[sierrarider]

I bought a Zed Leviathan at the end of 2010 and it sat in a box until a couple of months ago when I hooked it up on the bench with a power supply and small home speakers to test it out. Everything seemed ok. I read countless posts about how the first run of the amplifiers had the bad IC chip. I confirmed that my amp was not a first production run based on when I received it and the serial number of the unit. So, I never sent it in for repair because of the information gathering I did.
So, I hook it up to my newly completed system and get a massive surge upon startup and and it goes into protect mode. My Morel speakers won't play with the amp, although the Acoustic Elegance subs will if only they are plugged in. I think the Morels are toast after plugging in a smaller amp, I'm hoping my subs aren't.
Is anyone using this amp sucessfully without a turn on pop or other problems?

 

[nstaln]

I bought a Levi I and did the same thing, sat on it for a while, about a year or so before installing it along with a whole new system...and I got the same thing BROKEN right out of the box. I tried contacting ZED Audio on 3 separate occasions regarding the issue and I NEVER EVER got a single response from them. At the time I bought the Levi I also bought (2) Kronos amps as well...both of those had issues as well...and again no response from ZED.

I know lots of folks like to really nut-hug ZED Audio...I will never ever spend another penny on that company's products...not after spending almost $2k on unusable amps and non-existent customer service.

So you can count me as an 'unhappy' customer.

 

[Aaron Clinton]

I bought a Levi I and did the same thing, sat on it for a while, about a year or so before installing it along with a whole new system...and I got the same thing BROKEN right out of the box. I tried contacting ZED Audio on 3 separate occasions regarding the issue and I NEVER EVER got a single response from them. At the time I bought the Levi I also bought (2) Kronos amps as well...both of those had issues as well...and again no response from ZED.

I know lots of folks like to really nut-hug ZED Audio...I will never ever spend another penny on that company's products...not after spending almost $2k on unusable amps and non-existent customer service.

So you can count me as an 'unhappy' customer.

Did you try email? They are usually pretty good via email.

 

[nstaln]

Did you try email? They are usually pretty good via email.

It was many moons ago, but yes I tried calling (left voicemail) and I also tried email(twice)...I have long since sold the amps(with full disclosure and taking a big $ kick in the nads).

I purchased JL HD amps and have been quite happy since.

 

[sierrarider]

I called him yesterday and he offered to repair it on my dime. I'm not very happy about that. But I don't want to throw good money after bad.

 

[sierrarider]

Aaron, this amp was bought through you on your second or third group buy.

 

[nstaln]

All 3 of my Zed amps were purchased via this forum and a group-buy as well.

 

[sirbOOm]

My Zed Levi III makes noise in my car and on my bench. Apparently it's quiet in a Focal demo car it was put into by Steve or for Steve at ZED Audio's bench testing - I've sent it to him 3 times to be fixed. I haven't gotten it back after the 3rd yet. All-in-all I have been attempting to solve this noise issue for approximately 4 months total to no avail. I eventually got new amps and have no noise issues at all. Others have had great experiences with ZED amps... if you'res is working, you'll love it.

You cannot email him and expect a reply, you really have to call.

 

[sirbOOm]

My Zed Levi III makes noise in my car and on my bench. Apparently it's quiet in a Focal demo car it was put into by Steve or for Steve at ZED Audio's bench testing - I've sent it to him 3 times to be fixed. I haven't gotten it back after the 3rd yet. All-in-all I have been attempting to solve this noise issue for approximately 4 months total to no avail. I eventually got new amps and have no noise issues at all. Others have had great experiences with ZED amps... if you'res is working, you'll love it.

You cannot email him and expect a reply, you really have to call.

 

[TrickyRicky]

Hate to say this but I wouldn't recommend sending it to Zed....according to all the stories I've read that is the LAST place you would want to send it to.

I would be very pissed off if I had to pay over 600.00 on an brand new amplifier just to find out it doesn't work and there is no warranty then to find out you can't get in touch with the manufacture.....

 

[sierrarider]

TrickyRicky, are you interested in repairing it and confident it would work properly afterward?

 

[Treesive]

This isn't atributted to this amp directly but along the lines of above one of my cars has a big problem with class d amps. I have put at least 6 different high quality class d stereo amps in one of my cars and everyone has a humming noise issue. This issue goes away when I put in any of my class a/b amps. I have completely redone everything more times that I would like to think about and can not get rid of it. No idea now why I wrote this...Way off topic lol. Sorry

 

[sierrarider]

Treesive, we all need a place to vent. Lol

 

[sierrarider]

Thanks for your comments sirboom and nstain. Still looking for a happy leviathan version one user

 

[TrickyRicky]

I wouldn't dare touch those new Zed amps, sorry. You could ask AtomicTech am pretty sure he has some insight on them if has had any on the bench.

 

[sierrarider]

Thanks TrickyRicky

 

[sierrarider]

Surprised no on has come forward to say they are happy with the first generation amp. Did everyone give up on them?

 

[Aaron Clinton]

It was many moons ago, but yes I tried calling (left voicemail) and I also tried email(twice)...I have long since sold the amps(with full disclosure and taking a big $ kick in the nads).

I purchased JL HD amps and have been quite happy since.

Hum, that's not good. I usually have decent luck getting through, except on Friday's it seems.

 

[Aaron Clinton]

Aaron, this amp was bought through you on your second or third group buy.

Ah ok, that is going back a bit. There were some of the very first units that had the turn on pop that Stephen corrected. As for how he warrantied them, that he didn't tell me.

 

[gijoe]

Ah ok, that is going back a bit. There were some of the very first units that had the turn on pop that Stephen corrected. As for how he warrantied them, that he didn't tell me.

The problem is, he never actually corrected them. He is on the Leviathan III and there have been just as many issues with them as the first generation.

Awful, awful experience with Zed audio!