TORII MKII  preliminary evaluationInitial Impressions: The First 50 Hours

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After a long six-month wait in anticipation, the audio Gods have delivered upon my highest expectations. The first amp placed on order last year was passed over due to other financial obligations therefore allowing the next customer in line to receive that amp. This delayed the reorder of my current serial number which had a long wait in the build process. Alas, my new successor to the amplification throne has taken residence as the driving force behind my audio bliss. As an owner of a well balanced system consisting of ONLY Decware components, aside from the TERES vinyl rig used as the source, I am well prepared to audition this amp for all its worth. Or could it be that this amp may just be the ultimate platform for exposing the SYSTEM for all its worth?

One way or another the truth will undeniably be placed within the limelight. Will this once and for all prove to be the Holy Grail at the end of the audio journey? Time will tell soon enough but in the short of initial exposure in comparison to my well-seasoned SV83M-DC monoblocks, it is embarrassingly clear as to what separates the boundaries for these design classifications.

My main interest for obtaining the new push pull design was NOT due to any lack of interest or even the slightest regard toward dissatisfaction with my existing monoblocks with the dual core implementation. After all, these amps were the flagship of Decware designs obtained several years ago. If any factor deeming cost versus value played a part in determining the overall scheme of things, keep in mind that the SV83M-DC versions cost the same back then as the TORII MKII cost today! With that being said, I think of every time that I prepare for building a high performance computer system to supercede the last state of the art system. Rapid development of technological advancement pathetically outdates previous state of the art standards within a relatively short period of time. This supercedes its predecessors once standing reign of power and domination into the inherent delegation of a mere afterthought.

I certainly would not go to that extreme for evaluating the rudimentary differences that prevail between these completely different reference standards. My point is that as with computers, components and the software used to drive them are increasingly becoming better within relative cost factors and by far, are much easier for the end user in terms of use, compatibility, and overall terms of satisfaction. In summation, this becomes a win- win situation for the consumer as the price versus value gap tightens its margin for which higher expectations of performance are obtained at a relatively lower cost factor with each cycle of advancement. In general, the end user obtains more for their money than the previous purchase, which by current standards, is rendered obsolete at least as in retrospect to computer components are concerned.

Do not misunderstand me as in no way would I disregard the integrity of the SV83 designs into the embodiment of obsolescence as they will always shine in the highest regard to their particular class. These amp designs hold a very comfortable position of musical authority as gauged by their own relevancy as opposed to any contender in their shadows.

No surprise that it would take the very same designer to improve upon his own masterful designs by which no other has resided in their passage of legendary engineering!

I expect no less of Decware for which they have consistently proven to be the time honored leaders in audio advancement. Although it seems positively impossible for these designs to warrant improvement in any way let alone be challenged by superceding designs, Steve continually finds the path that leads us to the fruition of our highest expectations in regards to audio enjoyment.

We asked for the seemingly impossible and he responded beyond our wildest imagination as to what is truly obtainable in the world of audio perfection.

On to the chase. This latest rendition is nothing short of impeccable! How his creative process has delivered us with such innovation is difficult to fathom until one has experienced the intricacies of his design contingencies in the form for which it is promised to deliver.

The system in question for this evaluation consists of the most crucial elements, nothing less, nothing more.

