[dfkt]

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The J3's have more options though, like bbe Headphone etc, whereas Digizoid only has one variable. I'll try and get both and eventually return one but some opinions from experienced users would be useful. I've read your review of the DO1 dfkt, when you said you preferred the digizoid compared to bbe did you mean just the Mach3bass or did you mean the whole bbe settings.

Sure, the whole BBE bundle gives a lot more options - I only meant the Mach3Bass option compared to the ZO's bass. Phones that I prefer with tweaked treble (like the IE8 and such) sure benefit a lot from BBE ViVA or BBE Headphone, while the ZO of course only would affect their bass regions.
 

 

[Ryzir]

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Don't have IEMs but I presume it's in low gain mode (blue bar) otherwise it won't really work out.

I prefer my RE0 in High Gain mode over Low Gain. Low Gain brings out the mids too much for my taste and the contour steps seem to be bigger especially between 2 and 3.
 

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

 
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I prefer my RE0 in High Gain mode over Low Gain. Low Gain brings out the mids too much for my taste and the contour steps seem to be bigger especially between 2 and 3.

Glad I'm not the only one hearing the same but that's why I preferred low gain as I like forward sounding mids (I thought high gain sounded a little more V-shaped than not using ZO and with low gain roughly the same balance). Do you notice any difference regarding soundstage, I think soundstage is a little bit better in low gain too.
 

 

[RayleighSilvers]

Quote:

Sure, the whole BBE bundle gives a lot more options - I only meant the Mach3Bass option compared to the ZO's bass. Phones that I prefer with tweaked treble (like the IE8 and such) sure benefit a lot from BBE ViVA or BBE Headphone, while the ZO of course only would affect their bass regions.
 

If you personally had to choose between the digizoid and whole bbe+ effects which would you choose? 

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

I remember in ZO2.1 thread when I first recieved the ZO2.1 I thought it sounded best when using max volume on ZO when using headphone out jack but when trying ZO2.1 atm and listening with a more middle-lvl atm I'm definitely not hearing any decrease in sound quality vs maxed volume which is very common for lower cost amps at lower volume levels, I'm fairly sure it had slightly decreased dynamic range back then but I'm definitely not noticing that now. Must have been a question of burn-in issue back then. Using atm 28% on the source and somewhere in the middle of vol on ZO2.1 and it sounds at least as good as when using max level on ZO2.1 and 14% on the source.
 
MizMoxie> Do you still check the feedback received to the feedback@digizoid.com email. I'm unsure whether to post suggestions here or send email. As for ZO3 I'd really only have these wishes:
 
- Amp config based on ZO2.1. I like the sound of this amp config a little more (very impressive for a $100 amp, easily surpassing that price point), sounds slightly better to my ears at least. It also seems to bring slightly better battery life.
- High/low gain switching separated from the volume (mode) switching so you could also adjust the volume in high gain for increased compatibility. (HO-use)
- The jacks to be on-level with the outer bracket for compability increase (very important IMO, ZO1 had them pretty much on the same level as the bracket)
+ ofc that rumored "full-range" SmartVektor tech

 

[RayleighSilvers]

May I also add
 
-Volume control on the device itself, rather than an inline one.
 
The ZO3 is not coming out anytime soon is it? I really want to get the ZO2 but I don't want it to be out of date within a few months.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

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The ZO3 is not coming out anytime soon is it? I really want to get the ZO2 but I don't want it to be out of date within a few months.

I have a feeling they won't rush out a new version out too soon this time with the problems with ZO2 launch. It's a shame regarding the problem with ZO2.1 as I think it's the best sounding version so far and turned out it was just one of the component they changed later on which introduced the hissing (if I remember correctly it wasn't amp-config related at least) so they could probably use same amp config if they wanted. Luckily I'm not a LOD nor IEM user so 2.1 works perfectly for me though. But yea ZO2.3 sounds nice too and the difference isn't THAT huge and I wouldn't probably be noticing if I wasn't focusing on it but I always look for the best quality possible but I also like some of the changes to ZO2.3 tho.
 

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

I want to further go into the discussion about the jacks, today I just decided to swap the stock M-Audio Q40 headphone cable to one of those longer 50 cm(?) I got with ZO and wow what a change in soundstage. *_* Either the quality of the stock cable on Q40 is really extremely bad or it's the fact that the cable doesn't go fully into the jack that contribute to that soundstage isn't optimal (even if we're talking about like 0.5mm here). It went from like avg fully closed headphone soundstage (despite not being fully closed) to good semi-closed soundstage. The stock cable on Q40 lack the small "ring" at the base of the connector which many but not all stereo cables have which would be required for the headphone to get fully inserted on ZO2.1/2.3. Among my headphones 5/7 have that small "ring" on the base of tip/plug.
 
