STEREO POWER AMPLIFIER
SE84ZS
OWNERS MANUAL
Decware High Fidelity Engineering Co. 1202 N.E. Adams Street Peoria , IL 61603
(309) 671 2428
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Thank You
Table of Contents
By purchasing the Zen Triode Select ampli-
fier you have illustrated a desire to rise past
the normal hi-end hype and own a truly ex-
ceptional piece. It is a product based on the
old school way of doing things when it was
fashionable to push quality to an art form.
Your amplifier was hand-built by the very
best artisans who have perfected the craft
through the experience of building well over
one thousand amplifiers, each one at a time.
Safety Instructions........................
Thank You....................................
Technical Assistance......................
Table of Contents..........................
Important Information....................
Connector Information....................
Fuse Location / Information.............
WARNING.....................................
Output tube warning......................
Other output tube information.........
Tube life.....................................
Input tube information...................
Rectifier tube information...............
Where everything goes..................
Introduction................................
Performance features....................
Dimensions..................................
Placement...................................
Heat Output................................
Stereo / Mono operation................
How to Operate...........................
Burn-in Process............................
Specifications..............................
Schematic..................................
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Please Take a Moment
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The serial number and date of your amplifier
are recorded on the bottom of the amplifier.
These are important to keep on the amplifier
for identification purposes. You may need
them for insurance claim or future service.
Please use the spaces below to record this
information for safe keeping.
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Serial Number:
Purchase Date:
Model Number:
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Technical Assistance
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You can reach technical assistance by simply
contacting Decware directly. You can also e-
mail us directly from our web site at
any questions you may have about your pur-
chase or how it can be best utilized in your
present system. You can also find help on-
line in our support forums on decware.com
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Decware / High Fidelity Engineering Co.
1202 N.E. Adams St.
Peoria, IL 61603
Phone: (309) 671 2428
Fax: (309) 672-1060
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Introduction and Performance Features
Fuse location / Information
Important Information
1
Caution: To prevent electrical shock make sure that the AC
POWER CORD IS NOT CONNECTED TO THE SE84ZS when
inserting or removing Vacuum Tubes, as there are haz-
ardous voltages present at the pins of the Tube Sockets.
When Vacuum Tubes are installed or removed make sure to seat
them properly in the tube sockets. A properly installed Vacuum
tube should seat all the way down making the tube pins no longer
visible.
The fuse is integrated into the IEC power cord
connector at the back of the SE84ZS.
2
Use a
GMA (20mm x 5mm) 250 volt
3 amp fuse only.
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4
5
If the SE84ZS has been on , understand that the tubes will take
time to cool off before they can be safely removed.
For additional connection information, refer to the owner’s manual
for any components connected to the SE84ZS.
It is very important that loudspeaker cables of adequate size be
used, so that there will be a minimum power loss. The size is
specified in Gauge numbers or AWG (American Wire Gauge). The
smaller the Gauge number, the larger the wire size.
6
Connection Terminals will accept up to a 8 AWG wire size:
If your loudspeaker cables are 50 feet (38.1m) or less, use at
least 14 Gauge. If your loudspeakers are 100 feet (76.2m) or
less, use at least 12 Gauge. NOTE: Beyond power loss, there
can be other sonic reasons to employ larger Gauges.
TO ACCESS FUSE, REMOVE POWER CORD and
PRY FUSE HOLDER LOOSE WITH SMALL
SCREWDRIVER AS SHOWN.
DECWARE makes a speaker cable guaranteed to be in the top 5%
sonically regardless of price, called ZENSTYX. It is often recom-
mended with this amplifier even in shorter lengths of 10 feet.
Connector Information
The SE84ZS is fitted with what are called
“single ended” RCA type input connectors.
These are located along the rear of the ampli-
fier. Another popular type of connector is
known as XLR or “balanced” inputs. The
SE84ZS does not use balanced inputs because
contrary to popular belief they do not automati-
cally sound better. Balancing is a system wide
concept developed for pro audio to reduce noise
an facilitate long cable runs of in many cases
over 100 feet.
