Forums - NEW TOP PLATE FOR ANNIVERSARY MONOS?

Rivieraranch

Seasoned Member

Posts: 2132

NEW TOP PLATE FOR ANNIVERSARY MONOS?
06/05/18 at 16:19:27

I wondered whether Steve and them will design a new top plate for the Anniversary Monos. It is my understanding the Monos share the same top plate as the phono preamp.

The Zen Monos were nearly consigned to the dung heap of Decware history a few years ago; now it seems there is more interest in them.

A new top plate would enable the 0C2 tube to see daylight and for rolling alternatives such as the 75C1.

Back to top

MINI TORII & ZROCK2 both anniversaried; 'Lil Audio F-15; TECHNICS SL1200MK2 KAB MODDED TT; ONKYO 6 DISC CD; MARANTZ 2226B; SCHIIT MULTIBIT DAC; SENNHEISER HD-580s

IP Logged

Lon

Seasoned Member

"Love without
guts is
worthless!"
Philip K. Dick

Posts: 25750

Re: NEW TOP PLATE FOR ANNIVERSARY MONOS?
Reply #1 - 06/05/18 at 16:50:38

The ZP3 and SE84UFO3 have similar, but not identical top plates. The Monoblocks are "mirrored" so the OA3 is on the left on one and on the right in the other. I suppose the volume control is in the same socket as the front tube in the ZP3. . . so the main difference is the "mirrored" aspect.

In the 25th Anniversary thread I think Steve mentioned he might come up with a unique 25th anniversary top plate for either these or the CSP3, I'm not remembering clearly which. Personally I am glad to not have the green silkscreened top plate. . . I prefer the black simpler one, it matches the rest of my system much better. And you can roll the OC2 tube, you just have to remove the screws holding the top plate down to do so. . . I haven't done it yet but I probably will at one point as I have a pair of Tesla tubes I'd love to try in that socket.

If he were to do this modification. . . the price will go up. I'm loving mine and I may not have ordered them if they had a fancier top plate and were more expensive. . . .

Back to top

HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK3,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects;Stack EQ; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1

IP Logged

beowulf

Seasoned Member

Posts: 1449

Re: NEW TOP PLATE FOR ANNIVERSARY MONOS?
Reply #2 - 06/06/18 at 09:20:59

Yeah, I read somewhere that he was contemplating a new top plate design for the monos. I agree, it would be cool to remove the 0C2 tube from inside the chassis to the outside for easy rolling and also have meters. What I hope doesn't happen is that the RCA's are placed in the front like the 25th Anniversary as this makes for messy cabling IMO.

Back to top

IP Logged

Rivieraranch Seasoned Member Posts: 2132	Re: NEW TOP PLATE FOR ANNIVERSARY MONOS? Reply #3 - 06/08/18 at 02:36:09 The regular Zen has an input bias switch you can set to either hot or cold. The monos do not have this option. Steve told me once that the bias is set set at the mid point. If I were ordering a pair I would have them biased hot and leave it at that.
Back to top	MINI TORII & ZROCK2 both anniversaried; 'Lil Audio F-15; TECHNICS SL1200MK2 KAB MODDED TT; ONKYO 6 DISC CD; MARANTZ 2226B; SCHIIT MULTIBIT DAC; SENNHEISER HD-580s IP Logged

Lon

Seasoned Member

"Love without
guts is
worthless!"
Philip K. Dick

Posts: 25750

Re: NEW TOP PLATE FOR ANNIVERSARY MONOS?
Reply #4 - 06/08/18 at 03:30:51

That's not true now, it may have been true with earlier Monoblocks, but not the SE84UFO3. My 25th Annual Monoblocks have that bias switch, and here is the info from the SE84UFO Manual:

There is a small toggle switch located at the front of the amplifier just in front of the input tube that is used to adjust the amount of input tube bias.
Tube bias simply means how much current the tube is allowed to use. In this amplifier, the 6N1P input tube and compa?ble alternate such as 6922, 6DJ8, 7DJ8, 6N23P, 6N5P,6N11 can all be operated at more than one bias point resul?ng in different sounds from each. There is no right or wrong seing for any of the above men?oned tubes. Simply listen to the amp with both seings and select the best one to your ears.

NOTE: When opera?ng the bias switch while the amplifier is on, you will hear a “pop” sound come from your speakers. This is normal and harmless to your speakers, so it is an accepted prac?ce. The volume control will have no effect on the loudness of the “pop” when you operate the bias switch.

Unlike you in my system I always use the lowest, warmer setting.

Back to top

HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK3,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects;Stack EQ; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1

IP Logged

Rivieraranch Seasoned Member Posts: 2132	Re: NEW TOP PLATE FOR ANNIVERSARY MONOS? Reply #5 - 06/08/18 at 14:33:36 Your post shows how out of date my information was; also how design and innovation keep marching forward at Decware.
Back to top	MINI TORII & ZROCK2 both anniversaried; 'Lil Audio F-15; TECHNICS SL1200MK2 KAB MODDED TT; ONKYO 6 DISC CD; MARANTZ 2226B; SCHIIT MULTIBIT DAC; SENNHEISER HD-580s IP Logged

Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 25750	Re: NEW TOP PLATE FOR ANNIVERSARY MONOS? Reply #6 - 06/08/18 at 14:43:53 Decware really has been moving forward with leaps and bounds this decade. To his credit Steve has been making accurate and current information available in the product pages, the manuals (available on those pages) and the forum. He's far more a "great communicator" than many who have made that claim. . . .
Back to top	HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK3,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects;Stack EQ; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1 IP Logged