What amp are you using with your Zu Essences?

Has anybody paired (or heard) a Viva (Solista or Solista LT) or one of the Mastersound amps with the Zu Essence?? I'm leaning towards one of these, and want to be in the 18-20 wpc SET family of amps.

My Art Audio PX-25, a superb amp in it's own right, sounded amazing on the Essence, but alas, it runs outta steam for my rather large room.

Thoughts?

Phil, the Zu guru highly recommends the Quad II's, Quad II-40's, and Quad II-80's. If I recall correctly, the all-out winner is supposed to be SET using 845 tubes.

I have also heard that EL-84 based amps do well.

I like my Manley's, but it would be nice to have the funds to compare.

PMB

I've heard Viva and Mastersound big SET on Zu speakers other than Essence. Have listened to Essence on Audion 845 monoblocks and Audion Golden Dream PSET monoblocks. Both of those amps are 25w. The Viva is euphonically old school. Not as illuminating as you should get at their price. The Mastersound 845 I've heard was more credible for being musically convincing. Audion handily elbows both aside.

A PX25 SET amp will generally sound quite clear but will run out of steam in a larger room, especially with the 4db less efficient Essence. 20w of SET is a clear dynamic improvement, all other things being equal. But just as my 300B PSET amps are not quite as dynamic as my 845s, despite the same power rating, remember it's the "drive" more than the steady state power that matters. Put a first class 845 SET on any Zu speaker and you're done. But that's not cheap, "first class" being the determinant. I do find the Quad II to be an excellent p-p step back from SET, for the 12+ ohms Zu speakers, with the more complex Quad II-80 and II-40 being highly credible at more power. Use the Shuguang Treasure power tubes. In this pool of amps there's bliss to be found.

Phil

Thanks Phil... I should have mentioned that the amp I amp looking for needs to be an integrated amp, or at least a pseudo-integrated, which has an attenuator.

I do like 845s! Before the Art Audio PX-25, I had a pair Art Audio Quartet monoblocks, which were also fantastic (though not SET, but PP). Maybe a Carissa with an attenuator would work well?

The Quad's sound amazing on a pair of Superfly's that I recently got a chance to audition. I really loved the combination. I have a pair of Omen Defs and I used to have the Essence.....I did not get a chance to hear any of those with the Essence, and the Essence is so different than all other Zu products. BTW I have a Carissa coming this week, so I can let you know about the combination.

Phil do you have a favorite 845 Tube for the Carissa? It is coming with the KR 845 (that's what I remember anyway).

I would also recommend that if you have not heard the other speakers in the line-up, do yourself a favor and go check them out. If you are near SF I would be happy to have you over.