Starting with the star of this show is of course the TORII MKII itself driving a set of well seasoned 2000 hours+ Radial RL-2 designs of which I tailored to my own personal liking. Although these speakers are not far from stock configuration, I chose to experiment with these to extract any possible refinement. These as most know are two-way designs engineered to complement low powered amps with very respectable efficiency ratings. I am a believer in the elimination of all unnecessary signal paths with application of the purest materials possible throughout the remaining signal chain. This did not reflect upon the speakers so much in themselves, as any refinement possible was minimal. These modifications merely attributed a change of signature but still within the realm of the original character. The only avenue of upgrade worthiness lye directly within the speakers crossover network which is already simplified to perform a relatively simple task. Originally, these incorporated an interchangeable resistor path for which the high frequencies could be tailored to a particular listening environment. Through a great deal of experimentation, I determined that the best results were that of total resistor elimination. All that is left is merely the capacitor for the high frequency ribbon element. The radial drivers operate at full range without external contamination within its signal path. All that was left open for experimentation lay within the capacitor itself. What I settled on were high quality Jensen foil in oil speaker caps with solid silver leads. The remaining connections were finished off with high purity solid silver hook up wire with all connections permanently soldered in place. Other than that, I modded the structural housings with some additional sound deadening to the interior along with careful application of Black Hole 5 in the critical areas. I built my own custom speaker cables kept minimal at eight-foot lengths. These were constructed of high purity silver with multiple gauge configuration in conjunction with a core base of cotton, designed for minimal interaction and shielded for maximum protection from EMI/RFI interference. I felt that the mounting position of the ribbon bracket rendered itself as obtrusive to the wave dispersions emanating from the radial drivers. This could not be totally eliminated without completely redesigning the method for attachment. However, it became clear to me that if the brackets were simply reversed with the ribbon driver housings simply flipped 180 degrees, the entire assembly could be relocated to the rear of the wave dispersions, thus greatly reducing the interactions incurred toward the frontal patterns. Yes this created a bit of time alignment delay but since the radial is upward firing to disperse 360 degrees, I concluded that this would not be detrimental to the overall perception. In fact, I found the presentation to be more laid back with a better sense of detail. I have spent a great deal of time listening to these speakers, evaluating and tweaking to the point that I feel to be optimum.
Now that the speakers and cables have been identified, all that’s left is the source itself with the necessary interconnects. As stated, my primary source is that of a Teres turntable mounted upon a vibration controlled structure which I built utilizing oak for the structure filled with sand for deadening and interlocked with hollow aluminum tubing also filled with sand for maximum deadening. The platform is constructed of one-inch thick African Padouk hardwood sealed to the base with a heavy isolation bead of automotive window putty. To further isolate the turntable from external vibration, carbon fiber cones and pedestals have been placed to support it to the platform. The DC drive motor is external with a very low contact area to the platter itself. The motor is powered discretely by battery power with preventive measures taken to reduce external vibration to a minimum. The tonearm is an Origin Live Silver Series with a Dynavector DV-20X moving coil cartridge. Signals are processed through a Decware triode phono stage and fed through high quality silver interconnects directly to the TORI MKII itself. The alternative source is the Decware modified 685 SACD player with dedicated tube output stage using high quality G.E. capacitors. Again, this fed through silver interconnects directly into the other set of inputs on the amplifier. Simple, direct and as free from external contamination as possible. Further into my evaluation, I will bring the WO32 subwoofer into the loop but for now this will be left out of the system so that only the main speakers are heard.

System status online, warmed-up, and optimally ready for a test drive…………………………………………..

I have waited a long time for this moment to arrive and I momentarily hesitate as I reflect upon my expectations. This was similar to my feeling upon hearing my vinyl rig for the first time. I just know it has to be good but will my expectations be justified or will disappointment interject to rear its ugly head? There is no turning back now so this uncharted path must be approached with a positive outlook. Knowing as to the integrity of Decware products and theorem, I know that this is going to be a wild but controlled ride so here it goes!

Three..Two..One..we have ignition; main engines at full throttle we have achieved lift off…..Houston, there are no problems reported here….main engines throttled back as we break through the sound barrier on to our destination of audio enchantment.

Well anyway, back here on the planets surface I have witnessed a new found discovery that has extended way above and beyond any reasonable expectations that I may have conjured about this amplifiers capabilities. No, wait, could this be? I was completely assuming that surely a stone fresh amplifier must sound harsh for at least the initial break in period…but this is not so here….surely the solder slingers must have put this amp through an extensive break in period prior to its journey into my possession? O.K. so it seems to sound utterly superb for something that should not sound this good right out of the box! I am sitting in amazement, anticipating the luxurious sound which is imparting my senses to surely begin a descent into that roller coaster ride of inevitable character change as internal forces work through each hour of operation. It has been my experience to hear multiple changes take place within the first twenty hours of break in so I am fully expecting this occurrence.

This never happened! I have had this amp in use for one week now operating at fifty percent for five hours non-stop each night with a cool down period until the following day. On the sixth night, I left it on constant loop play with my SACD at low volume all during the night and throughout the next day equating to more than 24 plus hours non stop with the last ten hours set at reasonably strong volume levels. All that I can say about this observation is that I have yet to hear any fluctuation in sound quality! If what I am hearing IS in any way considered to be marginal in respect to this amplifiers hidden capability, awaiting its projected bloom from cocoon to flight status, than I will truly be mesmerized by its promise!

