Forums https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl EQUIPMENT FORUMS >> TORII JR >> Impressions from new owner's https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1447203236 Message started by Steve Deckert on 11/11/15 at 00:53:55

Title: Impressions from new owner's Post by Steve Deckert on 11/11/15 at 00:53:55 This week I think we'll be shipping the final amp from the pre-order list, so there are now 20 TORII JR's making music or soon to be! So my question is to those who've had one for a bit, how do you like it?  What are your impressions and what are you pairing it with? Thanks, Steve

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by Hekowee on 11/18/15 at 00:09:19 In one word, YOWZA! I believe I have number 5, and have about 150 hours of serious listening time now. I've been meaning to say something about this phenomenal transition to the wonderful world of tubes, but this damned new addition to the family has taken away almost all of my at home computer time ;D. I have noticed that I'm seeking out primarily hard bop jazz, and anything acoustical. Jazz, classical up to a quintet, guitar, etc. listening now to Branford Marsalis' 50 year redo of Coltrane's A Love Supreme.......YOWZA again, his transition from title track to Persuation is out there, wow! More later, time to listen.

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by Steve Deckert on 11/19/15 at 02:17:43 Here is a review I recently got and posted in the reviews section of the foru: https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1447700564

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by stone_of_tone on 11/19/15 at 17:53:49 Congrats Hekowee, if I did not have the ZMA....the Jr. is a no brainer to purchase. I loved my pentodes in triode for many years....(SE84CS). Now, I'm addicted to the Power and Dynamic's I can only get from Steve's UL with no negative feedback and topology!

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by Hekowee on 11/19/15 at 19:08:43 Thank you, the ZMA is the new carrot dangling before me. But before I possibly step up, I believe my next move will be the CSP3 pre. I'd like to get about 500 hours into this system first; have about 170 now. All of the holidays coming up will provide some quality listening time, and I'm not talking X-mas carols here ahahahahaha. Cheers,

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by stone_of_tone on 11/20/15 at 15:28:32 Yes, my CSP3 with Jupiter Caps....I will not part with. I'm considering the new Pre...but I don't need it. I love what the CSP3 brings to my System. The voltage output is just superb, for density and slam. While maintaining transparency...or I would not have it. Same here, .....I'm not talking xmas carols! Enjoy the holidays with great TUNES out of your awesome System. Goes great with a holiday brew or two: Summit Extra Pale Ale Summit Hopvale Ale Surly Overrated West Coast IPA Summit Winter Ale   8-) Listening Room: Room Treatments from Michael Green & Home Brew Sony as Transport (DVP-NS57P)/Sandwich weighted for Isolation Illuminati D-60 Digital Coax IC Shunyata Research ZiTron Alpha Digital Power Cord Decware ZDSD DAC / Recorder (@ -20 Ref Level, 0.0 Input volume and @ 16/192) {also @ kept/-20 Ref Level & -.5db or -1.0 Input volume Level} WBT-0102Ag RCA Kimber Select KS1030 Decware CSP3 w/Jupiter Caps (NOS/Platinum/Telefunken 6922/E88CC .....for Input Tube~NOS/Platinum/Nationals/Matsushita PCC88 for Output Tubes & 5U4G-C Rectifier) **************************************************** 10 of 10 for Input tube & (8 or 9) of 10 voltage for Output tubes Volume adjustment used at 0 to 40% **************************************************** WBT-0102Ag RCA Kimber Select KS1030 Decware Zen Mystery Amplifier (NOS/Platinum/Ediswan's CV2492/6922 in my A12 an B12 positions~6N23P's for Inverter Tubes~JAN Sylvania 0A3's & Tung-Sol KT66's) ZMA adjusted at 50% to 70% of Volume *************************************************** Kimber Select KS6063 Speaker Cable 8ft WBT-0681-Ag Spades *************************************************** Acoustic Zen Adagio - Black Pearl (Modified) Acoustic Zen Adagio's x-over's Modified/Full Range with Mundorf MCap Supremes-single Cap to each Tweeter/4.5k cross (Gutted: 3kHz/18dB/Octave, Linkwitz/Riley Crossovers....with all crappy parts = gone) XLO Pro Power Cords to CSP3 an ZMA PS Audio P3 Power Plant / Pangea AC-9SE from wall to P3 (Transport, ZDSD an CSP3, Regenerated/120 ~ Multiwave off...ZMA on High Current Output)

