[saidentary]

 
I was another bothering David and Alan concerning a new headphone amp from David.

Many warm thanks to you, Dr. Blue and anyone else who pestered the venerable David Berning about a new headphone amp.  It has been wonderfully enjoyable for me, one of only 4 audio products that I've considered "magical," and I've been an audiophile for ~ 35 years.

 

[Audio Addict]

Why thank you audio addict.

However, I'm not a huge OPAMP lover for heavy concentration headphone listening sessions. I prefer more discret signal chains like what is usually found in CLASS A circuitry amp layouts. OPAMPS are fine for home audio receivers and portable amp/DACS but not for a serious desktop amp paired with analytical gear. However, I am aware of this Burson Super op, and it surpasses typical I C OPAMPS to a fair degree. The Burson I have uses FET transistor output and to my ears this thing sounds great. It's analytical as hell, but if you get a good recording it really sings with zero noise floor.
I would think the MICRO Z places itself in the same category? I can only wonder at this point. Anyhow, thank you for your suggestion.

 
Of course, this would be just to hold you over until you were ready for the microzotl 2
 
Here is a link to the new v5
 
 
http://www.ssaudio.com.au/products/supreme-sound-opamp-v5/
 

 

[doctorjazz]

7wpc, I'd love to hear it.
And, thanks for lobbying for the ZOTL @achristilaw!

 

[Jozurr]

Many warm thanks to you, Dr. Blue and anyone else who pestered the venerable David Berning about a new headphone amp.  It has been wonderfully enjoyable for me, one of only 4 audio products that I've considered "magical," and I've been an audiophile for ~ 35 years.

What are the other three?

 

[achristilaw]

  Many warm thanks to you, Dr. Blue and anyone else who pestered the venerable David Berning about a new headphone amp.  It has been wonderfully enjoyable for me, one of only 4 audio products that I've considered "magical," and I've been an audiophile for ~ 35 years.

It's the natural leading edge transient from the Berning design. Conventional tube designs (SET's, other OTL'S and ultra linear) start and rise rather slow (that's most, not all IMO). Many transistor designs (not all) ring and bleed on the lead in uptake, then it goes downhill from there. David's design is like a cramp easing.....an earnest dimension opens, mainly in the important middle freq's. 
 
It's been 45 for me

 

[saidentary]

What are the other three?

My audiogon name is mdhoover.  The other three magical audio moments were:
1. Audio Physic Caldera (the OLD, 3 box model), sometime in the mid to late 1980s.
2. Intuitive Design Summit Loudspeakers.
3. HiFiMAN HE-1000s.
 
This is not to say that there haven't been many times I've thought things sounded excellent or even outstanding.  But when I say "magical" I'm talking about being blown away by the sound.  All three times it was evident within a few seconds of listening.   For the Intuitive Design Summits, the HiFiMAN HE-1000, and the MicroZOTL 2, the magic hasn't faded over time.*  I suspect that would also be true for the Calderas, but I only heard them once, and it's possible that I'd perceive them differently now.  (I'm pretty sure I've generally gotten even pickier over the years, less easily impressed.)
 
*One of my kids had a party where one of the Summits' the tweeters got broken and both sides had to be replaced.  The original tweeter is no longer in production and the replacement is excellent, but less magical to me (very slightly bright-not harsh-in fact some on this site would probably think it's better than the original...).  At some point different tweeters will be installed if possible. 

 

[richard51]

 
@richard51.... "It's not that experience is the best teacher.... it's the only teacher". You have to ask yourself the relevant questions, from the type of music that is important to you, reaching all the way to just how much disposable income you'll dispose on the hobby. You have to educate yourself into circuit type, design and implementation. If your young and listen to Rap & Hip-Hop? Gear (other than Beats) wouldn't make a difference. 
 
The single most important component? Synergy! The combining of attributes of two (or more) components to rise above their station and give a fluent portrayal. This hobby is a trap for the impulsive and those who lack focus. You'll spread money like jam and find the last move? Was either a sideways move or you took a step back.

i understand perfectly your point....very wise remarks... i have 64 years old and i meditated about one and each of my movement toward audiophile bliss without too expensive gear....My end game will probably be the microzotl+some high end planars ( probably Odin)+ some high end dac... what i have now is very good for the price paid....In eleven months that will be the beginning of  the end of my exploration in audiophile world....I want the microzotl because of all i have read about Berning and all reviews here and there... I figure its impossible to beat it at the same price and to go beyond it in sound will be very very expansive probably in the  many  many thousands... that  is the conclusion of my investigation... thanks for your attentive remarks and  very distinctive

experience....

 

[saidentary]

 
It's the natural leading edge transient from the Berning design. Conventional tube designs (SET's, other OTL'S and ultra linear) start and rise rather slow (that's most, not all IMO). Many transistor designs (not all) ring and bleed on the lead in uptake, then it goes downhill from there. David's design is like a cramp easing.....an earnest dimension opens, mainly in the important middle freq's. 
 
