[robinje]

I currently own a Woo 6SE with upgrade parts package and a Sophia rectifier, along with 6EW7, 6DE7, and 6FD7 tubes. I like the amp a lot, but I admit that I am very intrigued by the Eddie Current Zana Deux! What, if anything, does the Zana Deux offer sonically over my current amp? Or, would this be an insignificant or lateral move to change amps? FYI - I am running Senn HD650 with a Cardas cable. I will buy a pair of GS1000i soon to go along with 'em, however. Even though the ZD is OTL, it is reported to drive low impedance phones with no problem, so I'm not too concerned about it's ability to handle my incoming Grado's. The Woo, having an output transformer and high/low impedance jacks will work, too. The ZD has preamp functionality, so that's a plus in that I could possibly sell off the preamp in my speaker-based system to recoup some funds. Anybody here compare the sonics of a Woo 6SE configured like mine to a Zana Deux? If so, please elaborate... Thanks!

 

[penger]

You could also look at the ZDT but the first run might be all spoken for.

 

[robinje]

Quote:

Originally Posted by penger /img/forum/go_quote.gif You could also look at the ZDT but the first run might be all spoken for.

The ZDT looks cool, but I don't want speaker output terminals and I need a whole lot more than 8W for my speakers. And, the ZDT doesn't have a preamp output, which is one of the things I like about the Zana Deux. Thanks for the recommendation, though.

 

[emelius]

i believe Absorbine_Sr uses his Zana Deux as a preamp in a speaker rig...we spoke briefly about it at the Mid-Indiana meet...

it's a great looking/sounding amp to be sure...especially with his Opus 21

...

may i ask what your current preamp is?...and i'm guessing you've ruled out a Melos?...

 

[musicmind]

Robinje, the most detailed comparison of the ZD and WA6 PDPS is from HeadphoneAddict and Blutarsky Colorado mini-meets. Both seemed to find the amps indistinguishably close in sound with several headphones.
The WA6SE should be a bit "better" than the WA6 PDPS still, so I'm not sure how much of an upgrade the ZD will be for you. Hopefully others having experiences with both amps can add to this thread with their impressions.

 

[robinje]

Quote:

Originally Posted by emelius /img/forum/go_quote.gif i believe Absorbine_Sr uses his Zana Deux as a preamp in a speaker rig...we spoke briefly about it at the Mid-Indiana meet... it's a great looking/sounding amp to be sure...especially with his Opus 21 ... may i ask what your current preamp is?...and i'm guessing you've ruled out a Melos?...

My current preamp is an Audio by Van Alstine (AVA) Ultra SL with optional MM phono stage. I am not familiar with the Melos. Do they have a web site?

 

[emelius]

Melos is now defunct....i was going to suggest a Melos Sha Gold...it is known around here for mating extremely well with Grado cans...plus, it is even better as a preamp...

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by emelius /img/forum/go_quote.gif i believe Absorbine_Sr uses his Zana Deux as a preamp in a speaker rig...we spoke briefly about it at the Mid-Indiana meet...

I use the Zana Deux as a preamp, as well. It works wonderfully - one of the quietest, most neutral preamps I've ever heard. I have no complaints.

Unfortunately, I cannot compare it to the Woo, as I haven't heard a Woo amp. Hopefully, I'll be able to listen to one at CanJam.

There are several reasons I bought the Zana instead of a competitor's amp, or building another one myself. First, the circuit is unique. Nothing else runs a 6C33C, which is a terrific tube. It'll put out quite a bit of power into a low impedance load, while being an OTL. Transformer coupled amps can drive low impedance, as well, but very few OTLs are capable of this. The OTL sound is different from the transformer coupled sound, as well. I wanted that in an amp. Further, the amp takes the signal off the plate and isn't a cathode follower. I believe that the Zana is the only commercially available amp with that characteristic - it makes for a very musical sound that's almost solid state, yet you can still tell it's a tube. Further, Craig's designs always tend to push the envelope away from the conventional. I appreciate the thought and innovation that went into the circuit, as well as the work it took to make something new as opposed to making slight changes to a design that's been around for decades.

