[saidentary]

  Plugged the Mzotl2 in this evening, gave it a brief listen with the stock power supply but just couldn't stand how congested it sounded.

Although benefits have been reported with power supply upgrades, your perception that the sound is "congested" with the stock power supply is, shall we say, "significantly at variance," with mine.

 

[doctorjazz]

Listening to "A Trumpet in the Morning", fabulous big band record by the Marty Ehrlich Large Ensemble. If anything could sound congested, it would be a recording like this, must have had to shoehorn them into a recording studio. But, nope, clear, open sounding, detailed, details clear (and, there are so many to pick out on this album).

 

[jamato8]

  Plugged the Mzotl2 in this evening, gave it a brief listen with the stock power supply but just couldn't stand how congested it sounded. Swapped to the HDPlex, problem solved
so a better PSU purchase seems wise to plan on if you buy this.
 
 Whats clearly evident is how fast the Mzotl is and how well it handles complex loud passages. I'll use the russian 12AT7's tonight but  tomorrow I plan to swap in some Mullard CV4024's as I doubt the
russian tubes are going to open up more for detail.
Love how it handled the large drums in the movie sound  "The Last Samurai - Ronin".  Trying this as a preamp also, very enjoyable feeding the HT input of Prima Luna integrated to Maggie 1.7's... a good match
between pre and speakers for quickness, better than the integrated pre section as a match.

With the stock PS, I have never found the sound congested. I wonder if something else is going on. And the tubes do burn in nice, the stock ones. I am using the CV4024 and some VT99's, round plate but even with all stock tubes I could be happy. How many hours do you have on the micro? 

 

[davide256]

Just got it yesterday so only a few hours on it. Its possible that this is headphone specific, so far the HE-400 phones don't seem a great match.
With the stock power supply, Microzotl2 seems to run out of current gas (congested) at 12:00 on the volume knob and the headphone isn't really at desired volume until 3:00
on the knob. With the HDPlex all is well at 3:00 but I can hear clipping artifacts in loud passages. Have a track on infinite repeat right now to bake in some more hours but that's not likely
to help a power issue.
 
Couldn't resist swapping through my preferred 12AT7 tubes today, that was quite interesting. Traditional tube preamps can have a wide variation in sound signature/colouration between
different NOS tubes but the Microzotl2 greatly diminished those differences. What seemed to matter more was how fast the tube was. I've ended up here for the moment as preferred
12AT7
 
http://tctubes.com/Siemens-E81CC-12AT7-matched-pair.aspx
 
Grado SR225's doing just fine at 12:00 on the volume knob

 

[doctorjazz]

Just got it yesterday so only a few hours on it. Its possible that this is headphone specific, so far the HE-400 phones don't seem a great match.
With the stock power supply, Microzotl2 seems to run out of current gas (congested) at 12:00 on the volume knob and the headphone isn't really at desired volume until 3:00
on the knob. With the HDPlex all is well at 3:00 but I can hear clipping artifacts in loud passages. Have a track on infinite repeat right now to bake in some more hours but that's not likely
to help a power issue.

Couldn't resist swapping through my preferred 12AT7 tubes today, that was quite interesting. Traditional tube preamps can have a wide variation in sound signature/colouration between
different NOS tubes but the Microzotl2 greatly diminished those differences. What seemed to matter more was how fast the tube was. I've ended up here for the moment as preferred
12AT7

http://tctubes.com/Siemens-E81CC-12AT7-matched-pair.aspx

Grado SR225's doing just fine at 12:00 on the volume knob

Don't get that...I'm listening to HE-1000 right now, about 11 OClock, through PC/Regen/Geek Out Special Edition/Norne Zoetic cables. No congestion, don't know if the HEK is easier to drive than the 400, Hifiman has been going in the direction of making their cans easier to drive. Still, doesn't seem right to me. I'd contact Mark.

 

[saidentary]

Don't get that...I'm listening to HE-1000 right now, about 11 OClock, through PC/Regen/Geek Out Special Edition/Norne Zoetic cables. No congestion, don't know if the HEK is easier to drive than the 400, Hifiman has been going in the direction of making their cans easier to drive. Still, doesn't seem right to me. I'd contact Mark.

