I finished the Zen V9 yesterday. Initial listening sessions, sounds really promising. I think this is the best sounding Zen amp, I have heard yet🙂 I used the PDDA boards, thanks for sharing the layout Peter Daniel and Veteran. Everything went smooth, both channels worked right away. I will note also that the grounding scheme on that layout is just right. There isnt any trace of hum or any other nasty things. Here is a picture of the internals, while adjusting the first channel. The trafos are 2 pcs of 300VA 2x18 volts followed by 2 DIY rectifierboards using 30A Stealth diodes, snuppered with small Rifa's. Smoothing caps are 4x 15.000uF Rifa's. The amplifierboards are like Veterans schematic. I wanted the amp to have the F-amp look, hence the horisontal fins. I am very pleased with the sound of this amp. The top-end is really smooth, detailed and "airy", better than I have heard before from a Zenamp. Thanks Nelson, for giving us this fine circuit 🙂
Steen🙂
Steen🙂
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Thanks Bas🙂 I am looking forward to hear some of you guys oppinion about this amp, too. I was pretty surprised to realise how good it sounds, even though I expected it to be good, from NP's writings😎Congratulations!
Here is a closeup of the way the J-fets are mounted with the legs extended with solid 1mm copper wire.
Steen🙂
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Hi Steen,
A beautiful amplifier. Very professional looking indeed. The brass feet are nice touch too!
Cheers,
Graeme
A beautiful amplifier. Very professional looking indeed. The brass feet are nice touch too!
Cheers,
Graeme
Really neat Steen, that case shines as good as a First Watt.😎 😎 😎
An best of all it sounds as it should, best of Zens?
There seem to be other contenders for the title though, Carpenter’s ZV7T. Maybe John will make a ZV9 and report his findings. 🙂
Congratulations!!!!😎
An best of all it sounds as it should, best of Zens?
There seem to be other contenders for the title though, Carpenter’s ZV7T. Maybe John will make a ZV9 and report his findings. 🙂
Congratulations!!!!😎
Thanks Graeme, Tony, Choky, Moe. Kind words🙂 It was nice to finish this amp and listen to it, after all the talking going on for a while now😉 I was ofcourse curious to find out what this whole J-fet thing was about. Now I know😀 I can only urge you to build one for yourself at once🙂
Steen🙂
Steen🙂
steenoe said:Thanks Graeme, Tony, Choky, Moe. Kind words🙂 It was nice to finish this amp and listen to it, after all the talking going on for a while now😉 I was ofcourse curious to find out what this whole J-fet thing was about. Now I know😀 I can only urge you to build one for yourself at once🙂
Steen🙂
hehe-ya always welcome...
soon I'll lay my hands on dozen or more ugly Jfets.....I don't know what to do with them in this very moment...... maybe super little Babelfish,or
bstrd for ear cans.....maybe if I find a way to make decent cascode to use them in "classic " SE or push pull........who knows........
now I have few more things to catch.......besides Jfets.....
ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!
By any chance is that mint NS10 of yours driving the amp?
How tight is the bass of that new ZV9?
How tight is the bass of that new ZV9?
steenoe said:
I finished the Zen V9 yesterday.
Do u have any time to wash hands and eat something . . . . . . ?
Why would you do that? No glow of tubes?soon I'll lay my hands on dozen or more ugly Jfets.....

PDDA Boards...?
Steen:
A very beautiful job. I want to build a ZV9 too, but was looking for a PCB that I could buy, as I do not like point-to-point wiring.
Can you please explain what the "PDDA" board is? I searched for it on the forum and found nothing. Are these for sale? If so, where can I buy them? A website perhaps?
Thanks,
Dennis
Steen:
A very beautiful job. I want to build a ZV9 too, but was looking for a PCB that I could buy, as I do not like point-to-point wiring.
Can you please explain what the "PDDA" board is? I searched for it on the forum and found nothing. Are these for sale? If so, where can I buy them? A website perhaps?
Thanks,
Dennis
Re: PDDA Boards...?
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=886760#post886760
A.
Diogenio said:
Can you please explain what the "PDDA" board is? I searched for it on the forum and found nothing. Are these for sale? If so, where can I buy them? A website perhaps?
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=886760#post886760
A.
Thanks for even more nice words🙂
I look forward to hear if the NS10 gets a lot better, with new electrolytics and maybe the Tantal caps replaced by audiograde electrolytics.
Jh, I did have a bite now and then😀
SMathews, I have a pair of DIY Proac Response 2.5 clones. (2.95 actually) I attached a picture of them (a little old). I also have a pair of Proac 1s clones.
Dennis, I etched a pair of boards from the PDF's that Acaudio pointed to. Using 3oz heavy copper pcb material.
Listening to the amp this afternoon, its fantastic🙂
Steen😎
Yes, the NS10 is connected right now with good result indeed. I also tried my Twisted BosoZ. The RIAA part of the NS10 sounds pretty good, but my favourite is still The Twisted combined with the Pearl RIAA. It sounds a bit more sweet.By any chance is that mint NS10 of yours driving the amp?
I look forward to hear if the NS10 gets a lot better, with new electrolytics and maybe the Tantal caps replaced by audiograde electrolytics.
Its pretty tight, as a ZenV4. I think where the ZenV9 is really better, is at the topend. It also has power enough for a good soundpressure level🙂How tight is the bass of that new ZV9?
Jh, I did have a bite now and then😀
SMathews, I have a pair of DIY Proac Response 2.5 clones. (2.95 actually) I attached a picture of them (a little old). I also have a pair of Proac 1s clones.
Dennis, I etched a pair of boards from the PDF's that Acaudio pointed to. Using 3oz heavy copper pcb material.
Listening to the amp this afternoon, its fantastic🙂
Steen😎
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