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my peachtree decco experience, your upgrade advice

I have read every comment on the Peachtree Decco posted. I read one post where someone could not hear the difference between the decco and decco 2. So I felt prompted to post. I have listened to the decco for two years. Room is 12 x 20 with 8 foot ceilings. Klipsch forte II 14" from short wall 8 ft spacng between them. Zu speaker cables and power cord.(entry level) I bought 5 tubes off ebay and had them cryoed. I really couldnt hear much difference sonically between the tubes. No immediately noticeable differences. I was looking for a tube that extended bass as my room always seemed a bit bass shy. The only real differences I found were most tubes had nasty turn on noises. ended with an electro harmontix that was quiet with turn on and also quiet tapping on the tube. Most the tubes made noise tapping on them which I felt were good sign harmonics would enter music if tube vibrated during play.

I have thoroughly enjoying owning the decco. It is fantastic one box solution mated to efficient 98db fortes. plays very loud at 10 oclock. 9:30 was enough to get my kids jumping off sofa during movie watching. Home theater and digital TV is perfect with the decco. Does not leave me yearning for surround sounds, center channel, or even a sub. the fortes disappear and image perfectly. Very clear very accurate sound. 2 channel audio with DVD player as transport is just as satisfying. very good listen. not high end audiophile by any means. But extremely good sound for the money. I know what high end audio sounds like I visit my local high fi stores when they demo 50,000$ dedicated 2 channel audio setups. Listening to these setups leaves me yearning to upgrade the sound I have. I wish to move up to a significantly higher level. As close to that 50k sound as I can get on a 2k budget. hehe.

So after two years regular use my decco started having issues. I need to send off for service so I bought a decco 2 so I wouldnt have down time. After owning the decco for two years I was very familiar with my recordings. the new sound of the decco 2 (stock tube) was immediately apparent. These two units have very distinct signatures. The decco2 is a much more refined sound. smoother, slightly better sound stage. and a good bit more detailed. I hear new small sounds that I have not heard before on the decco original. Overall with dedicated listening the decco2 draws you in more. Its a more satisfying sound. Thats the good part of decco2. the bad part is the decco2 has a major short coming. I will lift quote from previous thread "Theres hardly any bass, the highs are much too 'soft' and the mid-range seems over-pronounced" cause that is pretty much exactly what I felt when I first listened compared to decco. There are highs and lows just plain missing from the music. A real shame as otherwise the sound is just glorious. As a result home theater on decco2 really suffers compared to decco. I just cant put my finger exactly why but the decco just sounds way better. clearer presentation which is important for sound affects, and verbal speech. These sounds simply do not need to be softened or rounded or smoothed. Listening to HT with decco2 just has me constantly yearning for the dearly missed decco sound. Music with decco2 is a bigger joy as long as you are listening to new music you havent heard before. It is then you dont really notice the lack of highs and lows. The music itsef just draws you in for a listen.

So now my search for an upgrade begins. At first I hoped maybe the nova would be the guy, but I have found posts on the nova that also describes the thin bass. So I fear the nova would sound just like the decco2 but with more power that my klipsch simply doesnt need. What I want now is that complete accurate sound of the decco with the added detail and better sound stage of the decco2. and then some. most important I want to gain a more holographic presentation. a bigger better sound stage. I hate to move away from this one box solution but I am willing to try for the next step of musical nirvana within my modest budget constraints.

If anyone has some advice on what might work for me let me know. I am currently leaning toward trying an Eastern Electric Dac feeding a Monarchy SM 70. These two budget pieces appear to be giant killers from reading feedback on them.

favorite music = yello
jerry_d
neekomax
1 posts
 
I have a Decco, and I was disappointed with the sound at first. Felt that it lacked dynamics, soundstage was muddled, and I wasn't very engaged when listenening in general. Also, my living room seemed to eat bass frequencies, except for in certain spots, where the bass could be heard and felt.

A few things have changed all that: First, I got a pair of Definitive Technology BP8020 floorstanding speakers, which each have active 150W subs built in. I modified my seating layout to place myself in the best listening spot. I upgraded speaker cables to AudioQuest Slates, which improved the sound as well.

But the biggest difference was made when I got a used Acurus DIA-100 passive preamp integrated solid state amp, and ran the Decco as DAC/active pre into it. Bam! Separated instruments, awesome, tight bass, and great improvement in frequency response balance from the Def Techs. The Decco 'warms' the sound just a bit, and the Acurus does the rest- clean, neutral, and smooth/ punchy at the same time, if you can believe that.

By the way, if your room is bass shy like mine, I would strongly consider getting the Def Tech speakers- two built-in subs in stereo are waaay better to me than my old Polk Audio PWS110 sub by itself. They really fill the room with bass.

The system's not perfect, but it's worlds better than when I was running the Decco straight into B&W 602 S2s and the Polk sub. I agree with the reviewers who felt that the Decco's chip amp was its weakest link.
kbarkamian
647 posts
 
I haven't owned nor heard any Peachtree gear long enough to have much insight. However, what I've repeatedly heard is that the amp section is what holds it back.

How about buying a power amp here on the 'Gon and trying it out? It's not an issue of needing more power IMO, but maybe you need cleaner and flatter frequency response type power. This can help be a first step into seperates, or it can possibly fulfill what the Decco's amp(s) is missing.

If you buy the right amp for the right price and it doesn't do what you want it to do, you could sell it for minimal/no loss. Again, don't think of it as your speakers need more power, think of it as your speakers should benefit from better power.
lowrollinghills
7 posts
 
I've owned the original decco for quite a few years and have slowly updated my system around it. It's a really amazing integrated that also looks really excellent.

First off, I'm using it in my bedroom, so the acoustics don't require as much as a larger room. My various stages of change were as follows.

1. decco driving linn tukan speakers, good sound, not great soundstaging or bass but as a standalone integrated unit pretty easy to live with.

2. decco with a linn 5105 amp and linn tukans, the amp does the 200 watt
@ 4ohms lifting. The unit stays cooler as an obvious reflection of the reduced
work load and the bass has gone up and the sound stage has bloomed.

3. decco with 2 linn 5105 amps actively driving the linn tukans. The bass increased, the clarity on very loud volumes held up, the speakers become much more smoother and the soundstage tightened.

4. decco with 2 linn 5105 amps actively driving the linn tukans and a sizmik
subwoofer. Adding the sub made a huge difference. It was like the missing piece of the puzzle. Wide sound stage with depth, incredible musical bass, not boomy. Acoustic instruments have that texture. Effortless sound.

The decco is good enough to be able to reflect all of the changes I've made and keep up with them. On top of which you have several input formats to
choose and jacks to use, not to mention the excellent headphone section.

Spoiler alert, I did have peachtree do some cap upgrades and additions so
that I can run the system silently with headphones on.

Don't write off the earlier Decco, especially at the used prices that the units
can be found for.
pumper24
33 posts
 
I have owned the Nova for the last 6 months. I am using it with Nola Boxers and Kimber 8tc cables in a 400 sq ft room. Sources are a Pioneer Elite CD player used as a transport, and an Apple TV as a server.My first impressions were just so-so. I could not get the bass to reveal itself. the Boxers are a small stand mount speak with a 6" mid/woofer, so I knew going in that I would not have wall shaking bass, but I expected better. After a few weeks, As I continued to move the speakers around, I finally hit the right spot in the room, and it was night and day. I now have adequate bass without a sub, and the mids and highs that the speakers are known for are truly excellent. My next move will be an amp, and i'm thinking bel canto.....
nanos50
1 posts
 
Decco2 as DAC/Preamp, split feed to good sub and better amp, amp to good speakers. Done!
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