Zenquito

ABO · 13th April 2004, 12:12 PM

I am looking for information about the Zenquito amp. It's a french design using lateral mosfets by J.M. Plantefève.

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jm.plantefeve/sche.html

From what I've found on the internet I understand that Plantefève is called the french Nelson Pass. His amps are known for their transparency, musicality and simplicity. Fortunately his amps are of the push/pull type and thus be biased in AB. This makes for a compact amp (as opposed to Pass).

I have never had much interest in Passlabs amps. Mainly because of their bad objective performance (they measure terribly). However, I must admit that I have never heard any of them play...

What I am looking for are experiences from people who know this amp. I am particularly interested to find out what the specs of this amp are (THD vs. power, THD vs. Freq., S/N, DF, .., ..).

I am also interested to find out if there are any other goodies to look for: class AB designs with both super sound and (at least) reasonable (better than aleph) specs.

ABo

apolon34 · 13th April 2004, 03:56 PM

you can get more information on the french forum

http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum

here:
http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/v...php?t=29719263

and there:
http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/v...php?t=29694422

Bricolo · 13th April 2004, 04:18 PM

You aren't serious about Pass amps, are you?

jam · 13th April 2004, 04:56 PM

Abo,

You are wrong on two key points, push pull amps can be class A if you bias them high enough and spec. have nothing, for the most part, to do with what an amplifier sounds like. Your common garden Yamaha or Pioneer reciever will spec. better than most high end amps.

You have a lot to learn.

Regards,
Jam

Fuling · 13th April 2004, 05:02 PM

Quote:

However, I must admit that I have never heard any of them play...

That explains a lot

ABO · 13th April 2004, 05:41 PM

Apolon,

Thanks for the link. Although I don't really speak French I understand most of it.

To Fuling: You should really learn to read. If you read my message you will see that I never said anything other than that I am personally not very interested in Pass. I didn't say that these are bad amps at all. Hell, I've never even heard one play!
Given that I am an EE myself and that amps are electronics, I do care for specs. Perhaps more than they deserve. What can I do? I'm only human.

To Jam: What I meant was that Zenquito, as opposed to Pass, can be biased AB. It may just be my bad English. Remember that for a lot of forum members English is not their mother tongue. you should really try to be more respectful to others. I know it is hard when someone says something bad about your favourite designer, but still.

Oh well, like me, you're only human too. I forgive you.

Fuling · 13th April 2004, 05:49 PM

Ok, I see now that my post wasn´t very nice. I´m sorry for that, I didn´t mean to offend you.

I´ve looked at the page you liked to a few times, very interesting.
One thing that bothers me a bit is that I can´t see anything that controls the DC offset at the output(s).

joensd · 13th April 2004, 05:51 PM

I´d love to invite you to build a pass amp but as I still haven´t finished mine I won´t comment.
Being not a big fan of power dissipation I originally planned to build the Zenquito.
After a while I thought that if nobody actually built this thing..., that is a sign for me to rather choose an Aleph3.

BTW.: The search-function on this forum is not all that bad

One example : Zenquito 5x50W : nearly the building end

jam · 13th April 2004, 05:57 PM

Abo,

Point taken. I have built several versions of the Zenquito and I am currently working on a new version. It is a very nice soundung amp.

To get to work at it's best keep signal traces short and a good power supply helps. Also as you increase the bias the amp sounds a lot better.

In Mr. Pass's defence he used to design amps with low distortion many years ago none of which sound as his newer products with have higher distortion. You might just wan't to build one, you will be surprised.

Regards,
Jam

ABO · 13th April 2004, 06:00 PM

Thanks Fuling, you're a gentleman.

I think that the two potmeters will both set biascurrent and provide a sort of offset adjustment in one. Of course, the offset will change with temerature. But when all transistors are matched offset may stay within reasonable values.