Some food for thought, maybe having the jacks in-line with the outer bracket wouldn't be such a bad idea...
 
Now I need to find some proper cable replacement for my Q40.

 

[Ryzir]

Quote:

 

Glad I'm not the only one hearing the same but that's why I preferred low gain as I like forward sounding mids (I thought high gain sounded a little more V-shaped than not using ZO and with low gain roughly the same balance). Do you notice any difference regarding soundstage, I think soundstage is a little bit better in low gain too.
 

Soundstage doesn't sound different to me between the modes. There is more going on than Low Gain bringing out the mids and High Gain being more V shaped. To my ears and with my setup I am finding Low Gain to have more emphasis on really high frequencies making certain cymbals sound really thin. I also find High Gain to have more engaging bass where Low Gain seems less punchy.
 
sidenote: I'm not sure if my ZO2 is still burning in or if I am more used to the sound but lately I've been using way higher contour levels than I initially was.
 
 

 

[prsut]

My ZO2.3 returned today after replacement. Just in a short.
 
HiGain mode, Cowon S9 with eq. set to normal, Phonak Audeo 112.
 
Hiss is almost resolved - for me it sounds like pink noise (Cowon in pause mode, volume at 40). Direct Cowon output is  silent, ZO produces very small amount of hiss - I can hear only if I want to hear it, so no problem for me.
 
But, unfortunately, beauty of Phonak's sound (crystal clear mids and treble) along with stereo resolution is LOST. Cowon S9 + ZO + Phonak = Cowon S9 + KossPortaPro.
 
So if you want sound of Koss Porta Pro from Phonak, buy ZO. 
 
ZO for sale now...

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Any1 got any ideas if they sell longer versions of the included stereo cables that comes with ZO somewhere, would like to get at least a 1.2 m cord for the Q40 headphones because I like the sound with this cable hehe. Maybe also a 3 meter or so to go between amp & source.

 

[kenman345]

For some strange reason, I dreamt I had a ZO3 and it was in a wooden casing..........trust me, it'd look sick
 
Quote:

 
- Amp config based on ZO2.1. I like the sound of this amp config a little more (very impressive for a $100 amp, easily surpassing that price point), sounds slightly better to my ears at least. It also seems to bring slightly better battery life.
- High/low gain switching separated from the volume (mode) switching so you could also adjust the volume in high gain for increased compatibility. (HO-use)
- The jacks to be on-level with the outer bracket for compability increase (very important IMO, ZO1 had them pretty much on the same level as the bracket)
+ ofc that rumored "full-range" SmartVektor tech

 
Nothing on their website about selling anything else besides the ZO2.3. But maybe MizMoxie will respond about what type/quality of their cables, one can only hope. I like the sound from them a bit as well, It's delightfully thin and functional, great for portability. I have some cables that just dont bend well at all

Any1 got any ideas if they sell longer versions of the included stereo cables that comes with ZO somewhere, would like to get at least a 1.2 m cord for the Q40 headphones because I like the sound with this cable hehe. Maybe also a 3 meter or so to go between amp & source.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

As far as cable goes I found for example these might be a good alternative (which also has a slim enough plug so it would fit into the Q40 headphones) http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-F8Z181tt06GLD-P-iPhone-Stereo-Cable/dp/B0047T79J0/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top (there's both white and black cable version)
 

 
But I'm unsure wheter the base of that plug is fitting fully inside on the ZO2 amp tho, I just want to be sure it's fully inserted as on the Q40 cable it's just flat and doesn't have that small ring like on the included cables so it doesn't go fully inside which seems to bring a downgrade in soundstage versus using the ZO2-included cable (well unless the Q40 cable just plain sucks, but the difference is quite big so don't think a cable alone can bring such a difference to soundstage).
 
But yea if I could find longer cables of the ZO2 I'd buy that for sure as they seem to have very low impedance which seems to work great for me.

 

[torrez15]

using right now along with iphone4 and pro 900 and its completely underwhelming.On high gain bass is nonexistent on the lowest contour and super muddy if i go to 1st/2nd contour. i do like what it does to the mids and highs but the muddy bass just ruins it for me. will this go away with time or will a line-out change it?

 

[kenman345]

if its a new device, burn in might help, but i find the bass underwhelming using headphone out to the ZO2.3 when using a portable device. If i'm mobile, I exclusively use a Line Out Dock cable to the ZO2.3. the FiiO ones are $4 on Amazon.....you can get it in a day or two and be seeing the bliss soon. You may also wanna make sure your EQ settings are correct and that the volume on your iPhone is right. 
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using right now along with iphone4 and pro 900 and its completely underwhelming.On high gain bass is nonexistent on the lowest contour and super muddy if i go to 1st/2nd contour. i do like what it does to the mids and highs but the muddy bass just ruins it for me. will this go away with time or will a line-out change it?