So, in what areas do you think TORII betters the SV-83s?

Paul,

Are you the guy who wrote the Monoblocks with Radial review?:

https://www.decware.com/paper40.htm


Keep it up and let us know how things progress.  :)

Oh, and please refrain from telling us how your Teres/ZP 1.5 absolutely slaughters your DEC685. I don't need to read such things.  :)

Take care,

Corey

Lon,

Thank you. I knew that you might find interest in this review, as you have been a long time owner of the radials driven by EL34 amplifiers. You can relate to what I am experiencing and it is clear that you have a very broad background in music evaluation.

I am pleased that you have found this to be informative and my goal therefore is to carry on with this adventurous journey throughout the most critical stages. This in an attempt to provide those that are interested with a broadened insight as to the scope of another fellow Decware end user.

Yes, you can be sure that there will be more to follow on this evaluation, as this was only the beginning stage. As time progresses, wading through the amplifiers break in period, I will be carefully forming accurate mental dissertations without the clinical approach. My intention is to reflect most honestly, the fine attributes which set this amplifiers character apart from that which I have been so accustomed over the past few years.

Keep in touch and check back in about ten days as I am sure to have displayed further insight upon my experience. If it does take longer, please have patience as this will eventually be posted.

Paul.

Sam in USA,

I do not mean to cut you short on your question but since this will be a major part of the upcoming review format, I ask that you read my observations when I present them which will be soon enough. If I do not provide the specifics to your question in general at that time, then please feel free to ask about any particular aspect.

Thank you.

Paul

Just recieved a matched quad set of JJ KT88's and will be installing them shortly. Further evaluation will soon take place with these installed in comparison to the EL34's. The new amp now has over 100 hours burn in time on it and sounding very good.

100 hours plus "phase-two" evaluation coming soon.......................

Hello Bob!

I know that this seems unusual in any regard for me to find this or any amp to sound this good with limited hours. This as I stated, has caught me completely off guard. I completely expected as such for this to sound rough for quite a while and as stated, did not find any unpleasantness even for a fresh component. I was so surprised by this that I even had to ask Devon if there was a chance that this amp may have had an extended break-in period at the shop prior to shipping. She said that to the best of her knowledge, it had zero run time with the exception of testing and quality assurance. So there you have it. It's a mystery but I'm not complaining!



More to come…….


Paul.

[quote author=RFZ_Quest  link=1140416584/15#17 date=1141776685]These are the Emission Labs 5U4G's.
[/quote]


What! speak up son..

Sorry Sam the letters only go up to 24 in size no use writing 30

Paul,

That is very interesting that your Torii required no break-in. Huge bonus.  :)

I don't know why but I love the F-16. It's concept, looks, small size, the single engine, just like that jet.

Take care,

Corey

Awsome pics!

Hello MAC- SteveH,

I know that my further comments have been lagging behind on the TORII MK2 but for a good cause. My time has been short lately and what spare time I do have has been spent searching and acquiring several different tube types.  Some new production, with most being high quality N.O.S. types. It will be awhile before I can report on any of these as they are evaluated. Tube rolling is going to be a major aspect of the continuing review and I want to try many different configurations to know the difference in what this amp can do.

Since the SV83M-DC mono-blocks will be compared in this evaluation with both vinyl and SACD sources, I am also going to test these with upgraded tubes. Currently I am using the Svetlana SV83’s with 6922’s. I have two matched sextets of Ei gold pin Elite EL84’s and some Ei gold pin 6DJ8’s coming for these. I will also be evaluating with Mullard  N.O.S. rectifiers. These amps have the advantage of considerable break-in so that they are at peak presentation.

Currently I have a set of  N.O.S. Mullard rectifiers coming from England. They will be used for all tests in comparison to the stock Ruby’s in use now.

For driver tubes, I am in the process of acquiring many different brands of N.O.S. types to include Mullard, Amperex, RCA, Siemens, etc… to include sets of 12AX7’s for my phono stage and 12AU7’s as well as 12AT7’s for my SACD output stage.

