Welcome to Decware

Zen TORII Jr

MODEL TORIIJRv2

20 WATTS x 2

Made by hand in the USA and sold wholesale to the public with a
L i f e t i m e W a r r a n t y !

A stargate that lets you step inside the music.

REVISION II

"A very successful attempt to capture the sound and performance of our popular Zen TORII amplifier in a smaller package"

Thanks to our new UFO output transformer design it became possible to bring Decware's most popular amplifier (the Zen TORII ) to you in a smaller and more obtainable package without sacrificing sound quality or performance. In fact when you hear it we're sure you'll join the already huge number of TORII JR owner's who say this is somewhat of an understatement.

This amplifier is an example of what happens when you build a tube amp in the United States with US parts and labor and put a lifetime warranty on it.

The JR is using the same proven if not legendary circuit used in the TORII MK4 but stripped of all non-essential features. As the first in the TORII line to employ our Ultra Fidelity Outputs you can expect a bandwidth to within 1/2 dB from 25Hz ~ 25kHz. The 3dB frequency response is 10Hz~70kHz with 6dB out past 100kHz. The resolution it takes to get this bandwidth results in the kind of speed and transparency that make this amp UN-touchable by anything other than exotic boutique products.

It has been my goal since taking Decware online in 1996 to make an amplifier that sounds this good available to the sincere but broke audiophiles of the world, and while we offer several amplifiers the TORII JR the only one that gives you this combination of power and sound for the the price.

Steve Deckert - DECWARE / High Fidelity Engineering

INCREDIBLE TRANSPARENCY

Zen TORII JR Stereo Amplifier - One channel shown

You are looking at the entire audio circuit of a Zen TORII Junior amplifier. This is a big part of the reason the amplifier sounds so good. There is nothing to get in the way of the music. A direct-coupled input stage driving a capacitor-coupled output stage.

If you're new to Decware tube amps, the circuit above has 16 parts. 7 of those parts represent the input stage. In the common solid state receivers of today the input stage uses circuit chips. Inside each chip are 31 parts. It takes a minimum of 2 chips to do a similar job. Many solid state receivers use large numbers of these chips.

So we are comparing 16 parts against at a minimum 62 parts and the 16 parts use NO transparency smearing feedback of any kind, while the circuit chip below is full of it.

AVAILABLE IN
DIFFERENT STYLES AND WOODS.

FEATURES

Dual-Volume controls eliminate the need to run matched quads of output tubes.
Dual-Volume controls eliminate the need to run matched input tubes.
Purist Design is hand built point-to-point with no circuit boards and zero solid state parts.
5U4 Tube Rectifier with OA3 tube-regulated power supplies for each channel.
Rare harmonics that sound and feel like an SET amplifier.
No global negative feedback used.
Designed for simple and affordable EL34 output tubes.
Compatible with KT77, 6L6, 5881, 6550, KT66, KT88, 7027, EL34 or 807 with adapter.
Dual RCA inputs with silver switching so you can have two sources.
Boutique internals including Miflex Copper Foil capacitors and F&T electrolytics.
Self-Biasing eliminates the possibility of melting tubes from bias runaway.
Self-Biasing requires no adjustments and is compatible with the tubes listed above.

What sets this amplifier apart?

"The two biggest things other than no circuit boards or solid state parts, would be this:

1) Tube Regulation - shown left.

2) Even Order Harmonics - discussed below.

Both are rare in the vast majority of push-pull amplifiers, tube and solid state alike.

This beautiful tube is a variant of the OA3 regulator tube. It is a VR90 which drops the voltage to the input stage by around 15 volts. This can be just enough to tickle your exotic N.O.S. 6922 or 7DJ8 inputs tubes into a new level of nirvana. There are actually three of these tubes you can work with that will give you three different sounds.

Even order vs. Odd order harmonics is basically a discussion comparing the sound of SET amps to Push-Pull designs. Push-Pull designs, both tube and solid state have odd-order distortion whereas the SET (Single-Ended-Triode) amp designs have even-order distortion.

Even-order distortion is found in nature. It actually can make things sound better rather than worse. Odd-order distortion is like hitting the wrong notes on a piano, and is never enjoyable in any amount.

We designed the Zen TORII to have Even Order Harmonics by manipulating the operating points in the SET input stage and direct-coupled phase inverter. These harmonics are passed by the the output stage that has been designed so that the input stage clips first. This has a pleasant benefit of increasing output tube life and keeping the sound from getting hard or overly forward and dry.

ZEN TORII PUSH-PULL

ZEN TRIODE SET

Shown above are the harmonics of both the TORII and our SET amplifier side by side.

