Topic: EC Super 7 vs EC 2A3 vs EC Zana Deux vs DNA Stratus (Read 23535 times)

Valentin Hogea · « **on:** January 01, 2013, 11:10:49 AM »

Hi guys!

I had pretty much decided getting a Super 7, mostly due to financial reasons. The cheapest of the bunch and seemed to be customizable due to the tubes used and thus suit both my HD800/LCD-3/Paradox.

However, I've started selling off my speaker rig and therefore I have more funds. This has allowed also taking the three other amps in consideration. However, since it's impossible for me to audition any of them here in Sweden all I have to go on is opinions. I value the opinions expressed on this forum much. So I'd love to hear the + and - with all the amps above when driving the headphones in question.

Thx,
V

Valentin Hogea · « **Reply #1 on:** January 01, 2013, 02:02:58 PM »

I'll start elaborating myself, so correct me if I'm wrong...

Super 7
Pros

Price 1650 USD
The price of tubes (a "tube rolling pack" seems to go for about 300 USD total, and that gives a lot of options...)
"Infinite" possibilities to customize the sound to different phones
Can drive efficient speakers

Neutral
Cons

Well it ain't exactly the prettiest of the bunch, no pun intended

EC 2A3
Pros

Separate power supply

NeutralCons

Expensive 2800
Expensive tubes (2A3/5AR4/6SL7)

Question: Can it handle 300B also?

EC Zana Deux SE
Pros

I've had and loved an OTL-amp previously
Cheap rectifier tubes
Cheap output tubes

Neutral

Not much customization due to unusual tubes, which might also be good. Less tuberolling-OCD.
Midpriced

Cons

Expensive driver tube (6SL7)
No real possibility to tube roll

DNA Stratus
Pros

On paper it has most output... Unclear if so in real life. 1,8 W into 50 Ohms.

Neutral
Cons

Extremely expensive tubes (2A3/6992/5U4G)
It's smurf-colored

Marvey · « **Reply #2 on:** January 01, 2013, 09:19:14 PM »

Rectifier tubes in the EC 2A3 don't matter. The PS is regulated and filtered to shit. I think Craig would have preferred a solid-state PS, but then certain people wouldn't buy it. The "all tubes" thing has a certain cachet.

The 6SL7 is not expensive. Some great ones still available from $50-$100. The good 6SN7s are more expensive. Good 6SL7s certainly seem more available than 6922s these days.

Also great NOS 2A3s are still around for cheap. I won't say which ones publicly. I'd say 2A3s are "moderately" priced tubes.

Valentin Hogea · « **Reply #3 on:** January 01, 2013, 10:12:51 PM »

Thanks for the "extra" costs clarification!

Mind sharing the sound signature of the amps above. Is there a step up from S7 to 2A3? I've already read some of your impressions regarding the Stratus as being a hint of rolled off in the treble... But the info on S7 vs 2A3 is pretty thin...

Marvey · « **Reply #4 on:** January 01, 2013, 11:11:41 PM »

In context of use with HD800:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/643740/team-hd800-challenge#post_9007457

I wouldn't say Stratus is rolled. It has plenty of bite and energy. It's not in the school of polite / refined or in the school of aggressive. But the treble is silky smooth and I found bright headphones to especially work well with it.

Marvey · « **Reply #5 on:** January 01, 2013, 11:23:36 PM »

More info to help you calibrate accordingly from your own reference points:

First off, to calibrate, your observations of Phonitor are exactly the same as mine. I haven't heard the Raptor, so I cannot say.

The Zana and S7 sound very different. The Zana is more colored in the sense that it exudes a sense of luxury while you are listening. The midrange is very euphonic and rich. The Zana is probably the most colored of the EC amps (which are not very colored to being with.) The S7 is more accurate and straightforward. The Zana's treble is very so slightly etched for a tube amp. I feel the S7 is smoother all along. The Zana does exude a greater sense of openness than the S7, but the S7 is more precise at instrument placement but with a less deep stage. The Zana runs very hot (the output tubes are designed to run that way). The S7 does not run that hot.

I like the Stratus a lot, but a lot of those comments in that thread come from fanboys who really don't know what they are talking about or either seem to talking it up before selling it (hmmmm.) That being said, the Stratus does have a persistently "wet" sound which is probably the result of the transformers being used. This sound is what most people attribute to tubes, but it's done in a very nice way on the Stratus (not overdone). Despite DHT tubes having a reputation for vast openness, the Stratus is intimate sounding (in a good way - I wouldn't call it closed-in claustrophobic by any means). The EC amps sound more "grand". BTW, the Stratus bass is slightly muddy in comparison to either EC amp. Overall, the 2A3 is one of my favorite tubes, but the Stratus doesn't seem to be able to fully transmit all of its capability.

