Hi,

I am an Open Baffle speaker user and my speaker efficiency is approx. 100db/w/m.

I have used some tube amps before, cheap china made 2A3, 300B... some quite famous 300B kits.....

Recently, I fired up a cheap china made EL84 amp using NOS Tungsram tubes and it sounded pretty good!  :)Very musically involving. I started exploring if I can get a better EL84 based SET amp at reasoable price.

I know the famous Zen amp many years ago but at that time I was focusing 2A3, 300B... It stiked my mine again. I want one of the best sounding EL84 based SET amp and the Zen SE84 is the ticket.

I want to buy either the SE84 amp or the Zkit1 . I am leaning toward the Zkit 1 because I am a DIYer and experimenter.  My I ask some questions to help my decisions:

1. My speaker is 16 Ohm. Is the Zen SE84/Zkit1 suitable? No I need to specific the OPT to match my speaker?
2. The Zen SE84 is tube rectified and the Zkit1 is SS rectified. DO they sound similar or the SE84 sound much better?
4. Is the power transformer of the Zkit the same as that of the SE84 amp?
5. I note that the mono version (i.e. Zkit2) can re-adjust to use different driver tubes. Can the sereo version do the same?
6. I have a quick look at the Zkit1 schematic. The only part I feel not too good is the 1000u EL84 cathode by-pass cap. To let it sound good, I may need to source some exoctic 1000U electrolytic cap or use a good film cap to by-pass it. I same the SE84 circuit do not have the cathod cap? WHy there are differences.

Sorry for long winded questions.

(PS: I start getting some NOS 6P15/SV83 tubes before getting the amp )

Thanks

Andy