| "If
you haven't heard a Zen Triode Amplifier... you're in for a really
pleasant experience! It floats music in 3D space like very few amplifiers
can. Designed and built in the USA it comes with no
disappointments."
|
|
This
is the highly tweaked version of our original Zen Triode amplifier, originally released in
1998. Since that time it has developed an almost cult following
among serious audiophiles.
If you've done your homework, you already know the Zen Triode IS the
best value in 2 watt amplifiers anywhere. It is preferred over directly
heated triodes for having more speed, better micro detail, better bass,
and most of all better neutrality. It's sound stage and 3D imaging
are as good as either one can get. It sets a benchmark that's
immune to price points and gold plating.
Now for the first time ever it has the two things
asked for most: Meters and optional balanced XLR inputs!
QUICK DESCRIPTION
100% Tube Amp with no solid state parts or circuit boards. Single
ended triode design. 2 watt x 2 Stereo amplifier bridgeable into
mono, 6 watt x 1. Can handle speakers with dips as low as 1 ohm
with no loss of bass control. Features a signal path with only 1
capacitor and 2 resistors. Uses 6P15P-EB or EL84 output tubes
driven by a single 6N1P-EB or 6922 input stage. Tube rectified
using 5U4G or equivalents. Hand Built in the USA by skilled and
well paid artisans, 30 day in home trial, lifetime warranty.
Preamps are optional. Amp comes standard with two pair of RCA
inputs so you can switch between two different sources. (XLR
inputs are limited to one source only)
|
"For
those
who
adhere to the 'first-watt' theory of HiFi, here’s a bonus:
the Decware Zen amplifier gives you two. Yep, two watts per channel
single-ended triode. i must admit they are pretty big watts, as i had
no problem driving my reference GamuT s-7’s to a more than reasonable
level. (The s-7’s have a rated
sensitivity of 89db at 1 watt and a retail price of $42k per pair.)"
"What really sets the Zen apart from all the moderately priced tube
amplification i’ve heard is its incredibly lifelike tonality
and
bass control."
-Jeff Dorgay, Tone Audio Magazine
|
OPTIONAL WOOD BASES
This amplifier is available with different wood bases shown below.
shown in standard walnut
shown in standard black figured base
shown in optional cherry (oak and maple are also available)
shown in optional exotic zebra wood (if we can get the wood, we can build the base in any exotic)
OPTIONAL KNOBS
ebony, gold, black chicken head, cream chicken head, walnut
INTERNAL OPTIONS
Balanced Inputs, Stepped Attenuators, Anniversary Mods are the internal options
NOTE: All options can be configured from within the shopping cart.
Anniversary Mods are one of these options. There are two variations of the Anniversary mod: 1) poly bypass mod. 2) copper foil bypass mod.
The poly bypass mod is 80% as good as the copper foil bypass mod but costs around half the price.
Anniversary mods take what was already one of the highest resolution
amplifiers made to an even higher resolution. Kind of like going from really good HD movies to 4K movies.
How much of this resolution you will realize depends on the weak links in the audio chain, including your room.
These bypass mods speed up the power supply in the midrange and treble
frequencies. Not recommended for midfi CD player and cheap
cables. Amp is always the most musical and forgiving in its stock configuration.
These mods can always be added later, which is the most fun way to do it
because you then get the experience of hearing what happens with
something as simple as a tweak to the power supply. Having already
become familiar with your music library, you now listen to it again for
the first time. It's like attending the same venue but setting in
a different seat. A better seat.
The
output channels are self biasing so meters have been provided to show
you if you tubes match. They also show you how strong your tubes
are, as well as when or if the amp is clipping.
WHY DOES THIS AMP
SOUND SO MUCH BETTER?
Well, some would say "it's the
real
deal... not
mass
produced. Hand-built, point-to-point wired using only part leads
to
limit the solder nodes. Only 2 resistors and 1 capacitor are in the
signal
path. Uses our UFO proprietary
output transformers in a high mass steel chassis of the highest quality -
all built by skilled artists here at DECWARE in the USA.
The 6P15P-EV output tubes are among the most linear in the world when
triode wired.* We think
that this tube is the most neutral sounding. And then there is
owner of Decware, Steve Deckert's flawless Zen design that
separates this amp from other high quality boutique competitors.
There's been so many 300B and 2A3 amplifier owners that have switched
to the Zen Triode that we've lost count. We bring that up because most
people who haven't heard one can't wrap their head around the concept
that an amplifier at this price could sound this good -
but the Zen amp does.
* SV83/6P15P-EB Data Sheet.
Optional Transformer Balanced XLR Inputs are available as an option on this amplifier when run in stereo.
Top Quality Gold / Teflon input jacks and fused IEC
connectors are provided for use with hi-end cables. The amp
is self biasing so you never need to adjust the bias
and the bias will
never drift out of adjustment. We ship it with the
long life military grade version of the SV83 called a 6P15P-EV featuring
Gold plated Grids from Russia.
These amps are built in the dedicated assembly space shown above.
MONO BLOCKS
 Worried about 2 watts being
enough power? Bridge the amps into mono and quadruple your power!
The
SE84UFO amplifiers employ a unique floating
output transformer scheme where the negative speaker wire is not tied
to chassis ground. That means when the amp is bridged, both channels
may either be series or parallel wired. In series, both channels work
as one and transparency is preserved.
So
with
no sonic drawbacks to running the amps
in mono, you can expect 6 dB of additional power rather then the
expected 3dB. This is thanks to the power increase the amp has when it
sees half the speaker load from being series bridged.
