EDDIE CURRENT ZANA DEUX
I’ve had my Zana for about two weeks as of the time I am writing these impressions. It maybe the most pleasant two weeks I’ve spent with a headphone amp. From a construction perspective, this amp is built like a tank. I’ve always liked the look of Eddie Current and Moth amps so it’s no surprise that this is no different for the Zana. I think I like the case for the Zana more than the one used for the HD25/300. It is a two box set up like the HD series amps. The amp does get warm which was expected. Craig told me about this in advance. He explained that the case acts as a heat sink. The amp is not as big as I originally expected. You can see in the picture that it is dwarfed by the Moth si2A3. The amp comes with the rectifier tube. The 6SL7 and 6C33-B tubes are purchased separately. Craig is carrying them at the moment. His price for the 6C33-B’s is cheaper than Upscale Audio, where I bought mine.
I have only used the HD-650/G52 and to a much lesser extent agile_one’s HP-2’s with the Zana. My cdp is a Rega Apollo. I’ve read in the SoFla mini meet thread that I have to try the K340 and Craig’s told me that the RS-1 is also recommended. Before discussing the music, I thought I would mention that this amp has the blackest background of any amp I’ve owned or heard. It is dead silent with both the HD-650 and HP-2. The amp drives both of them well. I’ve never been a fan of the HP-2. I’ve owned Grado products in the past and have always liked them but in the end I always return to the HD-650. I have to say that the HP-2’s sound great out of this amp. So much so, that I hope agile_one misses the upcoming meet so I can keep them longer (just kidding Gene). I need to try some RS-1’s with this amp at the meet.
One of the immediate things I notice about this amp is the incredible soundstage. Not only with the Senn’s but also with the HP-2’s. I don’t know if the HP-2’s are similar to other Grado cans in terms of soundstage. With this amp there is less of the in your head sound I am used to with Grados. There actually appears to be music that is outside the head, past the ears on either side. I am listening to Kind of Blue and there is a definite spreading out and separation from side to side with both headphones, the 650’s more so. The dynamics are excellent with both headphones and perhaps a bit better with the HP-2’s than the HD-650. There is no distortion from soft to loud and also between soft passages and louder passages. As a reference, I can’t get much past 2:00 with the Senns before it is just too loud and 12:00 with the HP-2’s. I normally listen between 9:00 and 10:00 with the Senns and about 8:30 and 9:00 with the HP-2’s. The dynamics are excellent across all ranges of music, from Jazz (Kind of Blue), Acoustic Blues (Muddy Waters – Folk Singer), Female Vocals (Madeleine Peyroux) and Rock (AC/DC –Live).
The bass response is excellent with either headphone. It goes deep, and tight. There is no muddiness or bloat. This cuts across pretty much all the music I’ve listened to with the amp over the last two weeks. I have some Bad Plus on at the moment that I feel is a challenge to both amp and headphone when it comes to bass. Both headphones handle it equally well. The highs are equally well controlled. The amp appears to be well balanced. There doesn’t seem to be an emphasis in either direction. There is absolutely nothing etched about the highs. If there is a significant roll off, high or low, I haven’t noticed it. Cymbals sound like cymbals with the right amount of decay. There is a very realistic quality to the sound.
Vocals, male and female, are another strong point of this amp. I am fan of Madeleine Peyroux. I just love her voice. You hear every lip smack and breath she takes. The same applies with the plucking of an upright bass notes or the strumming of an acoustic guitar. You get every little detail that adds the overall realistic quality to the music. With Muddy Waters you hear the throatiness of his voice.
Imaging is excellent. The instruments and vocals appear to have their own space and place in the soundstage. There is a nice air about the instruments, more noticeable in the smaller jazz groupings (trio, quartet) and in blues, like Muddy Waters. Even with busier music, like rock, you don’t lose the sense of placement but it’s never the same as with jazz or acoustic blues, imo, which I find characteristic of all amps. Where this one excels is in the degree to which it handles this. I don’ listen to classical music so I am not going to even try to determine how the Zana handles orchestral music.
I have to say that my overall experience has been even better than I had anticipated. My expectations were high considering the many favorable impressions I’ve read about the prototypes of this amp up to the more recent impressions at the SoCal meet. I have not been disappointed. This amp lives up to the hype and even surpasses it. This is maybe one of the best single ended amps I’ve heard. With the 650’s, there is an almost balanced like presentation which is most evidenced by the incredible soundstage. I haven’t heard everything out there and I am sure there are other amps that are as good at various price levels. However, this is one that needs to be considered at a price in excess of what I paid ($1590) and beyond the price of the next production run (either $1900 or $1990). I am not as animated as some reviewers (markl) and can’t write a review as good as others (recstar24, markl) so the best way for me to describe my feeling about this amp is to say it kicks a**. The amp just immerses you in the music. It makes you want to get home and just start listening. In the end, isn't that the purpose. The fact that I have to choose between the Zana/Headphones and Moth/Speakers speaks volumes about the enjoyment I am getting from this amp. I also want to add that it has been a pleasure dealing with Craig. He is always an e-mail or phone call away and never too far, I might add. We need to give Craig credit for bringing us such great amps. He should get and deserves this communities support.
