Decware and Rega RS1

Thanks for the response. I never considered using my Android and an app to measure SPLs... great idea. Immediately tried 4 apps... it looks like 3 have similar reading with the fourth much higher. I'll have to try calibrating them.

 

I spent time reading multiple Hoffman forums and ran across multiple discussions regarding SS and Tube differences as well as expected listening levels in dB given watts, speaker efficiency and listening distance. Without opening up an entire new can of worms and getting deep in a subject I have a shallow undestanding of, I'll reference a site which seems to have some respect:

http://www.crownaudio.com/elect-pwr-req.htm

Using the site, I plugged in the following:
101 dB speaker efficency Zu Druids
1 meter listening distance
20 dB amplifier headroom
85 dBSPL listening level

Interestingly it came back with a recommendation of a 3 watt amp.

I changed the listening distance to 2.5 meters (actual distance) and decreased the amplifier headroom to 15 dBSPL And it yielded a recommendation of 6 watts.

I'll have to purchase a meter, but I'd be surprised if I'm typically listening to music at that level. Just speculation.

As for clipping... it's a subject that far exceeds my current limited number of brain cells will to engage. Thanks for getting me moving on trying to learn some new stuff.

 

I tried out that crown audio website script and found that with my setup, 90db sensitivity speakers; 1.2 meters listening distance and an average of about 85db at my listening position, with 3db of headroom, 1 watt would be sufficient. To get to 6 watts, I would need to increase the listening position dB up to 90, and still have 6 dB of headroom. I think I'm OK, but that doesn't mean down the line I'll upgrade speakers .

 

I believe one of Decware's initial products was a corner horn... IIRC possibly a kit. The white paper is posted on the site. I'm still trying to justify Klipsch Khorns and a house to put them in.... it might be a while. Sorry I was unable to comment on Regas... just never had a chance to listen to them.

...best

 

I believe this to be an excellent point and have had a similar experience on several occasions. The first time I noticed this is when I paired a tube amp to some Dahlquist DQ-10's. Although I was using a more powerful tube amp and less efficient speakers than discussed here, Lonson's comment describes the same result that I have experienced. The sound quality I achieved with the tube amp was more "satisfying" to me at a lower level and I didn't feel the need or desire to "crank it up" in order to get my system to sound it's best.

 

Just got the amplifier build waiting list from Decware and currently mine is on the bench being assembled. So I gotta figure not long to go, right? QC is next. Any ideas on what the usual turn around time is when it gets to this stage? Obviously I can bug them, but I want them to "WORK" .....
The waiting is the hardest part.

 

I ordered mine on 26 September and received it on 25 October. I received multiple emails updates every step along the way. Package was extremely well wrapped and protected upon receipt. I'm extremely happy with the order, build, ship, and receipt process/communication. Please note that Decware had a momentary lull in orders when I placed mine and receipt was very fast... much faster than their typical estimate.

I'm interested in any feedback/opinions regarding your amp when you have an opportunity.

Best regards....

 

Seems that in the last few years they ship on Tuesdays, so I bet yours ships Tuesday!

 

Dynamics are what really come into question here. Volume won't be a problem, but will the overall presentation be one that will be satisfying? Probably, at lower levels, but as you go to turn it up? Boils down to personal taste. I had a Decware Taboo(same watts...one of the originals, I was serial number 002) and used it with Klipsch Forte's in a smaller space. Plenty of volume, but I didn't get the same satisfaction from that combo as I did when I used a Fisher 500C. It wasn't that I needed more gain, but more overall body, for lack of a better way of putting it. I have the same issues with using 14 watt Heathkit UA-1 amps now with my Klipsch Cornwalls. Plenty of gain, but not as overall satisfying as amps that I have in the 28-50 watt range. And I believe it all boils down to dynamics.

But again, this is all personal. Steve makes fabulous amps, and I'm sure it will be fun listen. And as somebody else said, this step may lead you to looking at higher efficiency speakers. Never a bad thing in my world.

 

So I finally received the amp this week, but I was away on a business trip, and had to wait a few more days (it was tough).

Set everything up, and the first thing I put on was what was in my OPPO BD105, The Beatles Past Masters stereo set on CD. Not really the greatest sounding CD, but what the heck.

Disc 2 was what was in the player, so it would be all the later singles. At first I was not impressed. The sound was too thin. Really kind of screetchy on the mid-range. Thin bass on "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work it Out". I noticed that I would need more gain to reach the levels I was listening to with the Creek amp that I have.

I increased the gain on the OPPO as I had it matched to my turntable preamp...it was set at 85 volume, so I cranked it 100. Sounds better. As soon as "Lady Madonna" came on, it was....well a bit of an epiphany. This sounds fantastic. "Hey Jude"...I was grinning. "Revolution"...ahhh...again just fantastic.

