Your thoghts on Zapco reference series amps?

[shoprman2 10+ year member]

Trying to decide between Zapco reference series amps(1 4ch 1000.4 and 1 1ch 500.1) or Tru Technology amps along the same wattage. If any of you guys have tried either I would appreciate your thoughts. The 4 ch amp is powering 2 sets of ADS components and the sub amp will supply 1 Koda 10". SQ, longevity and durability are the concerns, not the fact that they are very expensive. Thanks

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[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Tough call, very tough call. Both are excellent, excellent amps. Both will have longevity and durability, no questions asked. SQ; well, that's all subjective, but you'd be hard pressed to not like either of them.

Personally, I'd probably take the Tru just because they are a little less "known" to the average audio enthusiast that you'd meet on the street......and I like to use "unique" things //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

I'd take the Zapco's- longer track record and a proven designer -longevity and durability being the buying point

 

[mrray13 10+ year member]

what is it someone said..." put both names on two pieces of paper, shove them up ur arse, pull one out and whichever paper u pull out...buy that one"..or something like that....//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/hilarious.gif.02a037aad04aa96f19982b298a3d70a8.gif

like squeak put it..both are awesome amps. excellent quality, excellent power, excellent track record...either would be an awesome choice.

u can go along the lines of both posts above.....u want something more unique? or something with a little better proven record? maybe, pick the one that is more aesthicially pleasing to u.

me? probably the zapco, because it's a zapco...lol..and i'm not taking anything away from the tru's!!

u'r easiest way? flip a coin..lol

either way, ur buying quality and performance. and u have a decision to make most of us envy u for!!

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/peace.gif.2db28b618ed8d1964ebbe2f5021d2c39.gif

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

and a proven designer -

I think that secretly your just in love with Robert Zeff //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/toast.gif.bc0657bf54b9ee653b6438524461341e.gif

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

I think that secretly your just in love with Robert Zeff //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif


//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/toast.gif.bc0657bf54b9ee653b6438524461341e.gif

buahaha....guilty as charged :boobies:

to be honest TRU to me is like TREO, a new company with awesome products- but I rather stick to what has been in the trenches for years when investing a good portion of $$$

Hell I waited nearly 3-4 yrs to buy into Arc.....because I thought the same back then

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

to be honest TRU to me is like TREO, a new company with awesome products- but I rather stick to what has been in the trenches for years

Can't argue with that. Zapco definitely has a great heritage and has persevered through many a years //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/thumbsupwink.gif.129404938effda6ad9cca39e7f4b58a3.gif And remarkably have yet to "sell out" their product lines and start producing mass market crap like MANY of the old greats did.

 

[SPANKYSPL 10+ year member]

I have run Zapco for 9 years (currently running (3)500.1 (2)200.2 ) NEVER have had a complaint. TRU Technology designed by John Fairchild (Cerwin Vega) is a great company, but some of his same designs from the Cerwin Vega era have filtered into the TRU line (read: see if you can score older Vega stuff if you want TRU at a better price)NO I AM NOT SAYING THEY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME!!!!

As for Zapco not mass making stuff for others, the last time they did, ARC was born. LONG story, but they basically offered to design a "We will NOT sell it in America amp" built a couple hundred pre-production run. Then the amps were taken overseas, copied (to the best of abilities, without the superior parts) and VOILA born is ARC.

To sum it up, Zapco 30+ years of B@D *SS amps.....

 

[denim 5,000+ posts]

I'd take the Zapco's- longer track record and a proven designer -longevity and durability being the buying point

cant really beat that, cause I agree with it too, I have messed with plenty of the AG (american graffity series) the same as the Reference series just in white and they were awesome

 

[BooLeaN 10+ year member]

The AG series amps are amazing. I own an AG 350 and had a 150. A few friends have some AG's as well and I haven't heard of a single one dying //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

Not saying the TRU amps aren't great but I have no experience with them.

GOO ZAPCO //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

Craig G

 

[bri487 5,000+ posts]

i have done zapco in the past, the only thing that i have found that is comparable to the reference series that i have personally tried it the diamond audio D7's. they are bot great amps, but dollar for dollar i would take the refs any day. i have tried a lot of stuff since i had those zapcos and now look at my sig.

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

I have run Zapco for 9 years (currently running (3)500.1 (2)200.2 ) NEVER have had a complaint. TRU Technology designed by John Fairchild (Cerwin Vega) is a great company, but some of his same designs from the Cerwin Vega era have filtered into the TRU line (read: see if you can score older Vega stuff if you want TRU at a better price)NO I AM NOT SAYING THEY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME!!!!
As for Zapco not mass making stuff for others, the last time they did, ARC was born. LONG story, but they basically offered to design a "We will NOT sell it in America amp" built a couple hundred pre-production run. Then the amps were taken overseas, copied (to the best of abilities, without the superior parts) and VOILA born is ARC.

To sum it up, Zapco 30+ years of B@D *SS amps.....

ZAPCO the company never made anything for anybody- ZAPCO was founded by ROB ZEF, and recently sold- he formed NIKOLA ENGINEERING a design team

that designs for ARC, Zapco, Diamond D3 line, and the older Clarion amps-

Arc's lower line the KAR series are made/ assembled in China, their higher line is put together here in the states, in the same Zapco buildhouses