ECP Torpedo III [indexed in first post]

It's been a while since I've heard this amp, but that sounds like it will be solved by tubes. Schiit amps are kind of edgey and thin for me, I like full-body sound.

And you're starting to learn how differences in equipment work on the board. When someone says it destroys another, often times it's not life changing. But when you adjust to better, it's really hard to listen to something lesser as you know you're missing out on music.

 

Listening some more, I am really having to get used to having such an inky black background. Sounds emanating out of nothingness.

I'm also really not feeling the stock tubes. They have that sparkly hi-fi sound I'm used to hearing with EH tubes (I used them briefly in the Val2 and Lyr2) that I really didn't like... presentation isn't sounding as natural as I'd like.

Imaging is also weak and I'm realizing the soundstage is mediocre in terms of layering. All this is way more apparent with classical music, which I listen to extensively. I guess I was spoiled from having an excellent pair of NOS Teslas in the Lyr2, which were superb. But I can still hear all the subtle things that make a TOTL amp... plankton, microdynamics, etc...

I'll see what the Mullards do for me.

 

That is great that you have a black background with your build! One of the main gripes I had with this amp was gray background, which could have been Gungnir Multibit’s problem too, although I still noticed it with vinyl. What DAC are you using? The layering and detail really improved with the CV4024’s that TomB recommended. The soundstage wasn’t so much an issue through HD800.

 

Actually I need to amend what I said.

The seller neglected to ship a power cable with the T3, so i had to pull one from an old crappy TV my housemate had.

I was able to swap it out for a new one I just got in the mail and had a moment to listen before work. Definitely fixes some of the issues I had... will do more listening tomorrow.

 

No black background.... like a noise floor problem? The 12az7's could be slightly hissy but not something I found with the nice tubes and not noticeable on say higher impedance phones.

I also regularly use horribly chintzy looking power cables, the free ones with pc power supplies and monitors, pretty sure they usually are usually UL certified! Fancy garden hose cables are fine but not flexible enough ime.

 

Okay, wow, so....

I did alot more listening last night and today. I had been vaguely dissatisfied with the sound. I could hear the potential, but imaging was fuzzy/indistinct, the sound almost glassy with little solidity, and it was kind of weirdly dark sounding.

This was with my Sony DVD player as a source feeding Gungnir Multibit/coax. On a lark I pulled out my laptop and connected my PYST USB cable to Gungnir Multibit's USB 2.0 input (yeah, I know, but I needed to at least try). And WOW, the sound got so much better. Everything now sounds solid, layered, so much resolution coming through it's almost overwhelming. No more glassy, nebulous imaging.

So now I am at a crossroads. Most of my music collection is on CD (hundreds of albums). I have a few dozen on a flash drive, but even youtube stuff sounds fantastic. I could get an Eitr and keep using the computer but that would mean ALOT of time burning CDs to FLAC, or get a higher end CD player which would keep all the positive qualities of a good source... the onkyo c7030 seems to be a popular low cost recommend.

 

I moved everything to the computer last year. Funny thing, I listen to music a lot more now.

(FWIW, I'm using Roon, which I've been very happy with.)

 

@ColtMrFire

Does the DVD player trip off the "buy better gear" light in the Gungnir MB?

 

No.

My house has weird power issues... I've been playing around with some configurations, and the amp seems to respond to different things. I took it off the power strip with the Gungnir Multibit and CDP and put everything into separate outlets in my power conditioner... that really seems to get me back where I need to be, because I don't want to abandon my CDs. I don't pretend to know how this stuff works, I just try to get the best sound.

Doing some more listening this weekend to see what's what, but I no longer hear the weird sound that was going on and I am hearing what this amp can do finally...

 

hi can anyone give a comparison between the t3 and mjol 2
thanks

 

Now that all the "bugs" are worked out, I can properly review this amp.

I know it's cliche to say "I'm hearing stuff I've never heard before", but it's true in this case. There were times last night when I exclaimed "I didn't know Gungnir Multibit could do that!" That DAC is way better than I realized, and was being held back by Lyr2 (I didn't use it with any other Schiit amps). I love continuing to get my money's worth from that purchase, like the gift that keeps on giving with better amps and sources.

The sax in Steely Dan's Aja sounds like a guy playing it, rather than "here's the sound of a sax from our music inventory". Cymbal hits have nuance and detail of the metal, and how much pressure is being used to hit it with the sticks. Voices are silky, breathy and layered with texture. The bass is crazy good, hits like a freight train when the track calls for it. There isn't as much air and space around instruments as I'd like (more obvious with classical), but that will probably get fixed with the Mullards, I'm hoping. I finally actually dig the stock tubes, they give a really good indication of what the amp can do, but I still feel there is room for improvement. But technicalities are off the charts without being showy/shouty/abrasive, just very smooth, with tons of resolution... really digging into the recordings. It's kind of like seeing a more detailed photograph... all the little nuances are much more obvious and create a more satisfying and realistic experience.

Still more listening to do, but I wanted to clear up any misconceptions about my opinion of this fine piece of engineering.

 

Any update on when a T4/T5 may be in the wild?

 

We're getting close. I just received an updated prototype power transformer. That has necessitated a change to the PS PCB, so that's been ordered. The details of moving from a thing that I built and like, to a thing that I can rebuild and sell are time consuming. And I'm slow. That's all we're working on at this point.

 

So is it planned to release two new headphone amps, a T4 and a T5... or just a Torpedo-4 for now?

 

Confusingly, it is looking like just the T5, but in 2 versions.

 

I guess the idea of a T4 was torpedoed

 

I"m almost afraid to ask how much better the Torpedo can get!

 

Yep - that sound stage will widen up considerably with the Mullards. (referencing a comment made a page or two back)

Just an opinion ColtMrFire, but I rip everything to FLAC. I keep the CDs, but only to rip them. Maybe it comes from an old-school practice with LPs. I remember we used to play an LP once - long enough to record it on a good tape deck, then stored the LP for posterity. Back then it was to keep the wear down on the LP, but it was also for convenience, too.

These days, there is no difference between FLAC and Redbook quality CD - it's a lossless compression anyway. (Think removing the white space from a printed page and you get the idea of how lossless compression is possible.) You also have lossless storage and availability for hi-res files, too, using FLAC.

 

The Mullards have been burning in for about 90+ hours now.

They definitely took the amp up a couple notches vs. the stock tubes. Soundstage is much more layered and separated. There is no more upper-mid/lower-treble shoutiness/grit. Recordings sound alot more "live" and very very clean. I am also impressed with the FOCUS the Mullards brought, which translates into every sound being accounted for and nothing being overwhelmed or drowned out... the ability to follow every musical line/harmony, etc. This is critical for classical and hearing what every section of the orchestra is doing. Definitely helps with jazz too. I am not hearing any less bass... it is still thunderous and hits like a mack truck when called for. I am super impressed with any hip hop in my collection now. I also love the fact that this amp has no sense of harshness, even with previously unlistenable brickwalled recordings. The Mullards make this even more apparent.

Very very impressed so far.

 

After spending about a week and half with the Mullards, I am starting to dislike the warmth. It is obscuring clarity that I'm used to with certain music. Clarity that was definitely there with the stock tubes. Even though the Mullards are better in every way on a technical level, the warmth is a detriment for my tastes, which skew far toward absolutely clarity.

I am investigating getting some 12ax7 Telefunkens, as I hear they are the clarity/imaging kings. I am open to suggestions though.