[hifitoaster]

Just announced, the LTA Velo!

https://www.lineartubeaudio.com/products/velo-headphone-amplifier-preamplifier

I have an MZ3 I really like so I'll be keeping an eye on this one. They are taking pre-orders now but it won't be available till December.

$2100 with a SMPS
$2700 with a LPS

I'm curious how it will compare to the MZ3. It's not quite as good looking as the MZ3 but how does it sound

 

[davide256]

Will be looking for reviews to follow. I have a first release MZ2 that I keep switching back and forth to a Topping Pre90 for pre-amp... the MZ2 is fuller, sounds
more "life like" but is slower on transients and not so great at the frequency extremes in comparison to the Pre90. Here's hoping the Velo will outshine both!

 

[jonathan c]

Will be looking for reviews to follow. I have a first release MZ2 that I keep switching back and forth to a Topping Pre90 for pre-amp... the MZ2 is fuller, sounds
more "life like" but is slower on transients and not so great at the frequency extremes in comparison to the Pre90. Here's hoping the Velo will outshine both!

Which power supply do you have with your MZ2? Upgrade to LPS+ … ?

 

[davide256]

Which power supply do you have with your MZ2? Upgrade to LPS+ … ?

It's an Uptone Audio JS-2 which was best out of the 4 I tried (HDPLEX300W, Superfarad3 12V, Sotm SPS500). If i were to buy a Velo,
I'd try to reuse with the Velo.

 

[Mumbles06]

I listened to the Velo, the Z10E and the MZ3 at CanJam this weekend. The Velo was noticeably better than the MZ3 in every way. Size, price, and sonics. It's really a step up from the MZ3. The Z10E was a noticeable step up from the Velo, but it was also $5k more expensive. Everything I enjoyed about the MZ3 the Velo had more of. It was really a great amp. It's the top of my list for new audio purchases.

 

[davide256]

The areas I'd pay attention to in auditioning the Velo are cymbal crashes, snare drum rolls and bass drum impact. WIth a MZ2 used as pre (NOS black base Sylvania 6SN7's, Siemens triple mica E81CC) percussion transients are reticent, diffuse and bass drum whack muddled compared to a Topping Pre90

 

[KESM]

The areas I'd pay attention to in auditioning the Velo are cymbal crashes, snare drum rolls and bass drum impact. WIth a MZ2 used as pre (NOS black base Sylvania 6SN7's, Siemens triple mica E81CC) percussion transients are reticent, diffuse and bass drum whack muddled compared to a Topping Pre90

The Topping stuff..did it bring any life into a recording? Topping is ruler flat and that translates to a dead sound quality to my ears. I have a LTA MZ3 …& I had a D90 DAC…I sold the D90…it was clean/sterile sounding…& I experienced no operational issues…but it was painstakingly soulless…it seemed to suck out most of the dynamics from the music…it presented an overly dampened soundstage.

 

[davide256]

The Topping stuff..did it bring any life into a recording? Topping is ruler flat and that translates to a dead sound quality to my ears. I have a LTA MZ3 …& I had a D90 DAC…I sold the D90…it was clean/sterile sounding…& I experienced no operational issues…but it was painstakingly soulless…it seemed to suck out most of the dynamics from the music…it presented an overly dampened soundstage.

DAC's are a different beast than pre-amps for challenges to solve.

The Pre90 as a $600 product is a terrific value, quite enjoyable, I've see sawed swapping between it and the MZ2 as pre for a year now. If its a small complex piece with acoustic instruments, the MZ2 shines but if its a bombastic film sound track the Pre90 has far better dynamic range fidelity and clarity at frequency extremes.
But you give up some solidity/liquidity in timbre with a less expensive solid state pre, what I think of as water color vs oil paint tone color

There are solid state pre's that do it right but not without spending quite a bit. I've heard the LTA preamplifier at shows, it doesn't have the compromises
I hear with the MZ2 but at $5k its quite an investment. So I'm hopeful the $2.1K Velo may pass muster for those wanting an affordable tube pre
which gives little away to the strengths of a solid state pre.

 

[Tralfaz]

I took advantage of the LTA holiday sale (15% off) and ordered a Velo after having a couple of questions answered:

1. Will I be able to use my LPS+ (that currently powers my MZ2) to power the Velo? Yes, but I'll need either a new umbilical cable or an adapter as the 12V input is different from the one used on the MZ2. They're working on it.

2. Will the Velo still have the turn-on/turn-off "thump"? No, it won't.

Delivery estimate is now late January, as well.

 

[Wes S]

I took advantage of the LTA holiday sale (15% off) and ordered a Velo after having a couple of questions answered:

1. Will I be able to use my LPS+ (that currently powers my MZ2) to power the Velo? Yes, but I'll need either a new umbilical cable or an adapter as the 12V input is different from the one used on the MZ2. They're working on it.

2. Will the Velo still have the turn-on/turn-off "thump"? No, it won't.

Delivery estimate is now late January, as well.

Nice! The Velo was one of the best amps I heard at CanJam, regardless of price. That little amp rocks and has TOTL sound no doubt. I would love to hear it with some "better" tubes, and I bet it could sound even more magical.

I have been thinking about how some Telefunken G73R and a quad of Mullard CV6 with adapters would sound, and if I bought this amp those would be my first tube roll.

Happy Listening!

 

[Gowry]

I ordered a Velo right after hearing one at Dallas Can Jam. I'm really looking forward to hearing it in my speaker setup and with some headphones. The wait is hard! I've grown too spoiled by Amazon.

 

[JacobLTA]

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the LTA booth this weekend at CanJam NYC. We had a great time sharing our new products with you!

Update:

Production casework has arrived and all custom wound parts are ready. We’re now waiting on SMD populated production boards.

We’ve considerably improved the packaging and unboxing experience with the Velo and Aero. We think you will appreciate the attention to detail.

Looking forward to getting the preorders and first review units sent out in the next couple of weeks.

 

[G8torbyte]

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the LTA booth this weekend at CanJam NYC. We had a great time sharing our new products with you!

Update:

Production casework has arrived and all custom wound parts are ready. We’re now waiting on SMD populated production boards.

We’ve considerably improved the packaging and unboxing experience with the Velo and Aero. We think you will appreciate the attention to detail.

Looking forward to getting the preorders and first review units sent out in the next couple of weeks.

Yes, it was a pleasure visiting with the LTA team there and trying out the Velo at NYC CanJam!

 

[Mumbles06]

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the LTA booth this weekend at CanJam NYC. We had a great time sharing our new products with you!

Update:

Production casework has arrived and all custom wound parts are ready. We’re now waiting on SMD populated production boards.

We’ve considerably improved the packaging and unboxing experience with the Velo and Aero. We think you will appreciate the attention to detail.

Looking forward to getting the preorders and first review units sent out in the next couple of weeks.

Looks like there may have been some Atrium Closed on hand at nyc. Nice touch!

 

[G8torbyte]

Looks like there may have been some Atrium Closed on hand at nyc. Nice touch!

Yes, and ZMF brought several of the new Caldera Closed that was impressing a lot of CanJammers. I was able to test the new Meze Liric II at the LTA table. Enjoyed it and the Velo made my DCA Aeon 2 Noires that I brought with me sound great. I see this amp in my future maybe in a year or so after I cycle out some gear.