[bmichels]

I should receive my HE1000 headphone, so... the MicroZotl2  becomes very interesting for me
 
many people mention it's good synergy with the HE1000....which is surprising to me considering the less than 1 watt output !!
 
They offer 2 colours options: Black  or  "midnight blue".  Any picture of the "midnight blue" version ? 

 

[mourip]

Have any of you tried a 7N7(with adapter) in your MZ?

 

[mourip]

Thought that I would post my favorite MZ2+ tubes to see if there is still life here.

Having tried a number of 6SN7/12SN7 variants my favorites are Sylvania 14N7 and Bendix/Raytheon 2C50 with the 2C50 getting the nod. Both are 12v filament tubes so you will need one of the newer MZ boards to use them. These beat out Kenrad VT231 and Tungsol 12SN7 round plate.

The 2C50 checks all of the boxes for me. The 14N7 is great but in a different way. It has a bit more "air" but is also a bit more lean/neutral. The 2C50 has plenty of detail but is a bit more engaging.

Some folks will say that the 14N7 has a 14v filament but when I looked up the specs they read as a 12V filament. YMMV.

 

[Thunder240]

New MZ2 owner here. I'm the 2nd owner of this unit. The first owner never rolled his tubes and said he put about 1000 hours them. Looking inside I found some RCA 12SN7 tubes that date to 1958 and 1961, based on the date codes, and Syl 12AT7 tubes, no date codes visible. I find the sound to be slightly less detailed than the NuPrime HPA-9 that this replaces, with extended highs and a decent although not expansive sound stage, and very quiet background, but slightly rolled off bass.

I listened for about a month, and today I finely made my first roll, a set of NOS Syl 12SN7GT tubes from 1957 with chrome that extends about half way down the tube. (These tubes were described by the seller as "chrome domes", although my understanding is that true chrome domes are fully covered in chrome.) I realize that they will need 30-50 hrs to break in, so I will try not to form any impressions yet, although I was pleased that there isn't any noticeable noise or crackling. My hope is that these Syls will give me some extra bass extension and/or open up the soundstage. I don't have any expectation that they will sweeten the mids. For the mid sweetness I'm hoping to find a NOS 12AT7

And speaking of which, can anyone suggest a NOS 12AT7 or 12AU7, not to exceed ~75 per tube, that would give me the midrange sweetness and complement these Syls? I don't see myself going full bore down the tube rolling rabbit hole, though who knows. For the time being, I imagine spending a few hundred bucks on various NOS tubes, finding a combo that I enjoy, and then sticking to it. (Of course, I make no promises ... I realize this could get addictive!)

 

[jonathan c]

New MZ2 owner here. I'm the 2nd owner of this unit. The first owner never rolled his tubes and said he put about 1000 hours them. Looking inside I found some RCA 12SN7 tubes that date to 1958 and 1961, based on the date codes, and Syl 12AT7 tubes, no date codes visible. I find the sound to be slightly less detailed than the NuPrime HPA-9 that this replaces, with extended highs and a decent although not expansive sound stage, and very quiet background, but slightly rolled off bass.

I listened for about a month, and today I finely made my first roll, a set of NOS Syl 12SN7GT tubes from 1957 with chrome that extends about half way down the tube. (These tubes were described by the seller as "chrome domes", although my understanding is that true chrome domes are fully covered in chrome.) I realize that they will need 30-50 hrs to break in, so I will try not to form any impressions yet, although I was pleased that there isn't any noticeable noise or crackling. My hope is that these Syls will give me some extra bass extension and/or open up the soundstage. I don't have any expectation that they will sweeten the mids. For the mid sweetness I'm hoping to find a NOS 12AT7

And speaking of which, can anyone suggest a NOS 12AT7 or 12AU7, not to exceed ~75 per tube, that would give me the midrange sweetness and complement these Syls? I don't see myself going full bore down the tube rolling rabbit hole, though who knows. For the time being, I imagine spending a few hundred bucks on various NOS tubes, finding a combo that I enjoy, and then sticking to it. (Of course, I make no promises ... I realize this could get addictive!)

RFT ECC81….foil getters (if possible), halo getters (if foil is unavailable). I use these in my MZ3.

 

[Thunder240]

RFT ECC81….foil getters (if possible), halo getters (if foil is unavailable). I use these in my MZ3.

Thanks for the suggestion! I wasn’t sure I was going to get any action on this thread given the last reply was 4 1/2 years ago. Anyhow, I’ll see if I can find them.

 

[jonathan c]

Thanks for the suggestion! I wasn’t sure I was going to get any action on this thread given the last reply was 4 1/2 years ago. Anyhow, I’ll see if I can find them.

The 4-1/2 year gap might be partly due to MZ2 owners —> MZ3 owners (I did not go this route, though).

 

[Thunder240]

Ok, I think these new Sylvania chrome domes are broken in. Right now I'm listening to Disney's "Under the Sea" (Little Mermaid), and I'm awe-struck by how lifelike the sound is. I don't know exactly which audio cliches apply most here -- holographic sound, space around the instruments and voices, coherence, but whatever it is, this tube complement has it!

I don't think the tubes are necessarily giving me anything extra, other than some more extension than I had before with the stock tubes in. If anything, its possible the mids are a hair thinner than they were before. I'm listening both about 50/50 with headphones (ZMF Auteurs) and 2.1 stereo, and in the case of the latter, I'm getting plenty of low end thump from my sub, way more than before.

So, the chrome domes are going to stay in for a while, and I'll move on to the 12AT7s. First up will be RCA 6201s.

————-
Edit: the RCA 6201s are breaking in. Removing the stock 12AT7 tubes, I can now see exactly what they are … Sylvania 12AT7WA grey plate tubes with green lettering. Good on LTA for supplying descent NOS tubes with the MZ2!

 

[Thunder240]

I have spent the last year contentedly enjoying my MZ2 with 1957 Sylvania 12SN7GT with black T plates and RCA 6201with black plates (dates unknown). The RCA 6201s are creamier in the mids than the Syl 12AT7WA grey plates that LTA supplied, which I love, and I didn’t feel the need to keep rolling … until now. (Not sure what it was, I guess just curiosity m.)

I ordered the RFT ECC81s that @jonathan c suggezted, but while waiting for them to arrive, I switched in some RCA JAN 12SN7GT smoked glass short bottle tubes from 1943 that I picked up. Man, these are night and day from the 1957 Sylvanias that I had in. They are still breaking in, so I don’t want to pre-judge, but I think I’ve given up some low and high extension in exchange for a more liquid sound. After the break in is done, I see how they pair with the Syl 12AT7WA

 

[skhan007]

I got my MZ3 close to a year ago and the tubes that came with it, swapped in by the previous owner, are so good and I've never found a need to change anything. I went the tube rolling route with my Bottlehead Crack Speedball, but thought the MZ3 was perfect with the Tung Sol 6sn7 and Philips Beckman Holland 7062 tubes.