Forums https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl AUDIO FORUMS >> General Discussion and Support >> The Victorian Base https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1755874312 Message started by 1stwattlife on 08/22/25 at 15:51:52

Title: The Victorian Base Post by 1stwattlife on 08/22/25 at 15:51:52 For those oof you just now starting to shop, and those of you near your long awaited build date... ... Let's touch base on the part of your amp that YOU decide the fate of. The design is set by the designer, the internals are compiled by the techs to fit the specifications, and YOU get to pick the finishing touches. Knobs are a good part of this, but these can actually be changed out at will at any time during your ownership and that makes them less important in that aspect to the case. One of my favorite, and one of the most popular bases is the Victorian. These UFO3 mono blocks are seated in the black Victorian base. This is a beautiful, and stately combination. The black Victorian base looks amazing on any of our pieces. It is a timeless design and blends seamlessly with the design and styling of our amplifiers in any environment. It looks just as good sitting in a room with 120 year old woodwork as it does sitting next to modern audio equipment with LED lights, sharp metallic cases and flashy displays. In my opinion. However, there is a lesser known often overlooked cousin to the Black Victorian that I think deserves a highlight... May I introduce the Walnut Victorian!!! upload WHOA NELLY!!! WOOOOOOOOWEEEEEEE!!! Since taking on the responsibility of helping Steve in the QC department 6-7 weeks ago I have had to get use to seeing our work from the outside in, instead of inside out. As a tech it got to the point where it was actually far more difficult (still not "hard" per se) to identify amps from their picture or from looking at the top of the amp. When you spend 3 years face down in the wires the amplifiers have their own identities from that perspective. It's a different world. It's crazy to think that this is less than a tenth of the time that Steve has been running this business...  Since I am now dealing with the final ok's and casing the units, I get to see a lot of things that never crossed my path before and this base has REALLY caught my attention! The look is amazing and I am amazed that it is not the most popular option... I am proud of every unit that leaves this small shop (there are roughly a dozen of us in and out of the shop throughout the day). This is one of the best teams in the world. Small, but mighty, and laser focused on providing the world class quality that is delivered in every Decware product. I could not imagine being anywhere else. The pictures are the real reason for this post, so I will quit running on about it... let me know your thoughts on base style considerations and favorites. I am not going to lie, I started out as a contemporary base fan in the beginning and am starting to change my tune. Share your thoughts! Thanks for your time! 1stWatt

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by Tony on 08/22/25 at 16:12:04 1stWatt, Thanks for introducing the Walnut Victorian base. I had always associated black with the Victorian base and couldn't recall seeing an alternative. I'm well past making that decision now, but for those who are still in the planning stage, that is a great-looking base. Tony

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by CAJames on 08/22/25 at 16:38:25 All your woodwork is objectively fabulous, but for me, I'm more of a minimalist. The "plain" contemporary Padauk bases on my UFO25s are as beautiful as the music that comes out of them. In fact the whole package with the powder coated top, the chicken head knobs, backlit gauges and the glowing VR tubes is a feast for the eyes as well as the ears. But this is JMO/YMMV and all that.

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by Lon on 08/22/25 at 17:09:08 The Victorian bases don't appeal to me. My standard Padauk base on my SEWE300B I think is the finest base I've owned on a Decware amp. And the ebony knobs look and FEEL so good!

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by Kahuna Jack on 08/22/25 at 18:06:14 So you did away with the bottom twisted rope pattern on all of the bases? I like the rope pattern but I also see why some felt it looked like crown molding from Home Depot. This new style may appeal to more people. Looks awesome in Walnut

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by LiquidBlue on 08/22/25 at 19:29:18 The Victorian bases never really spoke to me. I much prefer the angular look of the Anniversary bases or like the Torii or Sarah bases. Padauk is hands down my favorite wood choice. +1 on the copper patina color powder coating against the padauk base, backlit meters and the glow of 0A3’s… perfection!

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by MM on 08/22/25 at 19:46:52 I don't care for the Victorian bases either.  Padauk looks fake to me. The copper color really clashes with wood choices but looks ok with a black base, in my opinion.   The good news is we have so many options, we each get to make our gear look the way we want it!   8-)

