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ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear (Read 55807 times)
Steve Deckert
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ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
11/09/18 at 17:38:29
 


PART 1

Anniversary Mods - what are they?

You will be hearing about or have already heard that there are Anniversary Mods available for certain things, but other than a discussion in the forum, no information is on the site yet.

These mods are no longer in development.  As time allows we will be adding the options to the shopping cart so they can be purchased on new tube gear.  Mods are now available for existing amplifiers.

The reason these mods came to pass is simply that the performance of the new 25th Anniversary Zen Triode amplifier has shadowed virtually everything we make. It’s actually really that good. So good, in fact,  that after hearing it for any length of time, everything else sounds mediocre.

Think about that, …mediocre. Decware gear sounding mediocre? Our Zen Mystery Amp (ZMA) as reviewed by Tone Audio magazine was said to sound better than Wavac and Shindo, both considered part of the holy grail of tube gear. Think about that too…. an amazing accomplishment, yet as good as Wavac amplifiers sound, or Shindo amplifiers sound, or the even better ZMA amplifier sounds, all sound “mediocre” by comparison to our anniversary amp.

To bring things closer together sonically, the technologies used in the anniversary amp are now available on most everything else as an option.

So far we have shipped around 40 of the new 25th Anniversary Zen Triode amplifiers, and many have found themselves a home amongst lots of great Decware gear… which brings up an interesting situation;

Today an owner of the 25th Anniversary Zen Triode amplifier called me and wanted to upgrade his speakers to get more detail,  imaging and scale… He was running the new anniversary amplifier paired with a ZP3 phono stage, a ZSTAGE and a ZROCK2.  These items are not in the same league as the new amplifier in their stock form and since the weakest link in the chain always determines the sound quality, these items would have to be modified to keep up.

Anniversary mods to be clear, are mods that use the same technology developed in 25th Anniversary Zen Triode amp. Specifically they were 1) VOLTAGE REGULATION TUBES Getting the entire circuit including output stage driven off our series wired Voltage Regulator tubes, and  2) POWER SUPPLY BYPASS CAPS Speeding up the power supply and matching it’s signature to that of the signal-path coupling caps.

There are only a few products that can be updated with both.  Most can only use #2 .

1) VOLTAGE REGULATION TUBES -- The Voltage Regulator tube mod improves the quality of the high-voltage DC power feeding the tubes resulting in even less grain. It is similar to having a power re-generator (that cost more than the amplifier itself) but better. You can hear what this might sound like by listening to your stereo at 2:30 A.M. The 25th Anniversary Zen Triode amp, the ZP3 phono stage and the SE84UFO3’s are the only products that get the entire circuit driven off the voltage regulator tubes. We have also found a way to do it on the CSP3 and the ZROCK2 and will be making it available on 2019 models of the ZBOX and ZSTAGE.

2) POWER SUPPLY BYPASS CAPS -- This mod entails bypassing all the electrolytic filter caps in the power supply with the correct values of film or foil capacitors designed to match the signature of the coupling capacitors in the signal path. In most cases, these are  cryo-treated beeswax caps from Jupiter because that is what our amplifiers use in the signal path. In older amplifiers that used polyurethane caps, we use the same type for the bypass.

SO, to get the guy with an Anniversary amp who drives it with non-anniversary gear up to par, we have to speed up all the non-anniversary gear in the signal path which means doing #2 to those components.




PART II

Anniversary Mods are about speed and resolution of which Decware amps already have quite a bit.

Decware amps are all built right to the point of diminishing returns' bone stock. If you are looking at your first Decware amplifier or Preamp and are on a budget we recommend sticking with the standard configurations. Since most of our products come standard with cryo-treated beeswax caps, it means that doing the power-supply  bypass cap mod is going to be expensive, since we will use the same fancy caps. The difference you would hear is similar to what you would hear by making a substantial upgrade in interconnects and speaker wire. I bring that up because you might have someone buying say an SE84UFO 2 watt amplifier, and he is using mediocre interconnects, or speaker cables, or perhaps even a mediocre source. Clearly if the mod on his amplifier costs $420. he might be lucky to hear any improvement at all whereas if he updated his cables, the amplifier could literally sound almost twice as good.


Glass Resistors

Due to the rarity of these, we just have certain values on hand and can therefor only offer them on certain products. Over time, we may be able to find more and offer them on additional products.

Here is the list of Anniversary Mods now available for both existing and new tube gear (but not yet in the shopping carts).










