Congrats!

A few questions:

How big is your room?
Will the speakers be positioned on stands or on a shelf?

If you have the speakers close to the wall on a book shelf, you may want something front ported.

I'm also rocking a Rega/Hana/Decware system and highly recommend Omega Loudspeakers - especially for small to medium sized rooms.

I’d look at Decware’s DM 945

Used Fritz Monitors are just an amazing speaker.  Especially the models with Scan Speak drivers.  New would be over your budget but worth every $. I picked up his Rev5 SE for $1400 about a year agofor my second system.  My older brother went to UCLA the Wooden Walton era.  I was always a UCLA BB and football fan not USC and their annoying band fight song that never ends🤣

CA James!  Go Trojans!  You got a friend in me. Class of 83.
Bob

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Fight on!

But I will say this: I love my SAMs, but they are big and IMO need to be well away from the back wall to work their magic. If the OP needs something close to the wall I’d go with something smaller, or even better talk to Louis and get his opinion.

I do need to be close to the wall unfortunately.  This will be far from an optimal setup.  I'm looking at the Zu DWX actually.  Front ported and are marketed with the idea that they will not be placed optimally.  The proof will be in the pudding but with 60 days to try them not much downside.  Omega still in the running though!

Lots of good recommendations from forum members. I’m going to go a different path here… since you are building out a second system, have you considered a really good pair of headphones?  I’m sitting here as I write this post listening to Bocelli’s “Sogno” Album on my Grado 1000’s and it’s a great experience.  If you own a CSP that doubles as a headphone amp…you are good to go.

When I hear “office setup”….I foresee the room acoustics becoming a limiting factor for you experiencing great sound.  The best part about headphones, is that it almost completely takes room acoustics out of the equation.  You will get great detail….especially though your vinyl rig and your new Jr.  

I picked mine up used for under $700 and it was a great investment.  I can’t believe I went as long as I did without them.  There are a lot of great headphones out there, and I went with the Grado’s based off of a forum members recommendation, and it was a home run.   If can audition a Decware system through a good set of headphones, I would give it a try.  

bruinuclafan,

I agree that there is good advice here. I don't own Omega's, but I've only heard good things about them.

Having to place the speakers close to the wall limits it a little but I think you're on the right track with a front ported speaker. I haven't heard the new Zu DWX bookshelves, but I do own two pairs of Zu's. I own the Omen MkII-B floor standers (12 ohm, 97db efficiency) which have the same drivers and tweeters as the DWX it looks like. I was really happy with them and used them for about 5 years before I decided to upgrade to the Soul Supreme's (16 ohm, 101db efficiency). I imagine the DWX with the same drivers as the Omens would have a close sound signature to the Omens and something I think may fit well with your system. If you can spring for the superfly or supreme upgrade for the DWX it may be worth it and would roughly stay in your budget.

The Soul Supremes were a definite upgrade to the Omens since they use different drivers and internals. The 'supreme' upgrade of the DWX doesn't turn it into the Soul Supreme since the drivers don't change in the DWX with the upgrade but with the size and heft (40+ lbs.) of the DWX make them a very compelling choice.

I think the Zu's prefer some power behind them and your Torii will make them really sing and give all they have. You will probably get more slam from them than you could imagine once they're broken in.

I have my Soul Supremes paired with the UFO25 and although the Torii has much more power, the UFO25 gives me great sound but can't slam as hard as my old 100w sand amp. It also doesn't achieve high SPL levels, but I knew that going in when I decided on the low power/high efficiency route. What I gave up in slam and high SPL (I still get about 82-85db peaks at listening position) I got back in spades with tone, frequency balance, soundstage, and accurate definition of instruments in timbre and space. I would actually like to hear what the Souls sound like with a Torii. I think it would be exceptional. I went with the SET and I'm extremely happy with it. Of course, I can't help but think 'what if'.

Good luck with your choice and keep us posted.

If you disconnect your source(s) and the hum goes away then you have a ground loop (most likely). There are a bunch of ideas for dealing with a ground loop: on the site, probably in your manual and on the internet in general. It isn’t convenient for me to do links ATM, but look around, they are easy to find.

If it doesn’t then there is something else good on. Maybe bad AC power, or EM noise. It might just be the inherent hum from your amp as well. How much time do you have on your amp? If it is new the tubes probably need some time to break in. New tubes can be noisy for anywhere from a few to a few dozen hours.

I've tried a few things now.  I swapped out the I put tubes, the rectifier tube, and the power tubes (all one at a time).  Nothing changed the hum at all.  I also tried swapping the output tubes to see if there was an issue with the matched pair.  Also no change.  I bought an iFi DC blocker.  That also did not change anything.  I also unplugged all components aside from the speakers to check for another component causing the ground loop, but the hum was still there.  So I'm stumped now as to what to do.  

