[zach915m]

I know LTA announced it earlier today but I wanted to mirror my excitement over the LTA x ZMF special edition Omni Wenge.
 

 
I have to thank Will and Mark at LTA, as the special edition includes some really cool features that I never would have tried without their push:
 
Full Lambskin Leather Pilot Pads
Wenge wood cups with dark satin
Gloss Black Sliders
 
I had been hesitant to use Wenge because I thought it looked too much like Blackwood, but I was wrong on all fronts.  Not only does it have more prominent grain, but the sound is exceptionally pleasing.  The sound of a wood headphone depends greatly on the pore structure and density.  Wenge has larger pores then Blackwood and is just a touch softer, giving a great combination of speed, depth, and decay.  With the ZOTL, it's just perfect.
 
My journey of the ZOTL started before I met the LTA guys, as I kept hearing it at head-fi meets before I decided I had to have one.  It's become the amp I go to for personal listening sessions often as it's a tube amp, but a powerful and clean sounding one at that strikes a balance between musical and linear, with an epic ability to drive planars like the Omni, HE1K, Ethers and the LCD series.
 
I know this probably sounds like an advertisement, but I have really been smitten with this amp.  Nobody ever forced me to buy one, I personally bought one because of my multiple positive experiences with it before purchase. Since I've owned it I'm just as excited each day to juice it up and let the music flow.  I'm truly flattered that these guys wanted an Omni to help represent their amps capabilities.  I'm enjoying the ZOTL right now with some Raytheon 6SN7's I got as I found I like those and old Sylvania Bad Boys the best with some 12at7 Sylvania's from the 50's.
 
Anyways, thank you LTA/Urban HiFi for making this great amp, is was a lot of fun picking out a wood to best represent the ZOTL's sound and I hope everyone enjoy's them!
 

 

[zachawry]

I've got the Alpha Primes and the Ethers, but the Omnis are really tempting as well!

 

[zach915m]

I've got the Alpha Primes and the Ethers, but the Omnis are really tempting as well!

 
I should add that the LTA x ZMF Omni will only be sold through Urban HiFi (corrected!).

 

[willsw]

The ZMF&LTA Omnis will only be sold through Urban HiFi*.
 
Thus far Urban HiFi and Linear Tube Audio have been effectively interchangeable, as the former only sold the latter and the latter was only sold by the latter; and, of course, both are run by Mark Schneider. (Also, the person who designed the original websites decided to make them look exactly the same.) Both companies are growing, though, Urban HiFi as a retail dealer and LTA as a manufacturer, and Urban HiFi is adding non-LTA products to its roster as LTA is adding non-Urban Hifi dealers to its network. The LTA website no longer links directly to Urban HiFi, and now has a Where To Buy page with the growing list of places that have an amp in-store and also on their website.
 
Doing a project with Zach and ZMF, who does custom, direct-sale work was made much easier in that conversations between the dealer and manufacturer were much simplified, and we're glad that one of the first not-totally-LTA things sold by Urban HiFi will be a ZMF headphone. Excited to bring them to AXPONA.

 

[jamato8]

  The ZMF&LTA Omnis will only be sold through Urban HiFi*.
 
Thus far Urban HiFi and Linear Tube Audio have been effectively interchangeable, as the former only sold the latter and the latter was only sold by the latter; and, of course, both are run by Mark Schneider. (Also, the person who designed the original websites decided to make them look exactly the same.) Both companies are growing, though, Urban HiFi as a retail dealer and LTA as a manufacturer, and Urban HiFi is adding non-LTA products to its roster as LTA is adding non-Urban Hifi dealers to its network. The LTA website no longer links directly to Urban HiFi, and now has a Where To Buy page with the growing list of places that have an amp in-store and also on their website.
 
Doing a project with Zach and ZMF, who does custom, direct-sale work was made much easier in that conversations between the dealer and manufacturer were much simplified, and we're glad that one of the first not-totally-LTA things sold by Urban HiFi will be a ZMF headphone. Excited to bring them to AXPONA.

Can you state the 2nd paragraph again? lol Got it, or I did get it until I read it a second time then until I thought about it, I realized that in fact I did get it, as in a "got it" moment. 

 

[doctorjazz]

Ok, been very curious about the ZOTL as preamp. It's not all that flexible, for practical reasons likely continue using my Peachtree Grand pre, but I bought a single ended interconnect so I could try out the ZOTL as a preamp. Keep you posted.

 

[rocoa]

Is that a Moth S2A3 half way down?  Very nice.

 

Yes, it is a Moth Audio 2A3 purchased from Craig Uthus 18 years ago.

