# digiZoid ZO1 / ZO2.3 Portable Headphone Amp Review



## RPGWiZaRD

For my detailed review of ZO1 plus interesting SmartVektor technology info click on the spoiler tag below, otherwise continue to read about the ZO2.3
   


Spoiler: digiZoid%20ZO%20Personal%20Subwoofer%20Review



 
*digiZoid ZO Personal Subwoofer Review*​   
   
​   
   
  In an already very crowded market along headphone amps of various sizes and performances at different price figures, it's hard to experience anything new, it's mostly revamped designs merging different parts together as well as minor differences can be seen on the surface but the core construction often remain very similar. DigiZoid ZO Personal Subwoofer however doesn't belong to this category, built upon what the manufacturer calls SmartVektor™ technology, redefines the sound in a previously unheard way and it's not one of those $10 gimmicks marketed to the roofs like its name might hint about, no it actually WORKS since a lot of research and trial & error is put behind this product and one thing is for sure, DigiZoid are serious and are here to stay.
   
  So how will this amp / sound "enhancer" with a rather modest price point of $99 fare? Read on to find out!
   
*Technical parameters*​   
*Input                                                  Output                                                 Frequency response*
   
  connection    3.5 mm Stereo          connection   3.5 mm Stereo            20 Hz - 20 kHz ± 0.25 dB
  voltage         2.0 V (max)              current        190 mA @ 3.7 V          (green contour level)
  impedance    15 kΩ                      impedance   0.2 kΩ
   
*Environmental*                           *Power                                                  Physical*
   
  operating temp   32 ≤ °F ≤  95       run time         14 hrs                     dimensions    2.75 x 1.5 x 0.38 in
  storage temp     -4 ≤ °F 115          rapid charge     1 hr                      weight           1.2 oz     
  relative humidity   5 ≤ % ≤ 95        full charge        2 hrs
                                                  charge cycles   > 700
   
*Packaging*​   
​   
  First let's take a look at the package, in the package as seen above you can find what you'd expect to see, the amplifier together with a short and a longer stereo cable as well as an USB chord for your recharging needs as well as a guide and diagram, as a little extra touch a towel to clean your ZO from the fingerprints could perhaps have been a welcomed addon as this device sure will get full of them from the glossy surface. 
   
  I really liked the manual for it, it's small, concice, well written with no extra unnecessary or excessive technology brawl or marketing speech, only what you need to know. 
   
*Features*​   
  The ZO Personal Subwoofer is an amp / sound enhancing device that doesn't feature any volume control (but they have spoken about an updated version which might feature this but don't quote me on it) but adds a significant boost to the volume and DigiZoid recommends to start out with around 25% volume setting and all sound enhancing and EQ settings to flat/off. In my case it made quite a lot sense starting off with that but I also applied all my usual tweaks such as Dolby Headphone and reverb as well as my hardware EQ settings and they all sounded great (more like better than before) with the ZO device and didn't cause any issues at all.
   
  It allows 31 different contour level settings which a light indicator changes from green (lowest setting) to red (highest setting), the first one works as a "flat" listening setting which still grants all the audible improvements of the ZO except it doesn't make the bass stronger at this setting, perfect for those who just want to listen more flat but take advantage of the device's amp/sound processing techniques. Here's an interesting manual page for you readers to check out that shows the color of the indicator light at the different levels.
   
​   
  It also features a bypass function so that you don't have to mess with unplugging headphones from your ZO in case you turn it off or the battery would become completely dry etc. and it's also very useful to make quick comparisions between turning it on/off to hear the difference almost instantly. However there is a fairly loud "pop" when turning on/off and I'd hope DigiZoid might try to improve this in the future. 
   
  As nearly all portable devices it features USB recharging and one full recharge takes about 2 hrs while an 1 hr recharge will grant you roughly 80% capacity and a fully recharged battery lasts according to DigiZoid manual up to 14 hrs. A more realistic battery life is probably 8 ~ 12 hrs or so depending on contour level setting according to the homepage which is while not the worst out there but certainly leaves some room for improvement. personally bought an USB -> AC power adapter so I can simply plug it in the wall socket and forget about it as recharging via the USB port it made some static noise but that's pretty much the case with all devices, only some computers provide less static than others (some maybe not even audible).
   
*digiZoid SmartVektor™ and subjective analyzing*​   
  Before going into further details I'd like to take the time to explain a little bit why I got interested in this little device in first place as it's very relevant to this review, you can of course skip it if you like but it'll still add valuable info to this review.
   
  [optional, but recommended]
First I'm the kind of guy that can spend hours fiddling around with any settings found on my devices I use as I'm a tweaker and looking for that best possible subjective result I can achieve and I'm very pro-EQ enthusiast that I mainly became thanks to the very high quality hardware 10-band EQ found in the kX Audio drivers for my Audigy 2 ZS soundcard which really opened my eyes in how great of an improvement a good quality equalizer can bring, clearly beating any typical software EQ found in for example most of the music players as it doesn't distort or color the frequencies, it'll only adjust the "loudness"-curve like an EQ should be doing in best case scenario. 
   
At first when I started using these kX Audio drivers and the 10-band EQ especially I did some rather typical, minimalistic deviations from zero-level changes to adjust the balance of the headphone. The basshead in me during that time (we're talking probably 5+ years ago) just wasn't quite satisfied yet coming from a computer speaker 5.1 setup which I gave up in favor for listening privacy. Now I tested boosting the lows further and got very satisfied with the bass quantity however the overall balance or sound quality was less than ideal so I started boosting the rest of the range as well by various amounts and ended up with quite similar curve as previously, only the whole range took a boost but bass became boosted a little more in comparision. Eventually I started boosting the whole range even further and to my surprise the more I boosted the whole range, the more I started liking what I was hearing and then I also started realizing exactly how great this EQ was as boosting frequencies by large amounts isn't anything that common software EQs would allow without distorting, in my case the output volume just got louder at the same volume setting which forced me to lower my volume sliders to make up for it. I was puzzled, how could boosting the whole range on my EQ start sounding better than simply boosting the volume, it just didn't sound the same.
   
It's this more "forward" sound which I'd describe as more "dynamic" sounding which I believe is what people enjoy about this ZO device that is a bit difficult to explain in words, it's something that simply has to be experienced on your own. Whether this ZO Personal Subwoofer device uses a similar hardware EQ-technique playing around with the loudness curve and boosting the whole range or not, one thing's for sure, they DO share that similar kind of sound signature change after doing comparisions with my own ears between the hardware EQ and the ZO device. But this is certainly not the only change or benefit the ZO adds, certainly not, but more on that later!
   