The fuse holder contains a spare fuse as
shown. To reinstall just snap the new fuse in
place and snap the fuse holder back into the
IEC connector.
The speaker binding posts are designed to facili-
tate the use of bare wire by inserting it in the
horizontal hole and tightening the post down
onto it. They can also accept a spade connector
with the same tightening technique. In addition
there are vertical holes visible in the top of each
binding post that are designed to accept banana
jacks.
WARNING
NEVER INSTALL A FUSE WITH A
HIGHER RATING THEN SPECIFIED.
NEVER ATTEMPT TO BYPASS THE
FUSE OR DEFEAT ITS INTENDED
PURPOSE !
BOTH INPUT AND OUTPUT CONNECTORS are
color banded to indicate left / right or positive /
negative. The RED is POSITIVE or RIGHT
CHANNEL.
4
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picture above.
OUTPUT TUBE WARNING
These tubes whether milspec or non-milspec are
because of their small size and intended use in
video applications are superior sonically to the pop-
ular 300B, 2A3, 45’s because they lack the heavy
signature and are considerably faster. The band-
width of these tubes is far greater then that speci-
fied for audio tubes.
The SE84ZS is designed to use either EL84
output tubes or SV83 output tubes. No adjust-
ments are needed when switching from one to
the other. Of the type SV83 tubes carrying the
Svetlana name there is one batch known to be
questionable and ARE NOT RECOMMENDED for
use in this amplifier.
The SV83’s and the 6P15P-EV tubes all came from
a single tube factory in Russia and were manufac-
tured in the 1980’s.
Decware was introduced to these tubes in 1995 by
Svetlana’s Eric Barbour who was convinced they
would make a nice alternative to the EL84’s.
Steve Deckert, owner of Decware and designer of
this amplifier was the only one in the industry
smart enough and with the foresight to purchase
and use these tubes. To date we are the only
manufacture to use this Vacuum Tube in produc-
tion high fidelity amplifiers.
Now that the company Svetlana is gone, Decware
purchases these tubes directly from Russia and
with only original factory markings on the glass.
Always buy 6P15P-EV replacement tubes directly
from Decware. You may also enjoy EL84/6BQ5
tubes of which there is a huge variety of, from any
reputable tube supplier.
The tube on the left is an acceptable SV83
output tube for use in this amplifier. The tube
on the right with the smaller logo is NOT accept-
able for use in this amplifier.
TUBE LIFE
Output tube life is rated at either 3000 or
5000 hours depending on the type tube
used.
OTHER OUTPUT TUBE INFORMATION
This amp ships with the milspec version of the SV83
output tubes.
Rectifier tubes can easily last the life of
the amplifier.
This ultra high quality tube features a 5000 hour rat-
ing, and is known only by its REAL Russian numbers
of:
Input tubes will vary from tube to tube
and should be checked yearly.
◊
6P15P-EV or 6n15n-EB
The easiest way to check input or output
tubes is to replace them with a known
new set and compare both sound quality
and power output of the amplifier. If you
hear very little difference, the tubes are
still good.
If there is no extension of -EV or -EB it is not high
grade version and likely a standard SV83.
The number SV83 came from an American marketing
company who purchased a large stock of the non-
military grade of these tubes and then made up the
trademark of Svetlana and the “S” logo visible in the
5
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INPUT TUBE INFORMATION
WHERE EVERYTHING GOES
The SE84ZS is designed to use your choice of
three different input (or signal) tubes.
Below are the tube locations, input jack con-
figuration and power switch location.
The input switch, one for each channel,
changes between direct and variable inputs.
It always points to the active jack. For ex-
ample on the left side of the amp, moving
the input switch to the right would select the
variable input for that channel. Variable in-
put means the signal goes through the vol-
ume control located at the front of the
SE84ZS.
6N1P (a Russian tube from the same factory
The sound is typically warm with good balance.
that makes the SV83 and 6P15P-EV)
6DJ8 (a popular low noise tube both available in
current production by numerous manufacturers
The sound is more airy and detailed, less bass.
POWER SWITCH
LEFT
INPUT
and in N.O.S.)
