# ZO2 Impression Thread



## SkinnyPuppy

Hey, we had to do it, didn't we?
   
   
  I'll update the OP with Impressions as they come.
   
http://www.digizoid.com/returns/index.php
   


Spoiler: From%20SoulSyde's%20original%20ZO%20thread



 
  
 Update (10/21/11 - pre-orders start today):
    


 The ZO.2 has landed!
  
  
 


 *Feature Highlights*
  
 Digital Volume Control
  
 You asked, we listened. ZO2 comes fully-equipped with a balanced digital volume control, featuring 32 selectable levels. This addition gives you the ability to use ZO safely with a Line-Out Dock.
  
 Dual Amp Configuration
  
 ZO employs a 2-stage amplification system to minimize noise, control EMI/RFI, and deliver high output power. Therefore, using ZO with another amplifier is unnecessary, as it will drive high impedance headphones without breaking a sweat.
  
 Sound Customization
  

 Digital volume control with 32 selectable levels New
 LightScale with 32 distinct color changes for each sound contour profile
 Sound contour profiles tuned for equally spaced intensity changes New
 Single-switch operation for both contour profile and volume adjustment
 Memory feature automatically recalls last settings
   
 Power & Battery
  

 Low power microcontroller for high-efficiency system management New
 Standby mode disengages ZO and connects directly to the audio source
 Smooth, noiseless transisition into standby (bypass) mode New
 Switches into standby mode for uninterrupted listening when battery gets low New
 Low battery LED indicator New
 USB-rechargeable Li-Polymer battery with rapid recharge time of 1 hour
 Playback time exceeding 12 hours
   
 Physical
  

 Dimensions: 2.75 x 1.5 x 0.38 in.
 Weight: 0.94 oz.
 Designed and manufactured in the U.S.
   
  
 


  
   
  
 Update (10/18/11 - digiZoid's Facebook page):
    
  I'm in the process of putting together the ZO pre-order webpage, and it should be ready to launch within the next day or two! Then beginning next week, we'll be starting production! 

   
   

   

 Update (10/8/11) by MizMoxie (Head-Fi sponsor from digiZoid):
  
 *Official Update on the Status of ZO.2*
   
  First things first. I know we promised a September launch for ZO.2, and obviously, we did not meet that deadline. Perhaps our target was a bit ambitious, but we are working feverishly to get ZO.2 into your hands as soon as humanly possible.
   
  In addition to making some last-minute product design enhancements, we have also formed a very exclusive supply chain and manufacturing partnership with a multi-billion dollar Fortune 200 company. Through this partnership, we now have open access to the "latest and greatest" components, as well as connections to top-tier manufacturing resources. 
   
  And here's the best news... We are excited to announce that the manufacturer has officially scheduled us for a *build date of Oct. 24th*. So, unless something crazy happens, we should be *shipping ZO.2 the last week of October*! We thank all you for hanging in there with us, and we promise to have ZO 2 in your hands soon.
   
  Btw... we will be making a more detailed announcement on ZO.2, with info on pre-order availability, etc. on the sponsored threads within the next couple days.
   
   


 Update (9/20/11 - digiZoid's Facebook page):
  
 Phil (SoulSyde):
 "What will the texture of the external case be like with the new design? Some people like to use rubber bands to connect the ZO to their device, but with touchscreen devices (iPhone/Touch/Etc.) Velcro works better. I heard a rumor that the new case would be rubberized."
  
 digiZoid:
 "The ZO.2 will have a matte "soft-touch" coating that will make it feel smooth, but not rubberized. I stuck on some velcro to a sample we have, and it seems as though it will work just fine."
  
   
 Update (9/15/11 - digiZoid's Facebook page):
  
 digiZoid added a schematic for the new ZO.2 logic board.
 


   


   


Spoiler: Soulsyde's%20early%20Impressions



 
 My ZO2 just arrived.  I've only been listening to it for the past 30 minutes and I can say that I am very pleased.
  
 I'll tease you with photos for now.  I will be tied up for a while this afternoon, but I promise to get back to everyone with some impressions.
  
  
 Shown in bass-adjustment mode (red-ish glow):
 


  
  
 Shown in volume adjustment mode (blue LED):
 


  
 Notice I am using a 75 Ohm impedance adapter.  The only negative so far is that there is a fair amount of hiss.  Noticeable with my Phiaton PS 210 and especially my Shure SE535 (which I expected anyway since they are so sensitive).
   


   


Spoiler: Dannyboi's%20impressions



 
 Quick impressions using an iPhone 4 with ZO and ZO2.
  
 HE-300
 When switching back and forth from ZO and ZO2 at lowest setting, I cannot really hear any difference in sound.  With the ZO, when I click the vector switch a notch or two, there's a nice bump in bass.  When using the ZO2, just a single click on the vector switch and the bass distorts.  Neither the ZO or the ZO2 is a good match for the HE-300.  Moving on to the next headphone.
  
 PRO-900
 I've been listening to the Pro-900 and ZO for a couple of weeks and they pair nicely at the lowest setting.  When switching back and forth, I can tell the ZO2 just has more of an oomph.  The bass seems a tad bit tighter, but I had to keep switching back and forth to really notice.  
  
 EX1000
 The ZO and EX1000 were meant for each other.  I've been loving this combination for months.  Now to test the two.  With an iem, I notice with the ZO2 there's more of an hiss than the original, but no static interference yet.  During the testing, I would occasionally hear the ZO interfere but never with the ZO2.  With the EX1000, I can notice the difference a bit more than the headphones. Everything is a little bigger, bass is tighter, more punchy, the soundstage opens up slightly more.  I get the sense that ZO2 has more power than the original.  
  
 I really like the new coating they use and the LED is much brighter then the original.  For owning both the ZO and ZO2, I cannot justify having both since the difference in sound really isn't a big jump.  Now when I try it out with the ipod and lod, then I'm sure the ZO2 will be more to my liking.  
   


   


Spoiler: Dannybai's%20second%20impressions.



 
 A quick impression with ZO2 + EX1000 + iPod + Lod.
  
 The sound is cleaner than line out.  The hiss is still there but less.  Can't notice it when music is playing.  I'm really enjoying with the Lod.  I have the volume down to the lowest level and it's still quite loud so I'm thinking this is a flaw.  Just one click of the volume and it's almost too loud.  I tested the vector switch and I'm favoring it the most with one or two clicks.  At this level, it sounds fantastic.  I turn the vector switch all the way up and the bass is too thick.  Another flaw I've noticed is that when powering the ZO2 off, there's a two or three second delay and it doesn't pop like the original ZO but it distorts and the music goes back to normal.  When powering it back on, same thing happens, but the music not only distorts, but fades away and goes back to the set volume.  I thought this was fixed but doesn't seem so.  The pop went away but this distortion isn't a fix in my opinion.  What counts is the sound though and I'm impressed.  The EX1000 and the LOD, brings the whole sound up a notch and that's a nice improvement from the original. 
   


   


Spoiler: TheSatteliteGuy's%20Impressions



 
 OK, my two ZO2 showed up today. It took me 7 hours to get alone with them and take a listen. I first really like the toggle switch that controls both volume and contour. It works real well. I am using two of them because I have a hearing imbalance of 21% between my ears. I know because of my digital readout on my computer. One eardrum is a transplant from a surfing accident 30 years ago. So I am using one ZO2 for the right ear and one for the left. I am probably the only person with portable mono block but I have been doing this for many years. My collection of dual amps is impressive. About 1 hour ago I grabbed  one of my iMods loaded with WAV from heavily modified Cd's, 650s heavily modded with all ALO cyco matched cables from source to cans. I have to say I way very impressed. I had Corky Siegles Chamber blues on and it was on par with any of my grip. That includes iQube, 71A, Xin SM4 maxed, TTVJ tube and SS. They run with the pack for a unbelievable $200. I then grabbed my LCD2 and they drove those with no problem, but could not push them to their limits. However they did drive them with enough authority to make me want to play with the contour and volume. This is alot of fun. Then I pulled out the HE6 and sound became much softer but very pretty. Even at full volume they are not powerful enough for the HE6. So what, I am just so impressed with how they play 650s and LCD2s. I just went back to the LCD2 from HE6 and was able to drop the volume about 40% off max. Very impressive. I still have not tried IEM but I know they will drive any IEM with eaze.
     I just put on Dave Matthews Best of whats around and I had to adjust the volume and contour to tweak out the sound. Splendid. At this point all I am saying is this the ZO fans do not have any disappointments to fear with the ZO2. It appears that the other amp makers have a bit of a dilemma. Adopt the ZO technology to make their amps to compete with the ZO or just buy a aftermarket ZO and apply it to whatever  amp of your choice. I will be comparing the ZO2 to my other grip, solo and as a add on. This will be a lot of fun. I do not believe that the ZO alone will not out perform all features of amps 5X more expensive, but with the exquisite contour ability there is a place the sound goes to, that a amp that isn't ZO-a-fied cannot approach. Well there is a first impression and now after 3 hours of listening I believe I am hearing a small amount of break in roughness. Just a little rippling. I bet these burn in real quick. Like 20 to 30 hours.  Like I said before, the ZO only changes one thing, everything. Enjoy.
   


   


Spoiler: Il%20Montro's%20impressions



Mine came in yesterday, I fully charged it and fired it up today.  iPod Classic with Soloz Audio Silver LOD to the Zo, with the Zo providing all of the gain. I got it specifically to use with my ER4s's.  It definitely does add adjustable LF extension, but at the cost of a great deal of the ER4's transparency which is where all the magic is.  OK for casual listening, but nothing more.  I much prefer going with a better, albeit larger, amp (i.e. SR 71-A) and forgoing the boosted and bloated bass.   


   


Spoiler: RPGWizard's%20impressions



 
 I got the package today and been listening now for about an hour or so. No hiss here but I'm not using IEMs so that's to be expected.
  
 I'm still in the process trying to validate whether I'm liking ZO1's or ZO2's signature better. There's a little difference in sound. I may think that ZO1 even sounds a bit more transparent at the lowest 3 or so levels. ZO2 packs perhaps a bit more punch but it sounds almost even more colored than ZO1 though.
  
 EDIT: What I do notice is that the ZO2 sounds better if ZO2's volume levels is put a bit higher say at lvl 20~25 or so perhaps and turning down on the source instead and it starts sounding more transparent, more like ZO1. The coating feels really nice and LEDs are very bright. I still need to do more listening to know for sure.
  
 EDIT2: Now I'm starting to realize the ZO1's non-linear contour level adjustments worked very well like they were, I had thought it would be perfect with just one more level in-between the very lowest level which resulted in a bit less bass than not using ZO1 and the first boosted level which provided quite a significant boost. Ideally ZO1's contour levels with one more lvl added in-between the lowest and and first boosted lvl would be perfect. With ZO2 you get roughly the same bass quantity with the very lowest lvl as not using ZO2 and at first level it brings less of a boost than ZO1 does at first level which I had thought would be optimal but I dunno, there's something about the ZO1's contour lvl adjustment I can't put the finger on.
  
 EDIT3: So far it sounds like ZO2's bass is a bit less tight than on ZO1, I really loved the bass response of ZO1 cuz of that. And unfortunately I do have to say ZO1 do seem to sound a little more transparent in my ears so in my ears ZO1 might even be a bit better sounding. :s
   
   


   


Spoiler: ulnevrgit's%20impressions



 
 [size=10pt]*11/9 @ 12:30*: Quite a loud hiss with W4s imo, really disappointing.[/size]
  
 [size=10pt]*11/9 @ 2:00*: Adjusting the source volume has no effect on the hiss, at least when using the hp out...no real surprise. I'll try other IEMs/headphones when I get home but I'm not very hopefully, especially for the other IEMs. No matter really since the W4 are what I primarily use. [size=10pt]I'm not sure why Digizoid didn’t test these more thoroughly with IEMs, as the hissing is clearly noticeable. Maybe worse, they did notice and still shipped the product out. Either way, quite disappointing. [/size]Too bad though, I had high hopes but as of now it looks like the ZO2 might be returned...we'll see.[/size]
  
 [size=10pt]One more thing I don’t understand is why the included headphone cord (the short one) doesn’t have a 90 degree plug on at least one side.  I saw on another ZO2 thread Digizoid reps inquiring as to what kind of plug the user base would prefer, 90 degree or straight plugs, and it was clear that the majority if not all users requested 90 degree on at least one side. [/size]
  
 *[size=10pt]11/9 @ 9:00[/size]*[size=10pt]: Tried with other IEMs (TF10 and Image X5) and hiss is still clearly there, no surprise.  Not so with the SR80i headphones though . Regarding SQ, my initial impression while listing with the W4s earlier today was that there was a little loss of clarity as the contour setting is increase and the bass was a bit muddy. However, it has seem to clear up ever so slightly, although that might just be the change in listing environments (I was at work earlier, now at home). I am not a big believer in burn-in but have heard it happen with static hardware before, specifically DAC that are know to have some warm-up/burn-in changes. Since I have no idea what is actually in this little thing I am not going to assume that it doesnt contain anything that would possibly be impacted over time. [/size]
 [size=10pt]I will say that the ZO2 does add a bit of soundstage and dynamics, especially to the SR80i, in addition to the increase bass presence. I hear the potential, even on the W4s but its hard to get past the hiss whenever the track settles and the hissing rears its ugly head.  I truly value a low sound floor which the ZO2 currently struggles to produce on IEMs, which I use 90% of the time.[/size]
  
 [size=10pt]On a more possitive note,  it is clear that Digizoid reps are monitoring the forums and I am hoping they will try and address some of the concerns.  Considering that Digizoid did at least attempt to address a number of concern/issues raised with the ZO1 I think there is a chance they will try and address some of the issues noted thus far for the ZO2 (specifically, the hissing and volume issues)...we'll see.[/size]
   
   


   


Spoiler: MelonColy's%20impressions



 
 Just contributing to the impressions thread. 
  
 With the W4/iPhone4 using the headphone out, I can hear the hissing people are talking about, but it's not loud to me. It's very silent and I would have to concentrate a bit to hear it. Playing music, I can hear what the amp does...but it's not to my taste. The bass is definitely more impactful, but it doesn't sound sharp or clean. It feels very round and it doesn't feel very emotional. I've been listening to a variety of genres and I will just shoot some stuff out about them generally. My descriptions will compare the W4/iPhone4 combo vs the W4/ZO2/iPhone4 (lowest SVC setting) combo.
  
 Jpop/Kpop: This amp works with Jpop pretty well. When I listen to Jpop, I like that the bass hits strong and for some reason, the bass doesn't wash over the vocals. I think this is because the vocals are a bit trebly to begin with so it balances out. Jpop is one of the few genres of music that will make me boost SVC up 1-2 levels for more fun. Overall, a positive experience.
  
 JFolk: Female vocals have much more body but when the percussions come in, it overpowers the vocals so it sounds a little messy. I think the bass is too strong and ruins balance. Overall, a negative experience.
  
 House/Electronica/Techno/Brostep: This is another genre where it's nice to bump up the SVC 1-2 levels to get more fun out of the music. When listening to Kaskade's Here & Now album, a really trebly album, the ZO2 tones down the treble and makes a long listening session much more bearable. This goes for the other genres as well that also have spiky treble. Normally when I listen to these albums, I have to turn down the volume because of the treble, but I lose the impactful bass as well. With the ZO2, I can keep both and be happy. Really fast songs do get a little messy, but the bass makes up for it I guess. Overall, a positive experience except for really fast songs, then it is a neutral experience.
  
 Amer. Pop: Same thing as Jpop, but usually the vocals aren't as trebly for the females. With Ameripop, I find the voices to be a bit too thick for my liking but it's only a problem if the voice is really deep sounding. If it's a relatively normal sounding female, then the ZO works fine. Overall, a semi-positive experience.
  
 Pop Rock: I apologize. This is all I listen to from the rock genre. The snares don't hurt my ears now, and the kickdrums hit really strong. The bass guitar has more presence but the combination of the kick drum and the bass guitar increase hides the power of the electric guitar in most songs. It's too thick for rock. Overall, a negative experience.
  
 Trance/Downtempo: I think this amp works well with this genre. It does have a signature that helps make the music more mellow. The percussions and piano have a nice weight behind them. I don't notice any hissing noises in the quieter passages, so that's pretty good. Overall, a positive experience.
  
 Hip-Hop/Rap: If I'm listening to the more modern stuff, then the amp helps tone down the sibilance and hides some of the awful sound quality. Spoken word is pretty good, very authoratative sounding, and it makes older rap songs much better. Overall, a positive experience.
  
 Jazz: The amp does take away a lot of noise in the not so good recordings. Surprisingly, the ZO2 doesn't overpower the bass coming from the drums, so it doesn't spill over the other instruments. It's just the right amount at the lowest setting. One setting higher and everything is ruined. The other instruments come out fine, but I feel like they lack a bit of energy. Also, the background piano requires more concentration on my part to follow it. I'm not sure how I would rate it...but I guess it's somewhere between positive and neutral.
  
 Classical: When the percussion plays, it seems to really shock the living hell out of you...but that's not worth it when the percussion overpowers the other instruments. Even with the Westones, it was really hard to separate the instruments when there is a very busy passage happening. For slower classical pieces, I think this amp would work. For faster crazier pieces, no. Opera singers have more presence, but it gets a bit too busy when everything is happening all at once with this amp. The bass is too strong. Overall, a lukewarm to negative experience.
  
 When phone calls come in, the hissing noise is horrendous during a call, and also, the clicking noise is present and it's quite jarring.
  
 Would I keep the amp? At this point, no. Here are my reasons:
  
 1. It doesn't feel like the bass is clean enough when it's added to my music. It makes some genres fun, but overall it doesn't improve upon most of everything.
  
 2. I can't use my iPhone line out. The hissing is loud...I mean LOOOUUD. There's no way music can cover it. I can always hear it. Also, I think the volume adjustment using the Line out option is horrendous. The lowest volume is already quite loud, one volume higher and I am literally in shock from the volume and yanking out my earphones before I go deaf.
  
 3. Usually when I buy stuff, I just listen to it. I don't really care too much for burn in. I believe in it because I can hear it, but usually I will like something on first listen. The ZO2 is fun, but it feels like it's not going to last long. I like to compare it to my Westones. When I first wore it, I liked the sound. I wasn't in love with the sound, but I liked it very much. But during that time, I had so many urges to sell them and just buy the Pro 900s again because I missed the impactful bass. But I never did. The ZO2 is not like that. I'm probably going to write a listing on Headfi to sell it after I post this up. I feel like I can get another amp, that will provide me with a tiny joy, but it will last for a longer period of time than the ZO2.
  
 Hope this helps and you aren't too annoyed by my ranting. Let me know if there's something you would like to know and I will help you to the fullest extent.
  
 Edit: Did all my ZO2 listening with Max ZO volume, 1/4 iPhone volume, with SVC at the lowest setting.


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## SkinnyPuppy

Reserved


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## SkinnyPuppy

Reserved (we may need this lol


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## JamesMcProgger

first!!
   
  post pictures, I want to see that new material for the case they talk about. i dont want to have to wait to get mine to do so..


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## kiteki

second!!!


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## kiteki

Third!!!!!
   
   
  Wake me when someone compares it to other devices, like DAP's in the same price range.


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## JamesMcProgger

^ did you ordered too?


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## kiteki

No.
   
   
  See above, waiting for comparisons.


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## SemperMalum

loljk. Anyways, I can't wait to read some while I'm waiting for mine to get shipped. I look forward to good news.
   

   
  (Relevant)


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## kiteki

SemperMalum (forever malicious?) Your avatar looks too similiar to mine, please change it to that guy in your always diamonds meme.
   
  Best respect,
   
  Kiteki


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## SkinnyPuppy

Screw you guys, you already ruined my thread.
   
  This is why I have 3 OPs, to make sure people can actually find impressions.


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## kiteki

Hi, Zo is in pre-order phase, let me start an impressions thread.
   
  -no impressions-


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## estreeter

Guys, the point of this thread is that it would be predominately impressions - adding post after post of total crap isn't helping.


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## Grev

Well since I'm in Australia, I probably won't get it for another 2 weeks, even though it's been shipped.


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## kiteki

Quote: 





			
				cyb said:
			
		

> *erpolice* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Guys, the point of this thread is that it would be predominately impressions - adding post after post of total crap isn't helping.
> 
> Please remain silent for 2 weeks. When you receive your Zo, you can start talking about it, until then please note this thread shall remain completely empty and silent, bar none except ad hoc cyber consultation on how to remain silent.


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## treal512

I'm going to be tracking this all day tomorrow: 
   
  Processed through USPS Sort Facility, November 06, 2011, 1:34 am, AUSTIN, TX 78710 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  ps. /subscribed


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## kiteki

ok cool let us know what it's like thx.


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## treal512

Np, you should post more often, plz.


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## estreeter

Mods, please cull this thread when someone actually posts something resembling an IMPRESSION !


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## treal512

I was told there would be ice cream in here..


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## psygeist

^^you were mislead into a tarp.


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## MizMoxie

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> first!!
> 
> post pictures, I want to see that new material for the case they talk about. i dont want to have to wait to get mine to do so..


 


  I snapped a quick picture showing the two ZO versions side-by-side. Sorry that the image is not better quality - all I had was my iPhone and bad lighting to work with. For reference, I set both of the LightBar's intensities at their maximum (i.e., max contour levels), to show ZO 2's improvement in LED color diffusion. I also found that this solved the issue with being able to tell if the ZO was on/off and what setting it was at when used outdoors. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I'm also really glad we switched to the soft touch coating from the high gloss... it just feels so much more satisfying to the touch, and makes everyday handling easier.


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## SoulSyde

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Mods, please cull this thread when someone actually posts something resembling an IMPRESSION !


 
   
  The problem is that you took it upon yourself to suggest the start this thread early.  This is what you get.  I had intended to change the title of the original thread to "Impression" once they started arriving and I was going to link everyone to the page where they started in the OP.  Oh well.


   
  Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> I'm also really glad we switched to the soft touch coating from the high gloss.


 

 It looks really nice!


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## maguire

MMMMMMMMMMMMMM, Me likes the look of the new ZO V2, very classy guys congrats.


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## SemperMalum

Quote: 





kiteki said:


> SemperMalum (forever malicious?) Your avatar looks too similiar to mine, please change it to that guy in your always diamonds meme.
> 
> Best respect,
> 
> Kiteki


 
   
  But... But... Rio is so awesome. Fine, since I'm a thread derailer, I might as well use Old Spice Man as my avatar.
  
  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Guys, the point of this thread is that it would be predominately impressions - adding post after post of total crap isn't helping.


 
    
  Quote:


skinnypuppy said:


> Screw you guys, you already ruined my thread.
> 
> This is why I have 3 OPs, to make sure people can actually find impressions.


 
   
  I understand the mindset that it feels like we're intentionally derailing this impressions thread, but it's not intentional. I, for one, am excited and wanted to share that by being humorous. Being too serious face about things like this is kinda juvenile. Again, I'm not trying to be disrespectful or anything, I was just trying to make people laugh because I have a comedian mind-set. We're all looking forward to reading the impressions, and the second there are some posted, I'll be one of the first to read it and comment about it. But until then, we're all just twiddling our thumbs in anticipation; why not twiddle our thumbs together and have fun doing so?
   
   
  Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> I snapped a quick picture showing the two ZO versions side-by-side. Sorry that the image is not better quality - all I had was my iPhone and bad lighting to work with. For reference, I set both of the LightBar's intensities at their maximum (i.e., max contour levels), to show ZO 2's improvement in LED color diffusion. I also found that this solved the issue with being able to tell if the ZO was on/off and what setting it was at when used outdoors.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  MizMoxie, I think the new material is awesome. Definitely would make it more solid to hold without needing to carry a fiber cloth to constantly clean. (I have an OCD with seeing fingerprints on my glossy Samsung Galaxy, I'm constantly wiping it down)
   
  The lightbars look much better too on the ZO2. I can't wait for mine to ship in, and I can't wait to see how everybody likes them.


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## Audio WannaBe

Hey SemperMalum, when your ZO2 comes in, please do plug your M-80s in and tell us your impressions. I really want to know whether the ZO2 can make the bass of the M-80s more punchy and tight without degrading the overall sound quality. Thanks!


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## psygeist

Mine got shipped, finally


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## caracara08

hmm this or the ibasso t5...


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## SemperMalum

Quote: 





audio wannabe said:


> Hey SemperMalum, when your ZO2 comes in, please do plug your M-80s in and tell us your impressions. I really want to know whether the ZO2 can make the bass of the M-80s more punchy and tight without degrading the overall sound quality. Thanks!


 


  For sure, I was going to use the ZO2 immediately on my Grado SR80i's and then the M-80's. The M-80's have pretty good bass, but I'm -very- curious to see how much of a boost the ZO2 will give it. By all means, this should be a match made in heaven having the V-Moda M-80's and the ZO2 combined.


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## SoulSyde

My ZO2 just arrived.  I've only been listening to it for the past 30 minutes and I can say that I am very pleased.
   
  I'll tease you with photos for now.  I will be tied up for a while this afternoon, but I promise to get back to everyone with some impressions.
   
   
  Shown in bass-adjustment mode (red-ish glow):

   
   
  Shown in volume adjustment mode (blue LED):

   
  Notice I am using a 75 Ohm impedance adapter.  The only negative so far is that there is a fair amount of hiss.  Noticeable with my Phiaton PS 210 and especially my Shure SE535 (which I expected anyway since they are so sensitive).


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## au5t3n5

The finish looks great! Hopefully it wears well too.


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## DarrenJamRock

Thanks SoulSyde
   
  Zo2 looks awesome and it is smaller than I thought. LED's are super bright also. Very nice looking. Can't wait for more impressions about the sound.


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## SemperMalum

Nice, I look forward to hearing more about how they are.


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## i2ehan

Subbed for further impressions...


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## estreeter

Thanks for that, SoulSyde - interesting that those who have responded are more interested in how it looks than your observation re hissing. Past experience tells us which of these two 'features' will ultimately decide the fate of a new amp.


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## F900EX

I received mine, same thoughts as above.  Smaller then expected ( which I like).  I will follow up in a few hours about my impressions, but so far so good


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## estreeter

Quote: 





soulsyde said:


> The problem is that you took it upon yourself to suggest the start this thread early.  This is what you get.  I had intended to change the title of the original thread to "Impression" once they started arriving and I was going to link everyone to the page where they started in the OP.  Oh well.


 

 Hey, we now have some impressions 3 pages into the thread - in your old thread, that would have read '30 pages' : I consider that a win. More importantly, those who come looking for actual impressions at a later date will be able to find them without trawling through post-after-post of speculation and purchase anxiety.
   
  Perfect world, I would have preferred that you start this thread, but it didnt happen that way - lets move on. Enjoy your ZO2.


----------



## DannyBai

Quick impressions using an iPhone 4 with ZO and ZO2.
   
  HE-300
  When switching back and forth from ZO and ZO2 at lowest setting, I cannot really hear any difference in sound.  With the ZO, when I click the vector switch a notch or two, there's a nice bump in bass.  When using the ZO2, just a single click on the vector switch and the bass distorts.  Neither the ZO or the ZO2 is a good match for the HE-300.  Moving on to the next headphone.
*I've been listening to the HE-300 and ZO2 for the past couple of hours using line-out and the distortion has gone away.  I've been messing with the volume on the ZO2 and found a sweet spot somewhere near the middle.  I can now turn the vector switch up a couple notches and it makes the HE-300's sound really nice.  When listening to the 300's straight out of the iphone, the volume is really low and even when I have it cranked up full volume, it's weak and the potential of the 300's do not shine.  Pairing it with the ZO2 and messing around with the volume level and it comes to life.  I think the new volume feature might worth its weight.  The way these headphones open up, the soundstage, tight bass, I think I'm digging the ZO2 quite a bit now.  *
   
  PRO-900
  I've been listening to the Pro-900 and ZO for a couple of weeks and they pair nicely at the lowest setting.  When switching back and forth, I can tell the ZO2 just has more of an oomph.  The bass seems a tad bit tighter, but I had to keep switching back and forth to really notice.  
   
  EX1000
  The ZO and EX1000 were meant for each other.  I've been loving this combination for months.  Now to test the two.  With an iem, I notice with the ZO2 there's more of an hiss than the original, but no static interference yet.  During the testing, I would occasionally hear the ZO interfere but never with the ZO2.  With the EX1000, I can notice the difference a bit more than the headphones. Everything is a little bigger, bass is tighter, more punchy, the soundstage opens up slightly more.  I get the sense that ZO2 has more power than the original.  
   
  I really like the new coating they use and the LED is much brighter then the original.  For owning both the ZO and ZO2, I cannot justify having both since the difference in sound really isn't a big jump.  Now when I try it out with the ipod and lod, then I'm sure the ZO2 will be more to my liking.


----------



## SoulSyde

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> ...Enjoy your ZO2.


 

 That I am.  It's a nice device.  
   
  I also agree with DannyBai's impressions.  I feel same with regard to my Pro 750s as he does his Pro 900s.  Like DannyBai's impressions of the ZO2 paired with the EX1000 - with dynamic driver IEMs the ZO seems work better than with BA-based IEMs.  I don't get the same oomph with my SE535s as I do my other dynamic IEMs. 
   
  My Sennheiser PX-100s seem to absolutely love the ZO2.
   
  I really don't know what else I can say about it.  It's not going to get you laid, make you richer, or put more hair on your head - but it does one thing very well.... add more bass with little degradation in sound, even when pushed to the max.  I'll leave the lengthy reviews with all the flowery prose to someone who feels motivated.
   
  My only complaint (again) is the amount of hiss I am experiencing with any in-ear headphone.  I think this a bit of a design flaw and should be corrected in future models.  It's an easy thing for the consumer to correct, but you do need an impedance adapter to do so.
   
  Good luck to everyone who is still waiting for theirs and I hope you all enjoy them when they arrive.


----------



## soundbear

Got my ZO today.    Tried going from my 601 line out to Z0 but too loud even with the Z0 volume all the way down and 601 all the way down.   So I used just the ear out on the 601 and much better.    Definately fills in bass and mids on my B2's, just used up to 3 clicks, all that was needed, but definately clarity missing from ear out.    Did I hook it up wrong?


----------



## F900EX

Fii0 E5 - ZO2 - Cowon J3 / Earbuds BLOX M2C


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





soundbear said:


> Got my ZO today.    Tried going from my 601 line out to Z0 but too loud even with the Z0 volume all the way down and 601 all the way down.   So I used just the ear out on the 601 and much better.    Definately fills in bass and mids on my B2's, just used up to 3 clicks, all that was needed, but definately clarity missing from ear out.    Did I hook it up wrong?


 

 Got me - impedance mismatch ? Defective ZO2 ? Defective 601 (distinct possibility..) ?


----------



## ChrisSC

I've got a zo2 on the way and want to say thanks to all the early reviewers for the first impressions!
   
  It seems like the common complaint is hissing when used with iems- SoulSyde mentioned an impedance adapter- where to buy?
   
  would using the zo2 w/ a LOD reduce that hissing at all?


----------



## F900EX

Does anyone else have this issue ? ... I noticed when listening to the M2Cs and Turbine Pro Copper there is a noticeable amount of hiss at any volume.  When they are directly plugged into the J3 I do not have this issue.    
   
  Other impressions .... ZO2 has a tremendous amount of power behind such a small device, how much more ?  E11 Vs ZO2 ... IMO it's the difference between day and night.
   
  The biggest downside to that is at higher volumes I hear distortion in either headphone.   It's not a bad thing, just I will need to tweak over time and find a nice balance. 
   
   
  Also has mentioned in the instruction booklet, Neutralize your source .... start with a flat EQ.


----------



## estreeter

To be fair to DigiZoid, it would be good to hear a few more reports from folk with different sources/IEMs before passing judgement on the 'hissing' claims.


----------



## esanthosh

Months of anticipation and waiting ..... and...?
   
  Quote: 





soulsyde said:


> My only complaint (again) is the *amount of hiss* I am experiencing with any in-ear headphone.  I think this a bit of a design flaw and should be corrected in future models.  It's an easy thing for the consumer to correct, but you do need an impedance adapter to do so.


 
   
  Quote: 





soundbear said:


> Got my ZO today.    *Tried going from my 601 line out to Z0 but too loud even with the Z0 volume all the way down* and 601 all the way down.   So I used just the ear out on the 601 and much better.    Definately fills in bass and mids on my B2's, just used up to 3 clicks, all that was needed, but definately clarity missing from ear out.    Did I hook it up wrong?


 

 Going purely by specs, QA350 v2 is even more powerful than HM-601, so I am not sure how the pairing is going to be. I got a 75 ohm adapter, so hope things will work out.
   
  My enthusiasm is a little punctured as I didn't buy it for the super cool looks.


----------



## estreeter

To be fair, we bought this on ourselves - those months were filled with a lot of hype generated virtually nowhere else other than HF. As I said, I'm not terribly worried about hissing, although the issue with the HM-601s lineout is troubling as I had intended to use the ZO with the lineout from the T51. Such is life.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





soundbear said:


> Tried going from my 601 line out to Z0 but too loud even with the Z0 volume all the way down* and 601 all the way down. *


 

 Thought I should revisit this and state the blindingly obvious - the lineout signal wont be affected at all by changes in the volume setting on the HM-601. That said, the ZO2 should still be able to handle the incoming signal and allow you to moderate the end result from your headphone out. I expect that DigiZoid will have more to say on this very shortly.


----------



## SoulSyde

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> To be fair to DigiZoid, it would be good to hear a few more reports from folk with different sources/IEMs before passing judgement on the 'hissing' claims.


 


  For the record the hissing on my device has nothing to do with the source.  It is present without anything connected to the input.  It's also independent of the volume setting.
   
  It's also present on all of the following headphones (to more or lesser degrees depending on the sensitivity):

 AKG K 313
 Brainwavz M2
 Denon AH-C710
 Klipsch S2m
 MEElectronics SP51
 Phiaton PS 210
 Sennheiser MXL 570
 Shure SE535
 SoundMAGIC E30
   
  That being said, the ZO2 does such a fantastic job at what is supposed to do I can tolerate the hiss.


----------



## SoulSyde

Quote: 





soundbear said:


> Got my ZO today.    Tried going from my 601 line out to Z0 but too loud even with the Z0 volume all the way down and 601 all the way down.   So I used just the ear out on the 601 and much better.    Definately fills in bass and mids on my B2's, just used up to 3 clicks, all that was needed, but definately clarity missing from ear out.    Did I hook it up wrong?


 


  I also tried the LOD from my iPod and got similar results.  Just run the ZO2 from the headphone jack and be done with it.  I am happier controlling the volume from my source anyway.


----------



## au5t3n5

My amp went to my house today so I told my sister to open it up and test it out for me. She says there is a light hiss with her Monster Turbines but nothing that isn't tolerable.
   
  So it seems there are multiple cases of hissing, beyond just SoulSyde, and perhaps all the Zo v2's have it. I'll have to test it out when I get my hands on it and see if my gear hisses, but I have already accepted that fact that it probably will.


----------



## estreeter

Thanks for the clarification, SoulSyde - that is a depressing list of IEMs, and they dont all seem to be in the 'ultra-sensitive' camp either. Throw in the lineout issue and I hope these are just early teething problems with a new batch .....


----------



## SoulSyde

I'm going to fully charge the ZO2 in hopes of the hissing being a result of low voltage.  I'll check in tomorrow.


----------



## DannyBai

A quick impression with ZO2 + EX1000 + iPod + Lod.
   
  The sound is cleaner than line out.  The hiss is still there but less.  Can't notice it when music is playing.  I'm really enjoying with the Lod.  I have the volume down to the lowest level and it's still quite loud so I'm thinking this is a flaw.  Just one click of the volume and it's almost too loud.  I tested the vector switch and I'm favoring it the most with one or two clicks.  At this level, it sounds fantastic.  I turn the vector switch all the way up and the bass is too thick.  Another flaw I've noticed is that when powering the ZO2 off, there's a two or three second delay and it doesn't pop like the original ZO but it distorts and the music goes back to normal.  When powering it back on, same thing happens, but the music not only distorts, but fades away and goes back to the set volume.  I thought this was fixed but doesn't seem so.  The pop went away but this distortion isn't a fix in my opinion.  What counts is the sound though and I'm impressed.  The EX1000 and the LOD, brings the whole sound up a notch and that's a nice improvement from the original.


----------



## F900EX

I fully charged mine and was no different but aside from this issue, I agree with Soulsyde the ZO2 does such a fantastic job at what is supposed to do.
   
  Was it worth the wait and $100 .....  most definitely yes.  You gotta play around with it to find that sweet spot


----------



## deadkenny64

Quote: 





soundbear said:


> Got my ZO today.    Tried going from my 601 line out to Z0 but too loud even with the Z0 volume all the way down and 601 all the way down.   So I used just the ear out on the 601 and much better.    Definately fills in bass and mids on my B2's, just used up to 3 clicks, all that was needed, but definately clarity missing from ear out.    Did I hook it up wrong?


 

 What I am having trouble grasping is that with the addition of the volume control, the ZO2 should be designed to work well with most portable source's line out with a reasonable range.  I don't think anyone was requesting massive gain for the ZO2.  With the magic that the original ZO provided to BA IEMs, you would think that various brands of sensitive IEMs would be used during development and testing (in regards to hiss). 
   I am anxiously awaiting mine but hiss and lack of usable volume would be a deal breaker.  I hope these are correctable issues and not a result of the design.


----------



## ChrisSC

Quote: 





deadkenny64 said:


> What I am having trouble grasping is that with the addition of the volume control, the ZO2 should be designed to work well with most portable source's line out with a reasonable range.  I don't think anyone was requesting massive gain for the ZO2.  With the magic that the original ZO provided to BA IEMs, you would think that various brands of sensitive IEMs would be used during development and testing (in regards to hiss).
> I am anxiously awaiting mine but hiss and lack of usable volume would be a deal breaker.  I hope these are correctable issues and not a result of the design.


 


  x2


----------



## vvs_75

Quote: 





soulsyde said:


> I also tried the LOD from my iPod and got similar results.  Just run the ZO2 from the headphone jack and be done with it.  I am happier controlling the volume from my source anyway.


 


  
  [size=medium]This is not what I was looking forward. The ZO2 release in the first place was mainly to add ability to use it straight out of LOD. Certainly during prototyping it has been tested with iphone, ipod and other DAP line outs. Obviously something went wrong, what use to have 32 steps in volume adjustment if at minimum volume setting output sound level too high.  L[/size]


----------



## mrAdrian

oh no. my TF10...
   
  Does adding the 75ohm resistor changes the sound of the source however? I have the 'flight attenuator' that came with the 10pro. On and side question, if zo is hissing independant of source output, the resistor should be added after zo right? Otherwise if the line out signal from the source is too high, maybe the resistor could tame it a bit by being in between source and zo?


----------



## kiteki

Quote: 





sempermalum said:


> Being too serious face about things like this is kinda juvenile.


 

 Yeah that.
   
  Nice new avatar btw.

  
  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> To be fair to DigiZoid, it would be good to hear a few more reports from folk with different sources/IEMs before passing judgement on the 'hissing' claims.


 

 Maybe they have a pet snake, and if they feed him, the hissing will go away?
   
  Honestly I think hissing complaints silly anyway, just turn the volume up. In the Kama Bay Kro Scythe amplifier, when they 'fixed' the hissing (noise interference), the filtration they added made the amp sound worse than the first unit.
   
   
  Quote: 





f900ex said:


> Fii0 E5 - ZO2 - Cowon J3 / Earbuds *BLOX M2C*


 

 Are the BLOX M2C that good? They focus on treble and clarity, right?


----------



## estreeter

Hey, I could care less about hissing, but I do care about the reported issues with the lineout signal on several sources being too strong for the ZO2 to attenuate to a listenable volume _at any setting_. But I guess that's just a serious face thing, and its probably more important for some here to ensure that they color co-ordinate their outfit with their new toy. Have at it.


----------



## treal512

Hmm, I don't want to be a Debbie Downer, but there is a small hiss with my ZO2 + W4. I just connected everything up and before pressing play on my D2, you can hear it. It is definitely not silent. I haven't messed with an impedance adapter yet, but I'll find it later to try out. This is a little disappointing though since I listen to most of my music at very low volumes when I'm portable.


----------



## ziocomposite

I don't use my Zo2 with iem's but there is a hiss present using my FA-04.  And when I say hiss, it is really faint and not noticeable when music is playing.  I don't have a source with Line Out so to test this I just put my zune on max and used the Zo volume attenuator and will agree it is louder than I'd like using the lowest setting.  
   
  I won't be using this with a LO source nor IEM so I've no problem with the ZO2.


----------



## treal512

Quote: 





ziocomposite said:


> I don't use my Zo2 with iem's but there is a hiss present using my FA-04. * And when I say hiss, it is really faint and not noticeable when music is playing.*  I don't have a source with Line Out so to test this I just put my zune on max and used the Zo volume attenuator and will agree it is louder than I'd like using the lowest setting.


 

 Yes, it is very faint. I guess I didn't elaborate on how significant it was. With the volume at 10-15 on my Cowon player, it just about disappears and is only noticeable on quieter passages if you're listening for it. I'll post more impressions later.


----------



## DannyBai

I've been using the ZO2 strictly with HE-300 for a couple of hours and after messing around with the volume setting a bit, I do not notice the hissing using these headphones.  I haven't gone back to any iem's for the time being since I've been seriously loving this combination.  Maybe some burn-in has helped, who knows.


----------



## TheSatelliteGuy

OK, my two ZO2 showed up today. It took me 7 hours to get alone with them and take a listen. I first really like the toggle switch that controls both volume and contour. It works real well. I am using two of them because I have a hearing imbalance of 21% between my ears. I know because of my digital readout on my computer. One eardrum is a transplant from a surfing accident 30 years ago. So I am using one ZO2 for the right ear and one for the left. I am probably the only person with portable mono block but I have been doing this for many years. My collection of dual amps is impressive. About 1 hour ago I grabbed  one of my iMods loaded with WAV from heavily modified Cd's, 650s heavily modded with all ALO cyco matched cables from source to cans. I have to say I way very impressed. I had Corky Siegles Chamber blues on and it was on par with any of my grip. That includes iQube, 71A, Xin SM4 maxed, TTVJ tube and SS. They run with the pack for a unbelievable $200. I then grabbed my LCD2 and they drove those with no problem, but could not push them to their limits. However they did drive them with enough authority to make me want to play with the contour and volume. This is alot of fun. Then I pulled out the HE6 and sound became much softer but very pretty. Even at full volume they are not powerful enough for the HE6. So what, I am just so impressed with how they play 650s and LCD2s. I just went back to the LCD2 from HE6 and was able to drop the volume about 40% off max. Very impressive. I still have not tried IEM but I know they will drive any IEM with eaze.
      I just put on Dave Matthews Best of whats around and I had to adjust the volume and contour to tweak out the sound. Splendid. At this point all I am saying is this the ZO fans do not have any disappointments to fear with the ZO2. It appears that the other amp makers have a bit of a dilemma. Adopt the ZO technology to make their amps to compete with the ZO or just buy a aftermarket ZO and apply it to whatever  amp of your choice. I will be comparing the ZO2 to my other grip, solo and as a add on. This will be a lot of fun. I do not believe that the ZO alone will not out perform all features of amps 5X more expensive, but with the exquisite contour ability there is a place the sound goes to, that a amp that isn't ZO-a-fied cannot approach. Well there is a first impression and now after 3 hours of listening I believe I am hearing a small amount of break in roughness. Just a little rippling. I bet these burn in real quick. Like 20 to 30 hours.  Like I said before, the ZO only changes one thing, everything. Enjoy.


----------



## F900EX

I guess it has to be asked, was there a hiss issue with the ZOv1 ?
   
   
  "Smooth, noiseless transisition into standby (bypass) mode New"
   
  As reported by Danny and ChrisSC, I have the same problem.  It's nothing like it was mentioned above as a feature.
   
   
  Honestly these are small problems, I can live with them, but makes me wonder how they were not picked up on before shipping since they are noticeable, it's going to be interesting to see if other people who pre-ordered from the 1st batch have the same problems. 
   
  Again enjoying the ZOv2, sounds great... does wonders to the M2C earbuds that where lacking bass.
   
  Also tried the BOSE QC2s and there is a overall improvement in sound and bass.


----------



## Audio WannaBe

Correct me if im wrong, but since no one has mentioned any problems about the EM shielding in the ZO2, I'm guessing that they fixed it already? Because that would be a big plus.


----------



## SoulSyde

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> I've been using the ZO2 strictly with HE-300 for a couple of hours and after messing around with the volume setting a bit, I do not notice the hissing using these headphones.  I haven't gone back to any iem's for the time being since I've been seriously loving this combination.  Maybe some burn-in has helped, who knows.


 


  That's because they're HE-300s, not the most sensitive headphones on the market. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
   
  Try IEMs.


----------



## deadkenny64

Quote: 





treal512 said:


> Hmm, I don't want to be a Debbie Downer, but there is a small hiss with my ZO2 + W4. I just connected everything up and before pressing play on my D2, you can hear it. It is definitely not silent. I haven't messed with an impedance adapter yet, but I'll find it later to try out. This is a little disappointing though since I listen to most of my music at very low volumes when I'm portable.


 
  This is what concerns me.  I also listen at low volume and would expect a product like this that is perfect for IEMs to have no hiss.  My $20 E5 does not have any hiss.  I'm concerned that they tried to make this work with all headphones and upped the gain too much.  I guess I'll be the first and request a HI/LO gain switch for ZO3.
   
  Won't an impedance adapter mess with the frequency curve and change the FR of low impedance IEMs?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





deadkenny64 said:


> This is what concerns me.  I also listen at low volume and would expect a product like this that is perfect for IEMs to have no hiss.  My $20 E5 does not have any hiss.  I'm concerned that they tried to make this work with all headphones and upped the gain too much.  I guess I'll be the first and request a HI/LO gain switch for ZO3.


 
   
  Yea that would be a good suggestion for ZO3 (or an updated ZO2 revision if it's an easy doable fix), that or the volume control adjusted so it would work also nicely with IEMs if using LOD so it won't be too high volume (still the gain has to be adjusted a bit as well). I suppose changing the volume level on the ZO2 doesn't do anything to hiss and are you all trying to use LOD or the headphone jack? If you're using the headphone jack meaning you can control the source's volume then lower the volume of the source and hissing shouldn't be a prob (with ZO1 the recommendation was to start with 25% volume). The way it sounds like is that ZO2 isn't that much different compared to ZO1 in the sense, the source volume still seems to have to be controlled to get to nice results if using it as LOD then the signal feed to it is too strong, the digital volume control might not work as some people had expected it to be able to completely replace the source's volume control if using it as LOD. 
   
  I'm not an IEM guy (I got only some Koss Spark plugs that cost like 10 EUR that I never use) and I'm suprised how many ZO owners seem to only use IEMs though. 
   
  Finally I haven't yet got the ZO2 myself so can't obviously say if this what I'm speaking is accurate but what I do suggest for digiZoid as a really "must have" kind of demo setup is to get one of the most sensitive IEMs around (help me here people as I don't know anything about IEMs) and a device you use as a LOD (for example iPod). If this setup surpasses hissing issue nicely, no1 else is gonna have issues either. But yea perhaps a low/high gain switch wouldn't be a bad thing and possibly the volume control might also need some tweaking (to not provide too high volume if used in a LOD setup).
   
  OR another possible fix would probably be to add a switch for either headphone jack or LOD use, if it's in LOD state, the signal will be dampened with a bit higher resistance component (if this is possible) before it enters ZO's own amping = hiss & volume issue fixed with sensitive IEMs. So either add adjustable gain or something that dampens the signal if used as a LOD, adding adjustable gain is probably cleaner/better solution, dampening signal is more likely to "affect" the outcome and is more stressful (produces more heat for the component that's dampening signal). Low gain tweaked suitable for IEM use and high gain would basicly be the same as ZO2 is in the current state. 
   
  What do you think MizMoxie? High (headphones) and low gain (IEMs) switch for future versions? After all this device is a portable amp so you can't really avoid not making it fit for IEM use as well. I see this feature really important and would put the final finishing touch vs the competitors and you could have a really superb product for its "intended market".


----------



## audiogamma

Arrived!


----------



## audiogamma

Quote: 





ziocomposite said:


> I don't use my Zo2 with iem's but there is a hiss present using my FA-04.  And when I say hiss, it is really faint and not noticeable when music is playing.  I don't have a source with Line Out so to test this I just put my zune on max and used the Zo volume attenuator and will agree it is louder than I'd like using the lowest setting.
> 
> I won't be using this with a LO source nor IEM so I've no problem with the ZO2.


 


  So it's using two gain stages? Can't you simply reduce the Zune's volume a bit?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





audiogamma said:


> So it's using two gain stages? Can't you simply reduce the Zune's volume a bit?


 


  Yep for all people that are using headphone jack, you're SUPPOSED to lower the volume on the source when used with ZO. Basicly just adjust source volume so that hissing will dissappear as well as so that you neither have to use the lowest or highest volume setting on the ZO2, preferable somewhere in the middle or a bit above, say around level 16 - 25 on the ZO2 is the optimal (that's what I intend to tweak my soundcard volume for). The least hissing you'd get if using max ZO2 vol and as low source vol as possible but I still suggest leaving some headroom (if nothing else for safety's sake as I'd never fully trust the source to rely on that it NEVER even by mistake changes the volume level or something and then it's not fun if the amp is set to max vol).


----------



## gaspir324

Does anyone have any knowledge on cold toleration for the ZO1? Because I'd like to use it when mobile (mostly while cycling for 12km< daily) but since here is so effin cold winterns I'm conserned it might create some issues.


----------



## ziocomposite

Quote: 





audiogamma said:


> So it's using two gain stages? Can't you simply reduce the Zune's volume a bit?


 

  
  I usually have the zune @ lvl 18 volume with Zo2 @ 15 and control via zune.  I was testing it out for users who will be using their Line Out connection who have no choice but max volume from their source. =)  I'm using it with my headphones and it's loud for that.  I can only imagine for IEM users x_X;


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Yea looks like ZO's already getting a bit too powerful for some IEMs, hence the growing need of a high/low gain switch. At this point I'm just glad I'm not an IEM guy so don't have to worry about hissing and too high volumes. The headphone I currently use is rated 64 ohms so should be fine.


----------



## ChrisSC

The minor hiss issue is something that everyone should be willing to tolerate for a $100 amp.
   
  The LOD volume scaling issue, not so much. The whole purpose of including a volume attenuator on the unit was so people could run the ZO2 through a LOD.
   
  In the next batch, Digizoid should scale the volume back a bit since it seems that people with headphones and IEMs universally find it set too high (of course IEM users are suffering more).  It might lead to a slight delay at the factory, but it shouldn't be that hard to revise.
   
  My 2cents.


----------



## au5t3n5

I don't think price is even an issue. We shouldn't have to tolerate a hiss at all. I think it was a problem that flew under the radar regardless of the price point and should be fixed. 
   
  Heck, they even advertised:
   
  "Smooth, noiseless transisition into standby (bypass) mode New"
   
  but now I think they changed it on their site to say:
   
   
   "Faded transisition into standby (bypass) mode New"
   

  So idk. It is a little disappointed I waited so long for a product that isn't perfect. Say what you want, but having to deal with hiss after shelling out $100 and waiting several months for an updated product is slightly disappointing. 
  
  
   
  Quote: 





chrissc said:


> The minor hiss issue is something that everyone should be willing to tolerate for a $100 amp.
> 
> The LOD volume scaling issue, not so much. The whole purpose of including a volume attenuator on the unit was so people could run the ZO2 through a LOD.
> 
> ...


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





chrissc said:


> The minor hiss issue is something that everyone should be willing to tolerate for a $100 amp.
> 
> The LOD volume scaling issue, not so much. The whole purpose of including a volume attenuator on the unit was so people could run the ZO2 through a LOD.
> 
> ...


 
   
  Agreed, the most important thing would be to get the volume levels appropriate for LOD use at this point. A gain switch is something that would require a bit bigger change in the layout and would be best to wait for future versions (ZO3) but if this volume control is tweakable then I'd say go for it for the next ZO2 batches even if it might delay production slightly.


----------



## psygeist

Oh gawd ! My RE272 will scream.


----------



## deadkenny64

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Agreed, the most important thing would be to get the volume levels appropriate for LOD use at this point. A gain switch is something that would require a bit bigger change in the layout and would be best to wait for future versions (ZO3) but if this volume control is tweakable then I'd say go for it for the next ZO2 batches even if it might delay production slightly.


 
  I would even be happy with mod instructions (do at your own risk, warranty void, etc) if it turns out that I can't use this with my IEMs.  I'm moving away from full sized cans so good IEM performance and volume control is essential.


----------



## ChrisSC

I think what's frustrating is that Digizoid had built up such a solid fan base that all of us would have been willing to wait another month or two without too many people grumbling. Instead, even with the delay, the product they released feels rushed and incomplete.


----------



## au5t3n5

Seems so. They must know about the hiss, otherwise they wouldn't have changed the advertising on their site. I wonder what they have to say about that.
  
  Quote: 





chrissc said:


> I think what's frustrating is that Digizoid had built up such a solid fan base that all of us would have been willing to wait another month or two without too many people grumbling. Instead, even with the delay, the product they released feels rushed and incomplete.


----------



## dfkt

Damn. Not happy to read that. The hiss of the ZO1 was its worst flaw IMO, next to the loud on/off click.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote:


chrissc said:


> The minor hiss issue is something that everyone should be willing to tolerate for a $100 amp.
> 
> The LOD volume scaling issue, not so much. The whole purpose of including a volume attenuator on the unit was so people could run the ZO2 through a LOD.
> 
> ...


 

      Quote:


au5t3n5 said:


> I don't think price is even an issue. We shouldn't have to tolerate a hiss at all. I think it was a problem that flew under the radar regardless of the price point and should be fixed.
> 
> Heck, they even advertised:
> 
> ...


 

      Quote:


deadkenny64 said:


> I would even be happy with mod instructions (do at your own risk, warranty void, etc) if it turns out that I can't use this with my IEMs.  I'm moving away from full sized cans so good IEM performance and volume control is essential.


 

      Quote:


chrissc said:


> I think what's frustrating is that Digizoid had built up such a solid fan base that all of us would have been willing to wait another month or two without too many people grumbling. Instead, even with the delay, the product they released feels rushed and incomplete.


 


  Guys you're jumping the gun. The hissing problem you're all complaining about is annoying but it's quite an easy fix and it's not even overly expensive to fix. All you need is an impedance adapter you can find them for cheap in plug form HERE on eBay. You can even get one in cord form if you so choose. Yes it sucks in that it's one more thing you have to remember to take with you but it fixes the problem.


----------



## dfkt

You cannot use impedance adapters with multi-armature IEMs with crossovers, it changes the sound very audibly to the worse. And those are the phones that are most hiss-prone, usually. Not to mention one really shouldn't have to add another cumbersome piece to a portable setup as a hackish fix for a flaw like that.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





dfkt said:


> You cannot use impedance adapters with multi-armature IEMs with crossovers, it changes the sound very audibly to the worse. And those are the phones that are most hiss-prone, usually. Not to mention one really shouldn't have to add another cumbersome piece to a portable setup as a hackish fix for a flaw like that.


 


  Have you tried it? I've run across enough people on here who have and they seem happy enough. If it's a no go for you and the hiss is intolerable maybe it's time to think about returning the ZO for a refund.


----------



## dfkt

Yes, I have tried it with dozens of armature IEMs and various impedance adapters. You can check my signature for my reviews - I always mention when things don't work well together, regarding impedance matching issues, hiss, etc. I also gave the ZO1 a glowing review despite its flaws, since I was looking forward to the ZO2 fixing at least the most serious issues.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





dfkt said:


> Yes, I have tried it with dozens of armature IEMs and various impedance adapters. You can check my signature for my reviews - I always mention when things don't work well together, regarding impedance matching issues, hiss, etc. I also gave the ZO1 a glowing review despite its flaws, since I was looking forward to the ZO2 fixing at least the most serious issues.


 


  Crap sorry to hear it there's got to be some way of getting rid of that hiss? Oh by the way I've read some of your reviews and it's nice to finally meet you. Love the site don't change a thing.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

nvm.


----------



## anirudh0802

Do you know if the zoo would have any problems powering a 32 ohm headphone?


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





anirudh0802 said:


> Do you know if the zoo would have any problems powering a 32 ohm headphone?


 


  I think the zoo is more into exotic animals then headphones but give it a shot


----------



## The Larch

Quote: 





dfkt said:


> Damn. Not happy to read that. The hiss of the ZO1 was its worst flaw IMO, next to the loud on/off click.


 


  Yeah I'm upset too. The hiss is almost the same as the ZO1. I have only tried it with my sm3s. I would say the the ZO2 has some minor improvements but not worth the upgrade from the ZO1 unless you need the volume control. ......or hate shiny plastics and scratches.


----------



## dfkt

Larch, did the loud on/off click at least got better?


----------



## The Larch

Yes  When you turn it on  get a moment of silence and then the volume increases to where you left it.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

So guys, noticing any changes in the sound and the contour levels? I will know for sure tomorrow myself.


----------



## au5t3n5

I'm not sure why I need to buy an impedance adapter in addition to the Zo v2. I shouldn't have to worry about 3rd party fixes on my side on a* NEW UPDATED* product.
   
  Sure it solves the problem, but we as consumers shouldn't have to be doing our own DIY fixes. 
   
   
  Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> Guys you're jumping the gun. The hissing problem you're all complaining about is annoying but it's quite an easy fix and it's not even overly expensive to fix. All you need is an impedance adapter you can find them for cheap in plug form HERE on eBay. You can even get one in cord form if you so choose. Yes it sucks in that it's one more thing you have to remember to take with you but it fixes the problem.


----------



## F900EX

RPG,   Yes there is a very noticeable change in the sound and contour levels, most of it is very good, but as reported if you get too loud and higher the level you go, you start to hear distortion.  Otherside of it I guess it all depends what you are listening too.
   
   
  Regarding the popping and clicking, even with the ZO2 volume all the way down, you still hear it.  What I find kinda bothersome is before you turn the ZO off you have the bring the volume all the way down, otherwise you get this popping sound in your ear ......


----------



## treal512

So you don't care if it hisses? That is fine, but there's no need to tell people who are concerned about there being added distortion to the background to pipe it. I don't know the ZO demographics, but I'd be willing to bet more than half of the people eyeing the ZO are wanting to use it with IEMs. I second, third, and forth the motion to regulate gain because the added noise should not be something you have to tough out. With that said, I ran around campus today listening to my ZO + W4 and found that because of the lack of total isolation in my W4 (the case with most IEMs) the outside noise slightly masks the ZO hiss. A plus for me as I never listen to my IEMs at home, except for last night to post my initial impressions a few pages back. Otherwise, I am happy with the added effects, so far. I haven't had a chance to A/B them with Cowon BBE though.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





f900ex said:


> RPG,   Yes there is a very noticeable change in the sound and contour levels, most of it is very good, but as reported if you get too loud and higher the level you go, you start to hear distortion.  Otherside of it I guess it all depends what you are listening too.


 

 What volume level? The lower you put your source (and the higher you can put on the ZO2 instead) the higher you can go on ZO without distorting. I can go to max level on both my HTF600 and XB500 despite they already got such a strong bass out of box if using vol level around 30% for my soundcard. But using ZO at max level with such bassy headphones is nothing I'd ever end up using, it almost blurs my vision with XB500. 
   
  With ZO1 I tend to prefer either the first or 2nd boosted level, it just seems to me the soundstage is the most satisfying then, the higher you go the more "up-front" sound you're getting so you lose some width and depth.


----------



## DaBomb77766

Honestly a large amount of hiss is unacceptable in a ~$100 amp, especially after the E7 was released...that one had virtually no hiss.  Hiss really bothers me...of course opinions may and clearly do differ on this, but to me, a whole bunch of hiss isn't a good thing.
   
  Still though, some headphones don't suffer from hiss much.  For example, my T50RPs don't seem to hiss no matter what I plug them into, even if it's an old vintage amp that hisses like crazy with all of my other headphones.


----------



## treal512

Well, luckily there is not a lot of hiss even though unanimous reports of noise may make it seem louder than it really is. I don't know if anyone can express the low level of noise in terms that a majority can understand. I'm just saying it's there. Plugged in my T50RPs though and you're right, no hiss. It seems like this is something the IEM crowd has to put up with, or not at all.


----------



## estreeter

I'm with dfkt on this - DigiZoid would have received plenty of feedback from the owners of sensitive IEMs re the flaws in the ZO1, and if they havent fixed said flaw for the ZO2 I consider that a poor showing. Granted, hiss is unlikely to impact me to the same extent, but these guys should know that a large chunk of their market will be people who have invested an obscene amount in custom IEMs and the like - these folk arent going to just say 'Oh, OK, so it hisses - I'm fine with that !' ........


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





soulsyde said:


> That's because they're HE-300s, not the most sensitive headphones on the market.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Hissing is very obvious using various IEM's.  Not so when music is playing but during quiet passages it's very obvious.  Although the hippo shroom eb's never sounded this good before the ZO2.


----------



## Il Mostro

Mine came in yesterday, I fully charged it and fired it up today.  iPod Classic with Soloz Audio Silver LOD to the Zo, with the Zo providing all of the gain. I got it specifically to use with my ER4s's.  It definitely does add adjustable LF extension, but at the cost of a great deal of the ER4's transparency which is where all the magic is.  OK for casual listening, but nothing more.  I much prefer going with a better, albeit larger, amp (i.e. SR 71-A) and forgoing the boosted and bloated bass.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





il mostro said:


> *I much prefer going with a better, albeit larger, amp (i.e. SR 71-A) and forgoing the boosted and bloated bass.  *


 
   
  Forgive me for editing and bolding this section of your post, but this sums up the fears that I held for the ZO2 prior to placing my order. That said, there is a massive price difference between the ZO2 and the SR71-A - horses for courses.


----------



## Il Mostro

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Forgive me for editing and bolding this section of your post, but this sums up the fears that I held for the ZO2 prior to placing my order. That said, there is a massive price difference between the ZO2 and the SR71-A - horses for courses.


 


  I wasn't expecting it to keep up with the SR71-A, but the difference in SQ is several order of magnitudes greater than the price differential.  Don't get me wrong, it is a fun little piece but at the end of the day the cheap electronics really show through.  I really wanted to give it a shot with my ER4S as a small portable set up, but the loss of transparency and detail renders them no better than many other IEM's with decent LF extension on their own.  Believe me, I did not set the bar too high -- it's not like I was comparing it to my HP P-1.   Sometimes you win, sometimes not.


----------



## estreeter

Point taken - no problem.


