New ZT lunchbox power amp

[msteeln]

www.ztamplifiers.com has the Lunchbox2 out at about $200 street, along with a 12" speaker version, the Future Amp, which doesn't come up on the site.
The builder's review sounds great, we'll see.

You can try to win one of these on the site too.

[sunvalleylaw]

Hey that looks kinda cool. Anyone heard one in person? They should paint some in like Scooby Doo and/or Speed Racer motifs. :AOK:

[msteeln]

Dontcha think they'd sell like hot cakes if they sound great and painted some classic lunchbox themes like that?! That grill has to go tho.

[mjk123]

Hey that looks kinda cool. Anyone heard one in person? They should paint some in like Scooby Doo and/or Speed Racer motifs. :AOK:


I have not hear one in person, but there are a few youtube videos (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ444deB59k) of them. I want one. I have heard nothing but great things about these amps.

[sumitomo]

I have one and I wrote in here that it's not worth it.The reason I kept it and didn't send it back is I will be taking it to South America and they get electrical surges and if it wrecks this amph I wont care,My suggestion keep you money and look elsewhere,get a micro cube or something else.Sumi:D

[mjk123]

I have one and I wrote in here that it's not worth it.The reason I kept it and didn't send it back is I will be taking it to South America and they get electrical surges and if it wrecks this amph I wont care,My suggestion keep you money and look elsewhere,get a micro cube or something else.Sumi:D

"it's not worth it." that's a shame. I was hoping that it would have been a replacement amp for my Crate GFX15. Thanks for the save-you-money tip. I guess my next option will be Marshall Haze 40 Amp...

[msteeln]

Wow, kinda put's the brakes on that one...

[Ken Kantor]

I have one and I wrote in here that it's not worth it.The reason I kept it and didn't send it back is I will be taking it to South America and they get electrical surges and if it wrecks this amph I wont care,My suggestion keep you money and look elsewhere,get a micro cube or something else.Sumi:D


Hi Sumo,

This is Ken from ZT Amplifiers. I always appreciate feedback, pos or neg. What is it that you don't like about the amp, if you don't mind my asking?

-k

ken@ztamplifiers.com

[msteeln]

I'll be interested in hearing the answer/s too, as I have heard very good things about your amp elsewheres.

[Ken Kantor]

I'll be interested in hearing the answer/s too, as I have heard very good things about your amp elsewheres.

Thanks, msteeln! No amp is perfect, (certainly no <$300 amp is....), and everyone's preferences and priorities are different. It's always good for me to know what is or isn't working for someone with good ears. Often, I can think about dialing things in, or optimizing them differently in the future. Sometimes, it's just a design design decision that is part of the character of the amp.

-k

ken.kantor@ztamplifiers.com

[msteeln]

It's always great to have company reps willing to jump into forum discussions. You can't get much better customer service than that, providing they are made good use of. So again, I hope to hear some dirty laundry being aired out.

[mjk123]

It's always great to have company reps willing to jump into forum discussions. You can't get much better customer service than that, providing they are made good use of. So again, I hope to hear some dirty laundry being aired out.


+1

[sumitomo]

Well for one this is one noisy SS amph,it has more 60cycle hiss than my old 1960's Fender when it needs tubes.When the vol is low or high it's OK but mid Vol sounds muddy or off,and some of my amphs pop alittle when I turn them off but this sucker will make you jump it pops so loud,I'm afriad it will ruin the speaker,Other than that I like running my tone port through it.Sumi:D

[Ken Kantor]

Well for one this is one noisy SS amph,it has more 60cycle hiss than my old 1960's Fender when it needs tubes.When the vol is low or high it's OK but mid Vol sounds muddy or off,and some of my amphs pop alittle when I turn them off but this sucker will make you jump it pops so loud,I'm afriad it will ruin the speaker,Other than that I like running my tone port through it.Sumi:D

It sounds like you have one of the very early production units. Some of these had hiss problems, and the control tapers were not correct.

