[pinoyman]

yeah, i agree too.
that's what is missing here.
 
volume control for the line out.

 
 

 

[shotgunshane]

Quote:

yeah, i agree too.
that's what is missing here.
 
volume control for the line out.

 
 

Maybe someone could DIY us LOD's with built in volume control?
 

 

[munkyballz]

wow.  this makes the dba-02's sound ridiculously great.  it's like they took the bass driver from the TF10 and stuck it in the dba, while pretty much keeping 98% of the dba's mid and upper signatures in tact.  just like i was hoping for.
 
bass meet dba.  dba meet bass.  love.
 
siiiick.

 

[shotgunshane]

Using it with the W4, iPhone 4 and an LOD with the Westone volume control and I must say that the transparency is really, really good. At some levels out of the HO I heard some added warmth but not when using the LOD. Wow, I'm hearing bass detail in songs I've never heard before and I know these songs very well.

 

[munkyballz]

Day 2, with limited sessions with the ZO, but man... I cannot get over how great they make the DBA's sing.  Adds that lower end to make it a truly (dare I say almost technically flawless) balanced earphone.  Smooth mids and sparkly treble still in full force, along with the slight brightness and clarity that is its native signature (though ever, ever so slightly smoothed/rounded/warmed perhaps?). 
 
Overall the DBA's with the ZO...  It's kind of like that girl who you just always connected pretty well with and kind of/sort of like, but physically, there just wasn't that chemical attraction or just never really lusted or crushed for.  Then some time passes and you see her again at a Starbucks and end up sitting down to chat for a few, only to realize you can't get up to give her a goodbye hug because you have a huge boner.  Definitely brought back them from the dead and firmly in the rotation, truly taking and firmly seating itself in the third throne of my "three kings".
 
With limited time with the FX700, the ZO seems works quite well the the JVC's.  Though I can't see myself hitting more than level 3; maybe 4 if I want incredibly aggressive bass and texture.  Level 1, 2 or 3 seems to do the job okay.  The "enhancements" to the JVC's are harder to determine, because to my personal listening preferences, depending on insertion/tips/adjustments, were already very, very close to my ideal signature.  Even with the greatest cosmetic surgeon (or therapist), it's hard to mess around with your dream girl/wifey.  Will have to do some more intensive listening to put a more solid input on it.
 
Lastly with the SM3, the jury is still out on this one.  I'm not sure if the ZO is as great of a match with the Earsonics.  Already one of the darkest sounding earphones around, the added texture and low end emphasis makes it sound a bit overly dark, during my initial impressions.  The ZO doesn't add too much or take away any thing really in terms of clarity or coloration, at least not on the low level settings; however, once you hit levels 2 and especially level 3 and above, it does add a slight but noticeable brush of warmth to the sound.  Obviously, due in large part to the elevated low end emphasis, but that slight warmth also extends through the mids and highs, thus in the case of the SM3's, make it sound too dark upon my first session with it.  This is like the artsy/hipster girl, who is really great and interesting and cute in her unique ways; however, if you try to force the issue too much and add too much darkness and complexity, she might go the way of goth or extreme emo, and we all know that is a total boner killer... of course unless that is what you crave; no judgements.
 
Of course, this is going straight from the FX700 and DBA02, two IEM's with some of airier, sparkly, and brighter signatures (highs) around, directly to the SM3, so I think a part of "head burn in" is in play and affects/biases the initial analysis.  Kind of like going full throttle in a tuned up muscle car and then hopping into a Prius and trying to do the same.  Okay not exactly, but I think you get the idea.
 
Like the JVC's, I will also need some more time to dedicate to the SM3's to make a more comprehensive and responsible commentary on its synergy; however, for those that absolutely love the sound of the SM3 and long for even more pronounced and impact of bass and oomph, I will go ahead and say give it an order and a shot.  From what I recalled, it definitely makes it more punchy and thunderous, no doubt.
 
