Decware fans?

swaroop81 · « **on:** 16 Mar 2024, 08:15 pm »

Wanted to ask if we had any Decware fans in our group? I personally have a Torii MK V and thoroughly enjoy tube rolling with it. They are paired with Zu Soul Supremes (MK V) and I find that while my setup isn’t a bass champion, the overall presentation is brilliant with a precise soundstage. “The speakers disappear” is such cliche, but something I am fortunate to experience when I listen to music…. Only wish would be to find an excellent, cheap source of NOS tubes…

musicdre · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 Mar 2024, 12:11 am »

i have the decware csp3 preamp. it sounds great. its also a low-powered headphone amp. decware has an active user forum.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #2 on:** 17 Mar 2024, 12:27 am »

Quote from: swaroop81 on 16 Mar 2024, 08:15 pm

Wanted to ask if we had any Decware fans in our group? I personally have a Torii MK V and thoroughly enjoy tube rolling with it. They are paired with Zu Soul Supremes (MK V) and I find that while my setup isn’t a bass champion, the overall presentation is brilliant with a precise soundstage. “The speakers disappear” is such cliche, but something I am fortunate to experience when I listen to music…. Only wish would be to find an excellent, cheap source of NOS tubes…

My favorite tube vendor are Andrey and his wife Natasha at GSTubes.com:
https://www.gstube.com/catalog/?key=6n1p&submit=Find

nature boy · « **Reply #3 on:** 17 Mar 2024, 10:21 am »

Check out the Decware forum for tube rolling information and vendors. The Tori MKV is a great and very versatile amp. There are a lot of great insights over there. I've had good luck with Viva Tubes for new issue Sensor (Gold Lion, Mullard, Tung-Sol, etc.). For NOS try Jim McShane @
http://www.mcshanedesign.net/tubes.htm

NB

bacobits1 · « **Reply #4 on:** 17 Mar 2024, 02:42 pm »

GTS tubes is a dead link.

nlitworld · « **Reply #5 on:** 17 Mar 2024, 04:05 pm »

Quote from: bacobits1 on 17 Mar 2024, 02:42 pm

GTS tubes is a dead link.

Worked yesterday. Window shopped some ECC83 tubes on there.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #6 on:** 17 Mar 2024, 07:52 pm »

Quote from: bacobits1 on 17 Mar 2024, 02:42 pm

GTS tubes is a dead link.

It was blocked AGAIN by the authorities of your country, as GSTUBES.COM is a Russian shop located in Moscow, with site hosted in USA.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #7 on:** 18 Mar 2024, 12:49 pm »

I ordered a Zen Triode in January 2022 and I'm finally getting close to the top of the Decware build list. I expect its arrival in a month or so. Looking forward to how it pairs with a couple of my easy to drive OB speakers.

js1955 · « **Reply #8 on:** 18 Mar 2024, 01:04 pm »

Main page link works fine:

https://gstube.com/index.php

Markwatkiss · « **Reply #9 on:** 18 Mar 2024, 01:52 pm »

I have a multitude of 12AX7's and 5751 premium tubes that are surplus to my needs.Flip me a pm if interested.
Also a Decware fan.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #10 on:** 11 Feb 2025, 01:29 pm »

It took a couple of years but I finally received the Decware. With it I got a one year wait club t-shirt. Guess they were out of t-shirts for the two year wait club. It's still breaking in but oh my what a lovely sound. It's currently driving a pair of Fostex Tektons with a WiiM Pro streaming Amazon HD into a Topping DX3 as one of three sources. Bass augmentation is via a kit sub from PE not visible in this picture.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #11 on:** 11 Feb 2025, 01:48 pm »

At some point I'll try the Decware with these home brew F-15/Alphas and Zenith open baffles. The advantage of having multiple flea watt amps and HE speakers is the fun it affords in playing with different combinations.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #12 on:** 11 Feb 2025, 02:18 pm »

Although the Decware is only rated at 2 watts it drives the 93db Tekton Fostex's louder than anyone would ever want. Using the Topping as a preamp/DAC probably provides a bit of gain. The three sources connected to the Topping include an optical from the TV, coax from the WiiM and coax from a Sony DVD player under the TV. Before moving the Deware to this set up I really enjoyed a Dennis Had Magnavox. His Maggie redux is a wonderful single ended amp which I'll probably rotate to the Zeniths for a change.

