AudiogoN Forums: Need Zu Definition Pro Subwoofer Array Amp for $1k

Need Zu Definition Pro Subwoofer Array Amp for $1k

Hello everyone! I'd appreciate your guidance. I also sent an email to Adam at Zu to get his feedback.

I'm trying to match a stereo amp or pair of monoblocks (or dual mono amp) for my Zu Pro speakers passive woofer arrays. The front arrays are driven by a Yamamoto A-08S.

My other gear:
Canary CA-903 Line Stage Preamp
Ayre CX-7e CDP
Roksan Radius 5 TT w/Zyx Airy S cart.
Canary CA-400 Phono stage preamp
Rane PEQ55

My budget for the subwoofer amp is around $500-$1000, though I could stretch that a bit if an amazing deal surfaced. After spending a few days reading through MANY, MANY, MANY posts and on-line reviews, here are the options I'm considering:
Emotiva XPA-2
Nomad Niagra
Classe CA-100 or DR-9
Carver Silver 7t monoblocks (a SS copy of the Silver 7 tube monoblocks)
Odyssey Stratos
Belles 150A Hot Rod Version or 350A
McCormack DNA-1
Krell KAV250a or KST-100
Bryston 2B-SST or Bryston 4b Pro
Musical Fidelity Supercharger 550K - ok, this is out of my price range, but do I need this much power to control the woofer array?

One other consideration is I'd prefer, though not a requirement, that the amp accept XLR connections b/c I must pass the signal from my preamp through the Rane PEQ55 to the subwoofer amp. This will allow me to filter the signal below 40-65hz and below for the subwoofer array (the subwoofer drivers go down to 16hz and up to 1khz). The Rane PEQ55 has XLR connectors only and RCA/XLR cables are harder to come by on the used market (I prefer not to use cheater plugs), so an amp with XLR connectors would be a better option for me. Of course I can get around this with an XLR to RCA cable, but I'd prefer XLR to XLR.

Thanks,
Mark

PS I found a post on Agon about the Pro woofer arrays that was kind of helpful:
12-01-06: Miklorsmith
While the rear arrays of the Pro's seems easy, with their high efficiency, my experience has been anything but.

First, I had a Bel Canto e.one 300, which should have plenty of output. It didn't. Sean at Zu told me to try a conventional Class A/B amp. I found an Adcom 555II, which has 200 wpc and should have been a champ. It wasn't.

I then tried an inexpensive NAD amp which fared no better. All these amps had the same problem of insufficient output and insufficient definition.

Then, I tried the amp circuit of a 60 wpc Audiolab amp - here we go, much better! Then, I went to the local stereo shop and traded the Adcom for an old Hafler 220 DH, with about 110 wpc. I'm sure it gets better, but this amp at $210 is the best I've had.

I'd call Sean and get his votes. Zu has certainly heard more Pro setups than anybody and can surely direct you well. Don't accept anything less than superlative bass. And, don't be afraid to cross over higher than 40 hz. Try 65 hz, which feels to me to blend very well with the fronts and provide some excellent midbass pop which is not possible with the front array.

INSERT FROM ME: The poster ultimately went with a Crown K2 amp which he swears by, though I'm not leaning toward the Crown amp because of the other options I listed above.

Aceboympk (Threads | Answers | This Thread)

07-02-09

Responses (1-20 of 20)

Click title to read one, or click date to read all below it.

07-02-09 Well a few things… i owned the crowns, and the odysseys on t ... Undertow

07-02-09 Undertow, thank you soooooooooooooooo much. you gave me a ... Aceboympk

07-02-09 Aceboympk, its a tuff one... if you were to get the plate am ... Undertow

07-02-09 This looks like a really short sweet solution! http://www. ... Undertow

07-02-09 Undertow, thank you so much again. i know that reading &qu ... Aceboympk

07-02-09 I spoke with the sales rep at vanns and the sc-1250 only goe ... Aceboympk

07-03-09 Reviews and applications are never always in line...the sm 1 ... Undertow

07-03-09 Undertow, in full range mode the gallo amp is 10hz-28hz. i ... Aceboympk

07-03-09 I just noticed the amp is 10hz-28khz. so, that answers my q ... Aceboympk

07-03-09: Undertow
Well even most amps rated to 20 hz will probably play 16 hz, you are going to have a hard time getting something to support the spec of actually "16hz" this has more to do with the fact the speaker is actually efficient and tunned to play that low, not really the amp spec. If the info is down that low with any kind of authority than it will pass, the amp and any amp that I would know of is definitely down probably 3 to 12 db anywhere around 20hz...

