Quote:
Originally Posted by Car commander
The 18NS is a battery operated preamp with lead acid batteries. I am not wild about lead acid batteries in expensive electronics. They have to be replaced every 3 or 4 years. There is one dealer and no demo program. Battery operated preamps sometimes don't have the same dynamics as others.
|
I have similar feelings regarding the battery operated gear in general, although I have to admit, that the 18NS somehow seems to omit all the common pitfalls of such a gear.
The batteries used in the 18NS are indeed an acid-lead type. There is not much to be worried about though, as those are a sealed type:
darTZeel uses the Enersys brand, which is the best available. Apart from the need for replacement (they last from 2 to 4 years, depending on useage) I haven't heard of any problems with them.
If you don't have a darTZeel dealer near you, who is willing to give you a loaner to try in your system, I would recommend getting an used one. If you manage to buy one at a good price, you will not loose much (if anything) on resale. Not sure what is the current going rate for those.