13th April 2004, 12:12 PM	#1
ABO diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Amst	Zenquito I am looking for information about the Zenquito amp. It's a french design using lateral mosfets by J.M. Plantefève. http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jm.plantefeve/sche.html From what I've found on the internet I understand that Plantefève is called the french Nelson Pass. His amps are known for their transparency, musicality and simplicity. Fortunately his amps are of the push/pull type and thus be biased in AB. This makes for a compact amp (as opposed to Pass). I have never had much interest in Passlabs amps. Mainly because of their bad objective performance (they measure terribly). However, I must admit that I have never heard any of them play... What I am looking for are experiences from people who know this amp. I am particularly interested to find out what the specs of this amp are (THD vs. power, THD vs. Freq., S/N, DF, .., ..). I am also interested to find out if there are any other goodies to look for: class AB designs with both super sound and (at least) reasonable (better than aleph) specs. ABo

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Sound of Zenquito	ABO	Solid State	65	7th July 2008 04:06 AM
Q about building the Zenquito amp with 2SK1058 / 2SJ162	sinigersky	Solid State	0	23rd September 2004 02:15 PM
Zenquito 5x50W : nearly the building end	Idefixes	Solid State	27	12th March 2004 04:02 PM

New To Site?	Need Help?
Register to Participate Search Privacy Statement Contact Us	Frequently Asked Questions Did you forget your password? Mark Forums Read


	Please consider donating to help us continue to serve you. Ads on/off / Custom Title / More PMs / More album space / Advanced printing & mass image saving

13th April 2004, 03:56 PM	#2
apolon34 diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: rouen	you can get more information on the french forum http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum here: http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/v...php?t=29719263 and there: http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/v...php?t=29694422

13th April 2004, 04:18 PM	#3
Bricolo diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Grenoble, FR	You aren't serious about Pass amps, are you?

13th April 2004, 04:56 PM	#4
jam diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Charlotte,NC,USA	Abo, You are wrong on two key points, push pull amps can be class A if you bias them high enough and spec. have nothing, for the most part, to do with what an amplifier sounds like. Your common garden Yamaha or Pioneer reciever will spec. better than most high end amps. You have a lot to learn. Regards, Jam

13th April 2004, 05:41 PM	#6
ABO diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Amst	Apolon, Thanks for the link. Although I don't really speak French I understand most of it. To Fuling: You should really learn to read. If you read my message you will see that I never said anything other than that I am personally not very interested in Pass. I didn't say that these are bad amps at all. Hell, I've never even heard one play! Given that I am an EE myself and that amps are electronics, I do care for specs. Perhaps more than they deserve. What can I do? I'm only human. To Jam: What I meant was that Zenquito, as opposed to Pass, can be biased AB. It may just be my bad English. Remember that for a lot of forum members English is not their mother tongue. you should really try to be more respectful to others. I know it is hard when someone says something bad about your favourite designer, but still. Oh well, like me, you're only human too. I forgive you.

13th April 2004, 05:49 PM	#7
Fuling diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Sweden (Mora)	Ok, I see now that my post wasn´t very nice. I´m sorry for that, I didn´t mean to offend you. I´ve looked at the page you liked to a few times, very interesting. One thing that bothers me a bit is that I can´t see anything that controls the DC offset at the output(s).

13th April 2004, 05:51 PM	#8
joensd diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Germany	I´d love to invite you to build a pass amp but as I still haven´t finished mine I won´t comment. Being not a big fan of power dissipation I originally planned to build the Zenquito. After a while I thought that if nobody actually built this thing..., that is a sign for me to rather choose an Aleph3. BTW.: The search-function on this forum is not all that bad One example : Zenquito 5x50W : nearly the building end

13th April 2004, 05:57 PM	#9
jam diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Charlotte,NC,USA	Abo, Point taken. I have built several versions of the Zenquito and I am currently working on a new version. It is a very nice soundung amp. To get to work at it's best keep signal traces short and a good power supply helps. Also as you increase the bias the amp sounds a lot better. In Mr. Pass's defence he used to design amps with low distortion many years ago none of which sound as his newer products with have higher distortion. You might just wan't to build one, you will be surprised. Regards, Jam

13th April 2004, 06:00 PM	#10
ABO diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Amst	Thanks Fuling, you're a gentleman. I think that the two potmeters will both set biascurrent and provide a sort of offset adjustment in one. Of course, the offset will change with temerature. But when all transistors are matched offset may stay within reasonable values.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)