[Cante Ista]

   
LOL!!!
 
 
im undecided because WA5 can drive HE-6 as well as its a great amp, tubes cost more than Stratus though.
The Stratus is just as good and uses cheaper tubes, I can just pop in a U52 and some NOS 2a3 and be done, WA5 has pricy tubes and costs more. Both have balanced output too.

IDK, but it looks like you have quite a good HE6 amp already. I don't know that WA5 could best it. If I were you I would get the stratus, and start saving to a PASS power amp or something like that. That's just my opinion. Either way you go, please let us know how it works out. 

 

[bigfatpaulie]

   
LOL!!!
 
 
im undecided because WA5 can drive HE-6 as well as its a great amp, tubes cost more than Stratus though.
The Stratus is just as good and uses cheaper tubes, I can just pop in a U52 and some NOS 2a3 and be done, WA5 has pricy tubes and costs more. Both have balanced output too.

 
I don't think either the WA5 or the Stratus will best your Forte with the HE6's...  You need to get the Stratus and a pair of HD800's again because they are totally different than the HE6 or the TH-900.  It would give you some outstanding options.
 
1A -> HE6
GSX -> TH-900
DNA -> HD800
 
Woah!

 

 

[kazsud]

 
I don't think either the WA5 or the Stratus will best your Forte with the HE6's...  You need to get the Stratus and a pair of HD800's again because they are totally different than the HE6 or the TH-900.  It would give you some outstanding options.
 
1A -> HE6
GSX -> TH-900
DNA -> HD800
 
Woah!

 

 


The He-6 balanced to Wa5 is absolutely incredible.

 

[TwoEars]

Ok Stratus owners

 
I have a question for you guys who like the HD800 (or maybe HD600/T1).
 
How many of you have heard the Eddie Current ZDT or ZDSE?
 
Did you hear it before or after pulling the trigger on the Stratus? What made you choose one or the other.
 
I've read all the comparision between the Ballancing Act and the Stratus and each camp have their pros and cons, overall though it seems the BA and the Stratus are more similar than dissimilar.
 
But the ZDSE is supposed to be a different flavor altogether, so I'm looking for input on that one.

 

[magiccabbage]

I know there is at least one guy on here that prefers the DNA Stratus to the zana and had both at one stage. 

 

[rydenfan]

  Ok Stratus owners

 
I have a question for you guys who like the HD800 (or maybe HD600/T1).
 
How many of you have heard the Eddie Current ZDT or ZDSE?
 
Did you hear it before or after pulling the trigger on the Stratus? What made you choose one or the other.
 
I've read all the comparision between the Ballancing Act and the Stratus and each camp have their pros and cons, overall though it seems the BA and the Stratus are more similar than dissimilar.
 
But the ZDSE is supposed to be a different flavor altogether, so I'm looking for input on that one.

not to go too far off topic but at the price point go the BA I would choose the EC 4-45 as I know a few people who prefer it to the BA for HD800's. The amp will be $1,200-$1,400 more than the Stratus though so I'm sure it if really an apples to apples comparison

 

[TwoEars]

  not to go too far off topic but at the price point go the BA I would choose the EC 4-45 as I know a few people who prefer it to the BA for HD800's. The amp will be $1,200-$1,400 more than the Stratus though so I'm sure it if really an apples to apples comparison

 
Yeah, it gets expensive fast up there at the high-high-end. Especially with the tubes. I think one of the advantages of the stratus is that it's supposed to sound pretty good with the stock tubes, and they aren't too bad price wise.

 

[third_eye]

  I know there is at least one guy on here that prefers the DNA Stratus to the zana and had both at one stage. 

If you're referring to fejnomit, he owned the BA and the Stratus at the same time.
 
 

  not to go too far off topic but at the price point go the BA I would choose the EC 4-45 as I know a few people who prefer it to the BA for HD800's. The amp will be $1,200-$1,400 more than the Stratus though so I'm sure it if really an apples to apples comparison

 
The EC 4-45 is NICE but is going to cost way more than $1200-1400 premium, that would be the gap with the 2A3x4 which is also a great amp. 

   
Yeah, it gets expensive fast up there at the high-high-end. Especially with the tubes. I think one of the advantages of the stratus is that it's supposed to sound pretty good with the stock tubes, and they aren't too bad price wise.

 
A full complement of good upgrade tubes can be had for about $500 total (Sophia's, Nature Sounds), they will yield more transparency and the bass will further tighten up compared to stock. But stock are already very good. 

 

[Stapsy]

Sourcing 4 45s or 4 2A3s is an expensive and frustrating proposition.  The minimum it would cost you for 4 NOS 2A3s is $400. 
 