Before moving on I'd like to show you my 2 different EQ settings I keep for XB500 for example, one that is minimalisticly tweaked for only better balance and the other which uses this kind of EQ technique with greatly boosted range as a whole that I find providing great results that I spoke about previously making a more "forward" and dynamic experience. Also to set things into perspective of how much of a drastic bass boost capability ZO can add, to get similar kind of bass quantity out of the ZO device as the EQ setting I may only need to use around level 6 or 7 possibly (starting from level 0), whereabouts the contour level indicating light changes from yellow to orange which is roughly only 1/4 of the max capability!
   
​   

 On the DigiZoid website they include a sound demo of the effect ZO device adds. Of course it has to be stressed that this is merely a simulation and won't represent how it sounds like in practice but I still think it gives quite a good hint at what it does.
   



   
  If further digging into the website they will also show some graphs that would strengthen my suspicions I discussed in the optional chapter, boosting the whole frequency range and depending on the setting level on the ZO it'll boost bass a little more than the rest which again is exactly the same technique I use with my hardware EQ.
   
_Headphone: Sennheiser HD280 Pro_​ ​ (Picture source)​   
   
  On the http://www.digizoid.com/tech/ page you can read the following that I will try and comment with my own words and experiences how I see it and tell whether I think there's some truth to it or if it's just another attempt to advertise a product to sound better than what it really is.
   
_*The Revitalization of Sound*_
   
_SmartVektor™ technology revitalizes sound to produce a sonic experience previously thought unattainable. Our patent-pending techniques deviate from current industry practices, delivering market defining performance that enables you to provide new levels of product differentiation. Put the power, balance, and refinement of SmartVektor technology in your next design and discover the true power of sound._
   
   
  It certainly is a more unique implementation and differs from the competition and even goes even slightly against what many formal audiophiles would typically opt for. However theoretical aspects put aside, the subjective results heard from the ZO Personal Subwoofer is really something that has to be experienced in person to be able to appriciate. Hopefully DigiZoid might even be able to implement this technology in for example different MP3 players of various manufacturers (similar to for example BBE in Cowon MP3 players) which would pay licensing fees to DigiZoid.  
   
_*Powerful*_
   
_SmartVektor technology expands the audio's dynamic range in the low and high ends of the spectrum. Therefore, with loudness variation enhanced, music is revitalized with texture and clarity. Layers of sound once buried are now uncovered, and the emotional power of sound is restored._
   
  This is very much what I experienced as well, the dynamic range is noticably enhanced but it's not only the lows and highs that are brought more forward but mids as well. However mids is the range that will start suffer the most if raising the contour level above the lowest setting but it'll still work noticably better than traditional amp bass boost controls as this doesn't only adjust the lows but the whole frequency range is altered and this also leads to a bit better instrument separation. Imagine it in the following way, as having several speakers tuned to take care of different frequency ranges. As they can each focus on their specific range you can easily boost the volume of all those speakers instead of having one speaker doing the whole range which results in more detailed and separated kind of sound where the different instruments come out more clearly without being masked by other frequencies. This is the best description I can provide of what the effect ZO provides does.
   
  Also the people working on this has done a absolutely great job at shaping the curves optimally for each level so that there is as little bass bleed as possible comparing to how large bass boost capability we're talking about here. Of course each headphone will still require their personal EQ curves to sound optimal but they did an excellent job at where to start rolling off the bass response before it reaches the lower-mid frequencies and I can also confirm that adding your own EQing on top of ZO will work absolutely fine and won't cause any easier distortion than not using the ZO device!
   
_*Refined*_
   
_Through the management of acoustic timing and power delivery, SmartVektor reveals sonic detail within the audio otherwise obscured by more dominant sounds. This "unmasking" improves the overall clarity and acoustic resolution, and provides greater spatial dimensionality regardless of the listening environment._
   
  I can relate to this as well, every headphone I got that I plug into the ZO device I started hearing better microdetail as all my headphones started sounding a bit more balanced (muffled sounding headphones started sounding more clear and bright headphones a little less bright etc) which again I think have to do with the more "forward" sound. I can also relate to the increase in spatial dimensionality or known as "soundstage" around these parts, it expands the "borders" of the soundstage further without doing some major repositioning, sounds that are meant to sound like coming further away comes further away but due to the more forward sound, it sounds a little more "up-front" when running through the ZO device which leads to the music sounds more engaging and emotional like you'd be physically there which causes you to not being able to sit still but have to start dancing or moving along to the music!
   
_*Robust*_
   
_SmartVektor technology is not a bass boost, EQ, or psychoacoustic algorithm. Instead, it maximizes the acoustic efficiency of a speaker by extending its' low frequency cutoff, and optimizing the low frequency power delivery. The result is distinct, profound bass with pure highs and unclouded crystalline detail._
   
  The bass response is definitely improved bigtime in various aspects. I was always sceptical about reading how a headphone amp could make it stronger in deep bass but also tighter at the same time (without actually removing any significant amount midbass) while adding a more realistic "kick/punch" to it without causing any serious midrange bleed from midbass which usually stands for the punch/kick with a lot of impact to it, phew. This is exactly what ZO Personal Subwoofer does and the best is that it doesn't distort, it sounds so clean and natural, something 99% of EQs probably can't achieve when talking about the bass boost that ZO is capable of.
   
_*Balanced*_
   
_SmartVektor technology rebalances an audio signal to compensate for the ear's inefficiencies by normalizing the sound pressure levels of the entire audio spectrum to achieve equal loudness. Since this balancing provides more sound at less volume, the overall risk of both short- and long-term hearing damage from excessive volume level listening is reduced._
   
  I suppose there's some truth to this as I definitely heard that the headphones sounded a little more balanced when running through the ZO. I believe the safer listening argument could probably be applied in the sense that bassheads are able to achieve the desired bass output satisfaction at lower volumes than previously so the mids and highs aren't as screaming high while still providing great detail from the more forward and more balanced sound.
   
  Furthermore I want to add that at the lowest contour level setting you won't get any emphasized bassresponse, it'll just sound a little more balanced while sounding more forward and you'll enjoy better dynamic range as well as a bigger and more realistic soundstage with better microdetail definition while getting a much louder output volume. Between the first ("flat") level and the second there's quite a bump in bass response in my qualified guess maybe around 2.0 ~ 2.5dB or so, would probably be nice if DigiZoid added more options in between the first and 2nd level in the future (say 1.0 ~ 1.5dB or so boost), for me personally it's not an issue but I know some people would greatly appriciate a more subtle bass response boost.
   