I am also working on a set of N.O.S. 5U4 rectifier types from RCA and Sylvania. If I manage to get these, they too will be evaluated with the others. A matched quad set of JJ KT77’s are also on the way to be used on the TORII MK2. These have very high praise and are a direct replacement as upgrade versions for the EL34’s. I am very satisfied with the overall presentation of the S.E.D. winged “C” EL34’s that I have now and the JJ KT88’s are awesome with this amplifier. Both of these sets are highly recommended with the TORII MK2. I intend to experiment with a great deal of variations with these amplifiers and it will be interesting to discover the different signatures each trial will bring forth. I really want to hear just how far the sound quality can be extended with the right tubes.

It will take some time to get through all the tube swapping so have patience and I will report as things progress. I am glad to know that someone besides me found the initial sound of the TORII MK2 to sound reasonably good right out of the box. It seems as though all other reports reflect otherwise and I have really been puzzled by this. I am very satisfied with this amplifier, I expect much greater results to come forth as time progresses, and discover the ultimate tube configuration to tailor the sound just right.

More to come…

Paul

You are welcome Karl. This is only the beginning. Stay tuned as much more info is coming around the bend. I bet you thought I was challenging your eyesight with that french script. I hope it did not give you a headache as you need to be at your best for listening to audio.

Take care.

Paul

Here are the 12AX7's (trio) which will be used in my 1.5 Phono Stage. Two are identical matches with the third which is very close. The closely matched tube will be placed between the balanced set and this will become non critical considering it's function. Beside them are the 6DJ8's. These will go into the amplifier.

Now for the special prize:

The O.E.M. Mullard CV593/GZ32 rectifiers.

Another view with a lighter wide view.

Am I supposed to be seeing pictures with these posts?

Dave

Ya know I ended up doing the same thing. weird eh?

Hey Paul,

Thanks for your comments.  This patience thing for the most part has been poverty driven thanks in part to a spendthrift now ex-wife.  With that though, they also say that things happen for a reason.  Now it looks like as Decware has matured over these last ten years I'll be able to have an all matching compliment of components with the new chassis design being implemented these next few months.

It's really exciting now knowing exactly what I want for my personal rig and it's even better listening to people like yourself that have such good things to say about it.

Right now it's a bit of a trial as I work for an accounting firm, (just a little crazy at the moment!!!) and fighting the urge to rush the finishing touches on the house and property to get that ready for market.

But, in the mean time, who knows what's next on the Decware burner...  

Terry

Here are my select picks that made the purchase very worthwhile.

This is a set of N.O.S. 5Y3GT rectifiers to be evaluated.



I have listened to these in the TORII MK2 for a few hours and I like what I hear.

Here are the RCA 5U4GB rectifiers along with a matched and balanced set of Ei Elite gold pin EL84EG output tubes and a Ei Elite gold pin 6DJ8EG driver. Of course these are the old monoblocks.

Since the last post, many more tubes have arrived and I am slowly testing them as time permits. It is kind of like Christmas around here except that I am buying my own gifts!

Here is another photo of the TORII MK2 with the RCA 5U4 ST style rectifiers in harmony with the KT88's.

Some more photo's of the N.O.S. Russian military 5U3C rectifiers.

You still listening to tubes when you have that nice Teres to listen to music on ::)

P.s Nice home page

I intended to refrain from making any further comments on the TORII MK2 until I had evaluated a wide variety of tube combinations. After what I just experienced, I find myself with the need to express what I consider just too fantastic to hold back! This amplifier is now very much stabilized with over 300 hours of burn-in adjustment and the character for which it portrays is that of superb speed and incredible force. I never realized what the actual capabilities of the radial (RL2) speakers could extend to until this amp proved what they are made of. The RL2’s are really a very good match for this amp and I can only imagine what I will experience once I mate this amplifier to the custom built HDT MKII’s in the near future. That should prove to be the ultimate marriage and only time will tell.

I just finished listening to Sarah McLachlan on vinyl with the following configuration and it was absolutely incredible beyond the imagination!

Teres turntable with Origin Live Silver tone arm mated to a Dynavector DV20X cartridge.

Decware Zen 1.5 phono stage with a trio of Ei Elite 12AX7EG tube array. *(Directly connected to amplifier. NO preamp is utilized.)

