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Review of Dartzeel NHB-108 Amplifier

Dartzeel is a relatively new entry to the high-end game. Despite being reviewed by John Marks in a recent issue of Stereophile, the company's only current product offering, the NHB-108 stereo amplifier, hasn't gotten a lot of press on these shores. Hopefully this "review" will do its part in rectifying that.
As many of you probably already know, Switzerland-based Dartzeel is the brainchild of one Herve Deletraz. Herve is a wonderful guy who's dedicated to the very best customer service. As essentially a one-man operation, I'm sure his time is limited, but he's always responded to my e-mails in an extremely courteous, timely manner.

On to the amp. I'm not one for technical details, so I'll leave them to those of you who want to visit Dartzeel's website. Basically, the 108 is a "purist" stereo amp rated at a relatively modest 100 wpc. Its smallish dimensions belie its weight, which measures around 65-70 pounds.

Internally, the amp is incredibly well laid out (if tightly packed), with an attention to detail that one should expect--but doesn't always receive--from components in this price range.

Outside, it's purely love-hate. (Refer to the website for pictures). Either you get it or you don't. Personally, I've grown used to its appearance over time, but it's taken a while to become acclimated. If WAF factor is any sort of issue, practice up on your compliments. Then again, I may be overstating the case. While it's not Liv Tyler, it's not Janet Reno, either. Time reveals its inner beauty.

Performance-wise it's a much more straightforward issue. In my experience the 108 is the most balanced, natural-sounding amp I've ever heard. It has a way with timbre that's downright spooky--up there with the very best tube units one cares to mention. The sound is just "right"--every note is reproduced with a tonal correctness and warmth that is as close to the real thing as I've heard in an amp. Because of it's sheer naturalness, it can take a while to overcome the initial impression that it is somehow soft or rolled off. That is most emphatically not the case! Dynamics are crisp and fast, and the frequency extremes are right where they need to be--not overstated or highlighted at all, just perfectly natural and realistic.

The only potential weakness of the 108 is its power rating. It flows a nice amount of juice for 100 watts, but one could theoretically run into problems with particuarly current-hungry or inefficient speakers. Part of the amp's midrange purity, I believe, is attributable to the use of the bare minimum of bipolars in the output stage. That, of course, comes at the price of power, but in this case the tradeoff is more than worth it. Just take some care in speaker matching--as you should, anyway--and you'll be rewarded with a sound that balances the very best of solid state with a midrange that will make some question whether they even need to fuss with tubes.

Despite its novel physical appearance, the need for careful speaker matching, and the fact that the US dollar has been taking a Tyson-like beating lately, the Dartzeel is a serious contender in the super-amp category. Yes, there are amps out there that do this or that "better" than the 108, but I've yet to hear one that strikes a better balance between the various areas of performance. It's a stunning piece of engineering and a landmark amplifier.

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Product Weakness: Appearance is strictly take-it-or-leave-it. Power rating requires some attention to speaker load. Cost.
Product Strengths: Naturalness, midrange magic of the highest order, speed, dynamics

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Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Dartzeel NHB-108
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): EMM Labs DCC2
Sources (CDP/Turntable): EMM Labs CDSD
Speakers: Von Schweikert VR-4 Jr.
Cables/Interconnects: Jena Labs Pathfinder
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Rock, blues, country, some classical
Room Size (LxWxH): 24 x 20 x 7
Room Comments/Treatments: Echo Buster, ASC
Time Period/Length of Audition: 3 months
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Shunyata Hydra-8
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
hooper
howie
230 posts
 
I guess I'm someone who prefers to lean towards politically correctness. So when I see a strong statement that is so obviously subjective, I prefer to have it clarified. Obviously, there is nothing wrong with personal opinion.

But whenever I read something negative about an equipment's sound, I wonder what someone is judging things by. I do listen mostly to small group jazz ensembles in my medium sized room. So for something like a piano trio or jazz quartet, even though each instrument is pretty dynamic, even at realistic volumes, visceral dynamics and ultimate loudness almost never come into play. When musicians are listening to each other and playing well with each other, you'll be grooving and the impact of the music will naturally be there. Then there are music that are meant to be beautiful. You don't want anything to jump out at you or the beauty is ruined. A lot of music systems sound quite musical to me, only that they do things differently.

