2. amps-preamps
  3. 169505-132585

Any direct comparisons between Decware SE34I.5 and SE84UFO2?

I’ve been unsuccessful finding many listening notes contrasting the character and tone of the 2 models. With the current long lead times I guess I could just order both and then easily sell one, but I’m not ready to start buying amps 2 at a time yet. (And if they’re any where near as good as the individual reviews claim, I’d probably end up keeping both.)

For my personal set up I’m not overly concerned about the power output difference. Either should be fine with Zu Soul Supremes. I have a Primaluna now so I have a few EL34 compatible tubes I could use, but I don’t have a benchmark on how different the same tube in a different amp would be. I realize both amps are using a pentode tube as a triode, but I’m not sure how different that is from a true triode SET.

There’s an element of ongoing exploration here. The easy answer is to try everything, but time and money are limiting factors. Is triode mode on the Primaluna giving me an idea of what to expect from a SET amp? Seems like having at least one of these is worthwhile even if some fancy boutique 300B monoblocks might be in my eventual future (the exception to the rule against buying 2 amps at once).

Please chime in with firsthand (or even secondhand) anecdotes, links to reviews I’ve missed, better search terms, cat pictures, or knock-knock jokes. Thanks.


cat_doorman

Showing 1 response by robbiekash

robbiekash
2 posts
 
cat_doorman,
I own the S34I.5 "Rachel", it is all you need, due to 6 watts per channel.  Single ended triode amps uses only three internal elements inside of the tube, due to the way it is wired.  Lesser elements involved, the lower the distortion.  Also single ended amplifiers waveform does not pass the signal to another tube once it passes the 0 point.  Pushpull amplifiers usually operate where the waveform trades off signal to another tube once it passes the 0 point.  I run my Decware amp with the Decware CSP3 preamp,  Decware switchbox, and Decware ZP3 phono stage.  The sound is clean, powerful, and realistic. If you choose Deware lower power amps, just make sure you use higher efficiency speakers  for compatibility purposes.  Good luck.
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