Massdrop x Eddie Current ZDT Jr. impressions thread
Feb 18, 2018 at 2:03 PM Post #16 of 138
Guys, whats up with the ZDT Jr. ? Nada, zip, no nothing when it comes to new impressions. I know, there is another forum site where people wrote down their impressions but i am curious what you head-fiers think of it. Someone mentioned that this amp was present at the recent Meet up in Austin, TX. Would be cool if those who listened to it would be able to share their opinion regarding its qualities when compared to the more expensive tube amps which were at the event.

Disclosure: i preordered it. Hope, no regrets. People suggest to use it with high ohm dynamics for best pairing but i intend to use it with my Shures 1840. Lets see what match these phones will be given that they operate at 64 ohm. I fear that distortions (people measured them being higher than average on the 1840) might get boosted by the lower damping factor (below 1:8 "rule") compared to the 300 ohm Sennheiser HD600 which has less measured distortions to begin with).

I really hope that at low Z setting (32 ohm low, high setting being 100 ohm, if i am not wrong) the pairing will be good with the 1840 (damping factor 2 @ 32:64 ohm).
High Z out would boost the distortions even more....

Regarding planars, high ohm ones should work better than Aeons @ 16 ohm with the ZDT Jr....
I could be totally wrong here, but can one make the general statement that high ohm headphone need more voltage from an amp for proper driving instead of more power (ampere). Would this only apply for planars? Thus the ZDTJr. cannot deliver enough power to the 16 ohm Aeons? But compared to the Aeons the Audeze LCD2 Classic should be more easy to drive as they have higher ohm?

Regarding ZDT Jr., there are contradicting opinions on it, but would be a relief to know that people are "right" who stated that mids are great (a bit forward), highs are smooth and liquid. And that the amp is quite resolving. Yeah, bass quantity (or the lack of it) is apparently its biggest weakness but i can probably live with it, being a 1840 owner (less than neutral bass).
Somebody stated soundstage was not that good and that this amp would add some kind of "spacial effect" to every song which he didnt like...

I want this amp to be good (for its money). Otherwise i would have just gotten a Vali 2 with a JW 2C51/WE396 tube if i knew better. Maybe the Vali 2 will still be a better value proposition. On top, Vali 2 seems not to lack that much bass. We will see.....
 
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Feb 18, 2018 at 2:26 PM Post #17 of 138
Guys, whats up with the ZDT Jr. ? Nada, zip, no nothing when it comes to new impressions. I know, there is another forum site where people wrote down their impressions but i am curious what you head-fiers think of it. Someone mentioned that this amp was present at the recent Meet up in Austin, TX. Would be cool if those who listened to it would be able to share their opinion regarding its qualities when compared to the more expensive tube amps which were at the event.

Disclosure: i preordered it. Hope, no regrets. People suggest to use it with high ohm dynamics for best pairing but i intend to use it with my Shures 1840. Lets see what match these phones will be given that they operate at 64 ohm. I fear that distortions (people measured them being higher than average on the 1840) might get boosted by the lower damping factor (below 1:8 "rule") compared to the 300 ohm Sennheiser HD600 which has less measured distortions to begin with).

I really hope that at low Z setting (32 ohm low, high setting being 100 ohm, if i am not wrong) the pairing will be good with the 1840 (damping factor 2 @ 32:64 ohm).
High Z out would boost the distortions even more....

Regarding planars, high ohm ones should work better than Aeons @ 16 ohm with the ZDT Jr....
I could be totally wrong here, but can one make the general statement that high ohm headphone need more voltage from an amp for proper driving instead of more power (ampere). Would this only apply for planars? Thus the ZDTJr. cannot deliver enough power to the 16 ohm Aeons? But compared to the Aeons the Audeze LCD2 Classic should be more easy to drive as they have higher ohm?

Regarding ZDT Jr., there are contradicting opinions on it, but would be a relief to know that people are "right" who stated that mids are great (a bit forward), highs are smooth and liquid. And that the amp is quite resolving. Yeah, bass quantity (or the lack of it) is apparently its biggest weakness but i can probably live with it, being a 1840 owner (less than neutral bass).
Somebody stated soundstage was not that good and that this amp would add some kind of "spacial effect" to every song which he didnt like...

I want this amp to be good (for its money). Otherwise i would have just gotten a Vali 2 with a JW 2C51/WE396 tube if i knew better. Maybe the Vali 2 will still be a better value proposition. On top, Vali 2 seems not to lack that much bass. We will see.....
I preordered as well and I'm honestly considering just selling it for a profit once I receive mine,shouldn't be to hard to do, due to it being a limited run. I've heard pretty mediocre things about it so far. My darkvoice with about $120 worth of upgrade tubes in it will be good enough for me I think.
 
