[kendavis]

  ...  (Also jealous that you have a wife who would actually accompany you to a meet!) 

Well, to be honest, it was a small meet with a few Head-Fiers and it was in my living room. She arrived back home earlier than I expected.

 

[willsw]

 
I see you have a Yggy. I have one of Mojo Audio's DACs, the Mystique 2+, and I love it. I'd really like to hear the impressions of someone who has heard both. 

 
 

   
As for the Mystique versus the Yggy, I haven't heard both so I can't compare. I will say that the Yggy is the best DAC (to my ears) of any that I have listened to. Very crisp and detailed.

 
It's a bit far timewise, but sometime in May or June we may borrow the latest model Mojo Audio DAC at Urban HiFi to let people hear it over here, and maybe we can organize another DAC comparison. We'll see when it's a bit closer at hand. 

 

[kendavis]

   
 
 
It's a bit far timewise, but sometime in May or June we may borrow the latest model Mojo Audio DAC at Urban HiFi to let people hear it over here, and maybe we can organize another DAC comparison. We'll see when it's a bit closer at hand. 

That would be interesting, but potentially expensive.

 

[zachawry]

That would be interesting, but potentially expensive.

Haha. I wish I was in the States sometimes. Japan seems awfully far away.

I do know that Dan Clark of MrSpeakers sells Schiit stuff on his website, but uses Mystique DACs to show off his headphones at shows. I have the new V3 coming to me soon and can't wait.

 

[Clsmooth391]

My Micro Zotl is with Mojo Audio now for the following upgrades:
 

1. Rewire for low noise with dedicated grounds for each input and output.
2. Upgrade the volume control to a Goldpoint stepped attenuator.
3. Upgrade the fuse to a Thermistor.
4. Hardwire DC power cable.
5. Upgrade feet to Sorbothane
6. Upgrade capacitor
7. Add Furutech RCA jacks
8. Install tube dampeners
 
I am using HE1000, Illuminati power supply and Ayre QB-9 DSD dac. The tubes have been upgraded.
 
Sounds very good as is and curious what the upgrades will bring. 

 

[saidentary]

Clsmooth391: I suspect it will sound even better.  Pushing the envelope can be fun.  If I might be so bold as to suggest the obvious: Enjoy the moment, when it arrives. 

 

[MojoAudio]

Just in case any of you were wondering who else has heard Mojo Audio products and like them...

We just got back from AXPONA and received two awards.

The Absolute Sound awarded us "Best in Show" (cost is no object):

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/art...tal-components-headphones-and-personal-audio/

And The Part-Time Audiophile awarded us "Best Innersound in the Show" (meaning best headphones):

https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2017/04/30/axpona-2017-melodic-love-affairs/

The experts have spoken and they love Mojo Audio

 

[MojoAudio]

In case some of you might think that was a fluke, the last show we exhibited at was RMAF'15.

Yes, that was literally the last audiophile show before AXPONA'17 we exhibited at...I'm disabled and these shows totally destroy me for several weeks.

In any event, at RMAF'15 The Absolute Sound awarded us "Best Sound for the Money":

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/2015-rmaf-show-report-tube-electronics/

Just want to keep things in perspective

 

[mourip]

Since this is still an LTA MicroZotl discovery thread I would be interested in what , if any, tube rolling others have done. I suspect that some of the biggest improvements can come from rolling, especially with the MZ2 6/12v option.

Once I wake up I will list the tubes I am currently using. They are all NOS and the effects have eclipsed what I thought was possible.

I do realize that there is a MZ rolling thread but it seems to be dead...

 

[willsw]

Since this is still an LTA MicroZotl discovery thread I would be interested in what , if any, tube rolling others have done. I suspect that some of the biggest improvements can come from rolling, especially with the MZ2 6/12v option.

Once I wake up I will list the tubes I am currently using. They are all NOS and the effects have eclipsed what I thought was possible.

I do realize that there is a MZ rolling thread but it seems to be dead...

In the regular MZ2 thread there is a lot of rolling discussion. Everyone's preferences, of course, vary, but I know that the Amperex 7062 was a favorite for the 12AT7 spot, though they are a bit more likely to go microphonic due to pinched waists (we got a pair, went microphonic). Also enjoyed in the 12AT7 spot, which is why we now use them as our standard option, is the NOS mil-spec 6201 variant of the 12AT7.

Not much 12SN7 rolling commentary, but if you wanted to look into that I'd investigate anything you can find about the Mapletree Line 2C, as that preamp also can switch between 6 and 12.

 

[mourip]

In the regular MZ2 thread there is a lot of rolling discussion. Everyone's preferences, of course, vary, but I know that the Amperex 7062 was a favorite for the 12AT7 spot, though they are a bit more likely to go microphonic due to pinched waists (we got a pair, went microphonic). Also enjoyed in the 12AT7 spot, which is why we now use them as our standard option, is the NOS mil-spec 6201 variant of the 12AT7.

Not much 12SN7 rolling commentary, but if you wanted to look into that I'd investigate anything you can find about the Mapletree Line 2C, as that preamp also can switch between 6 and 12.

Thanks Will. In the MZ2 I am using the 7062 in the 12AT7 spot for both my MZ2 and Z10 amp. In the MZ2 I am using Sylvania 14N7s which are the best so far, bettering the TSRP 12SN7s and the Kenrad VT231s in my own system.