UPDATE 12/11/2018. TORII MK2,MK3,MK4 beeswax cap mod increased to $600 from $400 because it takes 4 additional beeswax caps that we previously overlooked.


Thanks,

Steve
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Lon
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #1 - 11/09/18 at 19:50:03
 
This is very nice Steve, and the price guide is handy for we who have to figure a way to somehow afford the future mods we want. I'm excited about the ZROCK2 upgrade, as I was planning to eventually buy another, this way I can buy one with the mods and not have to send my original back as I don't think it will allow me to remove it from the main system. . . .

I suspect this will mean more business for Decware!
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JD
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #2 - 11/09/18 at 21:04:42
 
Steve,

Curious to know why the Torii III isn't on the list?

JD
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Steve Deckert
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #3 - 11/09/18 at 21:16:39
 

The remaining TORII's have been added.
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #4 - 11/09/18 at 21:46:37
 
Wow, very happy to see the Torii Mk II being offered the mod path. I may be sending mine in. . . . Thanks for the update.
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #5 - 11/10/18 at 00:32:25
 
I have the standard beeswax cap in my SE84UFO.  I have been thinking about sending it back to have the standard swapped out for the copper. How does the new mod listed above differ from that?

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Archie
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #6 - 11/10/18 at 00:44:12
 
Any idea if the Black Friday sale will include upgrades?  Or the new conditioner, for that matter?
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ZLC
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pursuitofnow
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #7 - 11/10/18 at 01:34:52
 
From the email... "This year it is going to be very simple. 10% off whatever you buy, no limit."

I would think that discount applies to any transaction with Decware.
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Stefan
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #8 - 11/10/18 at 02:11:37
 
Now I'm so glad my ordered ZRock2 from Aug is not yet build so I can upgrade it to the 25th version  :)

Steve, how about the VCaps? Do they get the same beeswax bypass or is the recommendation to then use beeswax completely and not VCaps?
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stone_of_tone
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #9 - 11/10/18 at 14:55:13
 
Rachael from Steve, is back on my purchase list with beeswax bypass!

I want the additional headroom in triode, + I like the power output tube compliments I will roll.
Rolling NOS input tubes too!
Rectifier roll?  Sure, why not. It has been quite some time since I've done that.
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #10 - 11/10/18 at 22:14:00
 
Great news Steve.  

Thanks

JD
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Steve Deckert
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #11 - 11/11/18 at 02:05:34
 

Quote:
I have the standard beeswax cap in my SE84UFO.  I have been thinking about sending it back to have the standard swapped out for the copper. How does the new mod listed above differ from that?


Fantastic question !

The difference between the two coupling caps is minimal by comparison. The bypass cap mod will let you hear the full potential of the coupling cap in the amp now, which is to say , make it sound twice as good. And while beeswax is nice, our pre-beeswax caps were well above the norm for audiophile caps, which is why on pre-beeswax amplifiers we are offering the poly bypass mod.

If you have a pre-beeswax amplifier, and are considering updating to beeswax caps OR doing the poly bypass mod, the poly bypass mod will have perhaps five times the effect - five times the improvement. Ask Bob Ziegler, who had it done to an original Blue TORII.

So I'm sure it's probably not the answer some were expecting, but it has, nevertheless, demonstrated that the power supply actually IS the signal path, or at least the electrons you are hearing. The coupling caps are simply feeding the control grid a signal, and the control grid acts like a shudder to modulate the flow of electrons between the plate and cathode of the tube just as a shudder modulates how much light is allowed to come through a window.

So you can spend a lot of money on shudders, but never think to improve the quality of light coming in.  It's all about the light coming in ; )

-Steve


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Steve Deckert
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #12 - 11/11/18 at 02:12:00
 
The Black Friday sale is on whatever you can purchase online.  So far the only amps that have the anniversary option in the shopping cart are the CSP3, UFO3, and possibly the ZMA ( I can't remember right now). Basically the sale is on new products that  can be ordered from the web site, not on mods or services.

I'll do a coupon for mods this winter sometime and make it good for a period of time, which is the only way it would work.

Steve
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #13 - 11/11/18 at 13:38:32
 
Any plans to revisit the ZTPRE for modification (if applicable)? I regret selling mine.