----------



## AngryBaconGod

Sorry to read about the hiss. I was toying with the idea of getting one of these, but noise floor matters to me. I'll be watching for the ZO3 reviews.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

EDIT: *Take all the comments with a pinch of salt, I've experienced huge improvement after a while of use!!*
   
  I got the package today and been listening now for about an hour or so. No hiss here but I'm not using IEMs so that's to be expected.
   
  I'm still in the process trying to validate whether I'm liking ZO1's or ZO2's signature better. There's a little difference in sound. I may think that ZO1 even sounds a bit more transparent at the lowest 3 or so levels. ZO2 packs perhaps a bit more punch but it sounds almost even more colored than ZO1 though.
   
  EDIT: What I do notice is that the ZO2 sounds better if ZO2's volume levels is put a bit higher say at lvl 20~25 or so perhaps and turning down on the source instead and it starts sounding more transparent, more like ZO1. The coating feels really nice and LEDs are very bright. I still need to do more listening to know for sure.
   
  EDIT2: Now I'm starting to realize the ZO1's non-linear contour level adjustments worked very well like they were, I had thought it would be perfect with just one more level in-between the very lowest level which resulted in a bit less bass than not using ZO1 and the first boosted level which provided quite a significant boost. Ideally ZO1's contour levels with one more lvl added in-between the lowest and and first boosted lvl would be perfect. With ZO2 you get roughly the same bass quantity with the very lowest lvl as not using ZO2 and at first level it brings less of a boost than ZO1 does at first level which I had thought would be optimal but I dunno, there's something about the ZO1's contour lvl adjustment I can't put the finger on.
   
  EDIT3: So far it sounds like ZO2's bass is a bit less tight than on ZO1, I really loved the bass response of ZO1 cuz of that. And unfortunately I do have to say ZO1 do seem to sound a little more transparent in my ears so in my ears ZO1 might even be a bit better sounding. :s


----------



## SemperMalum

Quote: 





			
				RPGWiZaRD said:
			
		

> EDIT2: Now I'm starting to realize the ZO1's non-linear contour level adjustments worked very well like they were, I had thought it would be perfect with just one more level in-between the very lowest level which resulted in a bit less bass than not using ZO1 and the first boosted level which provided quite a significant boost. Ideally ZO1's contour levels with one more lvl added in-between the lowest and and first boosted lvl would be perfect. With ZO2 you get roughly the same bass quantity with the very lowest lvl as not using ZO2 and at first level it brings less of a boost than ZO1 does at first level which I had thought would be optimal but I dunno, there's something about the ZO1's contour lvl adjustment I can't put the finger on.


 


  Not that I plan on using the ZO2 with any IEMs, but so far they seem to be falling short, is what I'm gathering. Like, almost the exact same product, and yet even though it took 5 steps forward, it took 7 steps back. (10 steps would probably not be the correct analogy as it seems to do the job just not what everybody was expecting)


----------



## mrAdrian

Would adding the volume attenuators between the LO signal and the zo's line in make any sense?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





sempermalum said:


> Not that I plan on using the ZO2 with any IEMs, but so far they seem to be falling short, is what I'm gathering. Like, almost the exact same product, and yet even though it took 5 steps forward, it took 7 steps back. (10 steps would probably not be the correct analogy as it seems to do the job just not what everybody was expecting)


 
   
   
 EDIT: *Take all the early impressions with a pinch of salt, I've experienced huge improvement after a while of use!!*

 Yea, I like the coating, the leds, the removed pop noise when turning on/off but on the sound quality aspect I'm not convinced by ZO2, if I had to choose based on sound quality, I would probably have to pick ZO1 unfortunately. ZO1 is an unusually transparent sounding bass boost amp in it's price range with unusually good bass quality that is controlled and tight. ZO2 sounds more like a "typical" bass boost amp around $100. Sound quality wise I'd put ZO1 easily worth like 150~$200 (ie exceeding it's price point) while ZO2 is just about appropriate for its price, well 100~$120 or so.
   
  EDIT: Seems like this was an issue that I haven't let the amp burn-in, now it seems a whole lot better after some hrs of use already. Take any early impressions with a pinch of salt.
   
  I'd rather stick with the same components on the circuit board as ZO1 (so it would sound the same because they seemed to have found some combination working like almost magic there), keep the visual changes of ZO2 and tweak the volume levels and possibly even add a gain switch and use the contour level adjustment of ZO1 but with one added level at the very start and it would be a perfect product.


----------



## SemperMalum

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Yea, I like the coating, the leds, the removed pop noise when turning on/off but on the sound quality aspect I'm not convinced by ZO2, if I had to choose based on sound quality, I would probably have to pick ZO1 unfortunately. ZO1 is an unusually transparent sounding bass boost amp in it's price range with unusually good bass quality that is controlled and tight. ZO2 sounds more like a "typical" bass boost amp around $100. Sound quality wise I'd put ZO1 worth like 150~$200 (ie exceeding it's price point) while ZO2 is just about appropriate for its price, well 100~$120 or so.


 

 Maybe I should sell my ZO2 then and trade down for a ZO1. I wouldn't mind the glossy feel, nor the removed pop. Sound quality is what I got it for. I guess I'll get it in tomorrow, play around with it on the M-80 and the SR80i's and then take a look at how I feel and what my options are.


----------



## SemperMalum

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> I'd rather stick with the same components on the circuit board as ZO1 (so it would sound the same because they seemed to have found some combination working like almost magic there), keep the visual changes of ZO2 and tweak the volume levels and possibly even add a gain switch and use the contour level adjustment of ZO1 but with one added level at the very start and it would be a perfect product.


 

 Let me ask this: (*ninja edit*) to somebody who's never touched either yet, which would you not hesitate to recommend first?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

EDIT: *Take all the early impressions with a pinch of salt, I've experienced huge improvement after a while of use!!*
   
  Well ZO1 lacks volume adjustment so you'll have to use it with a headphone jack but or else you'll have way too high volume so then it depends a little what's your DAP is, if you're like using some portable device it doesn't always have such a great quality on it etc but if the analog output on the source is at least of decent quality I think you'd also find ZO1 better sounding. Look I'm just using an Audigy 2 ZS soundcard myself with kX Audio drivers and I really do hear the difference in transparency relatively easily between ZO1 and ZO2, ZO1 has a more natural less colored sound to it, bass is more forgiving in not overhelming the overall frequency response range too much. Besides that I can't hear much difference if any but there's quite a lot difference regarding transparency (sorry I don't know how to explain it into words, I know the meaning of it tho). In complex passages with lots of stuff going on it's like easier to pick out the small details, they stick out more clearly so to speak.
   
  Can any1 else that's tested both ZO1 and ZO2 relate to this or is it perhaps just my source that is not a good fit for ZO2?


----------



## SemperMalum

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Well ZO1 lacks volume adjustment so you'll have to use it with a headphone jack but or else you'll have way too high volume so then it depends a little what's your DAP is, if you're like using some portable device it doesn't always have such a great quality on it etc but if the analog output on the source is at least of decent quality I think you'd also find ZO1 better sounding. Look I'm just using an Audigy 2 ZS soundcard myself with kX Audio drivers and I really do hear the difference in transparency relatively easily between ZO1 and ZO2, ZO1 has a more natural less colored sound to it, bass is more forgiving in not overhelming the overall frequency response range too much. Besides that I can't hear much difference if any but there's quite a lot difference regarding transparency (sorry I don't know how to explain it into words, I know the meaning of it tho). In complex passages with lots of stuff going on it's like easier to pick out the small details, they stick out more clearly so to speak.
> 
> Can any1 else that's tested both ZO1 and ZO2 relate to this or is it perhaps just my source that is not a good fit for ZO2?


 
   
  I guess since I'm going to be mainly using my Samsung Galaxy, I might not notice. If that's the case, it'd be more of a situation where I might be better off sticking with the ZO2 since that's my main introduction, rather than downgrading/upgrading to the ZO1. Again, pure speculation.


----------



## mrAdrian

hey mind if I ask again, would the volume attenuator have smaller effect on sq in between the player and zo, or should it be in between the zo and your iem/headphones?


----------



## dfkt

Quote: 





sempermalum said:


> Let me ask this: (*ninja edit*) to somebody who's never touched either yet, which would you not hesitate to recommend first?


 


M50.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

dfkt> recieved yours yet? Would gladly hear some opinions what you think about sound quality of ZO2 compared to ZO1 which I know you really liked.
   
  It may have to do with the volume control too I suspect, as it appears to sound better the higher I set volume on ZO2 and a bit lower the source volume. This is no different than other amps I've used though, especially FiiO E5 sounded horrible at very low levels, distorting a little etc but that's a common thing with amps in general.
   
  I seem to get the best result with ZO2 set to max vol lvl. At this point you could start debating how important that volume adjustment is in case I'd just keep it at max level all the time anyway.  Maybe this is what really made ZO1 sound so nice, the lack of volume control? I mean amps doesn't usually lack that so it's kind of hard to base an accurate opinion regarding this.
   
  EDIT: Unlike some else said I have no trouble using max contour lvl without getting distortion but I've set ZO2 to max volume and the windows volume control at like 20~25% for these HTF600. The cups vibrate like mad.
   
  EDIT2: I'm not so sure there's any noteworthy difference in sound between the ZO1 as long as ZO2 is set to max vol lvl. I will give ZO2 more time before giving further comments on the sound.
   
  EDIT3: The lowest level on ZO2 seems to make the bass a tiny bit more punchy than without amp. I kinda miss that ZO1's lowest level I used to use sometimes just to be able to critically listen for distortions and such in a track as it reduced the bass slightly on this level, useful for my bassy headphones.
   
  EDIT4: Especially in this track you notice even at the very lowest contour level you get a boost in bass as it seems to happen mostly down at the very deep frequencies. This track plays a constant low frequency bass around 20~35Hz. Seems like ZO2 lowest level about the same or very close to ZO1 = first boosted lvl in bass quantity. Probably talking about some 2dB or so.


----------



## ulnevrgtit

Agree...quite a loud hiss with W4s imo, really disappointing.


----------



## MizMoxie

We appreciate all the ZO 2 first impressions you guys have been providing. We set out armed with your initial feedback from ZO 1 to make the ZO 2 everything you wanted it to be. As part of our commitment to total customer satisfaction, please contact us directly with any feedback - both positive and negative to feedback@digizoid.com so we can address any concerns in a timely basis and ensure the best ZO experience possible.


----------



## au5t3n5

Noooo! /cry 
  
  Quote: 





ulnevrgtit said:


> Agree...quite a loud hiss with W4s imo, really disappointing.


 


  Can anyone say anything about the best way to get rid of the hiss? Like is it better to use LOD or certain volume level on source (low/high) + 3.5 to 3.5 to zo and change zo volume (low/high)? 
   
  edt: nvm, i hear its the same via 3.5 regardless of source/zo volume....


----------



## SoulSyde

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> We appreciate all the ZO 2 first impressions you guys have been providing. We set out armed with your initial feedback from ZO 1 to make the ZO 2 everything you wanted it to be. As part of our commitment to total customer satisfaction, please contact us directly with any feedback - both positive and negative to feedback@digizoid.com so we can address any concerns in a timely basis and ensure the best ZO experience possible.


 

 Please everyone do this.  I have been communicating with digiZoid about these issues and they are serious about addressing our concerns. 
   
  Kudos!


----------



## AngryBaconGod

mizmoxie said:


> We appreciate all the ZO 2 first impressions you guys have been providing[COLOR=1738F5].[/COLOR] We set out armed with your initial feedback from ZO 1 to make the ZO 2 everything you wanted it to be. As part of our commitment to total customer satisfaction, please contact us directly with any feedback - both positive and negative to feedback@digizoid.com so we can address[COLOR=1738F5] [/COLOR]any[COLOR=1738F5] [/COLOR]concerns in a timely basis and ensure the best ZO experience possible.




If you sort out the hissing (there shouldn't be any) and can make the volume control reasonable for LODs and IEMs I will be making a purchase.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Well if we all contact them at that address it's hard to know what's already been suggested. =)
   
  Don't feel like ending up flooding their email with:
   
  "please fix the hissing" or something. 
   
  I'm starting to enjoy the bass response from ZO2, don't know if that's ZO2 that's burning in or my preferences are starting to change though. Sounds great on the lowest lvl with HTF600.


----------



## burtomr

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Well if we all contact them at that address it's hard to know what's already been suggested. =)
> 
> Don't feel like ending up flooding their email with:
> 
> "please fix the hissing" or something.


 

 You should, that's exactly the right thing to do, and it's exactly what Digizoid is asking for.
   
  So what if they get the same "suggestion" numerous times, that's the whole idea!


----------



## SoulSyde

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Well if we all contact them at that address it's hard to know what's already been suggested. =)
> 
> Don't feel like ending up flooding their email with:
> 
> ...


 


 I'm not saying do one over the other.  Do both.  Head-Fi is for sharing your thoughts publicly, but if you want something done about it contact digiZoid.  Unless your real name is RPGWiZaRD, they likely won't know who you are to address the problem.  If you're happy with yours then do nothing.


----------



## ulnevrgtit

[size=10pt]Quite a loud hiss with W4s imo, really disappointing.[/size]
   
  [size=10pt]Adjusting the source volume has no effect on the hiss, at least when using the hp out. With the source (iphone 4) volume all the way down/off the hiss is still clearly noticeable on W4s. I'll try other IEMs/headphones when I get home but I'm not very hopefully, especially for the other IEMs. No matter really since the W4 are what I primarily use. [size=10pt]I'm not sure why Digizoid didn’t test these more thoroughly with IEMs, as the hissing is clearly noticeable. Maybe worse, they did notice and still shipped the product out. Either way, quite disappointing. [/size]Too bad though, I had high hopes but as of now it looks like the ZO2 will be returned.[/size]
   
  [size=10pt]One more thing I don’t understand is why the included headphone cord (the short one) doesn’t have a 90 degree plug on at least one side.  I saw on another ZO2 thread Digizoid reps inquiring as to what kind of plug the user base would prefer, 90 degree or straight plugs, and it was clear that the majority if not all users requested 90 degree on at least one side.  [/size]


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





ulnevrgtit said:


> Adjusting the source volume has no affect on the hiss, at least when using the hp out.  With the source (iphone 4) volume all the way down/off the hiss is still clearly noticable.


 

 If gain is the issue which seems to be perhaps a bit too high for IEM use then adjusting volume levels won't help. I do however get hissing on my headphones if raising volume to uncomfortable levels with my headphones but that's another story. 
   
  EDIT: hmm bass sounds a bit better now (more controlled, tight) for some reason (probably helped when I set vol to ZO on max). I'm pleased atm with the sound, will try and focus on comparing the soundstage / imaging of ZO2 vs 1 next in case there can be found any differences at all.


----------



## F900EX

This is starting to sound like "the ZO2 does not complete me "   
   
   
  Suggestions......
   
  I say give them a chance before you return it, it's only been 2 days.  Regarding some of the issues, my feeling is what are they going to offer or what options we have to the first people who bought them, (if anything). Another question would be how long is it going to take, I'm sure this is something that cannot be fixed in one day.
   
  Since we are going to discuss the problems some people are having or dislike about the ZO2.  Let's just make a list and then send it directly to Mizmoxie.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Well I'm liking my ZO2 (since I'm a headphone user so no hissing here). Now I've kept switching back n forth between ZO1 and ZO2 and there's definitely some differences regarding imaging/positioning. The ZO2 seems to do better than ZO1 here, at least on the lowest contour level I think ZO2 does really really good. There seems to be a little bigger stage (less intimate, in your face) and the positioning is better, the "out-of-box" sound is enhanced similar to what Dolby Headphone does. This is something I'm really enjoying, I listened to a video on youtube with a guy speaking and it sounded like I was in the same room with him.


----------



## SkinnyPuppy

I've just recieved mine. I have some simple words.  What MAN TOO LOUD TURN THEM SH**S DOWN


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





skinnypuppy said:


> I've just recieved mine. I have some simple words.  What MAN TOO LOUD TURN THEM SH**S DOWN


 


  No kidding.  Not so bad with headphones, but I cannot use my iem's with it.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





skinnypuppy said:


> I've just recieved mine. I have some simple words.  What MAN TOO LOUD TURN THEM SH**S DOWN


 

 I don't know about you but I'm so worried about the volume levels when trying out a new amp or source or whatever I usually put the volume automaticly to the lowest level before playing something and if I don't do that I'd at least never stick my headphones on before I've played something while not wearing them to make sure it's not scaringly loud. ^^


----------



## 5370H55V

Well, I just received my ZO2 and I have to say I'm disappointed. First thing I noticed when I took it out of the box was a bubble on the rubber finish. I decided to overlook it, but when I turned on the unit I experienced the 2 major complaints from people here, namely the hiss and loud volume with LO. I usually listen to music at low volumes, usually <15% on my DAP, and with LO the sound coming from the ZO with volume on min was much higher than what I could listen to. Hiss is a pet peeve of mine, but after so much anticipation for the ZO I was willing to accept some hissing on my IEMs after reading the impressions in this thread. What I didn't expect was for it to hiss coming from my full-sized hfi-580's; the hiss from the ZO is even louder than from the hp out on my laptop. I purchased this product based on sound quality (which was great) and form factor, but the usability issues have really made it a huge letdown.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Yea looks like ZO really would need this high and low gain switch, low gain for IEMs/headphones at say 8 - 32 ohm and high for above 32 ohm. Can't hear any hissing with the HTF600 that's 64 ohm but then again I don't use LOD and have set my volume low on the source, ofc it might be worse if run as a LOD and maybe I could also hear it then with headphones, I don't know since I don't have a line-out to test with.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Well I'm liking my ZO2 (since I'm a headphone user so no hissing here). Now I've kept switching back n forth between ZO1 and ZO2 and there's definitely some differences regarding imaging/positioning. The ZO2 seems to do better than ZO1 here, at least on the lowest contour level I think ZO2 does really really good. There seems to be a little bigger stage (less intimate, in your face) and the positioning is better, the "out-of-box" sound is enhanced similar to what Dolby Headphone does. This is something I'm really enjoying, I listened to a video on youtube with a guy speaking and it sounded like I was in the same room with him.


 
   
  Is there any chance you *could give the ZO2 a day or two before posting again* ? ***, earlier in the same 24-hour period, you were prepared to throw the ZO2 out the window in favour of the ZO1 - I'm all for early impressions, but some of your posts have been all over the place - just give the thing a chance ....
   
  This is what you said just a few hours prior to the post above:
   
_I'm not convinced by ZO2, if I had to choose based on sound quality, I would probably have to pick ZO1 unfortunately. ZO1 is an unusually transparent sounding bass boost amp in it's price range with unusually good bass quality that is controlled and tight. ZO2 sounds more like a "typical" bass boost amp around $100. Sound quality wise I'd put ZO1 easily worth like 150~$200 (ie exceeding it's price point) while ZO2 is just about appropriate for its price, well 100~$120 or so._
   
  I'm not disputing anything you have said - mine wont even be here for another week - but how many people would compare a unit with *hundreds of listening hours* to one with just a few ?  I agree that the hissing and the volume control from a lineout are issues, but giving such definitive subjective impressions so early in the life of the ZO2 is patently unfair.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Well that's me, I'm too impatient.  Besides I didn't think amps would need to be burnt in as they work quite different from headphones and seems to me more unlikely to be effected by burn-in. I remember loving ZO1 at the very first listen I took but that may have been cuz of that I never had heard the ZO before then and now I'm comparing to ZO1 which has maaaany hrs on it. Do other manufacturers burn-in their amps? At least I very much doubt these amps get any kind of burn-in besides a quick test if it works or not. But based on the first listen I took and now after a day of use (probably around 6~7 hrs now) I do seem to have noticed a change so perhaps burn-in exists in amps too after all, at least what I've experienced so far would point to it.
   
  So yea I'll try wait a while before commenting more on it.
   
  EDIT: Editing my previous comments to point out that those early impressions should be taken with a pinch of salt as I seem to be in the burn-in process so I'm giving an unfair view of ZO2.


----------



## SkinnyPuppy

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> I don't know about you but I'm so worried about the volume levels when trying out a new amp or source or whatever I usually put the volume automaticly to the lowest level before playing something and if I don't do that I'd at least never stick my headphones on before I've played something while not wearing them to make sure it's not scaringly loud. ^^


 


  I mixed up the input and output ports so i turned the volume halfway up before switching the ports. I may have permanent hearing damage.


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





f900ex said:


> Since we are going to discuss the problems some people are having or dislike about the ZO2.  Let's just make a list and then send it directly to Mizmoxie.


 
   
  This is why we set up the feedback@digizoid.com email... for people to send us their feedback.


----------



## estreeter

This is less about hardware burn-in than software - the extremely soft matter between your ears. You have literally gone from "this is a total POS sonically when compared to the ZO1 !" to "Hey, this thing isnt as bad as I said it was !" in the space of a few hours - the same phenomenon can be found in virtually every set of impressions written by newbies here and elsewhere. Based on your kit list, you would seem to be a serious basshead, and I havent read a review yet where it doesnt take time for the bass to 'kick in', be it headphones, amps and even DACs. In that case, I'm not talking newbies - I'm talking professional reviewers who have to measure their initial impressions against the likelihood of biting the hand that feeds.
   
  We are fortunate, in that we can give impressions without fear or favour, but this tiny chunk of plastic was hyped unmercilessly on Head-Fi, and we owe it to ourselves to give the thing another day or two before ruling it out for those who are still sitting on the fence. Trust me, if it doesnt sound good to my ears after 20 hours listening time, you will be the first to hear all about it.
   
  I was accused of having my 'serious head' on earlier, but this is DigiZoid's business we are trashing - lets not do that prematurely.


----------



## F900EX

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> This is why we set up the feedback@digizoid.com email... for people to send us their feedback.


 


  Understand, but as mentioned on page 9, we want to make sure all the issues are known. There is no way for us to know what you have received and more important what you have not.  Down the road I would hate to see a issue that was talked about on here, but not mentioned in a email and guess what.... never got resolved.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

I never said ZO2 sounded bad even in the early impressions, I only compared it to ZO1 which is a product I've been so extremely happy with but even if I hadn't be extremely positive about it compared to ZO1 it had still probably beaten any sub $100 amp for me even out of box lol. The difference wasn't even huge out of box between the two but perhaps I made it sound that way. For me a relatively small difference can be quite a big matter to me as I'm used to spend time on tweaking software settings and such so I'm used to listen for differences. However what I didn't expect here was to experience such a huge difference after a bit burn-in so yea I totally apologize for that and like I said I already edited it in my previous comments that they are merely impressions and that it has changed since.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





f900ex said:


> Understand, but as mentioned on page 9, we want to make sure all the issues are known. There is no way for us to know what you have received and more important what you have not.  Down the road I would hate to see a issue that was talked about on here, but not mentioned in a email and guess what.... never got resolved.


 


  I think they are bright enough to realise that a thousand emails complaining about hiss and overly loud volume means 'Houston, we have a problem'. If an issue as heavily discussed as hissing with sensitive IEMs slipped through the cracks on the first batch of ZO2s, what makes you think they are going to spend too much time on an email from someone complaining about the fact that they thought the ZO was a USB DAC .....


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





f900ex said:


> Understand, but as mentioned on page 9, we want to make sure all the issues are known. There is no way for us to know what you have received and more important what you have not.  Down the road I would hate to see a issue that was talked about on here, but not mentioned in a email and guess what.... never got resolved.


 

 Believe me, we pay very close attention to what's being said here on the threads. However, we have noticed in the past that sometimes people divulge more via emails for one reason or another. Also, we want to be able to understand *exactly* what people are experiencing and with what equipment on a case-by-case basis, which often times may be left out in a forum environment.


----------



## au5t3n5

+1 for CS that is actually trying to figure out what is wrong.
  
  Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Believe me, we pay very close attention to what's being said here on the threads. However, we have noticed in the past that sometimes people divulge more via emails for one reason or another. Also, we want to be able to understand *exactly* what people are experiencing and with what equipment on a case-by-case basis, which often times may be left out in a forum environment.


----------



## rezel

So many IEM users here... I'm guessing from fellow headphone users that the hissing isn't a problem for us?


----------



## SkinnyPuppy

I can hear a tiny bit of hiss on my pro 900s, no problemo though, un-noticeable with music playing.
   
   
  I heard a bit of distorted bass on 2005 by Excision and Downlink (lowest contour) and no distortion on highest contour on Raise Your Weapon (Stimming Dub)
  
  I think i'm going to buy a volume control cable or an impedance adapter or something.


----------



## estreeter

The mighty X1060 is notorious for hissing with sensitive IEMs, but I've never seen a single complaint from the owner of fullsize phones - it certainly didnt bother me in the slightest. I guess there is a first-time for everything, but anything which hisses loudly enough to impact my fullsize cans would have so many other problems that I simply wouldnt use it as an amp anyway. We need to bear in mind that we are dealing with _uber_-obsessives here - that doesnt negate the issue, but it may well be that Joe Average simply plugs the ZO2 into his DAP, cranks up the bass and goes 'Whoa ! This is like, totally, awesome !' ...........


----------



## rezel

That's great to hear, since I'll be listening to the Pro 900 mainly. Thanks


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Well I tried it with all my headphones and only with XB500 which is the easiest driven/most sensitive headphone I've come across I heard a little bit hiss with. Even AKG K518DJ which specs 32 ohm an 115dB sensitivity was completely silent. Sennheiser HD212 pro specced 32 ohm 112 dB or so had possibly the faintest possibly hiss you could ever hear, I had to listen very carefully to hear it. 
   
  So I think you're only going to hear it faintly with the most sensitive headphones around.


----------



## Il Mostro

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> No kidding.  Not so bad with headphones, but I cannot use my iem's with it.


 

 I'll second this.  In addition to the high degree of coloration and the loss of transparency and detail mentioned in regard to my ER4S, I decided to try them at the office today with UM3X.  Setup was MBP to Zo2 via USB DAC cable (the slick little job with the embedded Wolfson DAC inside the cable).  The Zo simply does not have sufficient  attenuation for sensitive IEM's -- way too load even at the very lowest volume setting.  It will not play nice with my intended purpose, the ER4S/iPod, so I am undecided whether to:  (a) flip it; (b) give it to my nephew; or (c) buy a Nano and just use it as a highly colored but highly isolating compact kit with my ER4S.


----------



## Grev

I want mine already so I can hear what all this fuss is about.
   
  Hopefully it won't blow my headphones...


----------



## SkinnyPuppy

http://www.amazon.com/Koss-155954-VC20-Volume-Control/dp/B00001P4XH/ref=pd_sbs_e_4
   
  unless i can find an impedance adapter 1/8 to 1/8 this is what i'm getting tomorrow.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Now I saw the low battery indicator for the first time, basicly it blinks at the bottom of the lightbar, it also goes automaticly into bypass mode like advertised and luckily this time it goes rather silently with only a quick kind of rather silent distortion noise to it. The few times it happened with ZO1 in middle of a gaming session it often scared me a bit from the sudden loud pop so this is a nice change.
   
  FYI I woke up at like 11 AM and it's been powered on all the time and been in use almost the whole time since then and now it's 3 AM here, that's 14 hrs, not bad and then I don't know if it was fully charged or not but it seemed that way (well close anyway). The LED is still glowing so I suppose it's not completely empty but the battery isn't charged enough to be able to play some music as it goes back into bypass mode if trying to turn it on. So this is very welcomed feature / improvement.


----------



## esanthosh

I for one bought this solely based on the huge expectations built by impressions regarding unmatched synergy with EX-1000 + the bass boost it provided to bass light IEMs. So, both issues - hiss + high volume levels - are a bit of a concern. That said, I now know what to expect. I am no longer expecting a "magical, miraculous, mythical, Zuper" ZO 2, but a $100 sound processor that might enhance the sound, but has some serious issues. Once it lands sometime in the next 2-4 weeks, I am going to give it sometime and match it with different combinations of sources, IEMs / Headphones and see how it goes. Nothing is perfect and it's not the first time my huge built-up expectations got crushed by reality. But, here's hoping that ZO2 is worth the fair chance I am going to give.


----------



## SkinnyPuppy

Quote: 





esanthosh said:


> I for one bought this solely based on the huge expectations built by impressions regarding unmatched synergy with EX-1000 + the bass boost it provided to bass light IEMs. So, both issues - hiss + high volume levels - are a bit of a concern. That said, I now know what to expect. I am no longer expecting a "magical, miraculous, mythical, Zuper" ZO 2, but a $100 sound processor that might enhance the sound, but has some serious issues. Once it lands sometime in the next 2-4 weeks, I am going to give it sometime and match it with different combinations of sources, IEMs / Headphones and see how it goes. Nothing is perfect and it's not the first time my huge built-up expectations got crushed by reality. But, here's hoping that ZO2 is worth the fair chance I am going to give.


 


  Just buy a volume control/impedance adapter.


----------



## SoulSyde

Quote: 





skinnypuppy said:


> Just buy a *volume control/impedance* adapter.


 


  Those are two separate things.  One is a potentiometer, the other a resistor.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

It's a shame about the hissing/gain/high volume issue because without that it would be a very good $100 product with a large crowd to appeal to. I really hope one day ZO will be the "perfect" product (relatively speaking ofc, for ~$100 it's a pretty good deal and it wouldn't be a stretch if it costed a little more as long as everything worked as expected) I've been hoping for, so close now, just need to get some gain switch optimized for IEM/headphones 8 - 50 ohm use as well as a higher gain lvl about same as now for >50 ohm headphone use.
   
  I have a few small suggestions for improvements but I'll be sure to take my time first with ZO2 before I'll send the feedback.


----------



## esanthosh

Quote: 





skinnypuppy said:


> Just buy a volume control/impedance adapter.


 

 I already have an impedance adapter.
   
  Regarding volume control, isn't that the primary reason I waited all these months for ZO2 and not go for ZO1? Not a big fan of adding too many things in the path.
   
  I will wait for ZO2 to arrive and give it sometime before coming back to this thread. Can't speculate any further on something I've not heard


----------



## SoulSyde

Quote: 





esanthosh said:


> I already have an impedance adapter.
> 
> Regarding volume control, isn't that the primary reason I waited all these months for ZO2 and not go for ZO1? Not a big fan of adding too many things in the path.
> 
> I will wait for ZO2 to arrive and give it sometime before coming back to this thread. *Can't speculate any further on something I've not heard *


----------



## SkinnyPuppy

Quote: 





soulsyde said:


> Those are two separate things.  One is a potentiometer, the other a resistor.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





esanthosh said:


> Regarding volume control, isn't that the primary reason I waited all these months for ZO2 and not go for ZO1? Not a big fan of adding too many things in the path.


 

 Agreed, and this is what Violectric has to say on the subject of potentiometers:
   
*Why is a good volume pot essential ? *
  
_A volume potentiometer is a mechanical control element, which can be obtained on the market at any low price. Meanwhile it is often replaced by electronic circuitry, exhibiting essential disadvantages concerning dynamic range, noise and distortion. Conductive-plastic resistive tracks, high-quality multitap wipers and separated chambers for the individual sections are highly desirable for sophisticated applications, and high quality is inevitable to ensure trouble-free operation for years. Since the market for really good pots is a small one, manufacturers like Noble or Panasonic don't offer these any more. A current sample of top of the line pots is the RK27 by ALPS, which is used inside HPA 100 and HPA V200._
   
  Clearly, I wasnt expecting an ALPS pot in the ZO2, but a volume pot isnt a trivial addition.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

estreeter said:


> Agreed, and this is what Violectric has to say on the subject of potentiometers:
> 
> *Why is a good volume pot essential ? *
> 
> ...


 

  So maybe I wasn't far off with my comments regarding that ZO2 sounds best to me (most dynamic and transparent) at the highest volume level on the ZO2 and adjusting your source as needed. At least that's what my ears tell me, I suppose this is partly the reason why ZO1 sounded (and ZO2) so great for its price as all low cost amps fails a bit on the volume adjustment side... don't want to name any but u can probably guess...


----------



## Sylafari

Just received my Digizoid Zo2 today, will leave impressions later. Probably pair it with my LCD-2s, not the fairest pairing but oh well.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

It is such a boomer to read all this about the hizz and the loudness after waiting for this like 2 months (in my case), but hey! at least it got released, unlike the FiiO X3.
   
  Doesnt DigiZoid have to test the prototype before making the first batch? I guess they used sensible IEMs and an iPoo with a LOD. right?
   
  I dont want to make stupid assumptions and I dont have mine yet, its waiting for me at home though. 
   
  on the good side, not good for digizoid but for me, the Only IEM I use for serious listening is the TF10 and I dont think that needs what the ZO can offer, I got the ZO2 to use with DT1350, M80 and probably a few more over ears.


----------



## ulnevrgtit

[size=10pt]*Original post + updated impression *(with more time and IEMs/headphones)[/size]
   
  [size=10pt]*11/9 @ 12:30*: Quite a loud hiss with W4s imo, really disappointing.[/size]
   
  [size=10pt]*11/9 @ 2:00*: Adjusting the source volume has no effect on the hiss, at least when using the hp out...no real surprise. I'll try other IEMs/headphones when I get home but I'm not very hopefully, especially for the other IEMs. No matter really since the W4 are what I primarily use. [size=10pt]I'm not sure why Digizoid didn’t test these more thoroughly with IEMs, as the hissing is clearly noticeable. Maybe worse, they did notice and still shipped the product out. Either way, quite disappointing. [/size]Too bad though, I had high hopes but as of now it looks like the ZO2 might be returned...we'll see.[/size]
   
  [size=10pt]One more thing I don’t understand is why the included headphone cord (the short one) doesn’t have a 90 degree plug on at least one side.  I saw on another ZO2 thread Digizoid reps inquiring as to what kind of plug the user base would prefer, 90 degree or straight plugs, and it was clear that the majority if not all users requested 90 degree on at least one side.  [/size]
   
*[size=10pt]11/9 @ 9:00[/size]*[size=10pt]: Tried with other IEMs (TF10 and Image X5) and hiss is still clearly there, no surprise.  Not so with the SR80i headphones though . Regarding SQ, my initial impression while listing with the W4s earlier today was that there was a little loss of clarity as the contour setting is increase and the bass was a bit muddy. However, it has seem to clear up ever so slightly, although that might just be the change in listing environments (I was at work earlier, now at home). I am not a big believer in burn-in but have heard it happen with static hardware before, specifically DAC that are know to have some warm-up/burn-in changes. Since I have no idea what is actually in this little thing I am not going to assume that it doesnt contain anything that would possibly be impacted over time. [/size]
  [size=10pt]I will say that the ZO2 does add a bit of soundstage and dynamics, especially to the SR80i, in addition to the increase bass presence. I hear the potential, even on the W4s but its hard to get past the hiss whenever the track settles and the hissing rears its ugly head.  I truly value a low sound floor which the ZO2 currently struggles to produce on IEMs, which I use 90% of the time.[/size]
   
  [size=10pt]On a more possitive note,  it is clear that Digizoid reps are monitoring the forums and I am hoping they will try and address some of the concerns.  Considering that Digizoid did at least attempt to address a number of concern/issues raised with the ZO1 I think there is a chance they will try and address some of the issues noted thus far for the ZO2 (specifically, the hissing and volume issues)...we'll see.[/size]


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *JamesMcProgger* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> Doesnt DigiZoid have to test the prototype before making the first batch?


 
   
  Agree 100%, and that is rare between you and I, McProgger. They could have done all the market research they needed right here on HF, but chose not to do so. Even if they had sent prototypes to anythingbutipod and Headfonia, I believe they would have received feedback on the issues highlighted here. I accept that its easy for me to say that when I dont have to fund the manufacture of a device like this, but its difficult not to feel that we are being used as guinea pigs when that might have been avoided.


----------



## estreeter

Guys, let me refresh everyone's memory - this is what Abi wrote at anythingbutipod back on October 21:
   
_The first version of the ZO wasn’t without some flaws, though, as I wrote in the review linked above. Being very good listeners, Digizoid took many improvement suggestions by users into account for their freshly updated model. On the audio side of things, *the new ZO2 should have less background hiss, should be better EMI/RFI shielded, the 32 processing steps should be more evenly spaced, and there should be no more clicks and pops at turning the amp on or off*. The new housing is rubberized instead of glossy plastic, and the *ZO2 now has a volume control, so it can be used with line-level outputs as well.* Battery life is slightly improved, and a low battery indicator as well as improved shutdown handling have been added._
   
  ( http://anythingbutipod.com/2011/10/the-digizoid-zo2-is-almost-released/ )
   
  I think its also timely to highlight something Abi mentioned when discussing hiss on the ZO1:
   
_Contrary to the “input fix” I mentioned above, *an impedance adapter on the ZO’s output won’t do much good. It will get rid of the hiss, but added impedance usually changes the sound quality of such phones to the worse*. Even with single moving-armature phones like the Ortofon e-Q5, added impedance changes their sound signature dramatically (loss of bass, increased treble)._
   
  Will be very interested in Abi's review of the ZO2.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

oh wow estreeter agrees with me. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  OK enough headfi for me, I take back everything I say in the last 24 hours. good bye.


----------



## Il Mostro

I just emailed Digizoid regarding returning it.  I tried it with everything and in every possible configuration.  Just not for me.  For yucks I went back in time to my old Xin Mini -- now that was a decent digital volume control and good SQ.  This product has to be one of the most over-hyped things ever to find its way to HF.


----------



## Il Mostro

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> So maybe I wasn't far off with my comments regarding that ZO2 sounds best to me (most dynamic and transparent) at the highest volume level on the ZO2 and adjusting your source as needed. At least that's what my ears tell me, I suppose this is partly the reason why ZO1 sounded (and ZO2) so great for its price as all low cost amps fails a bit on the volume adjustment side... don't want to name any but u can probably guess...


 


  You have to be kidding... I dare say you would not know "transparent" if it bit you in the a**.  The Zo2 turned my ER4S into bloated mud.  Adjusting the source volume?  "Double" amping further degrades SQ.  The Zo does not work properly with LOD and cannot even attenuate moderately sensitive IEM's.  This thing is flawed in just about every way possible.


----------



## Meloncoly

Just contributing to the impressions thread. 
   
  With the W4/iPhone4 using the headphone out, I can hear the hissing people are talking about, but it's not loud to me. It's very silent and I would have to concentrate a bit to hear it. Playing music, I can hear what the amp does...but it's not to my taste. The bass is definitely more impactful, but it doesn't sound sharp or clean. It feels very round and it doesn't feel very emotional. I've been listening to a variety of genres and I will just shoot some stuff out about them generally. My descriptions will compare the W4/iPhone4 combo vs the W4/ZO2/iPhone4 (lowest SVC setting) combo.
   
  Jpop/Kpop: This amp works with Jpop pretty well. When I listen to Jpop, I like that the bass hits strong and for some reason, the bass doesn't wash over the vocals. I think this is because the vocals are a bit trebly to begin with so it balances out. Jpop is one of the few genres of music that will make me boost SVC up 1-2 levels for more fun. Overall, a positive experience.
   
  JFolk: Female vocals have much more body but when the percussions come in, it overpowers the vocals so it sounds a little messy. I think the bass is too strong and ruins balance. Overall, a negative experience.
   
  House/Electronica/Techno/Brostep: This is another genre where it's nice to bump up the SVC 1-2 levels to get more fun out of the music. When listening to Kaskade's Here & Now album, a really trebly album, the ZO2 tones down the treble and makes a long listening session much more bearable. This goes for the other genres as well that also have spiky treble. Normally when I listen to these albums, I have to turn down the volume because of the treble, but I lose the impactful bass as well. With the ZO2, I can keep both and be happy. Really fast songs do get a little messy, but the bass makes up for it I guess. Overall, a positive experience except for really fast songs, then it is a neutral experience.
   
  Amer. Pop: Same thing as Jpop, but usually the vocals aren't as trebly for the females. With Ameripop, I find the voices to be a bit too thick for my liking but it's only a problem if the voice is really deep sounding. If it's a relatively normal sounding female, then the ZO works fine. Overall, a semi-positive experience.
   
  Pop Rock: I apologize. This is all I listen to from the rock genre. The snares don't hurt my ears now, and the kickdrums hit really strong. The bass guitar has more presence but the combination of the kick drum and the bass guitar increase hides the power of the electric guitar in most songs. It's too thick for rock. Overall, a negative experience.
   
  Trance/Downtempo: I think this amp works well with this genre. It does have a signature that helps make the music more mellow. The percussions and piano have a nice weight behind them. I don't notice any hissing noises in the quieter passages, so that's pretty good. Overall, a positive experience.
   
  Hip-Hop/Rap: If I'm listening to the more modern stuff, then the amp helps tone down the sibilance and hides some of the awful sound quality. Spoken word is pretty good, very authoratative sounding, and it makes older rap songs much better. Overall, a positive experience.
   
  Jazz: The amp does take away a lot of noise in the not so good recordings. Surprisingly, the ZO2 doesn't overpower the bass coming from the drums, so it doesn't spill over the other instruments. It's just the right amount at the lowest setting. One setting higher and everything is ruined. The other instruments come out fine, but I feel like they lack a bit of energy. Also, the background piano requires more concentration on my part to follow it. I'm not sure how I would rate it...but I guess it's somewhere between positive and neutral.
   
  Classical: When the percussion plays, it seems to really shock the living hell out of you...but that's not worth it when the percussion overpowers the other instruments. Even with the Westones, it was really hard to separate the instruments when there is a very busy passage happening. For slower classical pieces, I think this amp would work. For faster crazier pieces, no. Opera singers have more presence, but it gets a bit too busy when everything is happening all at once with this amp. The bass is too strong. Overall, a lukewarm to negative experience.
   
  When phone calls come in, the hissing noise is horrendous during a call, and also, the clicking noise is present and it's quite jarring.
   
  Would I keep the amp? At this point, no. Here are my reasons:
   
  1. It doesn't feel like the bass is clean enough when it's added to my music. It makes some genres fun, but overall it doesn't improve upon most of everything.
   
  2. I can't use my iPhone line out. The hissing is loud...I mean LOOOUUD. There's no way music can cover it. I can always hear it. Also, I think the volume adjustment using the Line out option is horrendous. The lowest volume is already quite loud, one volume higher and I am literally in shock from the volume and yanking out my earphones before I go deaf.
   
  3. Usually when I buy stuff, I just listen to it. I don't really care too much for burn in. I believe in it because I can hear it, but usually I will like something on first listen. The ZO2 is fun, but it feels like it's not going to last long. I like to compare it to my Westones. When I first wore it, I liked the sound. I wasn't in love with the sound, but I liked it very much. But during that time, I had so many urges to sell them and just buy the Pro 900s again because I missed the impactful bass. But I never did. The ZO2 is not like that. I'm probably going to write a listing on Headfi to sell it after I post this up. I feel like I can get another amp, that will provide me with a tiny joy, but it will last for a longer period of time than the ZO2.
   
  Hope this helps and you aren't too annoyed by my ranting. Let me know if there's something you would like to know and I will help you to the fullest extent.
   
  Edit: Did all my ZO2 listening with Max ZO volume, 1/4 iPhone volume, with SVC at the lowest setting.


----------



## ulnevrgtit

Meloncoly...
  I've been primarily listening on the same rig and completely agree with your analysis, in its entirety...even the inverse W4 analogy


----------



## MizMoxie

Over the last few days, we have duly noted all of your comments/criticisms to identify exactly what needed to be remedied. To say the least, the two main points (hiss and line out incompatibility) very much surprised us, as they were not present in any of our prototype versions.  Please understand that these issues were not  intentionally allowed. Therefore Paul, ZO's creator and the inventor of our SmartVektor technology, has been working feverishly to resolve these issues. At this point in time, he has found the source of the problem (both issues are being caused by the same fault), has determined a means of resolving it, and we intend to fix each and every ZO from our first production run. We value the trust you placed in our company through your pre-orders, and we will not rest until our product sounds the way we intended the ZO2 to sound to each and every customer.


----------



## ulnevrgtit

well played digizoid


----------



## F900EX

Meloncoly in your opinion what would it take for the ZO2 to change your mind to keep the ZO ....  Just curious


----------



## ChrisSC

@ MizMoxie:  thanks for trying to fix the two major complaints (hiss and LOD incompatibility), I believe you when you say that you guys are just as blindsided as we are that the finished product did not turn out right.
   
  There have also been complaints that the zoo's bass is muddy, and one thing that struck me about the first zo was that everyone who reviewed it said is that it is really tight.  Any chance the complaints about the muddy bass are also related to that same problem source?


----------



## SpecR1

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Over the last few days, we have duly noted all of your comments/criticisms to identify exactly what needed to be remedied. To say the least, the two main points (hiss and line out incompatibility) very much surprised us, as they were not present in any of our prototype versions.  Please understand that these issues were not  intentionally allowed. Therefore Paul, ZO's creator and the inventor of our SmartVektor technology, has been working feverishly to resolve these issues. At this point in time, he has found the source of the problem (both issues are being caused by the same fault), has determined a means of resolving it, and we intend to fix each and every ZO from our first production run. We value the trust you placed in our company through your pre-orders, and we will not rest until our product sounds the way we intended the ZO2 to sound to each and every customer.


 
   
   
  I'm waiting for one right now and I was a bit worried.
   
  Thanks for the great customer service and I'll definitely recommend you guys to my friends =)


----------



## Meloncoly

Personally I think the level of bass is nice, but it starts from a wrong point. Let's say the iPhone = 0/100 in bass level. ZO2's lowest SVC setting feels like 30-40/100. And it just increases from there to 100. My comfort level is somewhere around 15-35. I feel like the bass in the ZO2 is marketed towards the audience that likes the bass that's present with Bose and Beats headphones, or even the Sony XB series. I love bass, don't get me wrong, but I like Pro 900 bass, and the ZO2 is not. If the 32 steppings started lower, I would be a happier man. Also if the Line Out actually worked, then I would be a happier person. If those two things change, then I feel like the amp would be much better for my uses.
  
  Quote: 





f900ex said:


> Meloncoly in your opinion what would it take for the ZO2 to change your mind to keep the ZO ....  Just curious


----------



## Il Mostro

Quote: 





ulnevrgtit said:


> well played digizoid


 


  Punting on 4th down is well played?


----------



## ulnevrgtit

Imo it demonstrated thorough monitoring of consumer reaction with a very timely response (within minutes to your comments i believe). I've noted issues with the ZO2 as well but as a businessman and a consumer i was actually impressed...with the response.
   
  your comments are easily associated with your picture


----------



## Il Mostro

Quote: 





ulnevrgtit said:


> Imo it demonstrated thorough monitoring of consumer reaction with a very timely response (within minutes to your comments i believe). I've noted issues as well but as a businessman and a consumer i was actually impressed...with the response.


 


  How about testing it and getting it right before taking people's money?  It's called QC and is the front gate to good CS.  Businessman?  You have a paper route?   Now go get your shine box!


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Over the last few days, we have duly noted all of your comments/criticisms to identify exactly what needed to be remedied. To say the least, the two main points (hiss and line out incompatibility) very much surprised us, as they were not present in any of our prototype versions.  Please understand that these issues were not  intentionally allowed. Therefore Paul, ZO's creator and the inventor of our SmartVektor technology, has been working feverishly to resolve these issues. At this point in time, he has found the source of the problem (both issues are being caused by the same fault), has determined a means of resolving it, and we intend to fix each and every ZO from our first production run. We value the trust you placed in our company through your pre-orders, and we will not rest until our product sounds the way we intended the ZO2 to sound to each and every customer.


 
   
  good work (?)
 wish I knew that before get mine shipped to southamerica....
   
  this happens for buying a first batch.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





il mostro said:


> This product has to be one of the most over-hyped things ever to find its way to HF.


 

 Lets clarify that - *far and away the majority of the hype was generated right here, as in right here in 'Portable Amps'*. I dont own the ZO V1, but there was a river of praise for that particular gadget - true, some of it came from Headfonia, anythingbutipod etc, but that was a trickle compared to the river of wild enthusiasm generated here. I've said it before, and I'll repeat it : we didnt learn any lessons from the UDac. None. Zip. Nada.
   
  Head-Fi - home of the blazing FOTM.
   
  (and yes, I took part in the anticipation thread - go ahead and whip me. Please)


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Lets clarify that - *far and away the majority of the hype was generated right here, as in right here in 'Portable Amps'*. I dont own the ZO V1, but there was a river of praise for that particular gadget - true, some of it came from Headfonia, anythingbutipod etc, but that was a trickle compared to the river of wild enthusiasm generated here. I've said it before, and I'll repeat it : we didnt learn any lessons from the UDac. None. Zip. Nada.
> 
> Head-Fi - home of the blazing FOTM.
> 
> (and yes, I took part in the anticipation thread - go ahead and whip me. Please)


----------



## Grev

So I haven't received mine yet since I'm in Australia, if the problem can be fixed then what can I do to get it fixed?


----------



## Il Mostro

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Lets clarify that - *far and away the majority of the hype was generated right here, as in right here in 'Portable Amps'*. I dont own the ZO V1, but there was a river of praise for that particular gadget - true, some of it came from Headfonia, anythingbutipod etc, but that was a trickle compared to the river of wild enthusiasm generated here. I've said it before, and I'll repeat it : we didnt learn any lessons from the UDac. None. Zip. Nada.
> 
> Head-Fi - home of the blazing FOTM.
> 
> (and yes, I took part in the anticipation thread - go ahead and whip me. Please)


 

 THIS.  But no whipping, please.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> this happens for buying a first batch.


 

 Right, but if we hadnt pre-ordered we ran the risk of being on the end of an extremely long line of back orders ...  given that the latter will now have to remain in the factory until this issue is fixed, I dont see how we could have 'won' here.


----------



## ulnevrgtit

Quote: 





il mostro said:


> How about testing it and getting it right before taking people's money?  It's called QC and is the front gate to good CS.  Businessman?  You have a paper route?   Now go get your shine box!


 
  I was referring to the response as I clearly indicated. I noted similar issues in previous posts, specific with testing/QC...quote from my post 3 hours ago:
  "[size=10pt]I'm not sure why Digizoid didn’t test these more thoroughly with IEMs, as the hissing is clearly noticeable. Maybe worse, they did notice and still shipped the product out. Either way, quite disappointing[/size]". Maybe reading/comprehension isn't your forte, and not required for you to keep your paper route or troll...apparently.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Right, but if we hadnt pre-ordered we ran the risk of being on the end of an extremely long line of back orders ...  given that the latter will now have to remain in the factory until this issue is fixed, I dont see how we could have 'won' here.


 


  lets stop agreeing on things, it is getting too common and feels weird.
   
  Im sure we wont 'lose' either, at least not all. Digizoid seems very prone to talk and to fix the issue. luckily.


----------



## Il Mostro

Quote: 





ulnevrgtit said:


> I was referring to the response as I clearly indicated. I noted similar issues in previous posts, specific with testing/QC...quote from my post 3 hours ago:
> "[size=10pt]I'm not sure why Digizoid didn’t test these more thoroughly with IEMs, as the hissing is clearly noticeable. Maybe worse, they did notice and still shipped the product out. Either way, quite disappointing[/size]". Maybe reading/comprehension isn't your forte.


 


  Jeez -- get off your high horse.  Why would I hang on your every word?   Now, get your effin' shine box!


----------



## estreeter

Awww, group hug ?
   
  Cmon guys - its a $99 piece of plastic-and-silicon. Read the Leben thread where Head-Fiers have been forced to send their 3.5k amp back for repair within days of receiving it.


----------



## F900EX

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Awww, group hug ?
> 
> Cmon guys - its a $99 piece of plastic-and-silicon. Read the Leben thread where Head-Fiers have been forced to send their 3.5k amp back for repair within days of receiving it.


 

  
  Not only that, given the history of HFI, this is not the 1st time this has happened, common sense should of anyone who pre-ordered that you ran the risk of problems coming out from the 1st batch that were never fully tested.  I accepted this and I'm sure so did others.
   
  This was talked about before in the other thread......Important part is Digizoid are willing to fix the problems.  If you don't like it due to how it sounds, that's a different matter.
   
  But like it was said, let's give them a chance......


----------



## treal512

Listening to my W4+ZO2 in the library now and I'm enjoying it. The hiss is there, but in environments that aren't completely silent it gets covered up mostly. I've turned the ZO2's volume to max and the boost to orange. Of course, my D2+ DAP's volume is at 06/50 so it is very quiet. Normally without a ZO this mutes a lot of the lower end, but it's all right there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I may keep this if the hiss is indeed remedied. Cheers for stepping up, Digizoid. The majority appreciates it immensely.


----------



## SemperMalum

Quote: 





rezel said:


> So many IEM users here... I'm guessing from fellow headphone users that the hissing isn't a problem for us?


 
   
  I can hear some hissing, when music isn't playing and I have the audio raised slightly high. This is with my V-Moda Crossfade M-80's. I'll check my SR80i's when I get home.

 As somebody who was really pushing the questions to with regards to the ZO2, I was afraid I wouldn't be happy with the product or would have been happier with the ZO1.
   
  I think the presentation is a bit weak but that doesn't necessarily mean you won't like the looks of the ZO2. But, that's probably because I got spoiled by the M-80's box/case/etc.
   
  As of an hour of listening, with 30 minutes interrupted by a co-worker that really liked to listen to her music of Gaga or whatever, I can definitely say that the sweet spot for the ZO2 is having the volume setting on max, the DAP at 30-40%, and the contour levels being around halfway for me. I've listened to a variety of songs, and it definitely feels like going away from the ZO2 makes my music lifeless. I don't feel like this is really a neutral boost; it's definitely geared more towards boosting the bass, but I feel it does a really good job of expanding the sound stage for the M-80's. I do notice that the bass kind of muds up some details at times. However, I -am- keeping it on a higher contour level then necessary because I'm a basshead, so I understand that it's probably clouding up my music in a way, but for the most part it's puts a very fun spin on my music, which is probably the best way I can describe it.
   
  I can see how people would be upset about it though, and I'd send mine in to get it 'fixed' or 'repaired' as well. I'm going to try it in my car now, see how that goes. But, so far, for portable headphones, I give them a thumbs up. Not only does the bass get bumped -VERY- well, but it sounds natural and unforced, not artificial.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Well for some users it would probably be nice if the lowest level wouldn't have any more bass than stock to make it more versataile, ZO1 did only offer a level lower that actually decreased bass a little but I think that level was SmartVektor = off as it sounded a whole lot less forward in the whole range on that level. But yea that probably would be a good thing to have for the lowest level so some people would just be able to use its amping. Right that has to go to my suggestion list.
   
  I was also thinking of those small icons indicating which is headphone out and which is input... I think the current ones are rather confusing, instead of the speaker icon I think a small headphone would be a better icon but not sure what would be best for the input, the note used currently is not the most clear indicator... What do you think should be had as an icon for the input?


----------



## Meloncoly

I rather have it just show in text, "IN" and "OUT"


----------



## djvkool

Still waiting for mine...
   
  At the end of the day, as long as it can add a decent bass to my beloved B2, I would  be happy as Larry...
   
  ...and no, I won't be using that with my M8


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





meloncoly said:


> I rather have it just show in text, "IN" and "OUT"


 

 Good idea xD Sometimes the solutions are way too simple to realize.
   
  EDIT: This is the suggestion list I just sent in to digiZoid. Just adding it here as well so you guys can like discuss if there's anything u came up relative to this that might be of help or whatever... I just want ZO to become as good product as possible...
   



> [size=x-small]- Hissing[/size]
> 
> [size=x-small]Lower the noise floor / hissing level so it can be used with IEMs.[/size]
> 
> ...


----------



## Currawong

I've removed the recent bickering and the like from this thread. There is no piece of digital equipment in the world worth getting personal with other people over.


----------



## SemperMalum

Quote: 





currawong said:


> I've removed the recent bickering and the like from this thread. There is no piece of digital equipment in the world worth getting personal with other people over.


 


 Sounds good, sir. This was no real place for it in the first place. Side note, the ZO2 sounds awesome on the M-80, they sound -really- solid through my car's audio, though that was weird at the same time. Going to try with the SR80i later.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





currawong said:


> I've removed the recent bickering and the like from this thread. There is no piece of digital equipment in the world worth getting personal with other people over.


 
   
  Thanks, I was concidering reporting it.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





sempermalum said:


> Sounds good, sir. This was no real place for it in the first place. Side note, the ZO2 sounds awesome on the M-80, they sound -really- solid through my car's audio, though that was weird at the same time. Going to try with the SR80i later.


 

 Was there any hiss on the M-80 and when you boosted the bass was there any negative effect on the mids? I'm also curious, considering the treble isn't as involving on the M-80 did the sound signature feel overly dark when the bass was boosted?


----------



## SemperMalum

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> Was there any hiss on the M-80 and when you boosted the bass was there any negative effect on the mids? I'm also curious, considering the treble isn't as involving on the M-80 did the sound signature feel overly dark when the bass was boosted?


 


 Honestly, there was some hiss, but that was at higher volumes. Once you lower them, you don't notice it really. When music is playing, you don't hear it at all.
   
  As far as the bass attacking the mids, I noticed a few details that were more prevalent, are kind of recessed, but it still sounds clear. It doesn't muddy it up too badly, and I'm talking about really hard to notice details. Honestly, it felt slightly darker, but it made it very fun in a way. This product is as actually advertised as a personal subwoofer, and that's what it does while boosting all aspects of the audio. However, I will say that when you have the ZO2's contour on a lower setting/lowest setting and just turn the audio up, it does a good job of keeping everything pretty even, with just a good hint of bass increase and the volume turned well higher.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





sempermalum said:


> Honestly, there was some hiss, but that was at higher volumes. Once you lower them, you don't notice it really. When music is playing, you don't hear it at all.
> 
> As far as the bass attacking the mids, I noticed a few details that were more prevalent, are kind of recessed, but it still sounds clear. It doesn't muddy it up too badly, and I'm talking about really hard to notice details. Honestly, it felt slightly darker, but it made it very fun in a way. This product is as actually advertised as a personal subwoofer, and that's what it does while boosting all aspects of the audio. However, I will say that when you have the ZO2's contour on a lower setting/lowest setting and just turn the audio up, it does a good job of keeping everything pretty even, with just a good hint of bass increase and the volume turned well higher.


 

 Interesting, I'm curious what the ZO2 can also do for the DT1350. If Digizoid can get the LOD and hiss problem fixed in it's next production run I might be tempted to bite. I'd still like to use it for IEM's though, hopefully that's also resolved in the next production run.


----------



## SemperMalum

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> Interesting, I'm curious what the ZO2 can also do for the DT1350. If Digizoid can get the LOD and hiss problem fixed in it's next production run I might be tempted to bite. I'd still like to use it for IEM's though, hopefully that's also resolved in the next production run.


 

 You know what it just did to my Grado SR80i's? It just made Feel Good Inc by Gorillaz freaking amazing.
   
  The ZO2 is, oddly, amazing on the M-80 but seems to be made for the Grado sound signature and for anything really bright. Holy crap. Dat bass. It gained IMPRESSIVE impact, punchy'ness, while keeping everything else incredibly detailed.


----------



## PANGES

I just received mine today. Just started listening to it and there's a couple things I want to mention... first of all, from my ipod touch -> LOD -> ZO2-> Denon D2000, it's too loud even when i set my volume at the minimum setting. In the end, I have to use the little cable provided and listen through the hp out. For now, I'm only listening with my Denon D2000, and it just doesn't quite have the control on the bass that I'd like either. I wonder if I use my ER4S with the LOD, if the volume issue would be ok.
   
  Honestly, I'm not sure what I was expecting from this, but the bass just doesn't sound as good as I had expected. I wouldn't say it's sloppy, but it's just not where I'd want it. I had a better experience with the Practical Devices XM6's control over the bass; however, it's obviously not fair to compare a $100 amp to a $400 amp.


----------



## SkinnyPuppy

Line out issues? Worked with my FiiO LOD and my iPod Touch. Graduation by Gemini was absolutely stunning on my pro 900s with these. Hissing unnoticable with these.


----------



## F900EX

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> Was there any hiss on the M-80 and when you boosted the bass was there any negative effect on the mids? I'm also curious, considering the treble isn't as involving on the M-80 did the sound signature feel overly dark when the bass was boosted?


 

 Referring to another set of headphones and hopefully other people can chime in that when using the Blox M2C that are known for excellent clarity, wide sound stage and the ability to separate the music in a open form, adding the ZO2 for some types of music dulls the sound, adding more lvls of contour it just gets less clear.   Does it add bass to the M2C headphones which it lacks, sure does, but seems it comes at a cost and starting at a lower contour does not go a whole lot of it.  Is this to be expected ?
   
  I'd be interested in hearing from people who like sparkle, clarity and a wide sound stage of what they think.  Since I got the ZO2 I have not stopped using it to get used to the sound and find out what works for me, but for some music I listen too, I feel like I am losing the benefit of the headphone by using the ZO2.


----------



## mrAdrian

last try 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 would the attenuator do less colouring or more if it is placed in between the line out signal and the ZO line-in rather than after the ZO headphone out?
   
  Or no difference? Could someone confirm me, either in an electrical engineering way or by listening tests...


----------



## AngryBaconGod

il mostro said:


> Punting on 4th down is well played?




More like unnecessary roughness. Second down and twenty.

Or something. I don't actually pay attention to football.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

The ZO2's been powered on now for 16 hrs straight after having charged it last night, wanna see about how long it lasts, granted I haven't used it today as much as I did yesterday but yea it's safe to say the battery life has improved since ZO1.
   
  EDIT: 17+ hrs and still going strong


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> last try
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 You're in Sydney and you've received your ZO2 ? Really ?


----------



## larryjohnson

i use mine with my ultrasone pro900s, ultrasone hfi 700s, and monster turbine pro golds, and its amazing with all of them.


----------



## TC44

Quote:


sempermalum said:


> You know what it just did to my Grado SR80i's? It just made Feel Good Inc by Gorillaz freaking amazing.
> 
> The ZO2 is, oddly, amazing on the M-80 but seems to be made for the Grado sound signature and for anything really bright. Holy crap. Dat bass. It gained IMPRESSIVE impact, punchy'ness, while keeping everything else incredibly detailed.


 

 Mine arrived yesterday.  I fully charged and tested with my Sony NWZ-A818 DAP and ER-4P using both a LOD and headphone out.  I was very disappointed in what I was hearing, pretty much the same experience as most members here using EIMs.  I felt duped and was ready to repackage and return for a refund.
   