Another reason is for the build quality. The cases are made by hand at an old-school plant nearby in (IIRC) Burbank. They've been working metal for decades, and the Zana has the same level of craftsmanship you'll find in gear made 50 or 60 years ago, during the golden age of tubes. You can see the score marks and other subtle signs of handwork on its chassis. I really appreciate that.

Further, the power supply is excellent. There's a big outboard toroid and (IIRC) four chokes used on the inside with tube rectifiers. Just an excellent design.

Lastly, anything made by Eddie Current or Moth retains much of its value and is hotly sought after on the used market. You won't find many for sale - people tend to buy and hold.

I'm not saying that other amps are bad, but these are the points that really sold me on the decision. I've had it since January 2008, and have had zero regrets about the purchase. I've been stocking up on spare tubes and plan to keep it for a lifetime.

 

[Blutarsky]

Quote:

the most detailed comparison of the ZD and WA6 PDPS is from HeadphoneAddict and Blutarsky Colorado mini-meets.

I purchased a ZD for the same reasons outlined by Uncle Erik, I have never regretted the decision to buy it. I do also think it does more things better than the Woo Audio 6 Maxxed that HeadphoneAddict has. When HPA and I compared those amps we tried to eliminate as many variables as possible (interconnects, source, music genere, volume, our own bias...) however it just isn't possible for us to eliminate all the variables and to agree on the results 100%. We also tried to listen to as many phones (and different pads on each phone - bowls/flats/c-pads) as possible in the comparos - mostly for our own education. Further, for me, this pursuit is all about the synergy between pieces of gear that adds up to the sound I want. The idea that one piece of gear is better than something else really depends upon the use and its partners in the system. During the mini-meets, that fact alone insures we are moving / judging pretty quickly. I always worry when we post the "results" that folks will take them as something other than opinion. Especially my contributions, HPA is by far the more experienced listener and better reviewer - I just know what I like and spend my funds accordingly. So against that backdrop- here goes nothing:

If I were choosing between a WA6 or ZD and use them for most Grados I'd for sure choose the ZD. (What do you know? I did)

If I was going to buy an amp for most Grados or HD600 AND needed it to be a pre-amp, I'd buy the Melos SHA Gold. I prefer the Melos as a pre-amp over the ZD pre and for the HD600 and most Grados EXCEPT the PS-1 / HP1000 which the ZD does better than anything I've heard. (Yup got one too)

So why am I selling my ZD? (oh I asked myself that for months) I was planning to re-acquire a piece of gear I sold but I missed the opportunity. So, I am buying a ZDT (#1) and hope the SQ is the same as the ZD for my Grado HP1 and PS-1 driven PF-325i (mod) and really can't wait to have it drive my Fostex based horns... I plan to use the Melos as a pre-amp (as long as I can keep it running - so far so good). I really don't "know" how the ZDT will fit in the new system I've been building yet. I hope the ZDT via the Melos synergizes with the horns. So far the Melos does with the Dared VP-20 I'm driving the horns with. Considering the Melos is awesome with my phones it has a place in the mix. But the balanced output of the ZDT is alluring and I imagine / anticipate that it will top the ZD via the balanced four pin hp out -- so I guess we'll see which I prefer between the ZDT headphone out or the Melos. Since it is so versatile, the ZDT will probably stay whether the headphone out is "great" (like I anticipate) or not - especially IF it (as I am assured it will) drives my FE206e based horns like I hope.

BTW, I have made serious mistakes selling gear, am on a limited budget so I often have to sell gear to get gear. I am also getting into speakers and am a neophyte but learning rapidly from my mistakes. For example - once, when I did not understand why a great piece of rare Moth gear I had wouldn't drive a certain set of speakers the way I wanted them to - I sold it. Fortunately this exact item found its way to a great headfier who apparently from an earlier post in this thread has made it sing! Live and learn...

 

[robinje]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Transformer coupled amps can drive low impedance, as well, but very few OTLs are capable of this. The OTL sound is different from the transformer coupled sound, as well. I wanted that in an amp.

Thanks for your insight. Could you please elaborate on how you think the OTL sound differs from a transformer-coupled amp?

Thanks!