Reviews for Theta Deadnaught II 5X225 AMP

Sorry to have taken so long, but wanted to give update.

I have recieved my Theta DReadnaught II with optional grid top,and it is beautiful and big! Will have tomodify cabinet in rear to accomodate a long 23.5" otherwise I have plenty of room.

Unfortunately, while I was waiting for delivery, I discovered a problem with my Proceed AVP! SO it had to go to Harman. BUT My dealer managed to misplace the Preamp for 3 weeks!

Harman says they have defined problem with Dolby locking up system, and its front channels were playing both right (Mono). Dealer who sold me Theta said the AVP was one of the 2 or 3 best pre-amps on market in his opinion, even better thanmost of the Mark Levenson equipment it supposedly was derived from. that's another subject, suffice to say I was always pleased with the unit.

Other changes I am excited to hear is one obvious need taken care of an ISOLATED 20 AMP circuit was installed last week. The outlet was also upgraded to PS Audio "Power Port".

Into one circuit will be the Theta and the other will be Richard Gray Power Company 400S Mark II. Off of one of those I will connect a PS Audio Juice Bar. Gray says anything connected to the shared circuit will benefit from the properties they explain on website.

I like the idea of having some surge protection, and line conditioning without having to resort to a unit with its own isolated amp coloring the sound.

Another upgrade will be to take advantage of the 2 balanced outputs from Proceed for 2 channel music and I bought a pair of XLR cables from Cardas (neutral reference).

So, hopefully in a few weeks I can come back and share my experience. And I hope the AMP sounds half as good as it looks!

I understand many have spent MUCH more on their system than I have, but this Theta upgrade is the most I have spent on any single component, but I have a feeling it will be well worth the investment.

The amp I understand runs fairly hot and needs room and air, I have 8" above 2" on either side, and I NEED to cut out back panel of entertainment unit behind the Dread, so a) it can fit and b) it will get better air flow. I will also reposition exhaust fan.

Take care, and good listening.....what a hobby!

Duratek

I haven't heard the Dreadnaught II, but I own a pair of Enterprises and an Intrepid (5x100), which should be fairly similar, tonally, to the Dread. I am very happy with both of them, and the soundstage, imaging, and detail from Theta Digital amps are what I really love about them.

I'd go for the DreadnaughtII, although I am certain that the EAD is also a worthy option.

My email to Dealer who sold me the Theta Dreadnaught II

Craig Shummer TheatreMax (ph# 732-780-2019) **(he did NOT ask me nor did he know until my email I would give him credit as dealer, he is a great guy!)

A courtesy call to say just 2 words THANK YOU and 3 words OH MY G-D

Short and sweet: *(well not really! LOL)

I got a surprise phone call at work and because of a cancelation, a crew could come right over from Gramaphone.

WHen we got her all hooked, and put on a test CD Pat Metheny "One Quiet Night" solo guitar, they seemed flabbergasted...."sounds like he's right in the room" "you hear every screaching of his fingers on the guitar strings".

I put on a few other things, incredable. Put in Mask Of Zoro, first 5 minutes, again, once PRoceed was adjusted properly, it blew them away. I think had I not gotten up to take it off, figured they had somewhere else to go?...I believe they would have stood there and watched the hwole movie!

I guess it was by chance I met you, and meant to be I decided the Theta was for me.....but I couldn't be more pleased.

Only bad thing for you......is my KLipsch's (Chorus II's) sound unF'ing real now! LOL I took the Velodyne down to lowest setting
40 HZ and the volume was a hair above lowest setting, for the first time my KLipsch's were delivering SOLID bass and mids.

Note:other equipment used( PS Audio Power Port and Juice Bar. Existing MIT interconnects,PS Audio Statement Front SPeaker Cables, Difinitive Bi-polar Surrounds wall mounted, and BW center channel, Sony S900ES DVD/CD,Proceed AVP preamp)

The Richard Gray(RPG 400 Mark II) and Cardas (Neutral Reference) XLR's didn't hurt, but it was the Theta I am sure which was delivering the performance. It was there, the there was just MORE there, and all of it was there!

On JAckson Browne's wonderful The Naked Ride Home, and it is SO good, nice recording, the subltness was there when slow or accoustic, and when it picked up the Theta SLAMMED down in your seat. The vocals has PRESSENCE, and ALL that was on recording was THERE, all in its place. The background vocals were not "hidden" anymore, they had their space too. *(other music tested was Echo And Bunnymen "Flowers" and Steely Dan's "Two Against Nature")

If there is something better out there, to me it would be like a dog whistle, I don't think I would hear it!

