Decware Zen TorII Mk III

jhm731 · « **on:** 13 May 2011, 12:09 am »

Any one heard the Decware Zen TorII Mk III?

schw06 · « **Reply #1 on:** 13 May 2011, 12:27 am »

I own one. It is absolutely an amazing amplifier!!! It put to shame my 845 monoblocks and leaves me wanting nothing. It is eminently musical and engaging.
David

Berto · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 May 2011, 01:07 am »

Dave, I'm intrigued with this amp after you mentioned it to me. Long shot, but did you ever hear it on your friends Daedalus Ulysses? (same speaks as mine)

schw06 · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 May 2011, 01:14 am »

I have only heard it on my Zu Definitions...sorry! At that price it is an absolute no brainer!
David

datman · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 May 2011, 01:28 am »

I own one as well. I am using it with Musical Affairs Grand Crescendo with the PHY-HP KM 30 SAG driver. What schw06 said.

"Oh, it's twue. It's twue. It's twue, it's twue!"

Lili Von Shtupp from Blazing Saddles

jhm731 · « **Reply #5 on:** 13 May 2011, 04:25 am »

Mahalo for the feedback.

I ordered a Zen TorII Mk III, in 6-8 weeks I'll find out what it can do.

BTW- there's a Zen TorII Mk III with Vcaps for sale on agon:

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstube&1308941042&/Decware-Torii-

Pez · « **Reply #6 on:** 13 May 2011, 05:35 am »

That amp is like the valentines day chocolate box of tube amps. You have all kinds if tubes to pick from. Just hope none of them are the equivalent of the nasty rock hard carmel ones.

gary · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 May 2011, 12:08 pm »

I've got a SE84ZS w/ V-Caps, it's got to be one of the best values out there in audio. Of course my speakers are 100dB/W, which it pretty much requires. Anyway I definitely don't think you'll regret the purchase of the Torii.

gary

Gopher · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 May 2011, 01:58 pm »

My interest was piqued in the TorII amps, but I keep reading that they favor lower impedance speakers and with my 16ohm Superflys I am afraid to take the plunge.

datman · « **Reply #9 on:** 13 May 2011, 02:13 pm »

My Phy-HP drivers are 15 ohm and the Torii has no problem with them. Just order yours with the outputs set at 8 and 16 ohms instead of 4 and 8 ohms.

Gopher · « **Reply #10 on:** 13 May 2011, 03:26 pm »

Awesome! I didn't see a 16ohm tap option. That would put more power into my Superflys than my 845 monos (8ohm).

I understand the mini Torii and the big boy have a very similar signature, despite different topologies. Can anyone expand on that?

Are you owners using a preamp? I've got a Shindo but with two inputs I wouldn't mind simplifying if it were THAT good direct.

JLM · « **Reply #11 on:** 13 May 2011, 03:39 pm »

The Decware site suggests trying it with and without pre-amp.

Although I'm very satisfied with my current ride, I've lusted for this thing for some time.

Quiet Earth · « **Reply #12 on:** 13 May 2011, 04:39 pm »

The sensitivity seems a little low to run without an active pre. It says 2.0 volts input for full output.

Schw06, can you tell us if you have tried the amp without your active pre? Also, how hot does the amplifier get? That's an awful lot of tubes sitting in one package. Just currious........

It sure does seem like a really good value though. Wow, that's quite an achievement for Decware. Let us know how you like your amp when you get it jhm731.

I don't think I would go for the Vcap option. That's probably why that one is for sale.

schw06 · « **Reply #13 on:** 13 May 2011, 04:56 pm »

I have run the amp without a pre and currently with a tube buffer. I own sensitive speakers but listen at the 9 o'clock position with the passive and have never gone past the 12 o'clock position on the pre and never past the 10 position on the amp. It does get a little warm as you would expect but seems far cooler than my 845 monos. It is truly a terrific amp based around inexpensive tubes. It's as quiet as a tomb, has amazingly rock solid 3 dimensional imaging, and sounds very organic.
I do have one complaint and that is the placement of the rca's and power inlet but I'm seriously nitpicking.

jhm731 · « **Reply #14 on:** 13 May 2011, 06:17 pm »

Quiet Earth, the owner of the Vcap TorrII for sale says it won't drive his Sound Labs, if he didn't get the Vcap upgrade he could have returned it for a refund.

schw06, your system's amp(s) shows Red Wine Audio 70.2 Monoblocks, do these sound better than the TorII?

schw06 · « **Reply #15 on:** 13 May 2011, 07:02 pm »

I should have changed that moniker a long time ago. I truly like and care about Vinnie Rossi and believe he is one of the very good guys in audio. In my application, the Torii bettered the 70.2 monos in every way and by a large margin. This is not a knock on the RWA amps because they have bettered(to my ears) amps that are 7x more expensive. As with everything audio related synergy is critical when matching components but all I can say is that if you read the claims Steve makes on his website about the Torii, i can't refute any of them. It is a remarkable achievement from a guy that builds amps by his ears, not by an oscilloscope. For any audiophile with a relatively sensitive pair of speakers and is looking for a serious value, the Torii is a destination amp. I am contemplating upgrading my speakers to the Zu Dominance and feel certain my Torii will be powering them if it happens.

Gopher · « **Reply #16 on:** 13 May 2011, 07:18 pm »

Quote from: schw06 on 13 May 2011, 07:02 pm

I am contemplating upgrading my speakers to the Zu Dominance and feel certain my Torii will be powering them if it happens.

Seriously?!? you go boy!

I guess I've gotta check this thing (Torii, not Dominances!) out once I sort out some room issues.

Quiet Earth · « **Reply #17 on:** 13 May 2011, 08:19 pm »

Quote from: jhm731 on 13 May 2011, 06:17 pm

the owner of the Vcap TorrII for sale says it won't drive his Sound Labs,

Ok, I didn't see that in the description. I thought maybe he couldn't wait another 300 hours for the caps to break in.

I hope the Zen TorII can drive your Wilsons then. Let us know how it turns out.

Btw, did you get any upgrades/options?

jhm731 · « **Reply #18 on:** 13 May 2011, 09:04 pm »

Quote from: Quiet Earth on 13 May 2011, 08:19 pm

Ok, I didn't see that in the description. I thought maybe he couldn't wait another 300 hours for the caps to break in.

I hope the Zen TorII can drive your Wilsons then. Let us know how it turns out.

Btw, did you get any upgrades/options?

I ordered the Stepped Attenuator.

In Art Dudley's review of the Sophia 3s, he had no problem driving them with 25W Shindo Corton-Charlemagne mono amps.

I'm hoping that the Zen TORII's 25W is as good as the Shindo's.

Quiet Earth · « **Reply #19 on:** 13 May 2011, 09:40 pm »

Awesome!