[doctorjazz]

 


Heres a new WOW with the MicroZotl2:  just plugged in the Venture Electronics Zen,
a 320 ohm new earbud design from China thats on tour. They sounded good out of
my HTC One M9 but out of the Zotl they rocked like full size headphones, best bass
and mids I've ever heard in an earbud.  highs were sparkling too, with shimmering symbols
on Tidal blues tracks....no hiss at low or high gain settings.  so you can use the Zotl
with earbuds with high resistance. 

I just want to clarify something you said here. Does you MicroZotl2 have high and low gain settings? I ask because I may have read your post wrong but if so, this is a feature that hasn't been listed before.

I read the same thing, I have the MicroZOTL, not sure what Blue had in mind, but there isn't a high/low gain setting. Having said that, I also have the Zen, and there is no hiss out of the ZOTL, fell asleep listening to the Zen/ZOTL last night (and, it is a really sweet combo...have to use the adapter, there is only a full size headphone output on the ZOTL). I have to recheck, but I think I tried my recent ciem acquisition, the acs Encore, and if I remember correctly, I did get some hiss with this combo. Have an impedance attenuator (or whatever it's called) somewhere, but not sure where the cleaning lady "put it away" for me...

 

[gurus]

Interested. Already had sent David Berning an email on it after reading about it in the HE1000 thread. Just got the reply back. This is indeed good news that he has upgraded the power supply and the cosmetics. Might have to get one.
 
I had a two box preamp that David hand made for me in the early 80s after I visited him in /near Baltimore. Sounded great (except for some hum, which was very common in tube equipment then) to use with Michaelson & Austin TVA-1 driving the Gale 401s. Sublime.

 

[drbluenewmexico]

  Interested. Already had sent David Berning an email on it after reading about it in the HE1000 thread. Just got the reply back. This is indeed good news that he has upgraded the power supply and the cosmetics. Might have to get one.
 
I had a two box preamp that David hand made for me in the early 80s after I visited him in /near Baltimore. Sounded great (except for some hum, which was very common in tube equipment then) to use with Michaelson & Austin TVA-1 driving the Gale 401s. Sublime.

The tubes are also upgraded in the MicroZotl 2 to advanced Russian tubes. it is a significant upgrade to
the original MZotl.  the original was brilliant, this one is off the charts...

 

[jamato8]

I can attest that there are audible changes as the Micro Zotl burns in. I have around 75 hours on mine and it has gone from about the same as my very, very good Richard Marsh DIY amp to even more open and improved imaging. Using my very well used RM amp as a control in the comparison, I can hear the changes with tubes that I have used and also the change in the amp itself. 
 
The Micro is wonderfully non discriminating to all of the frequency range. It is all there and as a bonus, you get some very good depth and excellent transparency. It seems to pair well with all of the headphones I have. It has an output impedance of 2 ohms, which should not cause a frequency skew on anything that would normally be used with it. I wold love to try my Klipsch speakers with it. They are the original Chorus speakers that are highly modified and throw a huge soundstage. Maybe one day on the speakers. 
 
Anyway, the amp is a big surprise. I would love though, to have had the tubes exposed. There is no reason not to have them out in the open. They run cooler and the glow of tubes is something I have enjoy most all of my life and now they are back. :^)
 
So far I have used the stock tubes, which are much better than you normally get with tube equipment as stock, Sylvania 1952 6SN7, Tungsol black glass round plate, RCA 5691 and some other Sylvanias, all in NOS. Also some Sylvania 6201 GB gold pin and some GE 5 star 6201. The driver tubes have more influence on the sound than the 6SN7's but they all change the sound. 
 
In my amps, home, the Lyr2 with Telefunken tubes is not as good as the Richard Marsh DIY amp, which has more transparency and better imaging with a more 3D presentation and the Zotl Micro betters the RM amp. 

 

[kiertijai]

So far I have used the stock tubes, which are much better than you normally get with tube equipment as stock, Sylvania 1952 6SN7, Tungsol black glass round plate, RCA 5691 and some other Sylvanias, all in NOS. Also some Sylvania 6201 GB gold pin and some GE 5 star 6201.
 
    Thanks for your impressions.
 
    Do we have to burn in 24/7
    Have you tried the tube rolling? and what is the result?
 
    I have also ordered the microzotl2 and it should arrive near the end of next week.
    I do have Tungsol 6SN7 BGRP, Sylvania 6SN7 metal base and will try those tubes.
    Can I use the Mullards ECC32 or ECC33 or ECC35?
 
The driver tubes have more influence on the sound than the 6SN7's but they all change the sound. 