Embarrassed
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #14 - 11/11/18 at 15:49:50
 
Well, I placed an order for the ZROCK2 with the bypass beeswax mod and the tube regulation. I'll find some way to pay for it. Wink
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #15 - 11/11/18 at 15:51:59
 
Steve - Thank you for the research to make our amazing products sound even more amazing. A separate coupon for modifications with a little longer window will enable lots of us to take advantage of this. I am guessing that a new set of stock tubes will need to be purchased at that time also (ZP3 and CSP3) which works out fine since I believe have a set of stock tubes around gives a great base line when auditioning other tubes. Thanks again Team Decware and happy listening, Chris.
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #16 - 11/11/18 at 18:34:27
 
Cool Steve.  That answered the question I sent Sarah yesterday.

Will the Conditioner be available by the Black Friday sale?
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #17 - 11/12/18 at 21:48:35
 
Hey, I read the Note on my ZMA updates. I'm doing the three/less the Caps right now. So, only a 100 up on the first, but not on the 2nd two mods, correct?  $830 then, instead of 1030. Don't mean to be tacky...just excited on a budget.  :D .....plus, return shipping.
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #18 - 11/13/18 at 14:56:42
 

$830 is correct, that's what he charged me, and I just double checked the math according to his sheet posted above.
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Reply #19 - 11/13/18 at 21:20:58
 
Thanks LR. That just made my day!
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #20 - 11/22/18 at 06:34:15
 
busterfree wrote on 11/11/18 at 13:38:32:
Any plans to revisit the ZTPRE for modification (if applicable)? I regret selling mine.

Embarrassed


Hey Steve, I wanted to bump this … are there any plans to update the ZTPRE with 25th Anni Mods?
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #21 - 11/23/18 at 22:12:54
 
Stone of Tone ~ very happy!

More definition in the imaging + deeper soundstage. Just the tip of the iceberg I bet, .....with more hours on these mods.

Thanks, DeVon, Steve, Sarah & Jacob!  + the whole Decware  team.
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #22 - 11/23/18 at 22:58:21
 
Ohhhh myyyyy, I'm pushing three hours now of Listening (after warm up) in my System, the bass definition and what I said above are, YEAH.

I will refrain from any other comments for now and go back to Enjoying for the rest of the evening. I will part by saying, the handshake between my ZMA/before and quite apparent, 25th'D, with my KS6063 & Acoustic Zen Adagio's (modified) + with Transmission Lines.....WOW!
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #23 - 11/23/18 at 23:02:59
 
Glad you went for it and that the "signature" you didn't want to lose. . . didn't get lost or got improved. Enjoy!
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #24 - 11/23/18 at 23:36:07
 
Yes, yes + yes. Thanks Lon.
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #25 - 11/24/18 at 00:04:01
 
Great to hear Stone!  It just keeps getting sweeter once all those new caps and resistors burn in.  I have a feeling you will have one hellavu entertaining weekend ahead of you.   Wink
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #26 - 11/24/18 at 00:24:39
 
Phew!   Roll Eyes
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ZLC
Technics 1200G TT w/ Ortofon Jubilee MC cart
ZMC1
ZP3 (25th A Mods)
ZR2 (25th A Mods)
CSP3 (25th A mods)
ZMA (25th A mods)
Homemade Big Betsy Speakers (F15s)
Silver Cabling
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #27 - 11/24/18 at 13:58:17
 
Yes! Thanks Jeff.

Arch, good one! Grin Cheesy
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Room Treats-M.Green & mine
Sony TPort
Illuminati D60
Shunyata Z-Alpha DigPcord
Decware ZDSD DAC
Kimber Select KS1030
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Decware ZMA/25th Mods
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #28 - 11/28/18 at 00:11:20
 
Guys, I can attest to Steve's poly cap upgrade on my original Blue Torii.
Man what a transformation it has made.

My amp, IMHO was only bested by the infamous OTL amp. Then the upgrade on the ZMA bested my amp. Compared to the modded ZMA, my amp then sounded dull, flat, almost lifeless.

After Steve performed his magic the first words out  of Chris K's mouth were, "it every bit as good as the OTL", and I agreed.

Listened more in the past months than I can remember listening in a long time, in a room that should, by all rights SUCK but the amp and speakers just don't seem to care. Not sure what that's all about, but I'll take it.
Zygi
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #29 - 11/28/18 at 00:22:13
 
Careful, you'll cause a run on Blue Toriis!   Grin
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ZLC
Technics 1200G TT w/ Ortofon Jubilee MC cart
ZMC1
ZP3 (25th A Mods)
ZR2 (25th A Mods)
CSP3 (25th A mods)
ZMA (25th A mods)
Homemade Big Betsy Speakers (F15s)
Silver Cabling
DIY Isolation platforms under amps & TT.
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #30 - 12/01/18 at 21:57:40
 
9 days deep and as the snow storm rages outside .....with my 25th'd ZMA inside, I want for nothing!