Custom shielded silver interconnects and speaker cables.

TORII MK2 with the following tube array:Ei Elite 6DJ8EG drivers; JJ KT88 output valves; British military version Mullard GZ32 *(CV593) rectifiers along with the Westinghouse OA3 voltage regulators.

This combination provides extreme accuracy with full-bodied vibrancy, which evokes pure emotion within the senses. I am operating the system without the augmentation of the WO32 subwoofer so that I can directly evaluate the main speakers only.  The dynamic presence of this amplifier combined with the high efficiency of the radials proves to be tactile to say the least. If you think that the SPL force of this combination is anything short of exhilarating then think again. THIS AMP HAS AN ABUNDANCE OF POWER AND PROVES TO HAVE MUCH IN RESERVE! I do NOT exceed the twelve O’clock position on the gain control as the dynamic level becomes much more than I need to drive this system into intense volume. I will not use the word LOUD because to me, that evokes a presence of irritable or annoying reference in its description. What I prefer to relate to this combinations sound is that of pure excitement. With only fifty percent of available gain at tap, there is a mutual connection to the music as the notes are effortlessly felt in harmonious form, conveyed with the most articulate reproduction of the musical embodiment.

Take note: I have listened to many different rectifier tubes over the past two weeks. While many sounded very good with the RCA types proving to be top notch, something very special finally became coherent after installing the Mullard military versions.  This is the first time that I have mated them with the KT88’s as I initially auditioned these rectifiers with the SED EL34 Quad and with the JJ KT77 Quad. These sound very involving with crisp clean sound but the KT88 combination seems to take this into a higher level of balance.  The KT88’s provide a fully extended dimensional presence with a more pronounced integration of the lower registers. I.E., Bass lines are extended lower, with increased definition at the bottom frequencies.  There is a constant sense of physical connection with the music as the instruments are “felt” as well as heard. What this combination does for piano and the female voice is something that must be experienced to understand.

The album “Mirrorball” which is Sarah’s live recording from a few years back has always sounded very special but tonight, the TORII MK2 just kicked it up a few notches and this combination of tubes is going to be very tough to enhance with additional improvement if indeed that is really possible. I still have a long way to go with this experiment but after what I heard tonight, I think that I may have already hit the plateau of musical enjoyment. This however is not the final word as I have some Mullard GZ34’s with Blackburn production codes that will make their way into this competition as well as the mighty RCA 5U4G, “GB”, 5Y3GT, and 5AR4 versions. I listened to a set of Sylvania 5U4GB matched rectifiers with “side getters” the other evening and I can tell you that the magic was present there as well. The next step is to evaluate the well respected RCA rectifiers with the KT88’s and find out just how they compare to the Mullards.

The point of this in context is that the choice of rectifiers here is absolutely crucial in determining the overall sound of the amplifier in general just as the right choice in driver tubes can make such a profound difference. In order for your output tubes to sound optimal, obviously this hinges upon the power supply itself. I have already proven that to myself and this area is foremost critical. If you doubt this, try it out for yourself and just see if you can detect the difference.

To be continued…………..

Preparing to test a set of RCA 5R4GY rectifier tubes with the initial line calibration referance.

Hi Paul,

Well you're doing it again...  Now I'm just crazy over hearing your impressions of the Torii MkII with the RL-2s vs. the RL-3s.  ;)

Sounds like you are having a ball!!!  :D

Terry

P.S.  Paul, I REALLY would be interested in hearing your thoughts of the RL-2 vs the RL-3 with THAT amp.  Especially in the bass weighting of the matchup.

Thanks in advance,

T

Hey Paul,

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your insights.  Let me give you a little background into my approach to this "audiophile" thing.

When I was a very young man my grandmother had this wonderful old console stereo that my grandfather bought for her because she really loved her music.  She used to play that thing all day on Saturdays while she cleaned the house and the sound that thing made was just amazing.  Then, my father went and worked two jobs to be able to buy my mother a setup just like hers and for the next fifteen years I had that same sound in my home every Saturday morning.  I never realized just how good that was until it was gone.  Over the years I've spent a short ton on all kinds of gear and NEVER came close to that warm and intimate sound that those old tube rigs put forth.  It only took thirty some years to figure out what it was that made that "sound" so special.

