Reviewed by: Anil, Audio Enthusiast from Bangladesh

Price Paid: $1995 at Decware

Product Model Year:
2003

Summary:
I just got the Zen SV83M's [I also have the Zen SE84CS for over a year now] and I can tell you that BOTH these amps are jaw-droppers! The pace and speed of the SV83 mono block amps is amazing, and even during the burning-in period they are doing a great job of driving my Lowther PM4A's. I am sure they will get even better in a month or so. The extra power is what I needed since I have the 15 ohm version of the PM4A. The SE83CS is good, but it did run out of steam when pushed hard. The SV83M's cannot be pushed to clipping even with the 15 ohm load, since the Lowthers are so efficient. I prefer the bias switch in the "normal" position, though it is fun to occasionally flip it into the "big" mode!

Comparing the SV83M's to the SE84CS, I do find that the monos are more dynamic whereas the SE84 is definitely more transparent and I presume that is because of the absolute purist approach in the amp's design topology [single driver tube per channel].

-Anil

Having had the amps in my system now for a year [or more] I have truly understood the true potential of the SV83M's and am enjoying the music to the fullest. Sheer pleasure! A bunch of us are enjoying, right at this moment, Jimi Hendrix's ":Blues" CD, and before that we listened to Zoltan Kodaly's Sonata for Unaccompanied Cello, Op 8  by Janos Starker [Delos D/CD 1015] - whew - you got to hear the music to believe it [you DO already!] and the minute details in the recordings like Starker's breathing. The amps have opened up and settled in so I dont realize they are there. There is just the music. By the way, I run the M's with just a single output tube - they "sound" way better with a single tube in the sense that they dont "sound" at all.

Thank you for making such a fab amp.

Anil.