*Conclusions*​   
  It's very difficult whether you're a basshead or a balanced response listener to NOT recommend the DigiZoid ZO Personal Subwoofer for a mere $99, which I concider a steal for what it provides. Unless you need to power a very demanding highend headphone, the ZO Personal Subwoofer should be very high on everyone's "must-try" list. From increased bass response quantity as well as quality from dynamic range improvement to microdetail improvement as well as soundstage improvement along with more raw power but at the same time safer listening in the long run, the list is nearly endless. I can't imagine me listening without this ZO device after I heard it, after YOU've heard it, you quickly become an addict and listening without it, the music will sound more lifeless and boring. It's difficult to put what ZO does in words, only by trying it yourself you will fully realize what it's about and that's why it's so difficult to write a review about it, I tried my best to stay objective and calm without my emotions taking over this review and believe me, that was among the most difficult things I've dealt with in my life. 
   
  I really hope the effort DigiZoid has shown by having a contact here on Head-Fi co-operating with the people "in-the-know" will continue and who knows what products we will be enjoying in the future. As of now I have to excuse myself as I have to hop on the ZO-train departing for "audio Nirvana", thanks for reading and also huge thanks to DigiZoid for letting me experience all this for such an insignificant price!
   
*Pros*
   
  - Outstanding price / performance ratio
  - Vast improvement to many different aspects, bass response, dynamic range, soundstage, detail, balance
  - Add as much bass as you personally prefer out of the 31 different contour levels
  - Small and very portable
  - Safer listening
   
*Cons & the average*
   
  - No volume control 
  - Makes fairly loud "pop" when turning on/off
  - Somewhat lacking contour level steps especially in-between the first "flat" and the 2nd level
  - Battery life
   
   
*Pictures*​   
   
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​   
​   
   
   


   
   
   
*digiZoid ZO2.3*​   
   
 ​   
   
  First I'd like to take the time to thank digiZoid properly for listening to users feedback and working so hard to make sure the product gets as good as possible for as many users as possible, it's certainly not an easy task to satisfy both the demanding Head-Fi crowd as well as covering both Line-Out IEM use as well as making sure it can drive a little higher impedance headphones. This was one of the main goal for ZO2 -- what ZO1 wasn't able to, to be able to use with a line-out device, bypassing the often subpar quality internal amp in portable devices for a cleaner result. This wasn't a smooth ride though like the number ZO*2.3 *in the title suggests, it took 3 attempts but in the end everything turned out well as digiZoid team was determined to make this happen even if it meant most of their christmas holidays time would be occupied by work. 
   
   
   
*Technical parameters*​   
*Physical                                                                                     Sound Customization                                                                                                       **Included Accessories *
   
  Dimensions: 2.75 x 1.5 x 0.38 in.                                     Two gain modes for use with either headphone out or line-out                              Short 3.5mm stereo cable
  Weight: 0.94 oz.                                                          Compatible with headphone impedances up to 300 ohms                                      Mini-USB charging cable
  Designed and manufactured in the USA                            Digital volume control with 32 selectable levels                                         
  Enclosure has a "soft-touch" protective coating                 LightScale with 32 distinct color changes for each sound contour profile
                                                                                  Sound contour profiles tuned for equally spaced intensity changes
                                                                                  Single-switch operation for all controls
                                                                                  Memory feature automatically recalls last settings
   
   
*Changes*​ _*High and low gain*_
   
  It now features selectable high and low gain. The low gain is primarily intended for line-out use and high gain if used with headphone jack. But the low gain also offers slightly different contour level intensity so could possibly work as an alternative contour level profile in case high mode doesn't work out for you so nothing stops you from trying low gain if plugged into a headphone jack. I even possibly preferred the sound using low gain.
   
*Volume control*
   
  There's now volume control with 32 levels that you can adjust while in low gain which is needed for LOD use. In high gain it remain fixed but it's questionable if there's any real benefits by having volume control in high gain as if you use the headphone jack it sounds perhaps best if volume on ZO2 is maxed from my testing anyway and in high gain it's too loud for LOD use.
   
*Contour level adjustments*
   
  It features now 32-level contour level adjustment which has been tweaked, it now offers equally spaced intensity changes and the low level contour levels have been adjusted so that the lowest level offers a very transparent and neutral balance and the following 1-2 levels offer now a very fine amount of bass boost so you can more get a much smaller boost if that's desired than previously.
   
*Low battery LED indicator*
   
  There's now a LED that will blink when the battery is low.
   
_*Coating change*_
   
  The glossy plastic fingerprint magnet coating has now been changed for a "soft-touch" protective coating
   
_*Bypass/standby mode disabled*_
   
  The bypass/standby functionality which made it possible to listen while the ZO has been turned off without having to unplug it first has been removed to protect the listener and equipment from excessive volume levels when ZO is used with Line-out.
   
_*LightScale LED intensity changes*_
   
  Now features 32 distinct color changes for every 32 contour profile 
   
*Battery life improvements *
   
  It now exceeds 12 hrs, from my testing possibly around 15 ~ 18 hrs depending on mode used etc. (don't take this as an exact measurement as I haven't timed it!)
   
*Improved on/off switching*
   
  No longer makes a popping noise and it switches on/off MUCH faster than previously and without bunch of distortion heard meanwhile
   
_*EMI/RFI filtering improvements*_
   
  The ZO2.3 no longer occasionally picks up "phone-signals" now. 
   
*Single-switch operation*
   
  High/low gain selection, volume control, contour level adjustment, on/off switching is ALL done on the same push-wheel switch. To turn on/off, you simply push down the button for aprox 2 secs, to adjust contour and volume levels you use the wheel to adjust up/down and to change between contour level and volume adjustment you only do a rapid press on the button and finally to go from low to high gain mode you first adjust to the max volume level in low gain which will make the LightScale LED turn purple and hold down the wheel button+ for aprox 4-5 secs and the LED will turn pink.
   
