Sorry, it wasn't intensional. Some clarity. Firstly I am listening to the speakers on the TORII JRv2. I am using the CSP325 Anniversary Preamp in front of the TORII JRv2. I am using ZSTYX wire, a critical component in this equation. The TORII JRv2 has it's stock Russian EL34's, and 6922's with a NOS 5U4 rectifier, which is what I usually ship them with now.
As I mentioned, I started this journey with the SE84UFO25 driving the speakers, which should be enough, but coming off 100dB speakers large in size I found myself pushing the amp trying to get to where I was before. Had I not had that reference, the UFO25 would have had adequate power with these speakers. As a point of reference these are just noticeably louder than a pair of HR-1's. I already know a pair of UFO25's bridged mono will be the holy grail, but I am still breaking in the speakers, and I don't have two amps built for myself, only one, and we're so busy I hate to make a customer wait an extra few days while we build myself an amp.
So to that effect I have been breaking everything in using the TORII JRv2, and the sound is so damn good, it makes me drag my feet to try the TORII MK4, ZMA, or any other amp for that matter. The preamp took things to another level I wasn't expecting.
Right now, these speakers have the best midrange I think I have ever heard. I'm listening to these exclusively for the past month and am already starting to feel like there is a reasonable possibility I won't be able to ever find a better reference. Believe it or not a piano sounds more real on these than any other speaker I have. The Zen Master Series Baffles are a close second, and get the weight and scale a touch better, but these sound more real everywhere else. It's just amazing. I think the Audio Gods are guiding me down a new path. They got my attention (and everyone else's) with the Tiny Radials, and now I'm being shown what can actually be done in an exotic small speaker. Something that anyone can use, and most people could afford. It would be making my face hurt from smiling had it not been melted off by these speakers already.
Yes, there will be a TORII MK5 once the steel gets here. Everyone with a recent TORII MK4 on order will be getting a MK5 at the MK4 price. It's going to be sweet. I made the TORII JRv2 so good there was really little incentive to move up to a TORII MK4, and sonically the incentive won't be huge over a TORII JRv2, but visually and in other ways it will be worth the extra bucks.
If not for all the delays in supply lines this amplifier would have been in the final stages of listening in the production chassis by now. Nothing I can do about it but wait for chassis.
As far as the speakers go the initial testing is complete and we have made arrangements to fold them into our speaker offerings, as well as have a few pair in stock for DECFEST 2021. These are small enough to fit in to cary on luggage bags so people could actually take a pair home, especially if they drive.
This is how I am branding them:
Decware "Tube Tots". I think we can all remember that one.
Price is still pending. There was a $1200 cap on this project, so it won't be over that.
Steve