VARIABLE
LEFT
INPUT
DIRECT
RIGHT
INPUT
VARIABLE
6922 (a popular variant of the 6DJ8 also avail-
able by a wide variety of manufacturers and in
N.O.S.)
DIRECT
VARIABLE
SWITCH
RIGHT
INPUT
DIRECT
The sound is typically more dynamic and detailed.
RECTIFIER TUBE INFORMATION
The SE84ZS is designed around the 5U4 recti-
fier tube. It is however, compatible with the
following alternatives - each having a subtle ef-
fect on the overall sound characteristics of the
amp.
RECTIFIER
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◊
5Y3GT
5AR4
GZ34
274B
OUTPUT TUBES
INPUT TUBE
The different ratings and efficiencies of these
rectifiers will effect the operating voltage points
throughout the amplifier which is why they can
have an effect on the sound. You will find that
even different brands of the same tube will
sound different. This is true with any vacuum
tube.
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•
Gold Plated Connectors and Sockets
INTRODUCTION
Gold plated Input Jacks and Output Binding Posts
provide trouble free connections. Ceramic tube
sockets with gold plated contacts provide protection
from atmospheric contamination.
You now own one of the best SET amplifiers in
the world! Unlike the stereotypes associated
with single ended triode designs, the SE84ZS
has many unique features that set it apart from
the rest. It’s point-to-point construction, lack of
circuit boards, and signal path consisting of only
a single capacitor and two resistors means noth-
ing sold today is more transparent or honest. Of
course almost everything sold today claims to be
sonically transparent and absolutely accurate,
but when compared side by side to the Zen
Triode SE84ZS, it usually isn’t.
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Non-Magnetic High Mass Chassis
The SE84ZS is built on a T6 Aluminum plate over
2mm thick for zero flex. This offers a noticeable
reduction in resonance when compared to a steel
chassis. To further eliminate resonance, the plate
is coupled to a solid hardwood base. The powder
coat finish is baked on and nearly impossible to
scratch without significant effort. The rust proof
Aluminum combined with this finish ensures the
amplifier will look pristine for many, many years to
come.
PERFORMANCE FEATURES
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High Reliability - Low Maintenance
With an oversized power supply and the highest
grade of capacitors the SE84ZS has less then
0.5mv of sag in the high voltage supply when the
amp is at full power and clipping. This means the
power supply is never taxed and should therefor
last for many decades. In addition, the self-biasing
design besides sounding best offers easy tube
changes with no adjustments or re-biasing needed.
These are just some of the reasons why we can
offer a Lifetime Warranty with this product.
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Power Output
The SE84ZS power output sits in the perfect spot on
the line of fidelity vs. power with respect to amplifier
design. It is rated at 2.3 watts into an 4 ohm resistive
load with no visible or audible distortion. What makes
it deceptive is its ability to drive complex speaker loads
down to almost a dead short with even more power.
For example, this amp has driven a pair of Klipsch
horns, a pair of JBL control 10’s and a pair of JBL studio
monitors, each between 6 and 8 ohm speakers - all at
the same time on each channel. The speakers were
wired in parallel. Besides the ability to remain stable at
these insane impedance's, the SE84ZS also sounds
good when doing it.
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Tube rectification
This offers two distinct advantages over the more
common solid state rectification. First is reliability.
Solid state rectifiers when used at these high volt-
ages (600 volts) are susceptible to voltage spikes
and even static electricity. That means your ampli-
fier would need repair likely more then once during
it’s lifetime. Using a tube rectifier means that you
can easily change it yourself if ever there was a
problem. Tube rectification also sounds different
then solid state. And contrary to popular belief, the
tube rectification actually has far superior bass. It’s
tighter, more dimensional, and less artificial sound-
ing.
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Output Transformer Design
You may have noticed that output transformers used in
single ended amplifiers are up to 3 times more expen-
sive then those used in push-pull applications. This is
in part due to the air gap that must be integrated into
the transformer. You can spend as much on a single
output transformer as you paid for this amplifier (yes,
they exist) , take it completely apart and find no
difference in quality between it and the transformers
used in your SE84ZS.
