[I thought to provide a general review of my gear, but realized folks owning Decware already know how good it is. What would the point be? So, I decided this review is for the lurkers … ]

The other day I unboxed my newly arrived but used (3rd owner) pair of SE84CS amps, with v-caps, purchased via the Decware classifieds. They joined a pair of similarly aged, acquired and passed-down set of RL-3’s that had been boxed away awaiting completion of some home renovations. Since my Marantz CC-48 doesn’t power up any more (?), I borrowed the TV’s Toshiba SD-5000 DVD player as a source.

One of the amps had a difficult shipping experience (silent on one side), so I used the other amp to start out with (S/N 116). Speaker placement was ‘about 2 feet in front of an 16 inch ledge by the fireplace near a power receptacle aimed at an easy chair’. It’s a large room: 20’ x 25’ with 18’ ceilings. For good measure I hooked up a pair of old monster cables for speaker connects, though the source cables were the standard “red/black ones supplied with a/v equipment’ type (frowned upon?). Actually, from an audiophile perspective probably none of the setup was ideal, but at least the speakers were aimed in the right direction.  

After about half an hour going through some random CD tracks that sounded pretty good on my SS rig, I concluded they also sounded pretty good on the new setup as well. I then put on Roger Waters “Amused to Death”. I’d had a good experience with this one in the past (auditioning a Decware Tori2+HDT rig) – wow, again the same results: yes, a sleigh went through the room.  “Okay, Qsound must be cheating” I thought. As the amp warmed it became noticeably better. What had been a ‘slightly disturbing barely perceptable mid-range static’ disappeared. The obvious 'weakest link' was then the source. Continuing, I played a few more tracks from various CD’s with no notable standouts, until Dylan’s ‘Blood on the Tracks’ track 6 came up. Huh, I’d been listening to that since 8-track days. It did the same 3-D thing. No Qsound there. I found all this a bit difficult to comprehend at first, but eight hours later I had three piles of CD’s – ‘crap’, ‘okay’, and ‘wow’.

So how about using the amps in mono? Well, the problem with the other amp was just a loose 47K resistor lead. Quickly located and fixed (another aspect of my growing love of these amps: easy to repair), I bridged them by connecting a set of black and red speaker posts together and then shorting together the direct inputs on each. The bridged performance vs. the single amp:  a bit less imaging, but more punch. Not discernibly ‘louder’ though, which is good. Maybe using an input y-cable would result in something different; but I have no complaints. So what about tube differences? Well, the amps seller was gracious to include a brand new set of SV83’s (to complement the 6922’s and 5u4g's), including a set of cryo’d 83’s. I tried them in different combinations, but think my normal ‘house noise’ (refrigerator, etc) got in the way of any detailed listening. I really didn’t notice much of a difference, but will continue the experiment once I have a proper room.  When will that be? Hopefully soon … amps and speakers have been seconded to a closet awaiting the completion of the renovation, including some acoustic room treatments (also third generation).

I’m really glad people haven’t figured out Decware gear should actually be MORE expensive used than new. After all, it’s already broken in. Thanks go out to Paul and Matt (and Bob and Steve).

I’m now saving up for a ZCD and possibly a CSP2 (yes, Steve… perhaps even ‘new’ this time).

-Tim



 

Welcome, and thanks for the review from a non-lurker.  I always love to read reviews including a Radial of any type; I'm always intrigued to hear how these speakers are received by another.

I didn't get a CSP2 until I had sold my Selects and gotten Decware SE34L Monoblock amps. . . but yes, the CSP2 really transforms the amps and gives them drive and punch.  Consider one when you can!

The ZCD is a great source as well.

Well, can't help you on the MA recording, don't have any of those. Could it just be that the trumpet was recorded with distortion (inadvertantly?)  

Glad you are enjoying the system!

I use recordings I made of bands I was in in the late eighties, recorded in my then garage apartment.  I knew the room, the players, the instruments, the recording deck, and these recordings really help me analyze sound playback.

Yeah, I've been using the Sony SCD-XA5400ES as a source for music and am very happy with both the SACD and Redbook souond!  It is so much fun to just sit and drift away with music.