Decware does make unique and special gear. I have a Decware Zen Torii II amp in my second system (paired with a DeHavilland Ultra Verve preamp, Arcam FMJ CD37, and KEF R500’s) and it is a remarkable amplifier. While it has only 28 watts per channel, with KT77’s it powers my KEF’s with every bit as much authority and much more musicality than my Mivera AS1200 class D amp with 700 watts per channel @ 4 ohms. The ability to tune Decware amps to one’s tastes by substituting so many different driver and power tubes can be a boon or a bane depending on one’s perspective. 
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Absolutely. In fact, going backwards is my literally my current audiophile credo. I found following the never ending upgrade to more expensive, more resolving gear steadily narrowed the selection of recording quality I was willing to listen to. What sounded just great for the 20 years prior to discovering audiophile forums, now sounded far less great. Selling off my resolving gear in favor of more romantic, less expensive gear has been excellent. I’m trying to incorporate some of the audiophile lessons I’ve learned while hopefully avoiding most of the enchilada entirely. In fact, when a review says that something is very resolving, I put it on my do not buy list 
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Yes. I sold off my HT rig, and went back to only a 2-channel setup. Most of my listening is via headphones anyway. Happy with the equipment reduction.
Had Iconcolast speaker cables… TPC and tried the OFE…
In the end AQ Rocket 44 are a much better match for my system… much more realistic sounding and musical.
Sonos makes me happy. It’s convenient, mostly reliable, and I have a bunch of it from before I got all “audiophile”. I was seriously contemplating getting a Bluesound node 2i to replace my “obsolete” Sonos Connect on my big rig. But I have very little hi-res software and the Connect still works, so really, what’s the point? Everything I listen to in my NAS library is Apple Lossless and what little I stream outside what I own I stream through Apple Music (my kids all prefer it).
So while the Node is objectively “better” it doesn’t gain me much, if anything. And having Sonos speakers scattered throughout most of the house, I enjoy the promise of music everywhere. Maybe I’ll add a Sonos Port or get the node at some point to setup my old Peachtree with the ELACs upstairs, but no rush.
And I have my big rig with the PS Audio stuff and LS50s when I have the time and space, with a decent CD player, the Connect with Roon, and a good enough turntable.
What’s not to love?
Mike in Dayton
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Many years ago I went from my last power amps, 2 large and hot Lamm hybrid Class A monos to active speakers. A lot more free space but still an upgrade in sound quality (no fault of the Lamm)
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I only go with upgrades that improve the overall musicality of my system, but that doesn’t mean a piece of gear cannot also be more resolving as well. That’s been the case with every piece of PSA gear I’ve added to my system. Also experienced that when I upgraded some of my cables to Synergistic Research, and added an Audience line conditioner. One of the ways I know if I’m moving in the right direction, is when some of my less than ideal recordings sound more enjoyable.
Excellent observation… One I have noted as well, with the DS DAC, in particular.
Cheers.
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I’ve said it here before and I’ll be redundant – like deja vu all over again, my little Decware SE84UFO, 2.3 tube watts, less than $1,000 is just a sublime little amp. All the goodness of tubes and 2.3 watts can really get loud, but more importantly, dynamic. And at very low volume, the detail is all there.
It’s not going to replace my Pass amps, but sometimes I can go all week just listening to it—happily.
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Downgraded from a PSA DSD, DMP, BHK Preamp, BHK 300 amps and a P20.
Enjoying my new Marantz SA-10, PM-10 and ifi Power Atation (active noise cancelation) all on a dedicated 20A circuit with my original floor standing speakers & subs.
I bought an iFi Power Station for the Music Room at the house in Greenville a couple of months ago and quite like what it does.
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We’ll see…
I’ve downgraded in the past a couple times only to slowly build it back up again.
Most recently I sold off a BHK Pre-amp, 250 Amp and some of the uber expensive cables I had connecting it all.
Tried out the Strata Stellar integrated and if I had different, easier to drive speakers I probably would have just stuck with that…but no. Got the Gain Cell Dac/Preamp yesterday and a pair of the M700 mono amps which so far seem to suit these speakers a lot better.
Had a nice long listening session last night with the brand new cold components and was pretty happy with what I was hearing.
Ask me in 6 months 
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About a year ago, I bought a pair of KEF LS50 Wireless.
The PS Audio, Primaluna and Focal that was my system are boxed up and in a large closet.
I listen more to this smaller, less resolving active system than I did to the passive gear.
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My son had taken my Apple HomePod with him to Purdue because his dorm room is smaller than last year, where he had a pair of powered Peachtree Audio speakers that replaced a Bluetooth big Jambox. The Peachtrees were excellent and a huge jump from the Jambox, but were too large for his new room. He was thrilled with the HomePod because it was smaller and sounded nearly as good.
When the HomePod mini came out, he was intrigued so we got one. Again, he doesn’t think it sounds AS good, but it is good enough, so he’s brought home the full-sized HomePod and gone with the mini.
Happiness is a balance.
Totally have found myself thinking, “If the world continues to go down the tubes and I was forced to sell stuff, I could totally sell my main system and be happy with the smaller one.” First World choice, for sure. But I can listen to the smaller system all day. Really digging the LS50 Metas.
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That’s excellent. I’m still coming to terms that so small a change can make such a big difference for the LS50s and am avoiding exposure to the new ones to avoid speaker envy. I guess the upside is that I COULD upgrade to Metas and no one would notice but me. Lol.
They changed a lot. And it is speculated that maybe in some ways they’re not saying, like crossover. Plus the finish is different, so you might not get away with it 
An odd aspect of it is that it is hard to get a reliable reading off it with a laser measuring device.
The downside of these puppies for me is that it has me thinking…“Hmmm, now if they come out with a Blade 2 Meta…gonna have to think hard about that one.”
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Nobody pays real close attention to my stereo but me, so the passing resemblance should be good enough. I could say “no, they’re just dusty.” But I wouldn’t do something like that without the blessing of the missus. Life’s too short to be deceptive to my bride.
I’m slowly working on socializing getting an LRS set from Magnepan. I’ve moved her from “no” to “do you REALLY need more speakers?” Now THAT’S progress.
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yeah - when she would ask, “Is that new?”, sometimes I’d say, “Oh, no - had that for years”. 
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Have downgraded three times so far and lost my ass on the climb back up every single time.
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Naim Classic series separates / Spendor SP 1/2E >>> Quad 99 series / 22L
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Wadia 861 / Gamut D200Mk3 / Spendor S9 >>> Ayre C/AX-7e / Spendor S9
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PS Audio BHK / DS / Paradigm Speakers & Subs >>> Marantz Reference PM/SA-10 / Paradigm Speakers & Subs
The Ayre system was the best sounding downgrade but hoping to replicate it with the Marantz gear. Either way, I am not going back up. I enjoyed the heights of the PS Audio system and am now moving on to other priorities.