Quote:I saw on facebook tonight a post with a pair of sealed cabinets containing 4-18 inch drivers set up as subwoofers with like 10,000 solid state high efficiency watts handling all 8 drivers. It made me cringe. A single 18 inch driver in the same cabinet that originally housed all 4 would have sounded about 4 times better, and passively crossed with a simple 12dB network would have been easily driven by a Zen Triode 2 watt amplifier and had lower, more textured bass and frankly in every category simply spanked it's ass. The only category it would have lost in is pressure. You can get similar pressure from sticking the exhaust pipe from your car where the sun doesn't shine and letting the pressure pop your ears and ironically get the same giant fake-bass sound without the expense.
Boy, that was a bit over the top... the truth is that was the day when I scanned my facebook newsfeed in the morning and saw the new $20,000.00 power cord from if I read it right, Synergistic Research. It literally put me in a foul mood all day, and see what happens?
At least we all understand that more is often less and less is often more. That doesn't however make it any less frustrating to watch someone walk out in front of an oncoming car.
Anyway, to keep things on topic, the reason for tonights post is to report that this evening is being spent with the first SE84CS from late 1999. Bone stock just the way it went out the door. Still works btw... huh. The sound is glorious. The difference is the resolution is nicely subdued compared to the new 25th Anniversary Model, or even the current model SE84UFO. What it does so well, is get the tone and timbre absolutely perfect. It's striking because that's it's main trick.
Listening to the new 25th Anniversary Model adds dozens of layers with hard to believe dynamics and speed to that same beautiful tone and timbre.
Tonight I am listening to the Best hits of Steve Miller Band on tape and using the DNA2's as the speakers and it's certainly not the first time I've heard an older Zen amp on tape, but is the first time I've heard one this old on the new DNA2 loudspeakers.... holy crap I wish I had these speakers back then!!! The combo is just so good, with ANY Zen Triode amplifier of only 2 watts you will have a full and encompassing sound without volume issues even in 400 sq feet listening spaces.
I also have the very first original Zen Amp ever built, so before this trek is over I'll visit it as well. That way all the Zen Triode amplifiers can have a chance to meet each other and compare notes.
Steve