    I do have Mazda/Bellevu 12AT7WA, GEC A2900/B309, Mullard M8162, Valvo Pinched Waist blue label,
Brimar 6060 Yellow T triple mica to try and am thinking which one should I try first as I don't want to open
the amplifier several time.

 

[doctorjazz]

I'm using the ZOTL with the stock tubes, digging the sound, never done much in the way of tube rolling. Actually have a few sitting around that I got once for a tube DA converter (that I actually don't use because it doesn't play nicely with my preamp-not sure which is at fault, but I have other DA converters...). Have 2 small tubes who's box is labeled 6H2N-B (I think, the N may be something else), 2 larger tubes labeled 6H6N-N (the last is a backward N on the box), and I have one loose tube (and a few loose screws...), says OTK 2 (2 in a diamond on it's side), no other markings. Don't remember if these are any good, if they came with the DA or I purchased them, or even how to use them in the ZOTL if I were to want to. And, what tubes would be worth purchasing if I were to tube roll. I should scoot over to the tube thread, I know, will one of these days...
Any thoughts? ZOTL is quite fine as is...

 

[gurus]

So far I have used the stock tubes, which are much better than you normally get with tube equipment as stock, Sylvania 1952 6SN7, Tungsol black glass round plate, RCA 5691 and some other Sylvanias, all in NOS. Also some Sylvania 6201 GB gold pin and some GE 5 star 6201.

    Thanks for your impressions.

    Do we have to burn in 24/7
    Have you tried the tube rolling? and what is the result?

    I have also ordered the microzotl2 and it should arrive near the end of next week.
    I do have Tungsol 6SN7 BGRP, Sylvania 6SN7 metal base and will try those tubes.
    Can I use the Mullards ECC32 or ECC33 or ECC35?

The driver tubes have more influence on the sound than the 6SN7's but they all change the sound. 


    I do have Mazda/Bellevu 12AT7WA, GEC A2900/B309, Mullard M8162, Valvo Pinched Waist blue label,
Brimar 6060 Yellow T triple mica to try and am thinking which one should I try first as I don't want to open
the amplifier several time.

Obviously the Valve are supposed to be the Holy grail. You got quite a collection there.

 

[Audio Addict]

If anyone is intetested, Urban HIFI is sending a microZOTL to demonstrate at next weekend's Chicago Head-Fi meet. It will be paired with the Puredac and the HiFiMAN HE1000. Stop in to take a listen to this pairing.

 

[jamato8]

I am using some 7N7's now with adapters I made years ago. The 6SN7 equivalent but in a loctal. Hytron tall tubes, most likely made by Sylvania. Excellent foundation. I listened to Beethoven's 9th and now am listening all  over again. Great stuff. Very dynamic and fast, layered and absolutely no compression of the sound or soundstage. Using the HE1000. 

 

[kiertijai]

I think VT99/6F8G's can be used too but can the tubes with adapter fit into the microzotl2?
If it is possible, the Tungsol VT99/6F8G's can be used with excellent result ,
even the KenRad's or National Union's should be very good and cheaper too
 
 
Anyway, the amp is a big surprise. I would love though, to have had the tubes exposed. There is no reason not to have them out in the open.
They run cooler and the glow of tubes is something I have enjoy most all of my life and now they are back. :^)
I wholeheartedly agree with this and we can use more (cheaper & better) tubes

 

[doctorjazz]

So, tried my new acs Encore ciems again through the ZOTL, want bothered by nose/hum/hiss, and, man, did it have an openness and dimensionality, body to the voice (Laura Cantrell in this case) that was fabulous!

 

[bmichels]

If anyone is intetested, Urban HIFI is sending a microZOTL to demonstrate at next weekend's Chicago Head-Fi meet. It will be paired with the Puredac and the HiFiMAN HE1000. Stop in to take a listen to this pairing.

Pardon me but what is the Puredac ? Link or picture please.

Thanks

 

[Geared4me]

Pardon me but what is the Puredac ? Link or picture please.

Thanks

The BMC Puredac has been quite a hit since its release, in no small part due to its relatively affordable price for a BMC product. http://bmc-audio.de/index.php/PureDAC-EN.html

 

[bmichels]

The BMC Puredac has been quite a hit since its release, in no small part due to its relatively affordable price for a BMC product. http://bmc-audio.de/index.php/PureDAC-EN.html

Thanks.

But... Are we sure that the Microzotl2 will do a better job than the " reference level headphone" that is built Into the BMC ?

 

[doctorjazz]

Sounds like a fine unit, though I just read a review of the Puredac, and it seems overkill with the ZOTL, since it is also preamp and headphone amp.