A typical push-pull amplifier's distortion graph looks like this:

Unlike the Decware's, the 1K tone doesn't generate an even harmonic at 2K, instead it is at 3K, 5K, 7K (A,B,C)

Despite the insane resolution of the TORII design, it manages to keep from getting clinical. The whole design was about the sound, not power. That said, the amp can drive nearly a dead short, and many have reported a death grip on the bass, so the lower power of 20 watts does actually have some nuts behind it.

COMMENTS on the TORII design

"Decware founder Steve Deckert proudly proclaims the Zen Torii is “the last amp you’ll ever want.? And if you agree with Nelson Pass’ theory that there is a best amplifier for each type of speaker, the Zen Torii could be just “the best? if you have the right speakers. TONEAudio publisher Jeff Dorgay was smitten enough to purchase the Torii for his reference fleet of amplifiers. For an EL- 34-based amplifier, the bass grip is nothing short of breathtaking, and the Torii renders musical detail like Kodachrome 25.

Indeed, there’s never been a better example of specs not telling the whole story. The Torii plays louder and interfaces with a much wider range of speakers than suggested by its modest 26-watt- per-channel rating. Showcasing old-school style, the Torii is hand-wired in Illinois by the Decware staff and guaranteed for life. American craftsmanship at its finest." - Jeff Dorgay

ISSUE 41 TONE AUDIO MAGAZINE - FULL ZEN TORII REVIEW HERE

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"Some tube amplifiers sound warm and rich, and some sound a lot like solid-state amps; Decware amps are right down the middle. The Decware I'm listening to today, the Zen Torii MKIV, scores big in image size and dimensionality. All Decware amplifiers are designed and built in East Peoria, Ill."

"The main takeaway from my Zen Torii MKIV listening sessions was the way recordings take on a more physical presence in my room. It's almost as if the instruments and voices are more fully formed. Each instrument and vocal is distinct and separated in space. When switching over to other amps, some dimensionality is lost and the soundstage feels flatter." - Steve Guttenberg

FULL ZEN TORII REVIEW HERE

THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS CAN BE SELECTED FROM WITHIN THE SHOPPING CART.

Wood Base Type

Shown above from top to bottom is: Maple, Cherry, Black, Walnut, Black Victorian. Custom hardwoods and or finishes are available upon request for additional costs.

Knobs Type

From left to right is; Ebony, Gold, Black Chicken Head, Cream Chicken Head, Walnut.

Other Options

LEVEL 2 Anniversary Mods -

This amplifier comes standard with Level 1 Anniversary mods. Level 2 Anniversary Mods simply upgrade the Level 1 mods to Miflex Copper Foil to match the exotic signal caps.

XLR Balanced Inputs -

If you want to run balanced into this amp, simply purchase our ZBIT transformer and place it near the amplifier.

SILKSCREEN -

Most Decware Gear is black with no markings - this amplifier is also available that way at no additional charge.

VOLTAGES -

The amp has a CE rated world voltage compatible power transformers. You can select your voltage from within the shopping cart.

New Options -

When available additional options can be found in the the shopping cart.

THE TUBES

The TORII JRv2 comes with a hand-selected tube compliment that has been tested in the actual amplifier, not only are they gain matched, but the harmonics are also matched - something that can only be achieved when tested in the actual amplifier using a real-time FFT scope.

The input tubes, 6N5P-EV are Russian N.O.S. Military Stock. The output tubes are new production EL34. The 5U4 Rectifiers are also new production. The OA3 are N.O.S. Russian Military.

These are all some of the least expensive, but best sounding tubes available today and it gives us great pleasure to have an amplifier that makes these tubes sound like the exotic little jewels they really are!

TUBE ROLLING

If you're feeling adventurous and have the wallet for it, virtually every tube in this amplifier can be replaced with boutique and New Old Stock (NOS) tubes that have the potential to elevate things even higher. If you want the very best obtainable we can fix you up with some very special cryo-treated tubes made specifically for this amplifier by Cryotone.

The input stage can be rolled with the popular 6922, 6DJ8, 7DJ8, or the Russian 6N23P or the lower gain 6N5P. The input tube is the gain stage that makes the biggest difference in the sound of the amplifier.

Output tubes can also be rolled. There are no adjustments, no biasing... just plug and play. Output tubes must be used in matched pairs. Output tubes that are not matched can cause an audible hum on efficient speakers.

Below are listed some of the 6.3V output tubes from the EL34/6CA7 family that are compatible in this amplifier.

