Momentum Z has Prodigious Power and Control
Meet Momentum Z, the hugely re-fettled monoblock amplifier from an American hero of mine. This is an absolute beast with limitless headroom and power. And beyond merely, ‘Posh’. That massive billet of pure copper to make a heatsink that can allow kilowatts to breathe like a racehorse… is epic. Read on… (Ed.)
Cave Creek, Arizona — Dan D’Agostino Master Audio Systems, industry leader in high-performance audio electronics, is pleased to announce a major advancement in the Momentum Amplifier series.
“The Momentum Z Monoblock Amplifier embodies the essence of my company’s design philosophy, combining technical mastery and timeless aesthetics in high-current power amplification designed to elevate every system.” – Dan D’Agostino, Founder
Taking the lead
Marking the fifteenth anniversary of Dan D’Agostino Master Audio Systems, the new Momentum Z Monoblock Amplifier advances the company’s relentless pursuit of musical perfection, building upon the core technologies that have defined our amplifiers – advanced circuit design, precision machined enclosures, and extraordinary power delivery. The Momentum Z takes performance to an entirely new level of refinement and control.
A benchmark in high-end amplification, the Momentum Z generation advances every facet of the Momentum platform. Its unique power supply technology, the Kinetic Drive Regulator, keeps the amplifier immune to AC mains irregularities and the speaker interaction issues that commonly degrade the performance of conventional amplifier designs.
In addition to this proprietary innovation, every element of the Momentum Z has been reimagined, including the input stage topology, output stage circuitry, and an advanced software-based control system that optimizes the operation of every circuit group. Integrated within a newly refined thermal architecture, the Momentum Z delivers effortless dynamics, exceptional transparency, and a lifelike sense of musical scale.
The Momentum Z Monoblock Amplifier embodies the essence of Dan D’Agostino’s design legacy – combining technical mastery with timeless aesthetics. Its sculpted chassis, crafted from solid aluminum and copper, not only ensures superior heat dissipation and mechanical stability, but also stands as a work of art in itself. This is power and beauty in perfect balance.
The Momentum Z also introduces a new dimension of connectivity and insight. It is the first D’Agostino power amplifier equipped with an Ethernet port, enabling advanced monitoring and reporting of key performance parameters. This intelligent interface allows owners and technicians alike to view operational data and system status in real time, ensuring optimal performance and long-term reliability.
Power supply highlights
At the foundation of the Momentum Z Monoblock Amplifier is a dual 1,200 VA linear toroidal transformer array that provides the unwavering power backbone for its audio circuitry. This foundation delivers a power output capability of 500 Watts into 8 Ω, 1,000 Watts into 4 Ω, and 2,000 Watts into 2 Ω.
Operating fully within the analog domain, the ultra-high-speed control stage delivers instantaneous and immense current capability, while the software-based control system
continuously monitors bias and other operating parameters in real time – maintaining absolute stability and musical coherence. Our proprietary Kinetic Drive Regulator brings a significant advancement in both engineering precision and sonic refinement, uniting these advances within a single, elegantly executed architecture.
By combining the fine modulation characteristics of MOSFETs, and the high current handling of bipolar transistors, the Momentum Z operates with immunity from AC variations and the performance-robbing aspects that speakers present to amplifiers in the normal course of playing music through them. Unlike unregulated architectures that permit voltage to fluctuate with musical demand and incoming AC variations, the Kinetic Drive Regulator maintains constant, ultra-stable voltage rails under all operating conditions. This stability ensures the output stage receives a cleaner, ripple-free current, dramatically lowering noise, distortion, and line interference. The benefits are both measurable and audible.
The result is an amplifier that is super-fast, dynamic, and stable. Because the amplifier can deliver clean current instantly when the music demands it, complex passages remain lucid and alive, even at higher volumes or with difficult speaker loads.
Input stage highlights
The Momentum Z is the first D’Agostino amplifier to use a Junction Field-Effect Transistor (JFET) based input stage. At the very front end of an amplifier, where the delicate musical signal first enters the circuit, the choice of device is critical. JFETs excel in this role, offering exceptionally low noise, which preserves every nuance of the source signal. From a technical standpoint, JFETs operate in a manner that provides a smooth, linear transfer characteristic with natural load handling. This design minimizes distortion and ensures that micro-level musical details are passed into the amplification stages intact, without being masked or colored. The amplifier offers a selectable input configuration: a JFET input optimized for use with all D’Agostino preamplifiers, and a conventional input designed for preamplifier designs that do not provide the same level of current output capability. A simple switch on the input stage allows the user to select the appropriate input.
Internet connectivity
With an integrated RJ45 Ethernet connection, the Momentum Z provides a glimpse into the performance and service parameters the software-based control system is optimizing. Through any web browser, users can view amplifier performance data including operating voltages, temperature, bias, DC offset, 12V trigger status, and more – all continuously monitored and displayed on connected devices via their home network. The same dashboard also provides control over front panel display settings for a personalized user experience.
Design
A defining hallmark of Dan D’Agostino Master Audio Momentum amplifiers is the distinctive use of solid copper heat sinks, a choice driven equally by engineering performance and visual impact. With nearly twice the thermal conductivity of aluminum, copper draws heat away from the output devices more quickly and uniformly.
Immediately striking is the new, advanced 5-axis machined copper heat sink design, each formed from a single 42lb (19kg) slab of copper billet. The highly efficient elliptical geometry significantly enhances cooling performance, ensuring that Momentum Z operates safely and reliably even at full power. This exceptional thermal efficiency not only improves long-term reliability and longevity but also maintains optimal operating conditions for the amplifier’s critical circuitry, preserving sonic stability under the most demanding loads.
The Momentum Z features a Dual Domain Meter Display designed to echo the elegance of fine Swiss watches, inspired by the analog meters found throughout the D’Agostino product line. The first domain is digital: in place of a passive meter face, Momentum Z employs a 3.5-inch high-resolution LCD that serves as both a power meter and a message display. The second domain is analog, where – true to D’Agostino tradition – power is indicated by the iconic meter wand, a defining visual and functional element of D’Agostino power amplifiers.
About the company
Since its introduction fifteen years ago, the Momentum series of components has been esteemed by industry professionals, reviewers and customers as among the finest audio electronics in the world. The first amplifier charted the course of a Momentum legacy that today has expanded to include the Relentless, Progression and Pendulum series, with new products continuously in development. Each of these, like the Momentum Z Monoblock Amplifier, is infused with unique DNA that sets every Dan D’Agostino Master Audio Systems design apart.
For more information on Dan D’Agostino Master Audio Systems and our innovative
luxury audio products, please explore more at: dandagostino.com
UK price and availability
The Dan D’Agostino Momentum Z Monoblock Amplifier begins shipping in March 2026, brought to the UK by Absolute Sounds – the UK’s exclusive distributor of products from Dan D’Agostino Master Audio Systems. The UK retail price is officially ‘price on application’; expect to pay around £61,500 each (£123,000 for a stereo pair).