The gain on the amp is at around 3/4 and is loud enough for now.

I'm still listening to the CD as I'm typing this. Will try some HiRes downloads, and finally vinyl.

I really think I will need new speakers....so that's next, but I'm going to let this amp start sounding sweeter and sweeter.

I do have a pair of Seimens EL34s from my Marshall that I'm curious how it will sound with the Decware..so I got some future tube rolling. Oh and I bought the higher gain 6N2P, so I'll see how those sound.

The imaging is really mind-blowing, but some of those instruments, like the organ in "Old Brown Shoe", really comes alive....wow!

 

Awesome, so glad that you are getting great sound now. It will get better and better as the amp seasons. Isn't the imaging and three dimensionality fascinating?

 

Yes...the imaging is mind blowing. Really impressed with some hi def stuff I'm listening to now. I don't want to go to work tomorrow .

 

Definitely the highs and midrange are extended with this amp.

 

Ok....I feel like a bit of a dork. Last week I had added banana plugs to my speaker cable. Kind of rushed the job, if I remember correctly. Well, when "You Know My Name" came up on The Beatles Past Master CD, and it being a mono recording, something didn't seem right. Checked the cable and I had my speakers out of phase

So now with everything in phase....it sounds better.

 

Good. Funny how important phase is!

 

I'm glad your initial experience is good. Just as an FYI, I have not used my gain past 50% expect on rare occasions. At that gain the meters are constant at ~40mA. I can get the meter to move a bit by bumping the gain to 75%. I haven't gone all the way yet.

 

For sure then it's the efficiency of the speakers.

This AM I'm only going to a little bit past 1/2 on the volume. Probably didn't help that yesterday I was on an airplane for 7 hrs. and wearing IEMs to "drown" out the noise of jet engines and crying babies.

 

Give the amp time to burn in. It's going to be several hundred hours before any tube amp settles in nicely, and you get a balanced sound. Transformers, power caps, coupling caps have a long break in.

 

Not feeling well today, so I decided to ...cough, cough...stay home and ...cough, errr....rest, by listening to some music with this here new amp. I am really, really enjoying the sound. I have been ripping CDs about 6 or 7 months ago due to some downsizing at home. Pulled up Foobar and grabbed a song from each CD that was burned for the playlist. I am just gobsmacked on how great everything sounds. Even the "loud" remasters that I'm getting rid off, and even those that are duplicates to vinyl copies.....I may not even get rid of some as they sound really, really good....must be the sickness .

Actually the Rega RS1 speakers sound really good with this setup. The gain knob is around 2PM or so ( goes up to 5PM) on the dial. I'll probably hold off on speakers right away, but the Decware DM946 or Omega 7 monitors are on my shopping list at this point.

 

I am considering this amp even though my Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1 speakers are 87db efficient. I have a small room and listen at low to moderate volumes so I'm hoping the setup will be ok for now. I was wondering in particular if any owners here of the Decware amp have the stepped volume control ? If so what do you think of it ?

 

I have a stepped attenuator on one of my Decware amps and two of my Decware preamps. I'm a fan. There is a certain clarity that these have in comparison to the same amp and same preamp model that I have with the standard attenuator. And I've never had a problem of not being able to find the right volume level.

 

Nice, thanks for the reply! I emailed Steve and he thought the 6 watt integrated would be OK with my speakers for low volume listening, but I would probably be at at least 3/4 volume on the amp. I was wondering what is a safe volume to run the amp at? Can you actually play the amp at 100% volume safely? 75% ? I was under the impression that once the volume knob reaches a certain level it became dangerous to the amp and speakers and caused distortion.

 

Not so, it's safe to run the amp all the way up and you should experience minimal distortion if your source is up to the task. Though to be honest. . . I think with your speakers I personaly would go for a Torii, any of the models (original, Mk II, Mk III, Mk IV). . . you'll have headroom and, imo, better sound (I've had the 2 watt, the 6 watt integrated and 6 watt Monoblocks he no longer makes, Torii Mk II and Mk III).

 

Wow, I just checked out the Torii on the the Decware website, and it looks incredible ! Unfortunately it is way out of my price range. The 6 watt amp is about as much as my wallet can take, and even that is stretching it.

 

Lucky duck! All the Decware gear looks absolutely beautiful. I recently did a lot of research on high efficiency speakers because I was going to get my first tube amp (plans on hold at the moment). The Decware 945/6s were on the list along with the Audio Note AX Twos (around the same price $1K+), and a pair of ShengYa V-218 Wood Horn Speakers....I had found a pair used for around $500 and they were supposed to match great with low watt tube set-ups (http://dagogo.com/shengya-v-218-wood-horn-loaded-tweeter-bookshelf-speaker-review). 6 Watts may not be quite enough to drive the ShengYas but I thought I should mention them anyway. Good luck and enjoy that new amp!