Zap Pulse 700XE received today

[Anzgar]

The awaited and longed for 700XE arrived today
Because of the changed size of the pcb I have to rearrange the psu komponents which takes its time.I will hardly get it ready for listening today.
A layout for wiring is coming with the set but as I have my cabinet built as two mono blocks in one cabinet I am not really sure how to ground mine.I have used no ground to the chassie at all for the earlier models but it might not be safe to switch these on before I got some information from LC.
I hope to be back tomorrow with some listening impressions.

Anzgar

[The golden mean]

Sounds interesting! What supply voltages do they recommend?
And can you tell us a bit more about your psu?
Regards
Håkan

[Anzgar]

Originally posted by The golden mean
Sounds interesting! What supply voltages do they recommend?
And can you tell us a bit more about your psu?
Regards
Håkan

The information I got is no bigger trafo than 550VA per one or two modules.I use 2 200VA/30V transformers which makes about +-45V.Each trafo feeds a "super psu"-2 rectifiers and the middle point not taken at the trafo but at the capacitors +and - connection.

[Anzgar]

The joy rapidly turned into disappointment.One of the two modules didn't work
A quick test of the input showed 47k input resistance on the silent modul but 13 kohm on the working, might indicate a fault in the input ic.
I hope I'll get a replacement unit .

[classd4sure]

Hi,

"no bigger than 550VA"... "per one or two modules"???

Hell no!

From LCaudio website:

" In fact you can mostly get away with undersizing the power supply, because the music does not have 100% thermal power content. Measurements of practical music examples show that most types of music contain an average 30% thermal power measured over 30 minutes. In other words you can make a 300 Watts RMS amplifier with just a 100 VA mains transformer, if the amplifier is based on ZAPpulse. This is a limit, and even if it will work in practical installations, we do not recommend this dimentioning. In practical amplifiers we recommend a 1:1 ratio of transformer size to output power. So a 2x200 W amplfier should use a transformer of 400 VA or more. "

Also take careful note of the "or more".

As far as wiring, look at the "monoblocks can be a problem" section of:

http://www.lcaudio.com/index.php?page=63

Then do the exact opposite. Don't connect the cap common points of the supplies to the chassis, let them float from it, and each other. Better stereo seperation that way, mono block style. It'll make layout and placement /shielding more critical but far worthwhile provided the EMI of the modules are low enough that you can get away with it, so it's worth trying first. The advice they gave seems to me to be a one size best fits all bandaid .... cut down on the emails sort of thing. I'm sure you want the best out of it though.

Regards,
Chris

[Anzgar]

Originally posted by classd4sure
Hi,

"no bigger than 550VA"... "per one or two modules"???

Hell no!

Regards,
Chris

I just quoted the wiring information leaflet supplied with the modules.
I have always wired the psu as you describe, but it's needed for warranty that one wires as described at lcaudio.Predator or Predator 2 power supply.
Anyway, one of the modules doesn't work and that's troubling me a lot.Will I get a new one or do I have to negotiate and face claims like "these modules never fails unless they are incorrectly wired"?
BTW, the working module has a wonderful sound.It took less than a minute to hear it's better than the SE2x.

[classd4sure]

Hmmm, really it doesn't make any sense. "place the modules as close together as possible"... what? With advice like that you really have to wonder... it alllllmost seems like they _want_ you to void the warranty and maybe we can see why huh?

Hopefully you'll at least get your email answered. I might be wanting my money back and a UCD700 instead. Sorry about your luck I just saw that after my previous post. This isn't looking good for them at all. Hope it turns out ok for you, let us know.

Regards,
Chris

[Lars Clausen]

Chris: It's kind of hard to void the warranty L C Audio usually provides:

They will replace your faulty module no matter what.

I think they still have this warranty.

Be interesting to see what went wrong with that module, just ship it back to LC for a replacement i guess.

[Anzgar]

The tech support guy assumed I would get a replacement module
but that's up to Jens Posselt to decide.He forwarded my mail to him and I've heard no more about it.I was astonished to get an email reply at 7.30 in the morning.According to him lcaudio had made a desicion to really answer emails asap except in weekends.
It appears to me that you underestimate your latest creation "keep yr SE.xx unless you got top class speakers".
I use a pair of home built Egewang Rib also called LaFolia and even when I only have one channel I rather listen to mono on 700XE than stereo on SE.xx.My advice to SE owners is upgrade!
It's one of these moments when one suddenly has a brand new CD collection and details never heard before are present; it's like hearing every recording for the first time
I might give a closer analysis the day I get the replace module...

[KLe]

Originally posted by Anzgar
It appears to me that you underestimate your latest creation "keep yr SE.xx unless you got top class speakers".
I use a pair of home built Egewang Rib also called LaFolia and even when I only have one channel I rather listen to mono on 700XE than stereo on SE.xx.My advice to SE owners is upgrade!
It's one of these moments when one suddenly has a brand new CD collection and details never heard before are present; it's like hearing every recording for the first time
I might give a closer analysis the day I get the replace module...

Hi Anzgar
Wow, that's fantastic ... actually more than fantastic ... stunning

What zap2.x did you have? Lars, said that the 700XE was as good as amplifiers in the 10K/20K range. Is that what you are hearing, even in mono.