Feb 18, 2018 at 2:54 PM Post #18 of 138
Holy....that sounds bad......should have gone for the vali 2 i guess.....i was going to sell my WE396A and JW 2C51 tubes, but now i am not sure anymore as they are hard to come by nowadays (well, i am in europe, imported them from the US some years ago, never used NOS tubes. Could sell them for a profit but would be a downer if i end up with the Vali 2 and those tubes are gone...Ok, i try to hold onto them until the JDT Jr. drops and more impressions come up.
I thought Schiit has a no price drop policy (not to screw owners and to maintain value) but on their european site there are some discounts going on right now https://www.schiit-europe.com/index.php/producten/amps.html.
At the time of joining the drop my ratio/thinking was like this: Vali 2 @ 179€ + nice tube WE396A @ 60€ (current value probably) = 240€ compared to maybe awesome ZDT Jr. @ 430€ (hopefully not more with all fees included) with its much cheaper tubes. Thats seemed for me like the biggest pro: cheap and easily available quality tubes for the ZDT Jr., from ebay europe. But lets not forget, ZDT needs 4 tubes to run compared to one in Vali 2. Can you say with certainity that only the front tube in the ZDT would be needed to get replaced more often compared to the back row tubes (drive tubes?). So still less of maintainance costs over time compared to one 60€ WE396A tube for the Vali 2, right?
 
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Feb 18, 2018 at 4:16 PM Post #19 of 138
Holy....that sounds bad......should have gone for the vali 2 i guess.....i was going to sell my WE396A and JW 2C51 tubes, but now i am not sure anymore as they are hard to come by nowadays (well, i am in europe, imported them from the US some years ago, never used NOS tubes. Could sell them for a profit but would be a downer if i end up with the Vali 2 and those tubes are gone...Ok, i try to hold onto them until the JDT Jr. drops and more impressions come up.
I thought Schiit has a no price drop policy (not to screw owners and to maintain value) but on their european site there are some discounts going on right now https://www.schiit-europe.com/index.php/producten/amps.html.
At the time of joining the drop my ratio/thinking was like this: Vali 2 @ 179€ + nice tube WE396A @ 60€ (current value probably) = 240€ compared to maybe awesome ZDT Jr. @ 430€ (hopefully not more with all fees included) with its much cheaper tubes. Thats seemed for me like the biggest pro: cheap and easily available quality tubes for the ZDT Jr., from ebay europe. But lets not forget, ZDT needs 4 tubes to run compared to one in Vali 2. Can you say with certainity that only the front tube in the ZDT would be needed to get replaced more often compared to the back row tubes (drive tubes?). So still less of maintainance costs over time compared to one 60€ WE396A tube for the Vali 2, right?

Wow, are you really going to now write this amp off because one stranger on the internet that you don't even know what their preferences are READ somewhere else on that internet that it got mediocre reviews? I mean if it helps I am a stranger on the internet and I heard it got stellar reviews. And I'm not just talking about random internet reviews from other people I don't know, but from people I do know and trust. But what does that matter, you are in the drop and there's nothing you can do about it now.

Honestly, do you really want to spend the next 4+ months of waiting time questioning and doubting your decisions when there is nothing you can even do at this point? I too am in the drop and I've mostly (intentionally) forgotten about this amp and I'm not stressing over it. I'm going to grab a pair of GE Jan 5654's and just enjoy life until this thing shows up at my door. If I don't like it, whatever, I'll just sell it off and continue on.
 
Feb 18, 2018 at 6:24 PM Post #20 of 138
I preordered as well and I'm honestly considering just selling it for a profit once I receive mine,shouldn't be to hard to do, due to it being a limited run. I've heard pretty mediocre things about it so far. My darkvoice with about $120 worth of upgrade tubes in it will be good enough for me I think.

I don't care if you think that your Darkvoice amp, whatever model it is, would sound better than the ZDT Jr. based on some reviews you read elsewhere (note that some of those people who found the ZDT Jr. "mediocre" are known to have very high standards, who knows what they would think of your Darkvoice vs ZDT Jr. if they got to compare them side-by-side), but selling any piece of gear to make a profit is called flipping, something that could get you banned here or at another website if the mods found out about it.
 
Feb 18, 2018 at 7:15 PM Post #21 of 138
I received a loaner from another site, and here are my impressions.
I don't care if you think that your Darkvoice amp, whatever model it is, would sound better than the ZDT Jr. based on some reviews you read elsewhere (note that some of those people who found the ZDT Jr. "mediocre" are known to have very high standards, who knows what they would think of your Darkvoice vs ZDT Jr. if they got to compare them side-by-side), but selling any piece of gear to make a profit is called flipping, something that could get you banned here or at another website if the mods found out about it.
only if he sells it here.

I had a loaner Jr for a week, and listened with all my headphones. My summary conclusions are that it sounds a lot like my BW2. It worked well with my beyerdynamic DT770/250, Ether c, HD6xx, and utopia. Not as great, but still good, with the TH900 and HD600.
 