I’ve had my Zana for about two weeks as of the time I am writing these impressions. It maybe the most pleasant two weeks I’ve spent with a headphone amp. From a construction perspective, this amp is built like a tank. I’ve always liked the look of Eddie Current and Moth amps so it’s no surprise that this is no different for the Zana. I think I like the case for the Zana more than the one used for the HD25/300. It is a two box set up like the HD series amps. The amp does get warm which was expected. Craig told me about this in advance. He explained that the case acts as a heat sink. The amp is not as big as I originally expected. You can see in the picture that it is dwarfed by the Moth si2A3. The amp comes with the rectifier tube. The 6SL7 and 6C33-B tubes are purchased separately. Craig is carrying them at the moment. His price for the 6C33-B’s is cheaper than Upscale Audio, where I bought mine.
I have only used the HD-650/G52 and to a much lesser extent agile_one’s HP-2’s with the Zana. My cdp is a Rega Apollo. I’ve read in the SoFla mini meet thread that I have to try the K340 and Craig’s told me that the RS-1 is also recommended. Before discussing the music, I thought I would mention that this amp has the blackest background of any amp I’ve owned or heard. It is dead silent with both the HD-650 and HP-2. The amp drives both of them well. I’ve never been a fan of the HP-2. I’ve owned Grado products in the past and have always liked them but in the end I always return to the HD-650. I have to say that the HP-2’s sound great out of this amp. So much so, that I hope agile_one misses the upcoming meet so I can keep them longer (just kidding Gene). I need to try some RS-1’s with this amp at the meet.
One of the immediate things I notice about this amp is the incredible soundstage. Not only with the Senn’s but also with the HP-2’s. I don’t know if the HP-2’s are similar to other Grado cans in terms of soundstage. With this amp there is less of the in your head sound I am used to with Grados. There actually appears to be music that is outside the head, past the ears on either side. I am listening to Kind of Blue and there is a definite spreading out and separation from side to side with both headphones, the 650’s more so. The dynamics are excellent with both headphones and perhaps a bit better with the HP-2’s than the HD-650. There is no distortion from soft to loud and also between soft passages and louder passages. As a reference, I can’t get much past 2:00 with the Senns before it is just too loud and 12:00 with the HP-2’s. I normally listen between 9:00 and 10:00 with the Senns and about 8:30 and 9:00 with the HP-2’s. The dynamics are excellent across all ranges of music, from Jazz (Kind of Blue), Acoustic Blues (Muddy Waters – Folk Singer), Female Vocals (Madeleine Peyroux) and Rock (AC/DC –Live).
The bass response is excellent with either headphone. It goes deep, and tight. There is no muddiness or bloat. This cuts across pretty much all the music I’ve listened to with the amp over the last two weeks. I have some Bad Plus on at the moment that I feel is a challenge to both amp and headphone when it comes to bass. Both headphones handle it equally well. The highs are equally well controlled. The amp appears to be well balanced. There doesn’t seem to be an emphasis in either direction. There is absolutely nothing etched about the highs. If there is a significant roll off, high or low, I haven’t noticed it. Cymbals sound like cymbals with the right amount of decay. There is a very realistic quality to the sound.
Vocals, male and female, are another strong point of this amp. I am fan of Madeleine Peyroux. I just love her voice. You hear every lip smack and breath she takes. The same applies with the plucking of an upright bass notes or the strumming of an acoustic guitar. You get every little detail that adds the overall realistic quality to the music. With Muddy Waters you hear the throatiness of his voice.
Imaging is excellent. The instruments and vocals appear to have their own space and place in the soundstage. There is a nice air about the instruments, more noticeable in the smaller jazz groupings (trio, quartet) and in blues, like Muddy Waters. Even with busier music, like rock, you don’t lose the sense of placement but it’s never the same as with jazz or acoustic blues, imo, which I find characteristic of all amps. Where this one excels is in the degree to which it handles this. I don’ listen to classical music so I am not going to even try to determine how the Zana handles orchestral music.
I have to say that my overall experience has been even better than I had anticipated. My expectations were high considering the many favorable impressions I’ve read about the prototypes of this amp up to the more recent impressions at the SoCal meet. I have not been disappointed. This amp lives up to the hype and even surpasses it. This is maybe one of the best single ended amps I’ve heard. With the 650’s, there is an almost balanced like presentation which is most evidenced by the incredible soundstage. I haven’t heard everything out there and I am sure there are other amps that are as good at various price levels. However, this is one that needs to be considered at a price in excess of what I paid ($1590) and beyond the price of the next production run (either $1900 or $1990). I am not as animated as some reviewers (markl) and can’t write a review as good as others (recstar24, markl) so the best way for me to describe my feeling about this amp is to say it kicks a**. The amp just immerses you in the music. It makes you want to get home and just start listening. In the end, isn't that the purpose. The fact that I have to choose between the Zana/Headphones and Moth/Speakers speaks volumes about the enjoyment I am getting from this amp. I also want to add that it has been a pleasure dealing with Craig. He is always an e-mail or phone call away and never too far, I might add. We need to give Craig credit for bringing us such great amps. He should get and deserves this communities support.
