Zapco - The Driving Force Since 1974
Zapco is a company dedicated to the pursuit of audio fidelity. It's prime objectives being to design and manufacture audio products of unsurpassed quality, to provide unparalleled support and service for these products and to conduct business in a manner that will enhance the quality of life for all its users.

Experience Equates To Knowledge From Doing.
There is absolutely no substitute for experience; that is a simple fact of life. Another simple fact is that Zapco has been the leader for almost fifty years now, still constantly redefining quality standards for the car audio industry. These years of experience have led to a thorough understanding of the challenges that are unique to the world of car audio. Zapco's relentless quest for sonic purity consistently yields imaginative designs that utilize the most innovative technologies. The resulting products set the criteria by which all others in the industry are judged.

Reference Series - Setting A New Standard For Reference Amplifiers
First conceived way back in 2001, Zapco's original Reference series of amplifiers marked the company's first attempt to incorporate the qualities conducive to its legendary status to a line of amplifiers accessible to all. The response, it's fair to say; exceeded the company's wildest expectations.

Fast forward to the here and now; Zapco presents its latest Reference series. A range designed not only to remain accessible to everyone but designed also to be the world's best amplifiers within their price bracket. Featuring one, two, four and six channel configurations and boasting a classy new professional external design, these new Reference powerhouses also incorporate hand-selected uber quality internal components to obtain the best audio performance possible. The resulting cold-hard reality is that the new Reference series units sound as good as, if not better than most other companies’ most expensive amps.

Design Ideologies
The dedication of Zapco’s engineering team to sonic purity requires that the highest quality internal components are used for the Reference series. Items like high-quality bipolar-input operational amplifiers for high-end aural reproduction, high-quality transistors with high transition frequency. The capacitors are made with high-density polypropylene base material, vacuum dustless steaming aluminum-tin alloy coating and heat treated for longevity. The power MOSFETs are N-type semiconductor field-effect transistors capable of handling high-power applications, utilising advanced processing techniques to achieve extremely low on resistance per silicon area. Handmade for Zapco; the transformers used are hand-wound to ensure maximum quality. This provides a guarantee that current capability, efficiency and radiated noise are all kept within Zapco’s demanding parameters. The chassis entirely made in solid aluminum guarantees high thermal dissipation, with a solid titanium logo plate build for posterity.

Superior Upstepping – The Transformers
The transformers used within the Reference range are hand-wound in Zapco’s own facility to ensure maximum quality. This is the only way that current capability, efficiency and radiated noise can all be kept within the most demanding parameters. All transformers are securely mounted in their respective chassis. Transformers are bulky items, hence if not securely mounted can cause failure among internal components due to vibration.

The units themselves are high-power chrome shielded toroidal transformers, optimised to reduce losses and handle high currents. They’re also high-temperature resistance and feature a high-permeability and insulation performance. Make-up wise they feature full copper wire windings resulting in low ESR and high efficiency.

Robust Power Storage – The Capacitors
Capacitors are similar to fast-discharging batteries. Like a battery they store energy and have an electrolyte or internal fluid. Also like a battery, a capacitor can have a very limited life. Computer grade capacitors for example, are reliable only in cool environments with very little current applied to them. Only the best high-current and high-temperature capacitors should be used in an automotive sound application. Although these capacitors typically cost five times as much as those used in the competitor’s products, Zapco insisted that no audio degradation will occur over time.

To this end the input capacitors are high-density polypropylene base material, coated in a vacuum formed dustless steaming aluminum-tin alloy coating which has been heat treated. They offer a wide intermediate frequency, most clear tone and a loss factor of below 0.0006 at 1000 Hz. The power capacitors are high-quality low internal resistance filter capacitors, able to store and release titanic levels of current when the need arises.

Field Effect – The MOSFETs
The units feature advanced power MOSFETs to achieve extremely low on-resistance per silicon area. This benefit, combined with the fast switching speed and rugged device design; allows for extremely fast and high efficiency.

Resistive Force – The Resistors
All resistors other than power resistors are of 0.1 % precision, low noise metal film. This is a key reason why Zapco products have the industries’ best noise specs. It’s also the reason you won’t see as much fluctuation in its test certificates as you will in others. Precision resistors also reduce distortion and improve channel matching.

