[doctorjazz]

Does someone have all 3, or has heard all 3 in good conditions? That would be interesting (love my ZOTL with HEK v1).

 

[sheldaze]

Trilogy 931, SCHIIT Jotunheim or MicroZOTL2 for HEK V2 with Hugo 2? Which would have best synergy?

This is a MicroZOTL2 thread 

 
But in all seriousness, while I enjoyed the Jot, it has a flaw. Took me a while to recognize it. The flaw affects the sound stage in a small portion - center front. The MicroZOTL2 has no such issues, and is amazing - not only with the HEK, but with a number of other headphones. The Jot can be kind of bright with headphones you may purchase in future.
 
I've not heard the Trilogy 931. I owned both the MicroZOTL2 and Jotunheim.

 

[doctorjazz]

Hey, @Sheldaze!!!!
How was the meet? REALLY sorry I couldn't go...(I know, off topic)

 

[tunes]

Does anyone think that the HEK V2 can be driven to it full dynamic potential without an amp using The HUGO 2???

I have my eye on this Chord DAC but apparently there is no way to bypass the internal amp to add another more powerful external amp in the chain, like the MicroZotl2. So you would be adding more perterbations/distortion in the chain.

 

[zachawry]

Does anyone think that the HEK V2 can be driven to it full dynamic potential without an amp using The HUGO 2???

I have my eye on this Chord DAC but apparently there is no way to bypass the internal amp to add another more powerful external amp in the chain, like the MicroZotl2. So you would be adding more perterbations/distortion in the chain.

The details are kinda above my head, but my understanding is that the Hugos don't have an amp per se, it's just the output stage of the DAC that doesn't cause any distortion of the signal. If you want more info, ask on the Hugo thread. 
 
I use an MZ2 with my Ethers instead of directly from the Hugo. The MZ2 is a  clear and transparent amp, but it provides more dynamics and soundstage compared to the Hugo alone. 
 
FWIW. 

 

[sheldaze]

Hey, @Sheldaze!!!!
How was the meet? REALLY sorry I couldn't go...(I know, off topic)

Great! Excellent new venue, and really far enough North of the DC area, so traveling down to it makes a lot of sense.
 
Sorry for the slow reply - I was at LTA yesterday (you know, the guys who make MicroZOTL2

 - trying to keep this on topic), completing some of the listening comparisons I wanted to do at the meet. They may perhaps have an in house device for use on the USB chain. So we did the comparisons against the usual suspects - Wyrd, Regen, Intona, JitterBug.
 
Hope you can make it down to a future meet!

 

[doctorjazz]

Hey, @Sheldaze!!!!

How was the meet? REALLY sorry I couldn't go...(I know, off topic)

Great! Excellent new venue, and really far enough North of the DC area, so traveling down to it makes a lot of sense.

Sorry for the slow reply - I was at LTA yesterday (you know, the guys who make MicroZOTL2  - trying to keep this on topic), completing some of the listening comparisons I wanted to do at the meet. They may perhaps have an in house device for use on the USB chain. So we did the comparisons against the usual suspects - Wyrd, Regen, Intona, JitterBug.

Hope you can make it down to a future meet!

Interesting... I have a Regen and an LH Labs Revive in the house. How did the comparisons go?

 

[sheldaze]

Interesting... I have a Regen and an LH Labs Revive in the house. How did the comparisons go?

@TimeLord was probably the most engaged participant. We used his Singxer SU-1, feeding into my Chord 2Qute (the 2Qute gave us a baseline to aim for due to its clean internal USB) back into his Liquid Gold. @willsw was of course listening, between helping other customers.
 
To my ears, USB cleanup has the primary issue of trying to remove electrical noise from the signal. The Regen does this quite well! However, in my recent comparisons with some other cleanup solutions, the Regen also dampened the sound ever so slightly. Sounds which should quickly attack and decay were either held slightly longer, or did not attack with the same verve as the original musician struck the instrument or played the note. Everything was down just a slight notch. I'm using the Amber Regen with the original power supply. So perhaps it would be interesting to do the comparison with the JS-2 (one of the gentlemen in the store, Will was helping, owns the JS-2!!!).
 
But the product we were auditioning was around the same or less cost than the Regen. So we used the stock power supply in both. And the new product both addressed the noise issue, while keeping the rhythm and pace of the music. Perhaps the Regen addressed the noise better, but it definitely lost a little of the quick pace of the music.
 
And for anyone else out there reading, these deltas are all very subtle! I did not hear this until I direct compared against other solutions, or went back to the stock USB-only cable (ignoring the noise, and just listening to the dynamics and pace of the music). So it was quite interesting to see if this small delta registered with the other listeners!

 

[doctorjazz]

My quickie impressions using Revive and Regen, liked Revive better, felt Regen lost a bit of clarity. Currently using the modded by Mojo ZOTL, and a loaner Illuminati. Sounding really nice...

 

[EdmontonCanuck]

I've tried a couple of USB re-clocking/cleanup devices and I have to say that with my DAC I can tell absolutely no difference so I keep them out of the chain.

 

[sheldaze]

It truly is like the Wild Wild West, where everything is true!
 
After the comparison, one of the guys went back to his home system. He apparently has clean USB coming from his computer source because it sounded quite good into the SU-1, regardless of using a cleaning device or not. That's how it is supposed to be, but I cannot get a definitive answer on what computers sound good, versus those that sound poor. It really is the Wild West!

 

[doctorjazz]

Makes a difference on my home system-not day and night, but enough to leave it in the chain (and I'd generally prefer less in the chain).

 

[willsw]

Coming in to the USB comparison after trying to compare a couple of devices on my home speaker system (which turned out in the larger comparison to be the two least colored, I believe, active devices: the Schiit Wyrd and the Doodlebug distributed by Beezar, which is the unnamed device @sheldaze referred to), I was surprised by how clear the differences between some of the USB chains were. Of course, while educational and interesting, since I don't have a 2Qute or a Singxer at home I'll have to decide which things I like in my own chain. Currently trying USB out of a Macbook into a Wyrd and then into a DIYinHK USB>spdif converter, finally finding the coaxial input on the DAC. We had good results with a separately powered USB cable, and after building one incorrectly on my first attempt I'll be making another to try. 
 
How does this relate to MicroZOTL2/MZ2 discussion? I'm often asked which DACs match well with the amp and I suppose if you're experiencing what you find to be a mismatch with a DAC and amp, another place to look to solve very subtle but noticeable dissatisfactions could be the source for the DAC. I think this is becoming more and more accepted as common knowledge amongst those who use digital audio. Bits being bits and all. 
 
I've been having fun making fancy (or fancy seeming) DC cables. Last night learned how to braid six strands and did three 24awg wires each for power and ground, individually sleeved and braided. Has anyone found improvements with upgraded DC cables? 

 

[jamato8]

Does anyone think that the HEK V2 can be driven to it full dynamic potential without an amp using The HUGO 2???

I have my eye on this Chord DAC but apparently there is no way to bypass the internal amp to add another more powerful external amp in the chain, like the MicroZotl2. So you would be adding more perterbations/distortion in the chain.

I think the Hugo does fine, don't have the Hugo 2, but the mZ2 in the chain does even better. More spacious, dynamic and layered. 

 

[Loose-Leaf]

Hi all , Pardon me if this has already been discussed ,..Who has tried the early 1950s Bendix Red Bank 2C50 / 12sn7 in their Microzotl ? I think they are the cheery on top ,.