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08/30/25 at 04:23:23

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Finished ZKIT1 No Appreciable Hum (Read 1103 times)

ZenithZero

Verified Member

Posts: 19

Finished ZKIT1 No Appreciable Hum
05/28/25 at 15:22:36

Hello,
Just wanted to share that I have a working Zkit amp! Currently listening to Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here. Listening over some vintage Kenwood LS-403As, but also worked with Klipsch RP-600mII, and even some Dayton Audio BS65 AIRs (has an AMT tweeter.)

For my build I subbed an Antek toroidal input transformer and did all of the Anniversary and Power Supply mods. I'm also running a Phillips ECC88 input tube. I'm running it in an old Dish Receiver chassis.

Clayton

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ZenithZero Verified Member Posts: 19	Re: Finished ZKIT1 No Appreciable Hum Reply #1 - 05/28/25 at 21:04:33 For reference my "Pre-Flight" Voltages were A:447, B:437 without tubes installed. Then with tubes installed A:338, B:237, C:10, Dl:3, Dr:3
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ZenithZero Verified Member Posts: 19	Re: Finished ZKIT1 No Appreciable Hum Reply #2 - 05/28/25 at 22:00:20 Other system info: WIIM Ultra Streamer --> SMSL D-6S DAC U-Turn Turntable --> Onboard Pluto Phono --> Ortofon 05E --> Schiit Saga2 Pre-Amplifier --> Decware ZKit1 --> Kenwood LS403As --> RSL Speed Woofer 10S MKII
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ZenithZero Verified Member Posts: 19	Re: Finished ZKIT1 No Appreciable Hum Reply #3 - 05/28/25 at 22:04:48 Pictures are worth a thousand words. So how many are hearing worth? Currently Playing: Metallica - One
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Seasoned Member

Posts: 313

Re: Finished ZKIT1 No Appreciable Hum
Reply #4 - 05/28/25 at 22:23:10

That’s gorgeous and I love both the wood faceplate and the fact it was repurposed from a dish receiver.

Welcome. The zkit was my first introduction to the Decware sound and have built many since. Prepare for your musical tastes to change.

I’d love to hear more about the toroidal transformer as the circuit breaks in.

Cambridge CXN100, DSR3 Interconnects, SEWE 300b, ZSTYX SC, Lii F15 & W15 in open baffle.

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ZenithZero

Verified Member

Posts: 19

Re: Finished ZKIT1 No Appreciable Hum
Reply #5 - 05/28/25 at 23:30:37

Currently Listening to: Wynton Marsalis - Stardust (on the Hot House Flowers Vinyl)

Hi Gilf,
Thanks for the warm welcome I have been lurking so I've seen your posts. I hope to someday be at your level. :)

I will give a review of the transformer once the circuit breaks in (full disclosure I don't have a reference for it.)
It's an Antek 1T300.

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Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 26509	Re: Finished ZKIT1 No Appreciable Hum Reply #6 - 05/29/25 at 01:05:59 I really like the way you carefully laid out the innards, and that wood front panel is BEAUTIFUL! I'd say that Wynton Marsalis album should showcase the amp really well!
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

ZenithZero Verified Member Posts: 19	Re: Finished ZKIT1 No Appreciable Hum Reply #7 - 05/30/25 at 20:03:22 Currently Listening to: The Lost Dog Street Band - One Shot to Wake Hi Lon, Thanks for the compliment on the innards. That took a lot of effort but now seems like the obvious solution. The wood is walnut, finished with Tung Oil (just Minwax) rubbed on with steel wool, then wiped with a clean shop towel. Clayton
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Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 26509	Re: Finished ZKIT1 No Appreciable Hum Reply #8 - 05/30/25 at 20:25:14 Thanks for the info on the wood panel. You did a great job--it looks killer.
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

ZenithZero Verified Member Posts: 19	Re: Finished ZKIT1 No Appreciable Hum Reply #9 - 06/02/25 at 21:22:39 Link to Excel file with parts i used and how much they cost (when I bought them.) https://1drv.ms/x/c/9bffc6da811b05e6/EeYFG4Haxv8ggJveCQAAAAAByUDYLhcDJ0UBiCJg0jQ...
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thomacon Verified Member Posts: 2	Re: Finished ZKIT1 No Appreciable Hum Reply #10 - 08/20/25 at 21:28:12 This build looks so good, especially with that walnut front. Thanks for including the excel spreadsheet of your costs. I was wondering how much it would all be in 2025. The 2021 prices on the zkit page seemed a little to optimistic to me
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ZenithZero

Verified Member

Posts: 19

Re: Finished ZKIT1 No Appreciable Hum
Reply #11 - 08/20/25 at 22:34:26

Hi thomacon,
Thanks for the compliments and your welcome for the spreadsheet. Thought the least I could contribute was an up to date build sheet and some pictures of the layout I used to this forum. This forum was a lot of help to me while completing my build. After hours of listening and many other changes to my system I still love listening to this amp. The component prices have in fact increased A LOT lol. Still worth it IMHO.

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