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jandl100
04-04-2011, 07:48
I heard this at syep's bake off a year or two back, brought there by its then owner, Paul / mrwippy from the Wigwam forum.

Now Paul and I don't exactly see eye to eye when it comes to hifi. In fact, Paul says that he closely follows my hifi recommendations so he knows what not to buy! :doh::eyebrows:

Nonetheless, we seem to be as one when it comes to the excellence of this amp. For me, the Romulus totally blew away all comers at Si's bake off, and I've been nagging Paul ever since to sell it to me ... especially since he hasn't been using it for a while as his corner horns are more than happy with his home-brew 2A3 amps.

Well, Paul has finally succumbed and last Saturday I made the 280 mile return trip to collect the amp from his place in Plymouth.
(BTW - we may differ somewhat in our approaches to hifi, but by gum his system sounds good! :^ - fast, open, detailed, lovely imaging, room-filling presence. Very nice indeed.)

Here she is - pretty, no? :)

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/CRDevRomulusf.jpg

35wpc integrated, using 3x 12AX7, 2x 12AU7 and 4x 6L6 valves for the power.

The sound is pretty much as I remembered it from the bake off - fast, detailed open and amazingly transparent in the mids and treble, with astonishing musical life and pizzaz. The tonality is spot-on and voices have a very life-like presence.
If it has a minor failing it's in the bass. Not that it's bad, but it doesn't have the heft and slam that some amps can deliver. But it is tuneful and gets the feet tapping. The slight lack of bass whoomph is noticeable on fullrangers like my MBLs. I might try a bit of bi-amping sometime with some solid state muscle on the bass drivers.

But it's the immediacy and realism of the mids and treble that are what this amp is really about. Really quite a jaw dropper.

There is no remote control :( - so I have linked it up with a remote control Eva2 LDR passive pre - one of the most transparent devices I have come across - and that seems to work very well.

I have done some tube rolling to excellent effect. The two JJ's 12AX7 feeding the power stage have been swapped out for some Watford Valve TADs - more my type of pizzaz and speed with these. And the Mullard 12AX7 in the pre-stage has been swapped for one of the JJ valves - the Mullard was a bit slow for my tastes.

Anyways, I've only had this lovely amp for a couple of days, but I have had several "my gawd - I didn't know the recording could do that!" moments due to its sheer hear-thru transparency and delicacy.

More comments later - AlanB is planning a visit for tomorrow - it will be interesting to find what he makes of my system now. :)

Effem
04-04-2011, 09:51
I heard this at syep's bake off a year or two back, brought there by its then owner, Paul / mrwippy from the Wigwam forum.

Now Paul and I don't exactly see eye to eye when it comes to hifi. In fact, Paul says that he closely follows my hifi recommendations so he knows what not to buy! :doh::eyebrows:

Nonetheless, we seem to be as one when it comes to the excellence of this amp. For me, the Romulus totally blew away all comers at Si's bake off, and I've been nagging Paul ever since to sell it to me ... especially since he hasn't been using it for a while as his corner horns are more than happy with his home-brew 2A3 amps.

Well, Paul has finally succumbed and last Saturday I made the 280 mile return trip to collect the amp from his place in Plymouth.
(BTW - we may differ somewhat in our approaches to hifi, but by gum his system sounds good! :^ - fast, open, detailed, lovely imaging, room-filling presence. Very nice indeed.)

Here she is - pretty, no? :)

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/CRDevRomulusf.jpg

35wpc integrated, using 3x 12AX7, 2x 12AU7 and 4x 6L6 valves for the power.

The sound is pretty much as I remembered it from the bake off - fast, detailed open and amazingly transparent in the mids and treble, with astonishing musical life and pizzaz. The tonality is spot-on and voices have a very life-like presence.
If it has a minor failing it's in the bass. Not that it's bad, but it doesn't have the heft and slam that some amps can deliver. But it is tuneful and gets the feet tapping. The slight lack of bass whoomph is noticeable on fullrangers like my MBLs. I might try a bit of bi-amping sometime with some solid state muscle on the bass drivers.

But it's the immediacy and realism of the mids and treble that are what this amp is really about. Really quite a jaw dropper.

There is no remote control :( - so I have linked it up with a remote control Eva2 LDR passive pre - one of the most transparent devices I have come across - and that seems to work very well.

I have done some tube rolling to excellent effect. The two JJ's 12AX7 feeding the power stage have been swapped out for some Watford Valve TADs - more my type of pizzaz and speed with these. And the Mullard 12AX7 in the pre-stage has been swapped for one of the JJ valves - the Mullard was a bit slow for my tastes.

Anyways, I've only had this lovely amp for a couple of days, but I have had several "my gawd - I didn't know the recording could do that!" moments due to its sheer hear-thru transparency and delicacy.

More comments later - AlanB is planning a visit for tomorrow - it will be interesting to find what he makes of my system now. :)

Spot on Jerry :)

Incredible transparency was demonstrated at that bakeoff by this same amp and it's good to know it's gone to someone who appreciates it.

