Dartzeel vs. Tenor audio

minirac

New Member
Jan 30, 2014
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Sam that is so nice, you will have actually 2 upgrades (amps and burned in cables) when you get back your tenors. You must be so excited! Will you ship line1 together with monos or there aren't any upgrades for preamp since it was released? Now you will be missing only phono1 from tenor collection:) and with 1000w/4ohm and 1500w/2ohm you could almost drive your vsr 9 passive, but that is another story anyway hehe
 

Csng1

New Member
Jan 25, 2015
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Hi Violetmachan

Thanks i have read the thread in Audio circle, I know Jim have the Hansen grandmaster MK2 and also Mr. Lars Hansen did said is a great match with Tenor.
The 350M HP is a very powerful amp with the upgrade it must be music in heaven. Happy Listening to all and many thanks in helping to understand.
 

Violetmachan

Well-Known Member
Feb 25, 2012
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Hi marko

The phono1 has always been on the cards ,that's the idea behind the initial tenor route 10 years ago.I have been trying to keep music listening as simple as possible.....ie single source which has been with a CD play back....which at home has reached and does surpass vinyl at most times.....

The last piece of the musical madness jigsaw for me was the ultra extreme speaker cables.....happy just to listen to music for some time to come

Well I must think very hard about the phono 1?

The tenors have been with Jim/ tenors for the latest makeover for the power amps 500 HP generation 2 and the preamps to the latest version 3.01 and all tubes to new with zero clocking....hoping they will not need to return to Canada for the next 20000 hours!

This whole process takes about 4/52.....apparently the monoblocks are literally rebuilt from basic core ,for the 500watt monster....well , I will know the madness only when they come back.

THe cable burnin is also having a break......700 hours plus!.....probably need a industrial cooker

I have decided to have warm break for 3/52 from the English winter.....just enjoying the World Cup cricket

Enjoy listening to music
 
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Violetmachan

Well-Known Member
Feb 25, 2012
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hi harleyguy

way to go......congrats.

Harley are you also using the monoblocks with the preamps.....what speaker system are you using with your tenors


Jim always keeps reminding me of the same ......said be the best of tenor tech.

the initial tenor route taken many many years ago was finally to indroduce the concept of the phono stage.

Imust say the 500hp upgrade for the monoblocks along with the v3.01 upgrade for the preamp and new changes for cinema bypass seem to be very tempting and most appropriate for me at present

Just might break the mould and go for the my second source!
 

harleyguy

VIP/Donor
Mar 6, 2015
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Hi Violetmachan
Yes i am useing 350m and the line1 preamp all in piano black. my speakers are the dynaudio temptations.The phono stage i will get in may.It is fantastic,the best made
 

Violetmachan

Well-Known Member
Feb 25, 2012
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hi Harley

That's a stunning combo....the addition of the phono stage will take it to the limit.

Harley , a photo of your tenor 350m/preamp1 combo in piano black will be most appropriate!.....must be stunning with piano black finish with the cool blue tenor logo and dial display on the preamp!!

I had been using the 350m upgraded to the 350 m HP for few years.This configuration did really control my vsa vr9se mark 2 very well with 400watts on tap and its impedance dipping below 4ohms from the woofer drivers on vsa speakers

Harley with your dynaudio temptations speakers .....running at 4 ohms the conversion to the new 500watts generation 2 upgrade with doubling of internal damping ......will control your speakers even better!

I presume with the phono stage order ...you must be a primary vinyl user.....which turntable do you use
 

harleyguy

VIP/Donor
Mar 6, 2015
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I use a playback design right now just ordered a tech das af1.yes black is stuning.i love your set up very impressive your vsa are great. Jim set everything up for me,he lives 2 hours from me.His set up best i ever heard,HE IS A GREAT GUY.I will get some pictures soon today is 2nd day as a member even though i sure this site daily for the past few years great site
 

Violetmachan

Well-Known Member
Feb 25, 2012
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wow, way to go Harley

tech das af1! with the tenor combo with its phono stage.....must be in sonic nirvana.....listen to music all day!

Jim's system is fantastic.....with the latest top of the line Hansen speakers....he has stayed passive on the speaker front!....said to be the ideal combo for the tenor combo ......and must say belongs to a special but rare league of gentleman in audio!

Harley some pics is wanting....for the forum

enjoy your listening
Sam
 

Violetmachan

Well-Known Member
Feb 25, 2012
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hello Harley

Hows the tenor program doin.....phono stage in black and the tech das turntable .....should take it to the limit....when are the units comin Harley ......words wouldn't suffice.....pics harley....pics!....in black!!

Here the tenor HP program seems to have come to reality

The preamp in it's new 3.01 hardware , change in logic boards, new internal gold connectors , new battery modules , change in the control knobs and it's 3.01 software upgrade .......is pure blue magic

The 350m to its HP program which I had for the last 2 years as a 400 watt mono block.....and now to the ultimate 550 watt haute puissance monoblock......is real devil in blue!!,
550 watt on tap, double damping factor, new power modules with new 2700v transformers, and that sexy blue starlight.....takes you to sonic nirvana

Just had the new units installed an hour ago .....listening to the last hour.....some very old 1967 Peter green fleetwood mac session recording on blue horizon recording...." I loved another woman"....takes me back to the Decca studios in 1967.....in real!!

