Zen Variations 5

[Nelson Pass]

I think I'll just start this thread, now that ZV5 is up at
www.passdiy.com .

It's in tiff format at the moment, but Mr. Harrington promises a PDF version in a day or so.

 

[UrSv]

Neat. Thanks again as usual for very interesting reading. My A30 is not in operation yet but the chassis is just waiting to be used for something. Can't wait to get back home after vacation...

 

[jh6you]

Indeed another very good tutorial explanation!
Also I easily imagine the good sound of ZV5.

 

[Sandy H.]

I'm looking forward to trying one of the Zen variations. . . just as soon as an Aleph gets finished. When I started viewing this forum, I noted the Aleph buzz, but now it seems to be a chipamp buzz. I can understand the implicit simplicity of those projects from a beginner's view and have even built on myself. But, I really hope to soon be able to hear a real class A design, both Aleph and Zen.

Thanks, NP, for helping keep high-end DIY in the reach of beginners. I am completely ignorant with EE designs (getting the occasional headache trying to figure out what the heck the guys in Audio Express are talking about) but the well written designs you publish help me to keep trying and understand a little more.

Thanks!

Sandy.

 

[Will]

Being relatively new with the Zen amp, I'm very keen to embark on this project. Is it possible to re-use the original Zen PCB to construct the ZenV5, as I have 1 pcb which I bought it 2 yrs ago and isunused.

thanks.
will.

 

[jh6you]

What about the point-to-point?
The circuit looks easy enuff for it.
Probably Passdiy offers PCB soon?

 

[carpenter]

Nice job, Nelson.

I'm, also, really fond of that power supply you've drafted out for us.

Many thanks to you and your crew,

John Inlow

 

[BrianGT]

Thanks Nelson! Great Article.

Can one transformer with dual secondaries be shared for 2 channels, while still replicating the rest of the power supply components?

What is the ETA for J-Horns mentioned in the end of the article?

--
Brian

 

[Raka]

Thanks Nelson,

Nice reading, nice big power supply, but I missed some pictures of your prototype. I like very much the ones showed in your articles... inspiring

I was hoping for cascoding, susy, only half gain device, fluorescent loads, sensorial biasing or something like that, and I get push-pull !!! Another surprise, hail to Nelson.

BTW, which range covers the best this amp? bottom? midrange? top? Yes, I'm still waiting for the xover...

 

[nobody special]

Good stuff, as usual! I was surprised to see the dissipation on the mosfets was so high. Do you think that will be a problem? I was also surprised that it didn't use a follower output stage, but I guess that wouldn't be in the zen tradition. Thanks for the interesting reading.

 

[joensd]

Thanks for another inspiring DIY-article!

As per usual it´s easy to read and follow and funny as well.
I love the part about your startup-setup and especially the fire extinguisher.
Maybe you could post some picture?

(The designer himself heroicly standing in front of a big amp, one foot on the chair, the fire extinguisher in his hands...)

Ramble on
Jens

 

[joensd]

I was thinking of a lower voltage version (experimental) below +-20V for reduced dissipation.
As the distortion probaly goes further up looking at the diagrams of the article.. can you take down the gain to compense for that?
So: lower gain = less distortion??

 

[Nelson Pass]

Can one transformer with dual secondaries be shared for 2 channels, while still replicating the rest of the power supply components?

Yes.

As to the picture, I will put one up as soon as I have something
that compares to Peter Daniel's.

 

[Cambe]

Thank Mr. Pass,
This project indeed is very inspirational and refreshing! I say this from a newbie point of view. Simple looking ( low parts count ) and a deep power supply. You provided lots of info about designing powersupplies, that will have a impact on what we will
see next on this forum Thank you.
Sincerely,
Harry

 

[apassgear]

Well, thanks once again Nelson for the excellent amp project and article!!! I guess this one also will keep a lot of DIY's busy for a while

As to the picture, I will put one up as soon as I have something
that compares to Peter Daniel's.

You may want to consider asking Peter Daniel for a housing job.

 

[moe29]

So Karen didn't build the prototype in an XA chasis???

DANG, now i'm going to HAVE to build another amp!!!


I think instead of huge heat sinks i'm going to try to build one
using fans on the power supply and main circuit. It's amazing how
much heat a fan can dissapate off a heat sink. Some of those
90mm fans at a low RPM are pretty quiet. could be fun!


Thanks once again PASS DIY Gang!

 

[Nelson Pass]

It will amuse you to know that the channels are
hanging in thin air, no chassis, no connectors, no
support except heat sinks. They probably sound better
that way.

 

[jh6you]

Hahahahha...........
Obs, sorry, Master.

 

[jh6you]

I did not laugh at you... not at anybody.

By the way, I have read the note saying, ...the 2200uF values for C10 and C11 give it a gentle wake-up call, again and again. In order to figure it out as well as thinking of any possibility to install one set to my wife for me, and another set to myself for the poor children.

 

[Mad_K]

Great project!

1. Is the input impedance 475 Ohm? If so, how will that work together with BZLS with 10K pot at the output?

2. How severe will the bias drift be if I where to use a unregulated (but clean) psu? Let's assume it wanders between 20V +/- 1V?

Best Regards,