[defbear]

I was able to try a MZL with a set of Ether headphones. It sounded clear, distinct and seemed full of potential. Well mine just Slams! I was not prepared for all the bass. It does not overwhelm anything. Just lovely. My hd800 set seems well balanced. I don't know if they are just finally broken on or if the Norne Draug II cable is it. All the treble you could want but not harsh and a very present bass. I was warned the hd800 might not work well with the MZL. But my hd800 and the MZL seem a Golden Combonation. So much to do. Gotta see how the master 11 DAC sounds in it. Then there's the Pono to try with it. There will be some 'Testing of Equipment with Music'!

 

[jamato8]

There is no reason that any normal headphone would not work with the MZ. It has a low output impedance, has plenty of power, is neutral and neither bass heavy or light and just plain delivers a very high quality signal. Listening with the T1 2nd generation and it all sounds excellent and why not, if the headphones are up to it, the MZ certainly is. 

 

[doctorjazz]

I use the Pono as a source for it often, have brought the combo to meets and gotten great response on it.

 

[hrq12345]

I was able to try a MZL with a set of Ether headphones. It sounded clear, distinct and seemed full of potential. Well mine just Slams! I was not prepared for all the bass. It does not overwhelm anything. Just lovely. My hd800 set seems well balanced. I don't know if they are just finally broken on or if the Norne Draug II cable is it. All the treble you could want but not harsh and a very present bass. I was warned the hd800 might not work well with the MZL. But my hd800 and the MZL seem a Golden Combonation. So much to do. Gotta see how the master 11 DAC sounds in it. Then there's the Pono to try with it. There will be some 'Testing of Equipment with Music'!

Well, I said in this thread before that HD800 pairs with ZOTL2 nicely.

 Glad someone else enjoys it too

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Well, I said in this thread before that HD800 pairs with ZOTL2 nicely.  Glad someone else enjoys it too

I'll second the ZOTL/HD800 combo, have really enjoyed combination (with a great R2R DAC and the Norne Draug 2 Cable).

 

[defbear]

I'll second the ZOTL/HD800 combo, have really enjoyed combination (with a great R2R DAC and the Norne Draug 2 Cable).

And which DAC was dat? I upgraded my Bifrost uber to Multibit. It's a Bimby. Didn't work well with anything except my Lyr2. Well the microZOTL2 loves it. I got a Chord Mojo. It sounds far better through the MZL than through it's own headphone output. But the Bimby beats the Mojo into the MZL. I was thinking of getting an upgraded DAC. Bimby might suffice. The Bimby has a bigger soundstage and Gravitas about it. The Mojo is Smooth. I think I'm a little smoothed out. Or at least have access to smooth. I think the DAC is the major player along with source files. What DAC rages with the microZOTL2? Has anyone tried the Mussette offered by LTA and Urban Hi-Fi?

 

[zachawry]

I would like to know if anyone has tried the Yggy with the MZ2. I don't have the money yet, but I'm thinking about it. 
 
Right now I'm using a Hugo, which sounds fabulous, but I'm highly curious about the Yggy because I hear it just beats the Hugo for detail, and I am an unreconstructed detail freak. 

 

[jamato8]

I prefer the Hugo and the MZ over the Mojo. 

 

[doctorjazz]

I'm currently mostly using LH Labs Geek Out Special Edition into the ZOTL (Regen and LH 2G USB). Also the Pono. Am awaiting the LH Labs Vi Tube DAC Special Edition (yeah, I fell into the LH Labs Rabbit hole REAL good), hopefully in the not too distant future (the solid state Vi DAC has been seen in the wild at this point). It will have its own headphone amp, but, of course, I'll have to see how it does with the ZOTL as amp as well...

 

[willsw]

  I would like to know if anyone has tried the Yggy with the MZ2. I don't have the money yet, but I'm thinking about it. 
 
Right now I'm using a Hugo, which sounds fabulous, but I'm highly curious about the Yggy because I hear it just beats the Hugo for detail, and I am an unreconstructed detail freak. 

 
I'm pretty sure that if Zach at ZMF or MrSpeakers has their MicroZOTL2s on the table at meets or shows, they hook them up to Yggys, though it's usually people write impressions about the headphones they're listening to in these situations, when they're sitting at a headphone vendor's table. @zach915m might have an opinion on the Yggy as a DAC pairing. 
 

I'm currently mostly using LH Labs Geek Out Special Edition into the ZOTL (Regen and LH 2G USB). Also the Pono. Am awaiting the LH Labs Vi Tube DAC Special Edition (yeah, I fell into the LH Labs Rabbit hole REAL good), hopefully in the not too distant future (the solid state Vi DAC has been seen in the wild at this point). It will have its own headphone amp, but, of course, I'll have to see how it does with the ZOTL as amp as well...

