Charles,
I have this "2 watts" discussion all the time.
Look, it certainly works and 45 amps like the Yamamoto are revered by some who gravitate to flea power triodes. The tonal realism, immediacy and beauty can be arresting -- for awhile. I don't recommend this route however. The reason is that even at 101db/w/m efficiency, the dynamic limits of such a small amp are still quite noticed, even in a modest room, and that constant sense of grazing the ceiling -- or banging your head right through it -- is distracting. I find the 45 adherents forced to listen within dynamic limits that are excessively restrictive.
These 2w amps aren't cheap either. So instead, a well-executed 300B amp ala Audion Silver Night or Golden Nights can deliver all the tone, nuance and subtlety, but with acceptable dynamics. I consider a 300B's 7-8 w or perhaps a PX-25's 6-7w the practical lower limit for pairing Zu to an SET amp with true-tone attributes and acceptable dynamic range.
Better yet is a well-executed 845, but we've already discussed that.
Gerritt at Zu (the man you generally get when you dial them up) loves the Yamomoto 45 amp on his speakers, and recommends it unequivocably. I think if you are the kind of audiophile who has a small inventory of high quality amps in rotation, it's worth having a 45 like the Yamo or something similar among them. You'll love it some of the time. But if you have one amp only, I advise against 2w amps for Zu, as being too dynamically limited for general satisfaction. On balance for me, 2w amps give up too much in dynamic ease and headroom to gain what's lovely about them. Others may disagree.
There is one interesting way to justify it however. Are you a headphones listener? EddieCurrent has a sub-$3000 2a3 headphone amp that also has speaker outputs. Into speakers it outputs 3w/ch. Justify it for headphones and tap that flea power for speakers when you feel the urge to switch a few cables.
Phil
I have this "2 watts" discussion all the time.
Look, it certainly works and 45 amps like the Yamamoto are revered by some who gravitate to flea power triodes. The tonal realism, immediacy and beauty can be arresting -- for awhile. I don't recommend this route however. The reason is that even at 101db/w/m efficiency, the dynamic limits of such a small amp are still quite noticed, even in a modest room, and that constant sense of grazing the ceiling -- or banging your head right through it -- is distracting. I find the 45 adherents forced to listen within dynamic limits that are excessively restrictive.
These 2w amps aren't cheap either. So instead, a well-executed 300B amp ala Audion Silver Night or Golden Nights can deliver all the tone, nuance and subtlety, but with acceptable dynamics. I consider a 300B's 7-8 w or perhaps a PX-25's 6-7w the practical lower limit for pairing Zu to an SET amp with true-tone attributes and acceptable dynamic range.
Better yet is a well-executed 845, but we've already discussed that.
Gerritt at Zu (the man you generally get when you dial them up) loves the Yamomoto 45 amp on his speakers, and recommends it unequivocably. I think if you are the kind of audiophile who has a small inventory of high quality amps in rotation, it's worth having a 45 like the Yamo or something similar among them. You'll love it some of the time. But if you have one amp only, I advise against 2w amps for Zu, as being too dynamically limited for general satisfaction. On balance for me, 2w amps give up too much in dynamic ease and headroom to gain what's lovely about them. Others may disagree.
There is one interesting way to justify it however. Are you a headphones listener? EddieCurrent has a sub-$3000 2a3 headphone amp that also has speaker outputs. Into speakers it outputs 3w/ch. Justify it for headphones and tap that flea power for speakers when you feel the urge to switch a few cables.
Phil