It's been 45 for me

I THINK I have an idea of what you mean. 
 
Here's my interpretation: Although it's "smooth" sounding, that doesn't mean it's slow or rolled off or overly warm.  This sort of natural leading edge transient is actually faster than most, and results in higher sonic RESOLUTION.  It lacks boom, sizzle, etch and grain.  The result is a smoothness of the sound with preservation of detail.  It sounds more "real" without resorting to psychoacoustic tricks.  An analogy would be turning up the contrast on a television to create the impression of higher resolution.  The picture may look more "detailed" but it's really just an artifact that emphasizes edge effect and in truth this is less realistic, less accurate, and less resolving, even though it may be more dazzling at first for the novice viewer.  The MicroZOTL is different because it's actually faster and truly more resolving.  This results in (what may seem to be) a paradoxical sonic smoothness.
 
Is that correct, or mostly so?

 

[achristilaw]

  I THINK I have an idea of what you mean. 
 
Here's my interpretation: Although it's "smooth" sounding, that doesn't mean it's slow or rolled off or overly warm.  This sort of natural leading edge transient is actually faster than most, and results in higher sonic RESOLUTION.  It lacks boom, sizzle, etch and grain.  The result is a smoothness of the sound with preservation of detail.  It sounds more "real" without resorting to psychoacoustic tricks.  An analogy would be turning up the contrast on a television to create the impression of higher resolution.  The picture may look more "detailed" but it's really just an artifact that emphasizes edge effect and in truth this is less realistic, less accurate, and less resolving, even though it may be more dazzling at first for the novice viewer.  The MicroZOTL is different because it's actually faster and truly more resolving.  This results in (what may seem to be) a paradoxical sonic smoothness.
 
Is that correct, or mostly so?

You got it! "Smooth" usually means soft(er), too round, foregoing the details and limiting the resolve. "Detail" is a blanket term that might be more associated with the unrelenting, aggressive, fatiguing, brittle hardness that limits the amount listening because of creating fatigue. I wouldn't use those to describe the ZOTL. Natural tone and actual timber are the bedrock of David's designs. Normal descriptive terms and similes don't resemble what Berning is capable of because it's not like the typical amps sonics. The best amps still are synthetic by comparison.
 
The speed of the Berning mimics life, life doesn't have a test lead hanging on it.

 

[achristilaw]

 
i understand perfectly your point....very wise remarks... i have 64 years old and i meditated about one and each of my movement toward audiophile bliss without too expensive gear....My end game will probably be the microzotl+some high end planars ( probably Odin)+ some high end dac... what i have now is very good for the price paid....In eleven months that will be the beginning of  the end of my exploration in audiophile world....I want the microzotl because of all i have read about Berning and all reviews here and there... I figure its impossible to beat it at the same price and to go beyond it in sound will be very very expansive probably in the  many  many thousands... that  is the conclusion of my investigation... thanks for your attentive remarks and  very distinctive

experience....

You get it Rich! Research and reflection will springboard you past the typical affiliate of head-fi. You can skip the very high costs and the resulting anxiety,settling right in and concentrating on your love of music. Bypassing the sad (yet comical) chasing of your tail. All audiophiles know the trap, the thing you love is misused. Music isn't listened too any longer, music becomes the tool for evaluating equipment solely, and your love of music? Tainted and perverted. 

 

[jamato8]

People just need to buy the micro Zotl and sit back and enjoy the music. Cause that is what it is, a musical instrument. 

 

[davide256]

Had an incident the other day where the right channel went out. Turns out the volume pot is connected with the equivalent
of cartridge leads, sleeve connectors from the mainboard and pins from the volume pot; a lead came loose when brushed against
during tube rolling. Not the best positive connections, will probably use some Cardas solder on them later. For now a squeeze
with pliers of the sleeve and reinsertion of the pin was all that was required.
 
The 6SN7 tubes don't seem to have a clear leader for a standout NOS tube. I've tried 60's RCA GTB (red lettering) and am now using a 1955
Sylvania GTA (green lettering)...its more natural than the Tungsol in midrange, a bit lower in bass response and less edgy but with a trade off in transient speed,
softens percussion.  Am curious if any other power tube type substitution is possible, where it would be possible to use a Siemens, Telefunken or
Mullard tube?

 

[Beagle]

 
The speed of the Berning mimics life, life doesn't have a test lead hanging on it.

 
So true. So I ordered one

 

[richard51]

   
So true. So I ordered one

congratulations! i am a bit envious and will waited till your impressions....

 

[richard51]

here something that apparently beat the Zotl amp ( the review is by Dick Olsher who know the zotl amp )... the price around 10,000 dollars seems the only problem....

 
Anybody knows Q-ton amplifier?
 
its in the same price bracket than the viva egoista amp.... perhaps also better then Zotl amp....
 
there is always a better something... The wise choose the best quality/price relationship...my last remarks will be that i think that synergy explain many thing in opposite reviews of audio gear on par with the subjectivity of ours ears...