  When I got home and had access to my cans, I decided to give the ZO2 another shot and was actually rather pleased.  Using my Archos 5, headphone out, ZO2 volume at max and varying from low to mid contour, it turned my RS2i, SR60i and DT880/250 into bass monsters.  Not muddy, mid/hi destroying bass, but a very clean, punchy, detailed bass that seem to bring the dynamics out in the whole frequency spectrum, exactly what was expected.   I don't consider myself a basshead, but I listen to a wide variety of music and some of that music contains monsterous bass.  I immedietely tried out the track, Bass Head by Bassnectar...I was impressed, bass was tight and clean and the lowest I've experienced with these cans.  Next, I tried one of my favorite recordings, Alice in Chains unplugged.  Dynamics and clarity were very good.  The acoustic bass had more extension and was very clean, not muddy or distorted.  I played several tracks containing very little bass and didn't feel any was added by the ZO2.
   
  Sorry, I don't have the audio vocabulary of some of our more fluent members...
   
  The DT880/250 had no [size=11pt]discernible hiss, while both Grado's had a slight hiss.  In it's current configuration, I consider the ZO2 unusable with the ER-4P.  [/size]
   
Overall, after hearing the ZO2 with my cans, I'm impressed with the technology and look forward to the corrected product.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





tc44 said:


> Sorry, I don't have the audio vocabulary of some of our more fluent members...


 
   
  Look on the bright side - *they post whilst drunk*, in the glorious tradition of Irish literature, and clearly you haven't felt the need to get hammered before putting fingers to keyboard. I found your post extremely refreshing, or perhaps that was the lime in my gin.
   
  Thanks for giving us something positive in the midst of this tide of vitriolic rage and purchase remorse.


----------



## allyl

Interestingly enough, I emailed support with the intention of returning my ZO2, and Cindy says that they have identified the source of the hiss, and can fix it. Just a heads up for those who find that to be a deal-breaker. I for one, have at least found that a fairly neutral sound is much more to my preferences anyway, but kudos to digizoid for offering to either honor their refund policy or fix the unit, at my discretion.


----------



## rezel

Not looking forward to posting a unit from Aus to the US for repairs...
  x_x


----------



## TC44

Quote:


estreeter said:


> Look on the bright side - *they post whilst drunk*, in the glorious tradition of Irish literature, and clearly you haven't felt the need to get hammered before putting fingers to keyboard. I found your post extremely refreshing, or perhaps that was the lime in my gin.
> 
> Thanks for giving us something positive in the midst of this tide of vitriolic rage and purchase remorse.


 

  
  Thanks estreeter,
   
  [size=medium]In a few hours, I too will partake in copious libations of my favorite stout whilst exploring the pages thereof and enjoying my favorite tunes, refraining from posting tides of vitriolic rage! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/size]


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





rezel said:


> Not looking forward to posting a unit from Aus to the US for repairs...
> x_x


 

*Its smaller than an iPod Touch* - how would you feel having to send something like a Woo WES back for repairs ?


----------



## shotgunshane

Quote: 





rezel said:


> Not looking forward to posting a unit from Aus to the US for repairs...
> x_x


 


  For a $100 device, I'd sent it the cheapest way possible.  I had to send something back to China, for replacement, from the USA and only spent $6.  Of course I didn't get any insurance or tracking.  How much will it be?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Seriously when will this battery run dry? I've had my ZO2 powered on for 19 hrs straight now, getting late over here now as I woke up quite early and now it's way past midnight. Cmon get empty so I can go sleep ***!  Battery life is pretty nice now I have to say for such a rapid charge now as well.
   
  I really start hearing an improvement after a while of use.


----------



## estreeter

Dude, you've got problems that no audio device will ever be able to fix. For starters, you dont appear to have the impediment of a job to interrupt this endless listening.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Dude, you've got problems that no audio device will ever be able to fix. For starters, you dont appear to have the impediment of a job to interrupt this endless listening.


 

 I'm currently unemployed. ;P It came at the best possible time though, just in before Skyrim release! 
   
  EDIT: It must be placebo but this evening it's like there's a quite sudden noticable sound quality boost with the ZO2. Probably has played some music/gaming for like maybe 20~25hrs by now since I got it. Where there seems to be a difference since the very first listen is in bass response (better textured, tighter, not overhelming at all and sounds now separated from instruments where it at the very first listen seemed to jump a bit all around the place making it sound a bit messier than what I was used to with ZO1) and transparency, complex passages with lots of stuff going on sounds more separated / easier to snap up different small details. The ZO2 seems to have more depth, better imaging too so currently it doesn't only match ZO1 in sound quality for me but seems to surpass it. Even seems to be noticable while gaming that it's now getting much more easier to listen to the positioning of all sounds and that it seems to do even a better job than ZO1 at this now (I've played UT3 for like over 4000hrs so I'm very familiar with the sound and positioning now and I keep using it to track down enemies I can't see but hear so )


----------



## Sylafari

Early Impressions: Sony MDR Ex-1000 > Zo2 > iPhone 4s (Not using LOD), a very audible hiss, never heard a hiss so loud (it's not that loud but its louder than lets say just plugging earphones into a 1st Gen iPod Touch). 
                              Audeze LCD-2 > Zo2> iPhone4s, no hiss. Sounds pretty good. 
   
  You can still hear the hiss when music is playing (with the Sony MDR Ex-1000s, no hiss on LCD2 at all) although you will really need to try and hear it to hear the hiss. More on the sound profiles later...


----------



## SoulSyde

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> I'm currently unemployed. ;P It came at the best possible time though, just in before Skyrim release!


 


  Seriously?  You're proud/happy about this?  
   
  I would be ashamed to admit that.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





soulsyde said:


> Seriously?  You're proud/happy about this?
> 
> I would be ashamed to admit that.


 

 why ashamed? I was unemployed for like 8 months and it wasnt my fault (kinda).
  I was lucky though, I know engineers who have been like that for over a year not that they want to.


----------



## SoulSyde

Sorry man, we're not going to agree on this point.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Don't know exactly how many hrs I've had it in use today (probably at least 8-10 hrs) but it's been powered on now for like 21 hrs and haven't started to show any low battery level yet, so definitely there's some quite significant boost in battery life for ZO2.... oh well time to hit the sack.
   
  EDIT: about the job situation, I've just finished school so haven't really gotten into the working life yet, I've worked as trainee but haven't gotten a proper job yet and atm there's very hard to find any jobs, especially in IT that I'm educated in so therefore I don't have any problem about admitting being unemployed, kinda enjoying it for a little while to have a break from all the school stuff that's been in the past.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





soulsyde said:


> Seriously?  You're proud/happy about this?
> I would be ashamed to admit that.


 
   
  OK, lets cut the kid some slack. If things dont soon pick up in Europe (and I've been saying this for months ..), a lot more of us could also be unemployed. I admit that we wouldnt be quite so chuffed about it, but I expect that there will come a time when he isnt either.


----------



## SoulSyde

Fair enough.


----------



## Jupiterknight

Back on topic.
  I have just received an email for Digizoid that they have identified the issue with the ZO v2, I strongly assume it's regarding the hiss and the high volume output when using LO,  they can accept returns to repair this or they can honor their return policy.  So it seems that anyone's issues/worries with their purchase, one way or another will/can be solved fairly quick.


----------



## au5t3n5

I hope they offer paid returns because it's not our fault. Not like I'm going to cry a river over a few bucks, but its the thought that counts.


----------



## rezel

Quote: 





shotgunshane said:


> For a $100 device, I'd sent it the cheapest way possible.  I had to send something back to China, for replacement, from the USA and only spent $6.  Of course I didn't get any insurance or tracking.  How much will it be?


 

 Lucky for you in the States.
  Cheapest, disregarding the Sea mail option (>_>), will be $10.50 for me. The cost isn't really a concern though, more the killjoy of having to wait.
   
  Waiting time:
  Wait for Zo 2 arrive (see what I did there?) - 5 days so far and counting
  Post back to TX, USA - 5-12+ days
  Repair period - X days
  Post to Aus - 5-12 days
   
  Minimum time total: 15 days waiting (discounting the repair time)
   
  This isn't very fun for me.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





rezel said:


> Lucky for you in the States.
> Cheapest, disregarding the Sea mail option (>_>), will be $10.50 for me. The cost isn't really a concern though, more the killjoy of having to wait.
> 
> Waiting time:
> ...


 

 Cheer up - there's a topless woman causing traffic chaos on the Gold Coast while you're sitting there worrying about your $99 amp ! Aaah, the Dole Coast - for those who haven't had the pleasure, its like a combination of Miami and Detroit.
   
  http://www.news.com.au/national/topless-woman-causes-road-mayhem-at-burleigh-heads-on-gold-coast/story-e6frfkvr-1226192306370
   
  Some might chastise me for being so totally OT, but lets face it - that story is considerably more entertaining than endless tears over the ZO


----------



## esanthosh

Quote: 





rezel said:


> Lucky for you in the States.
> Cheapest, disregarding the Sea mail option (>_>), will be $10.50 for me. The cost isn't really a concern though, more the killjoy of having to wait.
> 
> Waiting time:
> ...


 

 Consider yourself lucky.
   
  Waiting time for ZO2: 12-21 days
  Send back to US by the fastest option : 4 days
  Repair period : X Days
  Waiting for the second time: 12-21 days
   
  That's roughly about 30-60 days.
   
  Let's consider costs
   
  Customs duty for ZO2 both times - not likely, but due to falling duty collections, officers have been informed to charge 'everything', so not sure.
  Cheapest shipping option - $20-25 (Since postal services / couriers normally do not accept electronics, which are somehow ok for inbound)
   
  My patience: Limitless
  My wallet: Barely alive
   
  Now, let's get back to more impressions


----------



## rezel

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Cheer up - there's a topless woman causing traffic chaos on the Gold Coast while you're sitting there worrying about your $99 amp ! Aaah, the Dole Coast - for those who haven't had the pleasure, its like a combination of Miami and Detroit.
> 
> http://www.news.com.au/national/topless-woman-causes-road-mayhem-at-burleigh-heads-on-gold-coast/story-e6frfkvr-1226192306370
> 
> Some might chastise me for being so totally OT, but lets face it - that story is considerably more entertaining than endless tears over the ZO


 

 HOW DID I MISS THIS?
  Excuse my yelling but that's quite a laugh.


----------



## anirudh0802

First Impressions: Wow these are amazing. The ZO2 shines with electronic music.
   
  In regard to some people ranting about the "hiss", YES you can hear the static although it's not audible with both of my cans. Switching to my Etymotic HF5's, the static is very noticeable, almost to the point where it becomes annoying. It looks like I might have to send it in for repair because of the defect. Still though, at $100, you can't beat the price.


----------



## SkinnyPuppy

Since I live in the U.S. I would be willing to pay shipping just because of Digizoid's awesome customer support.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





jupiterknight said:


> Back on topic.
> I have just received an email for Digizoid that they have identified the issue with the ZO v2, I strongly assume it's regarding the hiss and the high volume output when using LO,  they can accept returns to repair this or they can honor their return policy.  So it seems that anyone's issues/worries with their purchase, one way or another will/can be solved fairly quick.


 


  I've heard the flux capacitor is to blame, apparently it is putting too much energy on the headphone out.


----------



## mrAdrian

Maybe we Aussies can send batches back to them... :S Or they send the item back by express.
   
  No I have not recieved my zo. I was just asking whether the volume attenuator should be placed before or after the zo, if I must use the line out and some sensitive iems.


----------



## SoulSyde

@SkinnyPuppy, your revised thread title is really uncalled-for.  There are features that can be appreciated and some that may not.


----------



## SkinnyPuppy

Quote: 





soulsyde said:


> @SkinnyPuppy, your revised thread title is really uncalled-for.  There are features that can be appreciated and some that may not.


 


  yeah, i worried about that, changed it.


----------



## gaspir324

Is it true that if you have bassy headphones (XB1000 or Pro 900) after the lowest level bass becomes muddy and distorted?


----------



## SkinnyPuppy

no


----------



## SoulSyde

I don't know that to be true.


----------



## v2Medic

I was hoping for a wave of original Zo's for sale once this launched.  Doesnt seem like thats gonna happen with all the hissing


----------



## gaspir324

Just checking because on another thread someone had trouble with Pro 900s bass quality on higher levels and had to keep it on the lowest level


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> Just checking because on another thread someone had trouble with Pro 900s bass quality on higher levels and had to keep it on the lowest level


 

 The question is more why you want to raise it more?  Most of my bassy headphones sound best if set to lvl 2-3 on ZO1 or ZO2 lvl 1-2, above that bass gets a little excessive, it doesn't sound bad it just gets excessive IMO. While I could for example max bass on XB500 without it distorting it's just way over the top, like putting the ear next to a sub. xD ZO is more responsive to set source volume it seems though, at least if you use the headphone jack, the lower source volume set the less likely to distort, since I get like plenty of volume at like 11 - 13% with XB500 it's no trouble maxing the ZO and it won't distort, it might not allow that on 30~50% volume though for example with a hard to drive headphone. I believe this is partly kx mixer's fault though. Then I have no idea how it reacts if WASAPI/ASIO is used as I can't use it when I lack an external volume control (way too high volume levels for it to be usable). 
   
  It depends a bit on the source as well how good it sounds while boosted. Currently listening to ZO1 maxed out for testing purposes on XB500 using Realtek HD onboard (since I have to use the onboard sound to get normal volume levels in Elder's Scrolls Skyrim due to some bug) and it doesn't sound THAT bad, the mids and highs are totally unaffected while no bass is played too so that's nice. Unusually controlled and not a single-note bass I still hear the upper and deep bass notes separated if playing hardstyle for example despite it feels like I've got 2x8" subs strapped on my head (after all we're probably talking about like 25dB bass boost over mids here as XB500 got like 15dB boost of its own). I'm really suprised how much ZO improves Realtek onboard, it turns it into into another sound card device, from a bit annoying to use, to very acceptable sound quality.
   
  Man you should hear or more like feel how ridiculous this sounds like with XB500 + ZO at max:
   




   
  If you've sat in a proper car setup with at least one properly powered good 10 - 15" sub it feels the same thing is going on in my head now, it's like sitting in a windtunnel from the 20 ~ 35Hz goodness. And the best thing is the vocals are still very clear, just a little silent compared to the bass.  Would love to see the face of a typical Beats owner that's of the opinion more bass = the better when he'd hear this without telling him about ZO. Even stock XB500 seems basshy in comparision after you've listened 10 mins to this.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





v2medic said:


> I was hoping for a wave of original Zo's for sale once this launched.  Doesnt seem like thats gonna happen with all the hissing


 


  Yep - fingers are undoubtedly closing tightly around the original ZOs - you might find one in the Smithsonian, but thats about it.


----------



## gaspir324

I'd also use it with my mobos built-in Realtek "card" since i don't see the point of getting PCI(-e) sound card (for me) and when mobile from my iPhone 4 (all either 320kbp or apple lossless). But for me there can never be enough bass. Once I got the XB100s my first impression was: "Meh, thats it?". And since then I've been on a search for moar bass. 
  Basically what I am looking for is either this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4EQbnWW-l4 , or XB1000 bass in IEMs whichever comes first : D. Overkill, maybe for you, for me, not so much. But i hope ZO will bring me closer to bass nirvana.


----------



## burtomr

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> ...Overkill, maybe for you, for me, not so much. But i hope ZO will bring me closer to bass nirvana.


 

 You looking for thump or warm and fuzzy? 
   
  Ever tried a ZO + IE-8's with the bass knob turned all the way up and no EQ?  = "Sonic Ear Muffs"...


----------



## gaspir324

I'm looking for both, mainly thump. As long as I get a controlled earthquake that doesn't cover mids and highs and adds some level of warmnes in over all SQ but not by too much I'm happy.
  Quote: 





burtomr said:


> You looking for thump or warm and fuzzy?
> 
> Ever tried a ZO + IE-8's with the bass knob turned all the way up and no EQ?  = "Sonic Ear Muffs"...


 


  What I'll say after they fix that hissing: Ever tried XB1000 + ZO with the bass knob turned all the way up and EQ tweaked to max out below 1kHz frequencies?
  That should equal to sonic earmuffs that give you a concussion


----------



## louisnomad

Is there any of you that have the ZO2 and PFE112? If yes, what can you say about the sinergy between them? Any hiss? I have a ZO2 coming home from 1st batch and I'm a little worried with the hiss issue.
   
  The thing is, I'm in Brazil and it was deadly expensive to bring it to here. Paying for another shipping will bring it to twice it's price, and I will be very sad if I need to do that...
   
  Fingers crossed...


----------



## prsut

@louisnomad :
   
  I am on the same boat. Waiting for zo2. I have Cowon S9 + Phonak Audeo PF112. Postage from Slovakia back to US will be more than half of zo2 price. And do not want to think on all that custom office problems...
  So I will be happy if any could write impressions regarding to zo2 + PF112.


----------



## dfkt

The current version of the ZO2 does have a faint hiss with the PFE 112, unlike the ZO1.


----------



## louisnomad

my heart is starting to bleed right now... 
   
  @prsut 
   
  i have the J3, so it is almost the same set! Let's keep each one tunned to this "faint hiss"... I'm pretty sure it will happen only with music off (my heart really needs to believe).
   
  @dfkt
   
  Am I right about the hissing being noticable only with music turned off? Can you make a quick comparision between both ZO and ZO2 paired with PFE 112? It will help me and prust to keep calm or freak out! xD


----------



## dfkt

Yes, the hiss is very faint, inaudible when music is playing. There's not really much to say, compared to the ZO1 - ZO1 doesn't hiss with the PFE, ZO2 does hiss a very tiny bit. I'm sure this will be taken care of by Digizoid.


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





dfkt said:


> Yes, the hiss is very faint, inaudible when music is playing. There's not really much to say, compared to the ZO1 - ZO1 doesn't hiss with the PFE, ZO2 does hiss a very tiny bit. I'm sure this will be taken care of by Digizoid.


 


  The main problem here is: i already paid 130 bucks for it. I have no clue if it will be charged on customs, but if yes, then it will be around 80 bucks... to send it back to DigiZoid will be another 30 bucks... you can do de math! xD 240 bucks for this little thing... that's why I'm bleeding... I hope the hiss doesn't bother me a lot... i really hope...


----------



## F900EX

One thing that is becoming very annoying is the thud or pop sound when you turn on the ZO2, it would not be so bad if the volume did not have to be close to max to get the best from it or when you which it off, it will stay at whatever volume you have it set at.  This popping sound can't be good for my headphones and surely not for my ears.
   
  I mean yes, I am sure DZ will do a good job of making sure people will hopefully be happy in the long term, but let's be honest these problems or most of them could of been all avoided. How do you try improve a product and make it worse.  Since this their 2nd time around for the ZO, they know it inside out, thing is, all these "issues" are very obvious and as said above for the most part could of been avoided.
   
  Sure it's $100 product, totally understand... But I do not have these problems with the Fii0 E11 or even the E5.
   
  Yes, sure sound's like I am frustrated but I know I am not alone.......


----------



## burtomr

Quote: 





f900ex said:


> One thing that is becoming very annoying is the thud or pop sound when you turn on the ZO2...


 
   
  What Mine does the thud+pop only when I turn it off. Wierd.


----------



## The Larch

I only get the slightest pop at turn off, even at highest volume. For me the pop from the ZO1 is resolved.


----------



## Jae304

I really haven't noticed any pop in mine when I turn it off.  The sound goes away for a second or so then comes back but not much "pop" to speak off.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





jae304 said:


> I really haven't noticed any pop in mine when I turn it off.  The sound goes away for a second or so then comes back but not much "pop" to speak off.


 

 Yea same here, don't get any pop.


----------



## Sylafari

No pop here either.


----------



## deadkenny64

No pop.


----------



## will13xo

i thought the pop in mine was gonna make it unusable. well...along with the hiss using my hippo vb and rockbox'd clip+.  sounded darn good,but u know....
  no hiss or pop with my tma-1's. havent tried the vb's in about a week. i cant imagine enjoying music the same without the zo


----------



## cirdec

Hi guys, I was sucked into thi ZO2 thingy that i pulled the triggered. Its only after that i realised the hiss and pop sound. to my pleasent surprise i got this in the mail today:
   
  "Our engineers made a decision to put a temporary hold on production 
 and shipping of ZO. After the release of our product's first 
 production run, some of our customers alerted us to an issue related 
 to some of their set-ups. This issue has been identified and resolved. 
 Our next production run is scheduled for later this week, and we 
 should resume shipping by this weekend."
   
  I hope they rectify the hissing and pop sound.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





cirdec said:


> Hi guys, I was sucked into thi ZO2 thingy that i pulled the triggered. Its only after that i realised the hiss and pop sound. to my pleasent surprise i got this in the mail today:
> 
> "Our engineers made a decision to put a temporary hold on production
> and shipping of ZO. After the release of our product's first
> ...


 


  Looks like Digizoid is trying to move fast to rectify the problems reported on the thread. Not trying to defend the company but has anyone stopped to think that maybe it wasn't Digizoids fault and they were blindsided by faulty manufacturing from whoever they contracted to build the ZO2.


----------



## esanthosh

Quote: 





f900ex said:


> One thing that is becoming very annoying is the thud or pop sound when you turn on the ZO2


 
   
  Quote: 





burtomr said:


> What Mine does the thud+pop only when I turn it off. Wierd.


 
   
  Quote: 





the larch said:


> I only get the slightest pop at turn off, even at highest volume. For me the pop from the ZO1 is resolved.


 
   
  I tested it only with CK10 and PFE last night, did not have much time for listening. I get a fairly annoying pop while inserting the IEM and also when turning off the ZO2. Hiss was not that much of an issue when music was playing, but clearly audible when idle / during silent passages (Vol: high in ZO, low in Clip+ / iPod Video headphone out, still in the Greenish processing range).
   
  Can the "Pop" damage the IEMs?


----------



## Angular Mo

Re; faulty manufacturing....
   
  I would expect DZ to have been able to sample randomly a couple of devices from the first run of ZO2, prior to accepting delivery.
   
  I received one of those emails about finding the cause of the issues (hiss, and loud LOD).  Though, without any plan for setting an expectation for when they will rectify it, I consider that email to be extremely frustrating.
   
  This company is such a mess, to date.  Not only that, but I can blame only  myself for falling victim to the flavor-of-the-month crowd here at head-fi.org.  Though the Fiio E10 have been everything everyone said it is, so this "place" still has some credibility.
   
  Maybe I should just enjoy my relatively unknown iBasso Warbler P4 and "call it a day", as I have not found anything portable that is better.  And no, I don't want to carry around a large headphone to enjoy a balanced amp.


----------



## shotgunshane

"this place still has credibility". 

Some of you are amazing. Many of the premier sponsors of this site have had similar issues when introducing new products. These are often very small boutique companies. For the love of God, mistakes happen. This isn't Apple or Microsoft; and they royally screw stuff up too. Give them a chance to correct it before you're tempted declare all if head-fi as no longer a credible place. It took a year and a half of customer service flubs before the pitch forks came out for JH Audio on their amp release. At least they are communicating here. It does take a minute or two to figure out how best to rectify the situation. But by all means flame on.


----------



## rezel

^ +1
  So many people are getting quite worked up about this. It was a risk we all took when pre-ordering without any prior reviews/impressions of the product. 
  What's done is done so let Digizoid figure it out and make a return if you're dissatisfied.


----------



## The Larch

+1 Digizoid is awesome for trying to make good on this product, a lot of companies would have just told us consumers to "SCREW"


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Let's not forget digiZoid is a VERY NEW company so they don't have a lot of resources to begin with and I really hope this won't take a big financial hit. Do we even know how many employees they have, it could even be a family business of a couple of people for example...
   
  I think they are doing a great job so far, mistakes happen or else they wouldn't be human. It's always risky to be the first adopters, which is true not only for people in this hobby but pretty much anything. My other hobby is computer hardware / overclocking and even Intel and AMD have had design flaws which has slipped through even the very advanced product test evaluation and was discovered after the launch, so it happens even to the biggest companies. Either you accept this risk or you wait a while for reviews / hands-on experiences of different users before making up your mind, simple as that.


----------



## gaspir324

Well AMD slipped a big flaw called Bulldozer last moth...... : P
  AMD, Intel, Apple, Intel, Nokia, Toyota, Samsung, LG, Toshiba, HP, Dell (should I continue?) have made that mistake of letting a faulty product slipped past their control. And they are multi billion dollar companies.
  I'm just gonna say 1 thing:
  Haters gonna hate


----------



## AngryBaconGod

Gotta agree:

Company blindsided by production problem + fast attempt to rectify situation = HeadFi isn't credible anymore.

Makes perfect sense.


----------



## mrAdrian

I just want to know whether we could get our ZO's problem fixed.
   
  BTW, it has arrived together with the D2000. Enjoyig - not from the line out. Comparing between LO+Attenuator and HO, the second wins by far.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





angular mo said:


> Maybe I should just enjoy my relatively unknown iBasso Warbler P4 and "call it a day", as I have not found anything portable that is better.  And no, I don't want to carry around a large headphone to enjoy a balanced amp.


 

 P4 is a great amp, but you don't have to carry 'large headphones' to use a balanced amp - my RE262s (and the new flagship RE272) will plug straight into the amp module for the HM-801 and that would give me a balanced IEM that weighs a few ounces .... whether its good VFM is a much tougher question. My main objection to the CLAS stack is the overall bulk of the thing, and the cost is a close second, but I doubt that most of CLAS owners even take their rigs out of their homes/offices - happy to hear otherwise - and that would go double for a balanced 'portable' rig. For truly portable use, I dont want to use ANY amp - ymmv.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Either you accept this risk or you wait a while for reviews / hands-on experiences of different users before making up your mind, simple as that.


 

 I agree with that in principle, but there was more than enough 'OMG ! This is the best thing eva !' hype after V1, and I didnt see a lot of complaints about that version. I still havent received mine, and I'm less than impressed with UPS - until I hear it from my cans, I cant comment on the hiss/output impedance. I might add that you were one of the first to register negative feedback in this thread - anyone reading your early 'hands on experiences'  would have been hesitant to order a ZO.


----------



## SkinnyPuppy

edit wrong thread


----------



## will13xo

the pop and hiss seem 2 have evened out enough. even when using the hippo vb's. maybe im just not as bothered by them as that first night. i keep adjusting and re-adjusting the settings. just for fun. im getting well over 20 hours per charge.  i can charge the clip+ while using so no problem there


----------



## SkinnyPuppy

DigiZoid, on the behalf of myself and I hope, other head-fiers I'd like to say that the ZO is a great product and you have superb customer support.
   
  Ignore all of these people.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





skinnypuppy said:


> DigiZoid, on the behalf of myself and I hope, other head-fiers I'd like to say that the ZO is a great product and you have superb customer support.
> 
> Ignore all of these people.


 


  Ignore them because they dared to complain about a product that they had actually paid for ? Read some of the Impressions threads for other kit on Head-Fi - any complainants are ruthless, and thats purely in terms of perceived SQ 'failings' - read various impressions of Grado's SR325is, for example. For an amp example, read some of the vitriol around the ALO Continental : this isnt some e-bay guy pushing out $80 CMOY clones, but Ken and ALO were unmercifully hammered here. As far as I'm concerned, DigiZoid have earned themselves a spot in the 'naughty corner' with companies like NuForce, and in both cases that comes down to poor QC.
   
  I'd like the Digizoid apologists to ask themselves this simple question : if it was YOUR product, one of only two you had ever produced for retail sale, *would you have shipped this batch without testing them first ? *In any factory, whether its toilet paper or munitions, I believe that someone has a QA checklist to confirm that the product meets specifications. Several have cited Intel, Ford and others as examples of big companies that get it wrong - do you think someone didn't get fired in many of those cases ? That stock prices didnt suffer ?
   
  Insisting that other Head-Fiers dont vent their spleen is, IMO, ignoring the reality that DigiZoid are selling a commercial product not handing out lollipops at a kid's fete. There was no attempt to 'road test' the V2, as so many other audio companies are now doing - it was shipped and the company is going to have to take the feedback on the chin. If they turn things around, great - I look forward to seeing where they go from here.


----------



## ANDEROAN

yep I agrree ^ with SkinnyPuppy 2000%, velcome to life, ain't nnooo guarantees, at least DigiZoid is *RECOGNIZING* the fouble, a hell of alot more than most others would do, they are NOT passing the buck, people give them a chance, times like these try mens maturity, or lack there of, ggrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!! anybody knows the so called hype of the ZO v1 ain't NNOOO hype, its the realest deal!!
   
  and with new product especially cutting edge vector tech, comes an element of trial and error, their trial and your error for jumping the gun with v2, should have bought the v1, shame shame on only yourself, for missing the band wagon on that!! cuz I love hearing that little awesome buggers sweet meloudious thumping sound, EVERY SINGLE DAY, sucks to be any of you haters for certain,
   
  and there wasn't any hype with the ZO v2, how can that be, until it was released, it was ALL speculation and expectaion only, based ONLY on the ZO v1s performance, which is tested tried and true 2000%, and until v2 was made, released, and shipped, NNOOOO guarantees about it, new technology and also a new product, what the hell you've only YOUR SELVES to blame for any and all dissapointments, should have waited well now you should know better, but it seems like some people will continually be getting in that that line and then piss moan complain and blame anyone but THEMSELVES, GROWED da hell UP!!!!!! look in the mirror and you will see where the ultimate source of all of you problems are, live smarter not harder my "friends" oh well for some the glass will always be empty,
   
  oh and by the by happy listening, I am!
   
  poor estreeter gone over to the dark side he has, we will miss him until he finds hiw way back to us, keep a good thought for him at least, in the mean time! 
   
  "well always look on the bright side of life!" TA DA TA DA TA DA!


----------



## au5t3n5

Everyone needs to stop beating a dead horse. It is already dead. The problem has been taken into account for, and DigiZoid is going to fix it. They already are in the process of doing so. When the updated version comes out, we may begin the whole problem stating again, but whatever is being said now doesn't matter. Just hold out for the updated model and then we can resume discussions. Other than that, please just post impressions that you have of the original Zo v2 so that they may be included in the first post. That is what this thread is for.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> Just open up another bashing thread or something, or spam the other Zo v2 thread.


 

 Sure - why don't we ask Jude if we can start a whole new forum dedicated to bashing new product, because clearly thats what we naysayers are all about - bashing new product for no particular reason. Haters gonna hate, and I guess that's just the way we haters are - hateful and mean-spirited.
   
  btw, I believe that I had 'stopped typing' prior to a flurry of responses from DigiZoid apologists - if you check the other thread, you can see that there hasn't been the same level of emotional energy invested by anyone, least of all the OP.


----------



## estreeter

Anderoan, I don't know whether to laugh or cry. That is either 'Post of the Year', or it may be enough to have make next Psych Board hearing very short indeed. In either case, I salute you as a worthy, if barking mad, adversary.


----------



## au5t3n5

I don't think you get it. Please read the title of this thread. It says impressions, not complaints. Even you yourself said people want to go to a thread to read the impressions, not a pile of complaints. The vast majority of this thread will no longer be applicable once the new updated version of the Zo v2 comes out.
   
  Maybe someone should go make a Zo Suggestions thread. Then you can suggest whatever you want all day long and I could care less. Heck you can even suggest how they should run their business. But this is an impressions thread, I am only trying to keep this on thread on track.
  
  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Sure - why don't we ask Jude if we can start a whole new forum dedicated to bashing new product, because clearly thats what we naysayers are all about - bashing new product for no particular reason. Haters gonna hate, and I guess that's just the way we haters are - hateful and mean-spirited.
> 
> btw, I believe that I had 'stopped typing' prior to a flurry of responses from DigiZoid apologists - if you check the other thread, you can see that there hasn't been the same level of emotional energy invested by anyone, least of all the OP.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> please just post impressions that you have of the original Zo v2 so that they may be included in the first post. That is what this thread is for.


 


  Right, and when I posted to that effect in the first few pages of this thread, I was dismissed as one of the 'Thread Police'. Strangely, we haven't heard too much from Kiteki since.


----------



## au5t3n5

Now that I think about it, maybe it doesn't matter where this thread is going. OP will embed all impressions in the first post anyway. Brilliant move on his behalf.
   
  Sigh.
   
  Carry on.


----------



## F900EX

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Agree with your sentiments, but I fear you may have alerted the Mod Squad.  All things considered, having this thread shut down may not be the worse outcome for DigiZoid.


 

  
  estreeter, that's not fair on rpgwizard, IMO he wrote is review on based on ZO1, at that time he did not even know about the ZO2. It was a good write up just like all the other reviews who were wrote by people who knew what's good and what's not.     I have yet to see a bad review on the ZO1, that's what most of us bought into that the ZO2 was either going to be just as good or better.
   
  There was always some risk with buying the ZO2 untested and not reviewed.
   
  Digizoid have a choice either do nothing about it or do something about it, we know they are doing..... BUT if they did not, I'm sure they would get a boat load of returns for refunds.
   
  I will stick it out and hopefully the problems get sorted out, if not I will return it ... I am sure everyone who preordered has that option.
   
  But it's not worth making personal attacks and getting all bend out of shape about ......


----------



## estreeter

While the language may have been out of order, the '****' was a reaction to the same sentiment from RPGWizard and others, advising those of us who had issues with the way DigiZoid release the ZO2 to '****'. If this was the only thread where 'Impressions' had become a bashfest, I could live with it, but that is a long way from being the case. I dont particularly like the anarchic nature of the Net (moronic comments on youtube vids being a classic example), but I cant go around telling people to 'stop posting', and that is exactly what RPGWizard and others have done. Have we made a mountain out of a termite mound ? Probably, but you dont fix that by poking sticks into the termite mound .....


----------



## shotgunshane

Oh the histrionics.  God forbid we act like rational, reasonable human beings; even in the flame worthy world of the internet. No one is telling anyone to stop pointing out issues with zo v2.  If the issues are pointed out, they can be fixed and potential customers made aware.  They are asking for the histrionics to tone down and put it in perspective.  You'd think someone invented the cure for cancer, only to give them aids as a side effect.  But march on First Calvary PMS Batalion, march on.


----------



## estreeter

We shall, indeed, *march on*, our flaming keyboards proudly stowed in our backpacks !


----------



## DigitalFreak

Gentlemen lets all just calm down please. There's really no need to get upset at one another. I've run across most of the people on here on other threads and until now you've all been quite friendly to one another. It's really not worth getting all snippy with each other when it's no one's fault that the ZO2 was shipped the way it was. Agreed that after all the waiting you guys have done it sucks that the ZO2 wasn't the product you were all hoping it to be but it's really not worth making enemies over the issue. Anyone who knows me in real life knows when it comes to big business I'm far from an apologetic when it comes to faulty products. My friends have all heard me rant about certain Sony/Apple/HP products and how they mishandled obvious short comings concerning problems their products had. All I'm trying to say is although Digizoid screwed up at least they're trying to do something about it and considering they're a small outfit we should try to be a little understanding that they're going through a learning process concerning how they choose to run their business. After whats been happening on here I'm quite confident Digizoid will look into better quality control methods and maybe even contracting out to a better company for product assembly. There are many other companies out there in this and other lines of business who would deny the problem or make up excuses. You only have to surf around the mobile tech blogs to read some of the rants that users were having concerning a certain CEO and his infamous you're holding your phone the wrong way email to see what I'm talking about.
   
  To some of the people who are overseas who have stated how expensive it would be to send their ZO back for repair I can only comment that I'm sorry to hear your investment didn't work out for you. If it was me I would try emailing Digizoid and mentioning the expense of returning your unit for servicing. Considering the circumstances maybe Digizoid might offer a better option that could at least make it a little cheaper for you. It's just a suggestion on my part which hopefully bares fruit and I think it's worth pursuing rather then just giving up.
   
  My two cents
  DF


----------



## shotgunshane

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> To some of the people who are overseas who have stated how expensive it would be to send their ZO back for repair I can only comment that I'm sorry to hear your investment didn't work out for you. If it was me I would try emailing Digizoid and mentioning the expense of returning your unit for servicing. Considering the circumstances maybe Digizoid might offer a better option that could at least make it a little cheaper for you. It's just a suggestion on my part which hopefully bares fruit and I think it's worth pursuing rather then just giving up.


 
   
   
  I hope so as well.  Overseas shipping, especially with some of the customs rules I've read about, can be quite steep and I'm sure this plays a part in some of the anxiety.  I have my fingers crossed my UM CIEM's will not need a refit for the cost of shipping, with tracking, alone.  Not to mention the time involved.


----------



## rezel

What??? Why?
  I'd rather have genuine impressions of both the first batch models and the fixed models while wading through the junk rather than nothing at all.


----------



## estreeter

rezel, I assume you have yours by now ? Mine arrived at midday today, and the charge light just went out .... stay tuned.


----------



## rezel

I actually am still waiting for mine.
  I love Auspost...


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





skinnypuppy said:


> he's banned guys
> 
> anyway i'm gonna get this thread locked until we start recieving the fixed ZOs.


 


  There's no need to get the thread locked down. Fixed or not it would be nice to know if there's any IEM's the new ZO plays nice with and what headphones it pairs well with.


----------



## estreeter

My *very early impressions* are that its unusable from the lineout on my T51 (so far - will mess around tonite) but I don't have a problem from the HO - thats with cheap IEMs, so it could well be very different for those with more expensive in-ears. In terms of build quality, it looks and feels cheaper than the X-Fi Go!, but so far I have encountered no real mechanical problems - will report back tomorrow morning.


----------



## ziocomposite

Yah, keep it open for impressions regardless if it's old or new =)


----------



## shotgunshane

Quote: 





ziocomposite said:


> Yah, keep it open for impressions regardless if it's old or new =)


 


  x2


----------



## estreeter

This is definitely 'audio crack', but I need time to sit back and dissect exactly what I'm losing for all this 'warm and fuzzy'. Those who want a more even-handed touch definitely need to look elsewhere, even at the lowest setting. I'm visualising the interior of a Bose showroom as I listen to tracks here and there, and that just isn't going to appeal to the diehard audiophiles here. Again, very early impressions, but I can already grasp what Abi was on about when he wrote 'its hard to go back to listening to music without the ZO after a few hours with it'. Like anything that makes you all warm and fuzzy, there is usually a price to pay when you sober up.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> This is definitely 'audio crack', but I need time to sit back and dissect exactly what I'm losing for all this 'warm and fuzzy'. Those who want a more even-handed touch definitely need to look elsewhere, even at the lowest setting. I'm visualising the interior of a Bose showroom as I listen to tracks here and there, and that just isn't going to appeal to the diehard audiophiles here. Again, very early impressions, but I can already grasp what Abi was on about when he wrote 'its hard to go back to listening to music without the ZO after a few hours with it'. Like anything that makes you all warm and fuzzy, there is usually a price to pay when you sober up.


 


  If you have a Grado or DT1350 lying around see what it can do with the ZO. Those two headphones are what I'm most curious about.


----------



## estreeter

Per my sig:
   
*Phones: SR60i (BV mods), ATH-AD900, ATH-ESW9, PL50, RE262, Omega V2*
   
  If I had the cash for the 1350s, I'd get the T70P. To date, I've only used the ZO with the Omega V2, and that is a combination that I think would make a lot of iPod-owning teenagers very, very happy. Audiophiles ? That's a much tougher question.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Per my sig:
> 
> *Phones: SR60i (BV mods), ATH-AD900, ATH-ESW9, PL50, RE262, Omega V2*
> 
> If I had the cash for the 1350s, I'd get the T70P. To date, I've only used the ZO with the Omega V2, and that is a combination that I think would make a lot of iPod-owning teenagers very, very happy. Audiophiles ? That's a much tougher question.


 


 Lol you're using a 100 dollar mobile bass amp on a STAX Omega V2. You my friend are a rebel.


----------



## estreeter

Not quite:
   
  http://fischeraudio.com.sg/products/omega-v2
   
  Cheapies, but surprisingly good. Basshead IEMs for the bucks-down brigade.


----------



## F900EX

For what it's worth, give it a few days burning it in and listening, I thought the same thing myself but over time the sound seems to get better..... ( no, not out of this world) but enough to give it a chance.    Andreas Vollenweider was sounding closed when I got it, but seems to be opening up, good bass at high settings and no distortion.


----------



## SemperMalum

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> If you have a Grado or DT1350 lying around see what it can do with the ZO. Those two headphones are what I'm most curious about.


 


 Back from a long hiatus of just reading other people's impressions.
   
  My Grado SR80i's sounded amazing with the ZO2. It felt almost like the two were destined to meet; it added a very substantial boost to the bass, that did invade a bit into the highs but kept the mids intact for the most part. At least that's what my impressions were. I liked it; but I -love- these the most with my M-80s.
   
  Like it's advertised and stated; these are fun and warm, and it makes it hard for you to go back with how well it handles the bass. Hell, I've even used it with my car (Have an Aux in) and keeping the car's eq to flat, at half way on the ZO2, it feels more solid on the bass then just turning the car's eq. I'll have to post my real review sometime soon, but Skyrim/Saints Row 3/Assassin's Creed has been keeping me occupied. I've actually also tried these for gaming, and they do a pretty awesome job of boosting the audio. Don't know if it adds a new dynamic to the positioning as I only did it once, but I should give it more of a shot.


----------



## gaspir324

I don't want to point any fingers but I got a notification from my anti virus software that while surfing the www.digizoid.com site it tried to download a trojan to my PC. Whats up with that?


----------



## NullZero

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> I don't want to point any fingers but I got a notification from my anti virus software that while surfing the www.digizoid.com site it tried to download a trojan to my PC. Whats up with that?


 


  What's your antivirus?


----------



## gaspir324

F-Secure Anti-Virus. It is extremely reliable (with the price I pay it better should be) although not as fast to update their virus databese when compared to Norton.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> My *very early impressions* are that its unusable from the lineout on my T51 (so far - will mess around tonite) but I don't have a problem from the HO - thats with cheap IEMs, so it could well be very different for those with more expensive in-ears. In terms of build quality, it looks and feels cheaper than the X-Fi Go!, but so far I have encountered no real mechanical problems - will report back tomorrow morning.


 


  bummer. too loud I assume?


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> If you have a Grado or DT1350 lying around see what it can do with the ZO. Those two headphones are what I'm most curious about.


 

 if you dont mind the wait, I'll have the Z2 next week and will sure pair it with the DT1350, actually that was why I bught it for, want to see if the little beyer can be cured of a sever lack-o-bassities and lack-o-punchities.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> if you dont mind the wait, I'll have the Z2 next week and will sure pair it with the DT1350, actually that was why I bught it for, want to see if the little beyer can be cured of a sever lack-o-bassities and lack-o-punchities.


 


  I'll be all ears of your findings and I'l gladly wait whatever time is needed. Thanks


----------



## gaspir324

Just ordered mine. What LODs are you guys/girls using for iPod/iPhone? Will using a LOD be better than using the cable digiZoid provides with the ZO?


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> Just ordered mine. What LODs are you guys/girls using for iPod/iPhone? Will using a LOD be better than using the cable digiZoid provides with the ZO?


 


  even when all the things said you just ordered? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I wonder if DZ is still shipping out


----------



## SkinnyPuppy

I went on Digizoid.com with Malwarebytes and NOD32, nothing popped up
   
  BTW, Malwarebytes>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>NOD32


----------



## estreeter

Can use the lineout from the T51 with my 150-ohm RE262, but only with the volume control set to the lowest setting.


----------



## joey99

I just got my ZO2 yesterday and been listening to it the last 2 days. It wasn't that impressive at first but after switching between on and off it really makes a hell of a difference on my Shure940. I listen to a lot of Avril Lavign and i think it gives it a lot more body in the music without affecting or muddying up vocals. And i don't know how it does it but the sound stage seems a tad wider too.
   
  I really like it and don't think I can do without it anymore especially on movies .. the booms, explosions and things like motorbikes just sound so much better.
   
  I don't have any hiss or problems with it at all. I think it works very well.


----------



## PANGES

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> Just ordered mine. What LODs are you guys/girls using for iPod/iPhone? Will using a LOD be better than using the cable digiZoid provides with the ZO?


 


  I'm unable to use the LOD with the ZO2/ipod touch at all. The gain is set too high, so unless you want to blow your ears out, or have some pretty high impedence headphones, I don't think you'll be able to use the lineout function at all.


----------



## au5t3n5

I tried it with my ipod classic once. My ears still don't forgive me. Should have known better than to test it with my iems plugged in my ears.
  
  Quote: 





panges said:


> I'm unable to use the LOD with the ZO2/ipod touch at all. The gain is set too high, so unless you want to blow your ears out, or have some pretty high impedence headphones, I don't think you'll be able to use the lineout function at all.


----------



## PANGES

Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> I tried it with my ipod classic once. My ears still don't forgive me. Should have known better than to test it with my iems plugged in my ears.


 

 I tested it with my Denon D2000's and it still blasted the heck out of my ears. 
   
  On a side note, I went onto the digizoid website right now and saw that they are offering replacements. Looks like they did something to fix the hiss and gain for the line out...?
   
  http://www.digizoid.com/returns/index.php


----------



## au5t3n5

SOMEONE STICKY THIS RETURN LINK TO THE FRONT PAGE!
   
  Quote: 





panges said:


> I tested it with my Denon D2000's and it still blasted the heck out of my ears.
> 
> On a side note, I went onto the digizoid website right now and saw that they are offering replacements. Looks like they did something to fix the hiss and gain for the line out...?
> 
> http://www.digizoid.com/returns/index.php


----------



## estreeter

The trick is definitely the high impedance headphones - the 150-ohm RE262s actually work quite well from the T51 lineout (which, incidentally, is stronger than the LO on any iPod I have owned), but you wouldn't want anything above the lowest possible volume setting on the ZO. Having witnessed the ease with which you can 'blow your ears off' (ESW9, not IEMs, thankfully ..) from the LO, I shudder to think what will happen when consumers start plugging the ZO into things like A/V receivers at home ..... yes, there are clear warnings on the packaging, but how many kids are going to take a whole lot of notice ?
   
  If the ZO can lay claim to anything, its the ability to do _that-which-I-previously-considered-impossible_ : make the headphone out on a laptop sound good. I actually prefer movies and games through the ZO than with my uHA-4 : with music, the balance tips back to the DAC/amp. It would be interesting to know how many would tip the 'SmartVektor' option if someone like Asus made it a reality within their premium laptop range. Granted, they would need to build a decent amp into the thing, but this is the company that bought us the Essence STX - one has to imagine they can work out how to build a decent headphone out.


----------



## au5t3n5

The first step towards getting your ZO 2 replaced is now complete!  The next step is to send your ZO 2 back to us at the following address:

 digiZoid inc
 7681 E. Pontebella Dr.
 Scottsdale, AZ 85266
_Attn: RMA# DZDZO2-XXX_

 *Don't forget to include your issued RMA # on the package (shown underlined in the address above).*
 Please note that the shipping charges to return your ZO to us are your responsibility, as we cannot accept anything C.O.D.
 For your protection, we recommend that you utilize a form of shipping that includes a tracking number.
 *We also ask that only the ZO be returned to us (i.e., please do not return the cables, box, or instruction sheet). To protect your ZO during shipping (as well as to lower shipping costs), we recommend using a padded or bubble lined envelope.*
  After we have received your ZO, we will send the replacement to the return shipping address you provided within 1-2 business days.
 Once again, we extend our thanks and appreciation for your continued consideration and loyalty. We are committed to provide the most enjoyable experience possible, and we apologize for any inconvenience this situation may cause you.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> I tried it with my ipod classic once. My ears still don't forgive me. Should have known better than to test it with my iems plugged in my ears.


 
   
  You are lucky to be able to hear anything at all - I cant believe DigiZoid's lawyers didnt insist on this from the get-go:
   
_Disabled bypass/standby functionality to protect the listener/equipment from excessive volume levels when ZO is coupled to line-out and in bypass mode._
   
  I believe there are nanny-state laws in Europe limiting the max dB output of portable players - I guess the ZO and other headphone amps are exempt. I dont want to see any player crippled, but right the V2 is just plain scary from the lineout of a decent DAP.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> The first step towards getting your ZO 2 replaced is now complete!  The next step is to send your ZO 2 back to us at the following address:
> 
> digiZoid inc
> 7681 E. Pontebella Dr.
> ...


 
   
  is this official? I havent receive any email from them.


----------



## shotgunshane

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> is this official? I havent receive any email from them.


 

 Yes, it's from their web site.
http://www.digizoid.com/returns/index.php


----------



## estreeter

Mike from Headfonia has weighed in with some early (and surprising) impressions in the middle of his Blog conversations with various posters.
   
_I've tested the Zo sooner than I thought and I'm loving the sound with the ER4P and the HM-602 that I was using.
 I assume you've read about the SmartVector™ technology that they use, right? I don't really know what they do in there, but it does make music sound very good. I'm hearing a smoother and more dynamic sound with the SmartVector on. You can adjust the contour to two extremes. One is a super thick sound that boosts the mid and low end body, the other to a thin yet very spacious sound. On the ER4 and classical music I prefer to add a little bit of thickness to the sound, but only a little bit to the mild amber color. _
   
  I'd be very interested to hear the V2 (yes, he is talking about the V2 above) with the er4p, particularly given the hiss complaints we've seen to date. My IEMs (or ears ..) just aren't sufficiently sensitive for it to be an issue.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





shotgunshane said:


> Yes, it's from their web site.
> http://www.digizoid.com/returns/index.php


 


  bummer, mine is in central america... shipping from the US to here is not the same as from here to the US. we're talking about 50$ shipping. guess I'll have to see if it works with my cans, and if not, open it up, steal the design and sell it to chinese companies


----------



## will13xo

im not in any hurry to send mine in.


----------



## shotgunshane

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> bummer, mine is in central america... shipping from the US to here is not the same as from here to the US. we're talking about 50$ shipping. guess I'll have to see if it works with my cans, and if not, open it up, steal the design and sell it to chinese companies


 
   
  Even without tracking?


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





shotgunshane said:


> Even without tracking?


 


  honeslty I didnt ask without tracking, but will do. it is not going to be cheap anyway.


----------



## F900EX

Sending mine back tomorrow, I see from the RMA number given only a few people have started the request


----------



## SpecR1

Just wondering
   
  A question for people from the USA
   
  How much did you guys pay for shipping and how much do you need to pay for the return shipping?
   
  I'm from Canada and it cost me $30 dollars for shipping and probably another $20 to send it back.


----------



## shotgunshane

You'll only send it one way.  DigiZoid will pay to send the replacement to you.
   
  In US shipping with tracking is only about $5 for something so small.  That's without insurance.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





specr1 said:


> Just wondering
> 
> A question for people from the USA
> 
> ...


 


  I assume digizoid will pay the back shipping, if that is what you were asking. what I dont know if is customs is going to charge me again to get it in the country. I paid around $15 the first time.
   
  why did I order this? I hate you all FOTMers!!


----------



## burtomr

Quote: 





specr1 said:


> A question for people from the USA
> 
> How much did you guys pay for shipping and how much do you need to pay for the return shipping?


 
   
  You are not going to like this but DZ charged $5.20 to deliver in the US. Return is about the same by USPS.


----------



## gaspir324

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> even when all the things said you just ordered?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  The'll start shipping on 21st. Since I don't own any sensitive headphones hiss (if it still has it) shouldnt be a problem.
  And if its faulty I'll just send it over to repairs. Only bad thing is that customs is a bitch around here and I might have to do some paperwork to not get taxed again.

  
  Quote: 





skinnypuppy said:


> I went on Digizoid.com with Malwarebytes and NOD32, nothing popped up
> 
> BTW, Malwarebytes>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>NOD32


 


  Well I took a screenshot of it just to prove I'm not insane


----------



## Jupiterknight




----------



## estreeter

I'm going to find out what it would cost to ship mine to Voldemort - I'd love to see some measurements on this thing. Not particularly worried about most issues mentioned above.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Mike from Headfonia has weighed in with some early (and surprising) impressions in the middle of his Blog conversations with various posters.
> 
> _I've tested the Zo sooner than I thought and I'm loving the sound with the ER4P and the HM-602 that I was using.
> I assume you've read about the SmartVector™ technology that they use, right? I don't really know what they do in there, but it does make music sound very good. I'm hearing a smoother and more dynamic sound with the SmartVector on. You can adjust the contour to two extremes. One is a super thick sound that boosts the mid and low end body, the other to a thin yet very spacious sound. On the ER4 and classical music I prefer to add a little bit of thickness to the sound, but only a little bit to the mild amber color. _
> ...


 

 Interesting, Mike must have gotten a review ZO that didn't have the defects the other users on here were complaining about. Mike's usually pretty good with his reviews if the gain and hiss problem was present he would have said so straight out.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> Interesting, Mike must have gotten a review ZO that didn't have the defects the other users on here were complaining about. Mike's usually pretty good with his reviews if the gain and hiss problem was present he would have said so straight out.


 


  I was thinking the same, DZ says only zos shipped from november 3rd to 8th got that problem, maybe he got it later. because the guy is sure excited about it. http://www.headfonia.com/hm-601-and-hm-602/#comment-363589195


----------



## gaspir324

Let me change my question a bit: What LOD are you using with your amps when listening through iPhone. And does a LOD make a huge difference in SQ?


----------



## ANDEROAN

well with my experience with using lods along with my iPod classic 7th gen>Voyager amp>ZO v1> EX600s set up,
   
  I have and use either a solid wired copper/gold plated lod, that enhances the bottom end very nicely! or a solid wired silver/copper plated one, that falls in the middle of the sound spectrum by enhancing the mids more so, and then a solid wired all silver lod that will brighten and clear/clean up the top end of the sound spectrum,
   
  all are very awesome and depending on which sound I'm going for will determin which lod to use, right now because of the hot treble of the EX600s I use the copper/gold plated lod and interconnect to hook my rig together which does very nicely with balancing out the sound, and cooling down the hot treble!!
   
  so along with different IEM qualities, you can match up whatever synerZOagizes best!!! *I think the type of wire used has more of an effect with how the lod effects the sound overall vs. other elements like connectors and plugs, *and manufactures such as ALO, Emmeline,  although very very nicealso awefully expensive?
   
  here's a pic of what I use made from Chris_Himself!
   

   
  a couple pics of how I use the ZO v1 in my rig! some with, some without the cables by C_H!
   
  
   

   
    
   
         
  

   
      
  
  Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> Let me change my question a bit: What LOD are you using with your amps when listening through iPhone. And does a LOD make a huge difference in SQ?


 


 so I use lods and interconnects made by Chris_Himself, ka-sweet!!!!http://www.head-fi.org/u/55992/chris-himself


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> Let me change my question a bit: What LOD are you using with your amps when listening through iPhone. And does a LOD make a huge difference in SQ?


 

 LOD's shoul not make a difference, it is only short interconnect. go for the one with better build quality.
   
  I will be using the fiio L9 and a homemade one LOD next week. the general concensus seems to be that line out + the Zo as of new is too loud. but I cant be sure.


----------



## ANDEROAN

yea that's what I also thought to at first, but after having gotten and heard first hand what difference in the sound signiture that they can have! I am a *believer,  *
   
  Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> *LOD's shoul not make a difference,* it is only short interconnect. go for the one with better build quality.
> 
> I will be using the fiio L9 and a homemade one LOD next week. the general concensus seems to be that line out + the Zo as of new is too loud. but I cant be sure.


 

  
  I started out with a high profile lod, that was a copper/silver plated one, and then after wanting to go with a low profile, and not for any of the types of wire being used yet as of this point, but it wasn't until after I picked up a low profile one that was an all solid silver lod, from fatsam, that I discovered what a big difference it does make, and especially along with my TF10s, in brightening up the whole sound, it made the bass less muddy and gave it a bigger soundstage! and so a believer was born, out of the throws of dishumanity and the dredges of Hi-Fi mazery, I found my way thru, lol, oops sorry OT! thats another story all together!
   
  well the 262s came along next, and they needed help with the bottome end, the copper/silver plated lod helped out in that dept. somewhat more, than the all silver low profile lod from fatsam, so then I picked up an all copper Fiio L9 lod! yep yep yep! much better for the Re262s bottom end more so than the copper/silver plated one, anyways you get the pic! the type of material that you wind up choosing WILL make a significant difference in the overall sound signiture, NO NO NO need to spend an arm and a leg! go cheap! but there are some nice builders out there that won't cost an arm and a leg, and still have GREAT build quality!!


----------



## burtomr

^^ So, moving the subject to the 4 inch interconnect that comes with the ZO, I wonder what the improvement will be if I replace it with a custom made one?


----------



## au5t3n5

there is only one way to truly find out...
   
  Quote: 





burtomr said:


> ^^ So, moving the subject to the 4 inch interconnect that comes with the ZO, I wonder what the improvement will be if I replace it with a custom made one?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote:


anderoan said:


>


 

 Did you make a face of that on purpose or is it just my great imagination tricking me? 
   
  I also believe in cables, as I got 3 pair of different stereo cables (one is an extension) that are all the cheapish type that come bundled with other stuff and they all have a bit different sound to them. Seems the one with the lowest resistance sounds best to me. One of them have the ability to lower the hissing slightly (highest resistance I suppose) but it also sounds the worst to me, well it's got the thickest/muddiest/veiled sound which doesn't play nice with the warmish sounding headphones I have/like. The one with the least resistance (which has the most noise) is brightest, most detailed which might sound even a bit too thin with certain headphones but pairs nicely with my headphones. The extension cable is like somewhere in-between and actually very slightly enhances the soundstage, I like pairing the extension cable with the bright cable lol. With a PRO 900 which has a thin sound it would probably sound best the opposite etc and I don't mean you should buy a $50 cable or whatever but one $5 might sound different to another $5 cable and then depending on what kind of signature your headphone has it depends which cable's sound works best with it.
   
  I'd really like to know what would be a cheap say $10 but good around 2.5m or so stereo cable (because many cables are like low quality that costs probably like 0.30~$0.50 or something to make but they sell them for $10 nonetheless). Since only like small group of people that are audiophiles (not all audiophiles are cable believers either) it's hard to find info what would be "worthy" (ie not made by random chinese company with no quality control etc with poor care of their workers etc) somewhat universally available cable to buy that has a somewhat bright/analytical signature to it (as that's what pairs nicely for my warm sounding headphones). Would just like to get a proper stereo cable instead of these "bundled" cheap cables. Since there's soooooooooooooo many different stereo cable manufacturers around and it's totally impossible to say how they are sounding like (it's not like every people can tell any difference either lol) would be nice to hear of some1 who has experimented with different cables (preferable with more widely available cables from an internet retailer perhaps).


----------



## gaspir324

RPGWiZaRD do you know an online store in here that sells LODs 'n other stuff like that?


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





anderoan said:


> yea that's what I also thought to at first, but after having gotten and heard first hand what difference in the sound signiture that they can have! I am a *believer,  *


 


  god bless your gifted ears.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> RPGWiZaRD do you know an online store in here that sells LODs 'n other stuff like that?


 
   
  No, I wish I would know a good place too in europe.


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> honeslty I didnt ask without tracking, but will do. it is not going to be cheap anyway.


 


   
  That's the main problem here, too... Plus my ZO2 is on customs right now, and knowing how they can be bad guys, i'm going to pay twice it's price in no time... This ZO quest is turning into a nightmare to me... I hope the hiss is not a problem to my ears... If I need to return it, I'm going to cry out loud like a little girl...


----------



## estreeter

3rd Gen Touch w/ Fiio LOD totally unusable -- volume bearable but sound distorted. Confirmation that the lineout on my T51 is better all-round, but I admit I havent tried more expensive iPod LODs.


----------



## ANDEROAN

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Quote:
> 
> Did you make a face of that on purpose or is it just my great imagination tricking me?
> 
> ...


 
  lol, nope totally coincidence, but now that you mention it sounds like a Rorschach test, lol,
   
  and I agree with how interconnects can add a different element to the signiture of what I'm hearing!
  ka-sweet

  
  Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> god bless your gifted ears.


 
  I don't know if its having gifted ears, but more due to being lucky, since my initial noticing of any kind of a difference in sound was on some nice sounding but not all together balanced IEMs, with the TF10s the siver lod seemed like a no brainer along with its SS of heavy bass, the silver was a shoe in to making a difference! like the bass light RE262s, the all copper L9 easily added to that dept. otherwise if they were more balanced in the SS more than likely I would have never heard any difference, and to this day I would say that cables don't make a difference what so ever! so if you have some IEM that scale on one end more than the other you will probably hear the difference that more or less resistant interconnect cable wire offers, from copper, gold, silver or any combo in between, will provide, jmo, I highlighted what RPG says up above, he's on the right track!


----------



## caracara08

totally off topic, but what is ka-sweet?


----------



## ANDEROAN

no no no not OT, ka-sweet is the sound that is made when after you hear what the ZO can do to your music, but usually while huddled in a ball weeping, or asleep with your thumb in your moouth,  LOL!


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

The ZO2 has possibly improved a little further since 20hrs or so of use, I'm probably at 35~40hrs and the bass just gets tighter and tighter and I start noticing ZO2's quite nice soundstage more and more as I listen to old favorite songs. Now I can turn up to like lvl4-5 and bass is still not too overhelming on the HTF600 when I at first concidered only lvl1-2. It really seems like burn-in is a must for these if wanting to hear the full potential...


----------



## gaspir324

I'm getting a bit scared. I'm reading that people are using ZO with not too bassy headphones on low levels and they are satisfied. And I was intending to useit with XB1000 on the highest level all the time...


----------



## SemperMalum

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> I'm getting a bit scared. I'm reading that people are using ZO with not too bassy headphones on low levels and they are satisfied. And I was intending to useit with XB1000 on the highest level all the time...


 

 I've got a fever. And the only prescription... is more cowbell.


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> The ZO2 has possibly improved a little further since 20hrs or so of use, I'm probably at 35~40hrs and the bass just gets tighter and tighter and I start noticing ZO2's quite nice soundstage more and more as I listen to old favorite songs. Now I can turn up to like lvl4 and bass is still not too overhelming on the HTF600 when I at first concidered only lvl1-2. It really seems like burn-in is a must for these if wanting to hear the full potential...


 


  The main problem here is to know if the burn in is happening on the device or your ears! 
   
  Mine still on Customs...  
  It's gonna hurt...


----------



## ANDEROAN

Quote: 





sempermalum said:


> I've got a fever. And the only prescription... is more cowbell.


 


 lol, "Don't fear the Reaper" baby, BOC, SNL! been there seen that, loved it! yes MORE cowbell indeed!


----------



## Varley

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> I'm getting a bit scared. I'm reading that people are using ZO with not too bassy headphones on low levels and they are satisfied. And I was intending to useit with XB1000 on the highest level all the time...


 


  With the Cowon J3 and MachBass? - That would be illegal.


----------



## Optimus Praim

Quote: 





varley said:


> With the Cowon J3 and MachBass? - That would be illegal.


 

 J3 paired with zo2 and MachBass on distorts even at the lowest contour levels...


----------



## estreeter

There is a reason that DigiZoid specifically tell you to turn off ALL EQ on your source - for some here, you could put chocolate syrup on chocolate mudcake and they would still be looking up at you and asking if you have any chocolate sprinkles to go with that ......