 
I was using the LH Labs Geek Pulse X as my DAC before I started babysitting our demo Musette between shows and thought it paired really well. Plus, the girlfriend could plug into the LH Labs' headphone out for simultaneous listening. Not a bad set-up. 

 

[zachawry]

   
I'm pretty sure that if Zach at ZMF or MrSpeakers has their MicroZOTL2s on the table at meets or shows, they hook them up to Yggys, though it's usually people write impressions about the headphones they're listening to in these situations, when they're sitting at a headphone vendor's table. @zach915m might have an opinion on the Yggy as a DAC pairing. 

 
Does MrSpeakers have the MZ2 at shows as well? That's good to hear (literally, ha ha). I hope more major players start using the MZ2 in high-profile situations; I think it's got way too low of a profile for its quality. 

 

[zach915m]

The ZOTL and YGGY are fantastic together.  The ZOTL is in the perfect sweet spot of warm/neutral to match with the Yggy for just enough musicality and tons of air and detail, you won't be disappointed.  Yggy is a very neutral and detail machine so if that's what you're after it;s a good way to go.  The other end is the Metrum Musette which Urban HiFi sells and for a musical yet still precise dac I don't think it can be beat for the price as well.
 
Also worth looking at even though it's Delta Sigma would be the Audio GD Sabre Dac's, Kingwa does an excellent job finding a sweet spot with those chips.

   
I'm pretty sure that if Zach at ZMF or MrSpeakers has their MicroZOTL2s on the table at meets or shows, they hook them up to Yggys, though it's usually people write impressions about the headphones they're listening to in these situations, when they're sitting at a headphone vendor's table. @zach915m might have an opinion on the Yggy as a DAC pairing. 

 

[hrq12345]

  I would like to know if anyone has tried the Yggy with the MZ2. I don't have the money yet, but I'm thinking about it. 
 
Right now I'm using a Hugo, which sounds fabulous, but I'm highly curious about the Yggy because I hear it just beats the Hugo for detail, and I am an unreconstructed detail freak. 

I'm using this combo. Simply fantastic! I also heard the same combo during Canjam but that yggy seemed not in its best status. (Yggy needs 5 days running to achieve its best if turned out once)

 

[WNBC]

When it comes to DACs my motto has always been, "Love the One You're With".  That doesn't mean I don't try different DACs out of curiosity, but in general I like most of them.  However, when it comes to amps and headphones there are clear winners in my mind.  I recall a thread in which someone tested many high-end DACs, but didn't find that much difference among them.  Of course, not a scientific test, but good enough to know whether one particular DAC is going to stick out in one's mind.  As USB implementation has gotten better, there are a lot of good choices out there for the budget-minded individual.  I stopped buying DACs costing over $1K a while ago, but now that I am enjoying the MZ2, I should think about trying new things within reason.  Whether I buy anything is hard to say as I'm enjoying the Mojo at the moment.  But reading about the Mussette or Yggy or iDSD Pro does get the mind a thinkin'.  Seems the Yggy is a fav among many, but it is also probably more than I've spent on any given, single piece of audio equipment.  Lets not talk about collective costs over the past 6 years .  Work travel, kids, etc. doesn't really allow me to go to these infrequent weekend meets in my state.  Maybe one of these years I'll go to a big audio show to hear different DACs.  Unless the DAC is the FOTM, it is a bit more riskier buying new and selling used.  I am not the type to return items to vendors.  I research it, buy it, live with my choice, and then sell.  Head-fi anthem I suppose.  
 
You guys think a DAC will have a significant impact on what I am getting out of the MZ2?   If had to come up with some ranking (fair or unfair) of my past DACs it would like Mojo >/= iFi iDSD >/= Ciunas > vanilla Geek Pulse >/= W4S DAC-2 >/= Anedio D2 > Fiio X5 > Bifrost > Dragonfly.  Why I would call rankings unfair is because I never had the same amps and headphones to compare against each DAC.  I'm inclined to sit back and enjoy the Mojo + MZ2, but if some of you have strong convictions about DACs I'd be interested in hearing them.  
 
I am also at the point where I have a good feeling for the stock tubes and will eventually try new tubes for the fun of it.  I am a big fan of the MZ2 + HD800S pairing, but the MZ2 + GH-1 doesn't quite reach the same level of satisfaction.  I like the GH-1 with solid state pairings.  Maybe tubes will help out with the top end of the GH-1 being too shrill for me.  The top end of the HD800S is perfect for me on the MZ2.  

 

[sheldaze]

I too love the Mojo into MicroZOTL2.
 
I am afraid to, but will be trying to move to my more standard Gungnir Multibit (eventually), and trying the Musette (hopefully at a meet this Saturday) and Ayre Codex (eventually). But that's just me, loving to also listen to a lot of different options. I still am absolutely floored and in love with the Mojo into MicroZOTL2.