Optimal Amplification – The Operational Amplifiers
All Reference units feature bipolar-input, high-quality sound dual operational amplifiers. These are ideal for high-end audio equipment reproducing the finest sound such as live sound of orchestra in the hall and breathing sound of player during live music.​

Widening Current – The Transistors
The MN1526 is a lead free, non-polarised high-transition frequency NPN transistor with constant hybrid parameter forward current gain (HFE) characteristics across a wide-current range. This provides for a far higher quality audio sound.

Expert Signal Transmission – Balanced / Unbalanced Systems
The electrical environment in an automobile is one that is inherently noisy and filled with conditions that threaten to degrade signal fidelity at every turn. Capacitive loading due to the long cable lengths, the potential for ground loops, alternator charging currents or currents generated by the amplifiers themselves are all factors that induce noise and distortion into the signal cables. By no means is this an ideal situation. Zapco developed a perfect solution many years ago with its propitiatory SymbiLink system, converting a standard unbalanced audio signal into the fully balanced domain. At that time the SymbiLink connection was realised by two separate inputs. Today the same solution is realised with balanced input by RCA and unbalanced input through a button that is collocated inside the amplifier.

Upgrade Options
The Reference series units offer the possibility of replacing the original MUSE8820 operational amplifiers with even higher-performance MUSE02 operational amplifiers, or with other operational amplifiers you might prefer. This operation can be done quite easily, since the operational amplifiers are mounted on sockets and not soldered. The MUSES02 surpass the quality of the MUSES8820 two steps more. Ironically this is four steps an higher level than the LME49720 or similar discrete operational amplifier.

Design Features
The stellar heritage of this astute and masterful designer, together with its ever-increasing technical acumen; is conducive to these components featuring a vast array of impressive design ideologies and latest technological advancements. Some of which include:
– High-bias class AB switching amplifier.
– High-quality bipolar-input dual operational amplifiers.
– High-quality / transition frequency transistors.
– High-precision 0.1 % output resistors.
– High-density, low-loss factor input capacitors.
– Low internal resistance power capacitors.
– Ultra-low on-resistance, fast switching MOSFETs.
– High-power pure copper transformers.
– Low resistance fuses.
– Low distortion output, signal-to-noise ratio of over 102 dB.
– Proprietary patented RCA connectors.
– Indestructible aluminium extruded case with titanium top logo plate.
– Gold plated connectors for minimal resistance and corrosion.

Electrical Specifications
– Nominal configuration: six channel class AB amplifier
– Continuous power @ 4 Ohms: 6 x 150 Watts
– Continuous power @ 2 Ohms: 6 x 220 Watts
– Continuous bridged power @ 4 Ohms: 3 x 450 Watts
– Frequency response: 10 Hz – 40000 Hz
– Total harmonic distortion: 0.02%
– Damping factor: 800
– Signal-to-noise ratio: 102 dB

Physical Specifications
– Length: 480 mm
– Width: 210 mm
– Height: 62 mm
– Weight: 7.1 kg

Documentation
– User manual

Important Disclaimers
Given the dynamic nature of electronics industries these days; below are listed some very important specifics you need to be aware of.

Brand Authorization And Stock Sourcing
We are a fully authorised Australian dealer of this brand and all stock is sourced through legitimate channels. It therefore enjoys full Australian warranty, backing and support.

Pricing Structure
Whilst we endeavor to offer the best price possible, we ask that if you do find a better price elsewhere from an authorised dealer; please contact us. Also be aware that we regularly conduct group buys and sales, therefore pricing can sometimes be subject to change without notice.

Stock Structure
Being a dynamic store is conducive to our inventory constantly changing. We list only a small portion of our stable online, usually products most popular. Aside from these we also stock numerous other variants and configurations of these products, hence if you don’t see what you’re after please contact us.

Shipping
All our products are shipped with registered and insured postage. Upon ordering you’ll be issued with a receipt, a consignment note via which you can track your order, and we’ll also SMS you photos of the package for identification purposes.

Technical support
This last one we cannot emphasise enough! Please contact us if you require any further information or assistance with the setup and use of this product, especially pertaining to aspects more technical. As we want you to get the very best from this product.