Decware amplifiers

[Analogous]

The waiting list is ridiculously long for such a niche product!

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We know (?) that just because a lot of people believe in something it is not always true.
But this brand and the Zen Triode amp has been going for over two decades…
Please share your impressions and opinions if you own one or have heard one for a few days

 

[jai1611]

I have a decware buffer. Quite good for the money. No experience with the amps

 

[prem]

Too much hype. In absolute terms just about ok. Nothing great.

Value for money, great.

 

[prem]

Never seen the inside. I was referring from sound perspective. For that money, you could go very wrong musically. The Decware gets that part pretty much right.

 

[Kannan]

I have no personal experience nor am I a tube fan. But a schoolmate in US who has been using tube amps for more than 3 decades says Decware amps are voiced to the designer's philosophy and sound exceptional with the right speakers. He owns four of their products including a preamp and a headphone amp, and In his opinion there are few branded amps to match its price to performance ratio.

 

[manek]

Not great value for money…. (I had a chance to peep into details as well ….) Hype is well orchestrated.

Hype for decades ? I am sure they have something going for them.

 

[muralimmreddy]

Trying SE84CS for last few days. I did not even pair it with high sensitivity speakers but easy load harbeths shl5 and ls3/5a. Wow. These 2.5w has more grunt than solid state amp that I have. Speed and dynamic were so good. The track "killing in the name" from "rage against the Machine" was presented with so much flair. Could be el84 thing as well.


https://www.decwareproducts.com/papers/paper143 makes sense.

 

[Analogous]

Had placed an order for the Decware Zen Triode SE84UFO amplifier which is made to order. The company informed me lead time is at least 3 years. There are over 2200 customers on the wait list!

 

[square_wave]

The decware amplifier falls into the catagory of a design that does most of the things right. Classic amplifier category. Just like the Sugden A21, musical fidelity A1 and many such classic designs. Just like Prem mentioned, a lot can go wrong when you buy hifi gear. An amp like this will almost guarantee great musicality as long as you choose the right speaker for it. However, it may not work for people who value certain hif metrics / specifics and are trying to push the limits on that front. But when you look at the price you pay for this amp, I am quite certain the price to performance ratio with the right speakers is quite high. A friend owns an older version and sounds quite nice. He has a bunch of amplifiers and this is quite special in his opinion.

 

[grindstone]

Don't know about shipping/duties etc, but I think there's still a kit.
FWIW.

 

[reignofchaos]

Had placed an order for the Decware Zen Triode SE84UFO amplifier which is made to order. The company informed me lead time is at least 3 years. There are over 2200 customers on the wait list!

Is this an OTL amp? I don't see any output transformers.

Edit: Looks like they are inside the chassis. Pls ignore.

 

[Analogous]

The decware amplifier falls into the catagory of a design that does most of the things right. Classic amplifier category. Just like the Sugden A21, musical fidelity A1 and many such classic designs. Just like Prem mentioned, a lot can go wrong when you buy hifi gear. An amp like this will almost guarantee great musicality as long as you choose the right speaker for it. However, it may not work for people who value certain hif metrics / specifics and are trying to push the limits on that front. But when you look at the price you pay for this amp, I am quite certain the price to performance ratio with the right speakers is quite high. A friend owns an older version and sounds quite nice. He has a bunch of amplifiers and this is quite special in his opinion.

Nicely expressed. Everything in this hobby/ passion is about compromises. As with any good journey I am learning more about myself and my preferences than just about gear. It’s personal and tailored to fit this and my musical choices. Not having heard this Decware model before, it’s a risk to see how it synergises with the 96db sensitive speakers I have now.
Having vacillated for three years, I finally placed the order. Three years is a long time and I will not be the person I am today.
These amps rarely come up on the used market for sale and when they do they cost more than a new one. (Cashing in on the hype)
Hoping it lives up to my expectations in some aspects…

 

[Analogous]

Is this an OTL amp? I don't see any output transformers.

Edit: Looks like they are inside the chassis. Pls ignore.

This should have answers to most technical questions

 

[square_wave]

This should have answers to most technical questions

Wow! It is a honour to listen to someone like him talking about the hard and long winding methodology. It must surely be special and an ASR follower's nightmare