New Berning SET ZOTL prototype.


I have just negotiated a collaboration with David Berning to make a custom prototype amp for my system. Due to a backlog of orders, he may not start on it for some time. It will be a Choke-Loaded, Single-Ended Triode ZOTL using Type 45 output tubes. The power supply will be battery powered. Power output will be 2 watts into 8 ohms. The 45's can slightly outperform even the vaunted 300B in the critical midrange, although 300B's provide more power and overall guts. With my new Lowthers, this 2 watts will get me very close to "live" listening volume levels in my living room. Especially in the near-field. My 1 watt Berning MicroZOTL comes close, but falls a touch short on symphonic crescendos. Just imagine, a super-high performance SET with the ZOTL advantages of transformer-like impedance matching, and the crystal clarity of OTL! And no "bass bloat", or high-end rolloff. Zero feedback, pure Class A SET ZOTL, choke loading, point-to-point wiring, ultra-pure battery power, hand made by David Berning himself. I think that I must be dreaming, but don't wake me up! How about that, guys? Would you like to hear some reviews on this one? It may be awhile before I get it, like I said, because he has a backlog. I can hardly wait!
twl

Showing 1 response by darkmoebius

Congrats! I've been dreaming of getting a ZH270 for a year now and just don't have the money. I love the idea of transparency, power, and smoothness.

My speakers are Hammer Dynamics Super-12's (97dB, 8 ohm), so I really don't need that much power. It has a low-excursion, 12" single-driver with with a supertweeter fot >10kHz.

Every once in a while, one of his amps comes up for sale here used for around $2.5k. One of these days I might just make the jump.