Forums - Advice needed - Pure Audio Project Duet Horn w....

RY

Verified Member

Posts: 4

Advice needed - Pure Audio Project Duet Horn w....
Yesterday at 19:21:53

Hello Decware guru's...

I have Pure Audio Project Duet Horns, and I want to unlock them with the most vivid and hauntingly realistic amp... I seek your advice.

I have a smallish room, 14' x 16' with an 8' ceiling. I listen to mostly vocals and acoustic intruments, jazz, African... etc.

Which amp do you think would be best suited for this set of factors? For the open baffle Horn's, for the small room and the listening tastes???

I am leaning to the Sarah 300b.... but want to hear your advice.

ALSO, if indeed the 300b.... I am on the waiting list, but is it worthwhile for me to spring for an essentially new Sarah Amp with Wathen Cryotone tubes for $7700? Time is always of the essence..

Thank you for your advice...

r.

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Lon

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Posts: 27036

Re: Advice needed - Pure Audio Project Duet Horn w....
Reply #1 - Yesterday at 19:54:56

I think your speakers would give you many choices.

My two cents? I have had Zen amps, fully modded SE84UFO3 Monoblocks, Torri Mk II and Mk III, a pair of EL34 Monoblocks Steve didn't make for long, an early Rachel, Taboo Mk III and Mk IV. . . and my favorite is my current SEWE300B. It just has the ease of sound and a depth of sound that work so well for me and ,my listening material (mostly jazz). Also . . . all the previous amps sounded better to me with a preamp, and the SEWE300B does not need one.

If you have a preamp you love the SE84UFO3 monoblocks are fantastic amps. . . . IMO they are just slightly more analytical than the SEWE300B and some really like that aspect to the Monoblocks and the SE84UFO25 amps. . . but the SEWE300B just suits my listening better.

I'm sure you are going to get recommendations all over the map from the fine ears and minds of this forum. Best of luck with your decisions!

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HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK3,SEWE300B; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3;VeraFi Audio cpts VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects;Stack EQ; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1

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RY Verified Member Posts: 4	Re: Advice needed - Pure Audio Project Duet Horn w.... Reply #2 - Yesterday at 19:59:02 hmmm.... so a +1 for the 300B Sarah amp itself... what is your suggestion on purchasing a near new amp today from a private individual at about the same cost as it would be new from decware? what would I be loosing? the warrantee from decware? r.
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Doug Seasoned Member Posts: 346	Re: Advice needed - Pure Audio Project Duet Horn w.... Reply #3 - Yesterday at 20:13:19 You can send in the previously owned amp and have the lifetime warranty transferred. In the case of a Sarah, with the required new tube set and the transfer fee, you'd be somewhere in the neighbor of $1,000.
Back to top	Jay’s CD2T-Mk3 Denafrips Pontus II ZROCK2 25th Mods CSP3 25th & Custom Mods Speakers: PAP Quintet w/Vox 1.6 or Horn1 PAP-C1 (First Watt) active crossover Amplifiers: LFD NCSE for Woofers First Watt J2 for Voxativ and Horn Cary 300SEI for Super Tweeters IP Logged

Lon

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"Love without
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Philip K. Dick

Posts: 27036

Re: Advice needed - Pure Audio Project Duet Horn w....
Reply #4 - Yesterday at 20:19:45

As Doug says you could get a warranty transfer, that "lifetime warranty" would be what you would be missing.

And personally. . . I did not find the Cryotone tubes to my taste, preferring to use ultimately mostly less expensive NOS tubes and a new production Psvane rectifier and NOS Shuguang output tubes--those sounded better to me in the amp. Others like the Cryotone a lot more than I.

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HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK3,SEWE300B; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3;VeraFi Audio cpts VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects;Stack EQ; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1

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RY Verified Member Posts: 4	Re: Advice needed - Pure Audio Project Duet Horn w.... Reply #5 - Yesterday at 20:56:34 Given this is a Deware forum, I would expect a bias.... BUT Is the difference between the Sarah 300B and something like the Pass Labs INT 25 simply significant enough to warrant sticking with tubes? r.
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Lon

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"Love without
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Philip K. Dick

Posts: 27036

Re: Advice needed - Pure Audio Project Duet Horn w....
Reply #6 - Yesterday at 21:04:47

I've only heard a Pass Audio integrated once for a few days at a relative's house, years ago.

I wouldn't give up my Decware amps for one then, but that's just me. The Pass just did not have a certain texture and flexibility I prize in my Deware amps. So many different factors to consider though: speakers, room size, personal taste--it's a subjective choice I believe.

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HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK3,SEWE300B; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3;VeraFi Audio cpts VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects;Stack EQ; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1

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CAJames

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Re: Advice needed - Pure Audio Project Duet Horn w....
Reply #7 - Yesterday at 21:37:43

Quote:

Posted by: RY Posted on: Today at 12:56:34

...Is the difference between the Sarah 300B and something like the Pass Labs INT 25 simply significant enough to warrant sticking with tubes?

