[TheSatelliteGuy]

You have the right to reserve the right. I do not blame you for being skeptical. But this is the real thing. The reality is if someone can not hear the improvement this device does to audio they should look for a different hobby. Like ping pong or darts.

 

[estreeter]

No problem - as long as you dont try to *combine* ping pong and darts, both can be a lot of fun !
 
My post wasnt intended to offend anyone, and I was one of the first on the V2 pre-order bandwagon, but I try not to let pre-release hype build my expectations to the point where the only possible result can be disappointment. I know the ZO isnt 'just an amp', but how many here can honestly say that the ideal 'wire with gain' amp is really what they were after the first time they ordered an amp ? Amps must be the single largest source of remorse in this hobby, mainly because it takes time to appreciate exactly what a good amp has bought to the equation. By adding DSP to the mix, DigiZoid have capitalised on that initial desire for the 'wow' factor - nothing subtle about being able to change the settings on your 'amp' and have a markedly different experience with each change.

 

[TheSatelliteGuy]

No offenses taken. Not only does it take time to be aware of a amp but how many will ever be able to tell the differences in any number of a couple dozen different entities. If this gives a animal like me and you a spin what about the whole music industry. Headfi is a beta study for this technology. Not that all listeners need to know how much better the whole thing can get but this thing lets the downloader take a quamton leap towards realisim. We are familiar with the curse. I have opened 50 windows and walked thru 20 doors and I feel like the journey has just began. The whole world will soon be listening to a more real sound. What makes you happy. Imagine that if ruthless critics such as the members of a audio forum can find this much right with this revolutionary advancement, what will happen when the industry starts using it. They want hits on their technology licensing. We are the lucky ones for it to drop into our laps as it did. I feel these people are very sharp and they have won over a very critical group of people. Both leaders and lambs. I bet the farm that they show up at CES with something for the home music industry. If not this January, next.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

I know what you're talking about TheSatelliteGuy, with ZO it's definitely sounding less thin and "weak" not just cuz of you get stronger bass. It's like every frequency gets more weight to it. I knew I'd like ZO even before I tried it because I discovered by EQing I could achieve similar kind of change in sound. I'd say ZO makes it sound more forward, say more forward in a "balanced" way so it won't become a Grado but share perhaps some similarities though. I'm an EQ enthusiast ever since I discovered the EQ in kX Audio drivers for Audigy cards. This EQ let me boost frequencies even past +12dB without distorting even if I don't lower preamp. Very few EQs would allow this. Now I just happened to discover by mistake that when I started boosting the sliders on it the more good it often started to sound like up to a certain point which varies a bit with every headphone too. I mean find the EQ "curve" that works best with that headphone and just boost the whole curve and exaggerate it so it keeps its proportions. What I can't for the life of me figure out scientisticly is how there can be a difference between this "EQing technique" vs just using minimal EQing around zero lvl and then boost your volume sliders to make up for the more silent volume level compared to boosting the whole curve, it just doesn't sound the same! I'd describe it a bit like having multiple speakers one for each purpose (sub for bass, tweeters for highs etc) that all "shout" for attention but well balanced and therefore you get "lots of everything" in a clear way, stronger bass but also more mids and highs at same time as the speakers focus on their own range which also leads to greatly enhanced dynamicness in the sound. This was the very reason I so quickly decided to buy ZO v1 after I discovered it as I thought it would bring similar kind of change in sound and I was right. So with ZO you basicly get similar kind of experience as I was having using my EQ technique on this very special EQ I use that allow using that technique (forget about trying with VST software EQs, media player's EQ etc it won't work since they start distorting too quickly when boosting without lowering preamp).
 
ZO has made me think all headphones now sound like, well "headphones" without ZO compared to proper speaker setups, boring, weak, thin and laid-back.

 

[Vargtass]

I'm very excited about the new Z02, but I'm wondering if the volume will be enough when driving say my Westone 4 from my Samsung Galaxy S2 phone. The amp in that phone is pretty weak, and I'm struggling with a loud enough volume. 
 
So, is the Z02 "just" a booster, or a genuine volume-enhancer, ie that I can listen to music louder. 
 
Already have a Fiio 5 on it's way for testing, but I'd really like to try out the Z02 as well for some needed bass-punch delivered to the W4's. 
 
"So there is a 32-step volume control as well as a 32-step bass boost?"
 
Guess I got my answer Preorder INC! 

