Zu Audio Omen Dirty Weekends

Also, as you see, I have a basic Marantz NR-1508 For my AVR/Processor It has pre-outs for the left and right channels. Would you suggest a nice amp to use to get even more performance out of the ZU'S?

+1 on Poultrygeist's last comment - have you tried the Decware amp with the Zu's? I got the most magic when I paired my Decware Zen amp that I built with the Omens. Even then, my Zen amp built from the kit had solid a solid state power supply rather than the rectifier tube based power supply on the SE84UFO. I would imagine your Zen amp would sound even better.
 
+1 on Poultrygeist's last comment - have you tried the Decware amp with the Zu's? I got the most magic when I paired my Decware Zen amp that I built with the Omens. Even then, my Zen amp built from the kit had solid a solid state power supply rather than the rectifier tube based power supply on the SE84UFO. I would imagine your Zen amp would sound even better.

I no longer own the Decware. They sound great just running off of my Marantz. But if I can get more performance out of them with using those stereo pre-outs on the Marantz to hook up a nice 2 channel amp to, I will. I just don't want to waste my money.
 
Unless you hook them up to something radically different than your 50WPC Marantz, I don't think you'll notice anything beneficial, especially if you still use the Marantz as the preamp. Nothing wrong with that nice Marantz, I just don't think you gain anything sonically. Others may have different opinions and experiences...
 
Unless you hook them up to something radically different than your 50WPC Marantz, I don't think you'll notice anything beneficial, especially if you still use the Marantz as the preamp. Nothing wrong with that nice Marantz, I just don't think you gain anything sonically. Others may have different opinions and experiences...

So what's the point of the pre-outs on the Marantz then? If you need more power than 50watts? I was actually looking at a couple of tube amps that have less power. But was wondering it would make that much of a difference anyway. If it would change the sonic characteristics of the Marantz?
 
I don't want to get too far off topic because this is the DW thread but I just want to try to extract every bit of performance out of them.
 
Jeff, if you wanted to switch between the Marantz for surround sound powering the Zu's and a low wattage tube amp but still driving the Zu's in 2 channel the Niles DPS-1 amp switcher would be an

option.
 
Jeff, if you wanted to switch between the Marantz for surround sound powering the Zu's and a low wattage tube amp but still driving the Zu's in 2 channel the Niles DPS-1 amp switcher would be an

option.

Poultrygeist,

This is my potential plans. And let me know if this seems like a good plan. I think it will work great. If I get this integrated amp from Vista Audio, the Spark, which I have read nothing bey stellar reviews on. http://www.vista-audio.com/products/Spark/index.htm

I use the pre-outs on the Marantz for the one set of inputs on the Spark, then my dac's pre-outs for the second set of inputs on the Spark for two channel listening. Just simply flip a switch from one input to the other. Seems like a very simple solution.
 
Also, I wanted to talk about our speakers efficiency rating of 97db-1watt.
Are those number pretty accurate?

So I was doing a little research because I never fully understood how wattage and db efficiency but I think I got it. So every time you double your power you gain 3db, is that correct? So in order for us to get the DW's to 100db, you only need 2watts of power correct?

So I made my own chart
Watts - DBs
1 - 97
2 - 100
4 - 103
8 - 106
16 - 109
32 - 112
64 - 115
128 - 118
256 - 121

Does this look about right for all you scientific guys? LOL

I also looked at typical db's for multiple things, and rock concert and loud symphony levels are 120-129db's.
I know that is insanely loud levels but if we did want to push our Dirty Weekends to concert level sound, we would need 256 watts of power?

Me personally, I think I would be good with 109-112 maximum db's. So 32watts would be more than enough power for me.
 
Poultrygeist,

This is my potential plans. And let me know if this seems like a good plan. I think it will work great. If I get this integrated amp from Vista Audio, the Spark, which I have read nothing bey stellar reviews on. http://www.vista-audio.com/products/Spark/index.htm

I use the pre-outs on the Marantz for the one set of inputs on the Spark, then my dac's pre-outs for the second set of inputs on the Spark for two channel listening. Just simply flip a switch from one input to the other. Seems like a very simple solution.

That should work. When in surround mode you'll have two volume controls in the signal path to adjust which is ok. For what it is the Spark seems expensive. Are you considering it because it has two inputs?
 
Also, I wanted to talk about our speakers efficiency rating of 97db-1watt.
Are those number pretty accurate?

So I was doing a little research because I never fully understood how wattage and db efficiency but I think I got it. So every time you double your power you gain 3db, is that correct? So in order for us to get the DW's to 100db, you only need 2watts of power correct?

So I made my own chart
Watts - DBs
1 - 97
2 - 100
4 - 103
8 - 106
16 - 109
32 - 112
64 - 115
128 - 118
256 - 121

Does this look about right for all you scientific guys? LOL

I also looked at typical db's for multiple things, and rock concert and loud symphony levels are 120-129db's.
I know that is insanely loud levels but if we did want to push our Dirty Weekends to concert level sound, we would need 256 watts of power?

Me personally, I think I would be good with 109-112 maximum db's. So 32watts would be more than enough power for me.

Yes. Music played at 100 dbs is very painful to me but it's no problem to reach those levels with the Zu's powered by only a couple of watts. Here are mine powered by a 2 watt APPJ MW. I had gobs of headroom with a 2a3 SET which is good for about 3.5 watts.

P6030026.jpg
 
That should work. When in surround mode you'll have two volume controls in the signal path to adjust which is ok. For what it is the Spark seems expensive. Are you considering it because it has two inputs?

Are you looking at the right price Poultrygeist????? From everything I have read, it's one of the best bargain/budget pieces of equipment out there. It's only $349 But performs well above it's price. And no, I am considering it from everything I have seen online, from a performance aspect. Having the 2 inputs is just icing on the cake. Do some more research on it, from knowing what you like, it seems to be something right up your alley.
 
I have no experience with the Spark but I think it's expensive compared to this $69 Volt+. I have a Volt+ and it's ability to resolve detail is stunning. With a 24v power supply it's close to 50 wpc.

volt-amp-attenuator-wzmacniacz-z-tlumikiem.jpg
 
I have no experience with the Spark but I think it's expensive compared to this $69 Volt+. I have a Volt+ and it's ability to resolve detail is stunning. With a 24v power supply it's close to 50 wpc.

volt-amp-attenuator-wzmacniacz-z-tlumikiem.jpg

Is the 24volt power supply available on their website?
 
I have no experience with the Spark but I think it's expensive compared to this $69 Volt+. I have a Volt+ and it's ability to resolve detail is stunning. With a 24v power supply it's close to 50 wpc.

volt-amp-attenuator-wzmacniacz-z-tlumikiem.jpg


Hey Poultrygeist,

You have NEVER steered me wrong before and I did some more research on this amp. It's pretty legit! It's hard to believe that great hi-fi sound is so affordable. So I am going to order a couple of these. How do you think it will react hooked up between my Marantz AVR and speakers? Do yo think it will be okay for that?
 
Hey Poultrygeist,

You have NEVER steered me wrong before and I did some more research on this amp. It's pretty legit! It's hard to believe that great hi-fi sound is so affordable. So I am going to order a couple of these. How do you think it will react hooked up between my Marantz AVR and speakers? Do yo think it will be okay for that?

The Volt+ will sound great in your system with the Zu's. I'll be buying the power amp version when it debuts later this month.
 
Back
Top Bottom