[Golfnutz]

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Since my Zodiac Gold and Voltikus power supply now has about 600 hours of break-in, my LCD2's now sounds like a million dollars. The amp section of the Gold reminds me of the very high dollar OTL amps. Piano and horns sound so right with this combo and no listener fatigue anywhere.

Nice!!! What amp (or no amp) and source are you using? Just so I understand you correctly, you're using the headphone jack on the Zodiac (where I believe Hotubei is using the headphone jack from his WA22).
 

 

[OzarkTom]

Quote:

Nice!!! What amp (or no amp) and source are you using? Just so I understand you correctly, you're using the headphone jack on the Zodiac (where I believe Hotubei is using the headphone jack from his WA22).
 

Right now just using the headphone jack on the Gold, but planning on hooking it up Balanced. Alex, from Audeze said to make sure I try balanced. The Gold is a fantastic DAC, I guess it surprised me how good the amp section is. The ambience and detail coming out of the Gold and LCD2's is wild. I have never heard any amp-speaker system to equal this in tmy 40 years of listening.
 
Just to note, I have gone to the CES show about 22 times in my lifetime, I have heard more than a few $200,000+ systems.
 

 

[Golfnutz]

Quote:

Right now just using the headphone jack on the Gold, but planning on hooking it up Balanced. Alex, from Audeze said to make sure I try balanced. The Gold is a fantastic DAC, I guess it surprised me how good the amp section is. The ambience and detail coming out of the Gold and LCD2's is wild. I have never heard any amp-speaker system to equal this in tmy 40 years of listening.
 
Just to note, I have gone to the CES show about 22 times in my lifetime, I have heard more than a few $200,000+ systems.
 

So did you buy the Zodiac as a headphone amp, or to use with a 2 channel speaker system?
 

 

[OzarkTom]

I bought it as a DAC to use in my 2-channel system, but my amp has been gone to the mod shop waiting on new Duelund caps from England. In desparation to break it in and listen to it, I bought a pair of the LCD2's. The Gold sounds more like an OTL tube amp with the LCD2's than a SS amp.

 
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So did you buy the Zodiac as a headphone amp, or to use with a 2 channel speaker system?
 

 

 

[Golfnutz]

Quote:

I bought it as a DAC to use in my 2-channel system, but my amp has been gone to the mod shop waiting on new Duelund caps from England. In desparation to break it in and listen to it, I bought a pair of the LCD2's. The Gold sounds more like an OTL tube amp with the LCD2's than a SS amp.

 


 

Wow, this is really something for me to think about. Thanks again for your comments!
 

 

[Golfnutz]

Quote:

Just wanted to comment on the headphone output from this dac being really amazing. It wasn't even on my list of goodies when I was ordering the Zodiac. So for this dac's extra feature, it was a genuine surprise!
Have Woo WA22 as my main amp, just to give you my point of reference.

Hotubei, do you think you would ever consider selling the WA22 and just using the Zodiac as a headphone amp?  Individually, just how close do they sound to each other?
 
 

 

[hotubei]

Well, WA22 is still a powerful balanced tube amp with 3 different output connector options and endless variety of sound coloration through tube rolling...which sounds great, to boot
 
What I'd recommend though to those looking to get into headphones, is to first buy the Antelope as 3-1 solution (DAC, pre-amp and headphone amp). Then try to beat it comparing it's headphone outputs with stand-alone amps. You will move fast looking at over $1-1,5K amplifiers to justify that analog upgrade, let me tell you  

 

[hotubei]

but then going backwards and selling an amp like WA22 to stay with Zodiac only?...
If God helps me to fight this audio addiction and shrink this fleet of equipment to minimum, that's what I'll do  

 

[Golfnutz]

Quote:

Well, WA22 is still a powerful balanced tube amp with 3 different output connector options and endless variety of sound coloration through tube rolling...which sounds great, to boot
 
What I'd recommend though to those looking to get into headphones, is to first buy the Antelope as 3-1 solution (DAC, pre-amp and headphone amp). Then try to beat it comparing it's headphone outputs with stand-alone amps. You will move fast looking at over $1-1,5K amplifiers to justify that analog upgrade, let me tell you  

I agree, what a great starting point. I wish this is where I started. Just keep experimenting with different amps until you find the right one (ss amps included).
 
 

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but then going backwards and selling an amp like WA22 to stay with Zodiac only?...
If God helps me to fight this audio addiction and shrink this fleet of equipment to minimum, that's what I'll do  

I don't think it would be that bad. Source also has a big impact on sound quality. What's more important, amp or dac....
 
 

 

[OzarkTom]

The major drawback of the Zodiac-LCD2 combo is trying to get to bed early. When I start listening, it soon is 1-2 am in the morning. The sound is so smooth and addictive, I never want to stop listening. I have tried several other anp-dac combo's that is highly mentioned here on Head Fi but after 5-10 minutes or so, fatigue sets in. I get a splitting headache from listening.
 
Quote:

Hotubei, do you think you would ever consider selling the WA22 and just using the Zodiac as a headphone amp?  Individually, just how close do they sound to each other?
 
 

 

 

[Golfnutz]

Quote:

The major drawback of the Zodiac-LCD2 combo is trying to get to bed early. When I start listening, it soon is 1-2 am in the morning. The sound is so smooth and addictive, I never want to stop listening. I have tried several other anp-dac combo's that is highly mentioned here on Head Fi but after 5-10 minutes or so, fatigue sets in. I get a splitting headache from listening.
 
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Are you still listening without an amp, and just using the Zodiac with headphones? What is your source for music?
 

 

[OzarkTom]

I am using my minimac that has all my CD's downloaded to Itunes using Lossless. I also have Spotify loaded up. that sounds very  good also. I need to subscribe to the Prmium on Spotify, that might sound as good as the Itunes.
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Are you still listening without an amp, and just using the Zodiac with headphones? What is your source for music?
 

 

 

[kindval]

The zodiac gold with Voltikus ps with the lcd-2 is indeed a stunning combination. Until a few days ago I was using the standard power cord. Then I upgraded to a Lessloss power cord. The improvement has been magical....Just do yourself a favor and give these cords a try....
 

 

[arjuna93]

Hi Marcel,

As you know, to "de" something as in "de-forest", "de-ice" or "de-humidify" implies to remove, rather than to reduce. I understand you are trying to sell product. Your advertising implies your unit removes jitter rather than reduces it. If your product is so good, surely it can stand proudly and sell itself on it's actual attributes, why do you feel the need to create false implications?

I don't want to pick you out Marcel, Antelope make some good quality products, whereas many manufacturers in the audiophile world stretch the truth to it's limits (and often beyond) and don't have such good quality products, just a pretty boxes. IMHO, in the long run you do yourself a disservice by using semantics and false implications.

G

De-humidifier exactly reduces humidity, not removes it. Depopulation means reduction of population and not complete dying out.