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by 1stwattlife on 08/23/25 at 00:18:24 Hey Everyone! First I want to say to Kahuna Jack that the twisted rope feature is still the standard on the "Figured" bases for the larger models. Although they are very similar, they are not the same base. That is actually the rabbit hole I fell down just before seeing this version of the "Victorian" base. There may be some smaller differences, but the main one is the twisted rope part of the build. As for the rest of you lot... thank you so much for chiming in! Also... Tony, it's never "too late"! Audiophiles should have back up bases like we have backup tubes! HAHAHAHAHA! I just didn't have the time or energy to get pics of the monos with the walnut base in between them.... It reminds me of the audio cabinet owned by one of our good freinds. His cabinet is a wood grain chest sitting on top of an identical, but black cabinet. It is a very slick setup. I will touch base with him over the weekend to see if I can get a pic to post. If memory serves me (usually doesn't) I believe the 300B has its own unique base with a unique feature. There is a small inverted quarter round section removed from the bottom which gives it a very modern look, almost like its floating, but this channel is not only a nice place to tuck speaker wires neatly if running to the front of the amp, like mine do, but it aalso helps with getting an easy grip if you need to move it. Padouk- I am still making observations and figuring out how I feel about it. Some days, it love it, some days I love a Walnut Victorian. LOL It has an interesting aroma, particularly when I drill the holes for the screws, breaking the inner fibers and generating some heat... it is very pretty, and solid... From the internet: Padauk wood is very hard, with a Janka hardness rating between 1,710 and 1,970 lbf, making it harder than Red Oak and suitable for high-traffic flooring and durable furniture. It's a dense, strong hardwood from Central and West Africa known for its vibrant reddish-orange color, good resistance to decay and insects, and excellent dimensional stability. While generally easy to work with, its hardness requires a slow saw rate and carbide tools, and its sawdust can cause allergic reactions, requiring protective measures. Very interesting stuff. I am curious how the padouk looks in different environments... I am going to putz through the member's systems forum for a bit to see what I can see over there. Might start a vintage Decware thread if I am feeling froggy. Happy Friday everyone!!!

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by 1stwattlife on 08/23/25 at 00:35:55 My first base love affair was definitely the contemporary in any color and honestly it fits my current decor a little better than most of them... but when you put it next to the angled anniversary base the anniversary base makes a definite statement. This was the first thing to pull my attention from the standard contemporary base. It is crazy what such a small difference can make! There is more wood visible from more angles... a win in my book. I absolutely love the grey color of the current Sarah base, but Steve's prototype with the black plate/base/bells is like a quiet little sound ninja sitting there waiting to strike and strike it does, like a tiny cold blooded killer... figures, as I think it has been Cryo treated! COLD COLD COLD!

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by Donnie on 08/23/25 at 02:56:36 Everyone forgets about the red option. Available at your local Lowe's, Menard's or Home Depot! $8.00 a can.

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by CAJames on 08/23/25 at 03:24:39 No runs, no drips, no errors!

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by 1stwattlife on 08/23/25 at 04:12:01 YYYYEEEAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Custom paint job!!! VERY NIIICE!!! Love it! With the white playe even! I kinda wonder what a white version of the coating would look like sometimes.

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by Bilyeaux on 08/24/25 at 13:04:26 The white Victorian! If it shows up…….

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by 1stwattlife on 08/24/25 at 14:16:04 Oooooooooʻooh! So cool!

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by MikeinMontana on 08/24/25 at 21:35:29 Some beautiful bases!  Ours is the standard walnut. Looks great to us anyway. A question for those who might know.. The first two months of owning our zen, I needed a new rectifier and an internal fuse. After tipping the amp on it's side, I rolled the edge of the base over a screw I did not see on the towel and it scratched the finish enough that it still bugs me. A one handed bonehead move. Opinion on a way to dress up this scratch? I thought of just getting some walnut stain of hopefully the same color and carefully just filling only the scratch. I really appreciate this. Simple things but hey...lol... Thank you [smiley=icqlite20.png]   ~Miike

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by Bilyeaux on 08/24/25 at 21:47:15 Mike. minwax has stain colored putties that might work, or just some stain as you mentioned. Bummer, but not big deal. You should be able to rehab that you would be the only one that would know probably

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by 1stwattlife on 08/24/25 at 22:16:32 There are stain pens as well.  Easy storage and use.

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by CAJames on 08/24/25 at 22:56:34 Yes. I know nothing about woodworking but I have a couple stain pens to touch up furniture.

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by Kahuna Jack on 08/25/25 at 02:35:09 Montana Mike depending how deep the battle wound is ? Howards Restoration Finish will fill in slight scratches nicely. Ive never performed the trick on harder woods like walnut but softer woods Ive used the moisture/heat method of raising the grain back up and fine sanding before stain touch up. Youtube vids should pull up various methods of that. Damp rag then heat gun etc. Maybe experiment on the inside of base that cant be seen first?

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by Dominick on 08/25/25 at 21:47:14 I actually do like the Victorian base. For me the black Victorian base with my white Zen amps has a nice contrast that blends well with my decor.  I have always been a fan of walnut… My Torii and my CSP have the walnut base.  I do like the dark walnut better than the light walnut… But that is just personal preference.

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by Lon on 08/25/25 at 21:56:39 I love walnut too. I have two guitars that a luthier made with black walnut bodies. Love their looks (and how they play and sound).

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by 1stwattlife on 08/29/25 at 04:06:35 I'll just leave this here... Contemporary Maple. :)

Title: Re: The Victorian Base Post by 1stwattlife on 08/29/25 at 04:08:42 That black and white combo really gets your attention!

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