I am going to finally post my review of the Theta on Audiogon, and I will mention your company as the one I Purchased it through. I hope that brings you more business.

Thanks again, until next time. PS...and all THIS with 2 hours of listening NOT EVEN broken in!!

Duratek...WOW!

Congrats! I'm glad you are pleased with your Dreadnaught II. Craig Shumer is, indeed, a fine person to work with. I picked up my Enterprises (and a good bit of Cardas cable) through Craig, and he has proven to be a very valuable resource. He really knows his stuff regarding install tips and tricks, and he had given me much great advice.

Enjoy!

Tom.

A few more insights as I break my Theta in.

I was very concerned that AMP not get overheated and have a thermal shutdown....many BOLD warnings in manual.

And the Amp is a hefty 23.5" deep! SO, if you have an enclosed entertainment unit as I, I needed to make a few alterations.

I was able to give it 2" to either side, and a full 9" above to next shelf. Just behind amp I had the back panel cut out A) so it would FIT! B)so it could breathe some. An exhaust fan was placed just below upper shelf to vent excess heat....and if running all 5 channels it does get toasty, but it didn't seem a problem with precautions I took.

How could I have not mentioned how STUNNING this amp looks, curvey stainless front panel, very simply laid out and the optional vented top is a must, and it also looks great!(black would not do the look justice in this case, and it matches the stainless accents of my Proceed.)

My system (I wil eventually take some digitals and post them) is certainly not the most elaborate, but my scheme was to keep it simple. I am not much for elaborate equipment with complicated schemes.

That is why I added the RIchard Gray unit, little guy weighs in a hefty 20 lbs, along with PS Audio outlets, the Theta was absolutely silent, not a hum. Most line conditioners have isolated amps inside, I didn't want anything putting its siganture on my Dreadnaughts power...I am sorry I cannot qauntify the "little" things I did, use of Cardas XLR's s I listed ealier or PS audio Power Port, but these were sensable things to add to make sure the THeta could go full bore...and sound its best.

I cannot stress enough how GOOD IT SOUNDS.I always liked my system, but I Knew it had its faults, and I was missing some info, some definition and gutsy mids...overall I ove the sound of my KLipsch Chorus speakers, and for the money nothing beats them I have heard.

The soundstaging I have read about, all the nuances the experts, the Audiophile critics wirte about in their columms I was experiencing them now in my system.

Theta has a unique technology no one else uses, No GLOBAL FEEDBACK, and if that means your music comes ALIVE, then that is what I hear.

POWERFUL vocals, captivating, air around it (I'm reaching here! LOL), ressonaces....reverberations...the nusances of that recording place..it's all there.

You don;t go craning or straining to hear something you think is in background because it has its own space....the sound seems "warm" am expletive you wouldn't usually use with a KLipsch speaker.

You see my other equipment and cables I Listed, not the exotic stuff, straight forward equipment....no special DAC's or transports...just a good SOny S9000ES. The Proceed holds its own on both sides with the best equipment, IMHO.

But for whatever reason, this all works well together, I couldn't tell you what Cardas speaker cables would have done or high end VAhalla's, and it wouldn;t matter, the sound is SO GOOD, it is REAL.

Here are a few other recording I was able to partialy listen to on the DREAD! A wide variety (I a not into classical)I love to share as we ALL LOVE music, is why we do this.

UNITONE "A Portrait of STrings"
Govi "No Strings Attached"
Willy Porter
Jeff Galoub "Soul Sessions"
Jeff Lorber "Midnight"
Leszek Cichonski "Thanks Jimi" (GrooveYard Records)
David Wilcox "Underneath" (You will swear its James Taylor)
Wide Spread Panic "Everyday" (wife hates guys voice, but this band is tight)

5x225 is ONLY way to go, equal power to all channels especially for movies.

My unit came with frst offered Pulse 12V Trigger switch, and it just turns unit off stanby and back when your preamp is turned on or off.

I did not fel comfortable running unt 100 hours straight to "break in"...then surely the beats would GET HOT! It sounds so damn good now, how could it get better when "broken in".

And as I also suggested, the THETA would do ANY DVD justice and shaking your head. If I had more than 2 thumbs.....they would be unequivocably UP!

And definately call Greg Shumer,whatever I left out, he will fill in. I bought from him sight unseen,smooth buy!

At some point, you gotta stop reading reviews, and go with your gut! REading the Theta site and talking with Greg convinced, and I will never regret it nor look back. Happy listening all....time to crank it up!

Duratek