[Baten]

Quote:

I'm really enjoying the Stratus. It's making my HD800 sound great with any genre I throw at it. 
 
 

 

 
 
Pictures look oh so very pretty. I want one! The Sophia's are a nice touch.
 
What's the left tube?

 

[third_eye]

Left is the stock 5U4G rectifier. The input tube on the right is a cryo'd NOS 6BQ7A.
 

 

[Eee Pee]

Thanks for the photos.  Got me a new desktop picture to look at while I stare and listen.  

 
That is fantastic looking.  I often find myself just staring into the blue of my Sonett...

 

[preproman]

Can I see a picture of the back?  Or better yet.  Does it have balanced inputs?

 

[Baten]

Quote:

Does it have balanced inputs?

 
It does not. Specs at dnaudio.com with an explanation as to why it lacks them.

 

[unspool]

It's a gorgeous looking amp and I love the blue enamel finish. It's a refreshing change from the ubiquitous brushed aluminium and black.

 

[Donald North]

Thank you, that's why I chose to make them in a color. I grew up loving hi-fi and wanted to make the amps look fun and engaging to use.
Quote:

It's a gorgeous looking amp and I love the blue enamel finish. It's a refreshing change from the ubiquitous brushed aluminium and black.

 

[IPodPJ]

Thank you, that's why I chose to make them in a color. I grew up loving hi-fi and wanted to make the amps look fun and engaging to use.

That's great and all, Donald, but unfortunately blue won't go with everyone's decor. You have a great sounding amp and I'd like to see you offer it in additional colors, at least piano black or silver. I think you'd find yourself with more sales if you opted to do this, and it shouldn't be much more costly to have your chassis made in two or three colors vs. one.

I do understand how you feel though about being unique because I do the same thing with my cables. Almost everyone does black cables which is why I decided to do mine in a unique silver. I think your amps look very nice, it's just that blue won't appeal to everyone and their spouses. Color would be a sad reason for one to miss out on the Stratus if they are in the market for a tube amp. I personally think it would look gorgeous in piano black, and if I were in the market for one I'd pay you extra to have that one chassis done in black.

 

[unspool]

Don't be such a bore. As if big silver/black metal boxes with protruding glass tubes that glow, exposed power transformers and multiple cables snaking out of them blend in with anyone's decor.

 

[IPodPJ]

Don't be such a bore. As if big silver/black metal boxes with protruding glass tubes that glow, exposed power transformers and multiple cables snaking out of them blend in with anyone's decor.

A lot more than a big blue box with glass tubes and transformers. Some people just have different aesthetic preferences and it would be a shame for them to miss out on a great sounding amp.

I'm not really a tube guy (except for previous guitar amps) but you can't tell me the warm glow of tubes is ugly. It's anything but! A well designed tube amp looks gorgeous when powered up.

 

[unspool]

Exactly! We all have different visual aesthetic personal preferences, just as we have different sonic preferences. There's a plethora of amps in safe brushed silver and black finishes for those who want them. It's nice to see a headphone amp builder offering a colourful point of difference. I'm sure that European and Scandinavian Head-Fi'ers wouldn't turn a hair. 

 

[IPodPJ]

Exactly! We all have different visual aesthetic personal preferences, just as we have different sonic preferences. There's a plethora of amps in safe brushed silver and black finishes for those who want them. It's nice to see a headphone amp builder offering a colourful point of difference. I'm sure that European and Scandinavian Head-Fi'ers wouldn't turn a hair. 

I agree, it is nice to see differences out there. I completely see eye to eye with this philosophy. What I disagree with is the fact that some will miss out on how good it sounds because they don't care for the aesthetics, and when you're dealing with non-neutral colors it's good to be flexible if you want to appeal to a wider audience. Obviously he's the designer and it's completely his choice but from a business perspective a little flexibility only helps.

 

[unspool]

I also love the Zana Deux SE from a visual design perspective but I see its gothic appearance with blazing 6C33C-B tubes sitting atop as no less polarising than the blue of the Stratus. It could look incongruous with modern decor and you can have it in any colour you want so long as it's black.

 

[preproman]

I'm with iPodPJ on this one.  As all my other gear is black with blue LEDs.  I would just like to keep that scheme going.  Options are nice to have.  

 

[unspool]

Your options were pretty much silver or black. Now you have blue as well.