[neuromancer]

Just received mine today. Houston I think we have a problem. Although after playing with the contour settings, I can definately hear the enhancements to the low end, there is a certain veil to the mids/highs compared to HO from Ipod Touch. I made a quick comparison HO of Touch using HJE900 flat and then with parametric EQ (Equalizer, Equ) against flat with LOD into ZO2 and this is where it starts to get confusing as to what "sound" is more preferable. Need to check with different phones to confirm and would like the informed opinions of others using this setup as well if possible. The most vexing problem however is not this, but the fact that there is NO APPRECIABLE POWER INCREASE over the Itouch. I dare say the Touch is louder!!! WTH?? I thought I had read that this could easily power 300ohm phones without any problem and that it was so loud one had be careful to avoid damaging their ears. Definately not the case now and I believe this is the "fixed" model! I maxed out volume and was definately shocked. Am I missing something?? :mad:

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Quote:

Just received mine today. Houston I think we have a problem. Although after playing with the contour settings, I can definately hear the enhancements to the low end, there is a certain veil to the mids/highs compared to HO from Ipod Touch. I made a quick comparison HO of Touch using HJE900 flat and then with parametric EQ (Equalizer, Equ) against flat with LOD into ZO2 and this is where it starts to get confusing as to what "sound" is more preferable. Need to check with different phones to confirm and would like the informed opinions of others using this setup as well if possible. The most vexing problem however is not this, but the fact that there is NO APPRECIABLE POWER INCREASE over the Itouch. I dare say the Touch is louder!!! WTH?? I thought I had read that this could easily power 300ohm phones without any problem and that it was so loud one had be careful to avoid damaging their ears. Definately not the case now and I believe this is the "fixed" model! I maxed out volume and was definately shocked. Am I missing something??

 
Did you adjust the volume on ZO2 (not the contour level)? I think it's default somewhere in the middle.
 
 

 

[neuromancer]

Oh yes! Up and down several times even after powering off several times. Right now it is NOT an amp.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Quote:

Oh yes! Up and down several times even after powering off several times. Right now it is NOT an amp.

I just hope they didn't go into the opposite pit and made it too silent from being too loud! I wouldn't need amping and I think lots of its customers won't either but selling an amp without amping capabilities would be a bit odd though.
 
On ZO1 / ZO2 (early batch with hissing problem) I have to go from like 35% to 11% on windows volume control with ZO enabled (ZO2 max vol level or nearly max).
 
EDIT: One thing I can think of that might be the problem like some1 else here made a mistake and plugged the in / out the wrong way. The way ZO is designed is that it will still go sound through it even if you plug the source/headphone the wrong way, if you plug it the wrong way you won't get any amping though. On ZO2 unless it has been changed in the "fixed batch" the speaker icon is the output where the headphone should be plugged into and the "note" is the input for the source. Remember to watch the volume levels in case this would be the case...
 

 

[lee730]

Quote:

I just hope they didn't go into the opposite pit and made it too silent from being too loud! I wouldn't need amping and I think lots of its customers won't either but selling an amp without amping capabilities would be a bit odd though.
 
On ZO1 / ZO2 (early batch with hissing problem) I have to go from like 35% to 11% on windows volume control with ZO enabled (ZO2 max vol level or nearly max).
 
EDIT: One thing I can think of that might be the problem like some1 else here made a mistake and plugged the in / out the wrong way. The way ZO is designed is that it will still go sound through it even if you plug the source/headphone the wrong way, if you plug it the wrong way you won't get any amping though. On ZO2 unless it has been changed in the "fixed batch" the speaker icon is the output where the headphone should be plugged into and the "note" is the input for the source. Remember to watch the volume levels in case this would be the case...
 

Yeah the logos they put on the Z02 are a bit confusing. They should have marked one clearly as input and one as headphone out. At first I thought you had to plug in your headphones from the music logo side.
 

 

[neuromancer]

Yeah the logos they put on the Z02 are a bit confusing. They should have marked one clearly as input and one as headphone out. At first I thought you had to plug in your headphones from the music logo side.
 

I just hope they didn't go into the opposite pit and made it too silent from being too loud! I wouldn't need amping and I think lots of its customers won't either but selling an amp without amping capabilities would be a bit odd though.
 
On ZO1 / ZO2 (early batch with hissing problem) I have to go from like 35% to 11% on windows volume control with ZO enabled (ZO2 max vol level or nearly max).
 
