As there is not yet a Dynagrid Jr. forum, and impressions and reviews have been listed in the "Development" thread I thought I would create a review thread here where early adopters can have a place to post their views and opinions.

I'll list my own experience here soon. I hope that the device will be here in about 15 hours, after two days of delivery dates canceled for "emergency" reasons. Looking forward to plugging this component in, I've re-arranged component locations twice in anticipation, power cable lengths have been responsible for some tricky maneuvering but I have a nice setup arranged and setltled in at last and I can't wait to plug the Jr. in and start listening and comparing. (Going to try to not let the inevitable comparisons drive me a little crazy!)

If you have a Jr. and have any new impressions or first impressions to impart, please feel free to populate this thread.

I'll just say this: the ZROCK3 is so much a better fit in my system than the ZROCK2. Being able to adjust the gain independent of the EQ is fantatic!

Yes, I hope the component arrives today!

Yes, real estate. I have a small expanded cottage as a home, no space here. . . and I'd love to get rid of the storage unit I have. . . but hate to get rid of all the material there. No easy solutions.

I got lucky that I could squeeze one more space in my Mapleshade Audio Samson Version 3 rack. That's it, no more possible.

Congrats, Lon. Patience has paid dividends. I’ll be watching to see how you evaluate the changing sound.

Randy

Thanks gentlemen. I did end up just now reversing the direction of the fuse and think that was a subtle improvement. I've heard subtle shifts in sound this past hour. I haven't gone through a component break-in in some time so I've been tightening my seat belt and gripping the wheel. . .

This is a very interesting component. I haven't completely fallen in love with the sound yet. But I have discovered that unsurprisingly for a Decware component it really delivers a transparent sound to the amp. I think I probably miss "coloration" in my favorite rectifier that I tailored my system sound to. I have also discovered the Jr. is very responsive to electrical and isolation changes. I tried several power cords and returned to the one I use everywhere else in the system as the best fit (PS Audio AC-12). I tried three different favored isolation feet and decided on the Herbie's Audio Lab Iso-Cups with the "deep green moss" balls. I now think the fuse may be the next best target and am wondering if I should commandeer an Audio Magic M1 from one of my ZROCK2s. Ideally I think another SDFB would be great but that has to wait--I can't bear the expense at the moment for one and another matching power cord. And all this adaptability with isolation and power audible makes me think I WOULD hear differences in 845 tubes, and makes me want to try the Linla 845 tube with the inner carbon coating as that coating is featured in my favorite rectifier for the amp and the amp's output tubes.

Yes, my new obsession. . . the Dynagrid Jr. Obviously I needed another obsession. . . .

I am aware of the fuse rating. I am hesitant to use an SDFB with a different rating, and I'm not moving any of my current SFDB nor have I ever used an SFDB for more than one component and I'm not going to start now.

There may be another in my future but that's a bit far off.

I have about 8 hours on the component right now. A middling amount and I know I'll hear changes, I just wanted to get the "architecture" of the gain and fundamentals down pat so that the burn in has at least a foundation to be assessed within.

I'm still tinkering with the gain to get a bit more body to the sound. This will be happening for at least a week!

Quote:


One meter is voltage and the other is current. Since it is physically impossible to have one without the other I think something is wrong with your meter. It might be riding around in a cold UPS truck froze the grease and it needs time to start moving again. Or it is busted. Does the chassis around the meter get very warm when it is on? I'm guessing you've already tapped on it, I think that is the only user serviceable option, but you could try putting it somewhere very warm for a while.

Well that’s super frustrating, Lon.

The left channel recently went out on my 300b. I get that things happen but the shipping back and forth and having a (not inexpensive) device out of your system when we spend so much time enjoying our systems is both frustrating and annoying, to say the least.

I also don't sense much additional heat with the Jr. Thanks for the tip about tube shopping.