I'm pretty dead tired but just thought I'd chime in on a few thoughts.  More commentaries and musings later... ... ...
 
 

 

[shotgunshane]

Nice impressions. I tend to agree with much of it if using the zo on your HO. Its also worth the increased clarity to use an inline volume control with a line out. It gets rid of that extra warmth; at least it did with the W4. I'm going to try it with the JVC's today.

 

[Anaxilus]

Nice impressions!  That's why the DBA w/ my Arrow BB set to 'I' was my go to for so long.  That extra 6dB or so from 60hz and below made them near flawless.  Really amazing IEM for the price.  I might pick up one of these afterall.  I'm planning on an Arrow/Leckerton review and might toss in the ZO and E11.

 

[Scudbot]

Quote:

Nice impressions!  That's why the DBA w/ my Arrow BB set to 'I' was my go to for so long.  That extra 6dB or so from 60hz and below made them near flawless.  Really amazing IEM for the price.  I might pick up one of these afterall.  I'm planning on an Arrow/Leckerton review and might toss in the ZO and E11.

      If you do that, jfk run the ZO into the Leckerton and see what happens sonically.  According to Nick it should work as long as input volume is turned down.

 

[munkyballz]

Thanks for the kind words fellas.  The ZO is a pretty fun toy, especially when paired with the right partner in crime.
 
 
Quote:

  If you do that, jfk run the ZO into the Leckerton and see what happens sonically.  According to Nick it should work as long as input volume is turned down.

Honestly I got both of these toys at nearly same time, and this is how I've been running them exclusively, PC usb >> UHA-4, then HO out >>  to the ZO >> phone(s) of choice.  I can confirm that everything works as it's suppose to.
 


Quote:

Nice impressions. I tend to agree with much of it if using the zo on your HO. Its also worth the increased clarity to use an inline volume control with a line out. It gets rid of that extra warmth; at least it did with the W4. I'm going to try it with the JVC's today.

 
To be honest, I have not even ran the ZO solely with a DAP yet, so I suppose the "warmth" to my ears is still slightly apparent, since it is running straight from the UHA-4 as both DAC and amp.  I received the ZO very shortly after the Leckerton so I just slapped the two together, but I will definitely run it  independently with a DAP later this week to see if there is a more pronounced warmth with just a DAP and HO out.
 
And yeah, I need to find or buy a line out with volume control somewhere.  None of my current phones came with one as an accessory and I don't remember having one lying around from the past.  Will definitely be nice to try it out with my portable DAP eventually and see if there's a big difference.  If anybody knows where to order a (relatively cheap) one, hit me up!
 
 

 

[munkyballz]

 
Quote:

I'm considering a ZO as an intermediary device, USB->ZO->UHA4 since there's no DAC in the ZO. Specs indicate it should at least function.  But there's no good way of knowing what's going to happen to SQ.

Not sure why you would do USB to ZO to UHA-4 (not sure if this even works?); makes more sense to use the UHA-4 as a DAC and Amp, then out to the ZO to add the sub effects, then HO to your ear/headphones.  Works fine like this.
 

 

[ExpatinJapan]

This sounds like an interesting device.
 

 

[Scudbot]

I didn't, just got it backwards when I posted after 24 hours of working and a couple shots of frigid vodka.

 

[slapshot30]

Quote:

This sounds like an interesting device.
 

Then try it out

. Pretty much all of us here have taken the risk and bought this product that doesn't have many reviews or anything to base off of. I think it's safe to say pretty much all of us have been pleasantly surprised!
 
 

 

[munkyballz]

 
Quote:

I didn't, just got it backwards when I posted after 24 hours of working and a couple shots of frigid vodka.

 
Mmm vodka.  Nothing better than closing out a night with some quality tunes,  a modest, hi-fi setup, and a couple white russians. 
 
Before anybody says there might be something else better.  Yes, even better than that.

 

[dfkt]

Even better than that? I got a notice from my very personal postman that tomorrow I can fetch my ZO from the post office. Beat that.