Zen Triode amp by Decware
- andrew Ivimey
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#1 Zen Triode amp by Decware
I see there is one of these tiny amps on eBay right now.
Has anyone any experience of them?
I knocked one up this afternoon in the old chocolate box amplifier as it was using two el84s anyway.
There are so very few components and I used a solid state PSU just to get up and running. It is cunningly simple.
It sounds, nice and natural, whatever! through 208sigmas.
There isn't much to experiment with but I will try a few things. It sounds worth it.
Has anyone any experience of them?
I knocked one up this afternoon in the old chocolate box amplifier as it was using two el84s anyway.
There are so very few components and I used a solid state PSU just to get up and running. It is cunningly simple.
It sounds, nice and natural, whatever! through 208sigmas.
There isn't much to experiment with but I will try a few things. It sounds worth it.
#2
As it happens I have one here now, someone local asked me to change the mains TX from 120 to 240. I haven't listened to it yet, nut I can plug it in tonight if you are interested.
Whenever an honest man discovers that he's mistaken, he will either cease to be mistaken or he will cease to be honest.
- andrew Ivimey
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#3
Nick, can you tell what the resistors are? What is the coupling cap?
And that's about it because that's all there is. What do youmake of it? Right now, my PSU hums; easy to sort and easy to go valve as specc'd.
Oh yes, where are the output transformers? They must be tiny - any idea of the spec? I believe they are 10K. I'm using 5K (nominal) as that's what I have to hand.
bestest, Andrew
And that's about it because that's all there is. What do youmake of it? Right now, my PSU hums; easy to sort and easy to go valve as specc'd.
Oh yes, where are the output transformers? They must be tiny - any idea of the spec? I believe they are 10K. I'm using 5K (nominal) as that's what I have to hand.
bestest, Andrew
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#4
Hi-i found the build instructions,but no component list.
The only part i could see was a couple of 32uF+32uF LCR caps.
http://www.decware.com/newsite/mainmenu ... .htm&intro
The only part i could see was a couple of 32uF+32uF LCR caps.
http://www.decware.com/newsite/mainmenu ... .htm&intro
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
- andrew Ivimey
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#5
Thanks Nick, that's all very interesting. No expensive bits there!
I'm using el84s but have ordered SV83s just to see.
I'm using el84s but have ordered SV83s just to see.
- pre65
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#6
Hi-i have a circuit diag now,but its too big to attach.
I have sent Andrew a copy,any one else wants one PM me an e-mail address.
I have sent Andrew a copy,any one else wants one PM me an e-mail address.
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
#7
Can I have a copy Phil?
Andrew, the TX's are small, but big enough (IYSWIM), coupling caps look like solens, seems a good build, tight on space (as you would imagine), but its using nice bits, Sprage (sp) Atom caps, and dale resistors, and what may be AB resistors as well. I suspect its gojng to sound good, I can't tell, as I have both the mainx TXs out and I need to get some more heat shrink to extend the leads.
Andrew, the TX's are small, but big enough (IYSWIM), coupling caps look like solens, seems a good build, tight on space (as you would imagine), but its using nice bits, Sprage (sp) Atom caps, and dale resistors, and what may be AB resistors as well. I suspect its gojng to sound good, I can't tell, as I have both the mainx TXs out and I need to get some more heat shrink to extend the leads.
Whenever an honest man discovers that he's mistaken, he will either cease to be mistaken or he will cease to be honest.
- andrew Ivimey
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#8
weeeeeeeeeeeellll I'm using Dale resistors too, because they came to hand. RS coupling caps till the 5th cavalry arrive in the shape of Obligattos or Russian teflons and I will do a valve rectifier to smooth things over, in that dept.
'IYSWIM' oh yes, that took a little thought.
Well 'spose you don't need huge trafos as the kind of speakers to be used have to be v.sensitive. But are they tiny nickel molibdenum alloys, mined on Mars, wound with the pubic hair of 72 virgins, round the 14th vertebra of the ravenous bugblatter beast of Trall, IYSWIM (!)
Mine are $19 Hongkers trafos.
Decware ain't cheap.
'IYSWIM' oh yes, that took a little thought.
Well 'spose you don't need huge trafos as the kind of speakers to be used have to be v.sensitive. But are they tiny nickel molibdenum alloys, mined on Mars, wound with the pubic hair of 72 virgins, round the 14th vertebra of the ravenous bugblatter beast of Trall, IYSWIM (!)
Mine are $19 Hongkers trafos.
Decware ain't cheap.
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#9
Hi Nick-has been sent.Nick wrote:Can I have a copy Phil?
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
- andrew Ivimey
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#10
I cranked the B+ up to 330volts this afters, and cut the heater voltage on the 6N1P to 6volts. It was 12, glowing very nicely indeed and I hadn't thought to alter that where had been an ecc83 in that socket a few hours earlier.
Better! much better. Louder, more top.
I will be interested to hear what you make of the real Decware harticle when you have the UKvoltagetransformer sorted, Nick.
Better! much better. Louder, more top.
I will be interested to hear what you make of the real Decware harticle when you have the UKvoltagetransformer sorted, Nick.
#12
Finished transfering the TX over this aft. Sounds very nice. Maybe a bit thicker than I would prefer myself, but I can see why people like them.
I think the shared ouput cathode resistor is creating a slightly wider than reality sound stage. But in this one, unlike Phil's diag, its bipassed with a cap.
I think the designer has made the best of the little thing. Not dissimiler in sound frwom what I remember of the dod special.
I think the shared ouput cathode resistor is creating a slightly wider than reality sound stage. But in this one, unlike Phil's diag, its bipassed with a cap.
I think the designer has made the best of the little thing. Not dissimiler in sound frwom what I remember of the dod special.
Whenever an honest man discovers that he's mistaken, he will either cease to be mistaken or he will cease to be honest.
- andrew Ivimey
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#13
hm, easy enough to split cathodes and add caps, even use ultrapath! all tone control stuff really and then it changes from being 'Zen'.
As for maybe sounding like the Dodd, I have built quite a few tiny amps and several recently I am beginning to think that all these amps no matter what brew, sound the same; its just what valves do.
I need a holiday (so I havetime to concentrate on a big amp, again!)
As for maybe sounding like the Dodd, I have built quite a few tiny amps and several recently I am beginning to think that all these amps no matter what brew, sound the same; its just what valves do.
I need a holiday (so I havetime to concentrate on a big amp, again!)
#14
Yes that was my conclusion some time ago. That is, the type of valve you use has the biggest influence on the sound.
Sure, changing parts and topologies will alter it some, but the valve has the biggest influence.
Sure, changing parts and topologies will alter it some, but the valve has the biggest influence.