But even though I've never heard them, it's not hard to see why the VR9s are better at ultimate macrodynamics than the Kharma Midi-Exquisities. They sound to me like different speakers. So many tough choices in audio.
jtinn
1,123 posts
 
Rumney510: I happen to have a pair of ML2's right now and I would say the ML2's are quite a bit darker and not as open. They are both dead quiet, but the clarity of the darTZeel is on an entirely different level.

Although I prefer the VSA/darTZeel combo, the VSA/LAMM combo is no slouch.
sirspeedy70680e509
1,064 posts
 
To me the comparison of the Kharma(overpriced,but superb)vs the VonSchweikert stuff is like comparing the "DIGS" of a RAPPER on a show like "CRIBS",who would clearly love the dynamism of the VonS' stuff vs the Kharma's,which would appear more at home in the home of say a composer of classical music or art collector,living on Park Ave.

As for the Dartzeel,why the sudden over the top enthusiasm.Sure it's a fine product,but how different than say a Hovland Radia,at 125 watts per channel and 9500.00 US list.Parts quality must be superb,here too.

Does a review in a Mag have that much impact on the "easily manipulated audiophile" who simply MUST have the latest stuff.When,SURELY other great products exist at a more intelligent price?Even pricey,yet great competitors exist in the form of Rowland and Boulder,made in this country,so not subject to world economy.Seems to me there are always those,some on this thread,that have to have the "almost unattainable",whether rare,or overpriced,in order to have real satisfaction.I've met quite a few of this personality over the years,and there is NEVER a sense of long term satisfaction,from putting together an obviously fine system.Too many new,rare,hard to find NEW products coming to market each year.Sad,but if it makes one happy,where's the harm?
jafox
1,348 posts
 
Sirspeedy: I can clearly understand why you question the comparison of the Kharma and the VS as they appear to have completely different strengths and applications. But I think people are drawn to the unique strengths of such products. And they clearly want all of these qualities in one product. So they jump from warmth to neutrality and back to warmth and to explosive dynamics to the subtle and then back. Since we still can't have it all, I think many of us have the desire to live with the "other half" for awhile and then ultimately determine what fits best for us for the long term.

I went through exactly such a period where I just loved the Magnepan sound. A few years later I felt I needed a more dynamic speaker so I sold the Magnepans. Then I longed for the Magnepan magic so I got another pair. Finally I realized that I needed a speaker with the Magnepan magic but also a speaker that was not so dynamically limited. It was driving my family crazy as they felt I could not make up my mind. But I simply wanted it all. And after hearing so many speakers over the years from auditioning other components, I found that magic with Soundlabs. And today, I am much much closer to that "ALL"; I will be content with these speakers for quite awhile. But it took a lot of time and listening to many products to discover this was what I had been seeking. Fortunately I was able to do quite well at much less than a $50k speaker purchase!

The desires for people here to have the very best or most expensive is hardly a uniqueness to wealthy audiophiles. The same applies to virtually all material items.

There clearly are some very "well-to-do" Audiogon members, but rather than look at them negatively as people who must have the absolute best and latest, pay attention to what they write about products that cost far less but have great musical qualities. Since these people have heard the GREAT products, their comments on the lesser priced products can be of great value to us "deal shoppers".

As for the sudden attention on the DarTZeel amp here, actually there has been much praise on this amp for over a year in these forums. This was long before the recent Stereophile review. And if anyone got much value from that review, I'd be mightily surprised.

And to answer your question on the difference between the DarTZeel and the Hovland, only a direct comparison, in a system where both amps are paired with a speaker suitable to both, could answer that question.

John
howie
230 posts
 
Great post JaFox. I'm struggling between warmth and neutrality myself. :D

Sirspeedy, that's why it is always recommended that one stay off the boards after their purchases. We all get the upgrade bugs.
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