Allnic Audio & ZL Technologies thread

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Allnic ZL-3000
(mostly compared to AQ NRG & JPS labs AC)

TLDR
A damn great, pleasing, and natural-sounding cable on the clean neutral side with very great dynamics and technical ability. Of course, limited experience here but I think this cable is seriously good.

Impressions
Nothing really stood out when I first listened to the 3000, but as each song played through the differences became very apparent. However, it doesn’t force it or make it too obvious. As per the other power cables mentioned, it is relatively easy to label the AQ as “sweet-sounding and somewhat midrange-focused overall,” while the JPS is “bass slam in your face without adding much of anything else.” Overall, I think the 3000 is a pleasing and natural-sounding cable on the clean neutral side with very great dynamics and technical ability.

Starting with standouts, what caught my attention was how effortless and convincing the dynamics were. Transitions b/w micro and macro sounded very natural and liquid (don’t know if liquid would fit into this but that’s what comes to mind). The other thing is the treble, or rather, how clean and resolving it is being delivered. I guess you could associate this due to the lower noise floor or whatever but it’s something that was a clear step-up from the other two aforementioned cables. It’s like there was this layer that got completely peeled off and I was missing all this information. Not a very helpful description but I can’t think of anything else. lol

Midrange is very clean but pleasing; has great weight and texture. It’s pretty complete overall imo and hard to complain about. Bass has nice weight, authority, and control. It’s not as slammy compared to the jps but that’s not really what it’s going for I think. Technicalities are high while sounding organic. Honestly, that’s as much as I can elaborate on. It’s an obvious step-up over the two cables and the differences were quite stark as time went on. Though this is the only power cable I have around this price so sprinkle some salt on it. I can see why they don’t come up used often; I wouldn’t want to sell mine either. haha

In any case, I think this a great cable and in terms of how big of an improvement it is, it’s on the same level as when I upgraded my usb cable to the callisto (which I’m still enjoying btw).

Wall vs P3
I can see how, depending on the setup, some might prefer plugging this directly to the wall. The difference b/w the wall vs p3 w/ the 3000 wasn’t as big as when I plugged the jps into the wall then the p3, for example. Sound-wise, plugging directly to the wall gave it a warmer tilt overall and less extension in the upper frequencies. But my electricity is crap, so ymmv. I do think it’s worth experimenting on though with this cable.

Semi-random specific notes
The 3000 helped with the Utopia’s bass and gives it that extra weight and control, especially next to the d8kp. It also helped calmed down the d8kp while enabling a more resolving treble. Finally, the ie900…well it keeps climbing higher. lol Also, I finally tried a better power cable on the dac (jps cable) and plugged it into the p3 (straight from wall before), but there wasn’t much of a difference. Though I didn’t really spend that much time on it…

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Surprise surprise! I never thought I’d actually be able to do a comparison like this but I was offered to try the ZL5 risk-free. Well, why not?! :man_shrugging:

I think these cables are pretty much almost fully settled in. ZL5 has been in the system for a week (and change) and the Mu-7R AES has been in 4 days (which were the rec times). Both of these are basically new so they definitely needed some time to settle. If anything major happens after though, I’ll post an update.

These are just very brief impressions of mostly the ZL5 (on the Allnic amp). Will probably do a full comparison of the ZL3 and ZL5 after some experimenting and what not. Might even do an article instead.

Setup

  • Wall → ZL-3000 → P3 regen → ZL-5000 (15A) → Allnic amp → IE 900 (so far)
    [the other ZL3 is going to the DAC but haven’t tested the differences yet]

  • Mu-7R AES going to g1 streamer to lampi

Limiting factors

  • limited hi-end power cable experience (but at least now I have something to compare with)

  • gear potentially might be the bottleneck (not resolving enough to take full advantage)

  • there was another one I thought of but I forgot… oh well, y’all get the idea

Mu-7R AES

This one’s easy… I have no idea since this is my only AES cable. But if I had to guess out of my ass, it’s pretty much neutral and very technical. Comparing it to the callisto, maybe it’s not as forward sounding and treble might be more refined (on the mu7r). Things like stage is kind of difficult to assess with the g1 streamer in the chain (still waiting on my upgraded psu). That’s all I got, they’re two different cables for entirely different inputs so not very fair to compare. I like it though. lol

Actually, there is one thing I noticed and this applies to the Allnic cables in general. They’re SO quiet. I’m mainly referring to the perceived noise floor of recordings (not actual hiss). I also don’t mean blackness of background (although that’s good too).

It’s kind of like the feeling you get when you’re in a concert hall and the performance demands silence from the audience. Or you’re watching an important part of a film in a theater and everyone stays silent. It forces me to sit still and not make any sudden noises. It’s eerily quiet.

It might have something to do with their Mu (I believe it’s Murinite on the periodic table) coating which is supposed to help with magnetic noise (over the usual silver or copper for electrical noise). No idea how this particular quality compares to other hi end cables but I do feel it’s a standout from the Allnic cables.

