[ahmadfaizadnan]

Doug has been working on a Torpedo IV amp to replace the Torpedo III, as well as a higher end Torpedo V. Would love to have more information than that, but alas he isn't (or at least wasn't) quite ready to release anything just yet. Hopefully soon.

Good to know!

Hope for more info (or even pics!) to be released soon

 

[davidland]

think it would be nice with this price.

 

[Luckbad]

Apologies for the necro post, but this appears to be the primary ECP Audio L-2 thread.

I got my hands on an L-2 with upgraded CineMag transformers. I previously owned a maxed Torpedo 3 and never found myself falling in love with it.

The L-2, however, is utterly amazing.

This amp was ~$2500 back in the day and I believe it still keeps up with amps well over $1000.

It has a magical combination of transparency with subtle euphony. It's also dead quiet, which I've come to value greatly over the years.

 

[purk]

It has a magical combination of transparency with subtle euphony. It also dead quiet, which I've come to value greatly over the years.

You sum that up perfectly.

ECP amps are highly underrated. I love the L2 but glad that I now have the L3.

 

[Luckbad]

@purk How do the L-3 and L-2 compare? This L-2 has newer CineMag transformers, so it won't be exactly the same sound as the stock Electra-Print, but I'm finding this to be one of the best amplifiers I've ever laid ears on. The L-3 might have to be in my future.

 

[purk]

@purk How do the L-3 and L-2 compare? This L-2 has newer CineMag transformers, so it won't be exactly the same sound as the stock Electra-Print, but I'm finding this to be one of the best amplifiers I've ever laid ears on. The L-3 might have to be in my future.

More power with better and deeper bass line. Deeper and more impressive soundstage. Blacker background so u can hear deeper into the soundstage. A little warmer sounding however. More details across the sound spectrum too. I love it!

 

[Luckbad]

I like all of those words except for "warmer." I tend to like my headphones pretty warm (e.g. Sennheiser HD650) and prefer for the amp to be pretty neutral like the L-2.

Maybe the DSHA3 or T4 with less-warm tubes would be a more direct upgrade?

I'm loving this L-2, though.

Whoever bought the CineMag transformers to replace the stock Electra-Print from Doug wasn't great at soldering. Luckily, s/he didn't do any damage to anything, but I was getting intermittent loss on the left channel after being powered on for a couple of hours.

I emailed Doug and he guessed it was a bad solder joint that was expanding after heating up for a while. Upon inspection, there were indeed some less-than-pretty solder joints on the transformers. Some had visible gaps, others didn't even have the flux burned off.

I re-soldered both transformers then did the caps, headphone jack, and volume potentiometer for good measure. It's now been going strong for a couple of days without a single issue, so it was definitely that.

Two things:

1) Holy crap, Doug gave me customer support for an amp I bought used that he hasn't even laid a hand on for 8+ years. What a friggin' dude!
2) This amp really is a thing of beauty.

Want some gut shots of the amp in its current state? I haven't buttoned it back up (I didn't want to put it back together only to discover my fix didn't work). Thankfully, my wife and son are out of town so no risk of my kid touching this thing while it's in this state.

In the first shot, you can see that the ECP Audio L-2 is topless and bottomless. How risque! Those poor expensive V-caps are floating in space right now.

In the second, you can see most of the traces from underneath the amp. I wish I took a before shot on the solder joints (this is after. And, again, @dsavitsk did not do the shoddy soldering job, a customer did after purchase).

 

[DelsFan]

So, looking at the photo of the bottom of the L2, does Doug use IsoBlocks (of some form) to isolate the working parts of the amplifier from the chassis? (Good Idea, I'm always about vibration isolation, or dissipation!) OR, when you had the top and bottom off your L2, did you just sit the amp, without top and bottom, on some IsoBlocks you had laying around?

 

[Luckbad]

I sat the amp on some blocks I had laying around.

 

[Ethereal Sound]

Kind of a long shot here but is there by any chance anyone in the midwest who owns a DSHA-4? I'm very strongly contemplating purchasing one but would like to do a listening comparison between it and a susy dynahi before going further.

 

[paradoxper]

Travesty. Revival.

Let's hear from all you 3motherF'ers how you feel the 3F pairs with the ZMF Verite's.
Better yet provide some Copenhagen/Ravenswood anecdotes while you're at it!

I'm going scattered conjuring up the ultimate Verite amplifier.

And, sure, if you want to bring up how your supedooper Focal-whatevs compliment, feel free but judged.

 

[Ethereal Sound]

Travesty. Revival.

Let's hear from all you 3motherF'ers how you feel the 3F pairs with the ZMF Verite's.
Better yet provide some Copenhagen/Ravenswood anecdotes while you're at it!

I'm going scattered conjuring up the ultimate Verite amplifier.

And, sure, if you want to bring up how your supedooper Focal-whatevs compliment, feel free but judged.

+1 on this. I may have some impressions coming in the nearish future since I have a Verite C on the way and maybe a DSHA4 as well

 

[paradoxper]

+1 on this. I may have some impressions coming in the nearish future since I have a Verite C on the way and maybe a DSHA4 as well

Nods. I have to bribe Doug with a Verite so he can build uber. I am very much looking forward to your thoughts considering your impeccable taste.

 

[paradoxper]

Ok. 3F bought. I'll find my own commentary.

Will also compare to the CFA3 assuming the 3F lasts. In which case, Copenhagen will arise.

 

[paradoxper]

This diminutive sucker has balls. The best ECP amp I've heard and in the running of best SS amp. Will bring Utopia in again
and evaluate how it fairs. If lucky enough, with a lengthy stay, will compare to the CFA3.