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by Brian on 02/26/16 at 02:01:31 Are there any more reviews? It has been awhile with not many! I hope to hear from some happy users.  I would especially like to hear Push-Pull to Single end comparisons. Thanks, Brian

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by popthropologist on 04/14/16 at 03:29:55 I only have about 10 hours on my Torii Jr and ZP3 combo but they already beat my McIntosh MX110z integrated that they replaced. I hear it in the cohesive sound top to bottom and in the reverb decay on vocals. Really something. I'm running them through Blumenstein Orcas (which are a very minimalist, single driver design), and I think they are allowing me to hear into the amps more deeply as well. Very pleased so far.

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by Rraymond on 04/14/16 at 23:04:03 I've got about 50 hours on my Tori Jr. and also ERRx speakers.  They just started to loosen up very nicely.  It amazes me that you can really tell such big differences in the different recordings and inputs.  I would have to say that's a really good sign of how TRUE this amp is to what the original recordings should sound like.  I still am limiting the Tori Jr. because I realize it's only going to sound as good as the weakest link(and I have a few things) which I need to change out over time but even with these limitations, this thing sounds AWESOME!  I wish I could describe it but there are no words that could really do it...  I'm hearing things I've never heard from the music.  I find myself getting out of my chair and running to the front door to see who's there because I though I heard the doorbell. Nobody's there....lol  Sounds are flying everywhere and are so distinct and articulated on some recordings.  So far, just loving it and I find when I'm driving home from work, I'm thinking about what to listen to next.   Rick

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by Lon on 04/14/16 at 23:05:40 Rick, it seems cliche to say it, but "Welcome to the club." So many of us here have been through what you went through and what you will be experiencing. We love our Decware!

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by JD on 04/15/16 at 01:09:25 My sentiments as well, welcome. JD

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by Syd on 04/15/16 at 19:32:46 Wow Rick, thats pretty impressive, sounds like your ERRX`s are finding themselves right at home.   :)

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by Brian on 04/18/16 at 14:51:54 popthropologist said: "I hear it in the … reverb decay on vocals." I like that part!

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by DrDave on 03/29/17 at 07:49:51 I have had my Torii Jnr for 2 months now. I've let the tubes break in somewhat; and I've done some tube rolling.  The amp is FANTASTIC ... Really.  It's really a very very good amp.   The tubes I've rolled in and kept are a gz32 Mullard rectifier and a couple of Amperex 6dj8 bugle boys on the inputs. (I also have some Mullard e188cc tubes coming - I'll see how they are.). But all this is fine tuning.   The amp is everything I expected from reading about the design and the thought that went into it.  Just phenomenal.  It works really well with my audio nirvana classic 10" drivers (in 5.6 cubic feet cabinets).  I've also got a Decware ZStage (with a Mullard 12au7 c4003) driving the input. The zstage is really a great piece of kit too.  Perfect compliment to the Torii Jnr. Sitting upstairs, watching the ocean and the cliffs off the cape .... Hearing all my favourite vinyls and CDs  ... It doesn't get much better.  Imaging, details, tone, etc... are all top notch. I can whole heartedly recommend this amp to anyone who cares about tone.  It's my first Decware amp (not my first tube amp); and its such a joy to have found it. Ive already recommended it to a fellow vinyl enthusiast - and he's loving his too.  (Cmon Marc, leave your impressions here too  8-) :)) Congratulations Steve. Brilliant. Brilliant  ;D

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by DrDave on 03/31/17 at 04:34:15 Just a quick addendum to my post above ... For my ears, in my setup, with my room and speakers ... The Mullard/RTC e188cc is the ONE.  Amperex second, but a bit much in the high end on my very efficient speakers.  The Mullards give me the tone and the goosebumps!... In the best way possible. Again Steve... What a PHENOMENAL AMPLIFIER. I'm listening to Lou Reed's Transformer album on vinyl right now. The strings and bass in Perfect Day -  WOW Lou Reed's voice is in the room, hanging between the speakers Hearing him take breaths between phrases The upright bass on Take a walk on the wild side, snappy and popping and you can hear 'the wood' of the instrument And that reverb decay... Particularly on the background singers ... Brilliant. I'm loving it. Kudos! ;D ;D