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

I'm still wondering how you'll be able to adjust both bass and volume which also works as an on/off button on that same wheel-switch... It just seems like too many functions for one switch. Maybe short press turns device on/off, hold it in and it switches between volume adjustment and bass adjustment. Don't know. xD

 

[Vargtass]

I'm assuming they've found a working solution to the volume / bass step "issue" presented by RPG  
 
I'm also really hoping signal-noise from mobile devices isn't too bad. Hopefully it's decently shielded - god knows I hope for that, at least. If not I have to make a weird tinfoil-hat for it  

 

[mrAdrian]

Now I have pre-ordered thanks to this very thread, I am thinking how would the ZO measure as a pure headphone amp (that is with no EQ settings)

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

With the XB500 which is a very easy driven headphone I went from 28% to 11% on windows volume slider to get similar / normal volume levels with ZO1, that's a 255% difference on the volume slider (of course the dB output difference at the same vol setting would be more interesting), now ZO2 appearently is able to provide like 5dB higher output than v1 even...
 
EDIT: With Panasonic HTF600 that I currently use as main headphones I go from like ~48% vol setting to 20% with ZO for similar vol levels. These are low ohm headphones though, 40 ohm / 104dB sens (XB500) and 56 ohm / 100 dB sens (Panasonic HTF600)  but it provides a very drastic vol boost, in specs it was just slightly ahead / quite similar as FiiO E11 I believe in output power so it's not only a gimmick DSP but a well working amp at its price point.

 

[Vargtass]

Quote:

With the XB500 which is a very easy driven headphone I went from 28% to 11% on windows volume slider to get similar / normal volume levels with ZO1, that's a 255% difference on the volume slider (of course the dB output difference at the same vol setting would be more interesting), now ZO2 appearently is able to provide like 5dB higher output than v1 even...

Wow - impressive! 
 
Really looking forward to the ZO2 injecting life into my Westone 4's through either my mobile or Macbook Pro. Just really hope the mobiles test-signals arent caught easily. If that's the case, I have to have a pretty long single-jack-cable, and relocate the amp to somewhere not close to the phone. Going to make everything harder, I guess, but still doable. At least it'll still be good for laptop use. 

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Quote:

Wow - impressive! 
 
Really looking forward to the ZO2 injecting life into my Westone 4's through either my mobile or Macbook Pro. Just really hope the mobiles test-signals arent caught easily. If that's the case, I have to have a pretty long single-jack-cable, and relocate the amp to somewhere not close to the phone. Going to make everything harder, I guess, but still doable. At least it'll still be good for laptop use. 

I've sometimes heard the kind of noise I think you're describing in ZO v1 but very seldom some kind of "vuvuzela" like sound almost, my friend had some comp speakers which very easily picked up that noise. ZO2 should work better due to preamp + amp config, ZO1 only has the single amp config which often leads to more noise coming through. EDIT: this noise exactly http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23rdefO4gBU (it was fairly silent for me, about twice as silent as normal listening volume), Cheap workaround http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaVqSB7_lII
 
Also the noisefloor might also be improved with ZO2 I think. On XB500 which is very sensitive headphone (with my other headphones it's not an issue) with higher vol set (a bit higher than normal) I can hear hissing with an Audigy 2 ZS card, with sensitive IEMs which are more prone to that and a more noisy source you might hear hissing with i could imagine it might become a prob with some setups (cheap built-in soundcards in laptops etc), I think this might be improved in ZO2 but that remains to be seen.
 

 

[Vargtass]

Yep, that's the sound that's been bothering me with some other portable amps. Glad to see there are both workarounds, and that the ZO1/2 in general isn't heavy on them. I used to get them at least as high as my music back in the days, and it was pretty damn horrible :/ Almost blew my ears out, and it happened ALOT. Hehe. 

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Quote:

Yep, that's the sound that's been bothering me with some other portable amps. Glad to see there are both workarounds, and that the ZO1/2 in general isn't heavy on them. I used to get them at least as high as my music back in the days, and it was pretty damn horrible :/ Almost blew my ears out, and it happened ALOT. Hehe. 

Well it depends a lot on your source too I believe. Maybe with some sources it would be non-existant issue, others it would be major issue with. Also another funny thing is that when I heard this noise it's ALWAYS only in the right channel / headphone driver.
 
Aluminium foil seems best http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWolb9nn74E 

 

[mrAdrian]

Quote:

With the XB500 which is a very easy driven headphone I went from 28% to 11% on windows volume slider to get similar / normal volume levels with ZO1, that's a 255% difference on the volume slider (of course the dB output difference at the same vol setting would be more interesting), now ZO2 appearently is able to provide like 5dB higher output than v1 even...
 

But how flat is it when there is no EQ on.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Quote:

But how flat is it when there is no EQ on.

What exactly do you want to know?