Before Decware I had Pass Aleph 2s (100W single ended Class A monoblocs) that I thought were pretty much the last word in detail, transparency and tonal liquidity. But my Decware amps: originally UFOs, now UFO25s, both configured as balanced monoblocs blew the Pass amps out of the water.

If you are hesitant to get a tube amp, Pass would be a great way to go IMO. But I think you will get (much) better sound for (much) less money with Decware.

As for which Decware amp to get, in your situation I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. I lean towards the UFO models but if your gut says the 300B then I'd go with your gut.

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[Volumio | Jay's CDT2 MRK3] -> Denafrips Terminator 2 + Gaia
Sumiko Pearwood -> Mapleknoll Athena -> Luxman SUT -> Mapletree Phono 3E
STR-1002 -> Woo WA22 -> 2x UFO25s, balanced monos
Omega SAM , Hifiman Arya, Audeze LCD-XC

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Doug

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Posts: 346

Re: Advice needed - Pure Audio Project Duet Horn w....
Reply #8 - Yesterday at 21:59:17

Here's another take on how to fully unlock PAP speaker potential. I worked constantly for seven years to bring my PAP Quintets to their best with multiple crossover upgrades, and wiring upgrades, but I always knew there was still far more there. Only when I purchased the PAP C1 active crossover did the supernatural magic happen. Yes, it takes two amps instead of one, but had I known it could be as good as it is with the C1, I never would have fooled around with the passive crossover.

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Jay’s CD2T-Mk3
Denafrips Pontus II
ZROCK2 25th Mods
CSP3 25th & Custom Mods
Speakers:
PAP Quintet w/Vox 1.6 or Horn1
PAP-C1 (First Watt) active crossover
Amplifiers:
LFD NCSE for Woofers
First Watt J2 for Voxativ and Horn
Cary 300SEI for Super Tweeters

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RY

Verified Member

Posts: 4

Re: Advice needed - Pure Audio Project Duet Horn w....
Reply #9 - Yesterday at 22:43:15

About the warrantee... what is the difference between a "transferred warrantee" and a "lifetime warrantee"?

And I would also be getting the tubes from the seller, so would that reduce the price for my "transferred warrantee"?

I do have experience with tubes, currently a Prima Luna Dialogue HP... but despite the best tubes I can find the amp just sounds dull to my ears...

Should I pull the trigger on the 300B Sarah for my PAP's?

r.

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CAJames

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lane."

Posts: 2953

Re: Advice needed - Pure Audio Project Duet Horn w....
Reply #10 - Yesterday at 22:51:53

Firstly about the warranty. A transferred warranty is a lifetime warranty for the new owner. And the price of the warranty transfer includes new tubes, whether you need them or not. However, IMO there is no advantage to spending four figures to do the transfer now. In the event your amp actually has a problem you can send it in and do the warranty transfer at that time. You may never need it.

Should you buy it now? If you've got the money and don't want to want to wait then yeah, get it now before someone else does. Realistically you can resell it for most or all of what you paid for it if it doesn't work out. Of course JMO/FWIW/YMMV and all that. It is easy for me to spend your money.

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[Volumio | Jay's CDT2 MRK3] -> Denafrips Terminator 2 + Gaia
Sumiko Pearwood -> Mapleknoll Athena -> Luxman SUT -> Mapletree Phono 3E
STR-1002 -> Woo WA22 -> 2x UFO25s, balanced monos
Omega SAM , Hifiman Arya, Audeze LCD-XC

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Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 27036	Re: Advice needed - Pure Audio Project Duet Horn w.... Reply #11 - Yesterday at 23:46:58 The warranty transfer will require the purchase of a new set of tubes that can be tested and previewed in the amp by Decware, that is a requisite deal, and is detailed on the website. https://www.decwareproducts.com/service Should you, etc . . .? That is totally up to you!
Back to top	HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK3,SEWE300B; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3;VeraFi Audio cpts VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects;Stack EQ; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1 IP Logged

MM

Seasoned Member

Posts: 369

Re: Advice needed - Pure Audio Project Duet Horn w....
Reply #12 - Today at 01:27:59

It could just be the crossover making the PAP’s dull to your ears. On one hand the lower efficiency of the PAP’s is a good fit for the 300b, on the other you lose a little bit of the Decware magic if you don’t mate it with a single full range driver. That’s just my preference. The wise ones here have chimed in and they are right, as always. It’s up to you to decide if it’s a good fit for you.

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Cambridge CXN100, DSR3 Interconnects, SEWE 300b, ZSTYX SC, Lii F15 & W15 in open baffle.

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Kamran Seasoned Member Sarah Posts: 1226	Re: Advice needed - Pure Audio Project Duet Horn w.... Reply #13 - Today at 02:02:47 A Sarah 300B paired with PAP Duets—hmm, something tells me that it should be a great combo! ;D
Back to top	Innuos Pulse Streaming Transport and Phoenix Net Switch-Lampizator Atlantic 3 TRP DAC-EM/IA Autoformer Passive Pre-Sarah 300B SET Amp-GIK Room Treatment—Walnut Pure Audio Project Duet 15 w Voxative PiFe-P.I. Audio MajikBuss & Puritan PSM 156 Conditioners IP Logged