ZL-5000

I didn’t expect this one to have that much of an impact on my specific system but it did. The only major difference is the thicker gauge wire of the ZL5 over the ZL3. Performance-wise, this undoubtedly surpasses that of the ZL3 no question (enough to justify the price difference imo). You simply get more of everything.

Overall, I feel the ZL5 has a neutral warm tilt while the ZL3 has a neutral clean tilt. I do think the ZL3 is more energetic and exciting while the ZL5 is the more relaxed one (but not losing any energy or control). If your system is already on the overly warm side, then maybe I’d avoid the ZL5.

For standouts so far…

1 - Eerily quiet

  • I already mentioned this above so not much to add here

2 - Bass

  • Slightly on the warm side but very well-controlled

  • Accurate, visceral, meaty, textured, nuanced/detailed, very natural

  • Neither fast or slow (unless the track calls for it); really great liquidity here

  • Bass attack and decay just sounds “right” (really allows great “breathing room”)

  • This was one of those moments where I’ve never heard such quality bass before (d8kp being the first “wow” moment for me) and it’s the first time that I’ve been able to “hear within bass notes”

3 - Mids

Allnic uses what they call MRCT (mid range control technology) which is supposed to help with an exaggerated midrange and slight midrange “breaking” (no idea what that means)

  • Very natural and effortless

  • Very tonally rich and weighty but without any exaggeration

  • Well textured with great presence and organicness; has this sort of “tangible” quality to it

  • I’m a sucker for great mids and this was another “oh sh*t” moment for me; utterly sublime and pleasing

Treble is great too; very natural, realistic, and coherent. It’s maybe on the slightly relaxed side.

I obviously really like this cable. ZL3 is still great but if you have the budget and don’t mind the slight extra warmth I’d go for the ZL5 for sure.

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So Mu-7R XLR impressions…

Wanted to start off by saying that the interconnects had subtle differences compared to all the other cables I’ve tried, but at the same time, it made me realize how much of a bottleneck the previous supra sword XLR cables were in the grand scheme of things (more on that later).

In terms of how it compares to the supra sword, the major standouts I hear are:

  • again more quietness/blackness

  • noticeable improvement in stage width and depth

  • overall command and control of everything (especially in the bass)

  • improved tone/timbre

Although the differences weren’t as stark between interconnects, what I experienced from pretty much having 90% allnic cables on the system (missing on the streamer) was an overall improvement in synergy. Everything just sort of clicked even more (always a good thing). I guess it’s not uncommon if the cable manufacturer makes great cables all around, but it was a pretty nice first-hand experience.

If I had to give overall impressions on the entire cable system as a whole, you get a pretty darn hefty/ballsy kind of bass with tons of command/control yet not overly so. Mids have a great weight and bloom but not too much that it would be a problem. Treble that is nicely extended and controlled but not overly energetic or harsh. Staging with a real nice sense of space that also helps in its relative forwardness. And of course detail, dynamics, and all that other stuff are great as well.

So, if you can, try not to bottleneck any of your cables. They can end up being more of a hindrance than you think even though, individually, sometimes the differences are subtle. The gains in synergy are always priceless (…well within reason of course :joy:). But I think most of y’all are already somewhat aware.

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@rgdelato any thoughts so far on the zl3?!

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I was staying at my girlfriend’s place over the Thanksgiving holiday, so I haven’t been doing a lot of listening the last few days, but yeah, let’s talk about the ZL-3000!

So for a point of comparison, prior to getting the Allnic in, I had recently gotten the Mojo Enigma FI-28R power cable for my DAC, and while it made a large positive improvement, that cable also had a much more relaxed, natural, smooth character that made for an obvious difference even regardless of how much it elevated things.

On the other hand, I feel like swapping to the Allnic ZL-3000 similarly elevated my system, but signature-wise, I feel like it’s more similar to the cable that it replaced (Synergistic Research UEF Blue) which makes it a bit harder to talk about. Similar to the amp itself I guess, the ZL-3000 cable has a clean, clear sound that’s really nicely balanced, not too warm or too bassy, but the thing I probably like the most about both of those cables is how they both skew technical without shoving it in your face. Technicalities are really great on this cable, but it’s not distracting whatsoever.

I’ve only tried it on my amp so far, but yeah, I’ve been really liking the ZL-3000 power cable!

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Now that I have 3 out of 4 ZL5 power cables in the system, I thought I’d give some long term impressions on it as I’m more confident now that the majority of the system is outfitted with ZL5s…

I guess I’d like to share 3 major points about this power cable that sums it up nicely:

  • supremely balanced
  • very natural
  • tight-rope dynamics

This kind of reminded me of how the brise cables are in that they’re very well balanced, and nothing is over-exaggerated or over-emphasized to one side; same applies to the ZL5. That being said, there’s just a tinge of warmth in the bass and bloom (the good kind) in the midrange. Next, they are just very natural-sounding, and I get a sense of “rightness” with this cable. It can really bring things to life, as it has on my system. Finally, the dynamics all-around are as “tight as a rope.” Micro to macro dynamic shifts are presented so intensely and precisely. It just feels like there’s SO much energy on tap waiting to be released.

