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EQUIPMENT FORUMS >> SE84UFO >> SE84UFO volume-wise...
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Message started by alper_yilmaz on 11/09/15 at 13:43:46

Title: SE84UFO volume-wise...
Post by alper_yilmaz on 11/09/15 at 13:43:46

Hi,

Yesterday morning, a thick smoke came out of my SE34I.2+ which I use in my bedroom system for late-night listening fed by a Cambridge Audio DacMagic 100 and driving a pair of Rega RS-1 (8 ohms and 89-90 dB @1m1w). Temporarily I replaced the amp with my TABOO mkIII and two things were striking:

- TABOO had a much better sound stage, detail and separation (with the lucid modes off). Sound-wise, I definitely preferred the TABOO to the SE34I.2+.

- TABOO had significantly less volume than the SE34I.2+. I liked this as well, since I cannot go on the SE34I.2+ above 8:30-9:00 when the digital source is at its max volume-wise. With the TABOO, I can easily turn the volume above 12:00 and the amp pushes a great sound at the volume level, much more detailed, more even at different frequencies and much better bass.

Anyway, given my affinity for the SV83 output tubes (over the EL34s), I ordered an SE84UFO to replace the SE34I.2+, assuming the sound quality would be more similar to the TABOO despite the triode/pentode difference between the two designs.

My question is where the SE84UFO would sit volume-wise in comparison to the TABOO and the SE34I.2+. I know it is very difficult to come with a straight-forward answer, as the TABOO is spec'd to give 4.8 watts into 8 ohms, whereas the SE34I.2+ is closer to 6 watts per channel and I think I had the 16-ohm output transformers...

Thanks already for the comments...

Best,

Alper

Title: Re: SE84UFO volume-wise...
Post by DBC on 11/09/15 at 14:09:15

I heard the Super Zen and Rachael back to back on a pair of Decware HDT speakers at DecFest a couple years ago. To my ear the Super Zen played just as loud despite the difference in published power output. I ended up purchasing the Super Zen and have never looked back.

My Super Zen with Omega Alnico Monitors sound very good at any volume setting (low or high).

Title: Re: SE84UFO volume-wise...
Post by beowulf on 11/10/15 at 09:51:59

I have a Taboo MKII and was interested in Super Zens as mono blocks, so I spoke to Steve about this once and he mentioned to me in an email that despite wattage, the Super Zen was actually about 10-15% louder than the Taboo. The Taboo really needs a Preamp to come into peak volume when used with loudspeakers.

The Super Zen requires 2.0 volts for full output, the Taboo requires 2.1 volts. I know this .1 volts doesn't seem like a lot, but once I used a preamp with the Taboo it really blossomed.

Title: Re: SE84UFO volume-wise...
Post by alper_yilmaz on 11/10/15 at 11:08:13

Thanks for the responses DBC and beowulf...

Steve also got back to me mentioning that TABOO had very low sensitivity and it would pair well with preamps or high-output DACs (DacMagic 100, the DAC I use in my bedroom puts out 2.3 volts). He further said that the SE84UFO would be more similar to the SE34I.2+ volume-wise, which is too much for my specific need.

In contrast to most who has difficulties in driving their relatively inefficient speakers (I have lived through that in the past as well), I actually am looking for very low volume with even representation of frequencies. This is the system I use in bed reading and I keep it on after I fall asleep as well. Therefore, the volume has to be really really low. After I replaced the SE34I.2+ with the TABOO, I fell in love with the bass the TABOO put out (even at the low volume I was listening the music to) as well as the sound stage and 3-D representation.

Anyway, I ordered the SE84UFO already. After almost 10 years, I am going back to the SE84 series, which I am very much looking forward to. I am expecting to have a result similar to the TABOO. Let's wait and see...

Cheers,

Alper

Title: Re: SE84UFO volume-wise...
Post by HIFI JEFF on 11/15/16 at 18:21:08

So it was stated earlier in this thread that even as little as .1 of a volt makes a difference. And I think that is my issue as well. Because when I am using me Denon CD player, the sound I am getting is simply amazing. It outputs at 2VRMS. And I hardly ever turn the volume knob on my SE84 UFO past THE 1oclock position. But the story is way different when I am listening to my digital sources through my Schiit audio dac that is outputting at 1.5VRMS. I have to turn the volume all the way up on my amp to get adequate volume but it doesn't sound right. I love what I hear from the cd player, not so much from the dac. That is about to change tonight as I am putting a new dac into my system that outputs at 2.0 VRMS. So we will see if that remedies the issues of my digital sources. Hope so!