----------



## Grev

Lets see if it's in my mailbox when I go home tonight, damn Australia post, or should I blame someone else?


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> There is a reason that DigiZoid specifically tell you to turn off ALL EQ on your source - for some here, you could put chocolate syrup on chocolate mudcake and they would still be looking up at you and asking if you have any chocolate sprinkles to go with that ......


 

 I'll take one fo those with 2 scoops of chocolate ice cream please.


----------



## burtomr

Mmmm, Chocolate....


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> I'll take one fo those with 2 scoops of chocolate ice cream please.


 


  Oh, I'm whipping up some 'chocolate' right now, McProgger ......


----------



## F900EX

Quote: 





optimus praim said:


> J3 paired with zo2 and MachBass on distorts even at the lowest contour levels...


 


  Try this ...
   
  EQ 80hz 220hz 780hz  Flat and set wide
  BBE+ / BBE 4 / MACH3Bass /3D on
   
  Rest of the EQ settings whatever you want. But for Bass without distortion this works good.  You should be able to use most contours without any problems.


----------



## Grev

I just got mine (two of them) here in Brisbane, Australia.
   
  Tried it using with my Clip+ with scooped-mid settings, made my MS1000 sound exact opposite of what it should sound like, all bass, no mids and some out of place highs. hahaha


----------



## rezel

Just received my Zo 2 on the Gold Coast. Liking them very much. I don't mind the hiss and I don't think the shipping cost would be justifiable for fixing it. It's a keeper for me.


----------



## Grev

Holy moly, line out from my Ipod 5th gen 30gb is freaking loud...!!  Even on the lowest contour setting it distorts very slightly.  So not useable on the ipod lineout, although I'm thinking of just using it with the Clip+ and buying a Cowon J3 very soon.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





grev said:


> Holy moly, line out from my Ipod 5th gen 30gb is freaking loud...!!  Even on the lowest contour setting it distorts very slightly.  So not useable on the ipod lineout, although I'm thinking of just using it with the Clip+ and buying a Cowon J3 very soon.


 


   
   
  I know what you mean. When I first tested my ZO2 it was through the line out of my Hifiman 601 with my Fx700. I was hesitant at first and now I know why. Just for a split second was enough for me to react super fast and unplug my FX700 gems (I was more concerned about blowing the drivers than my ears lol...well maybe not).


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

"Synergy" seems like something that shouldn't be overlooked. Comparing ZO1 and ZO2 with Audigy 2 ZS and a Realtek HD as well as XB500 and HTF600 in all combinations results in quite interesting results.
   
  Realtek HD + XB500 + ZO1 = fantastic
  Realtek HD + XB500 + ZO2 = quite bad 
  Audigy 2 ZS + XB500 + ZO1 = great
  Audigy 2 ZS + XB500 + ZO2 = good
   
  Realtek HD + HTF600 + ZO1 = average
  Realtek HD + HTF600 + ZO2 = amazing Oo
  Audigy 2 ZS + HTF600 + ZO1 = good
  Audigy 2 ZS + HTF600 + ZO2 = good


----------



## MuZo2

Double post


----------



## gaspir324

And what do you mean by Realtek HD + XB500 =quite bad?


----------



## gaspir324

Double post.....


----------



## MuZo2

I have been told they have stopped the production and fix issues reported to them. No sure when the next batch goes out.


----------



## gaspir324

"Est. ship date Nov. 21st"
  So todayish if everything goes as planned (I doubt it will but I have faith). I orderd mine on 17th, if it ships here in 14 days that would be just in time for my testweek to end and have a LOT of time to hear how it turns out to be.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> And what do you mean by Realtek HD + XB500 =quite bad?


 

 That Realtek HD onboard sound chip with ZO2 and XB500 doesn't fit that well together, a bit "muddy"/thick/veiled sound which isn't at all the case if I just switch to ZO1 (more forward mids&highs) instead of ZO2 but then again if using Audigy 2 ZS it doesn't either sound that muddy and also with another headphone such as HTF600 ZO2 sounds amazing. So hence the word "synergy" for some reason which you can't know until you've tested it yourself how well the source/amp/headphone play together. It's a very complex matter which you can't really see the pattern of, that a headphone sounds warm to begin with may not sound bad if paired with a warm headphone amp even if you'd think so, then ZO2 and HTF600 hadn't either worked well together.


----------



## estreeter

T51 -> ZO2 -> ESW9 excellent with laid-back Stadium rockers (Def Leppard, Coldplay, Noiseworks, Journey).


----------



## Varley

*@estreeter*
   
  How would you compare overall amping between the ZO V.2 and the iBasso D4? - I haven't even had time with my ZO yet as I've sent it back for the issues -
  I'm contemplating purchasing the D4, T5, D-ZERO or P4 - I just don't know whether it's worth it and might just stick with the ZO and use it for everything


----------



## estreeter

Get the P4 - now.


----------



## Varley

?


----------



## gaspir324

Wrooong placeeeeee


----------



## estreeter

varley said:
   
  I'm contemplating purchasing the D4, T5, D-ZERO or *P4 *
   
  and I said:
   
  Get the P4. Now.
   
  And you said:
   
  wrong place.
   
  Which of us is in the wrong place ?


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> varley said:
> 
> I'm contemplating purchasing the D4, T5, D-ZERO or *P4 *
> 
> ...


 

 you are...
   
  you need a place to chill out, man... lol
   
  BTW, no ZO2 for me till now... Customs are holding my package... Maybe they are enjoying "MY" new toy


----------



## estreeter

This *IS* where I come to chill out. You should see the pr*cks I have to work with.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> This *IS* where I come to chill out. You should see the pr*cks I have to work with.


 


  I recommend lots of head banging time with some brutal death metal. You'll be a new man in no time.


----------



## estreeter

Can I nominate the heads I'd like to see banged, brutally ?


----------



## louisnomad

+1 
   
  but he will need a new neck...
   
  Another silly question:
   
  can anyone say something about the sinergy between ZO2 and GR07?


----------



## louisnomad

not ours, for sure, you`'re a nice guy...


----------



## Dragonfish

I just got an Etymotic ER-4P as well as a P-S adapter. Any experiences regarding the synergy of this IEM with the ZO2 or the ZO? I am listening almost exclusively to classical music.


----------



## i2ehan

Quote:


dragonfish said:


> I just got an Etymotic ER-4P as well as a P-S adapter. Any experiences regarding the synergy of this IEM with the ZO2 or the ZO? I am listening almost exclusively to classical music.


 

 My ER4S and Zo (V1) have excellent synergy, even when set on the max Zo profile. Don't expect for the bass to retain full texture, but the added body and impact are an insane amount of fun!


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





louisnomad said:


> +1
> 
> but he will need a new neck...
> 
> ...


 
  I sent my ZO2 back to be replaced but it's quite good with the original.  I would assume it will be same for a bit better with ZO2.  I never really noticed much difference when I had it for the short period of time.


----------



## Bazirker

This is a stretch, but has anyone tried this puppy out with Beyerdynamic DT990/600 Premiums?
   
  How about Future Sonics Atrios (mg7)?


----------



## estreeter

600-ohm cans ? Nah - I think the amp was voiced with the HiFiMan HE-6


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> I sent my ZO2 back to be replaced but it's quite good with the original.  I would assume it will be same for a bit better with ZO2.  I never really noticed much difference when I had it for the short period of time.


 

 Thanks for the 2 cents! Can you say more about GR07 and ZO v1? I'm just reading some impressions on GR07 to pull the trigger... I hate  that part... Decisions, decisions! xD


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





louisnomad said:


> Thanks for the 2 cents! Can you say more about GR07 and ZO v1? I'm just reading some impressions on GR07 to pull the trigger... I hate  that part... Decisions, decisions! xD


 

 This is ZO1, ipod classic 5.5 gen., alac files and GR07.  I have the volume set at between half and three quarters.  When I turn the ZO on, the volume kicks up another two notches and I need to turn the ipod volume down to half way.  This is with the smart vector turned all the way down.  The soundstage open up a bit more.  The treble presence is increased a bit, the bass gets a bit more punchy.  Since the GR07 is pretty well balanced, all frequencies are lifted up a notch with the ZO.  I think the ZO helps bring a bit more sparkle in the treble region, which to me welcomed in the GR07.  When I turn the smart vector switch up a couple of notches, it's too much bass for my taste.  Just one notch and it sounds good for awhile but I cannot do it for long listening sessions.  I still believe the EX1000 and the ZO was made for each other but it sounds good with most earphones that I own.  For the GR07, I think you can't go wrong with it.  It's a fantastic sounding iem and it suits most genres of music.  I have no trouble with the comfort either.  I find it to be one of the more comfortable iems because of the moving nozzle.


----------



## djvkool

Just got my Zo2 yesterday..
   
  with LOD, even on minimum volume on the Zo2, the volume output is equivalent to about 80% on the source, and when I increase the Zo2 volume by 1 click, it becomes unlistenable as it distorts massively
   
  with the 3.5mm jack, the problem above does not exist, however, the hiss is very very bad...
   
  *sigh*
   
  return and repair I guess, I am in Australia so it kinda sux...


----------



## takafi

Anyone tested the ZO2 with um3x? Care to comment?


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





djvkool said:


> Just got my Zo2 yesterday..
> 
> with LOD, even on minimum volume on the Zo2, the volume output is equivalent to about 80% on the source, and when I increase the Zo2 volume by 1 click, it becomes unlistenable as it distorts massively
> 
> ...


 

  
  You tell me about that! My ZO2 is still on customs. The total amount I would pay to fix, without taxes, is around 160 bucks... with brazilian taxes, I'm afraid it will be around 250 bucks... I'm not happy at all... I don't want to use it with LO, just HO, as my sources are J3 and Clip+... And customs are holding my package... damn...


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





louisnomad said:


> You tell me about that! My ZO2 is still on customs. The total amount I would pay to fix, without taxes, is around 160 bucks... with brazilian taxes, I'm afraid it will be around 250 bucks... I'm not happy at all... I don't want to use it with LO, just HO, as my sources are J3 and Clip+... And customs are holding my package... damn...


 

  
  hey we were in the exact same situation, but mine got released from customs last week, package is at home I should have it today or tomorrow. but instead of paying another 100 bucks in shipping and more customs, if it doesnt work, Im doing the garbage can mod. **** this. I dont plan to use it with IEMs, but I do want to use it with a LO.


----------



## gaspir324

Sorry, what I meant was that my post was posted to wrong place, so I just edited it to say wroong place.


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> hey we were in the exact same situation, but mine got released from customs last week, package is at home I should have it today or tomorrow. but instead of paying another 100 bucks in shipping and more customs, if it doesnt work, Im doing the garbage can mod. **** this. I dont plan to use it with IEMs, but I do want to use it with a LO.


 


   
  Just checked your profile to see your gears, and the best part was the "music preferences"! i found lots of bands  that I love (anathema, porcupinetree, pineapple thief, sigur ros, pain of salvation...) and now I'm just listening to the others on youtube... so far, i need to buy some oceansize asap! Did you ever tried Explosions in the sky? Cecylia eyes? Yndi Halda?
   
  I'm almost sure the "garbage can mod" will be an option if i need to send it back... or maybe show it to some friends and see if they like it with the hiss, and them sell it for the price I've paid... :/ But let me test ir first, as soon as the custom's people get tired to hold it there...


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





louisnomad said:


> Just checked your profile to see your gears, and the best part was the "music preferences"! i found lots of bands  that I love (anathema, porcupinetree, pineapple thief, sigur ros, pain of salvation...) and now I'm just listening to the others on youtube... so far, i need to buy some oceansize asap! Did you ever tried Explosions in the sky? Cecylia eyes? Yndi Halda?


 

 only Explosions in the sky from those 3, and did not liked it. maybe the others. Riverside is also a good option if you havent. try something from the album "out of myself" it is similar to some other stuff.
   
  hey we both have the TF10, I doubt it works with the ZO2 by what I've read.


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> only Explosions in the sky from those 3, and did not liked it. maybe the others. Riverside is also a good option if you havent. try something from the album "out of myself" it is similar to some other stuff.
> 
> hey we both have the TF10, I doubt it works with the ZO2 by what I've read.


 


   
  Actually, i need to update the profile, i don't have it anymore... i couldn't handle the harshness on treble without the comply foam...
   
  I tried Riverside, and I like it... If you don't like EITS, probably will not like the others i told you... maybe something from Devin townsend Project (Addicted as a heavy album, Ghost as an immersive, very light, kind of music)... If you like We're Here Because We're Here, then both albuns from Devin Townsend can fit your taste.


----------



## djevoultion

Is it possible to use the ZO2 with the Fiio E10's DAC Line Out?


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





djevoultion said:


> Is it possible to use the ZO2 with the Fiio E10's DAC Line Out?


 


  I can't see why not, but you'll need to flat any EQ on your PC first, and starting from there you will build your sound signature teaking with ZO2 and software EQ.


----------



## ChrisSC

Just got my *revised* v2 from the mail.  I've only had it for 15mins so too early to give impressions, but I can say that I'm running it through my iPhone 4's LOD to a pair of iems and the complaints about the LOD volume and hiss have been fixed.


----------



## louisnomad

dear lord...
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  will I have the courage to send it back?


----------



## JamesMcProgger

just got it now, now to some testing. only headphone and player I have in my hands right now are the Clip+ and M80s. so we shall see this first...
   
  works good, I dont dare to say great yet but minor hissing, only noticeable when there is no music and really low hissing.
   
  with clip volume at 50% I can go ZO volume all lvl and it is loud but still at a safe volume. the bass boost does little, I thought there was a more noticeable difference but so far, it ads body but thats it.
   
  nice feeling to the touch btw, I wouldnt have a problem pair this with an ipod, no danger of scratches.


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> just got it now, now to some testing. only headphone and player I have in my hands right now are the Clip+ and M80s. so we shall see this first...
> 
> works good, I dont dare to say great yet but minor hissing, only noticeable when there is no music and really low hissing.
> 
> ...


 

 Disconnect the cable between the player and ZO. Do you still hear any hiss?


----------



## metalgear

have they issued serial numbers to identify which units need to be fixed?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





chrissc said:


> Just got my *revised* v2 from the mail.  I've only had it for 15mins so too early to give impressions, but I can say that I'm running it through my iPhone 4's LOD to a pair of iems and the complaints about the LOD volume and hiss have been fixed.


 

 What volume level (as in how many clicks from the lowest level) on the revised ZO2 do you find "normal" when running with LOD and paired with your IEMs? Do you get any distortions? How well does contour level adjustment work when used as a LOD? <- I bet these are the interesting questions for most people around here as previously it hasn't been possible to use it with LOD so.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Disconnect the cable between the player and ZO. Do you still hear any hiss?


 


  yes, still hiss with only the ZO+phones, no player or even interconnect cable. I also have the triple.fi 10 here, will try with them after this song ends.
   
  hey nice to see you back by the way, I thought you had abandoned us 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  edit: clip+ > ZO2> TF10 = hiss. but the volumes are OK if I dont raise the Zo too much. not a big deal, hiss might bother some, not me really, it is not there with music. at least now, will consider it again later after a couple of beers. and the bass boost is totally noticeable now.


----------



## lee730

Will be sending out my ZO2 today. Looking forward to a non-hissing version of the item. This will be a very good amp after the fix.


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> yes, still hiss with only the ZO+phones, no player or even interconnect cable. I also have the triple.fi 10 here, will try with them after this song ends.
> 
> hey nice to see you back by the way, I thought you had abandoned us
> 
> ...


 


  Oh, yea, I totally didn't realize you had the "pre-fixed version". Sorry! But glad to hear your liking it!
   
  And I haven't abandoned you guys! Promise!


----------



## ChrisSC

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> What volume level (as in how many clicks from the lowest level) on the revised ZO2 do you find "normal" when running with LOD and paired with your IEMs? Do you get any distortions? How well does contour level adjustment work when used as a LOD? <- I bet these are the interesting questions for most people around here as previously it hasn't been possible to use it with LOD so.


 

 HonestIy I have really sensitive iems (westone es5s), and so I don't know if its because of them or the zo2, but the volume pot could be much better.  I feel like anything past maybe the 10th click could cause hearing damage if used for a while.  Also, I can't do any low volume critical listening while amping through the zo, as even the first 'click' puts my iPhone4 at a moderate listening level.  So for me, in my short hour or so of listening, my listening range is somewhere between 1-5 out of the possible 32 clicks.
   
  The bass isn't as tight as I expected, but I expect that to improve as my unit burns in.
   
  No distortions to note, and again- even with no song playing, no hiss at all.  Also, even with my zo2 on top of  my iPhone4 not in airplane mode, I don't hear any radio frequency interference, which I'm really impressed with.
   
  As far as contour adjustments, it still feels like the steps aren't even, but incremental in maybe a platform way, such that there aren' that many increases in bass while in the green or in the red, but mostly in the yellow (this could be just my perception- I could be wrong about this- I haven't really been testing the bass boost because its a pain to click 32x to get from red high to green low bass).
   
  Hope this helps,
  Chris


----------



## ChrisSC

Also, I just reread what I wrote, and if it came across like I'm disappointed with the zo or not happy with the bass its putting out- not true.  I'm loving it!


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

OK thanks for the feedback, well if you can use lvl 1-5 with the most sensitive IEMs it should be "fine", we're after all talking IEMs with a LOD setup which won't need any further amping to start sounding loud.  I think only if switching for a analog potentiometer volume pot you could possibly make it more appropriate since if you make it fit too much for sensitive IEMs on a digital 32 volume step control you might instead run into issues when running a bit more demanding headphones (or it causes issues with volume levels when you use the headphone jack instead) and try to get proper volume lvls instead or if you like make too much of a difference between lowest and max level then that means "per step" the volume has to increase more too which is also an issue if it results into an "unsmooth" volume control that has too big change per step. Ofc you could vary the steps so it doesn't adjust it evenly for the lower and higher steps for example but that's probably a bit more tricky to get it right.
   
  As far as the contour levels goes, well it varies a lot from headphone/IEM to another how you percieve the boosted bass. My Panasonic HTF600 doesn't give much change in bass response above 5th or so level while my XB500 happily gets stronger bass almost to the max lvl... it's crazy...


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> OK thanks for the feedback, well if you can use lvl 1-5 with the most sensitive IEMs it should be "fine", we're after all talking IEMs with a LOD setup which won't need any amping to start sounding loud.  I think only if switching for a analog potentiometer volume pot you could possibly make it more appropriate since if you make it fit too much for sensitive IEMs on a digital 32 volume step control you might instead run into issues when running a bit more demanding headphones and try to get proper volume lvls instead.
> 
> As far as the contour levels goes, well it varies a lot from headphone/IEM to another how you percieve the boosted bass. My Panasonic HT600 doesn't give much change in bass *response above 5th or so level while my XB500 happily gets stronger bass almost to the max lvl... it's crazy...*


 


  You're using your ZO to boost bass on a XB500?!?!?!  Dude the XB500 is a little bass monster, why the heck would you want even more bass when the lows are already running over all the other frequencies?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> You're using your ZO to boost bass on a XB500?!?!?!  Dude the XB500 is a little bass monster, why the heck would you want even more bass when the lows are already running over all the other frequencies?


 

 It sounds great with ZO on the lowest level, well on ZO1 that's the first boosted level or the 2nd level (often I even go one higher level) as the way ZO / smartvektor works like I get a boost in the whole frequency range not just in bass which is a rather "even" boost across the whole frequency response range at the lowest levels which results in better percieved balance why it makes my XB500 sound more balanced (mids and highs sticks out a bit better) and it results in an overall more dynamic and forward sound as well as bringing slightly enhanced soundstage which are aspects that I like (I really love forward / dynamic sound). Got slight hissing with XB500 with ZO2 as it's one of the most if not the most sensitive headphone around so I haven't used it with that but HTF600 + ZO2 sounds great.
   
  I wonder if RMA'ing covers my unit or not as I won mine. xD MizMoxie please check email when you have time as I had something to ask/suggest, thanks.


----------



## 7swell

My ZO2 arrived today and I am happy to report that I hear no pop on power on/off and no hiss (max volume, disconnected from source, with UM Miracle). I haven't listened to it long enough to really get some impression of the sound but it has been fun playing around with.


----------



## louisnomad

Now I know why my ZO2 was on customs... Cindy sent me a box that could easily fit 8 ZOs... The guys over ther didn't even bother to open the box... they just wrote a bill to me and now i'm almost screwd with the amount this thing is costing till now... well, it is here... going to try it for the very first time...


----------



## louisnomad

First impressions:
   
  Hiss:
   
  It is there, but less than I thought. With music going on it is almost impossible to hear. Im using it with J3 HO, max volume and adjusting the volume to my ears through J3. I can live with this hiss, I think... Will try it more during the weekend while traveling with my band to play few gigs...
   
  Volume Switch:
   
  As I'm using it with HO, is not of a problem to me. It doesn't matter if the gain is too high.
   
  Pop noise:
   
  Yes, it is no there, at least not in the way people say it is with ZO v1. I can hear weird noises in it's place... When you turn it of, sound goes away and come back to normal volume setings on J3. But when you turn it on... lol... Geez, I thought it was going to destroy the BA inside my A151... A very distorted noise was growing up till it became the normal bassy sound of ZO2... It was really scary! After that i tried a couple of times and now i think it is the normal way it works. I wish it wasn't that way... 
   
  Sound:
   
  So far, with just 5 to 10 minutes listening time, I think I nlike it... People say that it will improve after burn in (lol, I thought that only headphones and IEMs could benefit from burn in, as they have moving parts to build the sound... In my heart I still belive the AMP burn in is just to our ears, as they get accostumet to the sound). Whatever... I'll let it run during the weekend and will listen to it as much as I can... Let's see what happens after that...
   
  I'll post an update here when i come back from the gigs...


----------



## burtomr

Quote: 





louisnomad said:


> Sound:
> 
> People say that it will improve after burn in (lol, I thought that only headphones and IEMs could benefit from burn in, as they have moving parts to build the sound... In my heart I still belive the AMP burn in is just to our ears, as they get accostumet to the sound).


 

 My ZO2 seems to "warm up" after a few minutes of on time. The highs and lows get more spacious after a few minutes of use. The warm up time/quality repeats daily and I do not hear a SQ change when the ZO2 is off, thinking it might be my IEM's, or my source warming up.


----------



## 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: 





neuromancer said:


> 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: 





neuromancer said:


> 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: 





rpgwizard said:


> 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

lee730 said:


> 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.





rpgwizard said:


> 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: 





neuromancer said:


> 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: 





estreeter said:


> 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: 





gaspir324 said:


> And you are using which headphones?


 

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


----------



## esanthosh

Quote: 





btinc said:


> 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 ?


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





specr1 said:


> Are they still using USPS to ship it out ?


 


   
  Yes


----------



## au5t3n5

My v2 came the other day. It is more like the product I hope for it to be. The first version was just....idk what to say. Haha.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> My v2 came the other day. It is more like the product I hope for it to be. The first version was just....idk what to say. Haha.


 
   
  So volume levels are fine for you now? It's still providing some amping if set to higher volume, I mean it goes louder than not using the amp right?


----------



## jant71

Any more on this weaker amping thing? They are scheduled to get my RMA tomorrow and of course this popped up over the weekend!
   
  W/O enough amping and just contour it is not gonna work it's best. Both ZO's have an amp in there for a reason. I'm sure the bass staying quick and tighter, the bigger stage, and extra detail come in good part due to the extra juice. I don't think I wanna hear it w/o enough power. I can imagine it sounding a bit sluggish and too compressed unless you double amp. I also hope they didn't go too far the other way. 
   
  I was liking some of the so-called improvements they listed but now I may just regret sending it back. I could still contact them though and get mine back. Uuggghh!!


----------



## SpecR1

Sorry for asking this again but has anyone gotten a refund on the return shipping yet?
   
  They are taking a very long time to reply to my email (they are probably busy). But I think this question is important for international customers.
   
  Thanks


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Nevermind, still curious about if any1 else has this problem with low volume or not. Doesn't seem to be the case with au5t3n5 I assume or else he had probably complained. I should get my "fixed" ZO2 batch shipped out soon, maybe monday if I'm lucky.


----------



## au5t3n5

What is the problem with low volume? Let me know so I can check for it. I haven't been quite up to date on the thread. I went home for the weekend and didn't have must listening time because it was family time. The nasty pop/hiss has mostly been resolved, and it is just acting like I was hoping it would before the fixed update. 
  Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Nevermind, still curious about if any1 else has this problem with low volume or not. Doesn't seem to be the case with au5t3n5 I assume or else he had probably complained. I should get my "fixed" ZO2 batch shipped out soon, maybe monday if I'm lucky.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> What is the problem with low volume? Let me know so I can check for it. I haven't been quite up to date on the thread. I went home for the weekend and didn't have must listening time because it was family time. The nasty pop/hiss has mostly been resolved, and it is just acting like I was hoping it would before the fixed update.


 

 Well neuromancer posted on the previous page that his "fixed batch" ZO2 gave him even lower volume than not using the ZO2 at all like if there was no working amp in it even if he set the ZO2 to max volume. Are you getting at least equally loud or preferably louder volume with this ZO2 than not using it at all? I think he was comparing it with Ipod Touch with LOD+ZO2 vs just Ipod Touch HO and no ZO2. Unsure what's the case if plugging ZO2 to the HO, I doubt it will be weaker then at least.


----------



## lee730

It could be defective or maybe an issue with the HO? Can he try a different DAP to test with?


----------



## au5t3n5

Using an LOD the Zo v2 does not get as loud as my iPod classic. But maybe it is because the iPod just sounds more shrill than anything that comes out of the Zo...I think that the iPod headphone out is louder regardless, but that shrillness might be a reason why it might appear much louder than it really is. I tested it with some SRH440s and an LOD I had on my desk (I refuse to test using IEM's) and I could listen to it max volume on the Zo if I wanted (like it wouldn't be torture) but I just couldn't on the iPod. I didn't want to throw the headphones off right away, but it was a little uncomfortable and didn't want to subject myself to it.
   
  But in all honesty, you shouldn't be using it that loud anyway. If you have serious cans to drive, you probably have other stuff to amp it with anyway. 
   
  Sorry to disappoint. It doesn't matter much to me since it can provide me with listening levels that I am used to and even a bit more. I guess maybe not as loud as others like though.


----------



## au5t3n5

I saw that updated this. I can try LOD v HO in a few minutes. I threw my d4 between the ipod and zo via LOD and am checking to see if it even makes a difference because i swapped the opamps on the d4 to my preferred sound signature.
  
  Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Well neuromancer posted on the previous page that his "fixed batch" ZO2 gave him even lower volume than not using the ZO2 at all like if there was no working amp in it even if he set the ZO2 to max volume. Are you getting at least equally loud or preferably louder volume with this ZO2 than not using it at all? I think he was comparing it with Ipod Touch with LOD+ZO2 vs just Ipod Touch HO and no ZO2. Unsure what's the case if plugging ZO2 to the HO, I doubt it will be weaker then at least.


 

  
  Edit: I tested it out, HO v LOD is the same. It does it a tad bit louder with the D4 in the loop, but that is double amping not any different that I would have guessed. I just checked again and without the zo, the output from iPod w/LOD + D4 is a zillion times louder than when you add the ZO after the D4. This is with max volume on the zo and adjusting the volume on the D4. It actually tames the output from the D4 significantly. Max D4+Max Zo is just as loud as the D4 alone at 12 o clock.
   
  So a quick summary would based off a few seconds to a minute at each level would be:
   
  iPod w/LOD + D4 > iPod w/LOD + Zov2 + D4 > iPod w/ LOD + D4 + Zov2 > iPod HO > iPod w/LOD + ZOv2 = iPod w/HO + Zov2
   
  Volume Key:
   
Red = Significantly louder
Blue = Slight difference, negligible
Geen = Audible difference
Pink = About the same
   
  I still think LOD + Zov2 is loud enough for the casual listening anyway. I did this testing pretty quickly, so if I am wrong and someone would like to point that out, please do so.  
   
  A conclusion would be the Zo if anything tames input. It tames HO from both the iPod and iPod + D4. It even tames LOD from the iPod. Compensating by double amping with the D4 and Zo is only a slightly improvement because the ZO still tames the loud D4 input. Even putting the D4 after the Zo is less loud than the D4 alone. This must mean that regardless of HO or LOD, the Zo makes the output volume less of what actually goes into it.
   
*TL; DR *Any input, HO or LOD, that goes into the Zo comes out less loud. Amp much?
   
  I hope this helps!
   


  Quote: 





lee730 said:


> It could be defective or maybe an issue with the HO? Can he try a different DAP to test with?






  
   
  I do not have another DAP. I have some DAC/amps but no DAPs. Sorry!


----------



## estreeter

This whole episode reminds me of the story of Goldilocks - apparently Digizoid cant seem to get the porridge 'just right' for many of you. Glad I've held onto my 'too loud' ZO2 - I dont know if I've simply found the sweet spot, but I am happy using it from the LO with my 150-ohm ESW9. No hiss, no problems at all - just *beautiful, beautiful music. *


----------



## au5t3n5

I actually like the fixed updated version more. It provides me with enough volume plus I only got it for the SmartVektor technology, not the amp. It isn't worlds different than iPod HO, and not many people listen to music that loud. You shouldn't anyway. 
   
  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> This whole episode reminds me of the story of Goldilocks - apparently Digizoid cant seem to get the porridge 'just right' for many of you. Glad I've held onto my 'too loud' ZO2 - I dont know if I've simply found the sweet spot, but I am happy using it from the LO with my 150-ohm ESW9. No hiss, no problems at all - just *beautiful, beautiful music. *


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Well it just sounds a little weird since the original ZO1 already provided a significant volume boost to anything you plugged it, I think something like going from 35~38% without ZO1 to like 12~13% with ZO1 with a XB500 and either Audigy 2 ZS or Realtek HD onboard as source and with ZO2 it was like if set ZO2 to max volume the source had to be set to 11%, so it was a little louder than ZO1 too. Now if I'll have to start up the volume to like 45% that sounds like a rather drastic change to the configuration. I'm sure the optimal volume/output levels say if we take my particular setup as an example, if ZO2 at max volume had provided about the same volume as 35~38% without ZO2 with maybe around 22~25% with ZO2 (which would be still twice as high as what ZO1/early ZO2 had to be put but that would probably be enough for it to make it usable with LOD or lower the hissing levels to levels where it's not much of an issue). Sounds like there's still some tweaking to do for future ZO products to find the golden middlepath which is usually the way to go to fit with as many setups as possible. For me this isn't an issue at all but I'm looking at those people who bought ZO2 also for its amping...
   
  But yea I vote adjustable gain tweaked for Low gain = 8~64ohm IEM/headphone use and High gain = >64ohm headphone use for ZO3. For $100 "amp" you should try to aim for at least ~150 ohm headphone possible use, you don't necessarily have to make 250 ohm compatible at this price class but yea at least 150 ohm if we have a look at the competitors products and taking into account ZO does offer SmartVektor but I don't think SmartVektor alone can be sold for $100, for me personally yes, I love that SmartVektor sound so much but I don't see it going to be a success for $100 if it doesn't at least provide some decent amping capabilities as well. I'm just a little worried, I want ZO to be a success so.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

a'right, time for some short impressions, this is an impressions thread after all.
   
*First, my version is the first batch and I havent send it back, and I wont.*
   
  Tried the ZO2 always with my rockboxed clip+ and in flat eq only, it was too loud for any player's LO I could plug it in.
   
   
 Clip+ > ZO2 > UE TF10   


 

 


   
  Hiss. nothing serious.
  with the Zo in red, I've never heard bass like this, earth shaking. I found myself looking around thinking Godzilla was coming. not mu cup f tea, I kept it green to light orange and it was fine.
  soundstage remains to same to my ears, actually I feel nothing else get affected, but as I said, too much bass, I am not a basshead.
   
   
  Now the the point, I bought the Zo2 to use it with my on-ear portables
   

clip+ and Zo2 with beyerdynamic DT1350, sennheiser HD25, V-Moda m80.
   
   
 Clip+ > Zo2 > V-Moda M80   

   
  Hiss, nothing to cry about but noticeable only when no music is playing.
  this is the best match so far, it gives the M80 ( a light bass, light treble headphone) a more full body sound, it increase the punch and bass amount, obviously. doesnt seem to affect the mid and upper range in a noticeable way.
   
  dark orange is the most I can handle, usually the transition from yellow to orange works for me.
   
   
   
 Clip+ > Zo2 > Senn HD25   

   
  Hiss the most of the three, but it still goes away when music is playing, the hiss seems to fade in quiet passages too.
  HD25 is already my bass-limit headphone, not a bassy headphone but the perfect equilibrium between too much and perfect for me. with ZO to light yellow the punch goes insanely hard hitting and the bass start to become boomy, over the green scale is just mufled, specially the voices, they become too warm. on the good side, if you hate the HD25 for its harsh treble, the Zo2 can veil that out.
   
   
   
 Clip+ > Zo2 > Beyer DT1350   

   
  I can only notice the hiss when I press the cups hard onto my ears and no music is playing.
  To my surprise, the DT1350's box-like sound seems to be less marked with the ZO and make the sound more full (I've always thought the DT1350 lacks body). bass quantity really grows but somehow the punch remains the same, tight but very subtle. the mids gets afected the more on this one, usually transparent and clear, they become warmer and even burried in the bass.
  all shades of orange worked OK for me in the DT1350. this is the main reason I bought the Zo for and I have to say it fulfilled the task to give the DT1350 more body and make it to finally deliver some bass.
   
   

   
  Conclusion: Clip+ & Zo2 is one powerful little package but I am not sure the Zo2 is the best option in amplification + bass boost in the pricerange,* I havent try anything else* but there must be something better. the bigger lus here is the capability of the Zo to boost bass volume gradually and not only with a single key tagged "bass boost: ON/OFF"


----------



## neuromancer

Well my friends, my frustration continues. Was supposed to receive a call from the engineer on Sat to no avail. It was a holiday weekend understandibly though. I see someone else has figured out that this is not really amping.......rather it appears they may have set the gain far to low to address some of the problems. Ironically, after hooking up some SE530's, there was considerable hiss present. This doesn't bother me so much with music playing , however it may still irritate some. Keep in mind these are notoriously hiss prone IEM due to their sensitivity. They do sound pretty darn good with the contour adjustments since they do need the low end emphasis and seem to improve considerably more with EQu or Eqalizer (app) customized adjustments to the top end. They, of course, are easily driven by the ZO2 but this is certainly not the case with more power hungry phones (HD580, OK1....forget it!). And this is where the controversy will ensue as it by no means is a versatile device in this form; it is a nice low end enhancer for fairly easily driven phones that, unfortunately to my ears, also colors the rest of the sound spectrum. I notice a significant warming of the sound and loss of treble with ES7 vs. HO of Touch or Ipad. This may help some phones........while impairing others.
 Ultimately, they will have to respond to our, admittedly, pain in the arse audiophile nitpicking........but would you expect any different from our crowd? Yes, our constant quest for portable audio nirvana on the cheap can occasionally be deeply rewarding. More often it is an experimentation process filled with the constant FOTM that we chalk up to the learning process..........frustrating but fun. Make me a believer Digizoid! I think your on to something.


----------



## Grev

I am in agreement with JamesMcProgger, two of my ZO2 (not returning them) sounds amazing with the Clip+, while it is too loud with the line-out of my Ipod.
   
  Also after some fiddling with the EQ, the no-eq rockboxed Clip+ is best when having any sort of amp on the other side, other than that, there are too many variables to say the ZO2 is bad at all, which to my ears does a great job with the bass contouring.
   
  BTW, I don't have any IEMs, just the MS1000 and AD700, which are both very easy to drive headphones...


----------



## neuromancer

grev said:


> I am in agreement with JamesMcProgger, two of my ZO2 (not returning them) sounds amazing with the Clip+, while it is too loud with the line-out of my Ipod.
> 
> Also after some fiddling with the EQ, the no-eq rockboxed Clip+ is best when having any sort of amp on the other side, other than that, there are too many variables to say the ZO2 is bad at all, which to my ears does a great job with the bass contouring.
> 
> BTW, I don't have any IEMs, just the MS1000 and AD700, which are both very easy to drive headphones...




Yes, it is apparent that the first version of ZO2 (even with its faults) had been set to quite a high gain and so did in fact provide more power which could affect the sound especially with certain phones. Will be replacing my lost clip soon so will give my impressions on that combo as well. Should make a great combo when all is remediated.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Has anyone paired the Zo1 or 2 TO THE TF10 PROS? The only thing that didnt satisfy me about the tf10's was the bass, everything else i loved, so, is it a "perfect" iem now ? Thanks!


----------



## estreeter

ZO2 V1 rules, people. You lot just didnt give the little guy time to burn-in. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  I am very happy with mine, and I havent incurred a cent in shipping costs or lost ZO time.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> ZO2 V1 rules, people. You lot just didnt give the little guy time to burn-in.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  The Hiss wouldn't go away with burn in and I was mainly gonna use it on the go with IEMS. So it was a necessary loss for me.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Well I contacted MizMoxie (Karen) about this low volume and they are working on it and probably have fix upcoming but I let them speak for themselves once they have more detail about it.
   
  I just hope you guys to won't be too hard on this new company, they've just started this business and they are very dedicated but lack the resources so far to run it like a bigger company with lots of extensive test run evaluations but on the positive side which could also work like a double edged sword they aren't slowed down with different time schedules and can provide countermeasures faster so less waiting for us to see things moving ahead. However remember this also means risky business moves so if you aren't confident about how the new products turn out I always suggest you wait for hands-on tests first but please don't put too much blame on digiZoid because they are really trying their best and working their butts off to get everything sorted and us customers pleased and you can imagine how you would feel if you were in their shoes. 
   
  I really think they should have sticked with ZO1 for a bit longer time before launching ZO2 but what's done can't be undone. I do like my ZO2 but that's irrelevant for those that have issues with it and with those issues fixed it would be a great product without doubt so I hope things still turn out for the better.


----------



## DannyBai

I'm thinking I never really needed the ZO2 since ZO1 was already great for what it is.  I'll see tomorrow when I receive my revised ZO2 if my thoughts are still the same.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Well I contacted MizMoxie (Karen) about this low volume and they are working on it and probably have fix upcoming but I let them speak for themselves once they have more detail about it.
> 
> I just hope you guys to won't be too hard on this new company, they've just started this business and they are very dedicated but lack the resources so far to run it like a bigger company with lots of extensive test run evaluations but on the positive side which could also work like a double edged sword they aren't slowed down with different time schedules and can provide countermeasures faster so less waiting for us to see things moving ahead. However remember this also means risky business moves so if you aren't confident about how the new products turn out I always suggest you wait for hands-on tests first but please don't put too much blame on digiZoid because they are really trying their best and working their butts off to get everything sorted and us customers pleased and you can imagine how you would feel if you were in their shoes.
> 
> I really think they should have sticked with ZO1 for a bit longer time before launching ZO2 but what's done can't be undone. I do like my ZO2 but that's irrelevant for those that have issues with it and with those issues fixed it would be a great product without doubt so I hope things still turn out for the better.


 


  You never said how it would sound with the tf10s


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> I'm thinking I never really needed the ZO2 since ZO1 was already great for what it is.  I'll see tomorrow when I receive my revised ZO2 if my thoughts are still the same.


 


  If they messed up again then I'll just opt for a refund.


----------



## rezel

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> You never said how it would sound with the tf10s


 


  Maybe he doesn't have a TF10 to test???


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Yea I don't, I suppose that's an IEM and sorry I'm not an IEM guy. ;(


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Yea I don't, I suppose that's an IEM and sorry I'm not an IEM guy. ;(


 


  Time to expand your horizons RPG . IEMs are great for portability. I just couldn't use full size cans on the go. I'd feel too awkward. The good think about the FX700s is that the sound staging is large like a full size can.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





lee730 said:


> Time to expand your horizons RPG . IEMs are great for portability. I just couldn't use full size cans on the go. I'd feel too awkward. The good think about the FX700s is that the sound staging is large like a full size can.


 

 Yea but I don't listen on the go, only at home. This also always ensures me I have something to look forward to when coming home. Portable sources usually lack the configurability I'm looking for too as I'm not the "plug n play"-kind of guy but the tweaker/EQ maniac that has to fiddle with everything to get a more satisfying output.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Yea but I don't listen on the go, only at home. This also always ensures me I have something to look forward to when coming home. Portable sources usually lack the configurability I'm looking for too as I'm not the "plug n play"-kind of guy but the tweaker/EQ maniac that has to fiddle with everything to get a more satisfying output.


 


  I just find the perfect balance in EQ and set it and forget it. FX700 with Hifiman 601 is an amazing combination and with rockbox .


----------



## rezel

Quote: 





lee730 said:


> Time to expand your horizons RPG . IEMs are great for portability. I just couldn't use full size cans on the go. I'd feel too awkward.


 
   
  IEM's are a last resort for me where cans aren't practical (ie. running and ... I can't think of anything else right now). Maybe that's because I don't own a 'decent' pair of IEM's yet.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





rezel said:


> IEM's are a last resort for me where cans aren't practical (ie. running and ... I can't think of anything else right now). Maybe that's because I don't own a 'decent' pair of IEM's yet.


 


  I think thats the case . Then again up until I moded my Denon 5000s (open-back now) I liked my Silver cabled IE8s and FX700 better. Now with the mod its really hard. I think I prefer the Denons but the FX700s are very close. Each with their own very distinct sound signature.


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





lee730 said:


> I think thats the case . Then again up until I moded my Denon 5000s (open-back now) I liked my Silver cabled IE8s and FX700 better. Now with the mod its really hard. I think I prefer the Denons but the FX700s are very close. Each with their own very distinct sound signature.


 

 So many universal iem's I've tried that sound just as good as cans or even better.


----------



## DigitalFreak

My IEM's of choice are the Sony MDR EX600, they're wonderful little IEM's. Right now I'm waiting on a pair of Klipsch X10's which are Klipsch flagship universal IEM. I have my fingers crossed and hope they won't disappoint me.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> So many universal iem's I've tried that sound just as good as cans or even better.


 


  That's why I'm looking into the custom route. Not sure how far up the latter I wanna go with home cans. I think the IEM route is my main priority. Starkey SA-43 here I come .


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





lee730 said:


> That's why I'm looking into the custom route. Not sure how far up the latter I wanna go with home cans. I think the IEM route is my main priority. Starkey SA-43 here I come .


 


  I went the UM Promo route and after waiting forever to still get them, I hope it's worth the wait.  I think the Starkey should be quite amazing.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> My IEM's of choice are the Sony MDR EX600, they're wonderful little IEM's. Right now I'm waiting on a pair of Klipsch X10's which are Klipsch flagship universal IEM. I have my fingers crossed and hope they won't disappoint me.


 


  Almost everyone says the TF10's are much better, cheaper but less confortable


----------



## ANDEROAN

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> My IEM's of choice are the Sony MDR EX600, they're wonderful little IEM's. Right now I'm waiting on a pair of Klipsch X10's which are Klipsch flagship universal IEM. I have my fingers crossed and hope they won't disappoint me.


 

 I'm with DF, been down the TF10 route, and yes a very nice IEM to be introduced to Higher-FI, but soon after when I tried out some others, mainly after hearing the RE262s>and then quickly onto the EX600s, which I'm loving 2000%!!! the TF10s compared to either of the other 2 really don't stand up, sound muddy, I loved the TF10s while I had them but after hearing the 262s then onto the 600s, after which I ditched the TF10s and also the 262s, huh, go figure, the 600s sounding the best! and has an easy and nice fit with Head-Directs large bi-flange tips! so top of the heap, so far that is, and with my ZOv1 what a pairing!!! I hope they work out the ZOv2.3 soon, I would like to hear the LO of the iPods 7th g. classic? we'll see
  
   
         Quote:


ineedmorebase said:


> Almost everyone says the TF10's are much better, cheaper but less confortable


----------



## estreeter

Tonight, no music. Just MW3 - acres of death and destruction - all delightfully rendered by the ZO2. Come get some.


----------



## ineedmorebase

estreeter said:


> Tonight, no music. Just MW3 - acres of death and destruction - all delightfully rendered by the ZO2. Come get some.




What sound card do you have?


----------



## au5t3n5

ANOTHER fix? Sigh...
  
  Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Well I contacted MizMoxie (Karen) about this low volume and they are working on it and probably have fix upcoming but I let them speak for themselves once they have more detail about it.
> 
> I just hope you guys to won't be too hard on this new company, they've just started this business and they are very dedicated but lack the resources so far to run it like a bigger company with lots of extensive test run evaluations but on the positive side which could also work like a double edged sword they aren't slowed down with different time schedules and can provide countermeasures faster so less waiting for us to see things moving ahead. However remember this also means risky business moves so if you aren't confident about how the new products turn out I always suggest you wait for hands-on tests first but please don't put too much blame on digiZoid because they are really trying their best and working their butts off to get everything sorted and us customers pleased and you can imagine how you would feel if you were in their shoes.
> 
> I really think they should have sticked with ZO1 for a bit longer time before launching ZO2 but what's done can't be undone. I do like my ZO2 but that's irrelevant for those that have issues with it and with those issues fixed it would be a great product without doubt so I hope things still turn out for the better.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> ANOTHER fix? Sigh...


 


  I sure hope that is a joke lol. Digizoid please say it ain't true. Another fix?


----------



## gaspir324

So I decided to skip the preordering because every new hardware/software will have bugs on launch. Mine got shipped on 26th. Just my luck.....
  Btw what is the impedance on your IEMs you have used? Anyone using less than 10Ω paired with ZO2?


----------



## Varley

I'm praying to God that it works as intended this time. It's like a 2-3 week wait between sending the old and receiving the new


----------



## estreeter

All I know is that MizMoxie must be well and truly over seeing messages from RPGWizard with some breathless new observation on the ZO2 - I can relate.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> All I know is that MizMoxie must be well and truly over seeing messages from RPGWizard with some breathless new observation on the ZO2 - I can relate.


 

 What?


----------



## RASeymour

I lived with Version 1 all summer and enjoyed it immensely (after the ringing in my ears from the pop while turning it off and on stopped).   Pre-ordered V2 (or ZO2) and am enjoying it as well.  While I've not not done a comparison, I like the sound of the ZO2 better. 
   
  Using a rockboxed, un-eqed Clip+ and RE0 (with comply tips).  I had basically shelved the RE0's but decided they may work well with the ZO2 and they do. 
   
  I found with both versions that when I set the bass level on the Zoid, I didn't change it much.  One tweak would be to have the volume come on first instead of the bass level since I use that more.
   
  Battery life on the ZO2 seems improved as the first version was running out all the time on me.


----------



## gaspir324

As breathless as you might find them, look at the thread's title 
  And maybe you won't start another threadwar.... live and let live


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> As breathless as you might find them, look at the thread's title
> And maybe you won't start another threadwar.... live and let live


 

 There is a difference between 'Impressions' and 'Wild Speculation' or even 'Speculative Observations'. Several people here *have* given valid impressions of the ZO2's sound signature, and I thank them for their efforts.


----------



## DannyBai

Received my revised ZO2 and a thank you card today.  The thank you card was signed by what I assume the whole staff which included 4 or 5 people.  I don't have the card with me at the moment but it indicated that they appreciated that we stood by them.  I thought it was a nice touch and something I can appreciate.
  For me, it seems that all that was wrong has been fixed.  I do not hear any hiss when using LOD or HO.  When I power the ZO2 on, I do not hear any popping.  When I turn it off, the music just quits and there is no popping or noise at all.  The original ZO still played music when it was off but this revised version does not play music through it when it's powered off.  This is for both LOD and HO.  By no means I care about this but something I noticed.  The volume has been toned down quite a bit.  When using LOD, the volume on the iphone is not affected and it is only controlled from the ZO2.  The lowest volume setting is at a very comfortable level and by not means is it too loud.  When using HO, the volume is so low that I can have the volume on my iphone all the way up and adjust through the ZO2.  I think it might be a little too low through HO but it would only affect the person who listens at an unreasonably high level.  I don't remember any other issues with the first batch but it seems digiZoid has fixed the problems that we mentioned.  I am very happy with the fixed unit and all in all, I believe didZoid has stood behind their product and has done a great job to satisfy their customers.  For the International customers, I hope there can be something that can be worked out for the heavy fees associated with shipping because I think the revised version is worth the exchange.


----------



## lee730

At least we have another good impression so far on the updated version. Looking forward to receiving mine.
  Quote: 





dannybai said:


> Received my revised ZO2 and a thank you card today.  The thank you card was signed by what I assume the whole staff which included 4 or 5 people.  I don't have the card with me at the moment but it indicated that they appreciated that we stood by them.  I thought it was a nice touch and something I can appreciate.
> For me, it seems that all that was wrong has been fixed.  I do not hear any hiss when using LOD or HO.  When I power the ZO2 on, I do not hear any popping.  When I turn it off, the music just quits and there is no popping or noise at all.  The original ZO still played music when it was off but this revised version does not play music through it when it's powered off.  This is for both LOD and HO.  By no means I care about this but something I noticed.  The volume has been toned down quite a bit.  When using LOD, the volume on the iphone is not affected and it is only controlled from the ZO2.  The lowest volume setting is at a very comfortable level and by not means is it too loud.  When using HO, the volume is so low that I can have the volume on my iphone all the way up and adjust through the ZO2.  I think it might be a little too low through HO but it would only affect the person who listens at an unreasonably high level.  I don't remember any other issues with the first batch but it seems digiZoid has fixed the problems that we mentioned.  I am very happy with the fixed unit and all in all, I believe didZoid has stood behind their product and has done a great job to satisfy their customers.  For the International customers, I hope there can be something that can be worked out for the heavy fees associated with shipping because I think the revised version is worth the exchange.


----------



## puresilence

Yeah I'm waiting on more impressions on the "fixed" version before pulling the trigger on one...


----------



## estreeter

@DannyBai - thank you for those detailed impressions - most enlightening.
   
  On the point of the ZO2 'V1' 'playing music while in the 'off' position', I am working on the assumption that all I am hearing in that state is the _amp stage_, and turning the SmartVektor on gives me immediate confirmation that I have profoundly changed the sound signature. One thing I will note with the ZO2 is how quickly I become accustomed to the 'base level' SmartVektor as 'normal' - going back to one of my other amps (or straight from the HO) requires a period of adjustment, but I know this from previous attempts to do side-by-side comparisons of kit, particularly amps. 
   
  The biggest single change, for me, is the intimacy of the sound with SmartVektor engaged, but its difficult to argue that this is not a toy aimed at the basshead in many of us - with certain cans, its actually too much of a good thing, even at 'base level'. Properly marketed, Digizoid could easily license the technology to a much larger company - I'd like to see SmartVektor integrated into a wide range of gear, on the proviso that it would never be 'on by default', _ala _Bose and various other lifestyle marques.


----------



## burtomr

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> On the point of the ZO2 'V1' 'playing music while in the 'off' position', I am working on the assumption that all I am hearing in that state is the _amp stage_...


 

  Hmmm? I thought when the ZO2 is 'off' it's in bypass mode = No amp / No SmartVector.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





burtomr said:


> Hmmm? I thought when the ZO2 is 'off' it's in bypass mode = No amp / No SmartVector.


 

 I don't know enough about the electronics - perhaps someone from DigiZoid can clarify this. If that were the case, then the 'ZO2 V2' has clearly had this 'bypass mode' disabled. I admit that it makes more sense that the ZO2 wouldnt be able to amplify the incoming signal from your source when its 'off', but very little about the 'ZO2 V1' has been predictable from the day I got it  
   
  (note that some amps will automatically turn on when an input signal is present - I cant recall exactly which ones, but the Pico Slim rings a bell)


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





burtomr said:


> Hmmm? I thought when the ZO2 is 'off' it's in bypass mode = No amp / No SmartVector.


 


  The ZO2 is completely off and no music goes through.  You are right for the ZO1 and music goes through un-ampep.  I don't remember if the first batch of ZO2 allowed music to play through.


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> @DannyBai - thank you for those detailed impressions - most enlightening.
> 
> On the point of the ZO2 'V1' 'playing music while in the 'off' position', I am working on the assumption that all I am hearing in that state is the _amp stage_, and turning the SmartVektor on gives me immediate confirmation that I have profoundly changed the sound signature. One thing I will note with the ZO2 is how quickly I become accustomed to the 'base level' SmartVektor as 'normal' - going back to one of my other amps (or straight from the HO) requires a period of adjustment, but I know this from previous attempts to do side-by-side comparisons of kit, particularly amps.
> 
> The biggest single change, for me, is the intimacy of the sound with SmartVektor engaged, but its difficult to argue that this is not a toy aimed at the basshead in many of us - with certain cans, its actually too much of a good thing, even at 'base level'. Properly marketed, Digizoid could easily license the technology to a much larger company - I'd like to see SmartVektor integrated into a wide range of gear, on the proviso that it would never be 'on by default', _ala _Bose and various other lifestyle marques.


 
  Wise idea.  They could present this to the Sharks.  Not sure if that show is still on or if that's the correct name of the show.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> The ZO2 is completely off and no music goes through.  You are right for the ZO1 and music goes through un-ampep.  I don't remember if the first batch of ZO2 allowed music to play through.


 

  
  Yes, the first batch ('ZO2 V1', by my naming scheme) does play your music minus SmartVektor, but when you turn the ZO2 on you will hear some very unpleasant sounds as the SmartVektor 'wakes up' and beings processing your music. This is one area where a big company could iron out those kinks - when you pressed the 'SV' toggle on their AV receiver/amp/whatever, SmartVektor would kick in gracefully.


----------



## Jae304

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> I don't know enough about the electronics - perhaps someone from DigiZoid can clarify this. If that were the case, then the 'ZO2 V2' has clearly had this 'bypass mode' disabled. I admit that it makes more sense that the ZO2 wouldnt be able to amplify the incoming signal from your source when its 'off', but very little about the 'ZO2 V1' has been predictable from the day I got it
> 
> (note that some amps will automatically turn on when an input signal is present - I cant recall exactly which ones, but the Pico Slim rings a bell)


 

 Sorry but you're wrong.  When the ZO2 (v1) is off, it is in bypass mode -- there is no amplification happening then.  When you turn it on, you're not just turning on the Smart Vektor processing.


----------



## 5370H55V

Just got my ZO2v2 today, the thank you card was a nice touch. It seems to be the same unit I sent in for repairs since the little bubble in the rubber coating is still there. The unit still has some slight background noise when used with the panasonic hje900's but then again, they've hissed with every single amp I've tried. I'll be getting the tf10's and phonak pfe 232s in a week so we'll see if the problem persists with other iems. Its absolutely silent with my m80 and hfi-580's though. The volume could still be improved, I feel its now too low with HO and still too high with LO. As others have mentioned, with the volume on the ZO on max its still less than the volume from the DAP by itself. With LOD the volume is now listenable, but even with the ZO volume on lowest its still on the high side of what I consider my normal listening levels. Digizoid also disabled the bypass feature on the ZO2v2, though I had no use for it anyways.
  Overall I'm pretty happy with the fixed version of the ZO2. Its much improved over the ZO2v1, although I wouldn't mind if Digizoid has another round of recalls to tweak the volume levels...


----------



## estreeter

Without wanting to disparage anyone in this thread, I often wonder if some of the 'hissing' issues are down to individual Tinnitus or other hearing issues. We are constantly surrounded by environmental noise - traffic, aircon, whatever - and the sensation of having IEMs blocking out everything in the outside world sometimes makes me acutely aware of my own breathing/heartbeat etc - not exactly 'hissing' (thankfully ..) but still uncomfortable.


----------



## Grev

I do notice that if I plug in the chords or turn it on first (which I don't really remember), the ZO2 won't give me a sound which I have to turn everything off first then start plugging in everything.  If you guys know what I mean.


----------



## au5t3n5

Hmm... I did not get a thank you note that others got with my updated version. 
   
  I guess I'll just go cry a river.


----------



## drbluenewmexico

Digizoid is offering upgraded replacement zoo to those who had early orders that had problems with hiss or other featuresl
  see their website for replacement offer!!!!


----------



## au5t3n5

Yep. I already got mine, it is much better!
  
  Quote: 





drbluenewmexico said:


> Digizoid is offering upgraded replacement zoo to those who had early orders that had problems with hiss or other featuresl
> see their website for replacement offer!!!!


----------



## 5370H55V

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Without wanting to disparage anyone in this thread, I often wonder if some of the 'hissing' issues are down to individual Tinnitus or other hearing issues. We are constantly surrounded by environmental noise - traffic, aircon, whatever - and the sensation of having IEMs blocking out everything in the outside world sometimes makes me acutely aware of my own breathing/heartbeat etc - not exactly 'hissing' (thankfully ..) but still uncomfortable.


 



 While I can't speak for others, I'm positive I haven't imagined the hiss with the hje900's, they're a very hiss-prone pair of IEM's. Even when I had the E11 it was the only pair that had audible hiss with the amp. Others such as the meelec a151's and m6 were silent, but you could really hear it with the hje's.


----------



## DigiFi

I just bought a pair of ultrasone 2900s.  Their impedance is low, so they are an easy pair of headphones to drive (40ohms).  I have them plugged into my denon 591 receiver and they sound fantastic.  I just would like to give them some more oomph so I'm hoping that if I connect the Digizoid between the headphone jack and my headphones, my listening experience will improve.
   
  Anyways...I'm so on the fence between Fiio 11 and Digizoid.  I'm waitng for more digizoid recall reviews.  I want digizoid for the new sound modification technologies, but I also would like the Fiio because it has high gain and low gain settings.  I don't know which would be a better marriage for my 2900. 
   
  Any ideas?


----------



## deadkenny64

I have mild to moderate tinnitus and could hear the hiss over the normal ringing I have.  When I swapped out my IEMs for less sensitive cans the hiss was gone.  I realize that the hiss was easily masked by the music but a blacker background improves the quality of the vocal and dynamic music that I like.
  
  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Without wanting to disparage anyone in this thread, I often wonder if some of the 'hissing' issues are down to individual Tinnitus or other hearing issues. We are constantly surrounded by environmental noise - traffic, aircon, whatever - and the sensation of having IEMs blocking out everything in the outside world sometimes makes me acutely aware of my own breathing/heartbeat etc - not exactly 'hissing' (thankfully ..) but still uncomfortable.


----------



## The Larch

I got my "fixed" ZO2 back and it is a mixed bag. The hiss is greatly lessened, but now the unit does not amplify. It is a volume limiter. They also disabled the pass though mode and I miss it a lot.


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Without wanting to disparage anyone in this thread, I often wonder if some of the 'hissing' issues are down to individual Tinnitus or other hearing issues. We are constantly surrounded by environmental noise - traffic, aircon, whatever - and the sensation of having IEMs blocking out everything in the outside world sometimes makes me acutely aware of my own breathing/heartbeat etc - not exactly 'hissing' (thankfully ..) but still uncomfortable.


 

 Nope! It is a hiss, for sure. And it is 2 or 3 times louder than FiiO E5. I thought I would never notice the hiss with music playing, but with quiet music I can hear the hiss with MEElectronics A151. I will try another IEMs later today...


----------



## gaspir324

How long did it take it to ship for you? And I'll repeat my earlier question: Has anyone tried to pair ZO2 with IEMs with impedance less than 10Ω?


----------



## Varley

Still waiting on my ZO 2 V.2


----------



## rezel

I'd rather stay with my (nearly non-existant hiss) and keep my amplification and bypass mode than have my Zo2 "fixed".
  Maybe I'll try sending once they get to "revision 3" or something.


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





rezel said:


> I'd rather stay with my (nearly non-existant hiss) and keep my amplification and bypass mode than have my Zo2 "fixed".
> Maybe I'll try sending once they get to "revision 3" or something.


 

 I'm with you on this choice... Will keep it just like it is right now, and wait for future revisions from DigiZoid...


----------



## Jae304

I got my RMA number from digizoid but I'm having a hard time deciding what to do now.  I don't care about bypass mode but am concerned about lack of amplification with the revised ZO 2.  My unit is actually pretty decent, as it doesn't have too much hiss and no popping when powering off/on so I'm afraid of getting something "worse" when I get it back.  
   
  For those of you that did the exchange -- is amplification completely removed or just reduced?
   
  Decisions...


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

jae304 said:


> I got my RMA number from digizoid but I'm having a hard time deciding what to do now.  I don't care about bypass mode but am concerned about lack of amplification with the revised ZO 2.  My unit is actually pretty decent, as it doesn't have too much hiss and no popping when powering off/on so I'm afraid of getting something "worse" when I get it back.
> 
> For those of you that did the exchange -- is amplification completely removed or just reduced?
> 
> Decisions...


 

  I would personally give it a few days and see what kind of "solution" digiZoid has to offer in case they are trying to revamp it once more. These guys (and women) seem to really work hard to try and solve this but I don't see how they are gonna be able to make it work with every possible setup from sensitive IEM to work both with LOD and HO as well as a little more demanding headphones say 150 ohm or something and still provide enough volume for the more demanding headphones but not too loud for the most sensitive IEMs and also that it won't result in hissing in neither cases, without offering a gain switch for low and high gain but who knows what they are planning.


----------



## The Larch

Quote: 





jae304 said:


> I got my RMA number from digizoid but I'm having a hard time deciding what to do now.  I don't care about bypass mode but am concerned about lack of amplification with the revised ZO 2.  My unit is actually pretty decent, as it doesn't have too much hiss and no popping when powering off/on so I'm afraid of getting something "worse" when I get it back.
> 
> For those of you that did the exchange -- is amplification completely removed or just reduced?
> 
> Decisions...


 


  amplification is completely removed for me.


----------



## kazxenon

same here, amplification seems either completely removed or heavily toned down


----------



## F900EX

Are we talking about volume  ??  just trying to understand what people mean by amplification. Since it does have a volume option on it.  Or you guys talking about the contour levels ......


----------



## louisnomad

If I understand, there is no more those 6db more amplification. Although there is a volume control, the control ofSmart Vektor, but lost the extra strength for headphones with higher impedance, and lost the by-pass ...


----------



## gaspir324

Hows headphones with 20Ω-80Ω impedance? Loud enough?


----------



## F900EX

It sure be nice to hear from MizMoxie regarding these things.  Yep, they said they have found the source of the problem, but never said what they did to fix the issue or more important what has been taken away in order to have no hiss.
   
   
  Thing I don't get is the E11 has none of these problems. Why does the ZO2.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> Hows headphones with 20Ω-80Ω impedance? Loud enough?