   
*Subjective Sound Changes*​   
  What suprised me most here is the difference I'm hearing between low and high gain modes on ZO2.3. I think the SmartVektor sound has a greater effect in low gain when I'm raising the source volume to match up the high gain volume levels for some reason. As a reminder of how SmartVektor processes sounds like here's a good new comparision you can check out
   


   
  There's no huge changes in sound comparing ZO1 to ZO2.3 except the contour levels are now better balanced. For me the soundstage and stereo separation on ZO2.3 is slightly better in low gain vs high and versus ZO1 it's quite similar, possibly slightly more up-front you have to listen closely to hear any differences, especially comparing ZO2.3 low gain vs ZO1 it's actually fairly the same in this regard but I think ZO1 has slight advantage if comparing against high gain. I think also the midrange is slightly better detailed and forward using low gain in ZO2.3 and the highs have ever so tiny bit better resolution for a more neutral sound. Why I'm experiencing slight differences between low and high gain is a slight mystery to me but let's say the differences is easier to notice between low/high gain than comparing ZO1 to ZO2.3. I'm guessing it probably has to do with the volume differences on the source using headphone jack and then controlling the volume on the source. In low gain using my M-Audio Q40 headphones as an example which are 64 ohm headphones I'm at like 53~54% but in high gain at 16%, so a big difference there.
   
  The bass using low gain is not as intense as in high gain so it gives a nice alternative curve but yea the bass boost is also very drastic in low level as you up the contour levels and should be more than plenty for most people. In high gain it seems to provide slightly more "punch" to the bass compared to ZO1.
   
  Other than I can't say for sure I'm noticing any noteworthy changes I will update this part later if I'd change my mind. But I prefer ZO2.3 sound-wise using low gain over ZO1.
   
   
*Conclusions *​   
  Seems all the work digiZoid team has put into ZO2.3 has finally paid off, the usability now covers a greater usability range covering all the way from LOD + IEM use to headphone of up to 300 ohm use. As mentioned previously there's a number of improved features and the best is that despite all this, the digiZoid has decided to keep the price at the MSRP $99.95 price point where it's an easy recommendation from me for any one searching for a little more basic portable amp, whether you're a basshead searching for headpounding bass without ruining the overall sound which ZO2.3 is more than capable of and thanks to the further tweaked contour level adjustment anyone will find his preferred bass response. As for myself I can't even wait with what digiZoid will come up next, especially with the rumored ZO3 featuring fullrange SmartVektor adjustment which allows you to adjust the treblerange as well!
   
  Lastly some pros & cons compared to ZO1.
   
*Pros*
   
  - Now possible to use with line-out thanks to volume control & low gain
  - Better balanced contour levels
  - No longer annoying pop-sound when switching on/off and it's much faster
  - No longer seems to pick up any phone signals
  - Improved battery life & low battery indicator
   
*Cons & the average*
   
  - Soundstage could probably be further improved while in high gain especially
   
   
*Pictures*​   
  ​


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## slapshot30

Love the review. Finally this product gets the attention it really deserves. Any basshead needs this thing to get the most out of their headphones.


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## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





slapshot30 said:


> Love the review. Finally this product gets the attention it really deserves. Any basshead needs this thing to get the most out of their headphones.


 

 Yea it really suprised me, I was expecting to get this more "forward" sound characteristic and bass boost capability but I hadn't expected to get so many improvements too, not for this price.


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## wind016

Wow! You finally got it! I would like to say thanks before I do the actual reading. =)


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## ziocomposite

Great review and happy your are finally enjoying what some of us have easier access to =)  It truly is a gem!!!


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## Alghazanth

Does this work alongside an amp/dac?


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## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





alghazanth said:


> Does this work alongside an amp/dac?


 

 It probably works but how great it works is obviously the question, I've only got an FiiO E5 collecting dust somewhere as I've sold my other amps, testing with an E7 for example would probably give a better idea and seeing how common those are around here there's got to be at least some1 with a ZO as well as E7. Maybe some other ZO owners can comment on this?


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## Alghazanth

I think I'm going to cop one of these, just to see what it does to the bass-less AD700 I still have laying around.


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## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





alghazanth said:


> I think I'm going to cop one of these, just to see what it does to the bass-less AD700 I still have laying around.


 

 Haha, that will be interesting, among the more common bass-less options. If it can turn this headphone bassheavy it'll be quite a feat. Somehow I still think it got the capability to do so, the bass boost of this device is just scarily strong, I barely dared going past midway on XB500 even for testing purposes and I'm a basshead lol.
   
  EDIT: Oh wait I just remembered I should have some old Philips headphone lying around somewhere that is very very basshy and the bass sounds like "tin-can" bass. Must try it on that. 
   
  OK So I tried it on the philips headphone which by default settings has barely even any audible bass and turned ZO to max and it made it much bassier, now it can be heard, I'd put it slightly above what I'd call neutral and it barely muddy up the overall sound at all on this particular headphone, nice.


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## ziocomposite

I've tested and yes it can give it "BASS".  However too colored for my liking.  So I used my cmoybb 2.03 with bass boost on then used it with the Zo.  It reduces the amount of coloration with about 4-8 clicks to get some nice bass.  =)
   
  EDIT
   
  And yeah...I was like What!?  YESSSSSSS lol


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## DaBomb77766

I would be sold on these, if they actually had a real volume control.  But until then, the lack of volume control is a total dealbreaker for me.  I hope that if they do, they make it a good one, since I don't want to deal with a crappy pot with bad volume imbalance.


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## Alghazanth

Quote: 





ziocomposite said:


> I've tested and yes it can give it "BASS".  However too colored for my liking.  So I used my cmoybb 2.03 with bass boost on then used it with the Zo.  It reduces the amount of coloration with about 4-8 clicks to get some nice bass.  =)
> 
> EDIT
> 
> And yeah...I was like What!?  YESSSSSSS lol


 

 Wait, so did you use both at once? Which of the two is superior alone?


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## ziocomposite

I do use both when at home.  But if I had a choice of only one, then I would take the Zo easily.


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## RPGWiZaRD

Here's my EQ settings for XB500 previously without and now with ZO that has the contour level setting set only one notch up from the "flat"/lowest setting: 
   

   
  The bass quantity is about the same when using the new EQ setting with ZO as not using ZO and the other higher boosted bass curve. Sounds for my taste perfectly now. I guess I really must be a big fan of this "forward" sound if my EQ setting looks like it does despite even using ZO device.


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## Alghazanth

You got the ZO for the XB? Is the bass not enough?


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## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





alghazanth said:


> You got the ZO for the XB? Is the bass not enough?