If you email me your address, I'd be happy to send you a new one, FOC. If it still sounds bad to you, at least you can tie a rope to the handle, and use it for a boat anchor... (I certainly can understand if you don't want to be bothered with trying the LB yet again, but the offer stands.)

-k

BTW- It shouldn't be there, but the turn-on pop won't actually damage the speaker in any event. The way the output stage is designed, the turn-on transient can't be any larger than what the output stage puts out when it is running flat-out, which the speaker is happy to eat. Loud and annoying, yes. Dangerous, no.

ken.kantor@ztamplifiers.com

[mrmudcat]

Now that is a great offer,some big companies could learn a thing or two:happy

[sunvalleylaw]

Cool Ken! That is great! Hey, what about coming out with the Scooby Doo or Speed Racer models? :AOK

[Kazz]

Well I'm unsatisfied that Sumi is unsatisfied....so where is my lunchbox Ken? :-)

[FrankenFretter]

It sounds like you have one of the very early production units. Some of these had hiss problems, and the control tapers were not correct.

If you email me your address, I'd be happy to send you a new one, FOC. If it still sounds bad to you, at least you can tie a rope to the handle, and use it for a boat anchor... (I certainly can understand if you don't want to be bothered with trying the LB yet again, but the offer stands.)

-k

BTW- It shouldn't be there, but the turn-on pop won't actually damage the speaker in any event. The way the output stage is designed, the turn-on transient can't be any larger than what the output stage puts out when it is running flat-out, which the speaker is happy to eat. Loud and annoying, yes. Dangerous, no.

ken.kantor@ztamplifiers.com

Now that's a company that stands behind their product. Very nice! That earns a thumbs up from me. :AOK

I agree with Steve, though; Some vintage-themed lunch box finishes would be really cool. Maybe with a matching thermos...?

-Sean

[sumitomo]

Sure Ken I'll take you up on the offer and I'll give an honest review here.I am not an anal player I use all kinds of amphs,some that I have found in the trash even.Sumi:D

[sumitomo]

Well Ken sent me another lunchbox FOC,Thanks Ken!,I just happen to have a guitar here at work so first impressions are this amph has none of the hiss the other one had,I had to stick it up to my ear to tell if it was on,it has a little pop when you turn it on and a little poot when you turn it off(nothing like my other one at all)it sound really clean and nice,I will wait to turn it up until the speaker breaks in a little.So I'll write more on this later,but so far so good I like it and a great thanks to Ken for taking care of me like this,that's just great service period.Sumi:D :dude

[bigG]

I am VERY impressed! And I'm no longer easily impressed by much of anything.

Ken and ZT Amps deserve high regard and a round of applause! :applause

Very good stuff! Made my day!

G

[sumitomo]

Just alittle update,I have been playing the lunchbox everyday now and have even used it playing out,its been doing very good,it really likes voods rabid rodent,it makes it sound huge!The speaker is coming around now.I had played the m13 pedal through it and plugged into a 2/12 cab which is just awesome!I'm going to try it next playing a church,I am going to use it as a monitor for me and run the ex speaker in through the board,they can do what they want as long as I can hear myself.I really want to thank Ken at ZT for going the extra,cause this amph is the ticket for what I do thanks again Ken.Sumi:D

[M29]

Ken and ZT Amps:AOK

[kidsmoke]

A buddy of mine ordered a lunchbox today, and I realized I hadn't noticed hearing about them on the fret, so I did a little digging...

I know some folks with these amps, they use them constantly in a variety of settings, and absolutely love them. I was surprised to see Sumi's early comments, as they oppose everything else I've heard, and thrilled with the way ZT stepped to the plate.:thumbsup

Sumi, it's been a year now.....where do you stand on this little beast, and how do you compare it to the Little Lanilei...

[sumitomo]

Well I use it to play my i-pod through and play my guitar through,either my Supro Super,the Little Lanilei or the Micro Cube(you just can't beat those Micro Cubes for home use)Sorry I just don't like the ZT.Sumi:D