DDZ - Class Amplifier

Only a few years ago, Digital Designs introduced our Z line of Subwoofers, Amplifiers and Batteries. These products are single purpose designs with the sole goal of being the best tool for the job. No compromises, no cutbacks and no wimps involved.

The Z2-LV makes incredible amounts of power from 12V electrical systems; it was designed to make the most power from limited current supplies. The high efficiency comes from paying close attention to every stage through the various amp circuits. Particular importance was placed on the specially-wound multiple power supply torroids, high speed controller chipsets, efficient power devices and precise thermal management were key to the new Z2’s design.

These attributes make the Z2-LV at home in world-record setting spl cars or high powered street systems where 400 pounds of battery bank aren't possible. One Z2 can easily power several big-time subwoofers to stupid loud levels when called upon, or dazzle with rock solid control of complicated bass lines. Z2s are limited production, high-end amplifiers for customers who want the best.

The Z2-HV is at home in 12V systems with the added capability of handling 16volt battery systems

DDZT - Class Amplifier

The ZT45 is one our latest innovations. We now feature an all tube amplifier.

ZT45 Review in HiFi and Music Magazine, Sweden
March 2008

Mobil Tube Glowing

Sometimes we see things that seem unreal, and DD ZT45 is one example of that. We have looked at one of the few markets for Tube amps for car audio. Many feel that Car audio and true HiFi is a combination that cannot coexist. Engine, tire and wind noise, along with an asymmetric listening position in relation to the speakers, leads some to believe that you cannot fully enjoy music in the minimized space of a car.

These seem to be the reasons why some audiophiles don't discover the overwhelming presence of music in a car. A mid bass makes you lose your breath, and a tweeter response with a detail and a feeling of nearness that makes one want to reach out and grab the cymbal sound that's being created just over the dashboard. Combine these with a time alignment head unit creating the listening point in the middle of the car, and one almost feels like a Formula 1 driver.

Now days many cars are so quiet that one doesn't hear ambient noise much more than while at home in a city. To create car audio closer to the sound at home, the gear needs to be in the same quality that many audiophiles have at home. This is where the Digital Designs Analog ZT45 comes in to the picture.

Tubes Under The Hood

Instead of what you think it is because of the brand name, Digital Designs is not at all a Digital amp. This is something as unusual as a traditional Tube amp, but for car use! A more audiophile directed product for your car is hard to find.

At first glance, one notices a BIG chasse. This monster is nothing to just hide under your backseat and then forget about. Not that it is physically impossible, but it is not a good idea because the tube amp gets warmer than regular transistor amp. The amps outer shell consists of a black steel plate with several cooling holes and wooden sides. On one side you find all connections. Power, RCA's of good quality, and speaker connections that couldn't have been more well dimensioned. A fuse on 40 Amps tells you that this amp needs power from your battery, but when you drive a modern car there shouldn't be any problem for It to produce the power you need. The MSRP price of $3900 is not going to make this amp a mass market product.

The reason lies with guy who's making them. He's an eccentric constructer that works alone with little room for compromise. Building the amps by hand himself makes every amp unique. Laboring 2 years to make the amp he was satisfied with, resulting in a dual mono amp with one power supply per channel. The Tubes are matched and come from Slovakia.

The rest of the components are matched also, so that they have the same tolerance levels and that making the amp homogenous during buildup. The entire amp displays Quality with a big Q .Traditional, almost old fashion, with over kill components. The layout is clean and nice. You're getting out 45w per channel with the ZT45, and that is a lot of power when we talking Tube amp. Of course we are not thinking of Db Drag racing when it comes to this amp.

Colorful Ear Candy

With stable power and the ZT45 hooked up in the test car it is time for the listening test. At the first note we noticed that this amp is something out of the ordinary. The sound is presented to the listener in a gracious and noble way. One might think someone put new speakers in the test car over night.

The sound stage is incredibly big, especially on the highs where there seems to be a big lift compared to my normal amp, and at the same time the instruments are placed out with a precision that is impressive, instead of being cluttered, sounding unreal. If we go in to the 3D perspective then the depth is possibly the best I have heard at making the stage depth come out uncensored. You hear the drums as if you are standing behind the singer and the bass player is standing some where between them. The bass is soft and natural, without sounding defused. The midrange has a honey smoothed sound with a presence that makes me shiver time after time. The Tweeter is soft and very detailed in a way that I didn't think was possible before I tested this amp.

Even when you play louder this amp keeps the same nice sound character. It takes a lot before this amp starts to sound pressured. The Dynamics are outstanding regardless of volume. All of this is presented in fullness with a warm listening character, which is wide and succeeds in the art of being analytic without thought. The feeling of fullness is homogenous and very melodious. Instead of finding something wrong in the sound, I found myself time after time sitting in the car and listening to music; forgetting both time and space. This experience must be the closest to HiFi nirvana you can get.

End Word

As I told you this is not a mass product. So as a buyer you are going to be almost alone to own one. But DD ZT45 is truthfully one of the best sounding amps you can put in your car. There is only one problem! You probably need to have the rest of the system to be in the same high class as the amp; and that can be hard to find. Here's a tip: don't listen to this amp if you know that you don't have the cash to buy it because you are only going to be miserable when you're going back to listening to your gray transistor amp.

  + Perspective quality
  + Details in the sound
  - Not the tightest bass
  = A compromise less amp that is going to give joy to the few lucky ones who is going to own one.