Voltron

Well, on topic, I am sitting here in Park City, Utah listenin to the FET-A and EC/SS side by side. My source is an iMod with female dock and my Wyvern Audio AG-8 mini-RCA cable. Cans are Ed. 9 and HF-1. I am just getting going, so no impressions right away other than that these are both high-value amps. So compact and yet very satisfying.

This is going to be good stuff and the NYT magazine article today got me even more pumped.

You've figured it out, Manuel! That is the secret to the SP success. Well, that and the crack dispenser on the pricier models.

Happy birthday Stephen. I hope you and donkey have tons of fun at the beach next week! Cheers

OUCH! That sounds awful, except for the percecets and opiate bath. Damn, I just left you a vmail last night wondering what the hell was up. Was thinking about calling tonight to see if Stacey was mourning you or what. Anyway, heal well and please, god, no wound pics.

The new TTVJ FET-A is what you seem to have missed. It went on sale recently for the intro price of $649, but the labor costs are going to raise the price a bit to $729 after the first 10. It is a nice little amp with a lot of power. I will be trying it head-to-head with the EC/SS tonight.

Now that's funny stuff. The unfortunate reality is that the 307A is an amazing amp and yet people don't buy them in nearly the numbers that they buy the shiny black boxes (in more ways than one) from Colorado. Funny you should say that because Todd and Pete have kicked around the idea of a tricked out more pricey version. I personally think a better face plate, better knobs, and a cage for the works would be good enough for most people. Ideally, those gorgeous tubes would be up front even though I know the reasoning for their current location.

OK, it doesn't have style like these two, but my pictures are crappy and done at night with bad lighting. Still, the TTVJ look is definitely utilitarian and nobody seems to like the volume knob except Pete Millett because it is used on the 307A amp as well! It was just something to get posted, but the amp does not look like it was built by Accuphase or Luxman. It is similar to my EC/SS in level of looks/style, although I keep asking Todd if there is some reason the DIY guys like Nate can come up with beautiful one-off cases and face plates like the recent Beta22 for tyrion. He seems to believe it would be too expensive and obviously believes the money is better spent on internals and design.

The output is in fact a pre-amp output even though the label says Line Out. I have mentioned this to Todd and I assume that he can correct it on later rear plate orders.

The OctoMom is disgusting.

The part no. is Elpac WM071-1950 with no D5 at the end. It looks like this, which is different from what you linked above: And the Data Sheet pdf linked on the page you link to seems to be correct and have an image like what I have here.

Cecil Taylor -- Nefertiti, The Beautiful One Has Come

It does not look compatible with the HeadRoom Desktop PSU sitting on my desk, unfortunately. Somebody should ping Pete Millett before trying this.

Didn't have much time to listen with 'phones tonight, but I liked what I heard with the HD600s (Blue Dragon) and HF1s. But here are the pics for the time being:

Can you smell stevieo through the internets?

Coincidentally, I was thinking of your decrepit self today. Are you coming to CanJam in May? Are you going to fly into NorCal, hang out some in Marin, and then bus down with the crew?

Very nice, Mikey, but the guy's name is Jeff "Tain" Watts like it says on the top of the pic you posted.

Don't worry Ryan, I know you are second in line! You might want to PM me your address at some point, but as I told Todd, I am taking this little beauty with me on a trip next week. I will ship out on the 23rd or so.

Come on, SJ is not far away. It has a DC input at 15V 0.3A from a chunky Elpac wall wart.

No Luxman yet, but I will be comparing it with the Eddie Current EC/SS. Do you know that amp? I can try out some Grados with it and give you my thoughts on that combination in any event.

Camera phone shite is all I could do, and I don't even know how to post those.

I just received the TTVJ FET-A from Todd for a loaner session. It looks and sounds great so far, and he has resolved the minor issues with the prototype faceplate. I will try to post pics tonight or tomorrow, but I am already listening to it as a preamp and the initial impression is very favorable. The sound is detailed, rich and full in my desktop setup, and the background / idle state is completely quiet. I am taking the output from my HeadRoom Desktop Amp into the TTVJ FET-A, and then into my HeadRoom Desktop Power Amps, out the Harbeths and into my ears. Because the amp has about 1 hour of burn-in, this will be a good way to log some hours while I am at work. I don't have headphones in my office, but I will see if somebody has some or just check that out tonight. It looks like Pete and Todd have put together a great addition to their line-up. Plus, you just gotta love the "No Opamps" logo on the the thing!

That is the greatest dog expression evar.

The Meat Ship We really need to get Ray Samuels one of these at CJ09.

Rachael Yamagata -- Elephants . . . Teeth Sinking Into Heart