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by Jeff of Arabica on 03/31/17 at 06:11:01 DrDave, Welcome to the family and I am happy to hear you are enjoying your gear as much as all of us here.  Like you, I am very fond of the Torii Jr.  It is an amp that far exceeds its specs and price point.  It has incredible bang for its buck and with the right speakers (and tubes), it is hard to beat. Like you, I found that tubes had a profound effect on the type of sound this little gem puts out.  I had come to find that with my very efficient Monoliths, there were some tubes (very reputable ones) that were a bit over the top on the mids to highs with this amp.  But then again, that is the beauty of tubes.  They allow us to play around with the flavor of sound until we are left drooling... then we stop, sit back, and enjoy!   Happy listening!   :)

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by Tommy Freefall on 03/31/17 at 18:52:39 Torii Juniors rule!

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by DrDave on 04/03/17 at 09:34:14 Hi Jeff and Tommy Agreed. The Torii Jnr is so fast and transparent. The resolution is incredible. Not doubt this has a lot to do with how it is put together (of course - duh  ;D).  Having components directly soldered with just the parts wires (with no extra wires) and using a very direct signal path would have a big impact on how particular tubes sound in that circuit. In my time with the amp ... I have found myself leaning towards "warmer" sounding tubes; rather than "airy" or detailed tubes.   It is an excellent amp.

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by SonicSeeker on 04/29/17 at 17:38:14 Excellent amp. On the advice I received from Steve I just added a quad of Tung-Sol 6L6G tubes and would highly recommend them with the TORII Jr. I really like what they do in this amp. I just posted in the tubes section on this tube if you want to read up on them, Will gives a very excellent description of some others there as well as this one. I think the TORII Jr. is an excellent amp and agree with what others say here, it is "very open transparent fast and detailed" and everything you do with your system as far as interconnects tubes etc, makes a very noticeable change.

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by DrDave on 05/01/17 at 12:03:39 SonicSeeker That sounds very interesting.  What's the bias setting needed for the 6l6gc tubes?  I wasn't aware that the Torii Jnr could even accept those valves. Thanks for that feedback and information. Awesome

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by DrDave on 05/02/17 at 13:07:45 As usual... I really should pay attention to the manual more. Just when I thought I had read it throroughly! I see those 6L6 tubes are fine in the Jnr. Is the bias the same? That is, is the 40mA/0.825 VDC value still the correct bias value? I've changed tube types in guitar amps (el34 to kt88 etc...) and the correct bias value was different for the different tube types. (For these values I used Dan Torres' Inside Tube Amps book.) From his charts it seems 6L6 tubes "want" a lower value than EL34 tubes. Is this the case in the Torii Jnr? I guess I'm asking SonicSeeker: what did Steve advise?

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by SonicSeeker on 05/02/17 at 17:22:45 Steve recommended the 6L6G to be set to the same bias.

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by DrDave on 05/03/17 at 11:14:38 Thanks SonicSeeker [smiley=thumbsup.gif] Again, it also says clearly (and capitalised) in the manual: ALWYAS BIAS ANY TUBE YOU INSTALL TO 40mA/0.825 VDC :-/

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by DrDave on 06/21/17 at 02:37:33 I installed a set of Tung Sol 6L6G tubes and I am very pleased with how these tubes sound in the Torii Jnr; in my set up.  As SonicSeker described, the sound is deeper and nicer in the mid range.  The top end is softer than the EL34s; and this effect was quite welcome in my set up. Thanks for the "heads up" Sonic Seeker. I am very very happy. 8-)

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by SonicSeeker on 06/25/17 at 15:37:18 That's great Dr. Dave, enjoy.

Title: Re: Impressions from new owner's Post by DrDave on 07/27/17 at 09:59:55 Hi Just wanted to update my impressions and tube rolling experience with the Torii Jnr. I'm now using some Vokshod 6n23p tubes and have found them to be my favourites in my set up. The 6L6G Tung sols are rockin' still ... even better than before! What an amp! PS I tried some 6n1p tubes from cryoset, but they didn't work very well at all.  Lots of clipping and compression.

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