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- Quantum Zen
Quantum Zen
Current lead time is 3-4 weeks, or check out one of our dealers for current availability
Overview:
The Quantum Zen is a tonal collaboration with Zen Guitar Trading - A completely new ground up design featuring an EF86 preamp tube in a unique configuration that maximizes its potential with none of the microphonic or noise issues that plagued older designs. This preamp tube allows for extended bandwidth, sweeter harmonics, and a natural compression that makes your notes sing out, all with even more clarity than most "traditional" designs.
A pair of EL84 power tubes drives the power section, but don't worry - this isn't a "Brit" amp. The EL84s are tuned to give you anything from "Brit" to "American" tones if you want, but really it's something new to paint your own unique voice.
Power:
All Eddie Wang Instruments amplifiers feature a wattage control that works by controlling the internal voltages where they need to be, and not where they shouldn't. The Quantum Zen can go from 15 watts all the way down to 1/4 watt. Since this circuit is not in the signal path, tone and touch sensitivity are unaffected.
Tone Controls:
The tone controls have been redesigned to fit the needs of today's players. Unlike most traditional designs, the tone controls are usable through the entire range. Turn the Bottom knob all the way down for the tightest overdrive ever heard in a low wattage amp. Turn it all the way up to fatten the thinnest of single coils or for room filling big cleans.
Unlike most treble controls, the Top control on the Quantum Zen won't suppress those wonderful tube harmonics. Turn it all the way down for fat jazzy tones, or all the way up for a biting tone that will cut through any band situation.
Finally, the Charm switch gives you either tight or full bass. In the down position, it gives fat humbuckers more "charm" by enhancing clarity in the low end. In the up position, it gives bright single coils more "charm" by fattening their tone.
Transformers:
Paired up with the unrivaled quality of Soursound transformers, custom designed.
Specification:
- 15 watts
- 1 x 12AX7 and 1 x EF86 preamp tubes, 2 x EL84 power tubes, 1 x GZ34 rectifier
- Point to point wiring
- Custom Soursound transformers
- Premium carbon comp resistors, Jupiter capacitors, and 99.9999% pure solid copper wire in the signal chain
- Finger jointed pine cabinet with floating Baltic birch speaker baffle
- 8 ohm speaker output
- 1 x 12 inch cabinet: 20"W x 16"H x 10"D
- Around 30 lbs
Speaker options:
- Stock: Amperian Revolution 65 ceramic 12" speaker
- Optional: Amperian VSOP alnico 12" speaker
Notes on speaker options:
The Amperian Revolution 65 is an exceptional speaker that has solid and tight lows, detailed mids, and a sweet chime-y top end with shimmery highs. This speaker is probably the more versatile of the two options. It has some similarities to a Celestion G12H Anniversary, but with a higher quality build, sweeter mids, and a more detailed yet warmer sound.
The Amperian VSOP brings that alnico flavor, with detailed mids in just the right frequencies, and a very warm top end. Compared to the Revolution, the VSOP has a more "present" low end, slightly more presence in the upper mid range, and a little less aggressive in the top end. Some have described the VSOP as a good balance between American and British tones.
Red Knob Variant:
A JJ 12AY7 Gold Pin in V1, and a WGS G12 A/S - Alnico Smooth Cone with Paper Coil Speaker changes the amp into what many describe as "the ideal Tweed amp that never existed!" While the stock Quantum Zen is known for being simple yet versatile, bridging the best of American and British tones, the Red Knob Variant goes full blown old school American - fat warm cleans that sound big, while transitioning into an overdrive that is both sweet and garage punky. Unlike Tweed amps, the amp never gets ratty or falls apart when driven. The smooth cone speaker gives it a unique personality, especially in the mids - full and woody, with highs that are more subdued. The 12AY7 gives the mids a more even and laid back response, as well as shift the balance of distortion more towards the power tubes. It's a completely different beast, again showing off the beauty of simplicity.
This one is offered as a variant because the sound is more of a "niche thing" - giving up some versatility to lean even more into that "old school" attitude. But if personality is your thing, then maybe Red Knobs are for you!