So, I have a genetic double wammy in my love for music and now I have the opportunity to be able to set myself up with what I would consider my dream system.  The biggest hangup I've had is this whole subwoofer thing.  I really don't want to deal with that.

All that aside, back to the speaker comparison...  Over the years of hanging around here I've come to the conclusion that to get what I want is going to take a dedicated listening room, that's already a given.  Now I have the frontend handled as far as the vinyl goes, I'm commited to pick up Steve's gear as far as the tubes go.  Never having listened to any of it I just "know" that it's going to be better than any SS stuff I've ever had.  The final piece to the puzzle has been the speakers.  Well, what better to mate with his tube gear than his speakers.  I've thought about making speakers, I've looked and have been going out and listened to everones highend system that I could find over the last two years and have found all of them wanting to some degree.  Just by listening to everyone here that's had Steve's gear I have a pretty good idea that what I'm looking for is one of the radial speakers.  The whole idea just makes so much sense.  Now it's just figure out which one.  That's where you come in...  Talk about a leap of faith!!!

Now with all that blather out of the way... My listening room is not going to be very big, standard bedroom size.  Hopefully I can make it into one of the ratios that Steve put in his white paper on listening rooms.  With that, listening will be in the near field.  However, I do like to have my "sessions" and crank it up on occasion.  With the balls the MKII has that shouldn't be an issue, but I don't want Joe Walsh leaving the room because the final transducer is lacking.  I've heard so many people here talk of how good these speakers are and reference the likes of Diana Krall, Bob James, etc.  Not any that I can remember that talked about, The Who, Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd or The James Gang.

Can you still be an audiophile and listen to that?  Regardless, pace, rhythm and dynamics are what I'm looking for and from what you've stated so far, what you have is all that and a bag of chips.

So Paul, if I haven't put you to sleep with all that drivle, I'm all ears...  

Terry

Hi Paul,

Now we're getting somewhere!  I'll tell you, I've been all over the place on this speaker thing.  Just went potty over a set of La Scala's I found in a thrift store... Then I heard them.  That ended that right there.  Thought maybe it was their age and the room etc.  Found a gent through a friend of mine that has a pair of the newer RF-7's powered by 65 watts of Mac power.  I'll say this, they were loud.  I really thought that was going to be the ticket as far as an efficient dynamic speaker goes that wouldn't require a subwoofer but that was a little over the top for me as far as forward sounding.  Maybe tubes, cables etc could tame them down a bit, and they really get some good press over on the Klipsch forums.

As far as the RL-3's go, everyone that has heard them have had nothing but great things to say.  A couple of lads from here really got unhooked at one of the Decfests when they heard them coupled to the original Torii.  This whole sonic-holography thing really really has me going.  I really want to experience this and I'll do what it takes as far as the room goes but in the same breath can the little guys do a Pete Townsend power cord?  Does David Gilmour's guitar have that sheer size and weight with it?

Everyone has said how nice they are but can they be naughty too?  That's the question.

It's not like I even have anything to compare or really offer as a comparison other than those two Klipsch rigs I've heard and in their defense, they were far from optimized but I have to tell you I think I'm in the audio armpit of the free world down here in SW Florida.  Everything is keyed to home theater or trying to see who can get the biggest sonic cannon in their car.

That's why I really appreciate reviews like yours.

Terry

continued;

To answer your question about this systems ability to reproduce a power cord with authority and realism can be answered affirmatively with confidence. As for the sound of Gilmour’s guitar, let us consider the following. I have had the distinct pleasure of hearing Dave play live during two separate world tours; the first being the post Waters Floyd era while promoting the “Momentary Lapse Of Reason” tour and the second being that of the “Division Bell” tour. The MLR concert was inside the Minneapolis Metro-Dome while the DB concert was held at an outdoor stadium in South Carolina. I could have seen the show again in Atlanta a few days later but did not attend. These shows are performed in extraordinary form with robust quadraphonic configurations. I attended the Roger Waters tour promoting “The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking” at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin TX and again attended the ‘99 “In the Flesh” tour in Kansas City. He puts on a show lasting well over three hours with an intermission between sets so that the stage crew can change the stage settings for the second half of the show. The second part to his show focuses heavily on very early Floyd material on through the successive years for which he was the major influence behind that group’s success. For a musician that is now 61 years old, he still has what it takes to sell out major events and for good reason.

