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!

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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.

Well, today's morning impressions:

I found a Synergistic Research Purple fuse I could use in the Jr. and popped that in. Um, yeah, when I selected the right direction a real improvement that took me closer to the sound I had before this arrived. An SDFB may be better still and I may go that direction in the future, but I'm happier today.

If there were a way to speed up "break-in" and seasoning I'd implement it right away, but for now I just have to listen while and when I can and get some hours on the Jr. Not an unpleasant task at all!

Thanks James, make ssnse. I hate to leave these devices unattended these days. . . and the system is upstairs, and as my wife isn't often, I spend more time downstairs . . . .

I paid attention to isolation (so to speak) with my two of my Verafi Audio components and found a nice moved towards the richness I have been missing. . . interesting results. Everything is sounding really good right now.

Okay final tweak for a spell (I hope, it's my nature to tweak but I think I've achieved what most of my tweaking aims to achieve). I swapped the SR Purple fuse for an Audio Magic M1 I had in the ZROCK2 in my headphone system.

I just generally prefer the sound of the M1--and it has brought another level of "ease" to the sound now with the Jr.--less analytical sounding and more liquid, with bass that doesn't make me look for a little more. An SDFB may be in the future here, but as I have an M1 in my transport and here I think I'm well covered. I wish I didn't hear differences in fuses and fuse replacements but I sure do.

This morning the system is sounding really good and I hear the superiority of the Jr. asserting itself over standard rectification. The amp seems to like this set up as well, seems cooler.

When does the SDFB go in? These seem to have made great improvements based on user comments and my own reference. I am assuming the Jr requires a value different from the ones you currently own.

Well I calculate I have about 80 hours on the JR. now. I've listened to all sorts of discs, music I am VERY familiar with, brand new arrivals, music I haven't really liked before, music I love, music my wife loves. . . .and this componet has made me roll tubes and to re-arrange some components twice.

It has improved soncally, no doubt (though I would not hesitate to consider that I have just managed to make it shine more brightly). There are characteristics and sonic playback elements that I see as a clear improvement from my prvious rectifier playback, and there are a few charcteristics and elements of my favorite tube rectification in the amp that I miss (colorations?--maybe).

What is interesting is that it has brought back to me sonic memories of the years with the ZTPRE that I had, which also had no rectifier but diode rectification that Steve I thought wisely chose. It shares that clarity and transparency. And also has that sort of "inner light" that my early experience of SET from Decware brought to the forefront for me. Ultimately I prefered the SEWE300B without the ZTPRE (or CSP3) as being more "oranically cohesive" (how's that for a fancy word or two) and more natural sounding. The JR. is giving me that sort of extra dollop of a preamp input in a smaller dose. Takes a bit of getting used to!

Ultimately after all the tailoring I have settled on one tube change and one movement of a tube from one component to another. I put a very early pinched waist 6085 tube into the ZROCK3, and moved the very first SUN made in Holland 12AU7 that had been in the ZROCK3 into the SEWE300B where a SUN 12Au7 made in Holland (which sounded significantly DIFFERENT) had resided. This change gave me a better window into what the JR. brings while still letting me see fully the former sound I loved.

I think it might have actually been more prudent for me to have waited until the Big Pappa Dynagrid was available as I think ultimately I myself would choose a slightly different "point" of balance between current and  sag than Steve has. But perhaps with the seasoning still to come and further tailoring that won't be true. Time will tell. And in the meantime I have the benefits of a cooler running amp, easier life for transformers, etc. that I think the Jr. is providing, and an intriguing new way to listen. And maybe in time a different 845 will bring new vistas, and/or an SFDB.

At least this has been an exciting week with a new audio experience, and there will be more weeks to come I know. A fascinating (obsession creating?) new component from Decware.

Right, I think I've settled on the right tubes for now, but just changed isolation feet to good effect. This thing shows you every nuance!

Interesting observations, Lon.  Did you ever have a Space Tech Super Rectifier?  I understand the differences in how they function but wonder if you or anyone has any comparisons of the sound differences.

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I think a lot of us would be very interested in this comparison.

But buying both would be a serious commitment to external rectifiers. There is also this: My unscientific impression is the STR is used more in the front end whereas more people are using the DGR with the power amp. Since I have two amps my only option is to use the STR with my preamp, and I'm super happy with it. But the folks I know who have tried both prefer it with their preamp.

No DGR here but I was once a STR 104 owner.  The STR sounded great when it worked  but mine had many issues.  It was blowing rectifier fuses in my Torri Jr. I spent hours trouble shooting with Al and even sent it in for repairs to Canada.  After repairs the  STR worked well but it would give me a shock.  Lost complete trust in the unit and Al.  Sold it at a heavy discount.  
Contrary to others here…On my system the STR made the biggest improvement on my Torii Jr. and it had a minimal impact my Supratek preamp. Not sure why?  I would consider a DGR but my new Aric amp uses 2 rectifiers, I have space challenges for my preamp and it’s pushing my price tolerance.  It does sound like a great addition.

The quality issues with the super rectifiers will probably dissuade me from buying one -- I can't deal with shipping it back, particularly out of the country.  So I will probably put the Dynagrid on my to buy list.  I am also toying with a tonearm upgrade, which will likely come first.

In my main system I have all my components sitting on PS Audio PowerBases which have isolation from vibrations and also an electrical isolation with two filtered outlets (I only use the electrical aspects of the PowerBase in one PowerBase in my main system). All of my non-power treatment components but two are also sitting on Stack Audio Auva EQ isolation feet, as I don't have two additional sets of these feet my Goldpoint XLR switcher/attenuator is on Herbie's Audio Lab Iso-Cups with "Deep Green Moss" "balls" and my PS Audio NuWave Phono Converter are on Synergistic Research aluminum feet. My Verafi Audio power treatment components are on VooDoo Cable IsoPod isolation feet.

I have used a number of different isolation "feet" over the years and those I use in my main system are those that I have found most effective in my system. My audio rack is a Maplesahde Audio Samson Version 3, which has 2" maple shalves, and my transport, turntable and DAC have a 4" maple platform below the PS Audio PowerBases that they sit on.

Another day and the sound is so good I forgot for a while I was auditioning a radical new product, which is a good thing.

I made a few little changes to isolation/damping and removed the old pinched waist 6085 and put back in the SUN made in Holland Amperex as the input to the SEWE300B and this seems like Goldilocks' porridge -- seems just right for what I am playing today.

Hope all the others with JR.s out there are enjoying theirs as much I am enjoying mine.

To me. . . I hear a dulling and possible smearing from the stock feet. I've tried all kinds of other feet and hear differences with them all. Probably would be better if I did not!