Forums - Initial impressions with Klipsch, Oppo, and Zen

MikeinMontana

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Initial impressions with Klipsch, Oppo, and Zen
01/31/24 at 17:30:51

Just an impression from yesterdays arrival and first listen. I ordered my SE84UFO2.1 the end of Nov, 2021. My wife told me to place the order, and after my stalling several times, she said she's just going to order it anyway then. So I did. We've been married since teenagers.. poor girl. 42 years now. Friends since 11 year old. Still my baby. anyway.. ~It arrived double boxed and packed with care. Outstanding. Kathy helped me set it all up (my left side is gimped) so she's my left hand gal

The amp is hooked up to an Oppo BDP-103 as the only source (for now) and 1998 (96 models. last year manu) Klipsch ChorusII speakers. I have read a hundred times how things 'burn in' and even get better sounding as amp is settling in. Well, If more of that burn in makes this little amp even better, I cannot imagine much more than it already sounds. We played several cd's last night and probably should have watched the time. Snuck up on us. Played the entire cd of Simon and Garfunkles greatest hits, then several songs from Dire straits, several songs from Supertramp sacd and a blu ray. And single songs off several more discs, including Kansas. I set the volume at about 3 o'clock and used the Oppo volume control as needed and it worked perfectly fine. Didn't really need it much anyway. By the way-PLENTY of volume out of this setup. Amazing. I am not going to try to describe the sound as it would sound much like the reviewers have already said. We both heard things we hadn't noticed before on many of the songs last night. And the songs played we knew very well over so many years. Well, we thought we did I guess. Better recordings make a huge difference as we all know, this thing makes those better ones nuts! I also wanted to thank Veronica as I did call her a couple times, she answered my questions and took care of business. I have some trouble talking sometimes and she was wonderful. Thank you Mr. Deckert and all staff as well. Pure quality in all regards. I'll check back in in a month or so.. Please excuse my typing etc, getting off the pc now. Practice typing session is over. ~~~So happy!!! All the best~ Mike

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Tone-Deaf

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Re: Initial impressions with Klipsch, Oppo, and Zen
Reply #1 - 01/31/24 at 18:48:38

Hello, Mike. Glad you finally have your amp, and are enjoying it right out of the box. I wanted to echo your comment that I have heard lots of things in recordings I know with my Decware amp that I never heard before. If I had to boil down what I think of my Decware amp, it would be that I get to hear new things in recordings I have heard many times before.

Again, glad that your wait is over, and you now get to enjoy the music!

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LiquidBlue Seasoned Member Offline Posts: 186 SoCal	Re: Initial impressions with Klipsch, Oppo, and Zen Reply #2 - 01/31/24 at 19:03:28 Mike, glad the wait is finally over! I can relate to the time warp Decware gear causes with late night listening. Music just sounds too beautiful to turn off sometimes!
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chapsjon

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Re: Initial impressions with Klipsch, Oppo, and Zen
Reply #3 - 02/01/24 at 00:15:47

Congrats Mike! I ordered my SE84 shortly before you and have been enjoying it immensely since its arrival. As you say, these 2.3w amps play with more volume and authority than you'd think they have a right to.

Thanks for sharing a little about you and your wife enjoying it together. That really resonated with me as life and loves shared make all it so much more fulfilling and enjoyable.

Believe it or not, your amp will sound even better as you continue to enjoy.

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LR:Mini Torii+Wright WPP100 phono, CSP2+SE84UFO, Pioneer Exclusive M4, Accuphase E-303,Graham Slee Jazz Club, Technics SL-1200MK3D Grace F-8 & Nagaoka MP-110, Yamaha NS-1000M, KEF Reference 101, Sony SS-5050
BR: SE84C+, ZP1 phono, Decware 945
JVC QL-7 Shure V15

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Kamran Seasoned Member Online Sarah Posts: 1292	Re: Initial impressions with Klipsch, Oppo, and Zen Reply #4 - 02/10/24 at 06:47:48 Loved Loved Loved your initial impressions Mike—it had that deep penetrating your soul vibe to it. Be well and enjoy your amp!
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MikeinMontana

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Re: Initial impressions with Klipsch, Oppo, and Zen
Reply #5 - 04/01/24 at 16:02:43

Well, it's been over two months now and still going strong. We did have a hiccup with a rectifier, but was no big deal at all as I had the pleasure to speak with Steve and Sarah over the phone. Anyone on the fence ordering from Decware needs to know that these people at Decware are absolutely awesome! Nicest people and they made our day. I got a phone call at what I figured was their quitting time. Told Steve he needed to get out of there and eat some dinner. He was not having any of that and we talked even more..I could talk to this man all day. Also his Daughter, Sarah, a sweetheart. Comes with the territory. Proud to own one of their amps and proud of them too. The 'hiccup' was dealt with in record time.
We have been going through our music collections and we've not even touched the surface of the physical discs we have stored all over the inside of our home. Not to mention flak files in usb drives and hard drives. I think all of our cabinets, tables, drawers, shelves and closets have music stacked on and inside them. We've run out of room. Collecting since about 1985. Love it!