The hum really isn't that big a deal and I can't hear it over the music, but with no music I can hear it anywhere in the room.  It's weird, the hum starts about 10 seconds after turning on the amp.  I wonder if the speakers are picking up some buzzing from the amps transformers?  I'm probably give Decware a call this week and see what they say.  

On the bright side, the amp is wonderful and I love the sound I am getting from the Zu DWX.  The bass response is good from them, and this was my biggest worry given that I will not be adding a sub in this room.

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That sounds like about the time it takes the tubes to warm up. Picking up hum seems like a longshot, but try moving the speaker cables around and see if the hum changes at all.

You said you bought the amp used, did it go to Decware to be checked out and the warranty transferred to you? It sounds like you have an usually "loud" amp, and talking to Steve is always a good choice.

another inexpensive check is a 3 prong to 2 prong adapter.  I use them and I'm still here.  (I actually lived in an old house that only had 2 prong sockets and had to use them).  I personally believe that stuff sounds better without the all the hash on the common ground but YMMV

Dana~ We have three subs in the family room. Took forever to get bass to sound decent/good in large, wide open and tall room. Used for the 5.3 system. One sub is the original, front firing Hsu Vtf-3. So many years now. Purchased new in 2003! Love this one. It actually came with a 3-2 prong adapter in box for those that had a slight hum with theirs in home. Ours did and has been quiet using the adapter since brand new. I have heard some folks say that plug adapters are such a bad idea, but I am sticking with what has worked perfectly fine forever now too....  and it sounds fantastic with the UFO too! I swap cables, switch crossover IN , and bring level down a bit with that one when going back/forth to the 5.3. That sub sits in the front corner and is easy to get to.  Just played Dire Straits, Love Over Gold SACD (Mofi) last night...again..  Amazing~ All the best to ya~ Mike

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First thing I would like to throw out here is that our simple rule is that if you don't hear hum from the listening chair, 'it doesn't hum'.  

Setting the hum level in an amplifier during it's design phase is a balancing act against dynamics.  More hum, more dynamics, less hum, less dynamics.  This is why there is a low level background hum present with sensitive speakers.  It is by design and ensures the sound is good.  Without it, the soft would be softer and less dynamic, less fast, more like everyone else's hifi crap.  Whoops, I thought that out loud didn't I?

Second, if a rectifier fuse blows the hum can be heard across the house.  What hasn't been mentioned here is that in a push pull amplifier like the TORII and ZMA, the output tubes have to be matched pairs.  The tighter the match the less hum there will be.    

Steve : )

Well,

I've been enjoying this amp for the past few months.  Really great sound.  Today, I turned on the amp and the tubes appear to all light up but there is no sound coming from the speakers.  Except the OA3 tubes.  Those aren't flickering or lighting up at all, and do not get warm.  Those are the only two tubes I don't have a replacement for.  I've ordered a pair, but in the meantime, anything think the issue could be something else?

Typically when I power on the amp there is a faint humming sound, like the amp is gearing up, followed by the hum I mentioned above activating after 10 seconds or so.  None of that is happening now.  The amp is silent.  Not sure what that means.  I have a call scheduled with Steve for next week but any other insight is appreciated!

I don't know how to do that...

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Without the OA3 tubes lighting up you are guaranteed not to have any sound. The question is what happened. It is possible, but seems unlikely, that they both failed today. I think it is more likely there was a problem with the rectifier, which either blew the rectifier fuses (they are on the underside of the amp top plate), the rectifier itself or both. You'll need to check the rectifier fuses, if you aren't confident doing that I suggest a call to Steve and he can talk you through it. If the rectifier lights up it is probably OK, but it sounds like you have a replacement regardless.

Yes, most people do it themselves. But, if you aren't comfortable my advice is don't push it. Talk to Steve.

Maybe. The one of the left looks like a ceramic fuse to me, which is just a different type. If anything the one on the right looks a little sus to me. But, unless you have a multimeter, it is almost impossible to tell for sure if the fuses are good. At this point you might as well replace both the left and right. I think they are 200 or 250 mA, if you take them out you might be able to read the rating.

Ok I pulled out the right one it is definitely blown.  Rating looks like 500 mA 250V. Where do you guys buy replacements?  Amazon?

Certainly Amazon, but e.g. Home Depot usually has them as well if you want to drive.

Oh yeah, Home Depot. Hate that place, but they are getting a lot of my money of late with a kitchen remodel.

Usually when one of these fuses fails it is the rectifier at fault. Steve says about the SEWE300B that is really the only way a fuse blows (though there is only the main fuse in this amp). When I had Zen amps and in my preamps with the fuses under the chassis it is always the rectifier that blows the fuse. Sometimes it is okay, usually it has failed or is about to fail. It is ALWAYS A GREAT IDEA to have a full replacement tube complement to test after failures.

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Totally agree. Also a good idea to have (several) spare fuses on hand.

Sorry about the rectifier, but good news you're listening again!