Gladius review

[k3yston3 0]

Through out the course of my adventures in mobile audio I have always been a fan of ZED built amps and have owned a rather wide selection of them... Lanzars, Crunch 50c, Usacoustics, etc... I have never been disapointed in terms of performance or build quality.

Gladius reivew:

I currently am powering a set of CDT CL-62i/24 components. This is a set in CDT's lower price range, but I am very pleased with bang for the buck. Prior to the Gladius these were powered by my old trusty Orion XTR 375. This amp was always reliable and powerful. It finally died and I was in need of something new. I new ZED was building/marketing thier own amps and had been milling the idea of replacing my current amps with ZEDs. The death of the Orion was the spark I needed to take the plunge.

My Gladius has the Burr Brown upgrade and the sound is superb. The difference between the Orion and the Gladius is quite a lot. I always liked the way that the orion sounded but this amp is much better. I am hearing things that I wasn't with the Orion. The overal clarity is quite better then with the orion, and in fact the Gladius powers them equally as loud if one wanted as the orion did. I am extremely pleased with this purchase, and I am glad that I have a ZED built/engineered amp back in my car. I intend to purchase a minilith later this year to replace my current subwoofer amp, just haven't talked my wife into it yet.

Thanks Stephen,

Chris from Wyoming.

[k3yston3 0]

A few more thoughts:

While some people see the price as high on these ZED amps, they truely aren't. The price of the Gladius might seem a bit steep for an amp rated at 75wpc, but interms of build quality and sound quality, it is a steal. Which no duobtedly is a trait common to all of these ZEDs.

The looks also seems to be frowned upon by some, but I rather like them. I see them as simple elegance in a car audio world polluted with chrome and neon "bling".

[Guest STEPHEN M]

Dear Chris,

Thanks for the post. Yes some have commented on the prices and when one compares the prices of the Zed amps to those of our competitors we are lower based on the qaulity of the amplifiers. Of course you can purchase a 2000 watt amplifier with a 10 amp fuse from many offshore suppliers for $129.00. I am not in "that" market.

The Gladius at $199 compares to the Rockford P3002 at $250, the Tru-tachnology C2 at $899, the MTX 342 at $220.

The Deuce at $400 odd compares to the Kicker KX4502 (150w/ch) at $400, the Polk C300.2 (150w/ch) also at $400, the Rockord P6002 (150w/ch) at $500, the Zapco 750.2 at (175w/ch) at $699, the Brax X2000.2 (190w/ch) at $1,200, the Tru T-2.200 (200w/ch) at $850 and the Rockford P8002 (200w/ch) at $650.

Draconia at $369 (70w x 4) compares to the MTX564 at $400, the Zapco C2K2.5x (50w x 4) at $1,149, the Zapco 360.4 (50w x 4) at $549, the Zapco I-450 (50w x 4) at $400, the Tru T4.65 (65w x 4) at $650, the JL Audio 300/4 (75w/ch) $475.

Please visit us at www.zedaudio.com and see some tests done on the The Deuce and Draconia whci are posted under the TESTIMONIALS link.

For a short history of myself and Zed Audio please also visit the site and under the link ABOUT US/CONTACT US you will find both.

Stephen Mantz

[k3yston3 0]

To anyone considering ZED amps, they are definately worth the price. High end build quality and sound quality equal to something like a Zapco, which I have heard, for much less money!

Another plus is Stephen will answer the emails himself. In my eyes these amps represnet one of the best bangs for the buck on the market! Top notch quality for a resonable price and with as many of Mr. Mantz's classic amps still running around that should give you an idea of the longevity and reilablity of his designs

Like I stated prior, I seem to always end up going back to ZED designed amps, and there is reason for that.

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

chris, great review, I look forward to the chance to save some money and try the new amplifers out

[Tirefryr 1,742]

I think anyone complainging about the prices should not be using them. Clearly they don't truly understand just what they are buying. Even with a $50-$100 increase per amp, I still see them as a bargain.

[psycho72 1]

Prices too high? Compared to what? Profile? Pyle? Sony? Some people need to stick to Circuit City & Best Buy. I have loved all the zed built amps (I have had Hifonics series 7 & 8's) I have been fortunate enough to own (simple, powerful & clean). If money ever permits (not because they are expensive but because I am broke as a joke) I will own a set of these new ones, sittin pretty with my Callisto and Plato.

[Guest STEPHEN M]

Thanks for all the kind words guys.

As you know my company designed and built all the old school Hifonics. Please go to www.maxxsonics.com and read the history of Hifonics. BIG suprise you will not even see me or Zed mentioned. Please wait for the upcoming post of my reply - it is a shocker

Regards

Stephen Mantz