Decware Zen Triode Amplifier

[Argus]

All of the comments listed has helped answer my original question...thank you!

 

[steve f]

I believe it's about 1.2 watts (per channel) at 5 or 10% THD (10% was the prevailing "hifi" spec when amplifiers like the Zen -- but using EL84s in their native mode as pentodes -- were widespread). It is a very low powered amplifier, even by my standards, which is why mine's packed up in its little box.

Only 1 OPT when my SE84B was new, FWIW (serial number 190, if memory serves...I could check). The secondary was 6 ohm, which Deckert touted as "optimal" (I am sure he used fancier words, and more of them) for either 4 or 8 ohm nominal loads. I can tell you it sounded pretty awful driving a pair of 15 ohm Lowthers.

PS You, perhaps, should've tried SE 2A3 before you gave up on SET amplifiers.

In my old age, I’ll stick to solid state..

 

[egellings]

They are bit too low powered for me. I need somewhere around 10wpc to get the best out of my speakers. I like to call them 'crab meat tube amps'. The taste is exquisite, but you have to put in a bit of work and you still walk away hungry.

 

[Acerun]

I have owned a Decware SE84C-S "Select" for about 20 years. I ran it through a DYI Bottlehead tube preamp into Klipsch Heresys...Got plenty loud! As loud as you wanted it. Haha. Had a lot of fun in those days!

BTW...I just listed the Decware SE84C-S on Ebay tonight.

 

[8T_BoCO]

I've had one of these since 2001 (SE84, Rev. C). The advice above is valid: only very, very efficient speakers will allow this amp to play at listenable volumes.
It was only when I acquired a balanced DAC, and fed the RCA inputs closer to 4V rather than a mere 2V did it really show me what its hand-full of milli-watts could do (this is the 'needs a pre-amp' comment other have made). *NOT* a summer-time amplifier for my location: 65 watts consumed ~ 60 watts of heat dissipated to get a few music watts. I have no illusions that it measures well, has novel topology or implementation, but the sound it makes is pleasing, if you conform to its rather narrow parameters.

As I don't have space for enormous horns (think Klipschhorns, Altec VoTT or Jensen Imperials) I searched and found two approaches under $1000, both requiring the support of a 15" powered sub with a variable low-pass:
1. Fostex 96 dB, 8 ohm 20 cm so-called 'full-range' FE206E in long standmount boxes. No crossover, sub filling below 160Hz
These, toed-in so as to cross just in front of the listening position do, indeed, do produce goosebump-inducing imaging with jazz, electronica, R&B.

2. finally tracked down a used set of Decware DM945 (8" 94dB, 6 ohm) bookshelf/standmount. Only a cap on the ribbon tweeter, sub filling in below 60Hz

The latter is such a capable speaker that I daily-use it with my Buckeye Audio NC502MP & a sub.

 

[maxchau]

Single ended triode is a playground we all like to go play at one time or the other. It offers unique perspectives to music listening and enjoyment. Same as planer type speakers. Eventually we end the trip due to its inability to provide true full range listening experience.

 

[kb8rwx]

I recently picked up an older version, the SE84C-S and am thrilled with it.
The build quality is decent, better than Rogue but not as good as I would do myself. The sound is very impressive. I don’t have extremely sensitive speakers, JBL LE14A customs, but this amp can drive them to levels that are too loud for family life.
Sure, more power would be nice, and I’ve tried adding in a powered sub but this amp will show you how that can mess up the sound. I currently have a blu node driving the amp directly and can’t go back to my McIntosh system. It just doesn’t have the life and realism this amp gives. I came into this backwards from most people. I have been working on my own amp design and stumbled upon this amp for sale. I bought it because it was very cheap and seemed to be close to what I was working on. Only after owed it did I start to read about Decware and Steve’s philosophy. He nailed it. This is better than I ever hoped to come up with and I can stop my design work now.
Say what you want to about this amp but there is something to a system that sounds so good you don’t want to stop listening.

 

[Anton D]

In a few months I will have my hands on one to play with.

It will go with an Altec 604e specified at about 101 dB.

I'll also try it with some home brew 'Cornscalas' using JBL drivers and a pair of Altec dual 414 with 806A tweeters in an Uichi horn. (They are also 100+ dB, so I want to compare and see what up!)

Gonna compare it to a 300B amp.

Purely being a subjectivist, I admit! Toys.

 

[mhardy6647]

...
Say what you want to about this amp but there is something to a system that sounds so good you don’t want to stop listening.

Just don't try a single-ended 2A3...

In a few months I will have my hands on one to play with.

It will go with an Altec 604e specified at about 101 dB.

I'll also try it with some home brew 'Cornscalas' using JBL drivers and a pair of Altec dual 414 with 806A tweeters in an Uichi horn. (They are also 100+ dB, so I want to compare and see what up!)

Gonna compare it to a 300B amp.

Purely being a subjectivist, I admit! Toys.

The 414 is a very, very sweet sounding driver.

I listened to 604Es for a long time. I love the sound, but the treble dispersion frustrated me, so my erstwhile Duplexes morphed into something a wee bit different.

 

[Anton D]

Just don't try a single-ended 2A3...


The 414 is a very, very sweet sounding driver.

I listened to 604Es for a long time. I love the sound, but the treble dispersion frustrated me, so my erstwhile Duplexes morphed into something a wee bit different.

That is cool!

If need be, I have some Aperion ribbons I might try.

If I get half a chance, I will post some pics.

 

[mhardy6647]

I tried a variety of 'supertweeters' with the 604E Duplexes.



I used the Mastering Labs XOs with the Duplexes, FWIW.




I do absolutely love the sound of the 604E. Fabulous midrange, and there are few if any other loudspeakers that reproduce piano as real-ly as Duplexes -- but critical listening demands a pretty fixed position "for best results", and that kind of bugged me. I started playing with other treble horns, settled on the EMILAR EH-500, and either the JBL 2441 shown in the earlier photo, or Altec 802D treble drivers. Given that the woofer section of the 604 is similar to a 515B, I ultimately figured why not go for the gusto and switched to 515B woofers. As you see, I did add the B&C DE35 "bullet" tweeter for a little sparkle on top.

Quite happy with them most days.

Still have the 604Es and XOs, though -- just in case.
Also have a pair of 604Bs -- but that's another story entirely.

Quite happy with them most days.

 

[mhardy6647]

@Anton D - have you heard RCA LC-1A coaxes?

 

[Anton D]

Oh, man, you are evil!

Now I must seek them out!

Thank you, I was unaware of them.

Oh, man.

I hope you life in Northern california and have a pair to hear. That's what I hope. I'll bring the wine.

 

[kchap]

I've had one of Deckert's "Zen" amp, the SE-84B morph, since the late 1990s.
It... actually sounds pretty good.
It is very quiet (in terms of hum).
It is very, very very low powered.

DSCN5766 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

Unlistenable. The purity of the tube sound completely ruined by the transistors in the Revox.