After last nights analog tests with the ZMA and DNA2 combo as loud as I could get the amp, playing BACH on a MOOG sourced from a half-speed master, the decision was made to approve the mods and move forward.
I have been wrestling with various options including my original idea to just build the ZMA with these mods from the get go and raise the price.
I have decided not to do that, because bone stock Tone Audio said it was better than Shindo and better than Wavac.
Quote:If this piece of audio fine art had
a Shindo or Wavac badge on the front, it would easily have another zero on the price tag. Take it from someone who’s owned both: Save the dough and buy American.
The ZMA is a better amplifier than either—and it carries a lifetime warranty and tech support (for
the original owner).
Tone Audio Magazine
If I raise the price, how many people will it take out of the game, people who might have swung it, now never to hear one? That would be stupid on my part.
So the decision has been made to offer the upgrade as a multi-part option in the shopping cart once we edit the web page.
The last decision gets to your question about the applicability of individual components of the mod itself.
So, those components of the ZMA Anniversary Mod are as follows:
1) Special screen resistors on the Ultra-linear taps: This mod greatly improves the musicality of the amplifier. It is optional on a stock ZMA because the speed of the stock ZMA is perfectly balanced and thus perfectly musical already. Nevertheless, you will hear an increase in the ease of the music, and get better dimensionality and sound stage depth as a result. That said, this mod is a prerequisite for all mods to follow. The reason is that all mods to follow are increasing the speed and resolution of the amplifier and these screen resistors automatically balance those increases as we go. The price for this mod in the shopping cart will be $50. If an amplifier is sent to us for the mod, the price will be $150 as we alter the layout to properly fit the additional parts.
2) Beeswax Bypass Caps: This is the one that increases the speed and resolution of the amplifier. The price for this mod in the cart will be $400 and $500 if the amp is sent in for the mod.
3) Glass Resistors: This is more subtle but at this point in the game we're already past the point of diminishing returns so if you want to continue the journey, these N.O.S. vacuum tube metal film resistors are basically the best in the world. They are expensive, but the amplifier only has one resistor in the entire signal path when the input control is all the way up. That's one less than the Zen Triode. So it makes sense to put the best you can there in that spot. Basically there is one on each output tube, so two per channel.The price for this mod in the cart will be $280 and $380 if you send the amp here for the mod.
4) Nichicon Caps: The modern day upgrade for the original red caps that the first ten amps were shipped with. Being 30 years newer and almost twice the size, they're pretty serious. This underpins everything else in the way of mods All of the mods will work and sound good without this mod, however this mod will be like a solid foundation that is unwavering. The amp will have more balls than it already does. There is a blacker background as well. The price for this mod in the cart will be $400, and $500 if you send it in to us.
Employing all of these mods dramatically narrows the gap between the ZMA and the UFO25. Of course nights like last evening with the ZMA turned all the way up on large scale music allows it to go where the UFO25 can't, so it's not hard to say it is now the equal of the UFO25, some will say better, some will say only close... the point is that when all this started after hearing the UFO25 for 6 months I could no longer LOVE the ZMA they way I did when it was better than Sindo and Wavac. Now I can listen to both without feeling like the UFO25 is superior. This is a great achievement to say the least and I think a great way to offer it.
Steve
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