Feb 19, 2018 at 11:18 AM Post #22 of 138
I don't care if you think that your Darkvoice amp, whatever model it is, would sound better than the ZDT Jr. based on some reviews you read elsewhere (note that some of those people who found the ZDT Jr. "mediocre" are known to have very high standards, who knows what they would think of your Darkvoice vs ZDT Jr. if they got to compare them side-by-side), but selling any piece of gear to make a profit is called flipping, something that could get you banned here or at another website if the mods found out about it.
I never said I was gonna sell it on here, eBay tends to be willing to pay a premium for massdrop products they missed out on.
 
Feb 19, 2018 at 11:24 AM Post #23 of 138
I'm not saying zdt Jr is going to sound bad btw all I'm saying is I'm pretty satisfied with what I have and based on what I've read I may end up selling the zdt Jr. Once I receive it. I'm gonna wait for some actual reviews and decide if I wanna open the box and listen to it or just keep the box sealed and sell it new.
 
Feb 19, 2018 at 11:53 AM Post #24 of 138
I'm not saying zdt Jr is going to sound bad btw all I'm saying is I'm pretty satisfied with what I have and based on what I've read I may end up selling the zdt Jr. Once I receive it. I'm gonna wait for some actual reviews and decide if I wanna open the box and listen to it or just keep the box sealed and sell it new.
Might as well sell it. If you are happy with what you have and you are are just gonna rely on others, you will either open the box and really like it, or not. You will never know unless you listen to it. Best to just sell it and unsubscribe from this thread so you aren’t tempted to listen. The will be great impressions and mediocre impressions. It’s all about what you like.

I’m not trying to be mean here or anything. I’m just suggesting that if you are going to base your taste and actionssolely on reviews, you might be better off finding a system you like, then simply being happy with it.
 
Feb 21, 2018 at 3:50 PM Post #25 of 138
Speaking of tonality and synergy, after reading some impressions, would you rather prefer the Cavalli CTH for use with the HD650 to this amp? The Cavalli pushes the highs a bit which helps the HD650 to sound more lively. The ZDT Jr. offers apparently great resolution and some say it lacks a bit timbre, so probably the HD600 and the Shure 1840 should be a better fit for the ZDT Jr. as they are sounding more neutral and already offer enough highs. The slightly boosted and warmer mids should help the 1840 to become more enjoyable to listen to.
I have read great things about the solid state amp Lake People / Violectric G103/G109. Kind of an upgrade to the O2 in every way with more bass and warmer mids, exactly what the 1840 would need to make them sound even better.
So if i wont end up keeping the ZDT Jr., the G103/G109 should be considered as alternative. Or save some bucks and settle with the Vali 2. Looking forward to for first proper reviews of the ZDT Jr...
 
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Feb 21, 2018 at 6:47 PM Post #26 of 138
@ShredOhr , I preferred the HD650 on the Jr to the HD600. The Jr I listed to had the "5654W JAN GE " input tubes, not the stock tubes. General consensus is to the get these GE tubes, which are not expensive ($13/pair on eBay). I also have a stock, new MassDrop 6xx, which I think is tuned a little more lively than older HD650's, so YMMV. Hard to compare it to the CTH since I don't have that amp.

Once the Jr. ships there will be many more impressions. I would suggest waiting until it ships and then listen for yourself. These amps are gonna sound so close, it wouldn't trust on-line reviews. So many factors can affect the sound that unless you listen for yourself and A/B them, you are unlikely to hear any differences. Also, given that, unless you dislike the sound of one, I wouldn't chase a better sound by side grading to the Jr. or the CTH.
 
Jul 14, 2018 at 11:32 PM Post #27 of 138
Forgive me for reviving what looks like a dead thread, but wow, it's really surprising to see less impressions here on the ZDT Jr. than on the "other" forum.
Btw, thanks OP for the comprehensive review.

Also @Allanmarcus, if you don't mind, could you elaborate more on the ZDT Jr. vs the BW?
I know it has been a while since anyone posted here, but I really would like to know how it compares to my BW.
 
Jul 14, 2018 at 11:39 PM Post #28 of 138
Forgive me for reviving what looks like a dead thread, but wow, it's really surprising to see less impressions here on the ZDT Jr. than on the "other" forum.
Btw, thanks OP for the comprehensive review.

Also @Allanmarcus, if you don't mind, could you elaborate more on the ZDT Jr. vs the BW?
I know it has been a while since anyone posted here, but I really would like to know how it compares to my BW.
Sorry, I don’t have either anymore, and it was too long ago for me to remember.
 
Jul 15, 2018 at 1:13 PM Post #29 of 138
@songmic

Hi there,

Looking for a tube amp for my Grado gh2 (32 ohms), do you think Zdt jr will pair better, than for example Valhalla 2, Mad Ear + hd, Woo W2 / W6?
thanks in advance.

Pedro
 

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