I did get all the back-up tubes ordered just in case so we're all good now. Also, do NOT drop a tube from any distance onto a wood table. I was test driving replacements and dropped an input tube from about 2 inches onto the counter. POOF! Blew that 5 amp rectifier fuse and the input tube. Luckily, that order came with two tubes so the second one worked great....didn't drop it~ What a clod. Have all replacement tubes stored away now. All the red topped originals are in the amp. We've ran this amp almost every evening since new. We still constantly run into songs we haven't heard in so long and hearing things we have not heard before hidden inside the music. Not hiding at all anymore! This is a blast! Back to what I had said before, reviews have all said it already, but we truly love the sound that this puts out. amazement with every single session.

All the very best to Decware and family. You cannot do better anywhere~
God Bless~ Mike & Kathy

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CAJames Seasoned Member Offline "I've run every red light on memory lane." Posts: 3412	Re: Initial impressions with Klipsch, Oppo, and Zen Reply #6 - 04/01/24 at 21:50:50 That's so awesome Mike! I like to say Decware is more than worth the wait and worth much more than the cost. That is true for the gear and goes double for the people.
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MikeinMontana

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Re: Initial impressions with Klipsch, Oppo, and Zen
Reply #7 - 06/08/24 at 18:40:40

Still going at it, but a few less nights listening. We are outdoor types, so this time of year we're out a lot more. Got pretty cooked wearing a tank top yesterday working on property. Should have stuck with t-shirts. My son and I talk on the phone every weekend as he now lives in Ohio (work). His Zen arrived a couple of days before mine. It never fails that we talk of the last album we listened too or song. He's crazy over his too. One of the last we listened too was an old cd by K.D. Lang, Ingenue. Produced by Greg Penny and Ben Mink. An amazing sounding recording. Someone really cared on this one too. Anyway, all good over here in the sticks. And back outside we go... Take care all and as usual.....Thank You Decware~ edit. Foreigner, Double Vision. First release, version cd. AWESOME too! Mike yup James..100 percent Smiley

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Steve Deckert Administrator Online If the 1st watt sucks why continue? Posts: 6618 East Peoria IL	Re: Initial impressions with Klipsch, Oppo, and Zen Reply #8 - 06/09/24 at 02:55:40 We love what we do because of people like you! We hope you enjoy it it for generations to come : ) Steve
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MikeinMontana Seasoned Member Online Posts: 379	Re: Initial impressions with Klipsch, Oppo, and Zen Reply #9 - 06/10/24 at 01:12:20 Thank you Steve. A class act outfit...
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MikeinMontana

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Re: Initial impressions with Klipsch, Oppo, and Zen
Reply #10 - 06/14/24 at 15:38:25

Well, it's thunderstorm in the mountains season. Sometimes Unplugging 'things' again. We live in a thin valley between two mountain ranges, and lightning strikes smack the sht out of things (trees, power lines, homes etc..) around here. High altitude I guess. We've lost too much stuff over the years, so sticking with just unplugging. NOT going to chance cooking my amp! [smiley=icqlite20.png] Image a couple of evenings ago~ Take care all Mike

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MikeinMontana

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Re: Initial impressions with Klipsch, Oppo, and Zen
Reply #11 - Today at 18:00:30

Coming up on year three~

We've been sticking with a NOS rectifier, 5u4g US Navy National Union smooth plate 1943-45? Still the same red top Decware supplied outputs. I have another pair from Decware when needed. The originals still sound fine right now. To me. A 1942 mint NOS 6sn7gt black glass, oval plate TungSol at the input. The adapter has worked great for many months now. Swapped a few tubes around several months ago too and these have been in place since. Still played several hours a week. Obviously good recordings are just unreal. Even the not so good mixes are best through the Decware. We own a ton of mostly cd's over the years. So thankful we stuck with owning physical media since we were just kids. Still not renting music. Not a dime spent on it. The thought just bugged me. For those who do 'steam', good. Got to have music!
We just received a Tom Petty movie score cd and it sounds so wonderful. This played through an Oppo bdp 105 into the Klipsch ChorusII's. I don't think we have enjoyed anything as much as our little Decware amp for music, ..still sure of it, and we're not all that young anymore.

All the very best to Decware and the folks on this here forum who always answered my questions over the last few years too. What a wonderful outfit! Could never go wrong here!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK9ylm3ijbo&list=OLAK5uy_nwWFnoDoorXEMvUOuKm9EIl...

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