And if you are a fan of fully balanced rigs, you'll be pleased to know
that because of this output design it is also possible to run a pair of
these amps as fully differential balanced monoblocks. All you need is
our custom cable set to go between the amps and your XLR cables.
IDEAL SPEAKERS
We
have
successfully driven hundreds of different
loudspeakers ranging in efficiency from 90 to 100dB 1w/1m. On 90dB
speakers it works nicely in smaller rooms or for late night out of body
experiences at closer distances. 94 to 96 dB speakers are almost ideal in that they let you
play beyond a normal listening level and preserving the dynamic
headroom in even larger rooms. When these amplifiers were first released in 1997 there were
a minimal number of "high efficiency" speakers to choose from. Today
that is no longer the case - they are everywhere. We also offer several
different types of
loudspeakers that will work with this amp.
If
you
own speakers that
you love and are afraid this may not drive them understand two things:
A) It will drive them louder then you're expecting and B) you can
bridge these amps into mono blocks. Because of the power increase
into lower ohms, you will net 6dB of additional power. Same thing as
doubling your power... twice.
6/2015
The SuperZen SE84UFO2 now features a toggle switch to select lo and
hi impedance speakers as a result of the UFO high bandwidth
transformers now standard on every Zen Triode Amplifier.
LO = 2 to 6 ohms HI = 6 to 16 ohms
TUBES
This
amp
is
shipped
with premium
quality
N.O.S. 6P15P-EV output tubes with gold grids rated at over 5000 hours. These Russian
military spec tubes are the top grade of what we came to know in this
country for a brief spell as the SV83. You can also use EL84 tubes in this amp.
You'll find the 6P15P-EV to be unparalleled in speed and
detail - in part because it is a video tube with much wider bandwidth
than a normal audio tube. When used for audio we think these tubes are one of the best sounding
most transparent available today. The EL84 (6BQ5) is a bit warmer / slower
sounding giving the amp a different signature by just switching output
tubes.
The
input
tube
is
a
single
6N1P,
6922 or 6DJ8
- your choice. 6N1P's have the warmest tone, 6922's have the best
dynamics, 6DJ8's can have more air and micro-detail with a touch less
bass. Again, a powerful tool for voicing your amplifier to your
particular tastes.
The
rectifier location is compatible with 5U4G, 5AR4, 5Y3GT, and some 274B.
CABLES
This
amplifier has been used by cable manufacturers as a
tool for evaluating the differences in wire and cable
designs. It has also been used by capacitor manufactures as a tool
to hear what the caps sound like during development.
SUPPORT
This
amplifier
is
hand
built
in
the
USA by
DECWARE / High Fidelity Engineering Co. It comes with a lifetime
warranty to the original owner. If you purchase one second hand and
ever have questions or technical problems we WILL be happy to check it
out for you and service it if needed for a very reasonable rate.
We
also
have a support forum
with
many people who own this amplifier who's experiences you may benefit
from.
REVIEWS
You may
read
reviews
on
this
amp going back to 1998
SPECIFICATIONS
This amplifier requires no adjustments
or maintenance other than changing tubes every couple years. It is a
self biasing design and self balancing meaning even unmatched tubes
become matched when installed. The SV83 (6P15P-EV) or EL84 output
tubes
wired in triode were chosen over 300B, 2A3, 45, and other triodes for
having the best sound and imaging.
| Weight
|
|
17 lbs. ea.
|
| Dimensions
|
|
8.0" H x 6.125"
W x 12.0" D
|
| Circuit type
|
|
Single ended
Class A Triode
|
| Power output
|
|
2.3 watts RMS into 8 ohms / stable into 2 ohms
|
| |
|
5
watts RMS into 8 ohms bridged
|
| Input voltage
|
|
1.2 volts for
full output
|
| Noise / Hum
|
|
Noise -80 dBU Hum - 64 dBU
|
| Response
|
|
10 Hz ~ 80 kHz
|
| Feedback
|
|
ZERO negative
feedback used
|
| Rectification
|
|
5U4G / tube
rectification
|
| Output tubes
|
|
SV83 or
EL84/6BQ5
|
| Signal tube
|
|
6N1P or 6922 or
6Dj8
|
| Transformers
|
|
Decware UFO
|
| Biasing
|
|
Dual cathode bias with current meters on each channel
|
| Resistors
|
|
precision WW/MF
by DALE, VISHAY
|
| Signal Cap
|
|
Copper Foil MiFlex
|
| AC cord
|
|
Removable power
cord
|
| Consumption
|
|
65 watts at
full power
|
| Input jacks
|
|
RCA type 24K
Gold / Teflon x 2 for 2 sources. (Optional
balanced XLR one source only. You can have 1 RCA and 1 XLR source
at the same time select-able with the front input switch.)
|
| Output
jacks
|
|
5-way
binding
posts
accept
10
gauge
|
| Speaker
dB/1w
|
|
89
dB
minimum
/
96
dB
is
ideal
|
| Warranty
|
|
Lifetime
to
original
owner
|
SE84UFO2 OWNERS
MANUAL
for
this
amplifier (pdf format).
RELATED
INFO
Steve's
papers for audiophiles
JUNE 2015
To celebrate our 20th year making the Zen Triode Amplifiers, we are now offering Ultra Fidelity Output silver leaded high interleave transformer with response that is +/- 1dB out to 80kHz!
We offer this
amp with a
30 day money
back trial
so you can
hear
one
in your own room!
Available in 110/120 volts or 220/230/240 volts.
|