 
   
  No, if you read the review I got it for the technique they used in it, even using the flat setting that doesn't boost the bass the whole range is "boosted" by the same amount. Seeing how I liked boosting the whole curve on my hardware EQ and this looked like using similar technique I knew I had to get this as I'd call myself a "forward" sound enthusiast (ofc basshead as well) but the bass boost wasn't what I had in mind when getting this device as I could already get more than enough bass out of my hardware EQ. I had basicly already heard what kind of sound characteristic benefits this technique brings so I knew I'd like this ZO even before trying it. It's good to get it confirmed what I thought it would bring was correct though and further strengthen my points about this EQ technique I use that goes against typical audiophile beliefs is actually something that sounds great to me on a subjective level at least, the problem is that there exists almost no good enough EQs for this capability than what I use it seems but ZO does this as well, only you can't tune how much you can bring the whole range "forward".


----------



## Alghazanth

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> No, if you read the review I got it for the technique they used in it, even using the flat setting that doesn't boost the bass the whole range is "boosted" by the same amount. Seeing how I liked boosting the whole curve on my hardware EQ and this looked like using similar technique I knew I had to get this as I'd call myself a "forward" sound enthusiast (ofc basshead as well) but the bass boost wasn't what I had in mind when getting this device as I could already get more than enough bass out of my hardware EQ. I had basicly already heard what kind of sound characteristic benefits this technique brings so I knew I'd like this ZO even before trying it. It's good to get it confirmed what I thought it would bring was correct though and further strengthen my points about this EQ technique I use that goes against typical audiophile beliefs is actually something that sounds great to me on a subjective level at least.


 
  I see, I too loved the same kind of sound only a week back, but I've moved onto something better


----------



## project86

Great review, very well done! I completely agree with your conclusions about this little gem. The more we talk about it, the more people might decide to give it a try. I've yet to hear from someone who tried and and came away unimpressed.


----------



## shotgunshane

Quote: 





alghazanth said:


> I see, I too loved the same kind of sound only a week back, but I've moved onto something better


 

 What does this even mean?


----------



## Alghazanth

Quote: 





shotgunshane said:


> What does this even mean?


 

 From D7000/DT990/etc to HE500/T1/etc


----------



## F900EX

Some nice solid reviews around from respected members and other site, I will buy one but going to wait for v2 since i'm sure it will be a whole lot better with volume control and no popping sound when started.


----------



## Alghazanth

Quote: 





f900ex said:


> Some nice solid reviews around from respected members and other site, I will buy one but going to wait for v2 since i'm sure it will be a whole lot better with volume control and no popping sound when started.


 


  Do you know when the V2 is arriving? I'm about to order one of these to try it out but if V2 is coming soon I'll wait.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





alghazanth said:


> Do you know when the V2 is arriving? I'm about to order one of these to try it out but if V2 is coming soon I'll wait.


 

 If I remember correctly sometimes this fall, September/October possibly that was the targeted goal. I might pick up v2 as well depending on what has been changed. I'm not in a huge need of a volume control (and if it results in channel imbalance I would not prefer having it) but I wouldn't either say no to more tweakable contour levels and hopefully some other improvements but as it's already a great product that is clearly worth the asking price anyway so I won't be rushing after one but will take my time and wait for reviews and then see what I decide to do unless DigiZoid would kindly lend me a slightly imperfect sample with perhaps some tiny blemishes for a review.


----------



## F900EX

If it was October i'd probably just order one, but then in the other thread I saw this ...
   
   "I can't give you guys a finalized date for when it will be completed and ready for purchase, but we're pushing for sometime in August"
   
August is not that far off, so that was my reasoning for holding out until v2 is released.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Yea my bad, still be prepared there's always the possibility it doesn't meet the targeted timeframe.


----------



## RASeymour

Any need/desire for burn-in?  It seemed good out of the box to me yesterday when it arrived.
   
  FWIW, it is almost the same size and weight of the iBasso T4 it is probably going to replace.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





raseymour said:


> Any need/desire for burn-in?  It seemed good out of the box to me yesterday when it arrived.
> 
> FWIW, it is almost the same size and weight of the iBasso T4 it is probably going to replace.


 

 Well I never "burn-in" any product I buy, I start using them immediatly and let them burn-in while I use them (I admire some people's patience that might even burn-in a headphone even 100hrs+ before first use though, I could never manage that) . It sounded indeed great out of box. Amps shouldn't change anything with burn-in either, well to a much less extent if so.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

LOL, this was a weird experience, I tried boosting the bass slightly on the ZO device listening to this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FonmhUBsXOY&hd=1 on my XB500 and at 0:32 when the ~20Hz bass note kicks in it felt like the headphone would jump around on my head almost while tickling my ears a bit and at 0:40 - 0:42 when the bassnote peaks into a higher bass frequency I felt a bit dizzy and my vision weren't straight, it was like it would be slanting a little like I was about to faint or something (luckily I sit in a chair ). My volume wasn't even set any high at all, no it was very average at best in fear of breaking the drivers from lowbass frequency overload.
   
  Can you imagine something like this happening with a HEADPHONE?  Sure I'm quite a bit tired right now so that may have to do with it too but still. Soon DigiZoid will have to put on a warning sticker "the following device may cause you to faint from bass overload, use with caution!" xD


----------



## Alghazanth

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> LOL, this was a weird experience, I tried boosting the bass slightly on the ZO device listening to this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FonmhUBsXOY&hd=1 on my XB500 and at 0:32 when the ~20Hz bass note kicks in it felt like the headphone would jump around on my head almost while tickling my ears a bit and at 0:40 - 0:42 when the bassnote peaks into a higher bass frequency I felt a bit dizzy and my vision weren't straight, it was like it would be slanting a little like I was about to faint or something (luckily I sit in a chair ). My volume wasn't even set any high at all, no it was very average at best in fear of breaking the drivers from lowbass frequency overload.
> 
> Can you imagine something like this happening with a HEADPHONE?  Sure I'm quite a bit tired right now so that may have to do with it too but still. Soon DigiZoid will have to put on a warning sticker "the following device may cause you to faint from bass overload, use with caution!" xD


 

 That's definitely healthy. Imagine using it on the go and passing out in the streets


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





slapshot30 said:


> Love the review. Finally this product gets the attention it really deserves. Any basshead needs this thing to get the most out of their headphones.


 


  Finally ? I think its safe to say that there has been a run on the ZO - when I emailed them, all they had left were factory seconds !