Onward to some actually interesting news, Allnic finally unleashes a totl DAC – the D-10000 OTL/OCL. I just found out about it recently, but it’s still relatively fresh news. Here’s a website link for details: https://www.kevalinaudio.com/allnic-otl-ocl-industry-1st-dac

TLDR; First OTL/OCL DAC in the industry. Analog was done by Allnic, while the digital section was done by Waversa. And price is $19-20k.

I was offered a demo and… yeah, no, it’s still too rich for my blood. lol
I’ll revisit it in the far far… far future though.

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That is a gorgeous DAC (all their products are beautifully made). I’m not familiar with waversa, but I bet it sounds good. FPGA upsample Sabre 9018 reminds me of Weiss’ solution, but with the addition of the tube analog stage should make for a good DAC.

You should’ve taken them up on the demo offer. You could’ve written a review on it!

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I plan to eventually but I at least want to have that kind of cash around, just in case. Plus it’ll be the only $20k dac I’ve heard so it’ll probably be me just gushing about how good it sounds. lol

There is one review I found on audiogon but I personally didn’t find it all too helpful. The only dac he has on hand was a holo may so it likely isn’t a fair comparison. But fwiw, https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/allnic-d10000-dac-my-take

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I feel like I owe you guys because of the shit tier list and the high end DAC comparison post. Those two were extremely valuable resource to help me find my end game. So, I want to give back with some insider knowledge. I was going to keep this information to myself and later purchase it within the year, but I changed my mind. I want to experience more DACs through meeting and convention like Head Fi before making my next DAC upgrade.

If you are interested in the Allnic D-10,000, you can get it for $9500. I am not too sure if its still available at that price as I was offer that price in the beginning of January 2023. John from Kavalin Audio was the one that offer me the Allnic D-10,000 for $9500. He informed me its a reviewer DAC and it will come with Full warranty, black chassis. You could try emailing John from Kavalin Audio if you are interested in one or if you want to demo one.

I will talk about my impressions of the Allnic HPA-5000XL at a later date. I want to at least get a full 300 hours of listening time before I say something on this amp, but I might post something early.

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Did you get your 5000 from John? I was wondering how much they cost now new. Last I heard, he told me there was a price increase but I didn’t ask specifics.

I was going to demo a d10000 but he hasn’t gotten back to me. It was supposed to have custom outputs so it could be more ideal for hps but I guess it’s safer for the wallet if I don’t follow up lol.

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I paid $4500 for mine. I replied to this ad Allnic HPA-5000XL - OTL/OCL - HiFi+ 2022 Product of the Year! Dealer Ad - US Audio Mart and got $4500 with full warranty on the amp and tubes. 2 or 3 Years warranty on the amp and I think 6-month warranty on the tube. The ad said it’s for EU voltage, but I ask mine for 120V and John was able to provide 1 for me.

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Allnic is making some vacuum tubes now?! I missed this…

Now, Mr. Park has even guided the company to first commercial production of its own brand of high-fidelity vacuum tubes. Factory direct sales with shipping worldwide, the RS242, 3A109, HL2 and soon the 300B. These tubes have proven to be powerful, dynamic, stable and present absolute clarity! Stay tuned for further details…

Interested in that 300b!

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That’s pretty interesting. I remember in another forum, “whatsbestforum” I remember there was a post that Allnic does not like users to tube roll their products. Even in my manual for the HPA-5000XL, they don’t encourage tube rolling as it may void the tube warranty. I didn’t mind since the tubes they were using were NOS. From making cables to making tubes, I wonder how good an all Allnic combo will sound like :eyes:

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Well I call bs, at least on the 3000gt. I rolled that thing crazily. Though the stock ones are still really good imo.

All my cables are Allnic. I think they’re pretty great depending on what you want.

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I mean, you could obviously tube roll anything and it was always sound better because you are tube rolling to your preference. I’m just saying Allnic as a company doesn’t encourage it. Plus 6 months or 1 year loss in tube warranty isn’t too big of a deal. Tubes are supposed to last like 3 years if you got a good tube.

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With their OTL stuff generally I see people keep the tubes stock, but with their transformer coupled amps I do see people swap them up more (I think it also comes down to how common the tube type is, some of their products use some more lesser known tubes). But I’d also say it’s not uncommon for mfg to suggest people not swap tubes when it’s def still worthwhile, viva is another one where they say stock is best and it’s clearly not the case, and many others (but some are serious)

A full allnic chain is very nice, at least a speaker one with a turntable source, I’d like to hear their dac for sure as well

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I just asked John, he said he doesn’t have the bandwidth for being a tube dealer so he sent me Allnic’s email if I was interested: allnicaudio56@gmail.com (if anyone else is interested)

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Eddie Current pretty much does the right thing, the tubes they do supply are very good, and they don’t supply the tubes with lots of expensive options like 300B’s.

I hate rolling tubes, and I mostly just don’t want to know what I’m missing.

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I thought the studio b didn’t come with any 300b?

Edit: you probably meant the other stock tubes

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It doesn’t, too many options for Craig to pick for you, but it does come with pre tubes.
Studio T was the same way, no 2A3’s, but an excellent NOS pre tube and regulators.

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