That being said, if I wanted an out of the box solution that played really well with the HD800, I could go with the Stratus. There's a reason why I always hit Donald's station at meets, I love listening to the Stratus. Depending upon your source, Zana could do well, but I'm concerned about the slight treble etch with a bright headphone like the HD800 (although many love this combination). The S7 is infinitely tune-able with a million tube combinations to change tone and the most honest.

The latest iteration of the S7 has some minor tweaks to increase clarity and liquidity. These improvements are not insignificant and based on feedback that Anaxilus and I gave back to Craig (we had two S7s were we made some modifications ourselves and reported the results back to him).

All that being said, I know Craig is working on a 2A3 amp with the BA's high frequency heater. The target is $2500. I would wait if you can for this. You can always call him to see how far out it is. If I have to do it all over again, this is what I would get (it will also have speaker outputs.) Actually, I may actually get it myself.

Hopefully this helps. I don't think there's one clear winner other than the newly proposed 2A3 w/ BA heater.< /span>

Anaxilus. · « **Reply #6 on:** January 02, 2013, 12:32:03 AM »

As purrin put it, my issue w/ the Stratus is minor lack of bass extension and punch. Bass is a bit soft in definition. A bit more extra plankton would be good too but that would be like a $4500 amp by Donald's standards. I have to echo the SS type of imaging precision of the S7, hard for me to give that up.

Valentin Hogea · « **Reply #7 on:** January 02, 2013, 09:05:48 AM »

How does the ZD handle orthos, considering it's a OTL and probably has somewhat higher output Z and designed for hi-Z loads?

Marvey · « **Reply #8 on:** January 02, 2013, 10:16:16 AM »

Output Z for ZD I think is ~2.8ohms on the L setting and 12 on H.

I wouldn't worry about the impedance thing too much unless it's super high like 58, 120, or even 560 ohms. Also it won't affect FR. The orthos have a flat impedance curve.

To put things in perspective, the output Z on the S7 is ~2.5. BA I think is ~2.8. LCD2, HE500, HE5, HE400 all sounded spectacular out of the those amps. Though I do think the LCD3 has better bass quality on the S7.

You could always opt for a solid-state or hybrid like the LF or LG for very difficult to drive orthos.

Valentin Hogea · « **Reply #9 on:** January 02, 2013, 11:00:18 AM »

That's one thing that keeps haunting me...

Should I buy a Gungir + Mjolnir (for the orthos) + DNA Sonnet 2/(I'm actually very tempted to reorder a La Figaro 339, had it and loved it) for the HD800?
That would end up to about 2500 USD (excl. tube rolling)

Try an "all-in-one" á la Gungir + Super 7
Aprox 2500 USD (excl. tube rolling).

This is very-very hard without being able to listen to the TOTL-amps...

/V

Author Topic: EC Super 7 vs EC 2A3 vs EC Zana Deux vs DNA Stratus (Read 23535 times)

Valentin Hogea

EC Super 7 vs EC 2A3 vs EC Zana Deux vs DNA Stratus

Valentin Hogea

Re: EC Super 7 vs EC 2A3 vs EC Zana Deux vs DNA Stratus

Marvey

Re: EC Super 7 vs EC 2A3 vs EC Zana Deux vs DNA Stratus

Valentin Hogea

Re: EC Super 7 vs EC 2A3 vs EC Zana Deux vs DNA Stratus

Marvey

Re: EC Super 7 vs EC 2A3 vs EC Zana Deux vs DNA Stratus

Marvey

Re: EC Super 7 vs EC 2A3 vs EC Zana Deux vs DNA Stratus

Anaxilus.

Re: EC Super 7 vs EC 2A3 vs EC Zana Deux vs DNA Stratus

Valentin Hogea

Re: EC Super 7 vs EC 2A3 vs EC Zana Deux vs DNA Stratus

Marvey

Re: EC Super 7 vs EC 2A3 vs EC Zana Deux vs DNA Stratus

Valentin Hogea

Re: EC Super 7 vs EC 2A3 vs EC Zana Deux vs DNA Stratus

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Author Topic: EC Super 7 vs EC 2A3 vs EC Zana Deux vs DNA Stratus (Read 23535 times)