The 2A3mk4 is also very large and heavy, which means shipping is expensive.  It cost me $350 to ship to Toronto and came in two boxes weighing 60lbs total.  I love my 2A3mk4 but it is significantly more expensive to buy and tube roll than the Stratus.  I can't comment on the sonic difference having never heard the Stratus, I just wanted to add in my 2 cents on the cost differences. 
 
One more consideration...
Hard to go wrong when buying from a man with good taste in bourbon

 

[third_eye]

Donald was nice enough to loan me his upgraded Stratus demo model (current production model) to compare with my original Stratus. The upgrade for me is significant and for all first run Stratus owners is HIGHLY recommended. Donald has really improved an already excellent amp. The most noticeable difference is increased transparency and tightening of the bass, in part due to a blacker background. The overall image is even more balanced, even more realistic, and even more "out of head'. Great upgrade! 

 

[jsgraha]

Donald was nice enough to loan me his upgraded Stratus demo model (current production model) to compare with my original Stratus. The upgrade for me is significant and for all first run Stratus owners is HIGHLY recommended. Donald has really improved an already excellent amp. The most noticeable difference is increased transparency and tightening of the bass, in part due to a blacker background. The overall image is even more balanced, even more realistic, and even more "out of head'. Great upgrade! 

Great impression !

Would you say that the current production upgrade provide more improvement than upgrading the tubes from stock to your current tubes?

Thanks.

 

[third_eye]

Great impression !

Would you say that the current production upgrade provide more improvement than upgrading the tubes from stock to your current tubes?

Thanks.

 
That's a great question. I've only listened to the upgraded Stratus with my regular tube complement (Sophia Princess 2A3's, RCA 5U4G, RCA 6BQ7A). I'll try 2 things this weekend, first listening to the upgraded Stratus with stock tubes, and then going back to my original Stratus with the upgraded tubes. Off the top of my head, I think upgrading the original Stratus tubes will have a bigger impact but can't say for sure.

 

[fejnomit]

  I know there is at least one guy on here that prefers the DNA Stratus to the zana and had both at one stage. 

If you're referring to fejnomit, he owned the BA and the Stratus at the same time.
 

I did indeed own the BA.  And the ZDSE, in fact.  Craig's amps (that I have heard) cannot compare with the sparkle, detail, image depth and blackness of the Stratus.  They do have a lot of energy.  They move the diaphragm, so to speak.  They are big and bold but at the expense of tone, musicality, air, and precision of the stereo image.  Listening to vinyl on the Stratus eliminates those differences anyway.  The thing about the Stratus is that you can't really go wrong with it.  It's just not the kind of amp you will regret buying, even for the HE6s (which everyone seems to think don't play well with the Stratus but I disagree - you just have to set things up right...)  With the HD800s there is no equal that I have heard.  I also love them with LCD-3s.  This is not to say I don't enjoy these phones with other amps - the planars play well with solid state speaker amps for instance - but the Stratus is the only tube headphone amp I have left for a reason.  And that is after owning 15 or so.  Hope that helps.

 

[magiccabbage]

  If you're referring to fejnomit, he owned the BA and the Stratus at the same time.
 
 
 
 

It was actually cradon that i was talking about. 

  I did indeed own the BA.  And the ZDSE, in fact.  Craig's amps (that I have heard) cannot compare with the sparkle, detail, image depth and blackness of the Stratus.  They do have a lot of energy.  They move the diaphragm, so to speak.  They are big and bold but at the expense of tone, musicality, air, and precision of the stereo image.  Listening to vinyl on the Stratus eliminates those differences anyway.  The thing about the Stratus is that you can't really go wrong with it.  It's just not the kind of amp you will regret buying, even for the HE6s (which everyone seems to think don't play well with the Stratus but I disagree - you just have to set things up right...)  With the HD800s there is no equal that I have heard.  I also love them with LCD-3s.  This is not to say I don't enjoy these phones with other amps - the planars play well with solid state speaker amps for instance - but the Stratus is the only tube headphone amp I have left for a reason.  And that is after owning 15 or so.  Hope that helps.

Great to hear that you prefer it over the other EC amps. You mention LCD's have you heard the LCDX with the stratus? What type tube do you use when playing planars? 

 

[fejnomit]

No LCDX, sorry.
 
In terms of planars, the Audeze and Hifiman are very different...  The LCD-3s are much more versatile but obviously benefit from something that opens up their top end, like dual flat plate Sylvania.  They also like EML rectifier.
 
With the HE-6, for tubes I like the Ken Rad box plates with the U52 rectifier.  But it's more a question of source.  My high gain phono stage just rips through the Stratus into the HE-6s.  They are very very much alive.  Having higher gain - or variable gain - on the source side is helpful...