We understood from the
beginning that output transformer design and quality
are what separate good sounding tube amps from
great sounding ones. The SE84ZS has transformers
that were custom designed specifically for it, and are
made by Decware in the USA.
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DIMENSIONS
With the jacks vertically mounted at the rear
of the amplifier, it is possible to push the
amp all the way to the rear of a shelf. How-
ever, we recommend keeping a 2 inch
spacing on all sides and at least 6 to 10
inches of space above the amplifier.
Avoid closed cabinets. The better the venti-
lation around your amplifier the cooler it will
run.
The SE84ZS amplifier is 7.25 inches wide by
14.75 inches deep with a height of 6.5 inches.
HEAT OUTPUT
This is a Class A amplifier where the tubes
idle at near full power at 47 miliamps each. It
is designed to run at a temperature that
humans would perceive as hot. The actual
temperature of the power transformer and
metal parts of the amplifier will depend on
the following conditions:
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Ambient room temperature. At 70 degrees F.
the amp should run at around 118 degrees.
Volume level. The amp will generate less heat
at lower volumes then at higher volumes.
Amount of time the amplifier has been on.
Depending on the two variables above it can
take up to several hours to reach full tempera-
ture.
PLACEMENT
NOTE: in rooms with high ambient tempera-
tures the SE84ZS could after many hours
reach temperatures of 140 degrees, although
it requires a worse case scenario to achieve
that temperature.
This is the maximum
allowable temperature recommended for op-
eration as anything higher could burn you.
If you turn your amp off when not in use and
your listening room isn’t baking hot, you’ll
find your SE84ZS to average a comfortable
115 degrees F. This is cool enough to keep
your hand on the power transformer for
extended periods of time.
You will find where heat is concerned, that
after about 30 minutes or so once the amp
has become warm, the sound will be better
then when the amp is ice cold.
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STEREO / MONAURAL OPERATION
HOW TO OPERATE
To run the amplifier in Stereo, simply connect
the left and right input jacks to your source or
preamp and the left and right output binding
posts to your speakers. If using the variable
inputs, the volume control located at the front
of the amplifier will control the output level of
both channels at the same time.
After finding an appropriate place for the
amplifier you can install the tubes and con-
nect the speaker cables. Do not hook up the
input cables at this time. Install the power
cord and plug it into a grounded receptacle
and turn the amplifier on.
Let the amplifier warm up for several min-
utes with the volume control all the way
down. NOTE: it is common for new tubes to
make an occasional spit or crackle upon
startup. This goes away after the first cou-
ple uses.
To bridge the amplifier into a monoblock (single
channel amp) all that is needed is a short piece
of 14 AWG wire hooked between the Left nega-
tive (black) speaker binding post and the Right
positive (red) speaker binding post on the other
side of the amp. This leaves two binding posts
left, one on each side of the amp, to drive your
loudspeaker.
Now that the amp is on and warmed up for a
few minutes with no source or preamp con-
nected to it, it is your chance to evaluate the
noise level of the amplifier. What you hear
coming from the speakers is your baseline
reference for a given set of tubes. All tubes
will vary somewhat. On all but the most effi-
cient loudspeakers, you should hear almost
nothing at a distance of less then 1 foot from
the speaker. Decware amps are known for
being quiet.
This is made possible by the SE84ZS floating
output transformer design where the negative
speaker binding posts are not tied or referenced
to ground (chassis). When you hook your amp
up as described, you have effectively wired the
output transformer in series creating a single
mono circuit that does not have the typical
smearing associated with bridging stereo ampli-
fiers.
Next, turn the amplifier off and let it cool for
1 minute. Now hook up your source or
preamp making sure to have the volume
control all the way down and turn the ampli-
fier back on. Raise the volume control to
your desired listening level and enjoy!
