Dsavitsk/Beezar Torpedo Build Thread - Page 23

OK, as I listen to Joni Mitchell's Blue with K701's, the Torpedo and pupDAC, I can confirm that it's performing entirely differently than it used to on a K701.  Punch is there, pretty good bass (which is saying something with K701's).  Of course, detail and especially midrange is outstanding.  I still prefer the way my HF-2's and HF-1's render cymbal crashes, but this is pretty nice.   (The damn center bump gets to me in about 15 minutes, though! )  There is no hum whatsoever detectable with the K701's.  I think that may have always been true, but things are more dynamic, now - as if the amp is able to "drive" the headphones instead of coasting. 

There may be something about impedance, too.  It seems the K701, Audeze, and even KSC-75's all fall into the 50-70 ohm range.  I have constant trouble deciding which way to throw the Z switch - it almost depends on the music selection.  Some things sound lots better on High Z but perhaps overwhelming with mids.  Other things sound a bit dead and recessed on low-Z.  One might think that since 50-70 ohms is closer to 32 ohms than 300 ohms (High Z switch), you would set the switch on Low Z.  That kind of ratio may be misleading, though, and even slight amounts above 32 ohms may mean you need to set the switch on High-Z.

Well, enough talking out of my a**.  Let's see if Dsavitsk wants to add anything.

Quote:

Originally Posted by H22 

Whew, read the whole thread. I am very interested in this amp, but need to finish up other projects at the moment.

 

I was wondering how this amp compares (sound wise) to a mini or mosfet max? ,I have built both and really, really like My Mosfet-Max, and wish i had not given the mini away as a gift.

just wanted to know what differences there were, if any.

 

 

joe

The best way I can answer in terms of sound quality is my standard blurb: Beezar's prices are proportional to sound quality.

That said, I guess it depends on your definition of sound quality.  The MiniMAX, IMHO, assembles into one of the nicest packages around and is a great value.  The MOSFET-MAX can be built as a real power brute and has a lot of flexibility with the onboard DAC, etc.  Both can be built with dead silence.  As you've probably read in this thread, however, there may be a very slight hum with certain headphones using the Torpedo.  I think we've gotten that down to no more than a nuisance and it's completely inaudible when the signal is amplified, even with those phones that can pick it up.

Basically, you may notice that the Torpedo's bass is not as strong and punchy as the hybrid amps above, but the mids and highs are to die for.  There is no lack of detail whatsoever, but at the same time - harshness simply doesn't exist with this amp.  In particular, connect any Grado to this amp and you will never experience harshness, yet the detail and transients come through - same for HD600's as well.  As for the rest of the sound quality, I believe I stated this earlier in the thread - there's an airiness imparted that seems to define a real soundstage relative to hybrid and SS amps.  Some people would say that's simply the "friendly" even-order harmonic distortion that pure tube amps seem to present.  To the extent that the Torpedo is a "real" tube amp*, maybe that's true - I don't know.

What I do know is that Dsavitsk has designed a true, transformer output coupled tube amplifier all based on a PCB.  There is no wiring at all, except for a small safety ground wire from the PCB to the case and the ubiquitous ground wire for the Alps RK27 volume pot.  There is no turn-on or turn-off thump whatsoever, gain is perfect (middle of the dial or slightly less for almost every headphone I own), and low impedance phones (Grados especially!) are outstandingly driven.  (High-impedance affinity is already expected with a high-voltage tube amp).  To add to all of that, the tubes are extremely plentiful, extremely varied, and dirt-cheap - I mean, REALLY dirt-cheap.  If you are willing to buy in volume (several hundred), you can get them for a dollar or less!  With some of the bigger tube dealers, they may number into the tens of thousands.

Anyway - hope that helps!

* Some may take issue with all the "sand" devices in the amp, but those are common in many "real" tube amps, yet perhaps unique in their implementation by Dsavitsk - CCS, rectifiers, biasing circuit.  The essence of the pure signal input-to-the-tube and transformer-coupled output is not corrupted.   

Quote:

Originally Posted by H22 

Basically, you may notice that the Torpedo's bass is not as strong and punchy as the hybrid amps above, but the mids and highs are to die for. There is no lack of detail whatsoever, but at the same time - harshness simply doesn't exist with this amp.

Thanks for the info, I find your assessment a little amusing, as I was reading it all I could think was that would be exactly how I would describe my MOSFET max to anyone who asked. The one thing I wish my MAX had a little more of is bass, I'm still playing with it but it just seems week on the low end. It's there, but it doesn't seem to have any punch to it.
The mids and highs make up a lot of ground though.
So to hear the torpedo is lacking even more on the low end gives me pause, but I think I will probably order one anyway as its such a cool amp.

Thanks again

Joe

Well, thanks for the support about the Torpedo, but to hear you say the MOSFET-MAX "seems weak on the low end" is strangely baffling.  You must have something wrong enough to affect the bass, but not wrong enough to blow the fuse.   No offense, but there's no way a properly operating MOSFET-MAX would be weak on the low end.  Strong bass is pretty much the definition of the amp.  Maybe you forgot the output resistors and the MOSFETs are actually oscillating?  That would cause the bass to be very weak, while the highs might seem over-emphasized (but it's actually a psychological effect from oscillation). 

Quote:

Originally Posted by yuujin 

Just built the Torpedo in 6 hours, worked the first time I powered it up.

Initial impressions are really good. Setup as follows.

AL88XX optical out > AMB y1 DAC > DIY Belden, Switchcraft Mini to Neutrik Profi RCAs > Torpedo with Mogami Power cable/Cryoed Oyaide IEC plug/GE 5844s > HD600/1964 Ears V6

Slight hum with my 1964 V6s, but I guess that's to be expected.

That's great news!  Glad to hear that the build went so well.  It's really pretty simple - not a lot of parts.  There's actually more hardware that you have to worry with - screws, standoffs, nuts and such - rather than any kind of soldering gymnastics.

Quote:

Originally Posted by yuujin 

yeah! i realized you sent me 2 nuts short. I had to use 2 stand offs for the choke and improvise for the rest.

Whoa - I apologize for that!  I will send you what you need - just PM me and I'll get it in the mail.