Compatible with KT77, 6L6, 5881, 6550, KT66, KT88, 7027, EL34 and 807 with adapter.

Each of these output tubes sound different, thus changing them is like getting a different amplifier. We find the KT77 to have a classic British well-controlled sound. 6L6 and 5881 have a more tubey / romantic sound. 6550 tend to be fast and super clean. KT66 is a favorite in this amplifier, everything just down the middle. 7027, NOS are the fastest and most transparent tubes. 807 is for midrange lovers.

The power doesn't change more than about a watt or two from type to type in this amplifier, so the only reason to Tube roll is to change the sound.

Exotic output tubes from Asia... anyone with extensive experience can tell you that defect and failure rates can be high. In our experience, the lower voltage amplifiers (<350V) do pretty well with these tubes, while the higher voltage amplifiers (450V+) have more issues. The TORII amplifiers all run with lower plate voltages (<350V) and lower bias currents (<50mA) so the tubes are far from stressed making it possible to explore the large variety of exotic tubes on the market today with less disappointments and longer tube life.

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WE6CA7

RECTIFIERS

We choose tube rectification in this amplifier because of it's profound effect on the sound signature which gives the owner the power to control the signature of his or her amplifier on a foundational level.

This amplifier compared to prior versions is now using an 8 uF Atom Sprague Capacitor as the first section of the power supply filter. This was done as a gesture of kindness to those who enjoy rolling rectifier tubes as there will be less failures from arcing on start up.

Additionally this model was upgraded with external fuses for the rectifiers so that if you do get a bad one, it will blow the fuse and you can easily replace it with no harm done.

The amp was designed for 5U4 but can be used with 5AR4 and similar variants. Also it can be used with some 274B rectifiers.

SPECIFICATIONS

INPUT TUBE CHOICES: 6N1P-EV, 6922
OUTPUT TUBE CHOICES: EL34, 6CA7, KT77, KT66, 5881, 6L6, 7027, 350B, KT88, 6550 and 807's with adapters.
INPUTS: 2 RCA INPUT JACKS FOR EACH CHANNEL/ OPTIONAL XLR
OUTPUTS: 4,8,16 Ohm BINDING POSTS PER CHANNEL
OUTPUT STAGE TOPOLOGY: GND-CATHODE TRANSFORMER RK
RLOAD PLATE TO PLATE: 6600 OHMS
IDLE CURRENT: 37~57 MILS PER OUTPUT TUBE DEPENDING ON TUBE
HIGH B+ VOLTAGE: 360 VDC PER CHANNEL
INPUT IMPEDANCE: 100 K OHMS
INPUT SENSITIVITY: FULL POWER @ 2.0 VOLTS
POWER INTO 3.5 OR 8 OHMS: 20.6 WATTS RMS PER CHANNEL
NOISE: -90dB
OPERATION: CLASS A1
GRID REGULATION: TAPPED OUTPUT TRANSFORMER
INPUT STAGE REGULATION: ONE VR75~VR150 PER CHANNEL
RECTIFICATION: ONE 5AR4 or 5U4 PER CHANNEL
INPUT STAGE: TWO 6N1P or 6922 PER CHANNEL
OUTPUT STAGE: TWO MATCHED EL34 PER CHANNEL
SIZE: 19-1/8 " WIDE x 13-3/4 " DEEP x 7-3/4 " HIGH
NET WEIGHT: 36.8 lbs.
WARRANTY: LIFETIME TO ORIGINAL OWNER / 90 DAYS ON TUBES
SHIPS WITH:
PREMIUM GRADE EL34 OUTPUT TUBES
5U4 RECTIFIERS
6N1P PREMIUM INPUT TUBES
N.O.S. OA3 VOLTAGE REGULATOR TUBES
REMOVABLE POWER CORD
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz ~ 20kHz +/- 0.4dB
TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION @ 1W: 0.069 %

SUPPORT

Since we don't have dealer's and we sell our amplifiers directly to the customer, our customers have a direct line to us. As a result, Decware support is legendary for over 20 years.

Support is not only a phone call or email away at any time, but when you purchase this amplifier you join a huge family of customers who also own one and enjoy supporting each other on our support forums.

DECWARE Support Forums

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Owner's Manual is in a .pdf format

TRY ONE AT HOME FOR 30 DAYS!

Return IT if not satisfied FOR 10% RESTOCK FEE !

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Amps are hand-built to order. There are presently lots of orders on our real time build sheet. A 10% deposit secures your place on the list with today's date and time stamp. Balance is due when it's ready to ship. You will be sent a final invoice with the total price including actual shipping costs by our office during your wait.