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https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl AUDIO FORUMS >> General Discussion and Support >> The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1677208078 Message started by Steve Deckert on 02/24/23 at 03:07:58 |
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Title: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by Steve Deckert on 02/24/23 at 03:07:58 Because when you're Sarah looking good is never good enough! It is available as an option in the shopping cart.  There are many more pictures on the web page for the amp: https://www.decwareproducts.com/sarah And here is the design thread that is still ongoing with these latest updates. https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1649817393 Hope you like it : ) Steve |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by JBzen on 02/24/23 at 03:31:37 That really looks classy. It has a mellow earth tone. Very nice! |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by Steve Deckert on 02/24/23 at 04:18:11 Here is a possibly a better picture of it. The base is walnut, the tube are the Chinese 300B that we found sounds great and the interconnects feeding the amp directly from the DAC are in development. Since with this amp we can eliminate the needed sonic benefits of a preamp it lends itself to super transparency and a single interconnect. That's a good reason to see what is left to hear with an all out cable design. The red copper transformer covers match the exotic binding posts on this amplifier. Unlike the binding posts the covers offer no sonic benefit, only looks and slightly lower operating temps due to reflecting the infra red heat from the output tubes. Like all of our larger dimensioned amplifiers we are using 1/8" steel plates with powder coated finish in a high mass solid hardwood base. Our original Zen Triode amplifier model SE84C is as thick of steel as you can comfortably bend into a six sided amplifier chassis. You can't bend 1/8 inch steel plate into a chassis because it's too thick. To really compliment this kind of stiff mass the solid hardwood base reaches a full 1-1/2" thickness which is twice as thick as our other base designs. When you're going to the trouble to point-to-point wire an amplifier featuring such a great output tube the resulting opportunity to hear additional clarity from vibration control presents itself and we want to hear it. It's really about seeing how deep we can crawl into the music with 4K vision so all of these little things add some weight to that scale. I am presently listening to this amplifier exactly as pictured with less than 40 hours on it and it has melted my face off more than once ; ) Like I often do, tonight I find myself listening to the amp through my house speakers which have the most insane resolution of any speaker I have spent any time with in the past 30 years. The only thing that came close is the Acoustats and those were even better in some ways but worse in others and overall this is far better due to the superior amplification possible. Anyway, these speakers are like the James Web telescope and this amp loves that because it lets you really hear how good the amp is, the insane balance and density and imaging and scale are all in a new league because of the amps ability to drive these 88dB speakers to a usable and encapsulating level. Sadly the UFO25 isn't enough juice for this kind of speaker. And let's not forget the thing about how the pretty and extra thick copper makes it seem to sound better just like how your car always seems to have more power and run better after it's been freshly washed and waxed! Everything counts.  |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by bramar on 02/24/23 at 20:29:54 Really nice. Steve, you created a great new amp. |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by Dylan on 02/26/23 at 15:00:43 Is that beautiful red copper transformer cover look going to be available to the other amps or is it a Sarah specific? Cause I would Love to add that option to my UFO25 that's still on the waitlist. Thanks D. |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by bramar on 02/26/23 at 22:42:31 Dylan, That’s a chrome transformer cover, you can find chrome and other colors on eBay and other sources like mableaudio.com Brad |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by JBzen on 02/27/23 at 11:08:51 Hey Brad! Good to see you around again. Thanks for the lead. Yes those tranny bells would surely be made out of tin with plated copper. John |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by Lon on 02/27/23 at 11:51:50 I paid off my order and I'm keeping it with the black transformer covers. I actually prefer that look. |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by Ghostship on 02/27/23 at 15:48:43 Quote:
Steve said it was Copper. Do you have any facts to support your claim? |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by bramar on 02/27/23 at 19:31:18 Looks like chrome to me. My mistake. Brad |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by Kamran on 02/28/23 at 02:47:06 Lon, I prefer the black as well. Congratulations on paying it off already! I’m halfway there. |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by JBzen on 02/28/23 at 11:28:14 Quote:
Yes he did write that. Solid? Electroplated? Is the question that he can only answer. My suspicion is it might be the original covers electroplated with copper. That process if done right will add a few steps to the normal electroplating when plating copper over tin. Whatever the bells are composed of it is almost certain that Steve done it with longevity and electrical integrity in mind! |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by CAJames on 02/28/23 at 15:39:26 Quote:
If they were sold copper I'm pretty sure they'd cost a lot more than $230 LoL. Also you'd be able to bend them with your fingers... I'm pretty sure they are the original covers electroplated, FWIW. |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by Geno on 02/28/23 at 16:22:58 Quote:
I may be wrong, but I think Brad is right about these being covers, albeit copper, and not chrome. In the closeup above, you can see the lip of the cover on top of the transformer. The cover simply bolts on, over the side of the existing transformer. My opinion, anyway. Steve can verify. Best, Geno |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by Kahuna Jack on 02/28/23 at 23:54:13 the copper against the cream top is beautiful and Im 100% certain Guttenberg flashed a peek a boo pic on his IG account today but then it seems to have vanished..... hmmmm . Top secret shit prolly |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by Ghostship on 03/03/23 at 14:17:27 "The red copper transformer covers match the exotic binding posts on this amplifier." They are not chrome. Although you may be able to purchase transformer covers on Ebay, replacing the covers on the Decware Sarah SEWE300B is not as simple as unscrewing one cover and screwing on another, because the transformer wires are routed through the holes in the covers, as shown here:  I suppose you could pay $4200 for the amp plus a few dollars more for a rattle-can of Krylon and turn the transformer covers into any color you wish. I simply chose to allow my newly completed Sarah 300B to be sold to the next person in line and to wait a few more weeks for a new amp to be built with the copper covers. |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by JBzen on 03/16/23 at 15:54:38 Ghostship is correct. The covers can not be removed unless the wires are disconnected. I had a scheduled phone conversation with Steve the other day. The Sarah came up in our conversation and he said the covers are custom made out of double thickness tin compared to stock and plated with copper. John |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by mclark on 03/16/23 at 17:31:53 Yep - Freshly cleaned cars sound quieter too! |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by Showme on 03/21/23 at 01:05:08 Aren’t these amps out in the wild now. I haven’t seen a whisper from anyone. Do we have to wait for Lon to get his for the blessing? |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by Lon on 03/21/23 at 01:09:42 Look here for a look at one that just arrived at the owner's home: https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1649817393/900#900 Unfortunately it remains a long wait til I get one. . . wish time would speed up. |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by Ghostship on 03/21/23 at 13:03:08 My Sarah 300B with Padauk wood base and copper transformer caps is in Packing & Shipping now. I figure at least a week to get my hands on it, then another ~200 hours break-in, then I'll post my impressions. |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by Lon on 03/21/23 at 13:10:22 Awesome! Looking forward to your impressions. |
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Title: Re: The final twist with the Sarah 300B amp Post by Matchstikman on 03/22/23 at 14:33:13 What's with this 200 hour break-in crap? Geez. Steve didn't wait 200 hours to review his creation. I doubt Guttenburg waits 200 hours to review anything. Plug it in. Take a listen. What do you hear now? Then, tell us what you hear after 200 hours. |
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