I totally dig my KT66's again. Today though, I'm 7 hours deep with 7581A's and the best Telefunkens** in the world (no idle boast) as inverter's & my Mull's E188CC 7308's/Inputs = Heaven. Tomorrow morning I'll get my Ediswans in for
Inputs.

All, have a great Saturday.

**, I know they are just a smidge under the CCa's.... Don't bust my sack! Grin

......7581A quad, just a tad above 60/bias.
NOS RCA 0A3's of course.
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Room Treats-M.Green & mine
Sony TPort
Illuminati D60
Shunyata Z-Alpha DigPcord
Decware ZDSD DAC
Kimber Select KS1030
XLOProPcord
Decware ZMA/25th Mods
Kimber Select KS6063
Acoustic Zen Adagio/Modified
Kimber PK10 Palladian from wall
to PS Audio P3
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #31 - 12/04/18 at 15:15:11
 
Nice Stone! Our tube compliment is pretty similiar - minus the Telefunks.

Are you running those as inverters??

I've noted I'm gravitating back to the KT66 as well. I'm not sure why. The (modern) 7581A are great, and maybe I need to burn them in more, but I keep coming back to the KT66. Maybe, and I'm totally speculating, with the added speed the KT66 gives us more of that sound (harmonics?) that we are familiar with. I kind of feel that some of the core sound of the ZMA is different after the mod. Yes the amp is noticeably closer to the music, the leading edge of each sound is faster and (IMHO) more accurate, and I'm absolutely loving the micro-detail that's now coming though...but it's not the consistent, (plodding?) freight train of an amp that takes a while to get up to speed but then is pretty unflappable. Instead it feels like the big, slow starting train now has an intricate gearbox and instead of hearing that big unflappable harmonic content, I'm hearing all these precision gears whirring and getting it up to galloping speed more quickly.

Totally off the wall and mostly nonsense description with audiophile descripers mixed in, I know...but maybe it makes sense to someone.

Anyways, my tube compliment is:

Mullard gold pin CV2492 I stumbled into at a great price on my inputs.
Then Steve's tested stock tubes in the inverters
Tung-Sol KT66 with many hours on them, or Tung-Sol 7581A with less than 20 hours on them, or my new favorites the KT8C that are supposedly from Marconi but come from British military stock circa 1973. And I too am running NOS RCA OA3.

I think the Mullards on the input also give the ZMA some of it's old feel back. I think after the mod it might be possible to put tubes in that would make the amp too dry/etched or maybe even too fast.
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #32 - 12/05/18 at 03:29:14
 
Don't be afraid to revisit the 6N1P in the inputs, now that the speed is up they will sound faster.... imagine!

Also the 6N5P are pretty great as a 6N1P replacement with more focus.
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #33 - 12/11/18 at 01:07:02
 
Yes LR! Enjoying the KT66's reinvented with the mod's too.

Back on Friday I commented that I felt the speed/PRaT was off. Not now. Saturday, Sunday and today (I'm off); I put my ARC Line Stage in and drove the ZMA as an Amp with the Gain maxed. This seriously helped my seasoning in process that started back on 11/23.

The fun dynamic's a Pre adds, I can appreciate and why I own one. However, to take it out and run my ZMA direct is what is special about this Amp for me. The transparency, the delicacy and the true tone of Steve's topology shines through. I'm sure she has some more to go too with these Mod's.
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #34 - 12/11/18 at 16:14:04
 

Yeah, Tom keeps telling me I need to let things burn in and not be so judgy so soon. LOL.

I need to get more hours on the ZMA, and revisit input tubes. I need to filter down to the few I really like and just ditch the rest. I have too much stuff and need to make things simpler.
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #35 - 12/11/18 at 18:20:29
 

For the record, the worse thing you can do is roll tubes during a burn-in process.
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Reply #36 - 12/11/18 at 18:26:27
 
Is this just from a listening/judging standpoint or something else?
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #37 - 12/11/18 at 23:29:07
 
it does seem like it'd be a moving target.
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #38 - 12/12/18 at 13:34:53
 
Quote:
For the record, the worse thing you can do is roll tubes during a burn-in process.


Quote:
it does seem like it'd be a moving target.


