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Message started by Tommy Freefall on 02/09/18 at 21:12:43

Title: CSP3 + SS amp
Post by Tommy Freefall on 02/09/18 at 21:12:43

I have a 20 year old SS Bryston 2B power amp (about 50 wpc).

The Bryston is built like a tank, but obviously it doesn’t have that signature Decware sound

I’m wondering how well it would pair up with a Decware CSP3, CSP2+, or CSP2 pre-amp?
Does a SS amp paired with a Decware Pre-Amp sound as nice as a stand-alone Decware amp?

Title: Re: CSP3 + SS amp
Post by Lon on 02/09/18 at 21:16:08

in my opinion. . . no. I've two CSP2+ and a CSP2 (yeah, a problem) and I've paired them with a few solid state, a chip amp, a class D and a few other tube amps.

The preamps definitely improve the sound of those amps. But. . . they don't sound like Decware amps as a result. They sound like the amps themselves with a bit more of tube goodness in the case of the tube amps and a bit of tube goodness in the case of the other amps. Better. . . the source sounds better is really how I would put it. But the "Decware amp" "sound" is in the Decware amp.

Title: Re: CSP3 + SS amp
Post by Archie on 02/09/18 at 23:19:48

FWIW, when I first approached Steve about amps (ZP3) he told me that the main amp was actually most important and to start with that.

Title: Re: CSP3 + SS amp
Post by will on 02/09/18 at 23:57:25

I agree that a CSP2+ or 3 before the Brytson will not sound like a Decware amp, but it might really help the Bryston be more complete and inviting, while adding an interesting piece to any system choices. Especially a CSP3 with beeswax caps, being a little the more refined-to-date, would give tube goodness, but also is OTL, no small thing to me. Especially with a truly revealing front end, there is something about that OTL tube lucidity and dynamics that takes "normal" high quality tube implementation to a potential that I find seductive.

I have been tuning, my now a little older CSP3 (one the first of the version), with more transparent connectors, volume, and bypass caps, and it is incredible, taking Steve's signature potential deeper into itself. But, though these are really good improvements, with the right tubes and setup before (vibration, cables, etc), it was really, really good.

It is what it is now though and this is what I know. If I had to give it up or my also tuned up Zbit (which I love too), though known for clean transparency, I would give up the Zbit. The CSP's potentially powerful effect from OTL tube spaciousness and lucidity, and associated, pretty impressive gain riding, you can tune the CSP signature with your amp signature to easily balance and coax more beauty from your recordings.

And of course, if you love tubes, with three tube positions, each with powerful effect for tuning the others....and with separate volume adjustments on the input and output tubes before the master volume...you can tune the CSP3 to many, many variations of its sound...



Title: Re: CSP3 + SS amp
Post by Eduardo on 05/10/22 at 22:37:18

What about combining it with ZKIT1 sold in the DIY section?

Title: Re: CSP3 + SS amp
Post by will on 05/11/22 at 00:42:00

I think a CSP would do very well with a Zkit. It would add sonic tune-ability with OTL sweetness, dynamics, and lucidity. You will loose some transparency unless the CSP is really tuned up with mods, good cables, and really nice tubes... But you would gain potential for tuning in more or less body and weight, lucidity, more or less dynamic contrasts. And with tube rolling, you could get many variations of all that tubes can do by mixing tube characters.The three tube types in the CSP3 offer loads of possibilities with mixing and matching.

Mine is seriously tuned inside, but to me, any downsides from adding another component are far out-weighted by what my CSP3 does for the overall sound... it just offers a lot of latitude in tonal, spacial, and dynamic tuning, with great potential for making an amp sound more musically complete in a given room and for given tastes. But I recall, here anyway, I was able to get it quite resolving and transparent before my Torii and CSP3 modifications with careful tube choices and cables, etc.

Makes a nice headphone amp too.

Title: Re: CSP3 + SS amp
Post by Eduardo on 05/11/22 at 00:51:25

Great

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