DNA Stratus 2A3 amplifier - first impressions - Page 19

Quote:

Originally Posted by purrin 

 

Anaxilus (speaking from the phantom zone) also adds: The Stratus is like the Eddie Current Super 7 and Luxman P1-u having a baby. I agree with this. Hopefully this gets you a little closer to knowing how it actually sounds. But yeah, actually hearing it for yourself is best.

Purrin, all of your metaphors are great...amps having babies, amps like luxury cars.  I do know it is very difficult to convey through language one's impressions of an audio "experience", but you are doing a good and creative job.  Thanks. 

If the Stratus is in the same league as or even better than the Super 7 (in the opinion of some here), it must be a very good amp.

Purrin is starting to sound very Stereophile in his descriptions.

Yes, just to clear things up, budx3385, I do love the Stratus with the LCD-3s.  But the T-1s comes in a close second.  And the HD800 are no slouch.  I am going to order the Sophias to check out your recommendation for them.  And I am going to let the 6BQ7A break in for a while before I pass final judgement...

I do have to say, however, in response to the thread that followed, to me it makes less and less sense to compare amps in some general better than/worse than fashion.  I think more real work needs to be done with charts and notes and all sorts of things I personally am not about to make, but that would take into account headphones, cables, tubes, interconnects, source and musical genre.  Not to mention other variables like power source, fuses, and other aftermarket tweaks/modifications.  To me the most helpful posts relay the results of the experiments I know we all run at home cooking up random combinations of these various elements.  So budx, thank you for the results of yours thus far.  I benefited from many similar recommendations vis-a-vis the Balancing Act in that thread...

*Overall* however, I do have say after a while living with both the Stratus and the BA, fed by they same source with identical interconnects, hooked to the same power strip and using a series of headphones (LCD-3, T-1, T5P, D7000, HD800, HE6, K1000) that the Stratus is the more *humid* as I called it before, but *also* the more resolving, open, detailed, and organic amp as compared to the BA.  Funny that organic ever took on a negative connotation in audio circles, as to me it is the goal of all sound reproduction - to make it sound like it would in nature - by which I mean the instrument itself, whether analog or electronic, as you would hear it *in its presence.*  To me the Stratus comes much closer to that Holy Grail of actual, real, palpable organic presence than the BA.  The BA is just too distant, to marred by its own chassis, too reliant on its transformer for sound, too monochrome over various headphones (meaning it doesn't let each phone speak, it dictates its own sound more.)  As has already been mentioned a few times - the Stratus sounds impossibly good with *everything* I have thrown at it so far, in terms of headphones, sources and musical genre.  Which is saying something because I **love** the BA and still listen to it all the time.  And I know I've plugged it elsewhere before, but my SAA modified Phonitor is right up there in the top three of my "A-list" with the BA and the Stratus.  I will have to bring it to another meet in the LA area so I can hopefully make my case in person.

Fejnomit: To clarify your comments above, which tube complement are you using in your Stratus?

Quote:

Originally Posted by unspool 

"Humid", "wet" - does the Zana Deux SE sound drier?

None of the EC amps sound "wet". Think solid-state, but actually engaging and involving.

Quote:

Originally Posted by budx3385 

and please let me know by a post here or a pm when you make plans to set up such a comparison at a meet in LA. For me, that opportunity would make a flight to LA/Burbank worthwhile. Thank you.

There's a probability of a smaller meet at the beginning of next year. Donald and Craig have always been invited to the meets I've planned. The other possibility is the Bay Area meet in Feb. That one is still being planned by CEETEE.

Yeah. Just remember to check once a month. You're not too far from where I live, so I'll put you on my follow list to let you know ahead of time if anything is going to happen.

There we have it: the DNA Stratus has dethroned the Balancing Act and reigns as the new King of dynamic HP amplifiers! 

Long live the King!

Jokes (of course)!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by fejnomit 

*Overall* however, I do have say after a while living with both the Stratus and the BA, fed by they same source with identical interconnects, hooked to the same power strip and using a series of headphones (LCD-3, T-1, T5P, D7000, HD800, HE6, K1000) that the Stratus is the more *humid* as I called it before, but *also* the more resolving, open, detailed, and organic amp as compared to the BA.  Funny that organic ever took on a negative connotation in audio circles, as to me it is the goal of all sound reproduction - to make it sound like it would in nature - by which I mean the instrument itself, whether analog or electronic, as you would hear it *in its presence.*  To me the Stratus comes much closer to that Holy Grail of actual, real, palpable organic presence than the BA.  The BA is just too distant, to marred by its own chassis, too reliant on its transformer for sound, too monochrome over various headphones (meaning it doesn't let each phone speak, it dictates its own sound more.)  As has already been mentioned a few times - the Stratus sounds impossibly good with *everything* I have thrown at it so far, in terms of headphones, sources and musical genre.  Which is saying something because I **love** the BA and still listen to it all the time.  And I know I've plugged it elsewhere before, but my SAA modified Phonitor is right up there in the top three of my "A-list" with the BA and the Stratus.  I will have to bring it to another meet in the LA area so I can hopefully make my case in person.

Purrin - I'd like to be on that list too, if you don't mind.  I'm in LA.   And Audi vs. Benz - okay - I guess I like to feel the road...

Duckman - truly funny.  But I would hate to be the one who went down as the spark of such a coup...

And Donald - I am reluctant to clarify because then we get into the whole too many variables thing.  I simply meant as an overall impression with different headphones and genres with everything else static.  But of course the tubes, as I've been trying to get across, make all the difference.  (Hence my interested in a BA 2A3 vs. Stratus listening match). 

But to tell answer your question: I no longer listen to the BA with 300Bs much - in fact I've been selling mine off.  I have used EML 300B meshplates, EATs, Psvanes, Sophias, J&Js, Shuguang Blacks, but alas never vintage WEs.  The KR PX4s are my output tubes of choice for the BA right now.  In terms of drivers I have used too many different 6SN7s to list, ECC32, ECC33, ECC35, as well as many 6F8Gs and my current favorite RCA CRC 6C8G BRP.  For the Stratus I have used NOS RCA 2A3s and EML 2A3Ms so far.  The humidity is on display most with the meshplates.  Stock driver as well as cryoed 6BQ7A.  NOS RCA 5U4G/B, EML 5U4G, Sophia 274A, EML 274A as rectifiers.  My overall favorite is the all EML combo 2A3/5u4G. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by fejnomit 

Purrin - I'd like to be on that list too, if you don't mind.  I'm in LA. 

Will do. If it's a mini-meet, I'd prefer to invite people with an actual interest in the vendors' products. I'll usually invite a few who are based locally: Audeze, DNA, EC, Schiit, etc.