help in comparison to the Mystery Amp--I have never heard one, I never wanted an amp with that much power--plus I had Torii Mk IIIs for years, and found that I hankered for and preferred the SET sound to the push-pull.

Title: Re: Advice: SE84UFO25 or Sarah 300b
Post by CAJames on 05/13/25 at 17:27:35

I don't think one amp is necessarily better for a particular kind of music, it is more about the kind of sound you prefer. I think the bottom line is you can't go wrong with either but here are a few things to consider.

If you have very sensitive speakers then hum is more likely to be an issue with Sarah than a UFO25.

Do you love your preamp? I think the UFO25 benefits greatly from a good preamp. With Sarah a lot of people seem to like either a passive autoformer/transformer based pre or none at all.

If you chose Sarah you are committed to buying 300B tubes.

If you haven't already I would strongly suggest reading the Sarah and UFO25 development threads in their respective fora.

For me, I have a pair of UFO25s configured as balanced monoblocs. I wouldn't trade them for anything but of course that is just me. I haven't heard the Decware 300B amp but have lived with a different one recently. My comments are mostly based reading posts over the years, there is a lot of wisdom on this site and time spent reading will be rewarded.

Title: Re: Advice: SE84UFO25 or Sarah 300b
Post by Lon on 05/13/25 at 18:23:23

I agree that not one amp is better for one type of music in general. . . but if one were wanting to blast party level rock, funk, etc. then the Mystery Amp is a better choice. But for vocal jazz, he can't go wrong with either the 25 or the SEWE300B, imo.