 

[MojoAudio]

I'm constantly recommending that people upgrade every component in their system in proportion, and that when in doubt, you can't go wrong upgrading your source first.

 

[MojoAudio]

Mojo Audio is getting out of the mZ2 upgrade business and liquidating all our parts at cost.

While we still have them, we can provide "mZ2 upgrade kits" for any of you DIYers out there.

Of course we'll still be selling plug-and-play power supply upgrades for mZ2s as we always have.

As for my recommended upgrades, I would always recommend the first thing a person should consider would be a power supply upgrade, whether it is one of our power supplies, a better LTA power supply, or one of the many other premium power supplies on the market.

Once you've upgraded your power supply, below is a list of other areas of upgrade I would recommend. I included the associated parts, tools, and skill levels required for each upgrade.

1. Tube upgrades: we have several matched pairs of the rare Amperex 7062s and the ultra rare Miniwatt 18ECC. I also have a pair of Russian metal base 6N6S that replace the 6NS7s. Highly recommended. Easy to install. Most bang for your buck.

2. Anti-Resonance: B-Quiet sheeting pre-cut mZ2 kit (just peal and stick) + Stillpoints Ultra Mini Feet or Sorbothane feet + Stillpoints Standoffs. Tools and skills for an anti-resonance upgrade are quite modest - just normal wrenches and screwdrivers. Most significant if you are using the mZ2 as a pre amp with loudspeakers. Notable improvement even if you are just using your mZ2 as a headphone amp.

3. Upgrades to parts on circuit board: 105C capacitor upgrade + Thermistor replacing fuse. Pretty straight forward for a skilled DIYer. Unplug and unscrew everything from PCB and remove from chassis. Desolder old parts and solder in new parts. Notable improvement in performance.

4. Upgrades to the signal path: Goldpoint stepped attenuator + upgraded RCAs and 4-pin headphone jack + additional Belkin silver plated wire for adding dedicated grounds. This can be anything from reasonably easy to the biggest PIA you ever attempted. Some of the mZ2s are just screwed together. Some use Lock-Tite to hold the threads in place that are almost impossible to break free. No way to know until you try to take it all apart.

Aside from the take apart, the rest is easy. Unsolder, take apart, solder, twist, and reassemble. One exception: the nut that holds the Goldpoint attenuator in place is larger than the nut on the stock volume pot, so the rear of the face plate needs to be drilled or machined a bit larger to accommodate the larger nut. This is likely the case with most stepped attenuators.

Note that upgrading the connectors on the rear, upgrading the 1/4" headphone jack to a 4-pin XLR, adding dedicated grounds, and adding shielding and/or twisting the signal pairs of wires is not particularly difficult for a modest DIYer. The only difficult part is upgrading the volume pot to a stepped attenuator. To do this requires removing the face plate, and to remove the face plate requires removing the AC power switch. It is specifically the Lock-Tite used on the AC power switch that is the problem. If you don't mind destroying the AC power switch to remove it and then replacing it, upgrading the volume pot is not particularly hard to do.

The performance increase in your mZ2 from upgrading the signal path is quite significant...well worth the $$$...but fairly high DIY skills are required.

NOTE: It is specifically the one issue of removing the Lock-Tite used by LTA during assembly as to why we are no longer doing mZ2 upgrades.

So we have all of the above parts and tubes in stock and will be selling them off at our cost - quite a bit less than you could buy them yourself.

If anyone is interested in a DIY upgrade kit or any of the above tubes and parts please PM me.

 

[MojoAudio]

Let me stress this one more time for those of you that haven't read my former posts: "If it doesn't come from your source, it can't come from your headphones."

This is both true when it comes to both beautiful music and fatiguing distortion.

As long as we're on the topic, the most common mistake I see audiophiles doing is thinking they can use a modest laptop as the source for a high-end DAC.

Some get away with it by putting a magic USB device in between their laptop and DAC, but they're still not getting anywhere near the performance their DAC and system are capable of delivering.

Whatever you spend on your DAC I would strongly recommend that you spend a similar amount on your digital source (transport, streamer, or music server).

Once you loose resolution, time, or tune by using a lower performing component in your front end there is no way to regain it later in your system.

Every link in the audio chain is important.

 

[MojoAudio]

A bit more info to assist DIYers in making the correct mZ2 upgrade decisions in the correct order.

To over simplify, upgrades can be divided into two categories:

1. Noise reduction.
2. Transparency.

All the anti-resonance, Thermistor upgrade of fuse, caps upgrade, dedicated ground wires, twisting the + and G wires, separating the signal and power wires, etc. would be "noise reduction."

And upgrading the volume pot, upgrading the wire itself (pure silver vs. silver plated), and upgrading the connectors, would be "transparency."

If you wanted to do mZ2 upgrades without upgrading your source, only the "transparency" upgrades would be a concern. You could do all the "noise reduction" upgrades you wanted.

Of course if you're a DIYer, you could always try something (like a stepped attenuator), and go back to the stock volume pot if it gets too revealing or fatiguing.

Then after you upgrade your source and/or power supply you could go back and upgrade your attenuator, wire, and connectors.

Keep in mind that the above is not a hard and fast rule.

These "transparency" upgrades may be a 100% improvement no matter your source depending on your headphones, cables, and other factors in your system.

I just want to make sure DIYers realize that the subtle "veil" and "color" of the stock volume pot in their mZ2 may be all they require to compensate for a less than optimal source or power supply.