As luck would have it, Roger is touring again this year with a heavy emphasis on the material from “Amused to Death” along with some new material that will be presented to audiences for the first time. The second half of his show will be the reproduction of “The Dark Side of the Moon” played in its entirety as it was done during the “73 world tour. Of course, it is a shame that Dave, Nick and Richard are not going to make for the original band performing that legendary album, but Roger selects world-class musicians as his touring band and they pull it off very well. The differences between Dave and Roger run too deep to make that possible. A recent offer of 250 million dollars to regroup for some major tour dates proved insufficient to make this happen. It just so happens that Roger’s tour is scheduled for October the 3rd in Phoenix and you can be sure that I will be there! Ticket prices are unbelievably high with even the worst seats costing more than a small fortune. A front row center ticket to this event is over $2000.00! Quite scary isn’t it? There are only three concert events that interest me for which I would pay today’s ticket prices and I just covered the two major ones. The other event that I would like to see live would be that of Sarah McLachlan and there is no doubt as to how great that show is.

Hello Paul,

The time you've taken to answer all my questions is greatly appreciated.

"Go for it with confidence."  I have to say I feel much more at ease being able to make that jump.  I think the deal maker on this whole endeavor was how spooky close your impressions echoed John Mazur's review of the RL-3's when he was running the 24 watt Eastern Electric M520, and that one really had my motor going.

Thanks again and I'll be looking forward to your final summary.

Terry

Hello Paul,

Hope this finds you well, you sound as if you've been as busy as a one armed wall paper hanger!

I would really be interested in hearing about what you find out with these comparisons.  I would much rather be able to buy a matched set of new tubes that are going to sound good and not have to spend a lot of time combing around for NOS items.

From what I've read so far, the KT-88 really gets high marks in this amp so this should be fun.

This cryo thing seems to really be catching on.  It didn't seem that long ago where more than a few were putting it off as snake oil.

Take care for now,

Terry

Two fresh sets of power tubes, matched and optimized by cryogenics for optimal sound quality.



The primary focus here is to hear how these different types perform against each other in the TORIIMK2. The Sovtek fat bottle KT88 tubes can be seen below the Electro-Harmonix versions at the top of the photo.

I have been listening and comparing as time permits, to the contributing aspects for each of these power tubes in question. At this point of the comparative testing, I find both the Sovtek & Electro-Harmonix KT88 versions to be very respectable! Each has distinct quality virtues with both types taking the TORIIMK2 to impressive levels of audible comprehension. These are being tested with some extremely rare “late thirties” to “early forties” 5U4G  large shoulder style rectifiers manufactured by General Electric. For the driver tubes, I have installed a matched set of 1970 era Tesla 6922’s.

For maximum exposure of micro detail, the TORIIMK2 is now driving the set of NFX  speakers with the impeccable DFR-8 full range drivers. These are refined structures which incorporate a hybrid cross utilization of factors known for articulate reproduction of sound.  These speakers have the  low frequency response  associated with enclosed cabinet designs, coupled with the transparent qualities of mid-range and high frequency detail found in “Open Baffle” designs. These attributes are unified within this superb sounding speaker which are highly revealing across the audio spectrum..
The resulting “speed” of this speakers focus becomes the ultimate platform for revealing subtle & “not-so-subtle” effects within tube rolling.

Here are some detailed visual aspects for the tubes being used in this testing phase.

  Well I feel abit funny as one man telling another man that he has some fine looking tubes ??? but those are some fine ones you got there RFZ....    Dave

Quote:


Not to worry Dave, I will avoid putting anything into that statement. Trying to read between the lines on that one could get someone in trouble. Better left in black & white.

Thanks for the observation. They sound just as good if not better!

Later.

Paul

This enlarged view shows the internal construction for the upper section of the EH tube. The Electro-Harmonix KT88's are claimed to have a new technology introduced within these which cancel out the bad effects of odd-order harmonics so highly desirable even-ordered harmonics can prevail. It must work because these are the most fluid and harmonically balanced power tubes that I've experienced to date. *ABSOLUTELY incredible!

The full view of the TORIIMK2 with the cryogenically treated matched quad of Electro-Harmonix KT88's.