Dig:  I was doing a riff on Steve's old ad slogan "the last amp you will ever want."  At this point, I am trying different tubes with this amp and have a deja vu experience.  The big Cary that I had was endowed with a switch to change from triode to ultra-linear.  Triode was sweet, layered and beautiful, but a little rounded off and 60 watts per channel.  Ultra was faster, more dynamic and more exciting and 120 watts.  This is what the Torii 3 is like when you go from Mullard EL34 tubes to Gold Lion KT 66s.   Like having 2 amps.  Although the 66s don't double the power obviously, but all the grip and authority is there.  I have added a small Gallo sub to enhance the bottom end a little bit, so things seem pretty good.  Thinking about upgrading the rectifier tubes though.  With 94 db efficient speakers, a more powerful amp is not needed.

I have not changed my MAIN two channel system much lately, except for dinkin' 'round between pre's and sources and sometimes not. Having fun mostly as it has been for a couple of years.  
Still have open baffle (dual fifteens below single B200s plus a slightly upward firing slot horn tweet JBL - plus my solid MDF deflection towers positioned out back, which I wish there was a way to patent, because these make OB really work nicely) powered by three SB84Cs. Sony Bluray/Dual turntable/Thorens turntable, Crown and Revox R2R sources, Art Pro/McIntosh tube preamps (The McIntosh is new to me, but old school).


I should probably bow out at this point, concerning this thread, but I have mainly focused this year on upgrading my movie rig. I think it is worth bragging about just for a second.  Then I'll shut up about it.

I now have an all  JBL 15"/mid horn/slot tweet mains (think L300, but punchy!) Left and Right,  Dual 10"/ mid horn/ dual slot tweet Center (custom, imagine Cabaret Series), Single 10"/ ring tweet rears (again, Cabaret style customs) on my movie rig.

Lows also kick ass - dual 10"/quad 15" bi-amped LFE channel, separate 18" single and separate 15" single LFE (strategically placed after much ado) All vintage JBL original materials, driven by A Denon 4311 on mains, Ashley used for digital ULF cut off set at 14Hz, DBx parametric flattening out the eighteens and Crown VFX-2 XOs between the 10s, 18 and the 15s, all Crown PS series power on the subs.  (again, all stuff I had sitting around from my sound guy days - just needed to re-think how to put it all together)

I have a TRUE Home Theater rig in my house and it is an amazing thing to behold or "feel," if the urge arises, which it occasionally does, like when we watched "Man Of Steel"  a few days ago - HOLY MOLY!!

Honestly, it was just a matter of buying a couple of Compression Driver diaphragms and getting three of the larger drivers reconed with original JBL replacements to make it all come together; most of everything I already owned. I just needed time to do the work constructing custom enclosures to fit the spaces available. Already had the massive LFE rig going, just needed the fronts, center and rears up to spec.

Going back to two channel in another room, My speakers are too large.

I would love to get decent speakers, super efficient that are smaller. These are nice (came to these after much fun and dinkin' 'round as I mentioned) and they put out incredible sound, huge stage, with just about 6 or 7 watts per channel (3-sb84s); no  one ever believes I have only 6 or 7 watts per channel.

(then again, putting my MC2500 McIntosh across them will take your breath away - but they are TOO DAMN BIG!)

I have made my living room HUGE with movie theater grade speakers. I need to make the speakers in my "shared" close listening room WAY less invasive, just to preserve WAF, if for no other reason. I feel I already have pushed her a bit. One concession would help. I do have a number of small speakers all in the 92dB/W range, but none as Hi-Res as I would like.  Keeping my Sb84s. Need efficient speakers that do not take up half a wall to work.

Over the week end, I brought home some of the "latest"  Klipsch (claimed to be 96dB sensitivity) that we sell on approval. (a simple privilege of working there.)

Honestly, as "nice as they sound"  with my sand piles (and they DO ROCK! with lots of raw power, but not so much with the two Zens I want to use)  it almost sounds as if I am listening to a speaker system that has a cold. They sound stuffed up, when compared to my OBs I have had going for about three years.

Modern Klipsch, (Energy Series) claiming the efficiency I need will not work for me. I will not go back to "congested speakers."

When you get a chance be sure to move footers about under the Mystery Amp, especially if you have Iso-Cups under the amp. It always amazes me the gradations of sound character this allows one to experience (on my Toriis, I would imagine it may be the same with this amp).

Update - had my listening buddy Jason over - he listened with the tweeters wired 180 out of phase (which I thought sounded better to me), then we took the time to flip them back to stock. He said he didn't hear any difference in sound either way (which concerns me). Either way it wasn't the magic fix for my imaging I was hoping it would be. So back to addressing room issues.

Darrwood,
      How are you doing with your new Decware addition to your system. I have had no experience with the Zen amps you mentioned and was hoping someone that does would chime in to tell you a bit about the differences in the two. Anyway hope your enjoying your ZP3. It sure does take a little time saving to move onto the next component to up grade in my system one step at a time. For me it is the hunt and the fun of it sort of like other important things in our lives its the anticipation that keeps us all going.

 Darrwood,
     What really matters is that your enjoying what you currently have. The set up you are enjoying now will give you the opportunity to learn and understand what you want your next move to be when it comes time to upgrade. I find not moving to fast with equipment purchases tends to save me from making costly mistakes or bad decisions. That is most of the time! Ha Ha! Have made mistakes. Glad to hear your happy with your ZP3 I am also very happy with my Decware purchase.



 

I can dig that vibe..... Wisdom can come from experience or from a tight budget and a good Wife....Go Hawks, Sorry I live in the Seattle area