I am in the process of choosing my mid/high amp. I was really interested in the Zapco 750 but it is not cheap. I wanted to know what other options I could choose that would provide similiar performance and reliability. I have looked at some cheaper Eclipse 4 channel amps I could bridge for my purpose but am not sure if their amps are on par with Zapco's quality. Anyone have any suggestions or addtional options. I have decided I am going to run the Dynaudio 3 way set, either the 340 or 360 which require 200 watts RMS.
I'm about to push my System 360 with a JL Audio 300/2. They don't "require" 200W RMS, that's how much they're capable of handling. The Eclipse won't have the quality of the Zapco, but are great amps nonetheless. What's your budget for amps?
I would say I am willing to spend 600 max on the amp but would ideally like to spend no more then around 400. I know I can find better deals on the internet so I wouldn't be paying retail.
Is there a major difference in the JL 300/2 and the Zapco 750? I know that the Zapco has a little more power so it would be louder at top volumes. I did see the post Glass referred to on this forum about a money challenge someone had on the net for anyone to consistently distinguish between any type/make of amps at the same settings and volume with no distortion. The point being it really doesn't matter as long as the power is clean and the only real factor for choosing should be quality for longevity. I wonder if I am just wasting my time trying to decide between what high end amp to choose. I simply want a quality product that is built to last and isn't ridiculously expensive.
What is the max amp RMS you think I can run to the Dynaudios? Their specs say they can handle 200 continuous so would putting an amp that has 240-300 RMS per channel played at high volumes on occasion cause damage to the 340/360s? On the other side, what RMS would they be considered underpowered and clip?
Really, there is a little difference, frequency response and curves will be different, but you won't notice a drastic change between the two. Both amps are very underrated as far as power, the Zapco will have the edge. The JL is regulated while the Zapco isn't, meaning that the JL will have the same power anywhere from 1.5-4 ohms. A benefit of the Zapco is the capability to be run in 3 channel mode, meaning you can run both component speakers and a subwoofer in a bridged mode simultaneously. The guys on that page Glasswolf talked about are VERY knowledgeable, the issue is that different amps are rated with different methods, and you have to do the comparison more on a test bench to verify than go by the rated specs. There is a certain point that you won't notice a difference, but you will notice a difference between a Sony amp and a Zapco no doubt. The reason I'm running a JL is because I got it for free of charge brand new in box, both are fantastic amplifiers and will give you many years of service. The Dynaudios aren't as loud as other sets, I wouldn't push them with less than 125W RMS. They can take more than they're rated power from my experience, I wouldn't get too crazy, maybe 25 watts RMS over the rated power handling. A big factor is that the Dynaudios require a reasonable amount of time to break in, so don't run them too hard to start with.
the zapco amps will really shine when using the symbilink interconnects with zapco signal processors and preamp. that gives a balanced high voltage signal path with virtually zero noise. it's not a cheap way to go though
I have found I can get the Zapco 360 for less and bridge it to produce 180 x 2 at 4 ohms. Is this basically going to give me the same performance as the Zapco 750 at 4 ohms? I have tried to find more info on Zapco's symbilink. Is this feature an add on to the amps or do they come with the necessary hardware to convert the HU RCAs to it?