It's also a stunning looker too in the flesh :eyebrows:

electric beach
04-04-2011, 11:36
And the Mini-T Jerry? :doh: :lolsign:

Congratulations. She sure is perdy. :champagne:



I bought the Mini-T on your reporting and I'm still happy that I did. I've tried it with the high sensitivity Sachikos now and while the power/volume/headroom is not an issue, it can't match the presence and organic tone of my 35w P/P monster.

http://theartofsound.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=81&pictureid=477

jandl100
04-04-2011, 11:48
And the Mini-T Jerry? :doh: :lolsign:



Ah well, I just like to try different things. :)

Since the Mini-T I've had a pair of Behringer A500, a Tube Technology Fusion, a Unison Research Unico Secondo and now the CR Romulus. :mental::eyebrows:

All very nice. :eek:

Marco
04-04-2011, 12:50
Nice new addition to the 'family' there, Jerry! :respect:

Hi Steve,


I bought the Mini-T on your reporting and I'm still happy that I did. I've tried it with the high sensitivity Sachikos now and while the power/volume/headroom is not an issue, it can't match the presence and organic tone of my 35w P/P monster.

http://theartofsound.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=81&pictureid=477

I may have some rather 'interesting' vintage ECC83s for you to try, which are now surplus to requirements, and are rather better than what you're currently using, if you fancy some tube-rolling ;)

Marco.

jandl100
04-04-2011, 12:57
Nice new addition to the 'family' there, Jerry! :respect:

I may have some rather 'interesting' vintage ECC83s for you to try, which are now surplus to requirements, and are rather better than what you're currently using, if you fancy some tube-rolling ;)

Marco.

Coo - yeah, thanks Marco! :cool:

You still have my address?

Will I need to re-mortgage my home if I want to keep them? :eyebrows:

Tarzan
04-04-2011, 13:06
Alan B bringing his Harbs Jerry?

jandl100
04-04-2011, 13:18
Hmmm ... I doubt it ... a direct comparison with my MBLs would be a bit distressing for most speakers. :whistle:

electric beach
04-04-2011, 13:21
Thanks Marco :lolsign:

Better let Jerry try them in his new toy before a change of knickers is needed.

jandl100
04-04-2011, 13:29
Ah ---- Marco was addressing Steve with his ecc83 offer? :doh: :lol:

Fine - as you were .... :)

Marco
04-04-2011, 13:41
Lol - whoever would like to try them is more than welcome... Jerry, does your amp use ECC83s? :)

Marco.

jandl100
04-04-2011, 13:45
Lol - whoever would like to try them is more than welcome... Jerry, does your amp use ECC83s? :)

Marco.

Read the review. ;)


.... yeah, course it does - I wouldn't have been getting so excited otherwise! :eyebrows:

But no, unless the valves are available somewhere for purchase at a sensible price, I don't want to try them, just in case life is intolerable without them!

Marco
04-04-2011, 13:57
Lol - I know exactly what you mean. Fear not, however - they'll be available as a 'Marco's special offer', which will be eminently 'sensible', if either Steve or you likes them ;)

So just decide between you which one of you I should send them to :)

Marco.

jandl100
04-04-2011, 14:08
So just decide between you which one of you I should send them to :)

Marco.

Pistols at dawn! :guns:

Nah - Steve first. :)

electric beach
04-04-2011, 14:26
Pistols at dawn! :guns:

Nah - Steve first. :)

Thank you both, but to be honest I have a new set of KT88s to replace first, before I would even be doing the ECC83s justice and secondly, I'm considering to leave the beast alone for a spell and commission someone to build me a SET amp in order to experience the reported synergy with the Sachikos.

So... Marco, please send them to Jerry. :grouphug:

Marco
04-04-2011, 14:39
Lol - I feels the lurve in da room... :eyebrows:

Mr jandl it is, then. I've still got your addy from before, Jerry. I'll pop 'em in the post tomorrow. The valves concerned, incidentally, are quite rare Marconi chrome plates.

They have all the sonic qualites that you describe you like with the TADs, but with a soupçon of vintage musical loveliness thrown in for good measure... :)

Here's a piccy, to whet your appetite:

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/2087/kgrhquokm4e1uppspbpbndb.jpg (http://img138.imageshack.us/i/kgrhquokm4e1uppspbpbndb.jpg/)


The other thing too is that they are a matched pair. The only reason they're up for grabs is because I'm using a NOS Amperex 'Bugle Boy' ECC83 in the Croft, which is just a little better, and those go for £90+ each on fleabay! :mental:

Marco.

Spectral Morn
04-04-2011, 14:53
CR Romulus was back in the day (early 90's) a very well considered amplifier and I for one liked it very much at the time. Their other amplifiers were if my memory serves me right also very good.


Regards D S D L

jandl100
04-04-2011, 15:48
Thanks Marco! :)

Marco
04-04-2011, 16:00
Yer welcome - hope you like 'em :)

Marco.