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

I sent a message to Mike yesterday about ZO, the guy who wrote the sub-$100 comparision of some of the most popular amps at headfonia http://www.headfonia.com/q-a/
   
  So hopefully he's got one for a review soon, this guy's very respected and got very extensive experience with both headphones as well as amps. Sometimes I can't help but feel like I'm working as a marketing employee for DigiZoid for free of charge.


----------



## Alghazanth

Damn, it's out of stock everywhere now..


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Try http://www.digizoid.com/contact/
   
  They may have a few imperfect samples, I got mine for $79 + shipping due to a very very small blemish that's hard to even see. Shipping+handling was $14.95 in my case but that's cuz I'm from europe so wasn't too bad.


----------



## slapshot30

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Finally ? I think its safe to say that there has been a run on the ZO - when I emailed them, all they had left were factory seconds !


 

 Well I mean we had the review by Project86... and that was it. The thread got revieved after a few months and then slowly but surely it picked up. A few months ago this thing was nothing to Head-Fi, but now it has caught fire. It deserves it though.


----------



## Alghazanth

Looks like we'll need to wait for the V2 now.


----------



## pinoyman

i think the ZO is not only the BASS but the overall frequency.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





pinoyman said:


> i think the ZO is not only the BASS but the overall frequency.


 
   
  Yea? Who was that directed to?  Don't think any1 here said ZO was only about bass, certainly not my review.


----------



## pinoyman

^that would certainly not point to me.
  hehehe.
  just a thought for those who are worried to try this great thing.
  to clear things up: the ZO is NOT only a BASS enhancement.


----------



## estreeter

Guys, I have to play Devil's Advocate here - if the ZO cost $300+, would you still be so enamoured ? I'm not casting aspersions on the sound, but I vividly recall the initial reaction to the uDAC .......


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Guys, I have to play Devil's Advocate here - if the ZO cost $300+, would you still be so enamoured ? I'm not casting aspersions on the sound, but I vividly recall the initial reaction to the uDAC .......


 

 Of course the price plays a great role of how good you percieve a product but price isn't always a good reflection over satisfaction (sometimes a $50 product can satisfy more than a $200 due to products sounding differently and we all have our own prefers how it should sound like). I'm not sure how much I'd pay for it or if I'd rather get this over the Headstage Arrow 12HE amp for example (I take this as an example because it's quite similar product and highly regarded around here). What makes it so difficult to price it though is that it's differently implemented than a normal amp. A normal amp doesn't bring as much change to forwardness of the whole frequency response range or the dynamic range while an amp like Headstage Arrow for example might have handpicked higher quality components, it doesn't necessarily have to be that Arrow would satisfy you more if you happen to like the change the ZO adds to the sound signature. Now every1 might not even concider the change (read improvement) the ZO adds as an improvement. I personally bought the ZO exactly because of the change in sound signature, I know from experience that I enjoy a very forward/dynamic sound (I want music to be thrown in my face even if I listen to a ballad, that's what personally like and yes I even find that relaxing) and since I've had experience of how it starts sounding like if you add up to like 10dB boost on the whole range (yes volume matching is critical for comparision's sake and that's taken into account) on a good DSP hardware EQ (which can handle that without distorting) I knew I would like the ZO and my expectations really matched the result I heard very well.
   
  If I was forced to say how much I'd be willing to pay as an absolute max (hopefully no DigiZoid reps reads this as I don't wish to see any price hike of course ) I'd pay at least up to $199 / 149 EUR. In terms of satisfaction such price figure would be a better reflection over it than the $79 I paid for my slightly imperfect sample with a small blemish on it which for how satisfied I am with it I concider it as a steal.


----------



## estreeter

Fair enough - I also remember the cries of dismay when Nick Leckerton put the price of the uHA-4 by a (gasp !) whole 20 dollars - some who had sat on the sidelines were beside themselves with grief at this unforseen development


----------



## benzoylmethyl

Great review, Wizard!  I'm glad you finally got it--I don't think I've ever spoken to you before, but you've got the basshead thing pretty much on lock, so you've influenced several of my purchases.  Mine finally came in today--I'm in Afghanistan, and sadly it got redirected several times on the way here; it took over a month.  I haven't even plugged it in yet, cuz I don't have the 3.5mm connector for my PRO900 with me.  I can't wait!!
   
  I plan on reviewing it myself later this afternoon/early tomorrow.  Do you mind if i reference your review in mine?
   
   
_edit:  I just realized how long this thread has been dead.  My apologies for the revival._


----------



## benzoylmethyl

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> If I was forced to say how much I'd be willing to pay as an absolute max (hopefully no DigiZoid reps reads this as I don't wish to see any price hike of course ) I'd pay at least up to $199 / 149 EUR. In terms of satisfaction such price figure would be a better reflection over it than the $79 I paid for my slightly imperfect sample with a small blemish on it which for how satisfied I am with it I concider it as a steal.


 
   
  I would agree with that price point, provided that there was an equal improvement in build quality.  It's not shoddy by any means, but it just doesn't have the level of fit-and-finish I would expect of a $200 amp.  At the $100 price point, though, I find it kind of charming...It's like a device that was designed by engineers to demonstrate an awesome new technology, and it was so well received they decided to throw it into production. 
   
  Also, to whoever was looking for one, email info@digizoid.com.  I got the last unopened sample they had, but like Wizard said, they may have a few opened models laying around still.  Cindy is their rep's name, and she's exceedingly helpful and customer focused.  She spent an inordinate amount of time helping me out when I thought my ZO had been stolen in the mail.


----------



## kmhaynes

^, No, I asked them last week if they had any 2nds / refurbished units and they have none to sell.  Have to find on used or wait for V2.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Yea looks like the ZO has sold very well.


----------



## DaBomb77766

Speaking of which, any word on when the V2 will be released?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Looks like end of September at the moment.


----------



## rezel

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but any updates on the V2?
  It's already October and I haven't been able to find much on the V2.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





rezel said:


> Sorry to dig up an old thread, but any updates on the V2?
> It's already October and I haven't been able to find much on the V2.


 

 Not sure anymore, heard rumors of November but this isn't official. Just have to wait and see unfortunately. But I won a ZO V2 in the recent contest so I will probably be among the first ppl to get one shipped out to me and I'll update this thread with V2 stuff then.


----------



## pinoyman

^awww man! 
  youre so lucky!!!


----------



## francisdemarte

This sounds like a decent idea, but the demo on the website has two samples that are not volume matched. I find this somewhat deceptive as the the louder sample will be considered "better". How about posting two volume matched before and afters?


