Listens2Tubes, I've been trying since I became a member of this great and wonderful tape/music forum (6 years?) and still can't seem to pull it together. Being on a fixed income makes it difficult, but I keep trying. Being less than rich is why I have the Amina tube tape head pre amp instead of the fabulous Tape Pro, Charles King's production or one of the other tape head pre amps. Thank God there are tapes I can afford, though just barely and I can enjoy. Obviously being a jazz lover I would love to get my hands on some of the Tape Projects stuff.
Earlier today I pulled out a tube pre amp I had in storage for months. I had been using my Classe pre amp which was doing just fine until recently. When I put on some of my music the sound was lifeless with a significant reduction in volume level. So I went to the garage and pulled out the Zen Triode pre amp model ZTPRE made by Decware. I purchased this pre used and then put it up for hard times since the Classe was working to perfection. After it appeared my Classe was sick and no longer thrilled me. I needed to subsitute the ZTPRE just so i could have some music. The amazing thing about the ZTPRE is that it has several switches that permit changes in the way it sounds.
Initially, I hooked up my belt drive CD transport and put on the Bill Evans 'Blue in Green" CD and WOW! This was absolutely the first time I actually heard Eddie Gomez sing along with some portions of his bass solo. It was an awesome experience and got me to thinking about what might happen if I am able to replace the few capacitors and resistors this thing might sound better. I am already thinking about rolling the 6N1P tubes. I played another CD titled "Vertical Voices" singing the music of Maria Schneider. This is powerful stuff and I was amazed at what can be done with the human voice. As a matter of fact there are just 3 people, Julia Dollison, Kerry Marsh and Ben Monder singing all of the parts originally play by a full orchestra. Hooking up my Amina Tube Tape Head pre Amp and Tascam tape deck, I put on my Sonny Rollins (The Bridge) tape. Sounds like that's a Buescher Tenor Sax he's playing. The sound was big, bold, powerful and awesome. I don't know if anyone else has experienced not wanting to listen to their audio system because the music had no life. I am feeling great again even though I will have to put my Classe pre amp in the hospital for a while. How sad. Thanks for listening everyone and again, hope you all had a great Christmas and your New Years will be an even better one than 2013. Bob W.