 

 Well I personally think 80 ohm might be on the border of usable. DT770 80ohm is a good measurement which is a bit silent but "doable" even on onboard Realtek or a portable DAP or something like that (not speaking about sound quality here but volume) but you'll gonna have to turn up the volume a bit (near max if it's a weak source), now imagine with ZO you might have to put it slightly higher even so we're probably talking 80~95% volume or so here I could imagine for "normal" listening volume, not optimal but perhaps doable but yea 80 ohm around that is probably the limit what that rev 2 ZO2 would be capable to handle. This is just a speculation based on unamped DT770 Pro 80/ohm experiences which I've tried as well so don't quote me on that.
   
  Quote: 





f900ex said:


> Thing I don't get is the E11 has none of these problems. Why does the ZO2.


 

 It has a high and low gain, that says everything. Volume lvl/hissing is straightly related to the gain level. One gain setting can't handle the most sensitive IEM nor handle 150+ ohm headphone at the same time, you get a problem on either ends, either volume won't be enough for the more demanding headphone or the IEM will be too loud and have noticable hissing. With 2 different gain modes (or more) you could make it work with IEMs and sensitive headphones as well as a bit more demanding headphones. You still have to get the gain level just about right though so you land "in-the-middle" of the targeted impedance/sensitivity headphone/IEM range. Say if low gain mode is wanted to work with a range of 8 ~ 64 ohm for example (ofc the sensitivity of IEM/headphone will have an impact too but this is to simplify), you would want the gain lvl to be tweaked to sound perfect with a headphone with 28 ohm impedance, this gain setting still might have a tiny bit hissing with the the most sensitive 10 ohm IEM around but you just can't optimize it for 10 ohm use with 2 levels only at least then 64 ohm headphone might not work so great with it anymore for example. See this is the problem and why most portable amps (well more serious amps anyway) have gain switches as there will be a problem on both ends (sensitive IEMs or demanding headphones) if the gain levels are too few and there's no going around that, you can like minimize noise and such to some extent but you'll never be able to completely escape the issues of hissing if gain is set too high for a headphone/IEM.


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





f900ex said:


> Thing I don't get is the E11 has none of these problems. Why does the ZO2.


 


   
  lol
   
  silly question...
   
  2 companies, 2 totally different products, there is no way to compare each other. 
   
  Digizoid was in a hurry to have it on sale before christmas, but the wise thing to do was to test and hold the production before send it to their customers. Now, they will throw away any profit they got with ZO2 to fix it with an even worst solution... I'm pretty sure it will be the first and last time they will do things that way...


----------



## Jae304

Quote: 





the larch said:


> amplification is completely removed for me.


 

  
  Quote: 





kazxenon said:


> same here, amplification seems either completely removed or heavily toned down


 
   
  bummer 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but thanks for the replies guys.  Looks like I'll hang onto my unit for now and reconsider down the line if there are any further revisions.


----------



## F900EX

Quote: 





louisnomad said:


> lol
> 
> silly question...
> 
> ...


 

  
  2 different companies sure, but regarding the products they are not totally different, IMO the two products do 2 things, enhance sound and increase bass. Sure they go about it two totally different ways, but in principle they are the same.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





f900ex said:


> It sure be nice to hear from MizMoxie regarding these things.  Yep, they said they have found the source of the problem, but never said what they did to fix the issue or more important what has been taken away in order to have no hiss.
> 
> 
> Thing I don't get is the E11 has none of these problems. Why does the ZO2.


 

 No, the E11 has a whole *other* set of problems ... you know why I cant link to the source of the following criticisms, but I suspect that most of you know where it comes from. Unlike the rest of us, he has measurements to back up his subjective impressions. Just as they did with my E9, Fiio appear to have come so close (again..) only to make some questionable design decisions.
   
   
   
*FIRST CLASS:*

 Small and light
 Relatively low noise
 Flat frequency response
 Low output impedance
 Significantly improved performance over Mini3
 Two gain options
 USB battery charging
 *ECONOMY:*

 Cannot use the amp on external power (can only run from the battery)
 Even the high gain setting limits output with iPod LOD input
 Fails to meet published power specs at 1% THD both channels driven
 Third channel creates some interchannel distortion and degrades performance
 Some moderate low frequency phase shift
 Shows signs of instability with difficult loads 
 Odd clipping behavior into 15 and 33 ohms implies power supply limitations
 Significant RF leakage from DC-DC converter into output


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> Hows headphones with 20Ω-80Ω impedance? Loud enough?


 


  I've tried it with 50 ohm headphones and at max volume it's at a comfortable level.  So I would say it's not loud enough.  Headphones at 40 ohms and less do just fine.  This is with both HO and LOD.  After doing some testing, it does seem un-amped and only the smartVector function is available.  Glad I kept the original ZO.  I still think the second revision of ZO2 is worth it for the LOD function but I understand the frustrations of the shortcomings.  It would been wiser if digiZoid would have let us test them before final production.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote:


dannybai said:


> It would been wiser if digiZoid would have let us test them before final production.


 

 This is a very good suggestion especially for a small company. Hopefully they take this as a lesson for future releases to avoid these launch problems as they are something which should always be avoided at all costs as the launch is so important for the reputation/success for the product. If they either don't have the resources (read time or money to go out and buy lots of different equipment and test them out) simply outsource the amps for testruns to a few select people before the launch which is a very common business move, to people that 1) got experience of these kind of things 2) has as big collection of IEMs/headphones and sources as possible. This will both save time and hazzle and minimize the risk of issues that might have been undetected at their labs and they might even get some feedback that might be useful to make the product as good as possible and allow some time to ensure the product is perfected as much as possible before the launch. They can continue selling their old version meanwhile running this "evaluation period" of the new product so technically it won't be a matter of delaying a launch, it just matters when they inform they will release a new product.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> It would been wiser if digiZoid would have let us test them before final production.


 
   
  They were already late getting the ZO2 to market, and one can only imagine how many suggestions they would have received on everything from amp gain to output power to the adjustability of the SmartVektor settings. My personal suggestion would have been to make that bloody bright light about 1/10th the size that it is, but that was an easy fix courtesy of black masking tape.
   
  If you think about the 'fix' logically, all they had to do was remove the gain multiplier - effectively reverting to an amp with zero gain. If said amp doesnt have the power to drive some phones, then so be it - that's the price you've elected to pay. No gain, no pain.


----------



## F900EX

I would just like to know if there are going to be any more revisions, before Digizoid send out the 2nd version to me.  Honestly if I had to wait a month or 2 I would for them to get it right I would.
   
  Anyone got the answer ?


----------



## estreeter

Wouldn't DigiZoid be the people to address your question to, or do Head-Fiers know something the people who manufacture the ZO aren't aware of ??


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





f900ex said:


> I would just like to know if there are going to be any more revisions, before Digizoid send out the 2nd version to me.  Honestly if I had to wait a month or 2 I would for them to get it right I would.
> 
> Anyone got the answer ?


 

http://www.digizoid.com/contact/


----------



## F900EX

Of course, but I am sure I am not the only one who would like to know that answer and I'm sure others already know the answer.  No point in me wasting MMs time with the same question.


----------



## estreeter

Just enjoy the thing. Mine is brilliant with MW3 - I'm never sending it back. If it breaks, I'll just throw it in the bin.


----------



## TC44

I recently received my repaired Zo2 and like other members here, find the results to be inadequate.  I actually enjoyed my ZO2 v1 using HO and my 32 ohm Grados.  It had a slight hiss, but the Smart Vector technology and amplification performed well when using headphone output.   I opted for the fix because I believed it would improve every aspect of the original Zo2 and was looking forward to hearing the technology in a fully functional product.
   
  The V2 does add sub-bass, but seems to place a veil over the higher frequencies causing a loss of clarity and detail.   It also decreases the output of your DAP even at max V2 volume setting.  I played with every setting and configuration with the same result.   I wonder if trying to satisfy both headphone and LOD output is causing the discrepancies.
   
  I’m a believer in Smart Vector technology and look forward to a functioning product.  I personally could do without the volume control…two versions maybe?


----------



## DigiFi

Is this amp going to sound better or worse with my 40ohm ultrasone 2900 headphones???....  
   
  Is it more for cans around 150 ohm?...
   
  That's what I'm confused about...   O..o
   
  Because you cannot make an adjustment to let it know which ohm range your headphones are in...
   
   
  Thanks in advance


----------



## TC44

Quote: 





digifi said:


> Is this amp going to sound better or worse with my 40ohm ultrasone 2900 headphones???....
> 
> Is it more for cans around 150 ohm?...
> 
> ...


 

 Once digiZoid fine tunes it to perform as advertised, it should work great with your 40 ohm Ultrasones.


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





digifi said:


> Is this amp going to sound better or worse with my 40ohm ultrasone 2900 headphones???....
> 
> Is it more for cans around 150 ohm?...
> 
> ...


 


  I've tested with HE-300 which is 50 ohm and it barely drove them.  I think HE-300 needs more power though even at 50 ohm.  My other cans, that are 40 ohms and less, it drove them fine.  Anything in the high ohm range, I don't think it will drive them.


----------



## rezel

I think Digizoid should either get a Hi/Lo gain switch working on the Zo2 or just design two products. One for IEMs and one for headphones.
  This back and forth between IEM users having too much hiss/volume and headphone users not having enough amplification is getting tedious. Focus on one market please.


----------



## estreeter

@TC44, thanks for that - another vote for the power of the ZO2 V1. A lot of those who sent their ZO back must be breaking out in a cold sweat by now.


----------



## rezel

^ +1


----------



## Grev

Sooner or later I'll have two of my ZO2 with max power in the for sale section and everybody would be jealous!


----------



## esanthosh

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> @TC44, thanks for that - another vote for the power of the ZO2 V1. A lot of those who sent their ZO back must be breaking out in a cold sweat by now.


 

 I am not going to send them back a second time. International shipping and the longer waits do not come cheap. As long as the ZO2 v2 works well out of LOs with IEMs, it should be fine with me.
   
  It'd be wiser to wait and spend money next year on ZO3 than sending back to fix the "fixed" ZO2. I also hope that digiZoid would learn from this and send review units of ZO3 to get feedback before releasing it.


----------



## treal512

Ehh, luckily I wasn't home for the holidays and didn't have time to send my ZO2 back to get "fixed." Now I am sitting on the fence...


----------



## au5t3n5

I did. For IEMs and normal level listening, it is loads better.
  
  Quote: 





treal512 said:


> Ehh, luckily I wasn't home for the holidays and didn't have time to send my ZO2 back to get "fixed." Now I am sitting on the fence...


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> I did. For IEMs and normal level listening, it is loads better.


 


  That's what I'm mainly concerned with. And if its reasonable with the LO then I'm fine. Even the 601s HO is powerful so I doubt it will be an issue.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

this just in: my Zo2 without any fix, gets along  very well with my lame car stereo


----------



## RASeymour

I'm thinking about repurposing my V1 into my car.  Worked great on a long road trip with my son this summer.


----------



## MizMoxie

Hello everyone,
   
  We thought it was important to clear the air on a few subjects, including a little bit about who we are.
   
  We are a family operation, and we mean that quite literally. Paul Berg is the founder of digiZoid and the developer of SmartVektor technology, and is an accomplished electrical engineer. His wife Cindy is in charge of customer service, and is the "voice" behind the emails that thoughtfully answer so many questions each day. I, Karen (who many of you know as MizMoxie), am their daughter, and I am head of marketing as well as a biomedical engineer. Some of you have seen the thank you cards delivered with the RMA'd ZOs, so now you can say you have a card signed by an entire company!
   
  All of us here have been working tirelessly to satisfy your desires for a convenient, affordable, but above all, quality device that gives you a powerful listening experience. Thanks to all of your feedback and input, we have made new strides in this cause. We have offered LOD capability, very low noise, and volume adjustment. But with the most recent as-yet-unreleased revision, we are adding a new high gain mode that offers all the power of the original ZO for the power-hungry cans.
   
  If you have not received a notice of shipment as of Nov. 23rd, then you will be receiving a ZO2 with this latest feature. Please keep in mind we are a small company with limited resources, and we are working to ship this version shortly.


----------



## F900EX

And there you have it Kids  .....  Honestly what more people can expect from DigiZoid, they really are trying to making everyone happy.
   
  I say take you're time and get it right, in the long term it will pay off and the reviews will be as positive as the ZO1.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





f900ex said:


> And there you have it Kids  .....  Honestly what more people can expect from DigiZoid, they really are trying to making everyone happy.
> 
> I say take you're time and get it right, in the long term it will pay off and the reviews will be as positive as the ZO1.


 

 ^ This. There's no need to rush things, it sometimes feels like digiZoid is thinking that we need to hurry as much as possible as the customers are waiting and mourning about the fixes etc but trust me most people around here will happily wait if in the end it means they are recieving a better product. The idea of a low and high gain sounds very appealing and should take care of compability issues on both ends (IEMs and a bit more demanding headphones). 
   
  I'm actually quite suprised how quickly things move ahead for being such a small company! They must be wearing rocket boots in the lab to keep up *j/k*


----------



## au5t3n5

If we already RMA'd, can we RMA again to get this HI/LO gain model?
  
  Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> We thought it was important to clear the air on a few subjects, including a little bit about who we are.
> 
> ...


----------



## PANGES

Epic fail to me. I was one of the first to discover the exchange program on the website, but have yet to return mine for an exchange. lol. I'll be shipping mine out today though. 
   
  What's the typical turnaround time on the returns? (my apologies, since I'm sure this has been stated and covered many times in this thread)


----------



## gaspir324

2-3 busines days


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> If we already RMA'd, can we RMA again to get this HI/LO gain model?


 


  Absolutely you may!


----------



## gaspir324

And when can we expect to be able to do that?


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





panges said:


> What's the typical turnaround time on the returns? (my apologies, since I'm sure this has been stated and covered many times in this thread)


 

 Currently, we're looking at 5-7 business days.


----------



## burtomr

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *MizMoxie* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> But with the most recent as-yet-unreleased revision, we are adding a new high gain mode that offers all the power of the original ZO for the power-hungry cans.
> 
> If you have not received a notice of shipment as of Nov. 23rd, then you will be receiving a ZO2 with this latest feature. Please keep in mind we are a small company with limited resources, and we are working to ship this version shortly.


 

 MizMoxie,
   
  Is the physical case any different with the "Hi/Lo" version?
   
  My ZO2 is in now for previous initial RMA (#0022)...will I be getting get the Hi/Lo update? Or, do I have to RMA again? (I hope not)


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





burtomr said:


> MizMoxie,
> 
> Is the physical case any different with the "Hi/Lo" version?
> 
> My ZO2 is in now for previous initial RMA...will I be getting get the Hi/Lo update? Or, do I have to RMA again? (I hope not)


 

 No, the physical case is the same as the initial ZO2. If we currently have your ZO for RMA then it will be getting the Hi/Lo gain update.


----------



## gaspir324

How does the change between hi/lo happen?


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> How does the change between hi/lo happen?


 

 When your in volume mode, you have 32 levels of adjustment. When you reach level 32 (indicated by a change of lightbar color from blue to purple), you hold the wheel in the upward position for (I think) 3 seconds. It will then automatically switch into high gain mode. To come out of high gain mode just rotate the wheel downward once, and it goes back into low gain mode.


----------



## Varley

I'm insanely excited for the new Revision 3 If you like


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> When your in volume mode, you have 32 levels of adjustment. When you reach level 32 (indicated by a change of lightbar color from blue to purple), you hold the wheel in the upward position for (I think) 3 seconds. It will then automatically switch into high gain mode. To come out of high gain mode just rotate the wheel downward once, and it goes back into low gain mode.


 

 well that sounds clever.
   
  I'm still not returning mine, Im happy with it. unless the rev 3 get very good impressions.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





varley said:


> I'm insanely excited for the new Revision 3 If you like


 


  no more hype please


----------



## Varley

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> no more hype please


 
   
  It seems the best of both worlds though...


----------



## louisnomad

My nephew says:
   
  WOW! That's the best way to listen to "The Backyardigans"! I'm thinking about steal this J3 thing... and this ZO2 thing (I like the lights on it, too!)... and this (almost) over the (my) ears headphone! Will wait till my uncle fall asleep...
   

   
  I'm with McProgger... I'll wait to read reviews on v3, then I'll decide if i'm going to send it back to fix or keep it as it is...


----------



## i2ehan

Quote:


jamesmcprogger said:


> no more hype please


 

 no hype >>> no Head-Fi


----------



## au5t3n5

I should have waited to RMA... I guess I'll wait for people to post v3 updates and then RMA based on that. Sigh.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





f900ex said:


> And there you have it Kids  .....  Honestly what more people can expect from DigiZoid, they really are trying to making everyone happy.


 

 I've been happy with my ZO2 V1 from the day it arrived, if a little underwhelmed with the LO's output power on some of my cans - I seem to recall that most of the 'unhappiness' was generated by several prominent posters in this thread who have engaged in endless speculation, and that is where the hype factor around the ZO2 really took a pounding. I suspect that the owners of sensitive IEMs will always be better served by amps built specifically for their unique characteristics - in trying to create a device that would be 'all things for all people', I believe Digizoid stumbled face first into a hornet's nest. I wish them luck with the next release.


----------



## burtomr




----------



## lee730

I sent mine out on the 17th. So hopefully I'll get the 3rd version as well?
  
  Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> We thought it was important to clear the air on a few subjects, including a little bit about who we are.
> 
> ...


----------



## estreeter

@burtomr, I believe those are *bees*. If they were hornets, the only 'smile' on that gentleman's face would be rictus, and his head would be about four times its current size.


----------



## treal512

I will be sending mine in now for the v3 fix (never did the v2). I don't mind being an early guinea pig 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  TY, Digizoid.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> @burtomr, I believe those are *bees*. If they were hornets, the only 'smile' on that gentleman's face would be rictus, and his head would be about four times its current size.


 


  Bees can still be worse "kiler bees''


----------



## estreeter

Cmon guys - the hornet stuff if all well and good, but we've gone from a metaphor for DigiZoid's current woes to a discussion of killer bees - even for you, lee370, this represents some massively OT thread derailment. Take it to the Lounge, pls.


----------



## PANGES

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Currently, we're looking at 5-7 business days.


 


  Thanks for the reply! I just sent mine out right now. Should be getting there on Friday or so.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Cmon guys - the hornet stuff if all well and good, but we've gone from a metaphor for DigiZoid's current woes to a discussion of killer bees - even for you, lee370, this represents some massively OT thread derailment. Take it to the Lounge, pls.


 

 No need to get your panties in a bunch Estreeter. All in good fun


----------



## Arnotts

So if I order now, I can expect to have a product that works completely as intended? Shipping to Australia just takes so long, I don't want to have to ship it back and forth >=[


----------



## Trapper32

awww the irony
  
  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Cmon guys - the hornet stuff if all well and good, but we've gone from a metaphor for DigiZoid's current woes to a discussion of killer bees - even for you, lee370, this represents some massively OT thread derailment. Take it to the Lounge, pls.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





arnotts said:


> So if I order now, I can expect to have a product that works completely as intended? Shipping to Australia just takes so long, I don't want to have to ship it back and forth >=[


 

 Most likely. But it's always better to be safe than sorry and contact Digizoid first to make this clear.


----------



## au5t3n5

+1


  Quote: 





lee730 said:


> No need to get your panties in a bunch Estreeter. All in good fun


 


   


  Quote: 





trapper32 said:


> awww the irony


----------



## Arnotts

Quote: 





lee730 said:


> Most likely. But it's always better to be safe than sorry and contact Digizoid first to make this clear.


 


  Thanks


----------



## k1n0n3

mizmoxie said:


> When your in volume mode, you have 32 levels of adjustment. When you reach level 32 (indicated by a change of lightbar color from blue to purple), you hold the wheel in the upward position for (I think) 3 seconds. It will then automatically switch into high gain mode. To come out of high gain mode just rotate the wheel downward once, and it goes back into low gain mode.




So if I understand you correctly, the high gain mode will not have a volume control feature (one click down will bring it out of high gain mode) ? If that is the case, it's fine for headphone out users, but would absolutely kill the line out functionality as it would be the same as zo1?

Please correct me if I am wrong.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





k1n0n3 said:


> So if I understand you correctly, the high gain mode will not have a volume control feature (one click down will bring it out of high gain mode) ? If that is the case, it's fine for headphone out users, but would absolutely kill the line out functionality as it would be the same as zo1?
> Please correct me if I am wrong.


 


  I don't think that is the case. There will just be a high gain mode and the low gain for IEM usage. You will still have the volume contour, same for the bass. So if you have it on high gain you should still be able to raise or lower volume, but you'll be able to get it much lower with low gain (a plus).


----------



## SemperMalum

Actually, it sounded more like if you -need- to go into high gain mode, you're pretty much unleashing Pandora's box, so to speak. I'm not sure, but the v3 sounds like it would be possible the best combination of the LOD/hiss fix and the original. This would make it the ideal product and the ideal version as it would answer all critiques. I'm very tempted, but I still love my v1 so I'll leave it be like a few others are doing.
   
  I have to say, surprisingly, my Zo2 gets most of it's usage through my Beamer's sound system. I can't even listen to anything normally now through my speakers. I almost want to use my Zo2 for gaming, for everything, because of how awesome it has been for making my normal music dead to me.


----------



## kenman345

Never having used either ZO or ZO2, i can't say for certain, but from the documentation I have read on their site and this thread, it would seem like they have statedd that the Rev.3 adds back some of the functionality that the ZO had. So if the ZO had a high gain mode without volume control, then it can be assumed, unless otherwise corrected, that they just put that feature into the ZO2. 
   
  Also, can't wait to get mine. I ordered it last night. Hoping i get it within the next two weeks before i go on vacation
  Quote: 





k1n0n3 said:


> So if I understand you correctly, the high gain mode will not have a volume control feature (one click down will bring it out of high gain mode) ? If that is the case, it's fine for headphone out users, but would absolutely kill the line out functionality as it would be the same as zo1?
> Please correct me if I am wrong.


----------



## k1n0n3

I also own the ZO1, if I didn't, I wouldn't be so unimpressed by the ZO2. Upon receipt, I tried it out with a LOD from my iPhone, maxing out the vol on the ZO2 (hiss fix/rev. 2), and said: "that's it !?". With the LOD and the ZO2 on max vol = ZO1 via headphone out and the same test tracks set to 50-60% vol on the iPhone (both ZOs set to level 7 on the bass bump setting). So I know the device has a lot more to offer, which I am hoping the hi gain setting will achieve, but I am doubtful the setting will have a volume control, as I am not sure that a single button/volume rocker can handle more commands than it already has ? I am going to send mine in for rev. 3 and hope for the best.


----------



## MizMoxie

So some of you are asking about the high gain mode and volume control. Unfortunately, high gain mode will be *just* like ZO V1... where you have to use your source to control the volume.


----------



## MuZo2

I received mine. I guess its V2, shipped 10 days back.I have just listened to it for an hr with three IEM xears n3i, Visag r03, and RE0 & I should say I am unimpressed. I am not saying disappointed I would wait for 20hrs burn in time. But I am not sure if it changes first impression.


----------



## gaspir324

Do share the initial impressions and why you are disappointed.


----------



## MuZo2

It scaled the volume down, even with highest volume, it has effect like reverse amp. With N3i bass impact or punchier bass was missing. The vocals and hi were also affected.With RE0 it sounded bit better. Also the faster tracks did not sound right.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





muzo2 said:


> It scaled the volume down, even with highest volume, it has effect like reverse amp. With N3i bass impact or punchier bass was missing. The vocals and hi were also affected.With RE0 it sounded bit better. Also the faster tracks did not sound right.


 

 This is what I hope has been changed for rev3 and just not added high gain mode that also the low gain has been adjusted slightly because I have my doubts about the end result/output quality if the "amp" even brings lower volume level than not using it. I think the low gain mode should have at least the same vol level as using the source's HO only (then you can't run into too high vol issue either as if he/she wouldn't be able to use the source then in first place either so it makes no sense to me to at least adjust the gain so it's on a similar level as your typical non-dedicated amp source (read ipod, sansa clip, some x-fi soundcard etc)
   
  As for my ZO2 rev1 I don't know if it's the HTF600 headphones or the ZO2 but I already had well above 50hrs on the HTF600 before getting it so it I take it has to be the ZO2 just seems to require a lot of burn in and kept still improving up to like 50 hrs. The HTF600 just keeps sounding wider and wider and at first I wasn't quite happy with the soundstage of these headphones but now with a nicely burnt-in ZO2 rev1 I'm really happy with it in every way, it sounds even better than the ZO1 with these headphones at least (before burn in, it actually sounded a little worse, it's been such a dramatic change after burn-in).
   
  I hope with the lower gain setting in case I'd get rev3 won't sound worse than the rev1 with these 56 ohm headphones.... that's why I'm a little bit curious if rev3 will have adjusted low gain mode compared to rev2 or not. Since I use headphone out I could simply use high gain mode as well I suppose if low gain is too silent. But I may just continue using rev1 too but I'm eyeing a easily driven 32 ohm headphone which may have slight hissing with this ZO2 rev1 and I'm quite allergic against hissing and want silence when no music is playing as I sit at the comp browsing the net and stuff and keep usually my headphones on all the time and don't have music playing constantly either.


----------



## MizMoxie

Out of curiosity, how many of you listen with your player at max volume when using your headphones or (in particular) IEMs?
   
  And another question, do you listen with your IEMs using Line-out directly?


----------



## ANDEROAN

no I don't listen at full blast, but I doo use my LO all the time, right now thru an amp,
   
  but I was wanting to be able to hook the ZO v ?, up to the LOD of my iPod classic 7th gen. and with a volume level that isn't TOO high, or too low ? but with the feedback and revisions ? 
   
  I think I will stick with the ZOv1 until I hear that it is adjusted and compatible with being able to listen straight out of a LOD? which will be the V2.3 I hope... and now to hear that if the gain winds up getting set too high, to be like the ZO v1, YIKES! will it blow my eardrums if I adjust it wrong? a little concerned


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

I use soundcard's HO and ZO2 rev1 set to max volume (because from my testing this provided the best sound quality when using headphone jack at least) and the soundcard set to 11 ~ 15% (with easily driven headphones 32 - 56 ohm 100dB+ sensitivity). Without ZO2 the volume level on soundcard would have to be set about 28~40%.
   
  I'm personally thinking optimal using my components as measure here for example would be if low gain with ZO2 at max vol setting would provide perhaps about normal vol when I set soundcard's vol to 23~35% or something like that (compare to 28~40% whitout using ZO), just a very tiny bit stronger output than using the source only and then high gain would need the source to be set to like 12~15% similar to ZO1. Of course getting it just right is easier said than done as there's so many factors that comes into account here (different sources with different output capabilities, headphones/IEMs got different ohm and sensitivity ratings etc) but at least that's my guess where it would perform about optimal if you compare with say an Ipod for example and compare with a sensitive IEM what vol level it has to be listened with straight from headphone jack and then if plugging ZO2 in-between and set ZO2 to max volume in low gain and still using HO the source vol has to be set roughly the same or 1-2 steps lower (don't know how much one step correspond to on an iPod).
   
  Can any1 with a ZO2 rev2 care to tell how the volume differs if using LOD vs headphone out with ZO2 rev2? I mean what vol level on the ZO2 (count how many clicks from the lowest vol level) when using LOD corresponds to what vol level on the source when using headphone out and ZO2 set to max vol level. That would be useful to me at least in order to tell how ZO2 rev2's gain level could be adjusted.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Out of curiosity, how many of you listen with your player at max volume when using your headphones or (in particular) IEMs?
> 
> And another question, do you listen with your IEMs using Line-out directly?


 


  no and no.


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





anderoan said:


> no I don't listen at full blast, but I doo use my LO all the time, right now thru an amp,
> 
> but I was wanting to be able to hook the ZO v ?, up to the LOD of my iPod classic 7th gen. and with a volume level that isn't TOO high, or too low ? but with the feedback and revisions ?
> 
> I think I will stick with the ZOv1 until I hear that it is adjusted and compatible with being able to listen straight out of a LOD? which will be the V2.3 I hope... and now to hear that if the gain winds up getting set too high, to be like the ZO v1, YIKES! will it blow my eardrums if I adjust it wrong? a little concerned


 
   
  This is coming directly from Paul:
  "If you cannot listen to line out directly with your listening device (IEM or headphone) because it is too loud, then logically the line out signal is too strong and requires attenuation. In the case of placing an "amp" between line out and your listening device, the "amp" is attenuating not amping the signal strength. By the way, I don't recommend connecting your listening device directly to LO unless you just want to see smoke."
   
  This is me:
  You will be able to hook your ZO 2 up to the LOD of your iPod classic with a volume level that isn't too high or too low. The volume problem people are having is with HO not LO... which is why we are adding a high gain mode to rev 3... b/c you will be able to control the volume using the source.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Out of curiosity, how many of you listen with your player at max volume when using your headphones or (in particular) IEMs?
> 
> And another question, do you listen with your IEMs using Line-out directly?


 


  I listen to my Hifman at 2 or a bit less. Max volume is 10. Not looking forward to going deaf early.


----------



## louisnomad

Sometime ago, as I was reading on the boards, the LO on Ipods were fake, just like some other players. It was just the amp signal turned to maximum, or near maximum volume. With that in mind, I did a test with my J3, that lacks LO, puting it at max volume and using ZO2 v1 to "atenuate" the volume. It is really too loud to use in thet way.
   
  The main problem here is that some folks like to use the LO on Apple sources because now they have a true LO, and the quality of the DAC seems to be better than the HO, known as a weak source. That's why they do that, and why they want the ZO2 with volume control. 
   
  I, in the other hand, just use HO, and the only problemis the hiss... I use the volume contour on max, and adjust the volume to the IEMs on the source. I could live with that hiss, but I would be the happiest man in the world if I could get rid of it. Just the hiss, and nothing more... Because of that, I will wait for new revisions in the ZO2 and hope that Paul will discover a way to do that.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





louisnomad said:


> I, in the other hand, just use HO, and the only problemis the hiss... I use the volume contour on max, and adjust the volume to the IEMs on the source. I could live with that hiss, but I would be the happiest man in the world if I could get rid of it. Just the hiss, and nothing more... Because of that, I will wait for new revisions in the ZO2 and hope that Paul will discover a way to do that.


 

 Hiss is no longer an issue, it wasn't even related to gain level but some component. Now the problem is just getting the volume levels appropriate for as many (read every1) as possible, especially for LOD users. HO users can ofc always adjust the source volume. But I still think even for HO users it would be nice to be able to use low gain so that we don't have to put our source volume to as low as 11~12% or so for normal listening volume like in my case with ZO2 rev1 (ZO2 set to max vol because this gets best quality with HO) but neither would I want to have to use like 75%+ volume in low gain with HO to get decent volume on a 100dB/56 ohm headphone when not using ZO2 -- 38% volume for example is ample... It's always difficult to get the settings just right so it's appropriate with a 10 ohm IEM and say a 64 ohm headphone as well as 150 ohm headphone from both HO and LOD.


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





louisnomad said:


> Sometime ago, as I was reading on the boards, the LO on Ipods were fake, just like some other players. It was just the amp signal turned to maximum, or near maximum volume. With that in mind, I did a test with my J3, that lacks LO, puting it at max volume and using ZO2 v1 to "atenuate" the volume. It is really too loud to use in thet way.
> 
> The main problem here is that some folks like to use the LO on Apple sources because now they have a true LO, and the quality of the DAC seems to be better than the HO, known as a weak source. That's why they do that, and why they want the ZO2 with volume control.
> 
> I, in the other hand, just use HO, and the only problemis the hiss... I use the volume contour on max, and adjust the volume to the IEMs on the source. I could live with that hiss, but I would be the happiest man in the world if I could get rid of it. Just the hiss, and nothing more... Because of that, I will wait for new revisions in the ZO2 and hope that Paul will discover a way to do that.


 

 He has figured that out...and is exactly the intent of the rev 3. We are doing our absolute best to accommodate both IEM and headphone users who use either HO or LO, but obviously, this isn't an easy task!


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





louisnomad said:


> The main problem here is that some folks like to use the LO on Apple sources because now they have a true LO, and the quality of the DAC seems to be better than the HO, known as a weak source. That's why they do that, and why they want the ZO2 with volume control.


 


  1. The 'quality of the DAC' in an iPod will remain identical, regardless of whether you are using HO or LO. The overall *sound quality* may change, but the DAC's output will remain the same. The only alternative is to bypass the iPod's DAC, and the cheapest means of doing that is the Pure i-20 : from there, it gets exponentially more expensive, but I'm sure you know that. Most choose to bypass the iPod's amp with a LOD, but you are still using the DAC in the iPod - I agree with Voldemort that most iPods have a better DAC than we give them credit for, but thats another can of worms.
   
  2. I disagree that the HO on all iPods is a 'weak source' - possibly in the European market, where they have Draconian restrictions on the maximum volume, but not in my experience with ipods created for Asia-Pacific.  That said, anyone using a LOD will soon tell you that they prefer the output from the amp they have that LOD plugged into - again, extra expense to 'solve' a perceived problem.
   
  3. ZO2 V1 does have a volume control - the problem is that it is unable to attenuate the LO signal from sources like my T51 - I wouldnt even try with the MSII's 1.5V RMS output. For me, the sole exception has been my 150-ohm RE262's, but even then I prefer using another amp with the LO from the T51, as it gives me a much finer degree of control over the end result. For critical listening, I also prefer my other amps to the ZO2's coloration, even at the lowest SmartVektor setting - for movies and games, its the opposite.
   
  Paul is correct that connecting your phones directly to the lineout is bonkers, but its amazing how many on Head-Fi feel compelled to do exactly that.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

For ZO3 I vote 3 gain levels like most built in dedicated headphone amps in sound cards have. 2 levels is doable but the gap between IEMs and headphones are so large it's difficult to perfectly fit them all with just 2 levels, with 3 levels you could just optimize the lowest for IEM use and the middle one for easy/averagely hard to drive headphones and the high for more demanding headphones.
   
  I also think for ZO3 (I know this is far into future but still good to bring up already) it would be good with a separate gain switch like most portable headphone amps have so you could control the volume in all gain modes. This and the "full smartvektor adjustment" you spoke of (ie treble adjustability) would be perfect new/additional features to make ZO3 an interesting upgrade. I also wouldn't say no to lower starting bass levels (possibly even the lowest level being SmartVektor = off).


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> 1. The 'quality of the DAC' in an iPod will remain identical, regardless of whether you are using HO or LO. The overall *sound quality* may change, but the DAC's output will remain the same. The only alternative is to bypass the iPod's DAC, and the cheapest means of doing that is the Pure i-20 : from there, it gets exponentially more expensive, but I'm sure you know that. Most choose to bypass the iPod's amp with a LOD, but you are still using the DAC in the iPod - I agree with Voldemort that most iPods have a better DAC than we give them credit for, but thats another can of worms.
> 
> 2. I disagree that the HO on all iPods is a 'weak source' - possibly in the European market, where they have Draconian restrictions on the maximum volume, but not in my experience with ipods created for Asia-Pacific.  That said, anyone using a LOD will soon tell you that they prefer the output from the amp they have that LOD plugged into - again, extra expense to 'solve' a perceived problem.
> 
> ...


 

  
  Sorry, by DAC I meant LOD. As I'm not a Apple user, despite of having a fan boy at home (my little brother), please, forgive my mistakes! I know ZO2 v1 has a volume control, I have it on my desk right now! And as i said, I tried it with J3 on max volume and it is unusable!


  Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> He has figured that out...and is exactly the intent of the rev 3. We are doing our absolute best to accommodate both IEM and headphone users who use either HO or LO, but obviously, this isn't an easy task!


 
   

  MizMoxie, I was waiting for the reviews on rev3, but if you're available to give us some answers, I will ask:
   
  1- rev3 still have the bypass mode?
  2- Some folks here said the Smart Vektor quality on Rev2 was decreased. We get no hiss, but the sound quality was affected too. So, with rev3, with LOW gain we have that problem too? And with HIGH gain, we still can notice the hiss on sensitive IEMs?
  3- With HIGH gain, it is usable only through HO, like the original ZO2?
   
  Thanks in advance!


----------



## dealsaddict

for my case... I'm using the Fiio E10 Line out, to the zo2 v1. Is that the right way of using it according to Paul ? Hope I didnt kill my zo2 v1.
   
  I guess Paul's comment only refers to the ipod users?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





dealsaddict said:


> for my case... I'm using the Fiio E10 Line out, to the zo2 v1. Is that the right way of using it according to Paul ? Hope I didnt kill my zo2 v1.
> 
> I guess Paul's comment only refers to the ipod users?


 

 You're fine, it's just a headphone can't directly be plugged into LO or you'll burn out those very fast and have permanent ear damage if you actually had them on as it would get LOUD. You will always need some volume attenuation if using Line-out which ZO2 was meant to bring and it did but on ZO2 rev1 the volume was simply too loud, ZO2 rev2 it's more appropriate but then again if using HO with rev2 your volume will be a bit on the lower side (MizMoxie said Sennheiser HD 280 ZO2 at max volume and the source set to 90% for about normal listening volume when using headphone jack) which is where rev3 comes in with the high gain mode so you can also use 80 ohm+ headphones with it like you could with ZO1 as well as ZO2 rev1.
   
  Currently ZO2 rev1 works nicely with not so sensitive headphones (IEMs will have hiss, even some of the most sensitive headphones has a bit noticable hissing) and ZO2 rev2 works nicely with IEMs / very easy to drive headphones. ZO2 rev3 is meant to work with all scenarios without hiss and sufficient volume.


----------



## DannyBai

Why use the ZO with another amp?
  Does the sound really improve?
  Never thought to double amp, doesn't make sense to me, but I don't know much.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> Why use the ZO with another amp?
> Does the sound really improve?
> Never thought to double amp, doesn't make sense to me, but I don't know much.


 

 Depends on the design quite a lot. I wouldn't go pair something like FiiO E11 with some iBasso amp for example in any situation. But sounds like ZO is using some more proprietary design (of course this is something they can't reveal for obvious reasons) so the only way to figure out is by subjective listening tests. It might work or it might not work well, it depends on how this ZO actually works. However with rev3 I don't see the need to do that, LOD users should get sufficient volume in low gain and HO users at least with high gain will have more than enough volume/power to play with (and for some 250+ ohm headphone or whatever I wouldn't put ZO as my first choice of amp).


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Depends on the design quite a lot. I wouldn't go pair something like FiiO E11 with some iBasso amp for example in any situation. But sounds like ZO is using some more proprietary design (of course this is something they can't reveal for obvious reasons) so the only way to figure out is by subjective listening tests. It might work or it might not work well, it depends on how this ZO actually works. However with rev3 I don't see the need to do that.


 


  Ok.  Thanks for the clarification.


----------



## dealsaddict

well im not double amping, the e10 line out supposedly bypass it's built-in amp, im just using the e10's dac for sound and zo2 v1 as the amp. i do like the zo2 sound so far , I do hear some hiss, but my E10 amp hisses too ..
   
   
  I would add that my computer volume is at 33% .however, with 100% the zo2 v1 starts to clip. Then again the manual said to use 25%.
  Quote: 





dannybai said:


> Why use the ZO with another amp?
> Does the sound really improve?
> Never thought to double amp, doesn't make sense to me, but I don't know much.


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





louisnomad said:


> Sorry, by DAC I meant LOD. As I'm not a Apple user, despite of having a fan boy at home (my little brother), please, forgive my mistakes! I know ZO2 v1 has a volume control, I have it on my desk right now! And as i said, I tried it with J3 on max volume and it is unusable!
> 
> 
> MizMoxie, I was waiting for the reviews on rev3, but if you're available to give us some answers, I will ask:
> ...


 

 1 - Rev 3 does not have the bypass mode. We are actually using the bypass mode to obtain high gain (believe it or not) =)
  2 - With rev 3, the sound quality will not be affected too - we have mitigated this problem. With high gain, you may be able to notice SOME hiss, but it is *significantly* less than both ZO1 and ZO2 rev 1 (please see plot below).
  3. With high gain, you are partially correct - it is meant for HO users; however, if you would like to use it with LO, you can use a volume control cable (although that would be pointless, b/c that is what low gain mode is intended for).
   

   
  So, these are noise floor measurements done on ZO v1 (red), ZO 2 rev 1 (blue), ZO 2 rev 3 lo gain (green), and ZO 2 rev 3 hi gain (pink). Please remember, the blue line is the original ZO 2, and was due to a last minute component change on the day of manufacturing. I just want everyone to know that problem has been resolved!


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Awesome, looks like you really got it solved now!


----------



## dealsaddict

Wow that is good news, thank you to the DigiZoid team for working so hard on fixing the issues.


----------



## puresilence

I look forward to more impressions of v3. Hopefully it pairs well with my HD25-1 II...


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





puresilence said:


> I look forward to more impressions of v3. Hopefully it pairs well with my HD25-1 II...


 


  I look forward to not hearing about a 'v4'.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> I look forward to not hearing about a 'v4'.


 
   
  LMAO so true... oh wait wasn't that what we thought about v3 too? =P


----------



## louisnomad




----------



## SoulSyde

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Awesome, looks like you really got it solved now!


 


  +1!


----------



## Dragonfish

I have ordered a ZO2, which is on the way.
  Can someone please summarize, what the differences between revisions 1, 2 and 3 exactly are? As things are getting more complicated, I am slowly getting a little confused.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





dragonfish said:


> I have ordered a ZO2, which is on the way.
> Can someone please summarize, what the differences between revisions 1, 2 and 3 exactly are? As things are getting more complicated, I am slowly getting a little confused.


 

 Imagine what it will be like when a ZO2 appears on the FS forum in 3 months time ....... good luck trying to sell a 'ZO2 V2'


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Imagine what it will be like when a ZO2 appears on the FS forum in 3 months time ....... good luck trying to sell a 'ZO2 V2'


 

 I will never sell my ZOs! I will keep them as a collection and will probably buy any future versions too because I simply love this SmartVektor sound so much and it's how I want headphones to sound like. It's certainly a "colorisation" of the sound but to me a very good one at that.
   
  I thought I'd never admit I'd become a fanboy of anything as I never understood those who were, now I do though.  Sounds so great with these HTF600 after like 100 hrs or whatever of use, those out of box issues like slightly overpowering bass, slightly lacking transparency and soundstage is completely gone now.
   
  EDIT: Here I'm sitting and it's like early morning over here but I can't stop listening to music. I blame my ZO2 for not making me go to sleep in time...


----------



## esanthosh

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Imagine what it will be like when a ZO2 appears on the FS forum in 3 months time ....... good luck trying to sell a 'ZO2 V2'


 

 As long as it works with a LO and IEMs, who cares? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Hopefully should be getting mine within the next few days.


----------



## k1n0n3

I wish there was (hopefully will be) a way to control the volume level between the max vol on ZO2 rev.2 and the hi gain setting of rev.3, that would make it a perfect product to mate with both iems and full size cans with the options of using a line out or headphone out, basically all bases covered imo.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> I thought I'd never admit I'd become a fanboy of anything as I never understood those who were, now I do though.


 

 You ? Nooooo - I wont believe it .......


----------



## au5t3n5

Quote: 





dragonfish said:


> I have ordered a ZO2, which is on the way.
> Can someone please summarize, what the differences between revisions 1, 2 and 3 exactly are? As things are getting more complicated, I am slowly getting a little confused.


 

  
  1 - bypass, had on/off pop. only high gain, lots of hiss with iems
  2 - no bypass, low gain, quiet on/off, no hiss with iems
  3 - same as 2, but high gain is added at max volume


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> 1 - bypass, had on/off pop. only high gain, lots of hiss with iems
> 2 - no bypass, low gain, quiet on/off, no hiss with iems
> 3 - same as 2, but high gain is added at max volume


 


  Guess I'll be waiting for impressions of ZO2 ver3


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> Guess I'll be waiting for impressions of ZO2 ver3


 


  I'm just glad I was a straggler and didn't rush to send it in. I was just looking at it like a PITA.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> 1 - bypass, had on/off pop. only high gain, lots of hiss with iems
> 2 - no bypass, low gain, quiet on/off, no hiss with iems
> 3 - same as 2, but high gain is added at max volume


 


  Based on my experience, #1 should read '*hiss with SOME iems*'. In my case, I have no hiss problems with RE262, FA Omega V2 or PL50s. I believe it is directly related to the amount of gain built into the V1, but that will be cold comfort to people with $300+ IEMs who find it unlistenable.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Based on my experience, #1 should read '*hiss with SOME iems*'. In my case, I have no hiss problems with RE262, FA Omega V2 or PL50s. I believe it is directly related to the amount of gain built into the V1, but that will be cold comfort to people with $300+ IEMs who find it unlistenable.


 


  You  talking behind our backs Estreeter?


----------



## au5t3n5

honey badger dont care
  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Based on my experience, #1 should read '*hiss with SOME iems*'. In my case, I have no hiss problems with RE262, FA Omega V2 or PL50s. I believe it is directly related to the amount of gain built into the V1, but that will be cold comfort to people with $300+ IEMs who find it unlistenable.


----------



## estreeter

lee370, just for my edification, exactly how many $300+ IEMs do you own ?


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> lee370, just for my edification, exactly how many $300+ IEMs do you own ?


 
   
  Don't know about him but
   
  Just got the Turbine Copper (bought for 150 reg street price 299.00 and up)
  waiting to receive the Klipish Image X10 (bought for 120 reg street price 299.00 and up)
  Sony MDR EX600 (199.00) My most favorite IEM out of my whole collection.
   
  Needless to say I was quite active during the Cyber Monday sales. Some cool amplification that meshes well with my top IEM's would be rather nice. A final version of ZO2 with all the bugs ironed out would be rather neat maybe even a TTVJ Slim or an iBasso amp.
   
  This hobby is wayyyyy to expensive


----------



## estreeter

DigitalFreak, I agree that its expensive, but not a single one of the IEMs you listed cost you more than $300. If there is a problem, its that you dont seem to be exercising any restraint - the proverbial kid in the candy store. Its an easy trap to fall into, particularly with IEMs.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> DigitalFreak, I agree that its expensive, but not a single one of the IEMs you listed cost you more than $300. If there is a problem, its that you dont seem to be exercising any restraint - the proverbial kid in the candy store. Its an easy trap to fall into, particularly with IEMs.


 


  Restraint isn't a word that gets exercised well on this site. As for the pricing I listed I'm hoping none of my future IEM's will ever cost me over 300 bones because paying full MSRP sucks. On a different note I checked out your profile page and saw your listed gear. All I can say is
*ATTA BOY *


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> lee370, just for my edification, exactly how many $300+ IEMs do you own ?


 


  Right now I have the FX700s and TF10s. I didn't pay $300.00 for any of them though. Called looking for the deals. But they all MSRP around $400.00. I was lucky to even find the FX700s used for $270.00. I had the IE8s but sold them because the IE80s are an improvement and I felt that is exactly what I am looking for in the sound signature. Problem is finding them at a good price. So I'll just have to wait or maybe even just opt for the IE10 next year. I'll have to sell my Silver Cable though for the IE8 .
   
  For home use I use my open-back denon 5000s. With this mod I don't feel the need to upgrade in the full size category at all. They are a full size version of the EX1000s IMO with better everything.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> Don't know about him but
> 
> Just got the Turbine Copper (bought for 150 reg street price 299.00 and up)
> waiting to receive the Klipish Image X10 (bought for 120 reg street price 299.00 and up)
> ...


 
   
   
  you and I thought the same about the M80 so I'd like to see some sort of review impressions about the EX600 from you. 
  I'd been checking it out and it look quite nice, but I'm not sure if wait for the sony BA's.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> you and I thought the same about the M80 so I'd like to see some sort of review impressions about the EX600 from you.
> I'd been checking it out and it look quite nice, but I'm not sure if wait for the sony BA's.


 


  You want real impressions as in post a complete review on head-fi or you want me to pm you and give you a quick general low down?


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> You want real impressions as in post a complete review on head-fi or you want me to pm you and give you a quick general low down?


 
   
  I want you to get the TF10 and compare both in detail!!!
   
  jk, whatever you wish is OK, if you are already preparing a full review I'd wait, if not a general low down will be enough. thanks.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> I want you to get the TF10 and compare both in detail!!!
> 
> jk, whatever you wish is OK, if you are already preparing a full review I'd wait, if not a general low down will be enough. thanks.


 


  Gimme a week or so, I've been putting off doing some much needed reviews because I've been either busy or just lazy. I want to try and get a proper review done as a way of giving back to the community. I'll PM you once it's up James.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

OK nice, Im not in a hurry to open my wallet, trust me


----------



## Dragonfish

Thank you for your responses to my question. Helped a lot to understand the revisions. I'll be getting a revision 2. Will send it back for modification to rev 3, because I want to use it with Etymotics ER-4S (75 Ohm).
  I guess I became confused, because rev 1 was not really a revision but just the first production version of the ZO2.


----------



## deadkenny64

Quote: 





dragonfish said:


> Thank you for your responses to my question. Helped a lot to understand the revisions. I'll be getting a revision 2. Will send it back for modification to rev 3, because I want to use it with Etymotics ER-4S (75 Ohm).
> I guess I became confused, because rev 1 was not really a revision but just the first production version of the ZO2.


 
  I agree.  In my field, prints are commonly "release, rev 1, rev 2..." with the original being the release drawing.  I think we should be referring to versions instead "v1, v2...." with v1 being the original unmodified unit.  Although, once this is all sorted out and everyone is happy with V3, it shouldn't matter.


----------



## ANDEROAN

ZO v1, v2.1, v2.2, v2.3, ?


----------



## gaspir324

Just recieved mine. Nothing more to add to the others but 2 things:
  1. DigiZoid, I raise my hat for you! Keep up the good work.
  2. YOU SHOULD FEEL MY XB1000 WHEN ZO IS SET TO 32!!! Enough bass finally.
  Btw can too much bass ruin the drivers? Because when I listen to bassy tracks (90% of my tracks at least) in the yellow zone it starts to shake SO much its unbelievable.


----------



## kenman345

Quote: 





anderoan said:


> ZO v1, v2.1, v2.2, v2.3, ?


 

 I think that's how it goes. And I think the reason for this is that the ZO v2 got a part changed on day of production, so the revision 1 kinda makes sense. This changed was referred to by MizMoxie in one of her posts in this thread.
   


  Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> Just recieved mine. Nothing more to add to the others but 2 things:
> 1. DigiZoid, I raise my hat for you! Keep up the good work.
> 2. YOU SHOULD FEEL MY XB1000 WHEN ZO IS SET TO 32!!! Enough bass finally.
> Btw can too much bass ruin the drivers? Because when I listen to bassy tracks (90% of my tracks at least) in the yellow zone it starts to shake SO much its unbelievable.


 

 what revision you get?


----------



## gaspir324

2, mine got shipped just a bit too early, few days more and it would have been 3.


----------



## DannyBai

Sure hope this is the last time I ship it back to them.


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> Btw can too much bass ruin the drivers? Because when I listen to bassy tracks (90% of my tracks at least) in the yellow zone it starts to shake SO much its unbelievable.


 


  If they are high-quality drivers, it really shouldn't be a problem. We've been listening using the ZO for years (on red), and have never had a problem...


----------



## i2ehan

Quote:


mizmoxie said:


> If they are high-quality drivers, it really shouldn't be a problem. *We've been listening using the ZO for years (on red)*, and have never had a problem...


 

 MizMoxie, a basshead? Who'd have thought?


----------



## estreeter

@lee370, with the possible exception of the GR07, I can resist the lure of IEMs for now. Dont even feel particularly compelled to hear how HiFiMan have improved on my 262s with the RE272.


----------



## kenman345

@MizMoxie Any new information on how long the delay for the High Gain mode is gonna be?


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





i2ehan said:


> Quote:
> 
> MizMoxie, a basshead? Who'd have thought?


 


  With a dad who can create such a powerful and pocketable subwoofer system, and being part of a company that sells those things, I would be surprised if she was not!


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> @lee370, with the possible exception of the GR07, I can resist the lure of IEMs for now. Dont even feel particularly compelled to hear how HiFiMan have improved on my 262s with the RE272.


 


  Yeah the GR07 is temping. But the IE80 I feel is an improvement in all areas over the GR07 and I don't mind paying a bit more for it. But the FX700 still remain the kings of timbre and realism.


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





i2ehan said:


> Quote:
> 
> MizMoxie, a basshead? Who'd have thought?


 
   
  Is there a support group for that?

 Hi. My name is Karen, and I'm a basshead...


----------



## SemperMalum

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Is there a support group for that?
> 
> Hi. My name is Karen, and I'm a basshead...


 

 "Hi Karen. Remember, the first step towards recovery is admitting that one cannot control one's addiction."
   
  Or, we can all just agree that being a basshead is like having your cake and eating it.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





sempermalum said:


> "Hi Karen. Remember, the first step towards recovery is admitting that one cannot control one's addiction."
> 
> Or, we can all just agree that being a basshead is like having your cake and eating it.


 


  Hi my name is Jimmy, and I am a bassoholic.


----------



## drgajet

Hi Karen, hi jimmy, glad you're here.  Keep coming back.  It sounds like this thread may become our support.  Haha.


----------



## mrAdrian

Would lol if Karen you post on the basshead thread


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Is there a support group for that?
> 
> Hi. My name is Karen, and I'm a basshead...


 

 There's the Basshead club http://www.head-fi.org/t/573826/the-basshead-club 
   
  And I'm also basshead with no hope for cure.


----------



## estreeter

You lot need to come up with 12 steps. I seem to recall that one of the steps for alcoholics is that they have to make amends to everyone their addiction has ever harmed - those of you with 'fully sick' car stereos and 2K+ subwoofers in your apartments know who you are ....


----------



## au5t3n5

Please keep this thread to impressions. You should stick to your own advice.
  
  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> You lot need to come up with 12 steps. I seem to recall that one of the steps for alcoholics is that they have to make amends to everyone their addiction has ever harmed - those of you with 'fully sick' car stereos and 2K+ subwoofers in your apartments know who you are ....


 


  On another note, it has come to my attention that there might not be adequate shielding on the Zo as I am hearing some disturbances when I put the Zo to close to my iPod (even with a case on my iPod). Just wondering if this has come to anyone else attention. Not a giant deal breaker, but rather disappointing.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> On another note, it has come to my attention that there might not be adequate shielding on the Zo as I am hearing some disturbances when I put the Zo to close to my iPod (even with a case on my iPod). Just wondering if this has come to anyone else attention. Not a giant deal breaker, but rather disappointing.


 

 Wrap it up in alu foil xD This worked wonders for ZO1 and that phone signal interference. It doesn't even need to be fully covered, just lying on the foil is enough. On ZO2 I haven't had any probs with that though.


----------



## gaspir324

Btw MixMozie I blame you for sending this thing among me in the middle of my test and therefore distracting my studies! I'm too busy giving my skull a massage rather than learning. It's too much fun to play with .


----------



## zoqi

If I put an order for the ZO2 now, will it be rev2 or 3? Anyone recently ordered?


----------



## gaspir324

Rev 3 from now on.


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





zoqi said:


> If I put an order for the ZO2 now, will it be rev2 or 3? Anyone recently ordered?


 

 It will be rev3.


----------



## bradenfase

I'm planning on getting this on Christmas for my HD25-1 II. I'm pretty excited to see what I can do with it


----------



## kenman345

Any update on how long its gonna take for the added high gain feature to be added?

  
  Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> It will be rev3.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





bradenfase said:


> I'm planning on getting this on Christmas for my HD25-1 II. I'm pretty excited to see what I can do with it


 


  in my case that turned out to be TOO MUCH BASS. YMMV


----------



## kenman345

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> in my case that turned out to be TOO MUCH BASS. YMMV


 


  wait......what? 
   
  just kidding. I definitely can understand moments where too much bass is not a good thing. I try explaining this to my friends, and they dont understand. I hope that's not how i feel when I get my ZO2 and use it with my Denon AHD2000's


----------



## mrAdrian

kenman345 said:


> wait......what?
> 
> just kidding. I definitely can understand moments where too much bass is not a good thing. I try explaining this to my friends, and they dont understand. I hope that's not how i feel when I get my ZO2 and use it with my Denon AHD2000's




Whats wrong with zo2 and d2000? ;P


----------



## ineedmorebase

Hi there fellow Zo2 owners, could someone tell me if this would work well? MUCH APPRECIATED 
   

 Desktop> USB Dac/amp E10 with bass boost, 300ohm power> Zo2 for even MOAR BASS (i hear the zo2 is a beast at this) < DT 990 Pro's 250 ohm.
   
  I would use the DT 990pros for gaming and in my room so open would mean much better than closed, clarity, soundstage wise, but less bass, so how do i compensate for the bass? E10 dac/amp PLUS the Zo2 > 
   
  Any thoughts? Much aprpeciated!


----------



## zoqi

Anyone from the UK has bought this yet? Would be interested in knowing the experienced delivery time. 
   
  Just had my order done now and I hope it will be here before Christmas 
   
  Think it might be overkill with the Ultrasone Pro 900 though, but going to use it with TripleFi 10s and HD25-1 II as well.


----------



## gaspir324

Quote: 





zoqi said:


> Anyone from the UK has bought this yet? Would be interested in knowing the experienced delivery time.
> 
> Just had my order done now and I hope it will be here before Christmas
> 
> *Think it might be overkill with the Ultrasone Pro 900 though*, but going to use it with TripleFi 10s and HD25-1 II as well.


 


  I thought that it would be overkill with my XB1000, but my favourite level is red.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  Keenly waiting for ZO5 and XB2000. I hope for 128 levels of bass boost and at least 140 mm drivers with 0,0001Hz-20kHz< response.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> I thought that it would be overkill with my XB1000, but my favourite level is red.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 If you just want bass, XB500 has more than XB1000 too. 
   
  Compare
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SonyMDRXB1000.pdf
  to
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SonyMDRXB500.pdf
  ...


----------



## MuZo2

Desktop> USB Dac/amp E10 with bass boost, 300ohm power> Zo2 for even MOAR BASS
   
  This doesnot work , atleast with ver2
   
  Anyone from the UK has bought this yet? Would be interested in knowing the experienced delivery time. 
  It took 10 days to ship to Germany.


----------



## kenman345

I dont have the ZO2 rev 3, nor have I owned any of the previous revisions, but if you read MizMoxie's comments, it would seem that since you are recommended not to use Line Out without a volume controller, that overpowering the ZO's input like this wouldnt be suggested. Worth a try, but I don't know how much of a difference it would make. The ZO2 documentation seems to support the idea that it is supposed to be outputting a somewhat balanced audio stream. Maybe if you did the ZO to the E10 it might have you desired effects, but you wont know till you try it. 
   
  Personally, I wouldnt make the ZO2 as the second sound modifying item, as MizMoxie i believe said overpowering the ZO2 can negatively effect it's performance in the future.
  
  Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> Hi there fellow Zo2 owners, could someone tell me if this would work well? MUCH APPRECIATED
> 
> 
> Desktop> USB Dac/amp E10 with bass boost, 300ohm power> Zo2 for even MOAR BASS (i hear the zo2 is a beast at this) < DT 990 Pro's 250 ohm.
> ...


----------



## gaspir324

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> If you just want bass, XB500 has more than XB1000 too.


 


  Well thats before the ZO. I'd guess mine shakes more than yours 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. And besides, whats the fun in those small paddings they have when I can have truck's wheels on my head instead?


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> If you just want bass, XB500 has more than XB1000 too.
> 
> Compare
> http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SonyMDRXB1000.pdf
> ...


 

XB1000 seems to have more sub-bass  I got it wrong, the XB500 looks better all along the FR chart What sony! and is that a driver mismatch ( L - R) in the XB1000?


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





kenman345 said:


> I dont have the ZO2 rev 3, nor have I owned any of the previous revisions, but if you read MizMoxie's comments, it would seem that since you are recommended not to use Line Out without a volume controller, that overpowering the ZO's input like this wouldnt be suggested. Worth a try, but I don't know how much of a difference it would make. The ZO2 documentation seems to support the idea that it is supposed to be outputting a somewhat balanced audio stream. Maybe if you did the ZO to the E10 it might have you desired effects, but you wont know till you try it.
> 
> Personally, I wouldnt make the ZO2 as the second sound modifying item, as MizMoxie i believe said overpowering the ZO2 can negatively effect it's performance in the future.


 

 Does the DAC have any effect in the quality if the Zo is used before the e10? 
   
  I really want the Bass that the Zo2 offers onmy computer music...is that simply not posible ? how about sound card > zo2? or a dac withought the amp then zo2? 
   
  btw how much ohms does the zo2 power?? dt990 pros are 250ohms.


----------



## ineedmorebase

For the Zo1: "Headphones
  Any type of headphone or earbud can be used with the zo, as 
  long as its specified impedance is under 200 ohms"
   
  crap. i wonder if they zo2 is bigger more powerful?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> XB1000 seems to have more sub-bass  I got it wrong, the XB500 looks better all along the FR chart What sony! and is that a driver mismatch ( L - R) in the XB1000?


 

 Yea I'm also a bit puzzled after seeing the XB1000 measurements... The 30Hz square wave looks unusually great though, almost perfect which is very unusual, indicating it does handle deep bass accurately though. The midrange could use some smoothening out though, way too spikey.


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> btw how much ohms does the zo2 power?? dt990 pros are 250ohms.


 

 As a matter of fact, we tested ZO2 rev3 yesterday with the DT 880s (which are 250ohm). It definitely powered them with the ZO in high gain mode, and the iPod classic's volume at about 85%. It wasn't an ear-splitting or deafening volume, but increasing the player's volume to anything more actually caused the phones to start distorting (i.e., overdriving them).


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> As a matter of fact, we tested ZO2 rev3 yesterday with the DT 880s (which are 250ohm). It definitely powered them with the ZO in high gain mode, and the iPod classic's volume at about 85%. It wasn't an ear-splitting or deafening volume, but increasing the player's volume to anything more actually caused the phones to start distorting (i.e., overdriving them).


 

 You have a DT880 now? Good choice of cans (well perhaps not if you're a basshead though but for testing purposes as they are among the most respected cans when it comes to neutral listening)! Beyers are very demanding headphones so it's good to know the very limit goes around 250 ohm then which is very suitable/good for something that costs $100.  Not to mention iPod isn't the very best source available either especially for cans like these haha.
   
  Here's something weird I just discovered on a large german audio equipment etailer the DT990 Pro costs only 145 EUR but DT 880 Pro is 233 EUR (about the same with the non pro models). Why is the DT990 only 145 EUR O.o Even the ATH-M50 costs 155 EUR there haha.


----------



## au5t3n5

I'm pretty sure a large point of having v2 even come out was for it to handle line out. They even advertise so. 
  
