Steve Deckert from Decware sent me a new version of the Decware Zenhead to listen to. The amp has some improvements, which Steve explained as follows:
Quote:
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The things that have changed have all been improvements to the original design, from sonics, to a longer circuit board to eliminate G-Forces from damaging the volume control when the unit is dropped. The sound can be substantial better with all lower impedance phones < 250ohms and most high efficiency phones of 600 ohms by setting the unit to LoZ output. Putting it in HiZ mode makes it exactly like it was when you heard it. HiZ mode will drive low impedance phones, as we already know. It's just that the LoZ to me sounds much better. You can hear the change on the fly.
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This was indeed my experience - the performance does improve quite a bit in meaningful ways, and as such, I updated the review, and I also raised the ZenHead in my ranking.
> Decware ZenHead
DECWARE / High Fidelity Engineering Co.
NOTE: This review updated with new model July 09.
I was asked by Decware, a maker of many high-end tube amps, to review their portable headphone amp, The ZenHead. When I received it, I was surprised about the size – it’s BIG. It’s as big as the Lisa III. It uses a 9V battery, and has no charging facility. Like the Lisa III, it’s really too big for many portable applications. Decware’s Steve Deckert said that he did not really try to keep the size down for the same reason that he didn’t include a batter charging circuit – he was going purely for the best sound he could. Certainly a good goal. However, while in the case of the Lisa III I felt the superior sonics could justify the size, the Zenhead is merely a very good, competitive sounding amp, that is really big.
OK, OK, but how did it sound???? Well, very good. Overall, I felt that Decware’s main business of selling tube amps shows in how the amp is voiced. It sounds like many tube amps I have heard. As such, its sound is a little idiosyncratic. I struggled some with the normal ratings I give, in terms of capturing the essence of the amp. On some tracks it sounded fantastic; on others, merely very good. In it's "LoZ setting" it was more neutral sounding than the "HiZ" setting, so I used this mode.
Build Quality: A: Pretty industrial, plain looking case, but very sturdy, and solidly built. No turn on/off thump. Totally silent also – no noise at ALL. No points for style, but none deducted for cheap plastics – it’s all metal.
Treble: A: Treble is quite clear. Very transparent. Maybe not as extended as the iQube, but still excellent. Better than in version 1.
Midrange: A: Slightly lush, but very transparent, and clear. Highly engaging performance here. Again, better than in version 1 - liquid and smooth but with great nuance.
Bass: A: The bass was excellent. Full, powerful, punchy. Lacked the very last bit of depth that the iQube has, but still truly excellent.
Neutrality: A: The new version is basically neutral in "LoZ" mode - maybe just a very slight warmth in the lower mids and upper bass, but not enough to be problematic.
Soundstaging: A+: The ZenHead has selectable crossfeed. I found that its soundstage was deep and wide, and truly palpable. It excelled here, even better than the 2Move with the Meier crossfeed on. If you are a soundstage freak, this amp is for you.
Transparency: A: Definitely in the class of amps that presents a wide-open window on the music. Very good performance here.
The V2 of the ZenHead offers a quite "tube-like" sound in "Hi-Z" mode, and a more neutral, very transparent sound in "Lo-Z" mode. This makes a very good amp even better. I like the ZenHead a lot - I just wish it were smaller.
Conclusions (7-24-09)
NOTE: All new reviews have to be added to the end of the thread due to the length of this post - only the rankings will now change.
OK, so now it’s now 47 amps! Here is my view on how the amps stacked up. Note that the sum of the "Grades" I give does not always tell the whole story in how I rank them, since the whole is sometimes greater or lesser than the sum of the parts, and I am often forced to split hairs here, since the list has gotten so long. Also please note that even if these amps include a DAC, that DAC performance was NOT a factor in these rankings AT ALL. Also, for clarification, this ranking is based on sound quality ONLY, and does not take things like size or battery life into account.
1. Triad Audio Lisa III @ $600.00; Power supply is $350 additional
2. Qables iQube @ $605.00
2. RSA Mustang P-51 (review
here) @ $375.00
2. Larocco Audio Pocket Reference II mk 2 (availability unknown - PLEASE read entire review)
3. Headamp Pico @ $349.00
3. Meier Audio 2MOVE (and the older MOVE) (3MOVE @ $270.00)
4. RSA SR71 @ $395.00
4. RSA The Predator @ $475.00
5. RSA The Hornet “M” @ $370.00
5. Decware Zenhead @ $295.00
6. Xenos 1HA-EPC (discontinued)
7. RSA Tomahawk @ $295.00
7. Meier Audio XXS / Headsix @ $166.00/187.00
8. TTVJ Portable Millet Hybrid @ $459.00
8. iBasso D3 Python $219.00 (review
here)
9. Xin Reference @ $279.99
9. Meier Audio Porta Corda III (discontinued)
9. Xin SuperMicro IV (current version auditioned 1/22/08) @ $199.99
10. ALO Double Mini3 (review
here) @ $235.00
10. Headamp AE-2 @ $349.00
10. Graham Slee Voyager @ $233.00 + S&H from UK
11. iBasso D2 Boa $165.00 (review
here)
11. Go-Vibe 7
11. Mini3 (Price depends on build) built @ $125.00
12. Leckerton Audio UHA-3 @ $189.00
13. Portaphile V2^2 @ $275.00
14. mSeed Spirit (discontinued)
14. Mini-Box E @ $229.00
15. Storm 3 (NOT B3) (review
here)
15. Storm Little-2 (review
here)
15. Storm B4
16. iBasso P-1 (discontinued)
17. Visely HEA- 1 @ $135.00
18. Microshar uAmp107 @ $135.00
18. Practical Devices XM4 @ $135.00
18. C&C XO @ $209.00
19 Music Max LT1 $99 (Review
here)
19. iBasso T2 (T4@ $109.00)
20. NuForce $99 (review
here)
20. Go-Vibe 6 (discontinued)
21. Xtra X-1 Pro @ $104.00
22. Xenos 0HA-REP (discontinued)
22. iBasso T1 (discontinued)
23. Xtra X-1 (discontinued)
24. C&C Box V2
25. Storm B3
25. Little Dot Micro+ (discontinued)
As always, this is JUST MY OPINION, but I hope it has been helpful.