Most significant noting on initial power on program......the real dead silence of the pieces .......real PITCH BLACK!...., and all that Blue starlight crystals and 500plus micro blue LEds is like !!......true blue audio porn!.....must say very relaxin!!!!...and the synchronisation and working as an amplifying unit is simply magnifique!

will try to post some pics ......you must try that option Harley......I am really impressed with the naturality , realism and the easy with the music plays......did not believe jim initially .......by god.....the realism is is stunning in my livin space

will give you an update......once some serious hours are runin

The only other combo I would like to listen to would be the All new Dartzeel 18ns preamp with its mighty 458 monoblocks....just out of curiosity !.....especially with my powered vsa 9se mark 2speakers.....very unlikely knowing my regional English dealer......especially after ordering the original 18ns/108 combo and cancelling last moment for the tenors many many years ago.....must say no regrets at all...as of now!
 

Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 25, 2010
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The only other combo I would like to listen to would be the All new Dartzeel 18ns preamp with its mighty 458 monoblocks....just out of curiosity !.....especially with my powered vsa 9se mark 2speakers.....very unlikely knowing my regional English dealer......especially after ordering the original 18ns/108 combo and cancelling last moment for the tenors many many years ago.....must say no regrets at all...as of now!

I had the pre-production 'new' 18NS with my 458's in my room for 2 weeks last June. quite amazing I can tell you.

i'm told the full production version is some better....hard to imagine that.

as I owned the VS VR9SE's once upon a time (with a pair of 108's) I have an idea on how that combo (VR9SE mKII/18NS-458) might sound.....very fine indeed.

the 'new' 18NS was originally suppose to be here in late September of last year, then November, and then late January. now it's 'very soon'. they could be final bench testing the first production run right now.....it's that close.

I paid for my new 18NS last September.

stay tuned.
 
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Violetmachan

Well-Known Member
Feb 25, 2012
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well mike , I am sure your are very well versed with Dartzeels and vsa vr9se.

many years ago being truly a passive believer ....in speaker terms only....I was trying to optimise the sound in my living space with then my mark levinson reference system /speakers,b&w 800 signatures which did change to the vsa vr7se.....and this sound I grew to get comfortable with.....

but with late night listening , pure SS system was getting a little tiring .

At this stage i heard the original Dartzeel pre power combo at home for a month.......Just loved the mellifluous midrange with the darts and the vsa vr 7se......I thinks it's pure magic!

but there's one genre of music I still love to listen to from my school days...ie the jang jang of electric guitars.....which unfortunately did not work in my room with the darts and vsa vr7se

If I am not wrong , I did write a ethread on audigon to you ....in your dart /vr 9se phase.....and your very indepth and true write up in PF may have helped me to move to active speaker system.....absolutely no regrets

In 2008 when in San Francisco ....Albert invited me to listen to their setup of the then latest iteration of the vr9se in mannys place in west corvina......I did love the sound the minute I heard the system in its surroundings......which was very coherent and very nearly real sounding and most of all flexible and changeable in small units to work with any room.....This was a absolute blessing for me especially in my living space which at that time was lively

To cut the narrative short....as it stands the tenors preamp and HP mono-blocks in their latest form , the vsa 9se mark 2, the vsa ultra extreme loom of cables and my room make very good vibrations....which sounds like music to me......has been for awhile !...fortunately getting even better?

I am sure the 18ns new and 458mono blocks must be absolutely stunning ....especially in an esoteric customised sound chamber like yours.

I do hope if I am in your neck of the woods......if time permitting and permission to listen is possible ...would definitely like to listen to your set up

cheers

sam
 
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harleyguy

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Mar 6, 2015
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hi sam
My tenor phono will be done in may and the tech das 4 months if all goes well.i will get some pictures when i get every thing hooked up,the black is stunning,but so is the cherry.how long did tenor have your amps for and how do they sound.You cant go wrong with Tenor as i feel its the best in the world al
 

Orb

New Member
Sep 8, 2010
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Do any of you know if the CTH-8550 is likely to be replaced any time soon considering the development to date being done by Herve?
Would be interesting to see what he would do with a revised and improved 8550; I am assuming the LHC-208 is not a replacement for the 8550 in terms of being the best integrated he can make (I am probably sooo wrong here lol).

Cheers
Orb
 

Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 25, 2010
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Orb,

i'd recommend either starting another thread on the darTZeel forum, or finding an appropriate thread already on the darTZeel forum and i'll be glad to tell you what I know.

this is a mostly Tenor thread on the darTZeel forum already. inserting a CTH-8550 subject into it will really confuse the flow.
 

Mark Jones

[Industry Expert]/Member Sponsor
Jul 9, 2014
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Congrats Harley,

I have heard the Tenor Phono1, It may be their finest product to date. It is unbelievably good, enjoy.
 

Violetmachan

Well-Known Member
Feb 25, 2012
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It does sounds wrong to dwell on tenor in a dartzeel forum....but the endpoint is the magical Dartzeel statement products18nsnew/458combo!in comparsion with the tenor combo

Just to side track the thread...to the blue side of music!!

IMG_0002.JPG IMG_0011.JPG IMG_0014.JPG IMG_0013.JPG IMG_0017.JPG

In true blue magic....ie not viagra;)..but the tenor preamp and monoblocks in Haute Puissance upgrade mode.....will give you all an indepth update in a few days

Does it better my old combo of tenorpreamp /350M hp(400watt)......yes it does in pure blue magic!:cool:....with no shades of blue in it......just good old music:)

enjoy your music
sam
 

harleyguy

VIP/Donor
Mar 6, 2015
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Hi Mark yes its great looking and made perfect,i will get it in may so i am looking forward to it
 

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