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





rezel said:


> Sorry to dig up an old thread, but any updates on the V2?
> It's already October and I haven't been able to find much on the V2.


 

 Really ?
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/574126/the-zo2-has-landed-digizoid-accepting-pre-orders
   
  http://www.facebook.com/digizoid
   
  Pre-order page on the DigiZoid site:
   
  http://www.digizoid.com/zo/
   
  I hope to have mine in my hot little hands by first week November.


----------



## rezel

^ Heh 
  Note the date I posted estreeter? >.<
  Quote: 





francisdemarte said:


> This sounds like a decent idea, but the demo on the website has two samples that are not volume matched. I find this somewhat deceptive as the the louder sample will be considered "better". How about posting two volume matched before and afters?


 


  They're not volume matched because the Zo contains an amplifier in addition to the Zo effect. Hence that's what you would hear when you plugged a Zo in.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Would be nice if I was able to do a live demo using 2 microphones you put inside on a dummy head at the ear location (binaural recording). Unfortunately I don't have that but would be interesting to do.


----------



## estreeter

@rezel - my sincere apologies - its all happened so fast over the last fortnight that the beginning of October seems like eons ago .....


----------



## pinoyman

thanks for this beeeeeeZOtivul review!


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





pinoyman said:


> thanks for this beeeeeeZOtivul review!


 

 Thanks I will update with ZO2 details later when I recieve ZO2 v3 and have burnt it in, of course I could write stuff based on ZO2 v1 but since this one isn't going to be available anymore it just makes sense to not write about that one as the v3 features high/low gain and could probably differ in sound characteristics a little as well.


----------



## pinoyman

whhhhat? there's an incoming ZO v.3?
  that was so fast for the digizoid company!


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





pinoyman said:


> whhhhat? there's an incoming ZO v.3?
> that was so fast for the digizoid company!


 

 No, read again, it's ZO*2* version/revision 3, the earlier ones weren't quite perfect so now they've fixed all the "issues". But yes they have already developed samples of what could be a future ZO3 which is said to have full SmartVektor control so you can also control treble levels but this one we'll have to wait quite a while before it'll get launched.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





pinoyman said:


> whhhhat? there's an incoming ZO v.3?
> that was so fast for the digizoid company!


 
  That should read 'ZO2 R3' as in 'Release 3', IMO (maybe '*R2.3*' if we are being pedantic). DigiZoid bungled their initial attempt to fix the problems with the ZO2 'r1', resulting in a recall for both 'V1' and 'V2' - in a perfect world, *there wouldn't even be a 'v2'*. How many recalls have Fiio made ? iBasso ? Headamp ?


----------



## pinoyman

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> No, read again, it's ZO*2* version/revision 3, the earlier ones weren't quite perfect so now they've fixed all the "issues". But yes they have already developed samples of what could be a future ZO3 which is said to have full SmartVektor control so you can also control treble levels but this one we'll have to wait quite a while before it'll get launched.


 
  wow, a treble booster...that would be a direct competitor to the arrow.
  that would be very nice addition to the almost perfect rounded and fun bass.

  
   


  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> That should read 'ZO2 R3' as in 'Release 3', IMO (maybe '*R2.3*' if we are being pedantic). DigiZoid bungled their initial attempt to fix the problems with the ZO2 'r1', resulting in a recall for both 'V1' and 'V2' - in a perfect world, *there wouldn't even be a 'v2'*. How many recalls have Fiio made ? iBasso ? Headamp ?


 


  thank you guys for the info.
  its been awhile.
  i still have mine (v.1) and still enjoying my analog sounding bass amp Zo.


----------



## ANDEROAN

just some feedback on my ZOv1 and how amazed I am with how this little guy can reproduce the signal from my Voyager, even when the battery on the Voyager can't put out any sound from my Voyager? the sound will be super faint from the Voyager but you can't really tell that when I put the signal thru the ZO? its only when I turn off the ZO or when it finally starts to sound distorted that I know the Voyagers battery is almost completely gone, even though they are rechargeable batteries I get all the charge from them when listening thru the ZO ? I am simply amazed how this little guy can give sound when there is barely any signal coming from  the amp ? hhmmm go figure,
   
  I am ssooo happy as hell with what I have and enjoying extremely ssoooo much!!!
   
  lod from my iPod Classic 7th gen>Voyager amp>ZOv1>Sony EX600s!!!!!!!! a ZOwinning combo!!!!
   
  KA-SWEET!!!!


----------



## djevoultion

@ANDEROAN
   
  Excuse my ignorance if I'm wrong, but from your setup it seems your a double amping? 
   
Shouldn't it be iPod Classic 7th gen>>ZOv1>Sony EX600s?


----------



## ANDEROAN

hhmmm DJ, yes that might be true, or as Tolkien says, that does have a amp/ring of truth to it ? lol, not too sure really, but how this sounds is superb to saying the least!! and KA-SWEET at the most, llol, but either way would be double amping ?, but what the ZO really does isn't really amping from what I understand, it just enhances whats already there, and I really like what the Voyager provides, which is an EXCELLENT foundation for the ZO to enhance from! my ZO is the morter that holds the music together, it fills in all the little gaps, and provides me with solid walls of listening contentment to go thru my entire day with serene bliss, and the joy of my music never comes crashing down on me, ggrrr! well the battery has run out on me from time to time, and I find sollace in my refuge of sound, protected from all the bad things that life wroughts me with, oops sorry OT, I just got done watching Alice in Wonderland, a pretty cool movie, I liked the way the story was portrayed, Johnnys got it going on for sure,
   
  well I get into my tunes more than the BS of everything else, it is my grains of salt so to speak, so when the sh!t hits the fan I'm not standing in front of it for a change, and I can take it with a grain of salt, lol,


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Yea we don't know for sure how this ZO works like, might not work like a traditional amp so using it with an amp may not be a bad thing necessarily (I'm just worried how ZO would handle the amped signal so it doesn't become too strong for it).
   
  At least out of all headphone out sources I've tried it with it sounds fantastic but no idea about an external amp though.


