Forums - F/S SE84 clone

bobc Senior Member Posts: 64	F/S SE84 clone 01/15/24 at 16:34:44 Hi, I thought I'd share this ad here in case there was interest. Feel free to contact me for more pics and information. I built this amp for my father, who no longer needs it. Feel free to contact me for more details. https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650057595-declare-se84-clone/
Back to top	IP Logged

Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 23578	Re: F/S SE84 clone Reply #1 - 01/15/24 at 16:51:36 Beautiful build! I'm sure it will sell soon.
Back to top	HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1 IP Logged

charles hidalgo Seasoned Member Posts: 494	Re: F/S SE84 clone Reply #2 - 01/15/24 at 21:30:14 Yeas I have looked at that ad more than a couple of times. Nice!
Back to top	SEWE300B #004 HDTv2 Zbit Schiit Freya+ Schiit Loki Max EverSolo Streamer/DAC combo Custom AT turntable Softone phone stage TEAC and Otari tape machines SVS Pro 1000 subs Nordost cables IP Logged

Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 23578	Re: F/S SE84 clone Reply #3 - 01/15/24 at 21:40:36 If I hadn't overextended myself in '23 . . . way overextended myself. . . . .
Back to top	HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1 IP Logged

charles hidalgo Seasoned Member Posts: 494	Re: F/S SE84 clone Reply #4 - 01/15/24 at 22:23:02 Quote: If I hadn't overextended myself in '23 . . . way overextended myself. . . . . Uh huh, :(
Back to top	SEWE300B #004 HDTv2 Zbit Schiit Freya+ Schiit Loki Max EverSolo Streamer/DAC combo Custom AT turntable Softone phone stage TEAC and Otari tape machines SVS Pro 1000 subs Nordost cables IP Logged

Carlsbad

Seasoned Member

Posts: 201

Re: F/S SE84 clone
Reply #5 - 01/21/24 at 22:53:42

I read the ad. I am currently using using the mighty SE84UFO in my primary system. The listing has an interesting twist in it:

"Includes a Triode/UL switch next to each output tube. In UL mode, the output power is doubled, most prefer the sound in Triode mode."

At first I thought he was talking about the speaker load selector switch beside each pair of binding posts but it has another switch beside each output tube.

Jerry

Back to top

Decware SE84UFO w/20th mods
Grimm MU1 Streamer
Lampizator Golden Gate 3 DAC
Tekton Encore Speakers

IP Logged

Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 23578	Re: F/S SE84 clone Reply #6 - 01/22/24 at 00:09:10 Right. Plus he installed different caps and volume control etc. Should have an interesting sound. I'm interested. I think I am going to sell my Taboo Mk IV soon and can afford this--should work in my audio-visual system with my CSP3 with the mods. I sent an email.
Back to top	HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1 IP Logged

CAJames

Seasoned Member

"I've run every
red light on memory
lane."

Posts: 1704

Re: F/S SE84 clone
Reply #7 - 01/22/24 at 01:09:45

Quote:

"Includes a Triode/UL switch next to each output tube. In UL mode, the output power is doubled, most prefer the sound in Triode mode."

So the standard Zen circuit uses a pentode tube as a triode. In ultralinear mode you use a fraction of the pentode to increase the output power, but also keep some of the triode characteristics to improve the sound quality. At least that's the theory.

Back to top

[FOOBAR2000 | Jay's CDT2 MRK3] -> Denafrips Terminator 2 + Gaia
Sumiko Pearwood -> Mapleknoll Athena -> Luxman SUT -> Maple-tree Phono 3E
Woo WA22 -> 2x UFO25s, balanced monos
Omega SAM , Hifiman Arya, Senn HD-650

IP Logged

Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 23578	Re: F/S SE84 clone Reply #8 - 01/22/24 at 02:26:31 Well this one is coming off the market, I made a purchase. Will know soon what this sounds like.
Back to top	HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1 IP Logged

Carlsbad Seasoned Member Posts: 201	Re: F/S SE84 clone Reply #9 - 01/24/24 at 23:32:17 Congratulations. Post your results. If it sounds as good (in triode mode) as the SE85UFO you'll be very happy. Jerry
Back to top	Decware SE84UFO w/20th mods Grimm MU1 Streamer Lampizator Golden Gate 3 DAC Tekton Encore Speakers IP Logged

Lon

Seasoned Member

"Love without
guts is
worthless!"
Philip K. Dick

Posts: 23578

Re: F/S SE84 clone
Reply #10 - 01/24/24 at 23:55:39

I received it today, but haven't had the opportunity to unbox it. Perhaps tomorrow.

I'm hoping it will have enough oomph to replace a DALAUDIO amp in my living-room system. I'm quite acquainted with the UFO sound and am interested to hear how these differing caps like the AudioCap and Sprague alter the sound. Also it's not really a "UFO" as it has different output transformers--bigger, beefier, and not Steve designed.

Back to top

HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1

IP Logged

bobc Senior Member Posts: 64	Re: F/S SE84 clone Reply #11 - 01/25/24 at 22:40:35 I hope it works out for you.
Back to top	IP Logged

Lon

Seasoned Member

"Love without
guts is
worthless!"
Philip K. Dick

Posts: 23578

Re: F/S SE84 clone
Reply #12 - 01/25/24 at 23:12:20

I got to listen to it for about two hours today.

It sounds a lot like what the Model C that I had modded by Eddie Vaughan would sound like if it had Anniversary mods--the transformers have that less revealing sound that pre-UFO transformers did, perhaps a bit denser as these are black iron transformers about a third the size each of the large main Hammond transformer. Not a bad thing! There are not a lot of hours on this amp so it will slowly morph over time. . . I do think that there will be enough "oomph" for this large room, and though at the moment I prefer the DALAUDIO amp I think that will change when this amp seasons in and I have tailored it more for the system.

It sure is a beautiful build by someone who has built a number of amps and knows what to do.

Back to top

HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1

IP Logged

Lon

Seasoned Member

"Love without
guts is
worthless!"
Philip K. Dick

Posts: 23578

Re: F/S SE84 clone
Reply #13 - 01/26/24 at 15:30:23

I managed to get five hours on this amp this morning, and I've played around with settings and rolled a few tubes and. . . this is quite a nice amp, especially for the money.

It sounds more like an SE84UFO now that a bit of fog has lifted from it and I have it tailored to the room and source. The tonal balance is quite nice with the higher resolution material and it has surpassed the DALAUDIO in terms of imaging and soundstage--not a lot but a bit more width and depth. This in the "Triode" mode. Ultra-linear sounds quite good as well, my wife prefers it as she likes a stronger sound (her hearing is a bit more challenged than mine). So when she wants to listen to the stereo and not just to the TV (her preferred source, go figure, I admit that I have the TV tuned pretty well) all I have to do is switch to Ultralinear and the higher bias on the input tube.

Quite happy. I would not hesitate to consider purchasing an amp built by this seller.

Back to top

HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1

IP Logged

Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 23578	Re: F/S SE84 clone Reply #14 - 01/26/24 at 22:16:13 Wow, another couple hours and a fuse change (from stock plain jane to SR Purple) and this amp is not only giving me plenty of power for the speakers and room, it is sounding very very good. I'm glad I went for it!
Back to top	HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1 IP Logged

bobc Senior Member Posts: 64	Re: F/S SE84 clone Reply #15 - 01/27/24 at 00:21:23 So glad you enjoy it! It’s all about the circuit….
Back to top	IP Logged

Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 23578	Re: F/S SE84 clone Reply #16 - 01/27/24 at 18:25:04 Indeed!
Back to top	HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1 IP Logged