To hook up the inputs of the amplifier in mono
so that only once cable is needed from the
preamp or source it is recommended that you
use a Y-Cable that plugs into the left and right
input jacks combining them into one. Decware
can supply you with high quality Y-Cables made
from the same Silver/Teflon conductors as our
signature cables. Alternately space has been
provided in the design to accommodate a
stereo/mono switch for the input jacks should
someone wish to custom order the amplifiers
that way. We should mention that our Y-Cable
gives the same sonic results as the switch, costs
about the same and keeps you from having to
ship your amplifier back to Decware for the
modification. That is one of the reasons why a
stereo/mono switch is not standard on the
SE84ZS.
BURN-IN PROCESS
Expect less then wonderful sound for the
first 20 to 40 hours of operation as the ca-
pacitors break-in. The fastest way to ad-
vance the burn in process is to play the amp
for 5 hours and then turn it off for at least 5
hours. Repeat this at least 5 times. Most
customers find that the amp really blooms in
about the 3rd week of their evaluation.
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SPECIFICATIONS
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Weight
13 lbs. ea.
Dimensions
Circuit type
Power output
8.5" H x 7.250" W x 14.0" D
Single ended Class A Triode
2.3 watts RMS into 4 ohms
5 watts RMS into 8 ohms when bridged
NOTE: Power increases as ohms decrease
Stable into 1 ohm speaker loads
2.0 volts for full output
Input voltage
Noise / Hum
Response
Less than 1.5 millivolts (amazing for tube gear)
20 Hz ~ 20 kHz
Feedback
ZERO negative feedback used
Rectification
Output tubes
Signal tube
Transformers
Biasing
5U4G tube rectification
SV83, 6P15P-EV, 6n15n-EB or EL84/6BQ5
6N1P or 6922 or 6Dj8
All transformers are custom made for this amplifier by Decware
Self-Biasing circuit - never needs adjustment
All resistors are precision WW/MF by DALE, VISHAY
Film and Foil
Resistors
Signal Cap
Filter Caps
AC cord
All filter caps are US made SPRAGUE/ATOM
Fused IEC connector provided with removable power cord
65 watts at full power
Consumption
Input jacks
Output jacks
Speaker dB/1w
Warranty
RCA type 24K Gold / Teflon
Gold 5-way binding posts accept 8 gauge wire
89 dB minimum / 96 dB is ideal
Lifetime to original owner / 90 days on tubes
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to 47K plate
to 47K plate
B+
to output tansformers
1K 50 W
DALE
10K
10K
YELLOW
6 .8
K
1
w att
YELLOW/BLACK
US transformer shown
YELLOW
RED
3.3uf 400v
Solen poly
2
40 uf 450 volt
ATOM CAP
40 uf 450 volt
ATOM CAP
3.3uf 400v
Solen poly
4
6
2~20uf250volt
ATOMCAPS
BLACK
RED/YELLOW
5U4
8
RED
6N1P
or 6922
SV83 SV83
4,
BLACK
GRN
4
5
4
3 amp fuse
GRN/YEL
5
5
GRN
DECWARE 300-0-300 150mA WORLD VOLTAGE POWER TRANSFORMER
YELLOW
YELLOW/BLACK
1
BLACK
YELLOW
SELECT ZEN TRIODE STEREO AMPLIFIERS
MODEL SE84CS and SE84ZS
RED
PINK
2
3
BLACK/WHITE
WHITE
RED/YELLOW
RED
4
DECWARE / High Fidelity Engineering Co. USA
5
6
BROWN/WHITE
BROWN
GRN
GRN/YEL
240 VAC 50/60 cycle
GRN
NOTE: We recommend wiring the primary for 240 volts even if your
voltage is 220 or 230. Use a 3 amp fuse. NOTE: The BLUE wire (not shown) is
a bias tap and is NOT USED in this circuit.
white
6 ohm (BLUE)
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REAR INPUT
1
9
1K
330 ohm 1 W
1K 2 W
Common (BLACK)
2
red
2
.0.1 uf 600V
WIMA POLY
3
3
white
red
6 ohm (BLUE)
7
REAR INPUT
6
9
1K
330 ohm 1 W
1K 2 W
Common (BLACK)
7
2
.0.1 uf 600V
WIMA POLY
3
8
1000 uf
35V
100 ohm 25 w DALE
To power supply
B+
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