[Powermankw]

So yes... After narrowing down to a couple, I think MZ2 is speaking to me... Especially form factor. But same for me... Million dollar question...

Is MZ3 twice as good as the MZ2... For more than double the price?

I don't really want to, but would rather buy once, cry once. I would do it if it is worth it. I have a pair of Utopias to team with it. Obviously I'm trying to get my money's worth out of my Utopias.

Also,is the power supply the same for 2/3... Is the plus the same for both, or does the MZ3 also upgrade the power supply?

Thank you.

 

[DownToThis]

So yes... After narrowing down to a couple, I think MZ2 is speaking to me... Especially form factor. But same for me... Million dollar question...

Is MZ3 twice as good as the MZ2... For more than double the price?

I don't really want to, but would rather buy once, cry once. I would do it if it is worth it. I have a pair of Utopias to team with it. Obviously I'm trying to get my money's worth out of my Utopias.

Also,is the power supply the same for 2/3... Is the plus the same for both, or does the MZ3 also upgrade the power supply?

Thank you.

I can try to answer this since I recently went through a similar decision. I had the opportunity to try them both out at LTA so if that is all possible I would start there.

I wouldn't say the MZ3 is twice as good as the MZ2, that would be pretty difficult to achieve because of how good the MZ2 is.
What it came down to for me was A) there was a noticeable difference and B) If I went with the MZ2 I would be constantly thinking about that difference and what I was missing (instead of focusing on enjoying the music). I also tend to keep gear for a long time and didn't want to turn around and upgrade.

Like you, I decided I wanted to get the best out of headphones I bought. The utopias are great and I think the MZ2 would totally do them service, but if you do want to get the most out of them I would bite the bullet and go MZ3.

 

[Paoloz]

I use it as a pre. if i wanted to make a comparison, which pre audio research looks like it ??

 

[ardbeg1975]

I ordered an MZ3 a few weeks back and it just arrived. Have about an hour of listening. Coming from SS, hybrid tube, and OFT tube amps, this thing has a truly fascinating sound signature. Great detail and sense of the room without being overly thick. I am interested in this group’s feedback on how the sound progresses as the amp burns in. Out of the box, treble and bass sound pretty good but male vocal mids can be a bit quiet. I don’t mind a V shaped tuning on headphones for example but wondering if the mids come up a bit over time with stock tubes or whether I should look at some tube rolling? Thank you.

 

[jamato8]

I ordered an MZ3 a few weeks back and it just arrived. Have about an hour of listening. Coming from SS, hybrid tube, and OFT tube amps, this thing has a truly fascinating sound signature. Great detail and sense of the room without being overly thick. I am interested in this group’s feedback on how the sound progresses as the amp burns in. Out of the box, treble and bass sound pretty good but male vocal mids can be a bit quiet. I don’t mind a V shaped tuning on headphones for example but wondering if the mids come up a bit over time with stock tubes or whether I should look at some tube rolling? Thank you.

Tube rolling but they use good tubes and it needs 100 to 200 hours of burn in time.

 

[jonathan c]

I ordered an MZ3 a few weeks back and it just arrived. Have about an hour of listening. Coming from SS, hybrid tube, and OFT tube amps, this thing has a truly fascinating sound signature. Great detail and sense of the room without being overly thick. I am interested in this group’s feedback on how the sound progresses as the amp burns in. Out of the box, treble and bass sound pretty good but male vocal mids can be a bit quiet. I don’t mind a V shaped tuning on headphones for example but wondering if the mids come up a bit over time with stock tubes or whether I should look at some tube rolling? Thank you.

Will you use 12SN7 or 6SN7? If the latter, I recommend RCA 5692, CBS/Hytron 5692, Melz 1578 / 6N8S, Foton 6N8S (@Paladin79 is the expert on the Melz! @bcowen is the expert on Foton!). For the 12AT7, try the RFT ECC81 or the Brimar CV455 (KB/FB: Footscray). Cheers for ears !

 

[ardbeg1975]

Will you use 12SN7 or 6SN7? If the latter, I recommend RCA 5692, CBS/Hytron 5692, Melz 1578 / 6N8S, Foton 6N8S (@Paladin79 is the expert on the Melz! @bcowen is the expert on Foton!). For the 12AT7, try the RFT ECC81 or the Brimar CV455 (KB/FB: Footscray). Cheers for ears !

Likely 6SN7. I have a matched pair of 1950s era MELZ 6N8S tubes staring at me.

 

[jamato8]

Likely 6SN7. I have a matched pair of 1950s era MELZ 6N8S tubes staring at me.

The 12SN7 has a lower noise floor, much cheaper and IMO, even better sounding. I have a number of 5692 and have found them to be a little flat sounding and lacking in dynamics. The 5691 I have found, in other amps, to be better sounding. This is all NOS not used.

 

[ardbeg1975]

The 12SN7 has a lower noise floor, much cheaper and IMO, even better sounding. I have a number of 5692 and have found them to be a little flat sounding and lacking in dynamics. The 5691 I have found, in other amps, to be better sounding. This is all NOS not used.

I got the MELZ a way back to use in a Ukrainian tube amp. Ultimately sold the amp. Kept the tubes. 12SN7-wise, I also have a pair of mid-‘60s Sylvania JAN-12SN7GTs.

 

[jonathan c]

The 12SN7 has a lower noise floor, much cheaper and IMO, even better sounding. I have a number of 5692 and have found them to be a little flat sounding and lacking in dynamics. The 5691 I have found, in other amps, to be better sounding. This is all NOS not used.

If you are saying that 12SN7s uniformly have a lower noise floor than 6SN7s, I’ll disagree & say that only a tube-vs-tube comparison will tell the tale.

 

[jamato8]

If you are saying that 12SN7s uniformly have a lower noise floor than 6SN7s, I’ll disagree & say that only a tube-vs-tube comparison will tell the tale.

lol Because of the higher voltage used for the filament they normally have a lower noise floor. This has been my experience and that of some I have corresponded with over the years.

 

[Paoloz]

I'm looking for a mZ3 used....

 

[ardbeg1975]

I must say, I’m about a week into listening to the MZ3 and I don’t understand some of the online / YouTube review comments on the bass being a bit light on this amp. Connect a very articulate but less “thumpy” bass leaning headphone and you’ll get more of that sound but pair the amp with a dark, bass leaning HP like, for example, a Kennerton Gjallarhorn and play some EL-P or Run the Jewels and the bass gets quite impactful.

 

[ardbeg1975]

A bit of an obscure question, but anyone here have any experience running the MZ3 as pre-amp into SS Stax energizer in “direct” mode bypassing the Stax volume control?

 

[Powermankw]

So I'm curious about a Z3. I have read quite a bit... Is it really all that? Best of SS and tubes? Is the tube part real tubey... Or middle of the road? And last... Is the Z3 a significant improvement over Z2?