  Quote: 





kenman345 said:


> I dont have the ZO2 rev 3, nor have I owned any of the previous revisions, but if you read MizMoxie's comments, it would seem that since you are recommended not to use Line Out without a volume controller, that overpowering the ZO's input like this wouldnt be suggested. Worth a try, but I don't know how much of a difference it would make. The ZO2 documentation seems to support the idea that it is supposed to be outputting a somewhat balanced audio stream. Maybe if you did the ZO to the E10 it might have you desired effects, but you wont know till you try it.
> 
> Personally, I wouldnt make the ZO2 as the second sound modifying item, as MizMoxie i believe said overpowering the ZO2 can negatively effect it's performance in the future.


----------



## JamesMcProgger

MizMoxie, can we have some specs for the Zo2?
   
  Input Impedance
  Output impedance
  Maximum output voltage 
  Power output
  Frequency response


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> As a matter of fact, we tested ZO2 rev3 yesterday with the DT 880s (which are 250ohm). It definitely powered them with the ZO in high gain mode, and the iPod classic's volume at about 85%. It wasn't an ear-splitting or deafening volume, but increasing the player's volume to anything more actually caused the phones to start distorting (i.e., overdriving them).


 


  So this should sound great?
   
  PC onboard audio (which dosent matter im guessing since i have to choose the source in the control panel to be the dac, > DAC/amp fiio e10>   Zo2   > DT 990 pro!!!??? This depends wether I will buy the Zo2 or not!


----------



## joeq70

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> As a matter of fact, we tested ZO2 rev3 yesterday with the DT 880s (which are 250ohm). It definitely powered them with the ZO in high gain mode, and the iPod classic's volume at about 85%. It wasn't an ear-splitting or deafening volume, but increasing the player's volume to anything more actually caused the phones to start distorting (i.e., overdriving them).


 

  
  I second this observation. I owned the DT880s at one point and tried them with the original ZO. This pairing yielded very nice results up to a certain volume. However, as MizMoxie pointed out, if you listen too loudly the headphones begin to distort. This is NOT due to the design of the ZO but is the result of a limitation of the DT880 (and I'm assuming other Beyers in that line). I personally like to listen to music at a very high volume to sort of recreate a live concert type experience. If you listen to your music loudly, I believe Beyers are the wrong headphones for the job, but if you keep things in the moderate to low range they sound excellent, especially paired with the ZO.
   
  The Ultrasone Pro 900 on the other hand is able to reach nearly unlistenable volumes without distorting, which is why I kept the Pro 900s and returned the Beyers. ZO + Pro 900 = huge sound. Turthfully, I did end up selling the Pro 900s because I'm intrigued by woodied Grados and the new Magnum drivers. I'll give a report when my woody SR225 comes in as to how that sounds with the ZO...I am quite optimistic about the pairing


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





joeq70 said:


> I second this observation. I owned the DT880s at one point and tried them with the original ZO. This pairing yielded very nice results up to a certain volume. However, as MizMoxie pointed out, if you listen too loudly the headphones begin to distort. This is NOT due to the design of the ZO but is the result of a limitation of the DT880 (and I'm assuming other Beyers in that line). I personally like to listen to music at a very high volume to sort of recreate a live concert type experience. If you listen to your music loudly, I believe Beyers are the wrong headphones for the job, but if you keep things in the moderate to low range they sound excellent, especially paired with the ZO.
> 
> The Ultrasone Pro 900 on the other hand is able to reach nearly unlistenable volumes without distorting, which is why I kept the Pro 900s and returned the Beyers. ZO + Pro 900 = huge sound. Turthfully, I did end up selling the Pro 900s because I'm intrigued by woodied Grados and the new Magnum drivers. I'll give a report when my woody SR225 comes in as to how that sounds with the ZO...I am quite optimistic about the pairing


 
  Are they bass headphones? the grados i mean.
   
  And I'm not sure what "loud" music means...>_<but im sure its enough for the dt990 pros...i hope?!


----------



## joeq70

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> Are they bass headphones? the grados i mean.
> 
> And I'm not sure what "loud" music means...>_<but im sure its enough for the dt990 pros...i hope?!


 

 I have previously owned SR225s and enjoyed them very much but this was a few years ago before the ZO existed. They have always been one of my favorite headphones except for being a bit light on bass. The bass that Grados typically produce is tight and punchy which makes it a great headphone for rock, indie, and acoustic based songs. I've had the pleasure of listening to most of the Prestige line including the RS1 and always thought "if only there was a little more bass..."  Now that the ZO has come along the appeal of a beautiful wooden Grado with that extra bass I've always wanted from them is too much to resist. 
   
  Regarding the dt990s...The ZO2 I'm sure will drive these quite well. When I say I listen to my music loudly, I mean people walk by and hear the sound coming from my phones and say "What man you're gonna go deaf!" I don't always listen so loudly but I do it often enough that the distortion of the Beyers made them a no-go for me. I don't know what your current setup is, but if you are currently able to listen to the Beyers at your desired volume and hear no distortion, then I believe the ZO will only improve your experience. It's just that reckless nutjobs like myself who blast their music will probably not be satisfied with the Beyers.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





joeq70 said:


> I have previously owned SR225s and enjoyed them very much but this was a few years ago before the ZO existed. They have always been one of my favorite headphones except for being a bit light on bass. The bass that Grados typically produce is tight and punchy which makes it a great headphone for rock, indie, and acoustic based songs. I've had the pleasure of listening to most of the Prestige line including the RS1 and always thought "if only there was a little more bass..."  Now that the ZO has come along the appeal of a beautiful wooden Grado with that extra bass I've always wanted from them is too much to resist.
> 
> Regarding the dt990s...The ZO2 I'm sure will drive these quite well. When I say I listen to my music loudly, I mean people walk by and hear the sound coming from my phones and say "What man you're gonna go deaf!" I don't always listen so loudly but I do it often enough that the distortion of the Beyers made them a no-go for me. I don't know what your current setup is, but if you are currently able to listen to the Beyers at your desired volume and hear no distortion, then I believe the ZO will only improve your experience. It's just that reckless nutjobs like myself who blast their music will probably not be satisfied with the Beyers.


 
  Well my "setup" is still at the drawing board, what i'm thinking is that for EDM, bass heavy music, with lots of sub bass for example; 
   
   
  Most of my music is VERY bass oriented/focused, as in Trance, dubstep, house, with kickass bass lines and huge sub bass needs like for:
   
http://www38.zippyshare.com/v/53428158/file.html = sub bass @ 0:58 and a kickass starting bassline with http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge7YR77jHwQ
   
  I'm thinking: PC > Fiio e10 DAC/amp > Zo2 > DT990pros.    Since I game a lot, the 990s are bassy semi open phones with good clarity/soundstage are only 170$, but i want MOAR BASS ergo the fiio e10 bass boost and the Zo2, so if the Zo2 can "drive these quite well", that setup will work quite nicely right?!
   
  Thanks!


----------



## joeq70

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> Well my "setup" is still at the drawing board, what i'm thinking is that for EDM, bass heavy music, with lots of sub bass for example;
> 
> 
> Most of my music is VERY bass oriented/focused, as in Trance, dubstep, house, with kickass bass lines and huge sub bass needs like for:
> ...


 

 Based on what you have described I have two recommendations:
   
  1) Go ahead and get the DT990s and the other equipments and give it a whirl. You just don't know what you like until you try it. I recommend buying from a retailer like Amazon because you can return them easily although you might be subject to pay return shipping and possibly a restocking fee.
   
  2) I think you sound like a poster candidate for the Pro 900s (or perhaps the 2900s for that matter if you prefer open phones). They are more expensive BUT I can say from experience that I wished I had saved myself some disappointment and hassle over the years and saved up for the phones I knew would suit me best. The "journey" is certainly part of the fun, but seriously the 900s are very detailed, have nice soundstage for a closed phone, and deliver some seriously butt-kicking bass. 
   
  I think the ZO is an excellent component in either option, and I seriously doubt you will need or want the extra bass boost from the Fiio if you have a ZO.  I personally would skip the Fiio altogether if you have an iphone 4 (I have no reason to believe that you do but it seems many people have them these days) and go IPhone 4>ZO>(Insert headphone here *cough* Pro 900 *cough*).


----------



## joeq70

Sooo I just had a gander at your profile ineedmorebase and saw that you do have an IPhone 4.  I'm not trying to be pushy, so sorry if I come off that way, but I'm telling you. IPhone 4 > ZO> Pro 900 dropped my and other peoples' jaws way more than any other setup I've tried over the years.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





joeq70 said:


> Based on what you have described I have two recommendations:
> 
> 1) Go ahead and get the DT990s and the other equipments and give it a whirl. You just don't know what you like until you try it. I recommend buying from a retailer like Amazon because you can return them easily although you might be subject to pay return shipping and possibly a restocking fee.
> 
> ...


 

 Haha yeah I'll probably get the 900 pro in march when i have  JOB! i need to be 18 >_< anyways i do have an iphone 4 lol but i would used them mostly for my PC since i finished my classes already, ergo the fiio e10 DAC, understand?
   
  how about denon vs pro 900? which is cheaper/better for thos 2 types of music i showed you?


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





jamesmcprogger said:


> MizMoxie, can we have some specs for the Zo2?
> 
> Input Impedance
> Output impedance
> ...


 


  We are actually in the process of testing the ZO2 rev3, but I will post these specs once they are available. =]


----------



## joeq70

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> Haha yeah I'll probably get the 900 pro in march when i have  JOB! i need to be 18 >_< anyways i do have an iphone 4 lol but i would used them mostly for my PC since i finished my classes already, ergo the fiio e10 DAC, understand?
> 
> how about denon vs pro 900? which is cheaper/better for thos 2 types of music i showed you?


 


  I had the D2000 a while back and IMO its not even close to the 900. Denon is veiled in comparison, bass lacks definition and texture and did not have as much treble extension. Not a terrible headphone by any means but it did not impress me that much...plus it fit real loose on my head which I did not like. The reason why I suggested going with your iphone instead of the Fiio is to save money. It's actually one of the better sources I've heard despite being portable. The S:Flo 2 is amaaazing sounding for a DAP as well. But if you are set on using your computer as a source feeding a DAC then I'm sure the Fiio is fine.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





joeq70 said:


> I had the D2000 a while back and IMO its not even close to the 900. Denon is veiled in comparison, bass lacks definition and texture and did not have as much treble extension. Not a terrible headphone by any means but it did not impress me that much...plus it fit real loose on my head which I did not like. The reason why I suggested going with your iphone instead of the Fiio is to save money. It's actually one of the better sources I've heard despite being portable. The S:Flo 2 is amaaazing sounding for a DAP as well. But if you are set on using your computer as a source feeding a DAC then I'm sure the Fiio is fine.


 


  Just looking for the cheapest DAC thats actually good xD so i guess ill buy the dt990pros, fiio e10 then the Zo2 once its all fixed, then on march once i have the money for the 900s pros, ill (hopefully) be able to sell the 990s for 10% less than what i got them ^_^ someone told me they sell quite easily!
   
  Then ill be happy with my DAC , zo2, and 900pros!
   
  sound good?
   
  i wonder how good the bass is on the 990s with the zo ....


----------



## joeq70

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> Just looking for the cheapest DAC thats actually good xD so i guess ill buy the dt990pros, fiio e10 then the Zo2 once its all fixed, then on march once i have the money for the 900s pros, ill (hopefully) be able to sell the 990s for 10% less than what i got them ^_^ someone told me they sell quite easily!
> 
> Then ill be happy with my DAC , zo2, and 900pros!
> 
> ...


 
  It sounds like a pretty logical setup. I cannot attest to the bass on the 990s but only the 880s. Even the 880s were pretty good in the bass department and the 990s are supposed to have even more bass than that. Anyway, I really hope you like the setup! Like you said, selling things on here is pretty easy so the worst case scenario of you not liking something won't be all that bad.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





joeq70 said:


> It sounds like a pretty logical setup. I cannot attest to the bass on the 990s but only the 880s. Even the 880s were pretty good in the bass department and the 990s are supposed to have even more bass than that. Anyway, I really hope you like the setup! Like you said, selling things on here is pretty easy so the worst case scenario of you not liking something won't be all that bad.


 


  the 880 were open too? and i hope i like it too ^_^ is there anything that could go wrong with it? i mean all i have to do is select the audio source in my control panel to the DAC fiio e10, then connect the zo and dt990s and thats it right? great clarity/quality/soundstage AND BASS


----------



## joeq70

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> the 880 were open too? and i hope i like it too ^_^ is there anything that could go wrong with it? i mean all i have to do is select the audio source in my control panel to the DAC fiio e10, then connect the zo and dt990s and thats it right? great clarity/quality/soundstage AND BASS


 


  The 880 was "semi-open." Not sure what that means exactly haha. And I don't necessarily know if something will go wrong for you. Will you break something? I doubt it--there is little risk except blowing out a set of phones on accident--an amp can make things LOUD so just be careful there. Is it possible you'll hate the stuff you are thinking of buying? Sure! As you know, how good or bad something sounds is pretty subjective business, so sometimes people strike gold and get exactly what they always wanted or as most people on here do, they aimlessly drift around (like me) from setup to setup searching for audio nirvana


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





joeq70 said:


> The 880 was "semi-open." Not sure what that means exactly haha. And I don't necessarily know if something will go wrong for you. Will you break something? I doubt it--there is little risk except blowing out a set of phones on accident--an amp can make things LOUD so just be careful there. Is it possible you'll hate the stuff you are thinking of buying? Sure! As you know, how good or bad something sounds is pretty subjective business, so sometimes people strike gold and get exactly what they always wanted or as most people on here do, they aimlessly drift around (like me) from setup to setup searching for audio nirvana


 

  
  the 990pros are semi open too, (more bass) and dont think ill break something haha and hate something i buy? doubt it...so many people give it great reviews xD havent seen anyone dissapointed with my setup...well, we'll see! I'm 17 so i guess ill drift a little bit...hope its not the same story with the girls D: !


----------



## kenman345

Currently working on making a foam insert for my car cupholder to hold my iPod, my phone, and the ZO2 that should be coming soon. Any chance you'd be willing to send some type of image of the size of the bottom so i can cut it out while I wait? It would be greatly appreciated. I'll definitely post pictures of how it looks once I get the ZO2.
   
  EDIT: or if anyone else who had an earlier revision could tell me if it is shaped exactly how it looks, with curved sides and straight otherwise. I am just trying to get it perfect or just going to wait if I cant as making another one is gonna get annoying
  
  Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> We are actually in the process of testing the ZO2 rev3, but I will post these specs once they are available. =]


----------



## gaspir324

Dimensions: 2.75 x 1.5 x 0.38 in.
  Hope it helps!


----------



## nivrethejugg

Two questions I have.
   
  1) How do you guys think about the ZO as a complement to an audio setup? (Double amping)
   
  2) How does the ZO compare with other higher end amplifiers?
   
  Appreciate the replies.


----------



## gaspir324

Quote: 





nivrethejugg said:


> 2) How does the ZO compare with *other* higher end amplifiers?


 


  Unfair comparison, since this really isn't high-end. This is the best for what it does and for an amp it is worth the money you pay. But you can't compare this to likes of Lehmann Audio Black Cube Linear. Its like comparing STAX SR-009 to Sennheiser HD650.


----------



## au5t3n5

I would hardly call the Zo v2 rev2 a second amp. More like a SoundVektor buffer with volume controls. lol
  
  Quote: 





nivrethejugg said:


> Two questions I have.
> 
> 1) How do you guys think about the ZO as a complement to an audio setup? (Double amping)
> 
> ...


----------



## nivrethejugg

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> Unfair comparison, since this really isn't high-end. This is the best for what it does and for an amp it is worth the money you pay. But you can't compare this to likes of Lehmann Audio Black Cube Linear. Its like comparing STAX SR-009 to Sennheiser HD650.


 


  Of course it is unfair. I was just wondering how good the ZO would be when pitted against more expensive amplifiers when it comes to value for performance. I might be getting ahead of myself but Mike on Headfonia always compares the cMoyBB with more expensive amplifiers and if you visit his website you can really see how much he likes it.
   
  Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> I would hardly call the Zo v2 rev2 a second amp. More like a SoundVektor buffer with volume controls. lol


 

 Precisely what I want the ZO to be. How is it working out for you?


----------



## kenman345

Thanks a lot, this is gonna help me get the ball rolling on this mini project. I dont need another picture, but can you tell me if the length from the bottom to the start of the indentation for the controller about half way? I wanna make the device have that exposed when it's sitting in the cupholder foam.
  
  Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> Dimensions: 2.75 x 1.5 x 0.38 in.
> Hope it helps!


----------



## gaspir324

3.5 cm from the bottom


----------



## ANDEROAN

I use the ZO v1, its hooked up to my rig, iPod Classic 7th gen LO>GS Voyager>ZO>EX600s! and it seems to have the effect of what grout(ZO) is to to tile(Voyager), it fills in all the gaps, and holds the sound together very very nicely! I've never heard the effects of double amping, but the Voyager alone, can't stand up to what the Voyager+ZO does, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			
































x10! 
   
  the only treason I want a ZO v2.?, is to beable to run it from the LO - the Voyager! I'm very interested to hear the difference in sound, with what the Voyager does and doesn't bring to the ZO from the LO, and not the other way around! hhmmm go figure,
  oh and when ester reads this, enjoy the "HYPE" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	































x10, lol, oh wait a minute ain't "HYPE" if its the truth! 
   
  and since this post and any subsequent responses are *NOT *and will *NOT *be approved by esters self appointed and newly elected approval committee, nor any co-workers affiliated to him! they can and may be subject to fines and confinement, and up to 60 days of disaproval by ester, lol,           

  
  Quote: 





nivrethejugg said:


> Two questions I have.
> 
> *1) How do you guys think about the ZO as a complement to an audio setup? (Double amping)*
> 
> ...


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





nivrethejugg said:


> Of course it is unfair. I was just wondering how good the ZO would be when pitted against more expensive amplifiers when it comes to value for performance. I might be getting ahead of myself but Mike on Headfonia always compares the cMoyBB with more expensive amplifiers and if you visit his website you can really see how much he likes it.


 

 I cannot compare SR-71A or other amps along the lines with the ZO because they are different beasts.  I also have the E11, A10 and have owned the Cmoy BB and prefer the other two over Cmoy.  The Cmoy always clipped on me at higher volumes but the other two have not.  Cmoy and A10 have a similar warmth.  E11 might be the best bang/buck out of the group.  The ZO does something different than all of them with smartVector.  It doesn't just amp, it adds the bass boost function like A10 and E11 but smartVector adds another element I really can't put into words.  If you're looking at amps around the same price range, I think the ZO is definitely worthy because of what it offers which is unique that no other device has.


----------



## gaspir324

So how should the low battery indicator blink? I was listening to music when suddenly it stopped. The ZO stayed on red but nothing could be heard. Turning it off and on helped for few seconds but silence after that.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> I cannot compare SR-71A or other amps along the lines with the ZO because they are different beasts.  I also have the E11, A10 and have owned the Cmoy BB and prefer the other two over Cmoy.  The Cmoy always clipped on me at higher volumes but the other two have not.  Cmoy and A10 have a similar warmth.  E11 might be the best bang/buck out of the group.  The ZO does something different than all of them with smartVector.  It doesn't just amp, it adds the bass boost function like A10 and E11 but smartVector adds another element I really can't put into words.  If you're looking at amps around the same price range, I think the ZO is definitely worthy because of what it offers which is unique that no other device has.


 


  i hear the e10 with e11 sound pretty good! but ill use the e10 with the zo! 
   
  is there another DAC that you can reccomend for around 100 thats BETTER than the e10? also, by using the e10 bass boost, does that boost count for the sound coming from the Zo2?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> by using the e10 bass boost, does that boost count for the sound coming from the Zo2?


 
   
  Of course but there might be chance of distortion/clipping I'm guessing.


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> i hear the e10 with e11 sound pretty good! but ill use the e10 with the zo!
> 
> is there another DAC that you can reccomend for around 100 thats BETTER than the e10? also, by using the e10 bass boost, does that boost count for the sound coming from the Zo2?


 

       Look below.
   


  Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Of course but there might be chance of distortion/clipping I'm guessing.


 

      The WiZarRD would know much more than I, plus I haven't owned many or know enough about other DAC's or amps to know.  Possibly check the ibasso line up but I believe they cost much more than $100.  Maybe someone else can give some advise.


----------



## treal512

My battery charge went out on my ZO2v1 for the first time and now I am left wondering for the first time... Where'd the bass go?


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Of course but there might be chance of distortion/clipping I'm guessing.


 


  well but the Zo2 alone on red should be more than enough bass for the dt990pros right? if not, whats another amazing bass option to use with my e10 dac/amp? do you know any great bass 'phones for 150-200?


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> well but the Zo2 alone on red should be more than enough bass for the dt990pros right? if not, whats another amazing bass option to use with my e10 dac/amp? do you know any great bass 'phones for 150-200?


 


  You are a bass monger.  : )
   
  Have you considered the Sony XB series?  Reasonably priced and gobs of bass.  You can't go wrong with the XB500 for around $50.  You can also find the XB1000 for under $200.  I paid just under $200 for mine.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> You are a bass monger.  : )
> 
> Have you considered the Sony XB series?  Reasonably priced and gobs of bass.  You can't go wrong with the XB500 for around $50.  You can also find the XB1000 for under $200.  I paid just under $200 for mine.


 


  the xb500s are a no-no, remember that i come from the triple fi 10 so i want quality and clarity...and dunno if xbs are that good...ill go check out some reviews but im sure the quality wont be better than the dt990 pro


----------



## ineedmorebase

yeah i read some and yeah, theyre just not that good and they say even the xb500 have more bass lol and the xb500's didnt blow me away or anything


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> yeah i read some and yeah, theyre just not that good and they say even the xb500 have more bass lol and the xb500's didnt blow me away or anything


 

 XB500 has the biggest (not the cleanest/most controlled though ) bass in headphones though, an even ~15dB boost from like 15Hz to 300Hz. I'm guessing DT990 for example probably has at least 3x as little bass quantity wise. But you seem to want something with both big bass quantity as well as very forward highs for clarity, I'd say PRO900 would suit you in that case, other alternatives are Ultrasone HFI-580 and DT770 Pro/80 ohm (they won't probably satisfy you bass needs out of box but together with ZO they would and these are more easily driven too than those DT990 250 ohm).
   
  Here's some frequency response graphs for comparision's sake:


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> XB500 has the biggest (not the cleanest/most controlled though ) bass in headphones though, an even ~15dB boost from like 15Hz to 300Hz. I'm guessing DT990 for example probably has at least 3x as little bass quantity wise. But you seem to want something with both big bass quantity as well as very forward highs for clarity, I'd say PRO900 would suit you in that case, other alternatives are Ultrasone HFI-580 and DT770 Pro/80 ohm (they won't probably satisfy you bass needs out of box but together with ZO they would and these are more easily driven too than those DT990 250 ohm).
> 
> Here's some frequency response graphs for comparision's sake:


 

 pro 900 is 150 bucks more, so thats a no for me, already reviewed the dt770 and the 990pro is just better in every way really...so brb gonna go check out the hfi 580, how about the 780? whats the diff? any other ultrasone models?


----------



## ineedmorebase

A part of a review in amazon:
   
  "Bass. As I said the bass notes are very important to me. They actually tie the Sony MDR-710 here, you'd be surprised at how bassy those little Sony's are, and I might go so far as to say they actually have more bass than the Ultrasones"
   
  i also read somewhere that the dj1s which i think are the equivalent of these, dont have such a big deal of bass..>_>


----------



## ineedmorebase

"I have both HFI-780 and Sony XB500 and can tell you the quality of bass from the 780 would delight any bass-head, it's tight and has impact. It isn't at all what I would call muddy (The XB500s are but they're okay for DnB), they are quite resolving albeit slightly metallic sounding like any Ultrasone. In my opinion the 580s are low-fi, 780s mid-fi and 950s hi-fi. All Ultrasones are for bass lovers, we're not just talking fat muddy bass like XB500, Denon D2000 etc but bass with detail that doesn't interfere with the mids."
   
   
  "
  
 I had the M50 for a week or so, and found them unimpressive. They were similar to the Ultrasones, but worse in almost every way. The bass was a little stronger, but it clouded the midrange, unlike the Ultrasones."
  
 stronger??? i thought the m50 were not up to basshead par... :l
   
   
  "Honestly though, after listening to the Pro 900s, you will be disappointed in the 580s. The mids are even more recessed, and the highs are artificial and metallic. I'd recommend either upgrading your source files, or look toward another headphone. "


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> "I have both HFI-780 and Sony XB500 and can tell you the quality of bass from the 780 would delight any bass-head, it's tight and has impact. It isn't at all what I would call muddy (The XB500s are but they're okay for DnB), they are quite resolving albeit slightly metallic sounding like any Ultrasone. In my opinion the 580s are low-fi, 780s mid-fi and 950s hi-fi. All Ultrasones are for bass lovers, we're not just talking fat muddy bass like XB500, Denon D2000 etc but bass with detail that doesn't interfere with the mids."
> 
> 
> "
> ...


 


  Not sure how you feel about portables but m80's and tma-1's are good for bass.  M80's are fantastic headphones.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> Not sure how you feel about portables but m80's and tma-1's are good for bass.  M80's are fantastic headphones.


 


  i dont want good though, i want great! and as for portables well i only like headphones that entirely cover my ear, like the bose qc15 for example.


----------



## au5t3n5

I wish the Zo had more lower levels of both the SmartVektor as well as volume. Using a soundcard/ipod straight into the zo, via line out, even at lowest volume it is a little louder than I might light for quiet night time listening. I think the SmartVector even on the lowest setting can sometimes be overwhelming too.
   
  Also, I have come to the conclusion that the bass generated by the Zo is really really thick. Its like a pool of pudding.


----------



## joeq70

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> "I have both HFI-780 and Sony XB500 and can tell you the quality of bass from the 780 would delight any bass-head, it's tight and has impact. It isn't at all what I would call muddy (The XB500s are but they're okay for DnB), they are quite resolving albeit slightly metallic sounding like any Ultrasone. In my opinion the 580s are low-fi, 780s mid-fi and 950s hi-fi. All Ultrasones are for bass lovers, we're not just talking fat muddy bass like XB500, Denon D2000 etc but bass with detail that doesn't interfere with the mids."
> 
> 
> "
> ...


 

 I owned the 780s for a while and really enjoyed them. I think they are an excellent entry point into the Ultrasone sound. If I were tight on money and wanted strong bass with nice clear highs I would definitely consider the 780s and then save up money until I could upgrade to the 900s.


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> I wish the Zo had more lower levels of both the SmartVektor as well as volume. Using a soundcard/ipod straight into the zo, via line out, even at lowest volume it is a little louder than I might light for quiet night time listening. I think the SmartVector even on the lowest setting can sometimes be overwhelming too.
> 
> Also, I have come to the conclusion that the bass generated by the Zo is really really thick. Its like a pool of pudding.


 

 Your wish(es) will be granted with ZO2.3!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  When the volume control to accommodate for line-out was added, along with the last minute component changes before production, some unforeseen side effects resulted. But, adding the high gain mode has definitely had a positive effect on the overall design... both in respect to the volume levels, as well as the sound signature.
   
  This evening I did some critical listening with the latest rev, and although this is purely a subjective opinion, I felt as though it had a much tighter and harder hitting bass response than any of the previous ZOs (including ZO1), as well as an improved level of clarity. In fact, I personally feel as though it has some of the same characteristics as the SmartVektor FullSpec technology!


----------



## au5t3n5

I might have to swap mine in for rev 3 then. But I only just got my rev2 back last week, so maybe I'll wait a little bit to RMA again. How long do I have to RMA to upgrade rev3?
  
  Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Your wish(es) will be granted with ZO2.3!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## gaspir324

Quote: 





treal512 said:


> My battery charge went out on my ZO2v1 for the first time and now I am left wondering for the first time... Where'd the bass go?


 


   
   
  Me too! My 2.2 now somehow lacks the in-your-face-mofo bass and now after the charge i is good-sir-would-you-feel-this-rumbling bass.
   On another note I just might to RMA, when do we have to do it? Or is there a time limit?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Your wish(es) will be granted with ZO2.3!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I also feel it would be good, I personally probably won't need it, that there would be lower bass quantity at the lowest level, maybe even the lowest level having SmartVektor disabled for versataility and for comparision's sake. It has perhaps more than enough higher levels so no need to add more so you could like take off slightly at the top as many headphones won't see much change in bass going from like halfway to the top and it's not like most people are looking for that much bass anyway in favor for adding slightly less bass at the lowest level but this is something you could thinker with for ZO3 possibly I suppose. I see the very optimal would be if the lowest level would be smartvektor = disabled (if this isn't too difficult to do) and the lowest smartVektor contour level having slightly less bass than ZO2 v1 does.
   
  It's nice to hear that ZO2 v3 might have even better bass quality! I do think ZO2 v1 is nice once it's fully burnt in. I think it's improved up to like 100hrs of use no kidding! I remember how dissappointed I was with the thick and overhelming bass response compared to ZO1 at the first listen haha, even with lvl1-2 on HTF600, nowadays I use lvl 6-7 on HTF600 and bass response is just perfect my taste, controlled, punchy and not overhelming at all.
   
  The GREATLY improved battery life is a nice improvement too comparing ZO2 to 1, now it's on a very nice level for a portable amp, and seems it lasts something between 20 - 25 hrs and with only about 1hr charge required.


----------



## kenman345

You know, you're such a tease. Mainly because I have only read so little about the SmartVektor technology and it wasnt from your site. Any chance you guys can add in some more literature about it after you hammer out the finer details in the ZO2? I really love hearing about this stuff and I'm even more excited to hear my ZO2 when i get it. Are you guys running a few devices down so they start to show the characteristics of burn-in before you start shipping them? 
   
  EDIT: What I am trying to say is I wanna hear more about where this technology can grow to and where I may be able to find it in future devices, whether they are coming from you or from a licensee
  Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Your wish(es) will be granted with ZO2.3!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## ANDEROAN

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Your wish(es) will be granted with ZO2.3!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 not quiet sure what you mean by this,* where can I get all of the same characteristics of SVs FullSpec tech?* or does it have to do with burning in the ZO, in getting *all *of the *SVs FullSpec Tech?*


----------



## zoqi

Would it be possible to position the ZO between a Dac and an Amp, in order to take advantage of the bass enchancement, but not double amping?


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





anderoan said:


> not quiet sure what you mean by this,* where can I get all of the same characteristics of SVs FullSpec tech?* or does it have to do with burning in the ZO, in getting *all *of the *SVs FullSpec Tech?*


 

 Well, our SmartVektor technology consists of two "sub-technologies": LoFreq & FullSpec.
  ZO1 & 2 features the LoFreq technology, which works it's magic on just the low end of the frequency spectrum. The FullSpec technology, which is still under wraps, does it's thing on both the low and high ends of the spectrum. This tech will be in a future device (probably ZO3).


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> Me too! My 2.2 now somehow lacks the in-your-face-mofo bass and now after the charge i is good-sir-would-you-feel-this-rumbling bass.
> On another note I just might to RMA, when do we have to do it? Or is there a time limit?


 

 We haven't put a time limit on it *yet*, but we might. I will let you know if and when we do.


----------



## ANDEROAN

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Well, our SmartVektor technology consists of two "sub-technologies": LoFreq & FullSpec.
> ZO1 & 2 features the LoFreq technology, which works it's magic on just the low end of the frequency spectrum. The FullSpec technology, which is still under wraps, does it's thing on both the low and high ends of the spectrum. This tech will be in a future device (probably ZO3).


 

 Thanks M, then the ZOv3 it will be for me! and my v1 will do me just great in the mean time! which I would have guessed it to having the FST! I didn't think it could sound any better,
   
  looks like you finally got some of Supermans dna and are saving it for v3, lol, yea right everybody knows the Hulks dna smashes Supermans, lol,
  
  HO HO HO happy listening everyone!


----------



## JRG1990

What about a desktop version of this amp?, it's a shame it's just meant as a portable amp I have to keep recharging the battery I'd like a mains powered version.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





jrg1990 said:


> What about a desktop version of this amp?, it's a shame it's just meant as a portable amp I have to keep recharging the battery I'd like a mains powered version.


 


  +1 With low gain up to 200 and high gain up to 600?


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





zoqi said:


> Would it be possible to position the ZO between a Dac and an Amp, in order to take advantage of the bass enchancement, but not double amping?


 


  It would still be like "double amping" except the real amping comes from the last source, but yeah, it would still take in the bass enhancement of course since it still affected the signal!


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





jrg1990 said:


> What about a desktop version of this amp?, it's a shame it's just meant as a portable amp I have to keep recharging the battery I'd like a mains powered version.


 

 You can buy an USB power adapter which you stick the USB cable into and then plug it directly to the wall socket which I've done as I use it only at my desktop computer. If you never let it become empty it might reduce the battery lifespan I could assume but if you're only planning on using it for stationary use it shouldn't matter. I barely let my ZO1 get empty at all, the ZO2 has so much better battery life so I often let it get completely empty before charging.
   
  But yea ofc I wouldn't say no to a desktop version either but I think digiZoid has probably more customers in the portable amp section. 
   
  EDIT: I don't think the topic of this thread can be seen as accurate anymore haha, 50+ pages with like 1 page of impressions!


----------



## kenman345

So I assume testing with revision 3 is going quite well. The unforeseen side effects you are talking about in this case are good? or are we talking about rev1? 
   
  Also, are their no other planned devices besides the ZO line of products to look for in the future? I definitely can agree with my fellow forum members that the information provided about the technology would make us want to hear the FullSpec technology in a device soon. Does the FullSpec technology have any abilities in terms of separating out for out to a 5.1CH or 7.1CH system? Obviously this wouldnt make much sense with a stereo 3.5mm plug, but if the tech were in a device with digital optical out or inside a receiver that would be amazing. 
   
  Also, anyone know when I get my device if I should turn off the Dolby Pro Logic 2 technology on the AUX plug or keep it on. I would think it wouldn't make much difference, but I prefer using the PLII tech when using my iPod for music when I haven't made DVD-A discs for use in my car.
  
  Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Your wish(es) will be granted with ZO2.3!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Shhhh.......We're learning about FullSpec Technology(Just kidding). And some of us are waiting on the ZO2 rev.3.
   


rpgwizard said:


> EDIT: I don't think the topic of this thread can be seen as accurate anymore haha, 50+ pages with like 1 page of impressions!


 
  Still, the point of an impressions thread was met when the members of the company producing it are listening to complains. This is more of a lul at the current time because of the imminent revision soon to come out.


----------



## JRG1990

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> You can buy an USB power adapter which you stick the USB cable into and then plug it directly to the wall socket which I've done as I use it only at my desktop computer. If you never let it become empty it might reduce the battery lifespan I could assume but if you're only planning on using it for stationary use it shouldn't matter. I barely let my ZO1 get empty at all, the ZO2 has so much better battery life so I often let it get completely empty before charging.
> 
> But yea ofc I wouldn't say no to a desktop version either but I think digiZoid has probably more customers in the portable amp section.
> 
> EDIT: I don't think the topic of this thread can be seen as accurate anymore haha, 50+ pages with like 1 page of impressions!


 


 I do have a usb power adaptor, but like you said this isn't good for the battery I have the ZO 1 which I have connected to my emu 0404 usb 3.5mm pre-out I am using it as a desktop amp I can't be without it I like what it does to the sound, I would really like a digizoid desktop amp.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





jrg1990 said:


> I do have a usb power adaptor, but like you said this isn't good for the battery I have the ZO 1 which I have connected to my emu 0404 usb 3.5mm pre-out I am using it as a desktop amp I can't be without it I like what it does to the sound, I would really like a digizoid desktop amp.


 

 Yea I don't think I could ever go back to being ZOless again either, I'd say it makes it sound more like speakers than headphones, more forward/dynamic sounding.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Yea I don't think I could ever go back to being ZOless again either, I'd say it makes it sound more like speakers than headphones, more forward/dynamic sounding.


 


  hey rpg, any idea how the ultrasone's 580 compare to d2000?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> hey rpg, any idea how the ultrasone's 580 compare to d2000?


 

 Haven't tried them, but D2000 has better bass extension but 580 might have a little more impact in the bass as what I've gathered it's somewhat midbass focused. Both have somewhat recessed midrange, D2000 maybe very tiny bit less so and both have slightly emphasized highs (ie. both are somewhat gentle V-shaped sound signatures so they doesn't sound muddy whatsoever). But I'd need to hear them for myself to know for sure, this is just based on what I've read. wind016 seems to insist that the HFI-580 responds nicely to EQing too, at least with the bass. I haven't tried them out cuz I'm pretty sure it's not quite the sound signature I like, as I like warmer sound, D5000 might be perfectly OK to me tho as a warmer sounding D2000 but it's a bit expensier too.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Haven't tried them, but D2000 has better bass extension but 580 might have a little more impact in the bass as what I've gathered it's somewhat midbass focused. Both have somewhat recessed midrange, D2000 maybe tiny bit less so and both have slightly emphasized highs (ie. both are somewhat gentle V-shaped sound signatures so they doesn't sound muddy whatsoever). But I'd need to hear them for myself to know for sure, this is just based on what I've read. wind016 seems to insist that the HFI-580 responds nicely to EQing too, at least with the bass.


 


  I dont know much from EQing since ive never done it really...and the thing is the d2000 costs friggin double or more than the 580...i think ill just get the 550 pros used for 110 bucks...


----------



## Varley

Is there any known shipment date for the ZO 2 Rev 3 to go out? I'm in no rush I'd just love it before Christmas


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





jrg1990 said:


> What about a desktop version of this amp?, it's a shame it's just meant as a portable amp I have to keep recharging the battery I'd like a mains powered version.


 

 You can keep it plugged in via usb to keep it charging. I really see no issue here.


----------



## bradenfase

-snip-


----------



## Jae304

Quote: 





kenman345 said:


> Also, anyone know when I get my device if I should turn off the Dolby Pro Logic 2 technology on the AUX plug or keep it on. I would think it wouldn't make much difference, but I prefer using the PLII tech when using my iPod for music when I haven't made DVD-A discs for use in my car.


 
  I'd say you have no reason to turn it off.  I use my ZO for gaming all the time and it works so well with the dolby digital 5.1 signal, can't imagine it wouldn't work just as well with your setup.


----------



## DannyBai

I was just messing around and decided to give this a shot.  Incredible soundstage with this setup.


----------



## kenman345

I can make out those headphones, but what is between the line out and the ZO?
  Quote: 





dannybai said:


> I was just messing around and decided to give this a shot.  Incredible soundstage with this setup.


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





kenman345 said:


> I can make out those headphones, but what is between the line out and the ZO?


 


  SR-71A.  I tried with PR0-900's and my earlobes were vibrating.


----------



## estreeter

Yup - did something similar with the LO from the T51 into my uHA-120 and on to the ZO - in the end, I just went back to the HO on the T51 straight into the ZO, or LO->uHA-120->phones. Putting the ZO at the end of that chain just didnt seem to be netting me anything major in SQ terms.


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Yup - did something similar with the LO from the T51 into my uHA-120 and on to the ZO - in the end, I just went back to the HO on the T51 straight into the ZO, or LO->uHA-120->phones. Putting the ZO at the end of that chain just didnt seem to be netting me anything major in SQ terms.


 


  I tried the setup with a few of my other phones and noticed the most difference with the HD650's.  The rest really didn't benefit.  But for the HD650's, I think this is the way I will listen to them.


----------



## Ciaran Van Don

Ok before reading this thread I was in the FiiO E11 camp but now I'm thinking this Zo version 2 revision 3 might be the answer if I order now will I get the revision 3 of the Zo 2 or will there be a revision 4 when I get the revision 3 of the Zo version 2 is that right?


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





ciaran van don said:


> Ok before reading this thread I was in the FiiO E11 camp but now I'm thinking this Zo version 2 revision 3 might be the answer if I order now will I get the revision 3 of the Zo 2 or will there be a revision 4 when I get the revision 3 of the Zo version 2 is that right?


 


  You should be getting the revision 3 is you order now. I doubt there will be a revision 4. That would more likely be the Z03.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> I tried the setup with a few of my other phones and noticed the most difference with the HD650's.  The rest really didn't benefit.  But for the HD650's, I think this is the way I will listen to them.


 


  The 650s have always caught my eyes. But then again I would want its sound signature in an IEM so I could use it on the go. Wonder if the IE10 will fill that void? Wish you could hear my open-back denon 5000s (Full size Sony EX1000 IMO but better in all areas).


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

I was wondering this morning why the volume seemed a little more silent than usual or did I suddenly have a hearing loss and then I forget that the ZO2's battery had run dry and the volume went back to the standard level, doh. Haven't gotten used to ZO2 having volume control yet.  Would be curious how you others adjust the volume in case you're using headphone-out, at least I always keep the ZO2 maxed and adjust volume on source, it just seems to sound best this way when using HO in my ears.


----------



## louisnomad

^+1 on max with ZO2 and then adjusting the volume on the source


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





lee730 said:


> The 650s have always caught my eyes. But then again I would want its sound signature in an IEM so I could use it on the go. Wonder if the IE10 will fill that void? Wish you could hear my open-back denon 5000s (Full size Sony EX1000 IMO but better in all areas).


 

 I know you will be one of the first to purchase the IE80 or IE10 ( which I know nothing about, so I'll do a search).  I am sure I won't want to fork over the dough on those for a long time, so I'll eagerly wait your impressions when they arrive and you have them in your hands.  As for the Denon D5000, I wish I could hear those as well.  I almost went with the open back mod on my D2000 but backed out because I got scared.  I traded them away because it was too sibilant after the markl mod.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> I know you will be one of the first to purchase the IE80 or IE10 ( which I know nothing about, so I'll do a search).  I am sure I won't want to fork over the dough on those for a long time, so I'll eagerly wait your impressions when they arrive and you have them in your hands.  As for the Denon D5000, I wish I could hear those as well.  I almost went with the open back mod on my D2000 but backed out because I got scared.  I traded them away because it was too sibilant after the markl mod.


 

 At first I was hesitant to even try the open-back mod. But once I figured out that it is in no way permanent to just test it out I figured "why not?" After testing it and going back to stock it ruined the stock denons for me lol. I would have sold the D5ks if not for the mod. I've since made the mod permanent and I don't regret it at all. Now regarding the IE10 I may get it but most likely not at $800+. The IE80 is more feasible and if I can get it at a reasonable price that is. Looking forward to getting my ZO2 Rev 3


----------



## ineedmorebase

http://www.head-fi.org/t/584125/what-should-i-expect-of-this-setup#post_7952189


----------



## mrAdrian

If I had another closed can (a spare set of cups would definitely help), I would definitely consider the mod. But with my case right now, my sister would kill me to have 3 pairs of open headphones in the study room.
  
  Quote: 





lee730 said:


> At first I was hesitant to even try the open-back mod. But once I figured out that it is in no way permanent to just test it out I figured "why not?" After testing it and going back to stock it ruined the stock denons for me lol. I would have sold the D5ks if not for the mod. I've since made the mod permanent and I don't regret it at all. Now regarding the IE10 I may get it but most likely not at $800+. The IE80 is more feasible and if I can get it at a reasonable price that is. Looking forward to getting my ZO2 Rev 3


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





mradrian said:


> If I had another closed can (a spare set of cups would definitely help), I would definitely consider the mod. But with my case right now, my sister would kill me to have 3 pairs of open headphones in the study room.


 


  lol you don't have to make it perminant though to test it. Just take the cups off. Put them on the side. Unlatch the ear pads. Then let them rest on the driver instead of being locked to the driver. That is all folks . I should warn you though, this mod will most likely make you hate your stock denons after trying it lol.


----------



## mrAdrian

Then I better not try it. Otherwise sister would really kill me in the *study* room when i blast my music. I have no plans purchasing another closed headphone (e.g. the PRO900 or ATH-Wxxxx for cheap, no plans at all) for the end of the year too so no.
   
  However thanks for the mod and I would definitely try it after enjoying the D2000 with my mods for a longer while. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





lee730 said:


> lol you don't have to make it perminant though to test it. Just take the cups off. Put them on the side. Unlatch the ear pads. Then let them rest on the driver instead of being locked to the driver. That is all folks . I should warn you though, this mod will most likely make you hate your stock denons after trying it lol.


----------



## DnB Sublimity

Question - I've never owned a portable amp.  Right now I use a Sony NWZ E-354 player and an Atrio Mg7.  Would getting a Zo2 be overkill?


----------



## gaspir324

In here there is no such thing as overkill.....
  I use mine with XB1000 and some others use with Pro 900. Suit yourself. If you need the extra bass then gogogo.


----------



## estreeter

Sadly, he's right. If you enjoy standing near the speakers at a doof-doof club, chances are that even the ZO isnt going to do it for you. I've known guys with car stereos that shook the windows on surrounding houses - not my idea of a good time, but I doubt the ZO would be considered particularly special in their universe.


----------



## DnB Sublimity

I like the idea of having an inconspicuous little set-up wherever I go with massive bass booming inside my head and nobody is the wiser.  Just wasn't sure what the synergy would be like with an Atrio and a Zo2.  I'll probably end up getting it anyways to see what it's like.


----------



## kenman345

Anyone else think they are finishing up tweaking today as MizMoxie hasnt been on Head-Fi in 21 hours and their hasnt been any activity on Twitter by DigiZoid today. 
   
  (Fingers Crossed)


----------



## lee730

Yeah it really does turn them into open cans lol. They leak a lot and I can hear my AC when its running. Still can't get over the sound though .
  Quote: 





mradrian said:


> Then I better not try it. Otherwise sister would really kill me in the *study* room when i blast my music. I have no plans purchasing another closed headphone (e.g. the PRO900 or ATH-Wxxxx for cheap, no plans at all) for the end of the year too so no.
> 
> However thanks for the mod and I would definitely try it after enjoying the D2000 with my mods for a longer while.


----------



## DigitalFreak

Wow the threads gone dead for two whole days. I wonder where everyone went?


----------



## estreeter

DigitalFreak, at some point you need to just enjoy whatever gadget you've spent the last 3+ months obsessing over - I suspect that most of us are well and truly over the debacle of the last month since the big release date. In my case, I had an absolutely frantic 3-hour fragfest in MW3 on Saturday night - with a pair of $40 IEMs, no less, and the ZO2 paid for itself in that single session, completely drowning out my neighbour's hideous C&W collection. All the initial kerfuffle is totally forgotten when you can hook something this small up to a laptop (!) and get your freak on.


----------



## kenman345

That the new Zo2 (Revision 3)? I can't wait for it to arrive. They are supposed to be sending them out this week. What system you playing MW3 on? (add me if you're on PSN, my username is the same as on here)
  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> DigitalFreak, at some point you need to just enjoy whatever gadget you've spent the last 3+ months obsessing over - I suspect that most of us are well and truly over the debacle of the last month since the big release date. In my case, I had an absolutely frantic 3-hour fragfest in MW3 on Saturday night - with a pair of $40 IEMs, no less, and the ZO2 paid for itself in that single session, completely drowning out my neighbour's hideous C&W collection. All the initial kerfuffle is totally forgotten when you can hook something this small up to a laptop (!) and get your freak on.


----------



## DannyBai

I've been using my original ZO while waiting for the Rev.3 and have been perfectly content.


----------



## estreeter

ZO2 V1 - I'm not bothered by the reports of hiss or the issue with lineout into the amp being too loud, and there is no way I'm paying freight to return the thing.


----------



## kenman345

Where is Oz?
  
  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> ZO2 V1 - I'm not bothered by the reports of hiss or the issue with lineout into the amp being too loud, and there is no way I'm paying freight to return the thing.


----------



## estreeter

I'll give you a hint - Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman spend a lot of time here and Paul Hogan doesn't.


----------



## Grev

That's not a knife, this is a knife!


----------



## kenman345

No clue man, just wondering in terms of shipping and why it would cost a lot to do
  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> I'll give you a hint - Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman spend a lot of time here and Paul Hogan doesn't.


----------



## pasan

How well do you reckon a ZO would drive a K701 or DT880/250? I plan to use the V2 I'm getting with one of the two.


----------



## Arnotts

Quote: 





kenman345 said:


> No clue man, just wondering in terms of shipping and why it would cost a lot to do


 

 I'm going to assume you just didn't know that Oz meant Australia (because you say Aussie the same as you would say Ozzy), and not that you actually don't know where Australia is


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





pasan said:


> How well do you reckon a ZO would drive a K701 or DT880/250? I plan to use the V2 I'm getting with one of the two.


 

 MizMoxie said they tested DT880. 250 ohm or so is probably whereabouts the limit goes depending on sensitivity.
   


mizmoxie said:


> As a matter of fact, we tested ZO2 rev3 yesterday with the DT 880s (which are 250ohm). It definitely powered them with the ZO in high gain mode, and the iPod classic's volume at about 85%. It wasn't an ear-splitting or deafening volume, but increasing the player's volume to anything more actually caused the phones to start distorting (i.e., overdriving them).


----------



## pasan

Thanks, I guess I should've used the search function  I'm distracted by my quest to find good cans for my new purchase to drive. I really need something with a huge sound stage with sharp mids and high, and I'm hoping any lack of bass can be fixed by the ZO (hopefully rev3 since I placed my order on the 7th). I want BT's The Antikythera Mechanism to sound like I'm in the middle of the orchestra.


----------



## kenman345

If you have yet to receive it, yea, you're getting the ZO2.3. I assume you are talking about the 7th of December.
  
  Quote: 





pasan said:


> Thanks, I guess I should've used the search function  I'm distracted by my quest to find good cans for my new purchase to drive. I really need something with a huge sound stage with sharp mids and high, and I'm hoping any lack of bass can be fixed by the ZO (hopefully rev3 since I placed my order on the 7th). I want BT's The Antikythera Mechanism to sound like I'm in the middle of the orchestra.


----------



## louisnomad

So, anything more about rev 3? Is someone out there using this revision, now? We.. want... information! xD


----------



## kenman345

the DigiZoid Twitter account responded to me on Friday stating that they were awaiting parts for the tweaks and should be ready to start shipping sometime Monday (AKA today). I was told I was towards the top of the list for shipping order as I had contacted them about faster shipping, So I'll post here when I receive an email that its being sent out
  Quote: 





louisnomad said:


> So, anything more about rev 3? Is someone out there using this revision, now? We.. want... information! xD


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





kenman345 said:


> the DigiZoid Twitter account responded to me on Friday stating that they were awaiting parts for the tweaks and should be ready to start shipping sometime Monday (AKA today). I was told I was towards the top of the list for shipping order as I had contacted them about faster shipping, So I'll post here when I receive an email that its being sent out


 

 Thanks for the update! Will keep an aye on this thread and hope for the best!


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

I just pray it's sorted in the best possible way now without any major issues, they don't deserve the "problems" (because it's not been a problem for everyone) they were facing because it's a fantastic product but if you look from the bright side I think they've learnt something regarding future product launches now at least...
   
  I say this again, send out a few "engineering samples" to people before the launch and don't do any last-minute changes without again doing an extensive test with all kinds of equipment you have in the lab, as soon as you change one component on the circuit board it pretty much needs retesting again just in case something unexpected happens. There's no need to rush out the product launch, EA is a good example in the gaming business which usually rushes out half-broken games at launch that needs patching. Do it like "Blizzard" instead and release "when it's ready and tested thoroughly".


----------



## kenman345

I'd totally sign up to test a future digiZoid product. Even if i had to pay a small portion of the price to do so (and got the full/fixed version at a discounted price upon return of the test product). 
   
  I've been patiently waiting at work checking my email for a status of shipped from digiZoid, but no such luck as of yet. I wonder what the latest time would be that I should reasonably expect an email from them. Hopefully they ship tomorrow, but no rush as long as the shipped product is as good as what they promised
  Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> I just pray it's sorted in the best possible way now without any major issues, they don't deserve the "problems" (because it's not been a problem for everyone) they were facing because it's a fantastic product but if you look from the bright side I think they've learnt something regarding future product launches now at least...
> 
> I say this again, send out a few "engineering samples" to people before the launch and don't do any last-minute changes without again doing an extensive test with all kinds of equipment you have in the lab, as soon as you change one component on the circuit board it pretty much needs retesting again just in case something unexpected happens. There's no need to rush out the product launch, EA is a good example in the gaming business which usually rushes out half-broken games at launch that needs patching. Do it like "Blizzard" instead and release "when it's ready and tested thoroughly".


----------



## louisnomad

Fingers crossed! I need to decide what to do with my original ZO2...


----------



## kenman345

Still no word on my ZO2 shipping out yet. Anyone get an email yet?
  
  Quote: 





louisnomad said:


> Fingers crossed! I need to decide what to do with my original ZO2...


----------



## Singh-Is-King

I just got an email:
   
  "The team at digiZoid appreciates your purchase of ZO2. 
  
 In our on-going effort to strive for customers satisfaction, our engineer has added an extra benefit, a high gain mode for use with headphone out. 
  
 Your ZO2 will ship this week, as this added benefit has taken extra time to implement. "


----------



## kenman345

Yea, they emailed that to me about a week and a half ago, the day after I originally made my order. I was just wondering about people receiving an email confirming that their ZO2 was shipped yet.
  Quote: 





singh-is-king said:


> I just got an email:
> 
> "The team at digiZoid appreciates your purchase of ZO2.
> 
> ...


----------



## burtomr

Quote: 





kenman345 said:


> Yea, they emailed that to me about a week and a half ago, the day after I originally made my order. I was just wondering about people receiving an email confirming that their ZO2 was shipped yet.


 


  2X


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





kenman345 said:


> No clue man, just wondering in terms of shipping and why it would cost a lot to do


 


  *cough Australia cough*


----------



## ineedmorebase

Ideas to pair with the Zo2!!
   
http://www.head-fi.org/t/585238/poll-best-basshead-cans-200-and-below#post_7968272


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> *cough Australia cough*


 

 Hmm, I think he might have gotten the memo by now   
   
  I guess we live in a bubble down here, aided and abetted by a media which fawns over every Aussie making it big OS. Its easy to forget that the world is still dominated culturally by the upper 48 states, but I guess you know all about that in Puerto Rico. Maybe we should all get together with the Alaskans and Canadians in Hawaii and celebrate the fact that they dont teach geography in schools any more.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Hmm, I think he might have gotten the memo by now
> 
> I guess we live in a bubble down here, aided and abetted by a media which fawns over every Aussie making it big OS. Its easy to forget that the world is still dominated culturally by the upper 48 states, but I guess you know all about that in Puerto Rico. Maybe we should all get together with the Alaskans and Canadians in Hawaii and celebrate the fact that they dont teach geography in schools any more.


 

 You'd be amazed how "mixed" things become here in Puerto Rico because of the states...but hey, they just think we're all mexicans so I could care less xD


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> You'd be amazed how "mixed" things become here in Puerto Rico because of the states...but hey, they just think we're all mexicans so I could care less xD


 


  It's sad, was just watching an episode of 30 Rock and they're spelling and using all the expressions...a mexican...would use...lol and they use puerto rican as a negative adjetive ahahahaha!


----------



## lee730

We're not all dumb you know . Just exclude the 2 isolated states (Alaska and Hawaii).


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





lee730 said:


> We're not all dumb you know . Just exclude the 2 isolated states (Alaska and Hawaii).


 


  Heard this on my iphone 4 with bass booster eq on ipod...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JnGBs88sL0
   
  I came.


----------



## estreeter

C'mon -* 'Island Head-Fi'* (Oz is an island, albeit a big one ..) - we could alternate countries each year and ask Donald Trump to sponsor our meets. Attendance strictly limited to those who live on an island, and _garish Hawaiian shirts_ mandatory for all meets. There will be a secret handshake and special discounts for anyone who knows all the words to the Hawaii Five-O theme song. Who's with me ??
   
  (Anyone caught wearing said Hawaiian shirt with socks and sandals will be handed a pair of Skullcandy Titans and promptly ejected)


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> C'mon -* 'Island Head-Fi'* (Oz is an island, albeit a big one ..) - we could alternate countries each year and ask Donald Trump to sponsor our meets. Attendance strictly limited to those who live on an island, and _garish Hawaiian shirts_ mandatory for all meets. There will be a secret handshake and special discounts for anyone who knows all the words to the Hawaii Five-O theme song. Who's with me ??
> 
> (Anyone caught wearing said Hawaiian shirt with socks and sandals will be handed a pair of Skullcandy Titans and promptly ejected)


 


  Secret handshake will be: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeDaFaDKloM if you can't remember the sequence, you're not worthy of a ZO


----------



## estreeter

As several of the Youtubers observed, there is something decidedly fruity about that handshake. It might have worked better if they were 8-year old girls on their way to ballet.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> As several of the Youtubers observed, there is something decidedly fruity about that handshake. It might have worked better if they were 8-year old girls on their way to ballet.


 


  2 guys in a room playing for hours on end with their hands...nahh nothign weird there


----------



## kenman345

It's called video games dude
  
  Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> 2 guys in a room playing for hours on end with their hands...nahh nothign weird there


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





kenman345 said:


> It's called video games dude


 


  with hand rubbing and twirling...awesomeness. o wait...


----------



## DnB Sublimity

Hmm.  Ok I've made my mind up and I'm going to buy a Zo2 to pair with my Future Sonics mg7 and Sony NW E-354 player.  I've never owned a portable amp and still an audiophile newb so pardon the dumb question.  I see people mentioning using a line out dock with their amp's.  Is this necessary to enjoy the Zo2?
   
  I posed the same question to customer support and was told,

 "People like to use Line Out Dock to pass the player's audio system, hoping to get a better listening experience. But then you have to attenuate the audio signal by passing through resistors (which introduces noise), and then amplify the signal. Therefore, you are passing the audio signal through an amplification system, which will introduce more noise to the audio signal.

*ZO2 works equally as well with headphone out and line out, but please note that we do not not sell the line out dock with ZO*."
   
   
  I honestly have no idea what this means, but I understand the last part I bolded and underlined hahaha.  Anyone care to shed some light on the whole line out dock terminology?  My application for the Zo will be using it primarily for working out - do I even need to be concerned with such pro-audiophile vernacular?


----------



## kenman345

The original ZO didnt support line out, and the high gain mode (i believe) was added back in to allow it the same functionality as the original ZO
  Quote: 





dnb sublimity said:


> Hmm.  Ok I've made my mind up and I'm going to buy a Zo2 to pair with my Future Sonics mg7 and Sony NW E-354 player.  I've never owned a portable amp and still an audiophile newb so pardon the dumb question.  I see people mentioning using a line out dock with their amp's.  Is this necessary to enjoy the Zo2?
> 
> I posed the same question to customer support and was told,
> 
> ...


----------



## estreeter

I dont think you can get a LOD (line-out dock) for that series of Sony players - happy to hear otherwise. My old X1060 had a proprietary Sony connector at the bottom, and I think someone finally started selling a LOD for that connection : not sure if its the same on your player.
   
  Short answer is that you dont NEED a LOD with the ZO - I have had perfectly good results straight from the HO on my T51, using a plain old mini-to-mini cable - you can use the white one they sell for the iPod if you cant find anything else. Most electronics shops will have at least one mini-to-mini cable - just take your player in and ensure that the mini plug is a good fit : sometimes its neater if you can get an angled mini plug for your player.


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> I dont think you can get a LOD (line-out dock) for that series of Sony players - happy to hear otherwise. My old X1060 had a proprietary Sony connector at the bottom, and I think someone finally started selling a LOD for that connection : not sure if its the same on your player.
> 
> Short answer is that you dont NEED a LOD with the ZO - I have had perfectly good results straight from the HO on my T51, using a plain old mini-to-mini cable - you can use the white one they sell for the iPod if you cant find anything else. Most electronics shops will have at least one mini-to-mini cable - just take your player in and ensure that the mini plug is a good fit : sometimes its neater if you can get an angled mini plug for your player.


 


  I'd agree.  For the short period I had the ZO2 and testing it with the LOD, I didn't really notice any difference.  I currently use the original ZO with a mini to mini and it sounds great with most of my headphones.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Oh my...."To my ears and with my setup, the Sony XB700 sounded much better than the D2000 and the DT770/80." *LOL* "I found the bass more integrated and less intrusive with the XB700, than with the other two." "I also liked their somewhat muted treble. No sibilance to speak off, unlike the DT770/80 and the D2000. Mids, details and soundstage are IMO on par with the DT770/80. The earpads on the XB700 are too narrow for my big ears, comfort is better with the other two."
  
 "I sold both DT770 Pro/80 and ATH-M50 in favor for keeping XB500 & XB700 so I suppose every1 have their different opinions.  *I didn't like the Beyers at all of how mids and highs sounded and it lacked somewhat in midbass for my liking and depending on what I listened to I almost prefered the crappy Sennheiser HD 212 Pro over them*. xD I like both of the Sonys depending on what I actually listen to but the genres I prefer most fits better for XB500 IMO, trance, dubstep, breakbeat etc. for its greater punchy bass and smooth highs."
  
 "I do agree that the D2000 is a more refined DT770/80 with better bass (less quantity and a little tighter), mids (not as recessed), and not as harsh treble. *Honestly the DT770/80s for me were terrible cans.* The D2000s definitely don't do everything right (bass needs to be tighter with less quantity, mids need to be filled in more, and highs decreased a bit, they also come off as slow) and have a lot of flaws but then again no can does. It all depends on what you want though. I would like to try a DT770/600 some day. They really sound like a can I'd enjoy."
  
 *"In my opinion, the MDR-XB700 are really a pretty awful pair of headphones. For $60 more, you could have yourself a lovely pair of Beyerdynamics that sound worlds better. The Sony MDR-XB700 would be best suited, I imagine, to a person that might also wish to install a cheap, obnoxious, after-market muffler into their Honda civic or Ford Taurus. "*
  
 As you can see people, simply, *DO NOT TRUST HEAD-FI!*
  
 */sigh.*


----------



## burtomr

^ Wow that's some BIG TEXT!    Makes me scared.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





burtomr said:


> ^ Wow that's some BIG __________  Makes me scared.


 


  That's what she said.


----------



## ineedmorebase

ANYWHO, 
   
  Has anyone recieved the Zo2.3?


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





sempermalum said:


> You know what it just did to my Grado SR80i's? It just made Feel Good Inc by Gorillaz freaking amazing.
> 
> The ZO2 is, oddly, amazing on the M-80 but seems to be made for the Grado sound signature and for anything really bright. Holy crap. Dat bass. It gained IMPRESSIVE impact, punchy'ness, while keeping everything else incredibly detailed.


 
   
  Google Feel good inc hi-fi remix, THAT WILL SOUND AMAZING, trust me.


----------



## SemperMalum

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> Google Feel good inc hi-fi remix, THAT WILL SOUND AMAZING, trust me.


 


  Doing that as we speak. IT IS HAPPENING.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





sempermalum said:


> Doing that as we speak. IT IS HAPPENING.


 


  Tell me what you think of the break @ 0:50?


----------



## SemperMalum

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> Tell me what you think of the break @ 0:50?