My thoughts exactly. I've just left it with the new tubes I put in and I'm making an effort to let it play all night while I work on house projects.
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Reply #39 - 12/12/18 at 14:26:55
 
Same here, pleased the KT66's have new life for me. However, my Jam is the 7581A's and I'm sticking with those to further season out..... .

Having put my ARC Line Stage heavy on my ZMA's gain dial/at all positions (riding gain's ARC/ZMA for 3 days + burning in since 11/23).....ZMA was incredible last night driven from the voltage output only of my ZDSD output trannies.

Alas, I read you on the house projects LR! Our 21 year old washing machine died last night and I need to pull her out and clean for the new one being delivered. Kick in shorts + I had to buy Sue a new Oven back in August! This is hitting up my Audio & Music budget. Cry To add insult to injury, I have to move my LP record bookcase (sits halfway up the staircase) to get the old washer off the 2nd floor and the new one up!

Let's just say tonight, a Velveteen Habit IPA and my ZMA will wrap up the evening. Wink Cheesy


PS ~ LR, you have your modified SE84C....rolling around in your sonic memory, ....and for you, that might be hard to beat.

Now granted, your C is not the full 25th SE. However, I bet, in the ballpark. Steve's words here, I think put it best:

"Employing all of these mods dramatically narrows the gap between the ZMA and the UFO25. Of course nights like last evening with the ZMA turned all the way up on large scale music allows it to go where the UFO25 can't, so it's not hard to say it is now the equal of the UFO25, some will say better, some will say only close... the point is that when all this started after hearing the UFO25 for 6 months I could no longer LOVE the ZMA they way I did when it was better than Sindo and Wavac.  Now I can listen to both without feeling like the UFO25 is superior.  This is a great achievement to say the least and I think a great way to offer it."

Steve
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #40 - 12/12/18 at 14:37:03
 
Quote:
PS ~ LR, you have your modified SE84C....rolling around in your sonic memory, ....and for you, that might be hard to beat.


It doesn't help that we just had an up close and personal session with BadWolf's 25th Anniversary Zen - even fresh out of the box that thing was amazing with only 30 minutes of warm up!

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Reply #41 - 12/12/18 at 14:39:54
 
Oh to funny, I just added MORE, to the PS above.
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #42 - 12/13/18 at 21:32:05
 
Is any time fine for sending a Zrock I for an upgrade or should we wait because of the Black Friday orders?
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Reply #43 - 12/13/18 at 22:05:12
 
I sent my ZP3 and ZR2 in for upgrades a couple weeks ago.  Given how busy Decware is I don't think by waiting things will get much better.  I have heard that the upgrades are in a separate pile from the new builds.
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #44 - 12/13/18 at 22:22:18
 
 I'm wondering the same thing on my Torii MKIV upgrade, I think I remember hearing from Steve that upgrades were all completed in 10 working days, but I don't know if that holds any longer with the order situation what it is. I've been hesitant to call but I might be getting a call on myZROCK2 shipping and will ask then and post if I find out anything.

Best,
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #45 - 12/14/18 at 16:44:35
 
As I said above, I sent in my ZP3 and ZR2 which were delivered to Decware Nov. 30th.  I just got word that they have been upgraded and are being packed up.   Cheesy
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #46 - 12/14/18 at 17:37:47
 
Pretty cool Arch, being post BFri!

My ZMA was 10 business days (not counting to and from shipping) pre black Friday.
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #47 - 12/14/18 at 18:46:47
 
I remain hopeful of having my ZROCK2 back before Christmas with 25th Anniversary upgrades!!!!!!!!!!
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #48 - 12/14/18 at 20:13:21
 
I think you will Joe. Merry Christmas!
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Re: ANNIVERSARY MODS for DECWARE gear
Reply #49 - 12/18/18 at 22:37:02
 
I'm listening to my Anniversary modified ZP3 and ZR2 added to the already modified CSP3 and ZMA.  I wish I had better  music articulation skills but right now what I'm hearing is like seeing an image through crystal clear water.  I don't hear as if the performers were in my living room but it seems like the next best thing.  And that's right out of the box!

Steve also got rid of the standby switch on my ZP3.  He doesn't put one on ZP3s anymore and he thought there was a slight improvement by removing it.  I can't say for sure but I never used it and I'm glad to be rid of it.  More direct wiring and all that.

I have the ZR2 in front of the CSP3 (as before) but I think I'm dialing it back compared to pre-mods.  I still like the B curve.  With all of the other mods in place though, the ZR2 seems less crucial, but still liked.
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