 

[willsw]

 
Can you state the 2nd paragraph again? lol Got it, or I did get it until I read it a second time then until I thought about it, I realized that in fact I did get it, as in a "got it" moment. 

 
Just re-read that paragraph and it is quite convoluted. I meant to say that doing an exclusive involving two manufacturers and two dealers is much easier when on both sides the dealer and manufacturer are the same people. So it's just two people talking about what would be neat to do. 

 

[WNBC]

Finally got the ZOTL + LPS fired up.  Impressive.  Gobs of microdetails and thats with the Mojo.  ZOTL is going scale well if I decide to get a better DAC.  New to the Mojo so maybe it is good enough.  Tonality is right there for me for string and brass instruments.  This amp + HD800S is going to be wonderful for jazz.  Still got to try it with other genres, but no hesitation in recommending the ZOTL to fans of the HD800.  Only used it for about a day now.  No urge to tube swap, but I know eventually the curiosity will get the best of me.  
 
The bass is controlled and tight with this amp.  I can imagine pairing this amp with a more bassy headphone is going to pay dividends.  TH900 anyone?  ZMF Omni LTA version looks interesting.  Others who have tried the Omni feel it is in the same class as Alpha Prime?  A lot of competition in the $1K range of headphones these days.  Would love to hear them first.

 

[zach915m]

   
The bass is controlled and tight with this amp.  I can imagine pairing this amp with a more bassy headphone is going to pay dividends.  TH900 anyone?  ZMF Omni LTA version looks interesting.  Others who have tried the Omni feel it is in the same class as Alpha Prime?  A lot of competition in the $1K range of headphones these days.  Would love to hear them first.

 
Omni has the *right* kind of bass for the ZOTL! 
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/zmf-headphones-omni
 
Plenty of well written and informative reviews on head-fi.

 

[WNBC]

Thank you for the link.  I read the reviews and will get caught up with the thread.  ZMF is now on my short list of next headphone for the ZOTL.  I took some time off from the hobby in 2015 and I have been somewhat good about avoiding threads about new headphones that were not already on my radar.  But, I do feel that I want about 2-3 headphones to be exclusively used with the Carbon and ZOTL.  Then stick a fork in me.  Gorgeous headphones you have there sir.     
 
 
Quote:

 
Omni has the *right* kind of bass for the ZOTL! 
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/zmf-headphones-omni
 
Plenty of well written and informative reviews on head-fi.

 

[jamato8]

  Finally got the ZOTL + LPS fired up.  Impressive.  Gobs of microdetails and thats with the Mojo.  ZOTL is going scale well if I decide to get a better DAC.  New to the Mojo so maybe it is good enough.  Tonality is right there for me for string and brass instruments.  This amp + HD800S is going to be wonderful for jazz.  Still got to try it with other genres, but no hesitation in recommending the ZOTL to fans of the HD800.  Only used it for about a day now.  No urge to tube swap, but I know eventually the curiosity will get the best of me.  
 
The bass is controlled and tight with this amp.  I can imagine pairing this amp with a more bassy headphone is going to pay dividends.  TH900 anyone?  ZMF Omni LTA version looks interesting.  Others who have tried the Omni feel it is in the same class as Alpha Prime?  A lot of competition in the $1K range of headphones these days.  Would love to hear them first.

TH900 work well. They are controlled, bass, and have an open sound. I use them hardwired with Whiplash Twau 8 braid cable. Great stuff the micro and the TH900! 

 

[zach915m]

 

 
If you are in Washington state you could see if you're free to come down to Portland Oregon on May 7th for the head fi meet.  I'll have ZOTL and Omni there, and there are turning out to be tons of other vendors. 

 

[claud W]

  I am using the 7062 tube and loving it. The Amperex Holland. I would not get the pinched waste version. They are very microphonic and I don't enjoy the sound, even if they weren't microphonic. I will say though that with the LPS the stock tubes also shine. Start with a very good/great power supply and everything else will fall in line if you know design. You have to have a good foundation or nothing else will matter. By the way, the 7062 is a 10,000 hour tube so the life you will have with these is exceptional. I also find they need around 20 hours to settle in. 

Just bought a pair of 1956 Amperex 7062s today. Also going to get a pair of Telfunken 801S. Those should hold me for a while. I have lots of NOS 6SN7s, even an unused pair of Tung Sol round plates. Every thing but the amp. An MZ2 and Senn HD800S cans will complete my system.  Which tubes affect the sound of the MZ2 the most??

 

[claud W]

Decided against the Telfunken 801S pair. Instead I bought Mullard and Valvo 6201 matched pairs and a pair of Telfunken 12AT7s. A little more variety for the price of the 801s. My vendors were Tube World and Upscale Audio.