[Abuhannibal]

That microzotl40 is s beast. Im starting to save now. Was considering a Hegel, but the Microzotl is much cheaper and checks all my boxes.

AQSW, btw, I own the Hegel H160. Awesome piece. I am a big longterm fan of Berning, but don't neglect to audition Hegel's stuff. They are doing something very right.

 

[crazychile]

The lineartubeaudio site is a bit of a kludge to navigate. Are there prices posted for the Zotl 10 and 40?

 

[willsw]

The websites! My favorite topic . . .
 
The prices are on www.urbanhifi.com, the (extremely similar looking) website for Urban HiFi, the dealer that distributes Linear Tube Audio (and, currently, only Linear Tube Audio, though that is not the ultimate intention).
 
ZOTL10 - $2400
ZOTL40 - $5800
 
The websites will one day be clear and full of the information they should have, but lately man-hours have been devoted to design and production. 

 

[willsw]

I should also add that anyone wanting to buy a ZOTL10 for headphone use should email Mark Schneider before doing so. After more time reviewing units with the headphone jack, as well as a conversation with David Berning about it, it seems probable that the ZOTL10 will remain an amplifier built for speakers only. There will be something more concrete to say in a few days, but I wouldn't hold your breath with your HE6s to your chest. 

 

[crazychile]

Thanks for the info. The Zotl 2 is probably the best choice for my application anyway.
 
I went through similar confusion with the web sites a couple of months ago., and couldn't remember the magic site that had all the answers. The problem stems from entering "Microzotl" into Google and Urbanhifi doesn't come up as an option until you hit page 3.

 

[bazelio]

Any comparisons of the MicroZOTL2 and the RSA Emmeline II Raptor out there.... ?

 

[doctorjazz]

I have an HR-2, which is a step down, not tubed, not otl, but it's what I've got. It's a bit cheaper, but not inexpensive. I'm closer to completing a ZOTL review; I'll compare it to the HR-2. Wish I could do the Raptor, but I've got what I've got (the HR-2 is a fine amp, btw, was my workhorse amp until I got the ZOTL, which is better imo).

 

[Audio Addict]

Any comparisons of the MicroZOTL2 and the RSA Emmeline II Raptor out there.... ?

When I had the MicroZOTL here for the June Chicago meet, never thought to compare. However the Raptor was not designed for the low resistant headphones out there today. It loves the HD600, HD800 and the 600 ohm T1 but not the HE500 or HE560 and I would suspect the HE1000. Those are why Ray developed the Dark Star.

 

[doctorjazz]

OK, just posted my ZOTL review...

http://www.head-fi.org/products/linear-tube-audio-microzotl-2/reviews/14472

 

[crazychile]

OK, just posted my ZOTL review...

http://www.head-fi.org/products/linear-tube-audio-microzotl-2/reviews/14472

 
Nice review Doc....
 
I'm still trying to decide between this amp and the Schiit Mjolnir 2. The Schiit is $250 cheaper, balanced, and just plain more versatile. I need balanced outputs for my electrostatic amp, but could manage that through a balanced DAC like the Multibit Gungnir or Yggdrasil. The real question is whether I may eventually buy a pair of balanced headphones. Probably not as I also have the Stax bug. I'm leaning towards the MicroZotl as I really believe I would love it.

 

[doctorjazz]

OK, just posted my ZOTL review...

http://www.head-fi.org/products/linear-tube-audio-microzotl-2/reviews/14472

Nice review Doc....

I'm still trying to decide between this amp and the Schiit Mjolnir 2. The Schiit is $250 cheaper, balanced, and just plain more versatile. I need balanced outputs for my electrostatic amp, but could manage that through a balanced DAC like the Multibit Gungnir or Yggdrasil. The real question is whether I may eventually buy a pair of balanced headphones. Probably not as I also have the Stax bug. I'm leaning towards the MicroZotl as I really believe I would love it.

Thanks-haven't been able to compare to Schitt, maybe I'll get a chance at the meet in Stamford Ct this weekend. I have balanced cables for the HE-1000, otherwise all my headphones are single ended. Got the balanced cables and adapters to be able to use the HEK with the Pono balanced (works well, believe it or not), and the Liquid Carbon, which I'm expecting fairly soon. My main stereo, speakers and such, is balanced, and it does seem to make a difference with the Pono, but I think it is all design related. There are single ended amps that are better than other balanced amps. Tubes often (not always) are single ended, so you generally give up (or pay a high premium) balanced in a tube amp.

 

[bazelio]

It's interesting.  This is a fairly long thread - 33 pages - and yet really only a very few people are actually providing listening impressions of the MicroZOTL2 in those 33 pages.  Doc, thanks for the extensive review, which obviously took some time.  Much appreciated.  I was surprised that "smooth" wasn't a prominent description of this amp in your review.   My main expectation of this amp is smooth yet articulate.  And that it's not going to impart a warm, romantic tube sound but rather remain dead neutral.  Would you agree?

 

[doctorjazz]

It's interesting.  This is a fairly long thread - 33 pages - and yet really only a very few people are actually providing listening impressions of the MicroZOTL2 in those 33 pages.  Doc, thanks for the extensive review, which obviously took some time.  Much appreciated.  I was surprised that "smooth" wasn't a prominent description of this amp in your review.   My main expectation of this amp is smooth yet articulate.  And that it's not going to impart a warm, romantic tube sound but rather remain dead neutral.  Would you agree?

Smooth isn't a bad word, but it connotes a warming, inoffensive sound, the tube sound that can also be a coloration, can mask detail. That's why I kept saying, "open", "detailed", but "without the solid state haze" that is found on many amps. But, it definitely is smooth, in the good sense of the word, not in the mellow, uninvolving way it can be taken. (I may edit it to give those details, since I guess I wasn't that clear)

(I was also surprised to see that I'm only the 2nd full review posted, but I believe The Audiophiliac, Steve Guttenberg, is going to review it on CNET).

 

[crazychile]

 

 

OK, just posted my ZOTL review...

http://www.head-fi.org/products/linear-tube-audio-microzotl-2/reviews/14472

Nice review Doc....

I'm still trying to decide between this amp and the Schiit Mjolnir 2. The Schiit is $250 cheaper, balanced, and just plain more versatile. I need balanced outputs for my electrostatic amp, but could manage that through a balanced DAC like the Multibit Gungnir or Yggdrasil. The real question is whether I may eventually buy a pair of balanced headphones. Probably not as I also have the Stax bug. I'm leaning towards the MicroZotl as I really believe I would love it.

Thanks-haven't been able to compare to Schitt, maybe I'll get a chance at the meet in Stamford Ct this weekend.......

Would love to hear your impressions Between the Schiit Mjolnir 2 and the MicroZotl if they are both available at the meet...

 

[doctorjazz]

Sure, if I can compare I will...meets aren't always the best place for comparisons, but I'm really curious about all that Schitt myself! (planning on bringing my HEK and ZOTL2 to the meet).