RW53 · « **Reply #13 on:** 23 Oct 2025, 02:55 pm »

I would love to have a Decware amp, but the wait time would drive me crazy. I don’t understand why Steve doesn’t increase their production capabilities.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #14 on:** 23 Oct 2025, 05:25 pm »

Quote from: RW53 on 23 Oct 2025, 02:55 pm

I would love to have a Decware amp, but the wait time would drive me crazy. I don’t understand why Steve doesn’t increase their production capabilities.

If you have a Pre-amp check the Wright Audio Royale EL34 6W, Net Weight 31lbs power amp at $1485usd, available in stock, transformers are not small as Decware.
https://wrightaudioarts.com/Royale-SE-Power-Amplifier/

https://wrightaudioarts.com/Royale-SE6-610-Integrated-Amplifiers/

Grinnell · « **Reply #15 on:** 7 Dec 2025, 04:38 pm »

I have been a Decware user since 2011. Bought a used 4 watt Mini Torii, use Brimar 6V6 st tubes. Four watts is more than enough with my 92db Ref 3A de Capo speakers. Love the sound.

Bought while waiting for my 6 watt Grommes PHI-26. Also a great low watt amp

planet10 · « **Reply #16 on:** 7 Dec 2025, 09:09 pm »

Quote from: swaroop81 on 16 Mar 2024, 08:15 pm

… Decware fans...

Anti-fan = me.

Largly from the EL85 SE amp — which we cloned and then got WAY better thru 6 more revdons (major design changes). Since then the price has gone to no loner a bargain

Plus Steve’s growing amount of flowery prose trying to sell stuff.

And his speakers...

dave

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #17 on:** 7 Dec 2025, 10:44 pm »

And the stranded wire ? No one talks about it.

mick wolfe · « **Reply #18 on:** 7 Dec 2025, 11:30 pm »

Quote from: RW53 on 23 Oct 2025, 02:55 pm

I would love to have a Decware amp, but the wait time would drive me crazy. I don’t understand why Steve doesn’t increase their production capabilities.

That's exactly why Decware has always been a non-starter for me. I can't believe the wait times. Too many things can change in one's life and priorities over 2+ years.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #19 on:** 11 Dec 2025, 12:38 pm »

Some of us have more than one system so the wait for a Decware although long ( 2 years in my case ) was not a deal breaker. I currently have five systems in use: four in house and one in the garage. Not a week goes by that I'm not listening to a variety of tube amp systems: Bottlehead 2a3 mono-blocks, Dennis Had EL-84, Mini Watt, and now the Decware. The Rotel 6BQ5 receiver was in rotation but since it's so rare I have it in storage. I knew the price and popularity of the SE84UFO would skyrocket after winning amp/component of the year and it did. Mine was probably one of the last sub $1000 new Decware amps sold. A major reason to buy a new Decware rather than used is its lifetime warranty which is not transferrable. Support is just a phone call away.

bafld, for someone who has owned and sold so many Decware amps, it sounds like you didn't know to tell the local guy with two UFO's that he could run them in bridged mono to increase the power to 6 watts. That's the reason some folks buy two UFO's rather than one.

"Pure class A Single-Ended Triode amplifier with only 2 tubes, 2 resistors and 1 capacitor in the signal path.

It makes 2.3 high-current watts per channel and does not require "easy to drive loads" like many SET amps.

It features a volume / gain control and two pair of input jacks. It can be used either with or without a preamp.

You can also bridge it into mono for 6 watts. Because of our floating output stage design, a pair of these amps can even be run as fully differential-balanced amplifiers."