Now thinking back to a Zu rule, they automatically boosted their amps in the Definitions(the ones with built in amps) by actually adding 10 db of boost just in the 20hz alone setting. Almost anything playing on most recordings thru your speakers or anybodys will need a lot of help down that low, unless you have totally perfect room acoustics, with like built int 18 " free air subs built into your foundation or something to boost that much power at those frequencies, which you still might not hear from what I understand, but feel some of the air and vibration. I can tell you this, I have had some of the best speakers show me a spec of 30 hz and just under... They have had better bass due to the tunning was really capable of it.

Most speakers rated at even 20 hz which is obviously for the most part very high end ones that cost some money still in my opinion have difficulty proving or producing it in any kinda viable musical way that will make or break a system.

My suggestion again, Don't get caught up in that spec. even with the Velodyn I bet it will actually produce the signal lower than the 30 hz rating and even if it does will not be that noticeable, so yes honestly you will need about 12 to 20 db of bass boost in the 25, or 20, or 18 hz range to even hear it mostly! This will be hard to do without using pro gear like the rane totally cranked up to its max gain in those frequencies and an amp almost any will do it, but if you fed a signal that deep for any duration it would probably just putter out or overheat anyway in most cases, were talking most recordings will retain a 16 hz signal for about 1 second if your lucky, you will not miss much.

By the way vinyl for example has rumble filters many times on the phono amp to actually Kill off any of this noise at 25 hz and below! Mine can produce 20 hz even thru a speaker rated to be 30 hz.

This stuff is getting taken a little to far honestly, your problem and major wall to hit would be "So what if you did hit 16 hz" because you will probably NEVER produce it in your room, unless you have some money invested in testing the room acoustics, and probably even a lot more money in actually tuning your room to produce it. Pick a good setup for you, money, function, and overall will it sound good on your speaker? It will be fine with any of these amps, ultimately the choice will be whats best to fit your needs...

I will warn you worrying about the 16 hz spec will have you chasing the dragon. Again it was barely any difference with the 20 hz 10 db bass boost as most music never would produce it anyway, I don't care what the rating or specs are... Make sure you can hear and feel everything between about 40 hz and 120 hz and you will be knocking the walls down!

By the way those amps have some serious current draw it looks like... You will need for mono's at least 2 dedicated 15 amp power lines. 13.5 amp is not slouch thats about double any mono I have used, and a 15 amp circuit should really only be run up about 12 amps. Thats why many go with 20 amp breakers in this case. I would stick with Stereo versions or some kinda Class D efficient amps.
Undertow (Threads | Answers | This Thread)

07-03-09 Wow, thank you for the explanation about lower frequencies! ... Aceboympk

07-03-09 Might i step in here with another budget suggestion? a clas ... Darkmoebius

07-04-09 Aceboympk hmm, that is interesting i was not aware the sm 70 ... Undertow

07-04-09 Undertow, thank you for the direction. if i didn't sense g ... Aceboympk

07-04-09 Mark - i am also a zu def pro veteran. the crown k-2 is what ... Macrojack

07-06-09 07-04-09: macrojack there really isn't much to be missed bel ... Audiofeil

07-12-09 Thanks guys for your feedback. i've been manually working w ... Aceboympk

07-13-09 I used the drive rack pa... this was my solution over the ra ... Undertow

07-19-09 I use a drive rack pa too. when i had my def pros i used a r ... Macrojack

07-20-09 I spoke with zu awhile back and they were not very enthused ... Dotsystem