----------



## ANDEROAN

yes we do, it has the Hulks DNA fused to its circuits, v3 will have Supermans, duh everybody knows that, lol, the only question is, how do they get them to sit still for the extraction process?
   
  and I've heard what dbl amping sounds like and this is no dbl amping effect, I ran my Arrow after my Voyager, and boy oh boy that sure was crappy, so the Voyager>Zov1 sure is ggrrreat sh!t maynard, lol,
   
  and the Voyager does have a volume pot, since the ZOv1 doesn't, and would run full tilt with my iPods lod or whatever signal runs thru it, so the Voyager acts as a fancy expensive volume controler, to get the better LO signal out of the iPod, vs. the HO, so I've never had an issue of it being too loud for me, if that's what your refering to?
   
  hey RPG if you have an amp, try tossing it into the mix, you might be happily surprised, that's if your Blood Type is BH, lol, be like Tony The Tiger, iitttssss GGRRRREAT!! lol


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





anderoan said:


> and well the Voyager does have a volume pot, since the ZOv1 doesn't and runs full tilt with whatever signal runs thru it, I've never had an issue of it being too loud for me, if that's what your refering to?


 
   
  Was more thinking of the ZO if it can handle the input power of what Voyager outputs without taking any damage in the long run.  But yea if you don't run the amp on full volume it should be fine I suppose if it has a variable volume potentiometer that should limit the signal strength right? I haven't looked at Voyager so don't know what it has but most do anyway.
  
  But yea it seems like ZO has some kind of proprietary design, would be very curious to know how the setup of it looks like but wouldn't digiZoid keep that as a secret other manufacturers would probably try to copy it quite fast.


----------



## burtomr

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> But yea it seems like ZO has some kind of proprietary design, would be very curious to know how the setup of it looks like but wouldn't digiZoid keep that as a secret other manufacturers would probably try to copy it quite fast.


 
   
   
*ZO SmartVektor* = *Magic* ([size=small]Eye of newt, toe of frog, wool of bat, leg of lizard, etc, etc.)[/size]


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





burtomr said:


> *ZO SmartVektor* = *Magic* ([size=small]Eye of newt, toe of frog, wool of bat, leg of lizard, etc, etc.)[/size]


 

 LOL, but it does work like magic haha, hard to explain it by science why it does what it does to sound.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





djevoultion said:


> @ANDEROAN
> 
> Excuse my ignorance if I'm wrong, but from your setup it seems your a double amping?
> 
> Shouldn't it be iPod Classic 7th gen>>ZOv1>Sony EX600s?


 


  Freebasing, more like it.


----------



## ANDEROAN

sorry, deleted, non contributing content​   
  updated: and yes you are right Estreeter, it is like freebassing!!!! freebassing sound that is,
   
it's a totaly awesome "double amping" experience!!!​


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





anderoan said:


> whatever, piss off ester, back to your usual bs, and making comments about peoples comments, how plasea, and oh ssooo unoriginal, take some self esteem courses, and get over, or out from under yourself, this is Head-Fi, not AA, but you probably can't see the diference, you have such crappy selfesteem, that you have to knock around any input, opinions, feedback, to you everybody is on drugs, hhmmm, figures, your answer for most, have a drink a shut up! nobody likes an angry drunk! I bet your middle name is Dick, LOL,


 

 Maybe not the best way to attack back yourself but I understand your point about estreeter's comments sometimes, can be quite annoying sometimes.


----------



## ANDEROAN

sorry, deleted, non contributing content


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Sorry perhaps I should be more clear, I was thinking you should rather take the matter to a moderator than start opening up against him like this in the forum, it will in 90% of cases lead nowhere.


----------



## ANDEROAN

deleted: what the heck its X-Mas, one scrooge around here is enough! ZO ZO ZO!


----------



## ANDEROAN

​ I wish you all a very grand Holiday Season! ​   
I will leave you with this x-mas carol,​   
jingle bells, batman smells, robin laid an egg, the bat mobile lost its wheel, and the joker got away! LOL!  ​  ​  ZO ZO ZO! Happy Listening everyone!!!!!!!!​


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

I've updated my review with ZO2.3 details.


----------



## Matter

Does the ZO work well with the ipod classic, 4r?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

I don't have any so a bit difficult to say. But let's say I don't see why ZO would work worse than any other amps out of that source, it's more about what headphones and what kind of sound you're looking for.


----------



## Matter

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> I don't have any so a bit difficult to say. But let's say I don't see why ZO would work worse than any other amps out of that source, it's more about what headphones and what kind of sound you're looking for.


 


  Mostly looking for something to enhance the bass punch for the 4r to be honest.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





matter said:


> Mostly looking for something to enhance the bass punch for the 4r to be honest.


 

 Yea it will but there's also other bass boost amps around but the ZO allows by far the smoothest finetuning of bass boost though so you can get exactly the amount you want due to 32 different steps of bass boost.


----------



## Matter

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Yea it will but there's also other bass boost amps around but the ZO allows by far the smoothest finetuning of bass boost though so you can get exactly the amount you want due to 32 different steps of bass boost.


 


  Thanks for the help! still looking around but this has definitely shot up to the top of my list since it has loads of good reviews and recommendations and it looks good too!


----------



## Totally Dubbed

I now can't listen to my D2K's without the added bass boost of the ZO2!


----------



## Exzerius

Is this considered an amplifier or an equalizer? Can ya explain cos Im pretty confused. >.<


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





exzerius said:


> Is this considered an amplifier or an equalizer? Can ya explain cos Im pretty confused. >.<


 

 I don't know how it's working but does it boost the volume => yea altough only in high gain which is fixed volume and volume has to be controlled on the source device. But yea their SmartVektor tech is a bit of a mystery but I know it does contain some amplifying components but whether it's a typical headphone amp config or not I honestly don't know.


----------



## Exzerius

Oh i see so its the SmartVektor that remains a mystery. Thanks for the info!


----------



## YoursPakistani

Hello 

 I am very new to headphones, but in the last couple of weeks I've found out I have a very (annoyingly) big interest in it. I just ordered the XB500s 
  My question is regarding the ZO2: If i am listening to my music on my Ipod do I need to buy a L9 cable on the side too?


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## takutox

***. just bought a L9 LOD, e11 and digizoid zo2.3
   
  realised that the digizoid does everything i need it to (e11 slightly boosts the quality but the thickness/portability is just not worth it lol)
   
  already opened the e11 so can't return.
   
  feelsbadman
   
  i can't post in the sell forum. would anyone be interested in a discount pretty much brand new (used for 2 minutes) L9 LOD + e11? unsure if i can sell here lol .if not i will edit/delete
   
  using the zo2.3 for my m50 because i thought the bass was lacking. the bass is amazing now. couldn't be happier.


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