Decware ZMA Operation Manual Download Page 3

OPERATION MANUAL                           MODEL :   ZMA  -  ZEN MYSTERY AMP

 

          REV 1  MAR 2014

                     

Thank You

_______________________________ 
By purchasing this amplifier you are 

helping to preserve the art of finely 

crafted audio products with absolute 

world class reference fidelity.  

!

Please Take a Moment

_______________________________ 
The serial number and date of your 

amplifier are recorded on the bottom.  

Take a moment to write them down 

here so you don’t have to move your 

amplifier once it is installed. 

!

Serial Number:__________________ 

!

Date (Month/Year): ______________ 

!

Model Number:  _________________ 

!

!

Technical Assistance 

_______________________________ 

!

You can get help by calling us directly 

or you can e-mail 

[email protected]

 

If you have any issues, check the web 

site’s contact page for up to date e-mail 

addresses and phone hours. 
We also have a strong online support 

forum that is very active.  This can be a 

handy way of getting help during off 

hours or weekends when our office is 

closed. 

!

DECWARE/High Fidelity Engineering

 

75 S. Riverview Dr.  East Peoria IL 61611  

(309) 822 5255         www.decware.com 

Table of Contents

_______________________________ 
Safety Instructions  

 

Thank You   

 

 

Technical Assistance 

 

Unpacking   

 

 

Getting Started 

 

 

What’s What  

 

 

Speaker Connections 

 

Input Connections   

 

Components / Amp Parts   

Installing Tubes 

 

 

10 

Tube Matching 

 

 

11 

Tube Substitutions   

 

11 

Biasing your tubes   

 

12 

Bias Windows / Tube life   

14 

Operation 

 

 

 

15 

Clipping 

 

 

 

15 

Preamps 

 

 

 

15 

Burn in 

 

 

 

16 

Design 

 

 

 

17 

Voicing 

 

 

 

17 

Evaluation   

 

 

18 

About  

 

 

 

19 

Specifications 

 

 

20

!

PAGE 

 OF 

  

 

WWW.DECWARE.COM

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Summary of Contents for ZMA

Page 1: ...OPERATION MANUAL MODEL ZMA ZEN MYSTERY AMP REV 1 MAR 2014 PAGE OF WWW DECWARE COM 1 21 Reference Vacuum Tube Amplifier Model ZMA ZEN MYSTERY AMP...

Page 2: ...RE OR ELECTRICAL SHOCK DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL To prevent the risk of electrical shock do not remove co...

Page 3: ...you can e mail zen Decware com If you have any issues check the web site s contact page for up to date e mail addresses and phone hours We also have a strong online support forum that is very active...

Page 4: ...do not try to carry the case because with amp it weights over 50 lbs Set the case on a low table or the floor and carefully lift the amplifier straight up out of the foam Get someone to help if you r...

Page 5: ...s can take up to 24 hours in extreme cases Getting Started First let s get familiar with layout of the amplifier Your amplifier will look like this The important thing to notice about your amplifier i...

Page 6: ...e power cord the power switch and the master gain control These three items serve both of the mono amplifiers that make up the Zen Mystery Amp This way you only need one good power cord whereas separa...

Page 7: ...that can accept up to 8 AWG bare wire banana jacks or the larger spade connectors commonly found on hi end speaker cables As you can see there is a separate positive and negative post for both 4 ohm...

Page 8: ...both at the same time With professional grade equipment featuring differential or transformer balanced outputs we recommend having your ZMA built with the balanced inputs for best sound For example o...

Page 9: ...tube 1 of 2 A10 Left output tube 2 of 2 A11 Left phase inverter tube A12 Left input tube A13 Bias Meter for A10 tube A14 Bias Meter for A9 tube A15 Balance Control for Bias Meter s A13 A14 B1 Right XL...

Page 10: ...ed to fully charge the large 500 volt caps Do not insert tubes if the 500 volt caps have been charged Unplug the amplifier and let it set for 8 hours to let the charge drain away before installing tub...

Page 11: ...f the tubes match If you can t find 4 matched tubes like this you can get by with two matched pairs Simply make tube location A11 and location B11 match Then do the same for A12 and B12 Tube Substitut...

Page 12: ...he meters consist of a left and right pair representing the corresponding output tubes on each side of the amp Since the goal is to have each pair of tubes perfectly match you simply use the bias bala...

Page 13: ...the middle of the meter s range STEP 5 As the amplifier warms up you can re adjust things Once the amplifier has been on for 30 minutes make a final adjustment and then you won t have to adjust anyth...

Page 14: ...mply compensate with the ingenious balance control BIAS WINDOWS and TUBE LIFE The biasing capabilities of this amplifier operate on two pre determined windows Window one is how high and how low you ca...

Page 15: ...ver you want to look at it INSIGHT Since these are real analog meters you can trust their personality to tell you a lot about each output tube For example in addition to the above when you first turn...

Page 16: ...sses is to play the amplifier for 5 hours followed by 5 hours off repeated 5 times That said the amp sounds so good out of the box that you should be able to just use it with the knowledge that things...

Page 17: ...sign a step further to become 100 direct since there are no resistors or chokes used That makes it unique in the world of tube amplifiers on multiple levels since this has never been done before VOICI...

Page 18: ...ation into the amplifier Since starting Decware in 1996 we have yet to hear a better coupling capacitor at any price Even solder and the point to point techniques used to build the amp effect how it s...

Page 19: ...here everything is symmetrically laid out in three dimensions and hand soldered with both channels in a mirror image ensuring every part and wire length is matched between the two channels The layout...

Page 20: ...0 to 100 MA WINDOWED BIAS CONTROL to ADJ OUTPUT TUBES DYNAMIC BIAS BALANCE CONTROL FOR PERFECT MATCHING of EVEN UNMATCHED TUBES 600V CRYO TREATED FLAT STACKED COPPER FOIL BEES WAX SIGNAL CAPACITORS O...

Page 21: ...Hz M Recommended for levels up to 20 dBu at 20 Hz M High input impedance 13 kS S S S with 10 kS S S S load M High common mode rejection 107 dB at 60 Hz This transformer is designed for use in wideband...

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