EDIT: One thing I can think of that might be the problem like some1 else here made a mistake and plugged the in / out the wrong way. The way ZO is designed is that it will still go sound through it even if you plug the source/headphone the wrong way, if you plug it the wrong way you won't get any amping though. On ZO2 unless it has been changed in the "fixed batch" the speaker icon is the output where the headphone should be plugged into and the "note" is the input for the source. Remember to watch the volume levels in case this would be the case...
 

Good thinking thanks, but I had already checked that connection and it doesn't work at all if I reverse them with this batch. Karen PM'd me soon after my post so they seem quite eager to ameliorate this issue so kudos so far for customer service! It is possible I have a defective model or else....... BTW, just curious, are you using your ZO2 as a pass through filter to an external amp?

 

[lee730]

I've used the ZO2 exclusively as an amp and also in combination with my UHA4 and E9. With such high gain it's worked better when coupled with another amp or through the HO of a DAP.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

I've used it only with HO of soundcards (I've tested it with Audigy 2 ZS, Realtek HD, ASUS Xonar D2, Creative Titanium HD), I think ZO works unusually good with double-amping and that it mostly depends on the quality of the DAC for the output quality. In fact I'm quite baffled how great it works if you pair it with Realtek HD ALC889A onboard chip that I have, it's a massive lift as the main issue of this rather capable onboard chip is the output power. I've been hanging onto this Audigy 2 ZS card like forever due to the kX Audio 3rd party drivers which allow me perfect control over the hardware and precise adjustment (0.1 increment adjustment on most sliders, well some sliders have even 2-3 steps per 0.1 increment haha so I can get like the perfect amount natural sounding reverb or EQ adjustment etc). Now I'm seriosuly starting noticing that I'm using a very outdated DAC as I pair it with the newer Realtek HD onboard chip.
 
I have concidered getting a new source but I'm not sure if it exists anything out there that would be a good fit for me, I didn't like either the Titanium HD or ASUS D2 mainly cuz of the software, I need something with more precise adjustability. I wasn't that impressed with D2's output quality either, Titanium HD had pretty good quality though but not to the point I thought it was worth paying the full price.

 

[btinc]

Quote:

Just received mine today. Houston I think we have a problem. Although after playing with the contour settings, I can definately hear the enhancements to the low end, there is a certain veil to the mids/highs compared to HO from Ipod Touch. I made a quick comparison HO of Touch using HJE900 flat and then with parametric EQ (Equalizer, Equ) against flat with LOD into ZO2 and this is where it starts to get confusing as to what "sound" is more preferable. Need to check with different phones to confirm and would like the informed opinions of others using this setup as well if possible. The most vexing problem however is not this, but the fact that there is NO APPRECIABLE POWER INCREASE over the Itouch. I dare say the Touch is louder!!! WTH?? I thought I had read that this could easily power 300ohm phones without any problem and that it was so loud one had be careful to avoid damaging their ears. Definately not the case now and I believe this is the "fixed" model! I maxed out volume and was definately shocked. Am I missing something??

I'm going to have to agree, I have tried the ZO2 with a Ipod classic, touch and clip plus all three are louder with out the ZO2. Hopefully after a burn in it gets better but right now it's a low volume muddy bass machine. My music sounds much better and louder without the ZO2, looks like the Z02 will be going on the shelf.
 
 

 

[gaspir324]

And you are using which headphones?

 

[estreeter]

RPGWizard, when the %&&%! do you sleep ? 
 
If I can add one plus for the ZO2, its this - the USB cable works with my T51 and my uHA-120 : gotta be happy with that. 

 

[JamesMcProgger]

Quote:

RPGWizard, when the %&&%! do you sleep ? 
 
If I can add one plus for the ZO2, its this - the USB cable works with my T51 and my uHA-120 : gotta be happy with that. 

also the clip+ and my iBasso and my cellphone. hurray for universal USB cables. 
 

 

[btinc]

Quote:

And you are using which headphones?

IE8, Klipsch S4, Monster turbine gold, copper, UE triple fi 10, Super fi 5 pro
 

 

[esanthosh]

Quote:

I'm going to have to agree, I have tried the ZO2 with a Ipod classic, touch and clip plus all three are louder with out the ZO2. Hopefully after a burn in it gets better but right now it's a low volume muddy bass machine. My music sounds much better and louder without the ZO2, looks like the Z02 will be going on the shelf.

Is this from the pre-order batch?
 
My RMA-ed ZO2 is on the way. Should be getting it within the next couple of weeks.

 

[SpecR1]

Are they still using USPS to ship it out ?