 

 Sorry, my mind was blown. Forgot to get back to you. I need a cigarette. Nomnom bass.


----------



## DnB Sublimity

Ok thanks for the input guys - answers all my questions.  Can't wait for the bass to rattle my brain


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





sempermalum said:


> Sorry, my mind was blown. Forgot to get back to you. I need a cigarette. Nomnom bass.


 


  Now go for Omen hi-fi remix


----------



## kenman345

Just shot an email over to digiZoid asking how the new revision is coming and when it may start shipping. It's been about a half hour, will keep you guys posted. I havent heard anything in the last few days, yet MizMoxie has been on the forums


----------



## SoulSyde

I've been corresponding with Cindy and they're working hard on the ZO2.3.  No details on a shipping date, she didn't offer and I didn't press it.  I'd rather they take the time they need to get it right.


----------



## kenman345

Just got an email with my tracking number, they're shipping out today!
  Quote: 





soulsyde said:


> I've been corresponding with Cindy and they're working hard on the ZO2.3.  No details on a shipping date, she didn't offer and I didn't press it.  I'd rather they take the time they need to get it right.


----------



## SoulSyde

That's good news.


----------



## kenman345

I agree. I am finishing up finals in college on friday and hopefully it will be waiting for me when I get home that day
  Quote: 





soulsyde said:


> That's good news.


----------



## FSTOP

anyone happen to have paired the ZO with Shure srh940's? any comments on the combination/sound?


----------



## SemperMalum

I would just like to say that the V-Moda LP2 + ZO2 combined makes my heart melt and happy. =D


----------



## SoulSyde

I'm so looking forward to getting my hands on the ZO2 again with my newly acquired V-MODA M-80s.


----------



## Drsickness

TFTA 1xb + Zo2?
  i ordered the zo2 but i didnt relize it was backordered :/ i hope its not too long of a wait


----------



## pasan

Quote: 





singh-is-king said:


> I just got an email:
> 
> "The team at digiZoid appreciates your purchase of ZO2.
> 
> ...


 


  When did you place your order? I placed mine on the 7th of December, and still nothing other than the Paypal receipt


----------



## kenman345

You should receive an email tomorrow or the next day, I got mine today saying my ZO2 shipped. I talked to Cindy and having paid for 2 day shipping due to a vacation starting this weekend, apparently USPS says my ZO2 will be delivered tomorrow.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





sempermalum said:


> I would just like to say that the V-Moda LP2 + ZO2 combined makes my heart melt and happy. =D


 

 You're that happy with LP2 eh? I suppose you EQ'd it already did, you? I've had my LP2 for about 2 days and done about 30~35 hrs of burn in and still not too happy about them unless EQing when it gets quite nice, I use these EQ settings with it to to get it better balanced:
   
  Realtek HD's onboard EQ

  (as steps from default value)
   
  31: 0  
  62: -1  
  125: -2  
  250: -2  
  500: +2 
  1k: 0  
  2k: -1 
  4k: -3  
  8k: +1  
  16k: +3
   
  kX Audio driver's EQ for Audigy 2 ZS

   
  Still trying to decide if I should sell or keep them as I like my HTF600 at least as much sound-wise (build quality the V-Modas are so much superior it's not even funny) and when comparing the huge price difference it's hard to justify the LP2 if it requires that much EQing to sound right. I use ZO2 v1 at the lowest or 2nd lowest lvl with these, anything higher and it becomes too bassheavy even with these EQ settings.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





drsickness said:


> TFTA 1xb + Zo2?
> i ordered the zo2 but i didnt relize it was backordered :/ i hope its not too long of a wait


 


  Holy ****...that much blow you away LOL


----------



## FinnTheHumen

> I'm so looking forward to getting my hands on the ZO2 again with my newly acquired V-MODA M-80s.


 
  Everyone useing V-MODA products on the OZ product
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 , i have the CKS90 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




and plan on buying over ear headphones is this a good deal http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12293411&filterName=Brand&filterValue=V-MODA


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Funny, I lowered the 31 - 250Hz range one step further on the EQ for these V-Moda LP2 and upped ZO2's contour level like 2 steps instead and bass quality got much better lol. You know the bass boost is of good quality when the bass response improves when you lower it on the EQ but raise the bass level on ZO.  Now the midrange sounds more clear/slightly more forward despite there's at least equal amount of bass as before.


----------



## SemperMalum

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> You're that happy with LP2 eh? I suppose you EQ'd it already did, you? I've had my LP2 for about 2 days and done about 30~35 hrs of burn in and still not too happy about them unless EQing when it gets quite nice, I use these EQ settings with it to to get it better balanced:


 

 Well, I actually really loved the bass on them and feel that the LP2 don't necessarily require the Zo2 to be satisfying. However, with the Zo2, I lower the contour significantly then I would when I use my Zo2 in the car or with my M-80's (Formerly my M-80's). I keep it around probably 5-10 steps? And the bass is heavy but keeps the mids/highs at a very satisfying and immerse level.
   
  I think the soundstage for the LP2's are better then the M-80's and sound fuller, but definitely aren't as smooth as the M-80's as far as the mids/highs go. They're still good to me, but I can tell they took a hit. I'm glad to sacrifice for the hit, though, because I like the bass and I love how comfortable they are. I'll post a review on how I feel about the LP2's later.
   
  I'd probably have to say the Zo2 don't synergize as well with the LP2 as compared to the M-80's, but that's because the Zo2 is meant to be a substantial bass boost which the LP2 don't require. I think a Fiio would probably mesh well with the LP2, but they don't even require being amp'd to sound good.
   
  I don't know if I was very clear about this, I'm kind of suffering from a sugar rush caused by too much soda, but I can definitely say that the LP2 might be a bit too much bass for you. You might want to sell it and get the M-100, when it comes out, which is supposed to be more balanced all around while being over ear like the LP2. We can already confirm that the LP2 is comfortable as hell; throw in a similar, albeit different because they can't exactly mimic the sound signature going from 40mm to 50mm drivers as Val has been quoted to say, and that might be the winner for you.


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





finnthehumen said:


> Everyone useing V-MODA products on the OZ product
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  From the prices I've seen, it looks like a good deal.  If the sound of the lp's are similar to the lp2's which cost twice as much, I'd say it's a good deal.  Of course, I'll put my personal opinion aside.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Bass isn't my issue with LP2s, I'm more annoyed by the uneven midrange and rolled-off highs. I want very forward as well as even midrange and highs to be neutral (not boosted nor recessed) to go with strong bass response. But yea I'd say when paired with ZO2 I don't need as strong bass response as the LP2 offers out of box, I think the optimal would be about 10~11dB if LP2s seems to have a rather even 15dB boost in bass. The M80 peaks with about 10dB boost at the highest point around 50Hz which I think would suffice when paired with ZO2 (like you said M80 with probably around lvl 5-6 or so which you used would be then pretty optimal to me). I use HTF600 with lvl 6 on ZO2 and I'd guess HTF600 have around 10dB boost (well at the highest point, but rolls-off in the subbass region) in bass comparing to XB500/LP2 which have about 15dB boost.
   
  I will definitely look out for M-100 reviews or hopefully Tyll can measure them so I can check the frequency response graph as that usually helps me at least a bit to tell if it will suit me or not. I think the soundstage is ok/good in LP2 but not amazing.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Bass isn't my issue with LP2s, I'm more annoyed by the uneven midrange and rolled-off highs. I want very forward as well as even midrange and highs to be neutral (not boosted nor recessed) to go with strong bass response. But yea I'd say when paired with ZO2 I don't need as strong bass response as the LP2 offers out of box, I think the optimal would be about 10~12dB if LP2s seems to have a rather even 15dB boost in bass.


 


  Isint foward=smaller soundstage? Curious because i like it for music, just dont find it great for gaming...but it does seem the 990 pros have it all with the e10 and Zo...unless you can tell me one thing they wont have..?


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Bass isn't my issue with LP2s, I'm more annoyed by the uneven midrange and rolled-off highs. I want very forward as well as even midrange and highs to be neutral (not boosted nor recessed) to go with strong bass response. But yea I'd say when paired with ZO2 I don't need as strong bass response as the LP2 offers out of box, I think the optimal would be about 10~12dB if LP2s seems to have a rather even 15dB boost in bass.


 


  btw, how would u compare its bass to the xb500s?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> Isint foward=smaller soundstage? Curious because i like it for music, just dont find it great for gaming...but it does seem the 990 pros have it all with the e10 and Zo...unless you can tell me one thing they wont have..?


 

 I can imagine forward midrange is the only thing it can't be described as BUT when paired with ZO2 it would still have "forward"-sounding midrange compared to many headphones without using ZO2 as SmartVektor tech has this kind of attribute to it.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> Isint foward=smaller soundstage? Curious because i like it for music, just dont find it great for gaming...but it does seem the 990 pros have it all with the e10 and Zo...unless you can tell me one thing they wont have..?


 
   
  Yea usually forward sound = smaller soundstage but it varies on the design of the cup / pads / how the space looks like between the ear and driver etc and it's not like ALL forward sounding have equally small soundstage. I also like forward / "in-your-face" sound for music but too much of it for gaming is detrimental as it becomes too "messy" especially in FPS games with lots of action going on at the same time. Ideally I'd want a forward sounding headphone but with large soundstage with very good imaging/position which seems hard to find. 

 I can imagine forward midrange as well as superb bass extension is the only thing it can't be described as BUT when paired with ZO2 it would still have "forward"-sounding midrange compared to many headphones without using ZO2 as SmartVektor tech has this kind of attribute to it. Then you could also boost it if necessary on a EQ a little.
   
  For gaming it seems V-shaped sound signature headphones is great because when the mids are pushed back a little and most sound effects are in the midrange benefits from being not too forward to avoid this "in-your-face" sound when it becomes more difficult to separate sounds so I'm actually quite interested how ZO2 sounds like with a headphone like DT990 Pro.
   


ineedmorebase said:


> btw, how would u compare its bass to the xb500s?


 

  Compare to which one?


----------



## EJP31687

Hey all,
   
  I've been reading these forums for a couple of weeks now, and decided it was finally time to join! First off, thanks to all that contribute on here, so people like me can make somewhat educated purchases.
   
  Well, I bought my first pair of decent headphones last week (M50's).. I know some will roll their eyes, but I liked the idea of being able to play most any genre and have it sound half-way decent. So far, I've been really pleased with the SQ, but I need more bass. The mids are also a bit recessed it seems, but I will get to that in a minute. The iTunes equalizer doesn't get it done for me.
   
  My question is.... is the M50 a decent candidate for the ZO2? I ordered one today, and I don't know how long it will be until it ships, but it sounds like it may do the trick for what I want. I do like the sound signature of the headphone, but there are definitely some aspects I'd like to 'tweak'.  If the ZO2 can increase the soundstage, help to improve the mids a bit, and give me increased bass without a loss of clarity of the mids and highs, I will be thrilled. The idea of accurate, increased bass without having to turn up my phones and damaging my hearing sounds appealing as well. I know some headphones lend themselves better to this amp than others, and I was wondering how the sound signature of the M50 stacks up in regards to potential compatibility with this device. Sorry for the newb question, but I'm just getting the hang of this stuff.
   
  Thanks!


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Hi, welcome to Head-Fi! 
   
  Your question isn't a newb question and it's a very good one. I think ZO2 will be a good fit for you, I had the exact same issues with M50 when I first tried those, before this ZO amp even existed. Now with ZO I might even like those headphones.
   
  - It should definitely be able to boost the bass noticably with barely/no impact on the rest of the range
  - It might even improve mids somewhat as it brings the whole range a bit more "forward"-sounding but that doesn't mean it'll start sounding even brighter, no it'll just sound a little more balanced but it won't be a night & day difference
  - It should somewhat enhance the soundstage/positioning especially at the lower contour levels, brings sounds that are meant to come from further back further away for a little wider sounding stage, again not a big difference
   
  but I haven't heard ZO2 rev3 yet so can't ofc promise 100% it'll be the same here, might be better or worse.


----------



## kenman345

According to Cindy and the USPS tracking number, my ZO2.3 should be arriving to my home today. I usually arrive home around a half hour after the mail, and since I do not know how many others got faster shipping, I will try to get some play time in with it and post about it using your post as a reference to how the previous versions worked. Obviously this would be an account of pre-burn in ZO2. but I'll see what I can  do.
   
  I own a pair of Denon AH-D2000's and a pair of Sennheiser 428's. I find the Senn's to lack a lot of bass unless powered by an amp, so I am excited to see what happens. The D2000's will hopefully force a constant smile while I use them with the ZO2. I'm very excited. Hopefully USPS isn't lying
  Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Hi, welcome to Head-Fi!
> 
> Your question isn't a newb question and it's a very good one. I think ZO2 will be a good fit for you, I had the exact same issues with M50 when I first tried those, before this ZO amp even existed. Now with ZO I might even like those headphones.
> 
> ...


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Well yea at least the ZO2 v1 required some burn in, at least 20 hrs before starting to sound great, the difference was so huge between the first listen and later on I would have thought it was a different product almost. I didn't even think burn-in was something that amps was needing until I heard ZO2 v1 and compared to the ZO1 which had like 1000hrs+ on it as well as how it has changed now afterwards from initially sounding worse than ZO1 to sounding slightly better (at least with the HTF600 headphones).
   
  Before burn-in it:
   
  - had quite overhelming bass response even at the lowest level, lacked tightness
  - lacked transparency (separation of different istruments)
  - Soundstage was somewhat cramped


----------



## kenman345

Noted
  Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Well yea at least the ZO2 v1 required some burn in, at least 20 hrs before starting to sound great, the difference was so huge between the first listen and later on I would have thought it was a different product almost. I didn't even think burn-in was something that amps was needing until I heard ZO2 v1 and compared to the ZO1 which had like 1000hrs+ on it as well as how it has changed now afterwards from initially sounding worse than ZO1 to sounding slightly better (at least with the HTF600 headphones).
> 
> Before burn-in it:
> 
> ...


 

 I plan to give it a quick listen then finish up with my studying while letting it burn in. Does burn in work even if I dont plug in headphones but send it a signal?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





kenman345 said:


> Noted
> 
> I plan to give it a quick listen then finish up with my studying while letting it burn in. Does burn in work even if I dont plug in headphones but send it a signal?


 

 Not sure about this, I don't see why it wouldn't work as the only thing should matter is that there is a signal going through the amp but I've always had a headphone plugged in just in case and just put it in a drawer (I usually only burn-in at night and listen during the day myself to it even if it's not burnt-in) at a volume level that is just slightly higher than I'd normally use when listening.


----------



## i_djoel2000

you should plug some headphones, otherwise the signal won't flow..
   
  for burn-in purpose ONLY, set the volume to minimum (as long as you can hear sound from the headphones) is better, since the battery now will last longer in one charge


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

I put the volume on ZO to max level and adjusted source volume (of course using headphone jack in this case and not in a line-out setup). Don't know if it's any difference in the signal being processed through the ZO but I believe the stronger signal/volume the faster/more of an effect it has, at least I experienced this with headphones. But yea I don't know at what point in the chain the volume gets regulated in ZO as I don't know how it's built, so could possibly make no difference whatsoever how the volume is set when burning it in but at least for me it seemed to work wonders when ZO was maxed and I controlled source volume so it was outputting just slightly higher volume than I normally use.
   
  If connecting it to the headphone jack I also think (and a few others have mentioned it as well) that at least ZO2 v1 sounded best when the volume on it was maxed and the volume control on ZO should only be used if you're using it with a line-out device and control the volume on the source instead. Also this will result in less distortion/cleaner output (less close to the clipping point) when raising the contour levels as you have to set the windows volume lower, the higher the windows volume is set the easier it'll distort as you raise the contour/bass levels on ZO. By default ZO is set somewhere in the middle as far as volume level goes and also drops back there if the battery goes completely empty too.


----------



## kenman345

Seeing as I have to study and hearing the music will get me distracted, Would I still get flow of signal if I plug in a 3.5mm male plug that has no cord attached? 
  Quote: 





i_djoel2000 said:


> you should plug some headphones, otherwise the signal won't flow..
> 
> for burn-in purpose ONLY, set the volume to minimum (as long as you can hear sound from the headphones) is better, since the battery now will last longer in one charge


 


  EDIT: USPS tracking just got updated to reflect that my ZO2 shipment has arrived at the processing plant in my area. So I should definitely be receiving my ZO2 sometime today.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Rpg wiz, i meant the xb500's bass to the other basshead phones you had xD


----------



## FSTOP

@kenman345  (i don't actually own the ZO yet myself but am just answering your question from an electronics b/g)--you need to have the phones actually pulling/using the signal from the amp. otherwise its kinda like batteries in a flashlight, the amperage is not being transferred thru the circuitry unless something (the bulb) is USING the power the device is delivering.
   
  i understand what you are saying though  i generally will stuff my headphones/device under a couch seat or pillow in another room and cover with a blanket or something to try to muffle the sound. i dont think full volume is necessary either as long as power is flowing from the amp circuit to the headphones. i usually leave my devices running overnight for a couple of nights, when i can generally hear a definite improvement. Some things, particulary raw speaker drivers (i build my own speaker systems from scratch) generally sound better after many hours of use... hope that helps!


----------



## kenman345

So before burn in with my ZO2.3 which I just got a few minutes ago and tested out with a few familiar songs.
  -The bass seems a bit underwhelmed, in the transparent sense. the changes between the different contour levels were not huge, and going from lowest to highest was quite a gradual change but noticeable
  - When on the max contour, it definitely sounds different than the mid range contours, when the bass gets to a certain point it seems to start compromising the mids a bit instead of bringing those levels up a bit with the bass section. 
  -What i can say is using a line out from a 7th gen iPod and Denon D2000's that at the lowest contour level and lowest volume, it sounds like an iPod unamped from the headphone jack at a little more than a 1/3rd the volume level from the iPod. in fact, testing to figure out about what level from my iPod and what level on the ZO2 are similar, their is a noticeable quality difference, quite noticeable. Having the iPod set on EQ off, the songs sounded like i could hear everything but i didnt really feel the music, like with the ZO2 even on its lowest setting made the music much more enjoyable. 
  
  I know it's not that descriptive, dont know all the terms or how best to describe it, but if you guys wanna ask any specific questions while you wait for the new revision to get to you i am happy to do so to the best of my ability. 
  Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Well yea at least the ZO2 v1 required some burn in, at least 20 hrs before starting to sound great, the difference was so huge between the first listen and later on I would have thought it was a different product almost. I didn't even think burn-in was something that amps was needing until I heard ZO2 v1 and compared to the ZO1 which had like 1000hrs+ on it as well as how it has changed now afterwards from initially sounding worse than ZO1 to sounding slightly better (at least with the HTF600 headphones).
> 
> Before burn-in it:
> 
> ...


----------



## FinnTheHumen

^ *ok bass .....[size=xx-large]BASS![/size]*
   
    ZO VS ZO2 on bass
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 as for right now befor burn in


----------



## estreeter

Just as it was with the original ZO, the focus for many here seems to be on the bass impact of the ZO2, but for me it goes beyond that:
   
  - I only use SmartVektor on the lowest settings, but even there the ZO2 moves everything *forward*, for a much more enveloping, intimate sound.
   
  - I agree with others that soundstage (width and depth) suffers, as does detail retrieval, but the overall effect remains very seductive with most of my music.
   
  I know I'll cop plenty for saying this, but the ZO seems closer to the Bose approach to sound quality (warm and lush) than the hardcore audiophile mantra of 'neutrality, transparency and accuracy'. It may well be 'your music on steroids', but there are times when most of us want to inject a little more va-va-voom into our music. Lovers of classical/chamber/orchestral and acoustic music are probably better off with another solution, but I suspect those folk knew that already.


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> - I agree with others that soundstage (width and depth) suffers, as does detail retrieval, but the overall effect remains very seductive with most of my music.


 

  In my opinion, this is no longer the case with rev3.


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> In my opinion, this is no longer the case with rev3.


----------



## DnB Sublimity

Just got my sis to order my Zo2 for x-mas.  I'll be pairing it with my Atrios Mg/7's mostly but I also have a MEE SP-51 I'll test it with.  Merry x-mas to me


----------



## SoulSyde

^ (Cue Xzibit) - "Yo dawg, I heard you like bass so I put a subwoofer in your subwoofer."


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Yea usually forward sound = smaller soundstage but it varies on the design of the cup / pads / how the space looks like between the ear and driver etc and it's not like ALL forward sounding have equally small soundstage. I also like forward / "in-your-face" sound for music but too much of it for gaming is detrimental as it becomes too "messy" especially in FPS games with lots of action going on at the same time. Ideally I'd want a forward sounding headphone but with large soundstage with very good imaging/position which seems hard to find.
> 
> I can imagine forward midrange as well as superb bass extension is the only thing it can't be described as BUT when paired with ZO2 it would still have "forward"-sounding midrange compared to many headphones without using ZO2 as SmartVektor tech has this kind of attribute to it. Then you could also boost it if necessary on a EQ a little.
> 
> ...


 

Rpg wiz, the dt990 pros seem exactly what you need, their sq, clarity, soundstage STOMPS the xb500, but they sound forward and
In your face while still having an amazing soundstage, plus the mid bass is better than both demon d2000 and dt770 pro 80, with a zoo, I fear they might be one of the best things in the planet >


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> Rpg wiz, the dt990 pros seem exactly what you need, their sq, clarity, soundstage STOMPS the xb500, but they sound forward and
> In your face while still having an amazing soundstage, plus the mid bass is better than both demon d2000 and dt770 pro 80, with a zoo, I fear they might be one of the best things in the planet >


 


  Man, you're everywhere with the same crap.  STOP ALREADY!


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> Man, you're everywhere with the same crap.  STOP ALREADY!


 


  What are you talking about?


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





ineedmorebase said:


> What are you talking about?


 


  You should know the answer to this question.  You're invading this thread, the basshead thread and who knows where else with the same stuff.  Please test some equipment for yourself, then post YOUR THOUGHTS.


----------



## ineedmorebase

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> You should know the answer to this question.  You're invading this thread, the basshead thread and who knows where else with the same stuff.  Please test some equipment for yourself, then post YOUR THOUGHTS.


 


  It is called conceptualizing and theorizing, I never say this headphone is better than the other, i always say "seem" and "appear to be", but of course you discard the details like that, now stop harrasing this thread and only post relevant stuff.


----------



## DnB Sublimity

Quote: 





soulsyde said:


> ^ (Cue Xzibit) - "Yo dawg, I heard you like bass so I put a subwoofer in your subwoofer."


 


  HAHAHA!!!!  Nice!


----------



## FinnTheHumen

Quote: 





soulsyde said:


> ^ (Cue Xzibit) - "Yo dawg, I heard you like bass so I put a subwoofer in your subwoofer."


----------



## SkinnyPuppy

How do I ship in my Zo2 so I can make it a ZO2V3?


----------



## Dragonfish

Quote: 





skinnypuppy said:


> How do I ship in my Zo2 so I can make it a ZO2V3?


 


  Post office?


----------



## btinc

Quote: 





dragonfish said:


> Post office?


 


   


  Quote: 





skinnypuppy said:


> How do I ship in my Zo2 so I can make it a ZO2V3?


 
   
   
http://www.digizoid.com/returns/index.php


----------



## SoulSyde

ineedmorebase = banned.  Ahhh, calm.... a moment of zen.


----------



## louisnomad

^lol


----------



## kenman345

Maybe a bit too quiet.....where'd the Bass go? (turns up ZO2.3 to RED) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





soulsyde said:


> ineedmorebase = banned.  Ahhh, calm.... a moment of zen.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

OT: What's with all the bans on this forum, I've never been on a forum where I see "banned" sign as often as weekly before. xD Are the people extra offensive/disobeying/desperate or this forum's mods bans you more easily than others? I hope you just don't get banned only cuz keep spamming DT990 Pro are like the holy grail that every1 needs to try, that would be kind of absurd.


----------



## shotgunshane

This thread needs pictures.  To bad mine is an original ZO.


----------



## kenman345

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> DT990 Pro are like the holy grail that every1 needs to try


 


  But how do they compare to the XB500's, lol.
   
  Oh boy, dont ban me, just having some fun, loving my ZO2 right now


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





shotgunshane said:


> This thread needs pictures.  To bad mine is an original ZO.


 
  Hey, Shotgun, can you give me your thoughts on a quick comparision between RE262 and GR07? I'm seriously thinking about a new upgrade... damn... lol
  Also, if you can, some thoughts about ZO driving the RE262. Is it enough to feed it?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





kenman345 said:


> But how do they compare to the XB500's, lol.
> 
> Oh boy, dont ban me, just having some fun, loving my ZO2 right now


 

 You got the ZO2 rev3 right? As I think u were the first person around here to get it. This is what I'd personally be curious about and test myself if I got the ZO2 v3 as it features now low/high gain, using headphone jack and see if it sounds better/different if using low (max vol level in low gain mode) or high gain mode and then obviously controlling the source volume to set it appropriately for similar output volumes. You get to the high gain by holding down the contour volume lvl switch for like 3 secs when you're at the highest vol level in low gain I believe MizMoxie said, just be careful with the volume especially when you're dealing with IEMs/sensitive headphones.
   
  I'm just curious to know exactly if low gain maybe sounds better with easily driven headphones or even those might prefer high gain even if it means you have to set volume on your source to like 11% like I am with ZO2 v1 on my soundcard.


----------



## shotgunshane

Quote: 





louisnomad said:


> Hey, Shotgun, can you give me your thoughts on a quick comparision between RE262 and GR07? I'm seriously thinking about a new upgrade... damn... lol


 

 I'll be posting that exact comparison soon in my RE262 thread linked in my sig.


----------



## kenman345

Yea, I did that test already. No noticeable difference between the two, I just prefer using my Line out on my ipod or turning my iPod up to about 75-85% and using the ZO2.3 to change the volume. The high gain is useful for using the ZO2 to output to my car though when I use the AUX. Of course, I do not know if this may change once burned in, but I the only difference I can tell from line out or headphone out is preference. The only reason I have a problem with HO is that I know I can use the Line out and get a purer signal to my ZO2. 
   
   
  Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> You got the ZO2 rev3 right? As I think u were the first person around here to get it. This is what I'd personally be curious about and test myself if I got the ZO2 v3 as it features now low/high gain, using headphone jack and see if it sounds better/different if using low (max vol level in low gain mode) or high gain mode and then obviously controlling the source volume to set it appropriately. You get to the high gain by holding down the contour volume lvl switch for like 3 secs I believe MizMoxie said.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





kenman345 said:


> Yea, I did that test already. No noticeable difference between the two, I just prefer using my Line out on my ipod or turning my iPod up to about 75-85% and using the ZO2.3 to change the volume. The high gain is useful for using the ZO2 to output to my car though when I use the AUX. Of course, I do not know if this may change once burned in, but I the only difference I can tell from line out or headphone out is preference. The only reason I have a problem with HO is that I know I can use the Line out and get a purer signal to my ZO2.


 

 OK ic well that's good, sounds like they've really improved things since ZO2 version 1 & 2.
   
  EDIT: Hmm if you set the iPod volume to 75-85% doesn't it easily result in distortion though especially if you boost the contour level? At least with previous ZO versions this has been the case that usually the higher your source volume is set the easier it results in distortion in songs. Why digiZoid even recommended to start out with around 25% on the source.


----------



## kenman345

I understand what you are saying, but mainly, i try to use as high quality audio sources as possible and I have never previously experienced distortion when using something between my music source and headphones/speakers that controls volume with the level from my iPod in that range. But if it's acting accordingly for me, then I guess that's a testament to the quality improvements since the previous revisions and other devices
  
  Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> OK ic well that's good, sounds like they've really improved things since ZO2 version 1 & 2.
> 
> EDIT: Hmm if you set the iPod volume to 75-85% doesn't it easily result in distortion though especially if you boost the contour level? At least with previous ZO versions this has been the case that usually the higher your source volume is set the easier it results in distortion in songs. Why digiZoid even recommended to start out with around 25% on the source.


----------



## gaspir324

As I am hoping to jump on the BA bandwagon and hoping to pair it with ZO what is its (ZO's) output impedance?


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> As I am hoping to jump on the BA bandwagon and hoping to pair it with ZO what is its (ZO's) output impedance?


 

 Good luck with that - I was initially going to ship my ZO2 to Voldemort to see if he would run the dScope over the thing, but I've since realised how good it is with music and movies. 
   
  To anyone asking if the ZO2 will drive the RE262, as long as your source has a reasonable amount of grunt, the answer is yes. I am listening to this combination as I type this:
   
*T51 -> ZO2V1 -> RE262*
   
  Its a good combination, IMO, but I've lost track of the gain situation with the V3 - the V1 has plenty of gain for the RE262.


----------



## sargaso

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> As I am hoping to jump on the BA bandwagon and hoping to pair it with ZO what is its (ZO's) output impedance?


 


  I measure zo's output impedance at 6.2 ohms.


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Good luck with that - I was initially going to ship my ZO2 to Voldemort to see if he would run the dScope over the thing, but I've since realised how good it is with music and movies.
> 
> To anyone asking if the ZO2 will drive the RE262, as long as your source has a reasonable amount of grunt, the answer is yes. I am listening to this combination as I type this:
> 
> ...


 


  The portables would be J3 and Clip+, and soon a DAC, straight from PC, to use with RE262. I'm just waiting for FiiO to release E17, then I will decide on wich DAC I will put my money. Thanks for the help!


----------



## shotgunshane

Quote: 





sargaso said:


> I measure zo's output impedance at 6.2 ohms.


 

 The original ZO had an output impedance of 0.2. I doubt the new one would jump 6 ohms.


----------



## sargaso

Quote: 





shotgunshane said:


> The original ZO had an output impedance of 0.2. I doubt the new one would jump 6 ohms.


 

 I don't have the original ZO to measure and I don't know if the changes they are currently making for the version 3 will change the output impedance, but the ZO2 version 1 that I had measured 6.2 ohms. Maybe they will put their measurements on their website for the ZO2 like for the original ZO but if they do I would bet that they would be for the final ZO2 v3 and not any of the in-between versions. I have previously measured the output impedance of the ibasso D10, TTVJ Slim, headstage Arrow 12he and some other devices and my measurement matched the manufacturers spec on all of them so I don't think I've made a mistake but nobody's perfect.


----------



## MuZo2

Any ideas , Who pays for the shipping(International) on returns ? I had sent mail to Zo2 support 8 days back had no reply.


----------



## au5t3n5

They should cover shipping back to you. You just have to pay for shipping to them out of your pocket.
   
  Quote: 





muzo2 said:


> Any ideas , Who pays for the shipping(International) on returns ? I had sent mail to Zo2 support 8 days back had no reply.


----------



## MuZo2

Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> They should cover shipping back to you. You just have to pay for shipping to them out of your pocket.


 

 For shipping unfinished product ?


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





sargaso said:


> I don't have the original ZO to measure and I don't know if the changes they are currently making for the version 3 will change the output impedance, but the ZO2 version 1 that I had measured 6.2 ohms. Maybe they will put their measurements on their website for the ZO2 like for the original ZO but if they do I would bet that they would be for the final ZO2 v3 and not any of the in-between versions. I have previously measured the output impedance of the ibasso D10, TTVJ Slim, headstage Arrow 12he and some other devices and my measurement matched the manufacturers spec on all of them so I don't think I've made a mistake but nobody's perfect.


 

 Thanks for putting in the time and effort to do this - can you tell us what gear you used to run the measurements ? (If only we all had a dScope and knew how to use it  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 )


----------



## au5t3n5

What?
   
  For returns, you need to ship it back to DigiZoid. Once they get it, they'll cover shipping back to you. So you only pay shipping one way.
  
  Quote: 





muzo2 said:


> For shipping unfinished product ?


----------



## burtomr

Quote: 





muzo2 said:


> For shipping unfinished product ?


 

 Welcome to the reality of owning the initial release of a new product...especially typical of electronics and cars.
   
  At least digiZoid is updating for free including 1/2 the shipping.
   
  Your choice next time is simple: wait till the product has been out for a while>>if you can<<<...it's not so easy to do.


----------



## sargaso

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Thanks for putting in the time and effort to do this - can you tell us what gear you used to run the measurements ? (If only we all had a dScope and knew how to use it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I have access to a Tektronics Oscilloscope and a signal generator. First you provide a 1Khz sinewave at about 150mv  input to the device (the ZO 2) and adjust the ZO 2 output so you get 400mv of signal without any load. Then load the output with a small resistor (10.1 ohms in my case) and measure the voltage. The output impedance is calculated by first calculating the current which is the loaded voltage divided by 10.1 ohms. Then multiplying this current by the difference of the "no load voltage" and the "loaded voltage"  ( 400mv - loaded voltage) equals the impedance. 
  I measured 248mv across the 10.1 ohms so the current was 248mv/10.1 = 24.55ma
  So the impedance is (400mv - 248mv) / 24.55ma  or  152mv / 24.55ma = 6.19 ohms
  You just need to make sure that the output is not overloaded , which is why only 400mv  and 10 ohms isused.


----------



## gaspir324

So no chance to pair it with BA IEMs as I've heard that you need the output impedance to be less than 1ohm. Correct or...?


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> So no chance to pair it with BA IEMs as I've heard that you need the output impedance to be less than 1ohm. Correct or...?


 


  Well as long as they have fixed this issue with the ZO2 Rev 3 I could care less. But I still know what you mean by the impedance offsetting BA. Does impedance change with high gain? I thought it did. Using high gain with my TF10s offsets the balance.


----------



## burtomr

Quote: 





lee730 said:


> ...Using high gain with my TF10s offsets the balance.


 


  Lee,  "offsets" or "upsets" ?


----------



## lee730

Guess that would be upsets lol.


----------



## DannyBai

So I got the ZO2 Rev.3 today and been testing them with the M80's.  The volume seems to be fixed from HO and LOD.  I think this was fixed on Rev.2, not sure.  I know this one has the high gain and when I turn the volume up, the blue turns to purple, which means it's in high gain, so I assume but nothing happens.  The volume level stays the same from the highest blue point to when it turns purple.  To make sure, I tested this with the HD650 because it's the hardest to drive headphone I own.  I cannot use it with ZO2 Rev.3 but my original ZO drives the HD650 with ease.  So, I'm not sure about the high gain mode, I guess.  Overall, it sounds fantastic, with the M80's anyway with LOD and HO.  I'll have to mess around with it more and use some iem's also.


----------



## ziocomposite

once you have it @ purple press up(Increase Vol) & hold it for about 3-5 seconds.  Then it will turn pink = high gain


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





ziocomposite said:


> once you have it @ purple press up(Increase Vol) & hold it for about 3-5 seconds.  Then it will turn pink = high gain


 

 This, would be interested in hearing if it can drive HD650 then or not. If it can that would be good news. =)


----------



## DigitalFreak

Right on we have more impressions I can hardly wait for another episode of As The Zo Turns. This is better then watching a movie.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





digitalfreak said:


> Right on we have more impressions I can hardly wait for another episode of As The Zo Turns. This is better then watching a movie.


 


  I'm looking forward to hearing more impressions as well as contributing them. Haven't received an email though regarding my unit being shipped to me. Did any of you receive confirmations on this?


----------



## maguire

Now Sorry I havent been following this topic as of late,shipped back my ZO2 v1 a while back, still have not got it back.
  Anyway Im assuming I will receive The ZO v3, now is this going to be good for me as primarily I will use with IEM's?


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





maguire said:


> Now Sorry I havent been following this topic as of late,shipped back my ZO2 v1 a while back, still have not got it back.
> Anyway Im assuming I will receive The ZO v3, now is this going to be good for me as primarily I will use with IEM's?


 


  I think with the Rev 3 you reap the benefits for both worlds (IEMS and full size). I mainly would use this with my IEMs on the go but also at him with my open-back denons. From what I heard initially after some burn in, the ZO2 sounded really good and added dynamics to the music that you just don't get without it. But the hiss and overpowering gain really ruined it for me. But if those issues weren't there to begin with "Digizoid has a winner".


----------



## maguire

Thanks Lee, Yes the hiss was the main reason I sent mine back. But with  that fixed im really looking forward to receiving it.
  So It does not matter what size cans you use? Nice.......


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





maguire said:


> Thanks Lee, Yes the hiss was the main reason I sent mine back. But with  that fixed im really looking forward to receiving it.
> So It does not matter what size cans you use? Nice.......


 


  Well at least when I used the ZO2 with my Denons it drove them very easily. More than enough power. Miss Moxie tested her product out with a full sizer and found it to drive the cans with authority (I think they were 250 ohms, quite high IMO). So you'll be using the ZO2 with your Customs from Unique melody? (I'm envious lol I can't wait to eventually get the Starkey SA-43s).


----------



## Arnotts

I haven't received an email confirming that mine has been shipped yet either. I got an email on the 14th saying mine would be shipped out early the following week, but it's still early in the week so I'm not too worried about delays.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





arnotts said:


> I haven't received an email confirming that mine has been shipped yet either. I got an email on the 14th saying mine would be shipped out early the following week, but it's still early in the week so I'm not too worried about delays.


 


  I'm not really worried about it either. Honestly the ZO2 was an impulse buy (kinda like the TF10s lol).


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





ziocomposite said:


> once you have it @ purple press up(Increase Vol) & hold it for about 3-5 seconds.  Then it will turn pink = high gain


 


  Thanks for letting me know.  I gave it a try and it works.  It does drive the HD650 with HO and LOD.  It gets pretty loud.  I wouldn't recommend with LOD since there's no way to adjust volume once hitting the high gain mode.  I didn't hear any distortion but it was loud.  Once going down from high gain mode, there's fuzz, static for a brief second and everything is back to normal.  From just a couple of quick listens to test out the features, I'd say so far so good.


----------



## ziocomposite

Guys I sent my Zo2 V1 on the 23rd of Nov RMA#26.  Received a tracking # on the 16th of Dec & was delivered yesterday the 19th.  <3 my Zo.  I'm mostly a headphone user but the hiss that was present in the v1 is not as loud as it was previously.
   
  I'm enjoying my Zo2 V3 =)
   
  & your welcome sir


----------



## estreeter

I must have been asleep when Mike posted this:
   
  http://www.headfonia.com/the-smartvektor-digizoid-zo/
   
  He doesnt refer to it as the 'ZO2', but the photos tell the story.


----------



## Posam

arnotts said:


> I haven't received an email confirming that mine has been shipped yet either. I got an email on the 14th saying mine would be shipped out early the following week, but it's still early in the week so I'm not too worried about delays.




When did you put your order in?


----------



## F900EX

I got my shipping email today.  If I remember correctly from the RMA I was 19 on the list.
   
  Btw with Headfonia's review, I get a good fuzzy feel about it but at the same time I feel its incomplete and missing or avoiding some points.


----------



## Arnotts

Quote: 





posam said:


> When did you put your order in?


 

 The 6th of December if I remember correctly.
   
  Very interested in that Headfonia review, because from what I can gather the author is more of a "purist" generally?


----------



## sn4ke1

Xb1000's + ZO2
 mmmm

 dnb, harddance, trance, dubstep
 amazing


----------



## treal512

Hey, sorry to not do my part beforehand, but what is the current state of the ZO version?
   
  Last I read, it was the hi-lo gain adjustment ZO2v3 model. I am wondering because since my college finals finished last week, I have been out of town visiting family with the intention of shipping my ZO2v1 (pre-order model) out when I had time. Well I have time now, but I am curious if there has been any forward progress by Digizoid on a new version and/or if there have been any impressions reported on the most current version. Thanks!


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





treal512 said:


> Hey, sorry to not do my part beforehand, but what is the current state of the ZO version?
> 
> Last I read, it was the hi-lo gain adjustment ZO2v3 model. I am wondering because since my college finals finished last week, I have been out of town visiting family with the intention of shipping my ZO2v1 (pre-order model) out when I had time. Well I have time now, but I am curious if there has been any forward progress by Digizoid on a new version and/or if there have been any impressions reported on the most current version. Thanks!


 

 So far the latest Version is ZO2 Rev. 3 and this model contains a gain switch so we can utilize both IEMs and full size cans. Hiss has been dramatically reduced and volume levels are more controllable. There are a couple good reviews on the newest revision but many of us don't have our ZO2s back yet so you'll have to wait for more confirmation.


----------



## bowei006

How does the ZO2 compare tot he E11 and the PA2V2?


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





lee730 said:


> So far the latest Version is ZO2 Rev. 3 and this model contains a gain switch so we can utilize both IEMs and full size cans. Hiss has been dramatically reduced and volume levels are more controllable. There are a couple good reviews on the newest revision but many of us don't have our ZO2s back yet so you'll have to wait for more confirmation.


 


  I received the ZO2 Rev.3 couple of days ago and it works as advertised.


----------



## pasan

Still no confirmation email, and I placed my order on the 7th of December


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

M-Audio Q40 + ZO2v1 = what a bass impact lol, about lvl 3-4 or so is fine for my taste compared to lvl6 with HTF600 or lvl1-2 with XB500. Feels like the cups are like jumping outwards almost from the bass impact but this headphone still manages to stay textured in the bass, it's not a one note bass note, very nice.


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> M-Audio Q40 + ZO2v1 = what a bass impact lol, about lvl 3-4 or so is fine for my taste compared to lvl6 with HTF600 or lvl1-2 with XB500. Feels like the cups are like jumping outwards almost from the bass impact but this headphone still manages to stay textured in the bass, it's not a one note bass note, very nice.


 

  
  Hey wizard! Is the Q40 a closed one??? The pictures show some mesh in the headphone cup, but the advertisement says it is closed... What about the sound? Any flaws on frequency range? I'm curious, because I'm pretending to buy my first full size closed headphone...


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





louisnomad said:


> Hey wizard! Is the Q40 a closed one??? The pictures show some mesh in the headphone cup, but the advertisement says it is closed... What about the sound? Any flaws on frequency range? I'm curious, because I'm pretending to buy my first full size closed headphone...


 

 It's fully closed with about average/slightly below avg isolation and no noteworthy leakage to speak of while worn but the pads aren't the best possible so I stuffed some paper beneath the pads (a half piece of paper towel in each side rolled into like 1 cm wide roll) which made the fit better. I find it very good sounding for the price, big bass with very even mids and highs except for a peak around 8kHz I tamed down on the EQ slightly, well my EQ settings are like follows:
   

   
  You can read more about it here http://www.head-fi.org/t/586251/picked-up-m-audio-q40-impressions


----------



## MusicHolic

Can I know where to get this? Currently in their website, it said "We are currently backordered". Or is it fine if I just purchase it right away?


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> It's fully closed with about average/slightly below avg isolation and no noteworthy leakage to speak of while worn but the pads aren't the best possible so I stuffed some paper beneath the pads (a half piece of paper towel in each side rolled into like 1 cm wide roll) which made the fit better. I find it very good sounding for the price, big bass with very even mids and highs except for a peak around 8kHz I tamed down on the EQ slightly, well my EQ settings are like follows:
> 
> 
> 
> You can read more about it here http://www.head-fi.org/t/586251/picked-up-m-audio-q40-impressions


 

 looks like i'm haunted by this frequency band... lol Thanks for the infos, I'm going to check the list!


----------



## Jae304

Quote: 





musicholic said:


> Can I know where to get this? Currently in their website, it said "We are currently backordered". Or is it fine if I just purchase it right away?


 

 I don't think you have a choice in where to buy it, I don't think it's sold anywhere else.


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





musicholic said:


> Can I know where to get this? Currently in their website, it said "We are currently backordered". Or is it fine if I just purchase it right away?


 

 We're backordered until Jan 9th.


----------



## bowei006

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> We're backordered until Jan 9th.


 

 Is there an amplifier rating or specification for the ZO2? Like 300mW or something @ something Ohms?


----------



## Posam

Quote: 





bowei006 said:


> Is there an amplifier rating or specification for the ZO2? Like 300mW or something @ something Ohms?


 


  I read somewhere that it powers stuff up to about 300 Ohms.
   
  Still waiting on shipping confirmation for mine as well (ordered in the 12th)


----------



## FinnTheHumen

*This guy got the ZO2 before me *


----------



## louisnomad

i think MizMoxie sent something more to him...


----------



## Varley

So did they ship the V3's out already for the pre order guys? It's been so long since I checked I've lost track of dates and stuff


----------



## DnB Sublimity

My sis just told me my Zo2 wasn't going to make it on time for Christmas - at first I thought she was joking, then showed me the backorder e-mail from Cindy.  So disappointed


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

I absolutely love the sound of ZO2 on lvl6 or so with these M-Audio Q40 headphones, so far from the truth that ZO2 is just a bass boost device, oh man, listening to this song over and over and it just gives the right amount weight to the piano to sound realistic, without ZO it sounds so "tinny", stringent.


----------



## gaspir324

The ones with 2.3 can you calculate the output impedance?


----------



## DigitalFreak

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> I absolutely love the sound of ZO2 on lvl6 or so with these M-Audio Q40 headphones, so far from the truth that ZO2 is just a bass boost device, oh man, listening to this song over and over and it just gives the right amount weight to the piano to sound realistic, without ZO it sounds so "tinny", stringent.


 

 Listen to that song on a DT1350 and your jaw would drop RPG


----------



## Posam

Quote: 





dnb sublimity said:


> My sis just told me my Zo2 wasn't going to make it on time for Christmas - at first I thought she was joking, then showed me the backorder e-mail from Cindy.  So disappointed


 

 So wait, I haven't gotten any emails even though I ordered on the 12th, they haven't shipped so I wouldn't have a shipping conformation but should I have emails regarding the back order or no??


----------



## DnB Sublimity

IDK - but here's what they told her in case it's useful for you:

 "The digiZoid team would like to thank you for your ZO2 purchase.
   
  Due to popular demand, we went into backorder mode on December 13th. We have been working closely with our manufacturer to give us a quicker production run than we had originally scheduled. The good news is that we now have a promised date from them for our next run, which is the first week of January. Given this date, we should start shipping backorders the second week of January. 
   
  You will receive a Paypal notice, with tracking number, when your order does ship."


----------



## Posam

Well at least I know when it was back ordered since I did order mine kind of late on the 12th but I've been kind of worried since I haven't gotten any emails, all I have is the paypal confirmation.


----------



## Arnotts

I ordered on the 6th of December, and then got a confirmation email on the 14th saying it would be shipped out early next week. Did your confirmation email say yours was going to be shipped out at a later date?


----------



## DnB Sublimity

Send them an e-mail with your paypal confirmation and ask for shipment status.


----------



## hartphoto

Quote: 





dnb sublimity said:


> IDK - but here's what they told her in case it's useful for you:
> 
> "The digiZoid team would like to thank you for your ZO2 purchase.
> 
> ...


 
  Hopefully this doesn't slip, and the QC is as expected....looking forward to the options ZO2v3 will allow over my mSeeds 'Faith' amp. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Purchased a ZO2 on 12/21.
   
  Patience is a virtue....patience is a....patience.....now wheres my tracking email/number?


----------



## DnB Sublimity

I think they'll probably do QC tests that first week in January and make sure everything's legit, then send 'em next week.  Pure speculation by me, but makes sense


----------



## hartphoto

Quote: 





dnb sublimity said:


> I think they'll probably do QC tests that first week in January and make sure everything's legit, then send 'em next week.  Pure speculation by me, but makes sense


 

 Yeah.....obviously they are still working today and watching this thread. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Took me literally......and I received the above email about the backlog a bit ago.  No worries, I'm not in a hurry....just trying to be funny.....


----------



## DnB Sublimity

Quote: 





hartphoto said:


> *... I'm not in a hurry....*


 


  That makes one of us.  Was really hoping I'd get it on Christmas 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Anyways, hope you enjoy your holidays too if you're celebrating.  That reminds me I should really go out and buy some beer for tomorrow


----------



## lee730

I got my confirmation. Looking forward to testing this bad boy out...
   

```
[size=9pt] Hello Jimmy, Your ZO2 version 3, with high gain mode, was shipped by United States Postal Service (Air Mail) on Dec. 23rd., with a scheduled delivery of 8 to 10 business days. A revised Smart Start Guide is accompanying your ZO. Please take a few moments to review it, as changes to the functionally have been made. Best regards and happy holidays, Cindy, digiZoid customer service[/size]
```


----------



## bowei006

I was almost going to order the ZO2...but then the E17 was given a date


----------



## JamesMcProgger

(rockboxed) Clip+ > Zo2 > Ety MC5
   
  I've been using that as portable for over 2 weeks now. I always liked the etys for their midrange and clear sound, but always though they sounded "thin". but not anymore, and the hiss is almost unnoticeable. I'm using the yelow to orange contour level and it is just perfect. bass impact is unexpected for a single BA IEMs with a small tube body.
   
  BTW, I read like 1 month ago that we were (finally) getting real technicall specs for the Zo2, but I cant find them anywhere.


----------



## soundbear

I got my Z02 upgraded or "repaired" a few weeks after receiving it and compared it to the UHA4 and 601 with my GR07's.   After a short 20 min A/B, I concluded that the Z0 reduced the mid/high dynamics.   Just now I did a much longer A/B, this time with my touch(also cracked 3 days earlier) and uha4, GR07's again(I accidently smashed the screen of my 601 with my elbow getting into my truck- klutzomania!!)    After an hour with acoustic/vocal, I made the same conclusion.    Definately the bass is tighter and louder with the Z0 at the lowest contour setting 0, but voices lose their dynamics and sounded compressed.   To some ears, I'm sure this may sound "smoother" but to there is a definate ceiling to voices and guitars etc. (*I actually compared the infamous latest version of the Arrow and Uha4 half a year ago, and sent back the Arrow*.)   This A/B with the Z02 with my UHA4 confirms to me the awesomeness of the 4.   While it would be nice to have a tighter and perhaps louder bass, I'll try to get that thru my IEM's, hopefully my JH5, due to arrive any day will equal the bass of my GR07 or better it.  Actually, if the UHA4 had a bass boost.... maybe by next Xmas!


----------



## lee730

I presume you are gonna sell your ZO2 then? Will have to do some comparisons when my unit arrives.
  Quote: 





soundbear said:


> I got my Z02 upgraded or "repaired" a few weeks after receiving it and compared it to the UHA4 and 601 with my GR07's.   After a short 20 min A/B, I concluded that the Z0 reduced the mid/high dynamics.   Just now I did a much longer A/B, this time with my touch(also cracked 3 days earlier) and uha4, GR07's again(I accidently smashed the screen of my 601 with my elbow getting into my truck- klutzomania!!)    After an hour with acoustic/vocal, I made the same conclusion.    Definately the bass is tighter and louder with the Z0 at the lowest contour setting 0, but voices lose their dynamics and sounded compressed.   To some ears, I'm sure this may sound "smoother" but to there is a definate ceiling to voices and guitars etc. (*I actually compared the infamous latest version of the Arrow and Uha4 half a year ago, and sent back the Arrow*.)   This A/B with the Z02 with my UHA4 confirms to me the awesomeness of the 4.   While it would be nice to have a tighter and perhaps louder bass, I'll try to get that thru my IEM's, hopefully my JH5, due to arrive any day will equal the bass of my GR07 or better it.  Actually, if the UHA4 had a bass boost.... maybe by next Xmas!


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





soundbear said:


> I got my Z02 upgraded or "repaired" a few weeks after receiving it and compared it to the UHA4 and 601 with my GR07's.   After a short 20 min A/B, I concluded that the Z0 reduced the mid/high dynamics.   Just now I did a much longer A/B, this time with my touch(also cracked 3 days earlier) and uha4, GR07's again(I accidently smashed the screen of my 601 with my elbow getting into my truck- klutzomania!!)    After an hour with acoustic/vocal, I made the same conclusion.    Definately the bass is tighter and louder with the Z0 at the lowest contour setting 0, but voices lose their dynamics and sounded compressed.   To some ears, I'm sure this may sound "smoother" but to there is a definate ceiling to voices and guitars etc. (*I actually compared the infamous latest version of the Arrow and Uha4 half a year ago, and sent back the Arrow*.)   This A/B with the Z02 with my UHA4 confirms to me the awesomeness of the 4.   While it would be nice to have a tighter and perhaps louder bass, I'll try to get that thru my IEM's, hopefully my JH5, due to arrive any day will equal the bass of my GR07 or better it.  Actually, if the UHA4 had a bass boost.... maybe by next Xmas!


 


  I presume you have ZO2.2?


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> I presume you have ZO2.2?


 


  Yes he does. So you are saying the Z02 Rev. 3 doesn't exhibit this issue?


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





lee730 said:


> Yes he does. So you are saying the Z02 Rev. 3 doesn't exhibit this issue?


 


  You are correct. Rev 3 doesn't have that issue.


----------



## soundbear

So you are saying I need to send it back to you again?   Then how about emailing a prepaid postage as I mailed it back last time.   That would be the professional thing to do since you got everybody on the site excited then had everyone send it back to you cause it wasn't right.   I'm sure you are professional in handling your customers for your mistakes?


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





soundbear said:


> So you are saying I need to send it back to you again?   Then how about emailing a prepaid postage as I mailed it back last time.   That would be the professional thing to do since you got everybody on the site excited then had everyone send it back to you cause it wasn't right.   I'm sure you are professional in handling your customers for your mistakes?


 

 lol soundbear. Good luck on that one. I agree with you on this one though.


----------



## burtomr

^^............


----------



## louisnomad

I did the first mistake when I bought it on pre order... So, I'll keep it until everything is fine, then I'll send it back, if everything goes OK with the revisions... I think it was a huge mistake for everyone that sent it back for rev 2...


----------



## MrNurse

In! Since I'm interested in purchasing this after everything is sorted out.


----------



## mrAdrian

Quote: 





louisnomad said:


> I did the first mistake when I bought it on pre order... So, I'll keep it until everything is fine, then I'll send it back, if everything goes OK with the revisions... I think it was a huge mistake for everyone that sent it back for rev 2...


 


  Sending the ZO back for rev 2 is indeed not the smartest thing to do (since you should've already learnt by rev 1), but that is not our mistake... Rather digizoid should really take responsibility of it, even including the ones who pre-ordered the ZO2. Free postage should at least be offered for repairs even if the customer is overseas, since they were the ones who helped spreading the news and were loyal/passion enough to support the company by being the guinea pig.


----------



## gaspir324

Is it worth to send rev2 back IEM wise?


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> Is it worth to send rev2 back IEM wise?


 

 Im not quite so sure... I actually got ZO2 Rev 3 back and will have to do more comparing. While the sound is nice, I still notice hiss from my IE80s. Mids do take a bit of a back seat as soundbear mentioned. Raising the volume does compensate for it but I'm not so sure if I will be keeping my ZO2 at this point. Will have to do more testing to determine this. Now for IEMs that need more bass the ZO2 is a very viable option. Just that my IEMs are very capable as is. Well we'll see. More impressions to come...


----------



## ANDEROAN

well it was us Head-Fiers that did most of the spreading here on Head-Fi, MizMoxie was only awesome in being supportive by hosting 2 contestest and keeping us informed with product info, during the developement part of this long process, she never hyped or gave any false expectations, we did that of our own accord, to ourselves, so however we read between the lines is our own doing,
   
  and when there is a release of a new product it is always protocol?common sense to wait, unless we have ants in our pants and can't, and jumping the gun on any new product always holds risks! that's R&D>product distribution, look at Robert and the Arrow, you can get an upgrade on your older model Arrow for only $25.00!! its one thing executed on paper, and totally another to actually executing it, oh and of course revision revision revision, look at Microsoft and Windows 7, its only a revision of what Vista shouls have been to begin with, and they marketed it as a toatlly different product, and they where ssooo kind enough to let us buy it as something new, when it should have been a FREE upgrade!!! so from a one man show, to the multi conglomerates the have thousands of hands at work in the R&D process, that's always the abc's of industry, until bugs are worked out for anything, and probably even more so when it come to the particular tastes of all of us Head-Fiers, ggrrr, and ugh! I would have gladly have sent Vista back at my expense to get the Windows 7/upgrade lousy %#$@ Microsoft, lol, and DigiZoid, will do it free!!! well minus the shipping expenses back to them, when all they had to do was follow suit of corporate, and screw us over, with calling it a new product and sell it to us outright! ggrrr, ugh! so yes it would be nice in a perfect world, but...they didn't, I feel for those that live overseas $$, yes it sucks, but...abc's, hopefully with any of our next time new product purchases we will learn and hold off untill it is tested tried and true! and even then there will be risk, minimized by far, but still there is risk, it starts when we get up out of bed in the morning, lol,
   
  and hey Lee fyi soundbear only has the ZOv2.2, he doesn't have the V2.3. so becareful with any comparisions you make with his input, as there is a big difference between the 2 versions from what I'm reading, so it is very interesting that your noticing the same similiarities in the ZOv2.3 with the mids taking a back seat, as soundbear does with his ZOv2.2? I think I'll wait for the ZOv3.3, lol
   
  ok ester time for your comments on my input you have the post!


----------



## gaspir324

Quote: 





lee730 said:


> Im not quite so sure... I actually got ZO2 Rev 3 back and will have to do more comparing. While the sound is nice, I still notice hiss from my IE80s. Mids do take a bit of a back seat as soundbear mentioned. Raising the volume does compensate for it but I'm not so sure if I will be keeping my ZO2 at this point. Will have to do more testing to determine this. Now for IEMs that need more bass the ZO2 is a very viable option. Just that my IEMs are very capable as is. Well we'll see. More impressions to come...


 


   
  Could you post your impressions on ZO2+IE80 when you've had your time reviewing it?


----------



## lee730

You have a point and yet you don't. I think its good that Digizoid it taking responsibility and trying to fix the issues to the best of their knowledge. But to make excuses for those mistakes by bringing Microsoft and Robert into this isn't gonna make things right. The fact that Robert doesn't have much of any customer support or customer service for that matter is one BIG reason I stayed clear of him. I also managed to pick up an amp that destroys his Arrow flagship at a fraction of the cost (UHA4). Soundbear made his comparisons between the UHA4 and the ZO2. I made mine between the ZO2 and between the HO of my Hifiman 601 (which is very powerful as is). I can clearly hear what Soundbear is talking about regarding the vocals. The vocals take a slight back-seat in the presentation and aren't as apparent when compared to the stock HO of the 601. Now the bass department is an improvement but I'm not sure if I wanna sacrifice in certain areas to get this. The bass is still very much present as the 601 emphasizes this and of course the IE80s have nice quantity and quality bass as is. (BTW the IE8s suck in comparison to the IE80s if you all are curious).
  
  Quote: 





anderoan said:


> well it was us Head-Fiers that did most of the spreading here on Head-Fi, MizMoxie was only awesome in being supportive by hosting 2 contestest and keeping us informed with product info, during the developement part of this long process, she never hyped or gave any false expectations, we did that of our own accord, to ourselves, so however we read between the lines is our own doing,
> 
> and when there is a release of a new product it is always protocol?common sense to wait, unless we have ants in our pants and can't, and jumping the gun on any new product always holds risks! that's R&D>product distribution, look at Robert and the Arrow, you can get an upgrade on your older model Arrow for only $25.00!! its one thing executed on paper, and totally another to actually executing it, oh and of course revision revision revision, look at Microsoft and Windows 7, its only a revision of what Vista shouls have been to begin with, and they marketed it as a toatlly different product, and they where ssooo kind enough to let us buy it as something new, when it should have been a FREE upgrade!!! so from a one man show, to the multi conglomerates the have thousands of hands at work in the R&D process, that's always the abc's of industry, until bugs are worked out for anything, and probably even more so when it come to the particular tastes of all of us Head-Fiers, ggrrr, and ugh! I would have gladly have sent Vista back at my expense to get the Windows 7/upgrade lousy %#$@ Microsoft, lol, and DigiZoid, will do it free!!! well minus the shipping expenses back to them, when all they had to do was follow suit of corporate, and screw us over, with calling it a new product and sell it to us outright! ggrrr, ugh! so yes it would be nice in a perfect world, but...they didn't, I feel for those that live overseas $$, yes it sucks, but...abc's, hopefully with any of our next time new product purchases we will learn and hold off untill it is tested tried and true! and even then there will be risk, minimized by far, but still there is risk, it starts when we get up out of bed in the morning, lol,
> 
> ...


----------



## ANDEROAN

> and hey Lee fyi soundbear only has the ZOv2.2, *he doesn't have the V2.3. so becareful with any comparisions you make with his input, as there is a big difference between the 2 versions from what I'm reading*, so it is very interesting that your noticing the same similiarities in the ZOv2.3 with the mids taking a back seat, as soundbear does with his ZOv2.2? I think I'll wait for the ZOv3.3, lol


 
  oops! hey Lee I just reread you other posts and you already know that SoundBear has the ZOv2.2? sorry, so when you talk about his input, your already pointing out that the 2 versions the ZOv2.2 and the ZOv2.3 have the same mids taking a back seat effect, ding the lightbulb just came on, thanks! lol
   
  edit: I thought you were comparing the 2 diferent versions of the ZOv2.2 and the 2.3, and the backseat effect thanks for clarifying!


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





anderoan said:


> oops! hey Lee I just reread you other posts and you already know that SoundBear has the ZOv2.2? sorry, so when you talk about his input, your already pointing out that the 2 versions the ZOv2.2 and the ZOv2.3 have the same mids taking a back seat effect, ding the lightbulb just came on, thanks! lol


 


   
  No problem I'm of course not trying to troll. Just confirming Soundbears findings. Keep in mind we are using IEMs and this may not be the case on full size cans. I still have to test some more. But if this keeps bugging me, and it was bugging me even before Soundbear posted his comments; I may just end up posting my unit on the for sale thread. I've spend way too much on audio equipment within these last few months so...


----------



## ANDEROAN

Quote:


lee730 said:


> *You have a point and yet you don't. I think its good that Digizoid it taking responsibility and trying to fix the issues to the best of their knowledge. But to make excuses for those mistakes by bringing Microsoft and Robert into this isn't gonna make things right*. The fact that Robert doesn't have much of any customer support or customer service for that matter is one BIG reason I stayed clear of him. I also managed to pick up an amp that destroys his Arrow flagship at a fraction of the cost (UHA4). Soundbear made his comparisons between the UHA4 and the ZO2. I made mine between the ZO2 and between the HO of my Hifiman 601 (which is very powerful as is). I can clearly hear what Soundbear is talking about regarding the vocals. The vocals take a slight back-seat in the presentation and aren't as apparent when compared to the stock HO of the 601. Now the bass department is an improvement but I'm not sure if I wanna sacrifice in certain areas to get this. The bass is still very much present as the 601 emphasizes this and of course the IE80s have nice quantity and quality bass as is. (BTW the IE8s suck in comparison to the IE80s if you all are curious).


