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Thread: Tube Technology 'Unisis' (Signature)

  1. #11
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: North Down /Northern Ireland/ UK

    Posts: 19,484
    I'm Neil.

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    Quote Originally Posted by macvisual View Post
    (£200) --- wOw that's mega cheap....!

    They seem to range second hand prices between £900 and a rediculous high £1,800. If say around £1,250 would be the average going price for a minty condition 'Unisis'.

    Still hard to find any for sale if you were after one...
    Peter there is better out there, don't bother.
    Regards Neil

  2. #12
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: NE England

    Posts: 4,173
    I'm Jez.

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    Many years ago, when living in London for a while, I went to visit Zia with a view to getting a job... it was in a converted barn in Hampshire IIRC. He seemed a nice enough guy. he tried to elicit some of my own ideas from me on amp design etc... he was getting nowt without a job offer I'd only gone there on spec, there was no advertised position, and I left after an hour or so.
    I heard a story that his wife just keeled over one day and he was so heartbroken he abandoned the business.. I can't vouch for the accuracy of this!

    I (and any competent engineer) can service these and any other now defunct brand
    Arkless Electronics-Engineered to be better. Tel. 01670 530674 (after 1pm)

    Modded Thorens TD150, Audio Technica AT-1005 MkII, Technics EPC-300MC, Arkless Hybrid MC phono stage, Arkless passive pre, Arkless 50WPC Class A SS power amp, (or) Arkless modded Leak Stereo 20, Modded Kef Reference 105/3's
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  3. #13
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: North Down /Northern Ireland/ UK

    Posts: 19,484
    I'm Neil.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Arkless Electronics View Post
    Many years ago, when living in London for a while, I went to visit Zia with a view to getting a job... it was in a converted barn in Hampshire IIRC. He seemed a nice enough guy. he tried to elicit some of my own ideas from me on amp design etc... he was getting nowt without a job offer I'd only gone there on spec, there was no advertised position, and I left after an hour or so.
    I heard a story that his wife just keeled over one day and he was so heartbroken he abandoned the business.. I can't vouch for the accuracy of this!

    I (and any competent engineer) can service these and any other now defunct brand
    That is pretty much what had happened. The company and he and his wife had moved from London to Wales, then she died, it pretty much destroyed him. There was a recovery of sorts, but I don't know what happened after that. Not long after I spent a couple of hours talking with him on the phone, it was a very hard, sad chat.

    I think we should leave that side of things now.
    Regards Neil

  4. #14
    Join Date: Dec 2012

    Location: Stoke on trent

    Posts: 959
    I'm Steve.

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    I've had a couple of standard unisis and a sig model. I've done lots of comparisons with similar priced valve amps. It was the first time I heard a unisis that I decided valves were for me. They were driving some Royd Apexs and the midrange was stunning.a real 'hang in the air' presentation. Over the years, prima lunas etc came along but I preferred the unisis. It was slightly edgier and more forward than the AI500 and on reflection, it was tonally thinner that gave the impression that it had greater control. I've since had another 500 and I actually prefer the 500 now I understand how I expect voices to be presented. The unisis sounds slightly coarse in comparison.
    Biasing a non sig model is a scary prospect involving tinkering around high voltages with an amp that doesn't sit upside down very easily.
    I also had a pair of the genesis monos. I never got on with these at all. Powerful but lacking sparkle and transparency.
    If your speakers are sensitive enough I'd consider a Leben CS300 over the unisis, it has the same taught presentation but with added finesse and looks waaaay better.

  5. #15
    Join Date: Dec 2012

    Location: Stoke on trent

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    I'm Steve.

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    My genesis monos




  6. #16
    Join Date: Jul 2011

    Location: lancashire

    Posts: 802
    I'm brian.

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    I borrowed one for a while a few years ago. In fact I seem to remember that it used to be Steves, at some point.

    I liked it, but it wasnt in the same league as the Audio Innovations pre/power combo that i had then, and I remember thinking that it wasnt as nice as an audio innovations 500 that i had previously owned.

    I was borrowing it at the time of a Bake Off at my house, and it was liked that day, but again, was blown away by an Audio Note Oto, in a direct comparison.

    i think you can do better, for the same money.

  7. #17
    Join Date: Dec 2012

    Location: Stoke on trent

    Posts: 959
    I'm Steve.

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    Yeah I think you're right Brian.

    There's nothing wrong with the unisis, it sounds like we're bashing it, it's still a cracking amp.

    I've spent many a Sunday morning polishing the casework.

  8. #18
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: West Ealing, West London

    Posts: 1,156
    I'm Mauro.

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    In my experience and with the Audio Note AN-J speakers, the AI S500 was boomy and not articulated in the bass frequencies.

    Maybe it would be a lot better with sealed box speakers as the AN-K.

    I agree with Steve, the Unisis has a thinner presentation.

    Biasing is a PITA, it needs an engineer to be done.

    Leben CS300 is certainly better, but it lacks the MM integrated phono stage which could be very important if you play a lot of vinyl.

    The Unisis phono stage is excellent.

  9. #19
    Join Date: Apr 2009

    Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex

    Posts: 7,087
    I'm Dave.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dalek Supreme D L View Post
    That is pretty much what had happened. The company and he and his wife had moved from London to Wales, then she died, it pretty much destroyed him. There was a recovery of sorts, but I don't know what happened after that. Not long after I spent a couple of hours talking with him on the phone, it was a very hard, sad chat.

    I think we should leave that side of things now.
    Zia's Wife was a lovely lady who was taken by Cancer far too young. After that, Zia never recovered or got back to the job and didn't make anything of note.

    A couple of times he contacted me to ask opinions on producing products again but the prices he was considering were ridiculous, making the Unisis sell for £5K or so. During this period he virtually disappeared but kept the website going, which is why people kept sending him equipment for service and never getting it back.

    Last I heard from him was that he was off to California to work for the Manleys.

  10. #20
    Join Date: Feb 2008

    Location: South Wales

    Posts: 9,151
    I'm NotTakingLifeTooSeriouslyTheseDays.

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    I have repaired, and serviced a few of the Tube tech amps over the years,and a word of warning, they do suffer from board issues, ie; stray voltages affecting the bias circuitry, however, they are quite well put together, and many people seem to enjoy their sonic qualities.
    Hope this helps.
    A...
    Quote Originally Posted by Arkless Electronics View Post
    Many years ago, when living in London for a while, I went to visit Zia with a view to getting a job... it was in a converted barn in Hampshire IIRC. He seemed a nice enough guy. he tried to elicit some of my own ideas from me on amp design etc... he was getting nowt without a job offer I'd only gone there on spec, there was no advertised position, and I left after an hour or so.
    I heard a story that his wife just keeled over one day and he was so heartbroken he abandoned the business.. I can't vouch for the accuracy of this!

    I (and any competent engineer) can service these and any other now defunct brand
    "Today scientists have substituted mathematics for experiments, and they wander off through equation after equation, and eventually build a structure which has no relation to reality"
    Nikola Tesla



    Its now a conspiracy theory to believe that the Immune system is capable of doing the job it was designed to do.
    A fish is only as healthy as the water its swimming in ! [Dr Robert Young]


    www.tubedistinctions.co.uk

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