Contacting Mark sounds like a very good idea. 

 

[davide256]

Figured it out. When I set up the Microzotl I cabled it up for inputs and pre out to the HT inputs on Prima Luna Premium integrated. As soon as I disconnected the Microzotl
pre out, all was fine with volume, can get good volume at 9:00 with  HE-400.
 
Anyone else duplicate this or is it unique to connecting Microzotl2  pre out to  Prima Luna HT (pre bypass)?

 

[EdmontonCanuck]

I don't think the ZOTL2's pre-outs are bypass. They are tapped into the same as the 1/4" headphone jack, right?

 

[jamato8]

  I don't think the ZOTL2's pre-outs are bypass. They are tapped into the same as the 1/4" headphone jack, right?

Right, there is no bypass, you get a very low output impedance, which is what you want. 

 

[saidentary]

  I don't think the ZOTL2's pre-outs are bypass. They are tapped into the same as the 1/4" headphone jack, right?

 

 
Right, there is no bypass, you get a very low output impedance, which is what you want. 

So, does this mean that part of the signal (strength) to the MicroZOTL 2 headphone jack was being diverted to its preamp output that was connected to davide256's Prima Luna Premium integrated amplifier?  Or does it mean something else?

 

[Jozurr]

That also happens when you have poor interconnects.

 

[jamato8]

   

So, does this mean that part of the signal (strength) to the MicroZOTL 2 headphone jack was being diverted to its preamp output that was connected to davide256's Prima Luna Premium integrated amplifier?  Or does it mean something else?

The load that the micro would see would be different. Hard to know the effect unless you know what headphones and what amp are connected. For good sound, I would connect one or the other as there is no switch on the output for headphones or if you use the micro as a preamp. For myself, I prefer the better signal routing of no switch and would hook up one or the other. 

 

[davide256]

Sounds like the pre out and headphone connection out have no lock out circuitry, are in parallel. And I like my Analysis Plus interconnects just fine, thank you.
 
Recycled through my 12AT7's last night, in order of preference
 
 
1. Siemens triple mica E81CC - adds a bit more gain, zero distortion, very clean and fast but not a warm tube
2. Mullard 6201- Adds a bit of sweetness but trades off with some harmonic distortion on complex instrument combinations
3. Mullard CV4024 - similar to Mullard 6201 but a little coarser sounding for details
4. Amperex 6201 - nicely dynamic, warm but a step down from Mullard 4024 for distortion and detail
5. Amperex orange globe 12AT7 - mehh, warm sound but starting to approach so so tube sound
 
Unfortunately the Telefunken 12AT7's I have are worn... I liked what I heard better than the CV4024
but need to get some in good shape to decide if the Siemens stays in or the Telefunken jumps
to the top,

 

[crazychile]

I need your help guys.
 
I was all set to buy a MicroZotl 2 to replace my Schiit Lyr 2 headphone amp for my single ended system.  Then the Schiit Mjolnir 2 came out and it’s cheaper,  and much more flexible for my system. So I’m looking for input from people who own the MicroZotl 2 AND the Mjolnir 2, or have listened to both extensively to share opinions of the sonic differences.
 
A little system background here… I plan on upgrading my Schiit Bifrost Uber DAC to a Gungnir Multibit. With the Gungnir having balanced and SE outputs, this will give me the flexibility to run both of my systems, one is a dynamic headphone system, and the other is electrostatic (amp has balanced inputs).
 
If I chose MicroZotl 2, I take the balanced output of the DAC and run it directly to the electrostatic amp. Then the SE outputs go to the MicroZotl 2. If I choose the Mjolnir 2 amp, I’ll only use the balanced outputs from the DAC and feed it to the balanced inputs on the Mjolnir 2, and then run the balanced preamp outputs to my balanced electrostatic amp. With the volume knob all the way up on the electrostatic amp, I’ll then be using the Mjolnir 2 as a preamp when I want to listen to my electrostatic headphones.
So does anyone have any opinions on this? Sonic differences between the two, other comments?
 
Thanks.

 

[richard51]

good question!   

i wait to see the reply