 

 hhmmm, not not trying to fix or to justify anything, just pointing out how big and small business, conduct business, and how they conduct their PR, some thru negelct, and a small upgrade fee, and others who pass the buck along, and make you buy the slighlty upgraded/fixed version outright, and then with DigiZoid hanging tough, in with their customers! comendable!
   
  and yes Sound Bear makes the same statement with the ZO2.2 as you are with the ZOv2.3? albiet different sources, thanks for clearifying, but it was interesting to read that you made the same staement, lol
   
  and I agree with you on the Uha4, it will be my next amp after I sell or trade in my Arrow 2.2g!


----------



## estreeter

Whatever - I just enjoy my 2.1 and leave the debates to the mass debating team.


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Whatever - I just enjoy my 2.1 and leave the debates to the mass debating team.


 


  +1

 if some of the revisions do the right things, then i'll try... for now, I like it the way it is...


----------



## mrAdrian

The ZO2.1 works wonder with the ATH-ew9 
   
  Now who wants pictures?


----------



## louisnomad

Interesting thing is that I'm using it with IEMs and the hiss does not bother me at all...


----------



## ANDEROAN

whatever to your whatevers!​   
  like I said on the ZOv1 thread, that baby beauty is a wonderous marvel of amazement, and I will hold onto that until the ZOv3.3 comes around, and support DigiZoid, in their super awesome comendable effort at hanging in tough with all of their customers, if only others could follow their business model, hey ester sounds like you might even learn a thing or two, hhmm, on second thought probably not,
   
  Quote:


estreeter said:


> Whatever - I just enjoy my 2.1 and *leave the debates to the mass debating team.*


 
  well ester, thats certainly refreshing and good to hear, seeing that after all of your bashing on the ZOv2 even before it came out or you heard it for yourself, now only if you can listen first and bash later, but it is nice to see you can talk out of both sides of your face, ha ha ha, like I've said comments on comments your a great one for that, have a Happy ZO year, ZO ZO ZO! did you enjoy the lumps of coal santa put  in your stocking! 
   
*yea right ester! that will be the day! its more like whatever suits your mood, or your fancy! have another drink my friend!*
   
        Quote:


louisnomad said:


> +1
> 
> if some of the revisions do the right things, then i'll try... for now, *I like it the way it is...*


 
   
  great to hear louis! and thats the way it should be, happy listening!


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Well I don't hear any mids taking backseat at least on my ZO2v1, will see how ZO2 v3 compares like when it finally arrives, haven't seen any updates on the tracking since December 16th so getting a bit worried about the shipment...
   
  Did you guys remember to burn it in? That may be it, the bass was quite overhelming on my ZO2.1 and everything else took the backseat at first but it changed a lot since the initial listen.


----------



## ANDEROAN

hey RPG, I sure hope so, I look forward to what you find out, did they let you upgrade your ZOvatar prize, or did you buy the ZOv2.3 outright? oh by the way our leader is over there > lol, I still get a kick out of your ZOvatar!


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Well I bought the ZO2v3 by my own free will / suggestion. They were nice and didn't have to pay full price but I would have probably done so if I had to as I love the SmartVektor sound and want to show my support as I want to see more ZO products in the future. Sure I was one of the lucky winners of a ZO2v1 so I probably shouldn't have needed to pay but I didn't mind especially since I already had won a ZO2 which I'm happy with so I wouldn't lose anything by paying and then I also get to keep this ZO2v1 so I can better compare the two and in worst case scenario if the ZO2v3 would turn out to sound worse I still got the v1 too.
   
  I also eventually probably update my ZO1 review with ZO2 details where I'd kinda need the latest version as it's slightly different with this high and low gain and could possibly have some sonic differences as well in case they are using different components. Also I'm curious to know if it sounds any better. 
   
  That I'm such a fan of this product doesn't mean I'd lie about it if I don't like what I'm hearing and will probably write if I find good or bad things but at least I learnt by my mistake from ZO2v1 that I will have to let these burn in before making any proper judgement as ZO2v1 changed from being slightly worse sounding compared to ZO1 to slightly better sounding than ZO1 after burn-in!
   
  Kinda funny that they only have released a ZO1 and ZO2 so far but still I will have 3 ZOs. ^_^ ZO3 is a must buy for me too in case it will have fullrange smartvektor adjustment / treble boost adjustability.


----------



## ANDEROAN

cool I hear you, seems as if you right on the ball with covering all the angles, and being thorough which is awesome, you won't leave any stones unturned, but if you do I'm sure one of us will let you know, like did you try listening to it with your head tilted on a slight angle, lol, or while wearing a red hat, LOL, ok I'll quit it, but I will look forward to reading what you find out, and then I might hop on board with the final version of the wonderful ZOv2.3! and listen to what my iPod LO sounds like - my GS Voyager inbetween my ZOv1 and my iPod! or like you said hold onto my ZOv1, and wait for the ZOv3.2 lol, with full spectrun smart vector tech! has a very nice ring to it! or FSSVT for short, well lets hope they figure everything thing out before they put it on the street, but from R&D to actual ZO in hand, no matter how many precautions you take, there is always a monkey wrench or two that can't be planned for, like I said its comendable and I'm impressed with the business model DigiZoid represents, in standing tough with all of us wonderful Hi-Fiers!! kudos MizMoxie! and to all of your family, cheers to you, so happy listening! and Happy New Year! you wonderful little bass head you, lol, hhmmm I wonder what the next contest will be? yea right, not! oorrr maybe,,, yes! lol


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

I think you forgot to mention the "tinfoil hat wearing scenario"  FSSVT sounds so geeky. 
   
  BTW I absolutely love this new short sneak peak by my favorite DJ collab atm, been listening to it over and over again, need the full track! The atmosphere & that melody in the climax part! :O


----------



## FinnTheHumen




----------



## ANDEROAN

hey Finn that's ZO right on the money!! and a Happy FSSVT Year to you to, lol, yep geeky, hope MizMoxie can come up with something better and more catchy when the ZOv3 hits the street, hey maybe she needs some help, hhmmm, what could she do that would help her with this impossible task, and something that doesn't involve any superhuman dna splicing, no no its on the tip of my tongue, oh nope now its gone again, oh well I'll just leave it up to her, she's always a good sport, when it come to eggheaded contests! hey that's it she should hold a raffle, lol,


----------



## F900EX

ZO2v3 arrived. First impressions are mixed. 
   
  The Good :  IMO Excellent customer service they went above and beyond, sure some international buyers got the short end with having to pay more shipping charges and import tax, but in post 980 says it all, especially in the 1st part.   Hardly any hiss, and NO popping when switching it on. No complaints there.
   
  The Mixed impressions :  I am not going to say bad since it's too early for me to really give a good impression but the difference between the high and low gain is huge. Using a Cowon J3 with Blox M2C earbuds says it all .  At the setting of low gain with max volume on the ZO with the J3 at a volume of 30 lol  is still wayyyy less then directly connecting the earbuds directly having the J3 at the same volume.  The real disappointing thing for me anyways using the contour levels from low to max, really makes very little difference or a difference that justifies me using the ZO.
   
  Using high gain I get too much distortion and again do not see any real benefit compared to using it earbuds directly. So far I am just really disappointed. The ZO2 v1 had problems but it worked you could hear the difference.  Nearly 2 months on with the ZO2 V3 problems solved, but the sounds does not seem or sound the same. 
   
  To be fair I have only tried it with the M2C earbuds, but it paired well with the V1 no reason why it would not pair well with the V3. I have other Headphones and IEMs I can try and will but for me I get the feeling I am at the end of the road for the ZO2.  I don't mean to post negative but I won't fluff it up just to get people all excited for nothing.  Maybe it's me, it's just that I feel the synergy is gone that I heard with the ZO2 V1 despite the problems it had.
   
  I will give it a chance, but if my impressions stay the same of to the for sale section it goes.
   
  Either way I really wish Digizoid the best and will buy the next ZO that comes out.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Have you burnt it in? My ZO2.1 changed massively after burn-in. Was quite dissappointed at first but it started sounding a lot better after 20hrs but continued improving past that as well.


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





f900ex said:


> ZO2v3 arrived. First impressions are mixed.
> 
> The Good :  IMO Excellent customer service they went above and beyond, sure some international buyers got the short end with having to pay more shipping charges and import tax, but in post 980 says it all, especially in the 1st part.   Hardly any hiss, and NO popping when switching it on. No complaints there.
> 
> ...


 

 Isn't high gain meant for high impedance cans, not earbuds?  
  I'm surprised you didn't blow your eardrums if you tested this.  
  I have mixed feelings about it too only because I own the original ZO and this version is just a sidestep from the original.


----------



## F900EX

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> Isn't high gain meant for high impedance cans, not earbuds?
> I'm surprised you didn't blow your eardrums if you tested this.
> I have mixed feelings about it too only because I own the original ZO and this version is just a sidestep from the original.


 

  
  Yes, but the point is Low gain IMO does very little and high gain is like you said too much, its like taking a shower you're choice is hot or cold but not both.
   
  RPG, no not "burned in" But I do agree with after a day or 2 using the ZO2v1 it improved and was a keeper with the sound, problem with V3 is, no burn in will not solve the volume issue


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





f900ex said:


> RPG, no not "burned in" But I do agree with after a day or 2 using the ZO2v1 it improved and was a keeper with the sound, problem with V3 is, no burn in will not solve the volume issue


 

 What you mean volume issue? The highest point of the low gain mode in v3 is so it can be used with LOD with IEMs, then it NEEDS to be that silent compared to using HO on your J3, it actually might be still almost too loud for some IEMs with such setup. But ZO2v1 or ZO1 didn't even have this feature, those are just like using high gain in v3 except u can't control the volume in high gain. But the volume control is mostly useful for LOD users, HO users shouldn't need to use it. Look, it's not an easy task to make it fit for every possible config.
   
  But if they want to further expand compability/usability in the future ZO3 for example and to truly cover all kinds of setups in the best way possible, this is what could be done as my suggestion; Add a separate small gain switch to the side somewhere like this which is separate from the volume control switch so that you can control the volume in both gain modes and possibly even add a "medium" gain with a gain strength that is right in the middle of the current high and low gain which would fit perfectly for IEMs/Headphones volume-wise when using headphone jack with an ohm rating of aprox 24 ~ 64 ohm & medium sensitivity.
   
  As it seems currently like in your case, using headphone out with a higher ohm IEM or a low ohm headphone you get "right in the middle" that doesn't fit perfectly with neither low or high gain. But again, if they made your config to work perfectly some1 else would have to suffer from this instead if only sticking to the current config of the low/high gain. But yea currently if using headphone out and you are a low ohm headphone user or higher ohm IEM user it might mean either you have to use low gain and set source volume to perhaps around 50~80% or you use high gain and have to set source volume to like 10~20%.
   
  I've personally used ZO2v1 from headphone jack and I've always maxed the volume on it (and my source volume is set to 11~15% depending on headphone) as it seems to sound best that way to me anyway so haven't had any use of the volume control, for a LOD user it's a must have though.
   
  Since high/low gain wasn't even a planned feature for ZO2 to begin with I feel you're nagging about something which wasn't planned to be there in first case. But yea remember to send feedback to digizoid (there was a specific email for that) and digiZoid might look into it for future products.
   
  EDIT: To sum up:
   
  ZO2_v1: Couldn't be used as a LOD setup with any IEMs or easier driven headphones
  ZO2_v2: Couldn't be used with any headphones with an ohm rating aprox ~80 ohm and higher & medium sensitivity
  ZO2_v3: Can be used with IEMs with LOD + can be used with headphones up to a ohm rating aprox 250 ~ 300 ohm but 32 ~ 80 ohm or so headphone/IEM users using Headphone jack on the source is not perfectly matched but still very usable and can be using either high or low gain


----------



## F900EX

I will try using a LOD and see what happens, using Klipsch Image X10 IEMs I can now hear the different contour levels and see if I can make it work.    
Regarding the M2C earbuds, I think it's a matter of the synergy is gone from them using the V3 vs the V1. 
   
Like I said I am not complaining, not looking for a refund lol, I know what I signed up for sometimes it works out sometimes it don't. 
   
Maybe I just need to find the right headphones for the ZO and also work for me.  I love using the Blox M2C earbuds, just such an impressive sound stage, clarity - details it's hard to go back to anything else.


----------



## Vuk33

So is the v3 the last of the updates? I would like to order the Zo2 but not if they are still having problems with it.


----------



## djevoultion

I emailed them and they said ZO2 rev 3 is the last and final model for at least a year.
   
I'm confused with people having volume issues, from what I understand, can't you control the volume on the Zo2 digitally and also control the volume on the source?


----------



## louisnomad

Quote: 





djevoultion said:


> I emailed them and they said ZO2 rev 3 is the last and final model for at least a year.
> 
> I'm confused with people having volume issues, from what I understand, can't you control the volume on the Zo2 digitally and also control the volume on the source?


 


  Yes, you can, as long as you use the HO. Using a LO you can only use the ZO2 volume control.
   
  So, ZO2v3 is the last revision? hmmm Then I think it is better to keep the original ZO2 I use the bypass function a lot and I still want to hear some reviews comparing the SmartVektor contour on v1 and v3. Seems that the only one that can tell us about it, for now, is RPGWizard...


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





f900ex said:


> ZO2v3 arrived.
> 
> The Mixed impressions :  ... the difference between the high and low gain is huge. Using a Cowon J3 with Blox M2C earbuds says it all .  At the setting of low gain with max volume on the ZO with the J3 at a volume of 30 lol  is still wayyyy less then directly connecting the earbuds directly having the J3 at the same volume.  The real disappointing thing for me anyways using the contour levels from low to max, really makes very little difference or a difference that justifies me using the ZO.
> 
> Using high gain I get too much distortion and again do not see any real benefit compared to using it earbuds directly.


 


   
   
  After reading the recent posts, I've noticed that there seems to be some confusion regarding when to use the low or high gain mode. So I would like to take a moment to try and clarify this for everyone...
   
*First, both the low and high gain modes can be used with any type of IEM or headphone (regardless of their impedance and sensitivity).* And now in retrospect, instead of calling them "low" or "high" gain mode, we should have called them "line-out" and "headphone out" mode. Choice of which mode to use is really based on what signal your putting into the ZO, and not what kind of listening device you have connected. Therefore, the following guidelines should be followed: 
   
*If you use headphone out, use HIGH GAIN mode* and adjust the volume level using your player. We advise keeping the player's volume at or below at least 50%, as anything higher could cause distortion! This mode is essentially ZOv1, as it has the same amount of gain and characteristic sound signature (except that ZO2.3 now has a flat frequency response on level 1 (green), whereas ZO1 didn't).
   
*If you are connecting to a LOD, use LOW GAIN mode*, and adjust the overall volume level using the ZO. Since the line-out signal is fixed at a very high level, it first has to be slightly attenuated so it doesn't damage the equipment or your ears.  
   
_*** Note. Using headphone out with low gain mode will result in the volume being less than that of the player all on it's own! Also, if you use this configuration, you will not hear the true benefits of the sound contouring (this is due to how the device/technology is designed). *_
   
   
  =====================================================================================================
   
   
  ZO2.3 will be the last revision to ZO2. If you are using ZO as recommended above, you should not be experiencing any of the volume issues others have expressed, or be hearing a degradation in sound quality/clarity when adjusting the sound contouring (in particular, a veiling of mids and highs).


----------



## ANDEROAN

thanks MizMoxie, that is very helpful, I like the way you compared the HO/high gain to the ZOv1, now I will give some more consideration towards maybe buying one to hear the diference in the improved SQ! vs with just my ZOv1, but I will wait to hear what RPG has to say when he gets his ZOv2.3 and does a comparision! still on the fence a little bit yet


----------



## Vuk33

+1  Waiting for the reviews before I order v3.


----------



## Dragonfish

Hello MizMoxie
  I noticed that the downloadable SmartStart Guide as well as the full user guide on your website are still for the ZO1. Are you going to update them any time soon?
  And thank you very much for the above explanations. Very helpful. I'm expecting the ZO2 shortly.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> except that ZO2.3 now has a flat frequency response on level 1 (green), whereas ZO1 didn't.


 
   
  ^ That sounds interesting, I remember actually suggesting that myself  is it just the first level that's changed and the other levels are just the same as on ZO2v1?
   
  EDIT: Finally an update on USPS tracking:
   

   
  What It's in New York and hasn't even left US yet? LOL Good job after December 16th it arrives 30th Dec in NY? Wouldn't suprise me if it boarded the wrong plane in Los Angeles and went to the wrong country and then was sent back to US! (Last time Los Angeles was the last update I got from USPS so) xD Oh well maybe they'll get it right the 2nd time! maybe... You can google quite a lot of horror stories about parcels that takes forever to get to the destination if it's Europe after it's been processed through the Los Angeles sort facility.


----------



## ANDEROAN

ggrrr! its a gd conspiracy if you ask me, to undermine our Head-Fi community and bring devastation across the face of the planet one ZO at a  time, looks like a job for the ex-governor Jesse Vetura! ZO bros unite! I hear your RPG i'll get my people on it asap! lol, yea right if only it were that easy/interesting! well lets hope they do get it right, and right to you this time!! or else!! or else I'll be sitting on the fence for a while!


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> EDIT: Finally an update on USPS tracking:
> 
> 
> 
> What It's in New York and hasn't even left US yet? LOL Good job after December 16th it arrives 30th Dec in NY? Wouldn't suprise me if it boarded the wrong plane in Los Angeles and went to the wrong country and then was sent back to US! (Last time Los Angeles was the last update I got from USPS so) xD Oh well maybe they'll get it right the 2nd time! maybe... You can google quite a lot of horror stories about parcels that takes forever to get to the destination if it's Europe after it's been processed through the Los Angeles sort facility.


 

 Cindy did some research on it, and apparently they decided to randomly select your package for a customs check. The representative from USPS said this happens often, and when they choose to do it is totally unpredictable! Lovely, huh?


----------



## burtomr

Somebody in customs/Homeland Security was probably so dumbfounded by the ZO technology that they sent it off for further testing at 'the lab'...then it was slipped back into transit with the hope nobody would notice it had been missing for a while.


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





dragonfish said:


> Hello MizMoxie
> I noticed that the downloadable SmartStart Guide as well as the full user guide on your website are still for the ZO1. Are you going to update them any time soon?
> And thank you very much for the above explanations. Very helpful. I'm expecting the ZO2 shortly.


 

 Updated quick start guides for both ZO2.1/2.2 and ZO2.3 can be found on the ZO2 page, found here: http://www.digizoid.com/zo/
   
  Below are direct links:
ZO 2 Quick Start Guide
ZO 2.3 Quick Start Guide (w/high gain mode)
   
  The ZO2 full user guide is still under construction... so stay tuned. =)


----------



## ANDEROAN

Quote: 





burtomr said:


> Somebody in customs/Homeland Security was probably so dumbfounded by the ZO technology that they sent it off for further testing at 'the lab'...then it was slipped back into transit with the hope nobody would notice it had been missing for a while.


 


 or the gov't thinks that it's a piece of alien tech that needs to be further investigated, OH snap so it is a conspiracy, but only of an X-Files nature, so MixMoxie is really an extraterestrial, and her and her family where stranded here eons ago when there space ship encoutered the myans, and since then they've been underground, only to recently show themselve, by ingeniously changeing the nature of human kind thru the universal language of music, by making it irresitable to resist, because the ZO actually interacts with the human brain on a subconscious level releasing the hidden depths of our true nature and ability to express love and kindness and good will to all, well then that fully explains the "delays" and having it relaeased during the holiday season, OH dbl snap, sorry RPG, looks like you'll be recieving your ZOv2.3 when Rod Sterling delivers it to you in the Twilight Zone!!! darn customs! and good luck with that, cuz the last time Mr. Streling delivered a package to me, he stayed for almost a month, wat up wid dat? and he eats alot, lol, naw just kidding he doesn't eat all that much


----------



## Varley

Got the Rev 3 prematurely today, was expecting another week or so (I'm in the UK) - Everything I expected the Rev 1 to be and more, I can comfortably use it with my LOD and the volume and contour are very easy to use, also switching to high gain mode is not something you can do by accident (Saves blowing your ears apart) - Still messing around with it now, and I won't have much time because of new years -
   
  But thanks to the Digizoid team, glad I stuck with you guys


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Something I'm slightly worried about... well not for me personally as I will use HO on my soundcard + high gain most likely but what if it the battery runs dry, what's the default mode that it will revert back to?
   
  I mean what happens for the LOD user especially listening with IEMs, with that in mind, it probably would be good if it defaulted back to low gain and at a rather low volume level by default to prevent scenarios were people accidentaly expose themselves to a very high volume, now I don't know what's the case so kinda curious on that.
   
  I'm in so love with my new headphones M-Audio Q40 + ZO2v1, can't wait to try it out with v3 too. Currently listening to some hardstyle year mix, bass sounds the way it's supposed to that without ZO you'd have to use a pair of bigger speakers to achieve. 
   




   
  lol @ ANDEROAN, at this point I don't even want to know what you're smoking, pretty scary stuff


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Something I'm slightly worried about... well not for me personally as I will use HO on my soundcard + high gain most likely but what if it the battery runs dry, what's the default mode that it will revert back to?
> 
> I mean what happens for the LOD user especially listening with IEMs, with that in mind, it probably would be good if it defaulted back to low gain and at a rather low volume level by default to prevent scenarios were people accidentaly expose themselves to a very high volume, now I don't know what's the case so kinda curious on that.


 

 No need to be concerned... it does default back to low gain, with the volume set at the middle level. =)


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> No need to be concerned... it does default back to low gain, with the volume set at the middle level. =)


 

 OK good.  Still I can imagine that being a bit high with some IEMs with LOD use but not to the point it should be causing hearing damage in matter of seconds.


----------



## ANDEROAN

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> lol @ ANDEROAN, at this point I don't even want to know what you're smoking, pretty scary stuff


 


 sticks and stones my friend, now now now, don't go getting personal, I don't make fun of your furry cute wittle face or your funny shiny hat, do I? no, lol, although I thought MizMoxie was our leader, but now I know that she is really your leader,
   
  and well you all wish, like I've said before I've been there and done all of that, life and me are now getting along clean and sober, thank you very much! you may have me confused with ester and his bouts insobriety, lol, I should have been a writer, now I just indulge on Head-Fi at you alls expense, thanks for all of your kindly indugences, and don't go and get me started, hey lets hope your ZO shows up sooner than later, I'm very interested in reading about your comparisions! has Jesse Ventura called you yet by the way? he said he'd get to the bottom of all of this conspiracy theory business?


----------



## XxAlterWavexX

Would the ZO2 pair well with my ATH-M50 driven out of my iphone 4?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





xxalterwavexx said:


> Would the ZO2 pair well with my ATH-M50 driven out of my iphone 4?


 

 I'm sure if some1 had tried this combo would reply but I don't see why it wouldn't, yea I saw your other thread that you would like to get a bit stronger bass and yea I don't see why not as running ampless out of iphone 4 won't give you that huge bass response with most headphones. M50 benefits quite a lot from amping basswise from my experience.


----------



## mrAdrian

As long as you desire more bass from your current setup, ZO will do the job right.


----------



## XxAlterWavexX

Thanks guys  Yeah, I'm just anxious to know how it would pair... don't want to take a shot in the dark. Also, do you need a LOD for the iphone and zo2 pairing?


----------



## kenman345

I have never listened to the M50s myself, but that being said, from what I've read about the M50s, amping them would help bring out their potential, and from my ownership of the ZO2.3, it's a nice little amp for the money. I have tried the ZO2 with iBudz and other cheap headphones and it does a great job, as well as it does a great job with the Denon D2000's I have. I don't think their is any reason to fear that it would provide a bad combination at all. The M50s should and have not been reported to be hard to drive and the ZO2 will surely handle them. 
   
  As for using an LOD with the ZO2, I highly suggest it, but it doesn't need to be. It will work quite fine without it, but if you try using the HO instead of a LOD, you may run into your fear, but if that is the case, the LOD should work for you to fix it. all in all, if you get the LOD from amazon (the FiiO ones are just fine), the m50s' with the coupon code on soundprofessionals, and the ZO2 from digiZoid, you're looking at somewhere in the ballpark of $250 or slightly less for a nice little setup. 
   
  Quote:


xxalterwavexx said:


> Thanks guys
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





xxalterwavexx said:


> Thanks guys
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 ZO can work fine out of headphone jack on the source but a lot of people like to use LOD especially with the iPod/iPhones to bypass the internal amping but ZO2 can handle that just fine so I don't think the gain is huge. However using the built in volume control on ZO when used with LOD also gives a bit finer control of the volume so that is also a benefit.
   
  EDIT: Looks like I might get the ZOv2.3 tomorrow, it has arrived in my country about an hr ago, finally. xD


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





xxalterwavexx said:


> Would the ZO2 pair well with my ATH-M50 driven out of my iphone 4?


 


  I use the ZO2 with an iphone 4 and it sounds great.  It does sound better using a LOD, so I'd suggest getting one.


----------



## XxAlterWavexX

Thanks a *bunch*, guys. I've just been a tad disappointed with the overall performance of my M50 unamped :S I mean don't get me wrong, I think they sound awesome, but compared to how they sound from my laptop, well..... I reckon this oughta snap them into shape, getting some nicer bass and a funner sound while I'm at it  again, thanks to all of you!


----------



## estreeter

The ZO2 should have enough juice to drive your M50s, no problem - note that there have been one or two who havent enjoyed what SmartVektor does to their music, but they are in the minority.


----------



## XxAlterWavexX

Yeah, I wasn't really worried about them not being able to drive the m50s, seeing as how they're low impedance cans, but rather how they would sound paired with the ZO2. I've heard reports of the ZO2 having a bit of a hiss when paired with sensitive headphones, so I thought maybe the M50 would suffer from that as well, but having read your thoughts on the matter, I think I'll go ahead and pull the trigger  Now to wait until Jan 9th... Wish they weren't backordered 
  
  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> The ZO2 should have enough juice to drive your M50s, no problem - note that there have been one or two who havent enjoyed what SmartVektor does to their music, but they are in the minority.


----------



## estreeter

The M50s are sensitive headphones ? I think most of the complaints were from people with expensive IEMs, and I dont remember reading any complaints re fullsize phones. Inevitably, there will always be someone on HF with bat-like hearing and a large collection of vocal/acoustic music, but I suspect that for most the ZO2V1 doesn't hiss any more than any other sub-$200 portable amp. I dont find it any different in that respect to my uHA-4, and that amp has a large following among IEM owners.


----------



## XxAlterWavexX

lol, bat-like hearing 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Yeah, I guessed as much... Still, good to know! Thanks... It was either this or the iBasso T3 but the technnology in this amp sounds intriguing for sure.
  
  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> The M50s are sensitive headphones ? I think most of the complaints were from people with expensive IEMs, and I dont remember reading any complaints re fullsize phones. Inevitably, there will always be someone on HF with bat-like hearing and a large collection of vocal/acoustic music, but I suspect that for most the ZO2V1 doesn't hiss any more than any other sub-$200 portable amp. I dont find it any different in that respect to my uHA-4, and that amp has a large following among IEM owners.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





xxalterwavexx said:


> lol, bat-like hearing
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


   


  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> The M50s are sensitive headphones ? I think most of the complaints were from people with expensive IEMs, and I dont remember reading any complaints re fullsize phones. Inevitably, there will always be someone on HF with bat-like hearing and a large collection of vocal/acoustic music, but I suspect that for most the ZO2V1 doesn't hiss any more than any other sub-$200 portable amp. I dont find it any different in that respect to my uHA-4, and that amp has a large following among IEM owners.


 

 For me there really is no comparison between the UHA4 and the ZO2 and the revised edition that is (Rev 2.3) when it comes to hiss. The UHA4 is dead silent, black background on low gain. There is audible hiss though when put on Hi gain with my Sensitive IEMs. While the ZO2 standard exhibited a crazy amount of hiss and still very audible hiss on the revised version. Just food for thought.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

My ZO2.3 just arrived! I probably won't write much about sound quality aspects after initial testing as last time it was such a big difference after burning it in a little.
   
   
   
  ALL YOUR ZO ARE BELONG TO ME 
   
  What I can tell quickly is that the contour levels have definitely been altered, in a good way. Now it sounds balanced at the lowest setting with nothing exaggerated and the following low levels are also providing less bass boost than previously so now you can add a more fine level of bass boost! (there's at least 2-3 more finer levels of bass boost than on ZO2.1) I find myself using about 3 - 4 levels higher with this non-burnt in ZO2.3 than I used with the burnt-in ZO2.1 so seems the contour levels are much better balanced now. Should be nice for all those non-bass heads out there, you can add just a very tiny bit of boost or none at all. Thanks digiZoid for taking our feedback so seriously!
   
  I don't think either it really sounds that bad using the low gain mode while using headphone-out jack. No increased distortion noted despite having to up the volume a little (in my case to 53% for my 64 ohm headphones compared to 16% with high gain). The bass boost will be giving less of a drastic change in low gain but it doesn't sound that bad at all but yea the bass is definitely stronger with high gain. I see it like an alternative bass contour shape in case the high gain doesn't work nicely for you, it's more smooth and definitely provides a huge boost also in low gain mode at the higher levels. Sound signature wise from very intial testing, reminds me slightly more of ZO1 than ZO2 but it's not sounding exactly like either of them. But more on that later but at least I seem to enjoy this ZO2.3 more on the first listen than I did with ZO2.1.
   
  Also now it switches on/off MUCH faster and is almost completely distortion/noise free for me (well as good as it gets anyway). But the bypass feature is removed as I already knew so no suprises there. The hiss is reduced in ZO2.3 on high gain level compared to ZO2.1, testing with XB500 headphones which are among the most hiss-prone headphones around provided quite noticable hiss in ZO2.1 while it's very faint/almost inaudible on ZO2.3 and switching to low gain level which fits this very sensitive/easy driven headphone (probably IEMs too) and it becomes as good as silent, nice. This headphone brings normal listening volume levels with 12% in high gain and about 38~40% on the max level in low gain so it's probably wiser to use that as I notice this sensitive headphone also responds better to the contour levels in low gain compared to the M-Audio Q40 for example.
   
  I don't use portable devices so can't test with LOD but that's my above experiences so far using headphone out. Quite positive impressions so far, the high/low gain certainly helped. I will use it for a while before going more in depth regarding sound quality aspects.


----------



## roycantos

My Z02.3 just arrived after travelling halfway around the globe., Its a very good synergy with westone 4 + sansa clip. I don't hear any hiss or muffled sound using the high gain; and it give a new life/bass punch to W4 =).
   
  On a side note, Digizoid customer service is very good - replied back in my emails in timely manner, even put $30 value; so it saved me from cu$tom tax =).
   
  Suggestion for Digizoid can you please put 'clip' in your next revision =).


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Already starting to hear burn-in improvements after around 4 hrs.  I hear quite different kind of changes with ZO2v3 compared to ZO2v1 when burning in.
   
  Let's say if with ZO2v1 with burn in I experienced:
   
  - Bass changed from being overhelming to more controlled 
  - Transparency was lacking at first which greatly improved later on, was quite a mess with complex passages with lots of instruments floating into each other
  - Slight soundstage improvements
   
  With ZO2v3 I'm experiencing:
   
  - From being somewhat more neutral sounding (by ZO standards) to get more SmartVektor colorisation: more body / "full" sounding, more dynamic, forward 
  - Bass getting stronger(?), I have had to lower the contour level since initial listen, more like 0 - 1 level set higher than compared to ZO2v1 now
  - Mids coming more forward & clear
  - Imaging/positioning getting clearer (better "3D" positional sound)


----------



## ANDEROAN

hey RPG YIPPEE! Jesse is awesome, lol, one thing I am interested in knowing, would be if the hiss from the original ZOv1, compares to the near existant hiss from the ZOv2.3? would you find it to be a night and day diference or only marginal? I'm hoping its a marked improvement, as I seem to get quit a bit of hiss from me Zo v1, but that might be from how I have it set up? if you remember off hand or can do a quick check for me, I'd appreciate it, as that will pretty much be a deciding factor in my getting the newest version of the Incredible and awe inspiring mighty ZZOOOO, or not!!!! lol, thanks!


----------



## treal512

Yes, I'd like to know this as well. And maybe use a point system to compare the noise level between both?
   
  Or all 3? v1, v2.1, v2.3


----------



## XxAlterWavexX

So is it overall less bassier than the first iterations of ZO? Or can the same bass also be achieved by tweaking the contour levels? Also, you mention "the bypass feature is removed". What are you referring to, exactly? Other than that, thanks for the impressions!


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





xxalterwavexx said:


> So is it overall less bassier than the first iterations of ZO? Or can the same bass also be achieved by tweaking the contour levels? Also, you mention "the bypass feature is removed". What are you referring to, exactly? Other than that, thanks for the impressions!


 

  
  About the same bass quantity can be achieved it's just at the lowest levels this latest version adds a little less than ZO2.1 did. By bypass function I mean the ability that ZO1 and ZO2.1 had that you could still listen while the ZO was turned off and the signal just bypasses the device. When you turn off this latest version it will be silent so you'd have to unplug ZO to continue listen.
   
  The hiss can be heard from ZO2.1 and using XB500 headphones (I don't use IEMs) if I don't plug it into the source device and it's very silent (Realtek onboard chip so it's not exactly the most cleanest output on the source). If I connect it to the Realtek chip the hissing obviously gets worse as the internal amp on realtek chip further enhances it a little then I hear about similar level of noise from ZO1 and ZO2.3 which is almost inaudible (well slightly less on ZO2.3) and with ZO2.1 it's quite audible. I'd need a more sensitive IEM for better comparision as the interesting thing would be the noise when just plugging the IEM into the device without connecting to the source. 
   
  I can also mention that it has a bit lower output power than ZO2.1 had, why I also think the design probably reminds more of ZO1 now which has somewhat similar volume levels. With my 64 ohm Q40 headphones I have to go from 14% to 16% volume for similar volume and with XB500 from 10 to 12% (compared to ZO2 v1).


----------



## gaspir324

RPGWiZaRD, can you measure the output impedance of 2.3?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

I think I actually prefer low gain with these M-Audio Q40 headphones even if it means I have to go from 18% to 53~54% volume or so. I think it sounds a little better. I know digiZoid recommends high gain with HO use but I'm just going with my ears.  So don't think you necessarily have to use high gain with all easier driven IEMs/headphones, especially IEMs it's probably nice so you don't have to set the volume so low on the source and also provides you smoother vol lvl adjustment and avoid accidentaly exposing yourself to high volume in case moving the slider up when it would get really loud in high gain. Besides it won't pick up any HDD activity noise whatsoever from the Realtek HD chip which is common for the onboard chips which at times drove me nuts especially with the Panasonic HTF600 headphones.
   
  I also don't hear any distortion whatsoever even at max contour level despite being at 54% volume (which is about the max "casual-listening vol" what I find comfortable with loud mixed trance/pop songs etc but the bass gets a bit uncomfortably loud though at max contour level) on the source with low gain despite the boosted bass response so that might be an improvement I think. It sounds similarly bassy to me as in high gain at least and the contour levels work just as good but the microdetails come out more in the rest of the range and soundstage sounds a little better (better imaging, bigger stage) and possibly slightly better dynamic range and slightly more forward mid- & highrange when using low gain compared to high gain => more SmartVektor sound effect.
   
  Time to let it burn in over the night soon.
  
  Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> RPGWiZaRD, can you measure the output impedance of 2.3?


 

 Don't know how to measure.


----------



## ANDEROAN

cool thanks for the feedback RPG! let us know more of your impressions after some burning man in, lol!


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





anderoan said:


> cool thanks for the feedback RPG! let us know more of your impressions after some burning man in, lol!


 

 Yea I haven't really touched the subject of sound quality itself but I think it sounds superb already in low gain mode especially, comparing high gain mode in ZO2 v3 vs v1 it's about equal, at least I can't definitely that either of them are better sounding at this point but in low gain I'd say it sounds a little better than ZO2 v1 with my headphones at least. I still need to spend more time with the music collection to get a better picture though but now it shall burn in and I'll continue look into it tomorrow but based on the burn-in so far I'd say ZO2 v1 was definitely more affected by burn-in than v3. 
   
  Might have to give ZO1 a revisit tomorrow too, at least I know M-Audio Q40 and HTF600 fits excellent with ZO2v1 while XB500 almost had better synergy with ZO1.


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





treal512 said:


> Yes, I'd like to know this as well. And maybe use a point system to compare the noise level between both?
> 
> Or all 3? v1, v2.1, v2.3


 


  Here's a "visual point system" for you:


----------



## treal512

Wow, thanks! Really looking forward to receiving my v2.3 soon


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Alright it's probably been in use for around 20 hrs now. 
   
  One thing's confusing me really, why high and low gain have a little different sound, it's not a night and day difference but it's there when focusing closely on the sound.
   
  The low gain seems to offer more SmartVektor effect, dynamic, more spacious soundstage with better imaging/positioning and slightly more forward/in-your-face mids & highs and transparency is slightly improved, it's for example easier to pick out a subtle hi-hat in the background in a complex recording. The bass packs just very slightly less omph on the same contour level as high gain. I think it's even slightly better sounding than ZO2.1.
   
  In high gain seems to sound quite similar to ZO1 (well more closer than ZO2.1 at least), it's very slightly less punchy in the bass compared to ZO2.1, soundstage is slightly less spacious than low gain, similar to ZO2.1 now. It's a bit more neutral sounding and everything isn't as "expanded" / "forward" sounding as when using low gain and upping the source volume or using ZO2.1. I would say I enjoy it about equally much as ZO2.1.
   
  I'm really enjoying ZO2.3 in low gain mode for some reason. Is it because the the source volume has been increased what could be giving this increased SmartVektor sound effect? I dunno but perhaps they are related. For those who want an idea what "SmartVektor" sounds like can listen to this demo example (yes it probably uses a little higher contour level as bass is increased quite a bit but try also listening to the instruments and vocals and notice the differences in soundstage, dynamicness etc)
   




   
   
*Cons & Pros regarding ZO2.3*
   
*+* High/low gain; Works now with LOD + IEMs + can be used with a bit higher impedance headphones
*+* Neutral sounding at lowest contour level (doesn't force the listener to an increased bass response like on ZO2.1)
*+* Smaller bass boost capabilities if the user wants just a very fine amount of boosted bass
*+* Much faster on/off switching and is now almost completely noise/distortion free
*+* Low gain seems to offer even more "SmartVektor" sound effect than previously when used with HO
*+* Hiss levels lowered and doesn't pick up as much noise from a noisy sound device
   
*-* Bypass function removed (no longer possible to listen to music when ZO has been turned off => needs unplugging) but I personally didn't have much use of it anyway, mostly for comparision
*-* Unable to adjust volume on ZO in high gain (again questionable if this really matters as this mode is meant for HO-use so you can control the volume on the source and it probably even sounds best with the volume level maxed on ZO when using HO anyway)
   
  Other notes: Burn-in doesn't seem as important as it is with ZO2.1.


----------



## SkinnyPuppy

Haven't heard from Digizoid about my ZO I sent in 2 weeks ago. 
   
  I'll e-mail them friday if I don't hear about it.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





skinnypuppy said:


> Haven't heard from Digizoid about my ZO I sent in 2 weeks ago.
> 
> I'll e-mail them friday if I don't hear about it.


 
   
  AFAIK they said the next batch of ZO2s would be produced sometimes now in January so there's probably a chance that they've run out of them and unable to send directly unless they are modifying the ZO2 you sent in manually but perhaps they are missing the required component(s).


----------



## JesperZ

I just received my Zo2, but I just can't get it to work properly.
   
  The only sound I can get out of it is very low, distorted, and aligned to the left only.
   
  I have tried different cables with no luck.
   
  Do I have a faulty Zo2?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





jesperz said:


> I just received my Zo2, but I just can't get it to work properly.
> 
> The only sound I can get out of it is very low, distorted, and aligned to the left only.
> 
> ...


 

 Sounds like you just haven't plugged the cables in thoroughly (with new devices it can be somewhat stiff plugging in the very last bit at first), as then it happens that you get only one side and low "distant" sounding sound.
   
  I'm really enjoying mine, now with the low and high gain and especially how the bass boost contour levels are now perfectly configured at the lower levels. Thanks again digiZoid for listening to our feedback/criticism!


----------



## JesperZ

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Sounds like you just haven't plugged the cables in thoroughly (with new devices it can be somewhat stiff plugging in the very last bit at first), as then it happens that you get only one side and low "distant" sounding sound.
> 
> I'm really enjoying mine, now with the low and high gain and especially how the bass boost contour levels are now perfectly configured at the lower levels. Thanks again digiZoid for listening to our feedback/criticism!


 


  I'm telling you this is not the case.. I've secured the cable properly. I've even gone overboard and tried to force the cable further in but it's just not possible. I've tried other cables. I've tested all the cables I've tried with other devices and they all work just fine. I've tried high impedance mode and low impedance mode. I've tried different sources (all headphone out). I've tried turning the volume down on each source and up on each source. I've tried various contour profiles. I've tried different headphones. I've tried with charging and without charging while playing. The issue is persistent through all of this.


----------



## gaspir324

Have you tested other headphones/cables?


----------



## JesperZ

Quote: 





jesperz said:


> I'm telling you this is not the case.. I've secured the cable properly. I've even gone overboard and tried to force the cable further in but it's just not possible. *I've tried other cables*. I've tested all the cables I've tried with other devices and they all work just fine. I've tried high impedance mode and low impedance mode. I've tried different sources (all headphone out). I've tried turning the volume down on each source and up on each source. I've tried various contour profiles. *I've tried different headphones*. I've tried with charging and without charging while playing. The issue is persistent through all of this.


 
   
  Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> Have you tested other headphones/cables?


----------



## louisnomad

smells like a defective unit... :\


----------



## gaspir324

Sorry, my bad, I was (and still am) too tired to understand even my native language. Yep, probaply a defective unit.


----------



## SkinnyPuppy

Yay my Rev 3 shipped!


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





jesperz said:


> I just received my Zo2, but I just can't get it to work properly.
> 
> The only sound I can get out of it is very low, distorted, and aligned to the left only.
> 
> ...


 


  I cannot plug in any aftermarket cables with mine.  It doesn't stay in.  I can only use smaller cheaper cables that's included or the likes of Fiio supplied cables.  I've noticed the headphone out is slightly recessed but I'm not about to ship it back a third time.


----------



## burtomr

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> I cannot plug in any aftermarket cables with mine.  It doesn't stay in.  I can only use smaller cheaper cables that's included or the likes of Fiio supplied cables.  I've noticed the headphone out is slightly recessed but I'm not about to ship it back a third time.


 

 The recessed jacks are 'normal' for all ZO's.  Zoid recommends using 'ipod style' plugs with an extra extension on the plug like the plugs on the cables they supplied w/your ZO. I wish their jacks weren't recessed too.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





burtomr said:


> The recessed jacks are 'normal' for all ZO's.  Zoid recommends using 'ipod style' plugs with an extra extension on the plug like the plugs on the cables they supplied w/your ZO. I wish their jacks weren't recessed too.


 


  So how are you liking your unit burtomr? I just can't get into it. Really wanted to hear it as everyone else is though 
   
  I think since all my IEMs/Cans are quite emphasized on the bass department that it really just doesn't benefit me.


----------



## burtomr

Quote: 





lee730 said:


> So how are you liking your unit burtomr? I just can't get into it. Really wanted to hear it as everyone else is though
> 
> I think since all my IEMs/Cans are quite emphasized on the bass department that it really just doesn't benefit me.


 

 Ditto, especially since I got my Studio-V....Bass Kaaa-Bammm!


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





burtomr said:


> The recessed jacks are 'normal' for all ZO's.  Zoid recommends using 'ipod style' plugs with an extra extension on the plug like the plugs on the cables they supplied w/your ZO. I wish their jacks weren't recessed too.


 


  Ok good to know.  Thanks for the info.


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





burtomr said:


> Ditto, especially since I got my Studio-V....Bass Kaaa-Bammm!


 

 So you think the Z02 pairs well with the Studio V?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

In high gain mode it seems the ZO2.3 has slightly less forward mids than ZO2.1 but in low gain ZO2.3 seem to have even very tiny bit more forward midrange than ZO2.1 in that aspect when I'm plugging to the headphone jack on my soundcard and volume match as closely as possible and bass is adjusted to be equally strong.
   
  Would be nice to know why high and low gain differs in sound signature like that. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 But yea I'm enjoying ZO2.3 in low gain the most, followed by ZO2.1 and then ZO2.3 in high gain or ZO1 (about equal). Also I find it interesting that I can set volume level to 100% on the soundcard with low gain and lower the volume on foobar2000 so it won't be too loud and even use the max contour level and it won't distort.... so yea seems gain is also related to source volume level as in how easy it'll distort with the contour levels, at least with low gain it doesn't seem to be any issue with distortion, high gain is too loud for my headphones to try out with a bit higher source volume level.
   
  I would say also that the higher the source volume, the higher SmartVektor effect (more bass, more mids & highs = basicly whole range gets a bigger boost, sounds more dynamic, soundstage is better => SmartVektor effect increased) as it seemed VERY bassheavy at max contour level if put source volume to 100% and lowering foobar2000 volume bar to suitable levels with low gain with these M-Audio Q40 headphones. So I would actually encourage people to use low gain if possible (meaning you got like lower than about 80~100 ohm headphone which is probably whereabouts the limit for low gain goes or use IEMs).
   
  Now one last thing I'd want to know if MizMoxie (well more like Paul) could give an answer on this perhaps is if ZO2.1 you referred to "2-stage amping" whether or not this ZO2.3 still uses that or it's more like ZO1 now, if ZO2.3 uses similar kind of setup as ZO1 this would also explain the differences regarding ZO2.1 vs ZO2.3 as it seems the stronger signal feed to the whatever config ZO uses to process/handle the signal the way it does the greater SmartVektor effect. So playing around with different opamp (pre-amp) components (they usually all cost like $2 ~ $20 but sometimes a $5 one can work better than a $10+ one for example so the cost isn't always a good indicator) might be worth looking into for ZO3 as I have a feeling they can do a huge difference to the sound in this ZO config.


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## DannyBai

^ Man you are good.  You need to join the digiZoid team.


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## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> ^ Man you are good.  You need to join the digiZoid team.


 

 I wouldn't say no haha. But I live on the other side of the earth almost though ._. 
   
  BTW for all your opamp info needs http://www.head-fi.org/t/432749/the-opamp-thread


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## phrosty

Can the ZO2 function while charging?  If so, it also run from the battery while doing so?  I ask because I know Li-Ion batteries wear down faster if put under the stress of a constant charge/discharge.
   
_anxiously awaiting my ZO2.3 shipment._


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## kenman345

It can be used while charging. their is only one button/method of controlling the device. MizMoxie would really be the only person to know for sure how the power is distributed when it's plugged in. 
  Quote: 





phrosty said:


> Can the ZO2 function while charging?  If so, it also run from the battery while doing so?  I ask because I know Li-Ion batteries wear down faster if put under the stress of a constant charge/discharge.
> 
> _anxiously awaiting my ZO2.3 shipment._


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## DannyBai

Got these driving the HE-500 today.


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## Grev

With two of my ZO2, I have to really push the cable into the plugs for them to really register the output, I don't know what the problem is but even with the provided cable (the really thin one), it does it from time to time, what problem do you think this is?


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## burtomr

Probably a bad jack, Jack...er I mean Grev


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## Posam

Quote: 





grev said:


> With two of my ZO2, I have to really push the cable into the plugs for them to really register the output, I don't know what the problem is but even with the provided cable (the really thin one), it does it from time to time, what problem do you think this is?


 


  I had a similar problem today walking around with my M-80s and the left ear cutting out for a half second but it stopped after a bit. I did notice my ipod headphone jack wriggling around though and I still haven't been able to get anything to cut out intentionally and haven't had any problems since. I pushed all the plugs in tight and it seemed to fix it though.


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## burtomr

Typical 3.5mm jacks, like the ones in the ZO, have contacts on only one side.
  If the plug is a bit odd sized, or moves, it's real easy for it to break contact.


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## RPGWiZaRD

Do you think I should make a new thread? Since it has changed quite a lot with high and low gain now and the impressions in the first post doesn't reflect the current product anymore. I could also add my impressions to the first post and others as they show up.
   
  EDIT: Well it's up http://www.head-fi.org/t/589201/digizoid-zo2-impression-discussion-thread


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## Grev

It's strange, guys, the plug issue happens with my Clip+ but is fine when I have my Ipod line out.


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## dfkt

Got the 2.3 today... regarding the output impedance mentioned earlier, I did the best I could - hooked some multi-armature IEMs to the various ZO generations and fired up RMAA. Output impedance of the ZO 2 seems slightly higher than of the ZO 1, but nothing to worry about - basically a bit higher than AMS Sansas, on par with newer Cowons or iDevices. All ZOs were measured at lowest processing level - the ZO 2.1 sure had some issues, as we all know already, but I didn't notice its lowest processing level was already that high.
   




   
  In comparison, here's what some really high output impedance looks like: http://rmaa.elektrokrishna.com/Comparisons/32%20Ohm%20Multi-Armature%20-%20Cowon%20J3,%20Sansa%20Clip+,%20Sony%20A845,%20Hifiman%20HM-801/fr.png


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## RPGWiZaRD

Interesting, could you also test low gain (highest vol level in low gain)?
   
  BTW there's a new thread for ZO2.3 http://www.head-fi.org/t/589201/digizoid-zo2-3-impression-discussion-thread/


----------



## pasan

Quote: 





dannybai said:


> Got these driving the HE-500 today.


 


  How would you rate the sound improvement over unamped?


----------



## dfkt

Quote: 





rpgwizard said:


> Interesting, could you also test low gain (highest vol level in low gain)?


 

 The output impedance stays the same, it's not volume dependent.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





dfkt said:


> The output impedance stays the same, it's not volume dependent.


 

 Well it's just I'm hearing different. Mids seem a bit more prominent with low gain and high gain is slightly more V-shaped, wanted to know if there was any connection in that measurement.


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## ClieOS

Did a rough measurement (47ohm load @ 1kHz). ZO1 comes out at 0.46ohm and ZO2.3 (in ZO1 mode) is around 2.3ohm.


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## MrNurse

Is there a discount code for us when we order?


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## MizMoxie

Just to let everyone know, we are going to take down the ZO2.3 replacement request form in 48 hours (so you have until Friday at midnight) to submit your request.


----------



## phrosty

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Just to let everyone know, we are going to take down the ZO2.3 replacement request form in 48 hours (so you have until Friday at midnight) to submit your request.


 
   
  I just want to say that this kind of above and beyond customer service as well as your forum involvement is a big part of what convinced me to take the plunge and order a ZO last month. It arrived yesterday and I'm very glad I did! Keep it up and you'll have customers for life.


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## au5t3n5

Anyone get distortion with the new v3 using line out from a soundcard? My pico distorts the Zo extremely badly. It works just fine with my Ibasso 4 though, and runs to my speakers just fine, so the Pico isn't the problem. With my HDP the Zo works fine, but anything past 2 o clock it begins to distort again. I feel like maybe it cant handle the line out from the Pico? But I had a v2 and it played JUST fine with the Pico. It is a little disappointed and disconcerning...


----------



## burtomr

Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> Anyone get distortion with the new v3 using line out from a soundcard? .... I had a v4 and it played JUST fine with the Pico.


 
   
  Whoa! You had a V4??? I didn't know they even made a V4, yet.....


----------



## ziocomposite

Are you using low or high gain when you are using it with your sound card?


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





burtomr said:


> Whoa! You had a V4??? I didn't know they even made a V4, yet.....


 

 He probably meant V2


----------



## au5t3n5

Quote: 





burtomr said:


> Whoa! You had a V4??? I didn't know they even made a V4, yet.....


 

  
   


  Quote: 





lee730 said:


> He probably meant V2


 


  yep. my bad. i fixed it.


  Quote: 





ziocomposite said:


> Are you using low or high gain when you are using it with your sound card?


 

 low. even the lowest contour and lowest volume gives me distortion.


----------



## MizMoxie

Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> Anyone get distortion with the new v3 using line out from a soundcard? My pico distorts the Zo extremely badly. It works just fine with my Ibasso 4 though, and runs to my speakers just fine, so the Pico isn't the problem. With my HDP the Zo works fine, but anything past 2 o clock it begins to distort again. I feel like maybe it cant handle the line out from the Pico? But I had a v2 and it played JUST fine with the Pico. It is a little disappointed and disconcerning...


 

 The line out level on the Pico is 2.84Vrms, which is more than double the specs for both consumer and professional line levels! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_level
  The ZO2 has been designed to handle consumer and professional levels, but not anything above that.
   
  If you want to use ZO with your Pico, you will need an impedance adapter (or volume control cable) on ZO's input.


----------



## MrNurse

Quote: 





mizmoxie said:


> Just to let everyone know, we are going to take down the ZO2.3 replacement request form in 48 hours (so you have until Friday at midnight) to submit your request.


 


   


  Quote: 





mrnurse said:


> Is there a discount code for us when we order?


 

 Is there a discount or promo?


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## MizMoxie

Quote: 





mrnurse said:


> Is there a discount or promo?


 


  Not right now. Sorry!


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## gaspir324

I want to know if someone else uses their ZOs on max level (bass wise) all the time? I don't use it with IE80 on the go but at home I always use it on red no matter what I do.


----------



## DannyBai

Quote: 





gaspir324 said:


> I want to know if someone else uses their ZOs on max level (bass wise) all the time? I don't use it with IE80 on the go but at home I always use it on red no matter what I do.


 


  Even on my bass light cans I usually don't turn it up all the way.  In most cases, I only crank it 3-4 clicks.  Most extreme setting will be in the orange.  You are a BASSHEAD.


----------



## DnB Sublimity

I just got my Zo2 this past week and I barely used it for the 1st time last night.  Am I supposed to be able to control volume on it, or do I use my mp3 player to control the volume?


----------



## dfkt

You could start by reading the fine manual that came with it... it doesn't take long.


----------



## DnB Sublimity

The answer is yes, but kinda confusing on how to do it.  So once I turn it on, I'm in the High gain setting - which means volume is controlled from the source?  If I press the multi-function switch again, I'm in low gain which means I can control the volume toggling the switch up and down?  Then if I press the button again, I'm back in high-gain mode and volume is controlled from the source once again?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quote: 





dnb sublimity said:


> The answer is yes, but kinda confusing on how to do it.  So once I turn it on, I'm in the High gain setting - which means volume is controlled from the source?  If I press the multi-function switch again, I'm in low gain which means I can control the volume toggling the switch up and down?  Then if I press the button again, I'm back in high-gain mode and volume is controlled from the source once again?


 
   
  OK here we go:
   
  The "Recommended" use in case you're plugging straight into the headphone jack is high gain and control the volume from the source. However nothing stops you from using low gain, in fact I actually preferred using low gain at the max volume level setting because I thought it sounded a little better this way for some reason but in low gain you'll also have to raise the volume on the source conciderably so depending on what headphone or IEM or whatever you use it may not work well but yea any IEM or headphone with an impedance below 100 ohms or so should be possible to use with low gain as well. The low gain is primarily intended for Line-out (LOD) use where you WILL NEED to use the volume control on ZO2 to control the volume as you won't be able to adjust volume on the the source then and it would also be too loud in high gain as well.
   
  You switch between low and high gain by first making sure you're in the volume control mode with the pink/purple/blue color depending on level/mode (press once rapidly on the push-wheel switch to switch between volume control and contour level / bass adjustment). If it glows pink it's the high gain and blue is low gain and it also changes to color "purple" at the max volume level in low gain. To go from low gain to high gain you hold down the vol+ wheel for like 4-5 secs while at the max level (purple light) in low gain until it turns pink. Just be sure to remember to always adjust the source volume if going from low to high gain though as the output volume will raise conciderably.


----------



## DnB Sublimity

Thank you very much for the easy-to-understand detailed instructions Wizard  I understand how to use it much better now, and planning on spending quite a few hours with it later today.  Much much much appreciated


----------



## JamesMcProgger

my zo is presenting some false contact in the headphone out, I have to rotate or move the plug to get a full sound.


----------



## gaspir324

James, your new profile pic is somehow different....


----------



## JamesMcProgger

and it seems to be distracting readers because no matter what I post, they always reply with a comments about the avatar


----------



## gaspir324

Well it catches people off guard. Nobody expects a girl like that to be seen in a thread like this.  I haven't had any problems wiht my ZO, rather the LOD that does seem to be a bit too small for a 3.5mm jack. *
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




continues looking at the avatar
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




*


----------



## MrNurse

I just ordered the ZO2 for my Pro 900. I hope there isn't going to be problems with my ZO2.
 Let's see how much bass it adds over my E5.
  I'm also hoping to buy the Pro700MK2 w/M50 pads this week. I'm interested to see how these sound with the bass @ max 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Approximately how long will it take to receive these since they're no longer on backorder?


----------



## Matter

Anyone used both the GS Voyager and the ZO2 able to give me a quick comparison between the 2? Deciding between the both of them considering both have the bass boost option.
   
  Thanks!


----------



## MrNurse

*EDIT*
   
  Question moved to the new thread lol.


----------



## ANDEROAN

well I can't comment on the ZOv2.3, but I have the ZOv1 and my GS Voyager! and_ _I run them together! I use use the Voyager without turning on the contour switch, and use the ZO to add the bass, I find it synergizes with my EX600s alot better, as they are prone to harsh and sibilant treble, and the Voyagers contour switch adds to that issue, but the VO ZO combo does the entire opposite! and smooths out the EX600s! and every ssooo often I will turn the Voyagers contour switch on along with using the ZO! HI HO ZO away! THUMPITY THUMP THUMP THIUMP! lol,
   
  I have run the ZO by itself out of my iPod Classics 7th gen HO, and eh, its nice, and I like my Voyager, but when I put them together, its a Reeses PBC! I LOVE the combo, the only other thing I would like to try would be the ZOv2.3 out of my iPods LO by itself with using the LOs cleaner signal, and seeing if it has a bigger improvement over the ZOv1s only ability to run directly out of a HO? but in the mean time ba dat da da da! I'm LOVIN it!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote: 





matter said:


> Anyone used both the GS Voyager and the ZO2 able to give me a quick comparison between the 2? Deciding between the both of them considering both have the bass boost option.
> 
> Thanks!


----------



## ziocomposite

I had a similar feeling when I used my Zo 1 w/cmoybb 2.03 lol =D
   
  But now I just use Zune/Zo 2.3/ Old Skool >=P


----------



## Matter

Anyone have a zo2 they might wanna let go?


----------



## au5t3n5

can you not order it anymore?

  
  Quote: 





matter said:


> Anyone have a zo2 they might wanna let go?


----------



## lee730

Quote: 





au5t3n5 said:


> can you not order it anymore?


 


  He may want one at a discount  .


----------



## Matter

Quote: 





lee730 said:


> He may want one at a discount  .


 


  You got that right! Isn't that why there is a sales section? Unfortunately I'm still ineligible to post there.
   
  Cheers!


----------



## JesperZ

I finally got to listen to an actual working Zo2 today, after having to send mine back for repair since it was broken on arrival. Other than digiZoid claiming it is my fault I think they handled the situation pretty well. I won't go into details on the whole RMA situation unless someone is interested.
   
*My first impressions:*
  I immediately cranked it up to maximum contour level since I consider myself a bass head, but that is just way too much for me. I find that the best contour level is somewhere around 5 depending on the song. Anything above just makes the bass sound bloated on my Ultrasone Pro 900. I'm very impressed with how powerful the device is though. However, I don't think the extra bass adds much to the music. I mean it's nice but primarily a gimmick. The device itself works well as an amp besides the fact that I can hear relatively loud static noise when not playing audio, and this isn't audible when using the E9. I can hear that the noise comes from my pc, so it is not the Zo2 itself that creates the noise, but regardless I don't find it acceptable considering the E9 is able to remove it and that's a relatively cheap amp too.
   
  I'm not going to rate the device since the above are just my first impressions, but to sum up I'm not very impressed. I can see how some might like its audio enhancement features, but to me they are way too exaggerated and kind of a gimmick.
   
  EDIT:
  After plugging my E9 back in I can immediately hear how the mids and highs are more pronounced and the soundstage is somewhat better than with the Zo2.


----------



## Posam

Quote: 





jesperz said:


> I finally got to listen to an actual working Zo2 today, after having to send mine back for repair since it was broken on arrival. Other than digiZoid claiming it is my fault I think they handled the situation pretty well. I won't go into details on the whole RMA situation unless someone is interested.
> 
> *My first impressions:*
> I immediately cranked it up to maximum contour level since I consider myself a bass head, but that is just way too much for me. I find that the best contour level is somewhere around 5 depending on the song. Anything above just makes the bass sound bloated on my Ultrasone Pro 900. I'm very impressed with how powerful the device is though. However, I don't think the extra bass adds much to the music. I mean it's nice but primarily a gimmick. The device itself works well as an amp besides the fact that I can hear relatively loud static noise when not playing audio, and this isn't audible when using the E9. I can hear that the noise comes from my pc, so it is not the Zo2 itself that creates the noise, but regardless I don't find it acceptable considering the E9 is able to remove it and that's a relatively cheap amp too.
> ...


 


  The hissing is caused by the ZO2 when it is on high gain and is almost inaudible when on low gain no matter how high you crank the volume. The E9 doesn't "remove this" it doesn't have it in the first place (or at least to the extent the ZO2 does I've never actually heard it). I will note the amount of hiss varies depending on the headphone used.


----------



## Sneakily

Anyone used this with the PL30's I've heard they hiss on some amps and are really interested in these IEMs.


----------



## Prakhar

Has anybody used this with a ciem?


----------



## MuZo2

I have used it with Westone3 which uses BA drivers similar to CIEM and it doesnt work as well as it does with Dynamic driver IEM.


----------



## Prakhar

Ahhh, that sucks.... Does any other bass boost work well?the e17 perhaps?


----------



## mrAdrian

E17 would be nice  It is more of an EQ bass boost however. To me, ZO is similar to a DSP imo, I know it isn't, but the way it processes the signal is different to simply some db in the bass region.


----------



## kenman345

I actually emailed Cindy yesterday about this. Apparently they might be able to tweak it a bit so the hiss it creates is lessened or possibly non-existent. I'm trying to find out a few more details before i go through with it
  Quote: 





muzo2 said:


> I have used it with Westone3 which uses BA drivers similar to CIEM and it doesnt work as well as it does with Dynamic driver IEM.


----------



## MuZo2

its not hiss, but somehow it distorts the whole frequency range, I guess because of the way cross overs are tuned.


----------



## mrAdrian

maybe because of the high(er) output impedance? JUst guessing


----------



## papaverhybridum

where to buy????
   
  thanks


----------



## burtomr

*ZO3 Pre-Orders Start Today !!*
  
LINK


----------



## drm870

Yep, just got the email from Digizoid!


----------

