Had the MZ3 for awhile so I guess it’s time for a thread.
I use it as my preamp and headphone amp but have also spent time with it as an integrated amp for a short while as well. Functionality is pretty stellar although the 1 wpc integrated is a little more niche and I see the pre and headamp sections as the main reasons why most people will be purchasing this. Won’t be able able to speak on various tubes. You have the option to use 6 or 12 volt output tubes by positioning jumpers accordingly. I’m using Sylavania 6sn7’s and Amperex 12au7’s. I’ve also only used it with the optional LPS+ power supply upgrade.
It’s a full on tube amp yes but it’s unlike any I’ve personally heard. It’s dead quiet and very detailed and there’s no lush warm mids or round bass (not that all tube amp are this way but it gets my point across). Lean and accurate and precise and airy is more how I’d describe it. I can see this being detrimental in some cases but in my case I’ve paired it with warmer leaning electronics so these qualities are greatly appreciated.
As an integrated I find it to be pretty lean in the bass department and lack a bit of the depth I know I can get out of my system. This is with my system and my room and no subs. So, that said I’m sure there’s at least a few speakers, rooms, configurations out there that will be perfectly happy using this as an integrated because honestly it’s really good.
As a pre I don’t think I could ask for a more complimentary piece to slot in between my Amber 3 and F7. The detail quickness and resolution coming from the MZ3 isn’t fatiguing or sharp but rather sweet and natural and very welcomed. No bottleneck in the stage either which I found interesting given my experience with it as an integrated.
Then I flip that switch and I have incredible headamp to which I plug in mainly my Verite Closed and more recently a loaner LCD-4z. I think the Amber 3 > MZ3 is incredible with the VC. I haven’t really spoke on that too much anywhere yet mainly because it’s a hard rec simply for a VC but in my situation it’s makes sense. Technicalities are elevated and the synergy is right there for my preferences. 4z sounds pretty great too but I’ve only had them a day. Big stage, blackness between images, extended airy top end, very detailed, excellent micro dynamics. Macro performance and bass extension aren’t bad but aren’t the best I’ve experienced either.
I hope this is readable lol I feel like it’s a lot of rambling with little useful info.
Please add your own experiences and feel free to discuss and ask question. Cheers.
I really enjoyed my MZ3 when I had it, really unique and excellent pairing with things like a utopia, ps2000e, verite closed, th900/909, sennheisers, awas/awkt, and even some of the easier to drive planars like lcd 24 or final d8kp. The background blackness, cleanliness, depth, midrange, and overall control was damn nice. Microdynamics were strong as well, and timbre was on point, overall well extended in treble. Clean but organic tonality and timbre, slightly not as dense but very accurate there. Speed and separation were surprisingly strong. Main gripe might be bass is extended but a bit on the more limp and light side lacking real heft and real good low end control, but not enough to be a deal breaker
It’s background blackness is really impressive, and I’d agree that neutral more clean signature is uncharacteristic of especially otl’s.
That sounds like a fantastic synergy match right there
This is much more on point than my commentary on the bass performance.
Honestly glad we hear it the same for the most part. Had a hard time getting a read on this one because it’s not at all what I was expecting. What the builder did here is pretty unique. The value proposition is high too IMO given the functionality and how well each section performs.
Also @M0N any thoughts on speaker pairings? If you have experience there.
I’ve heard them with super 8 xrs omegas, klipsch cornwalls, devore O/96, and one audio note an-e series optimized for high efficiency that I don’t recall the full name with. Also had tried a custom horn system that was cool too. Ah and spatial x5. At least this is for a room, for nearfield at a desk things do open up/change. There were other pairings I liked but they might have felt too strained or lacking for me to consider them. You can hit the limitations of it as a speaker amp though, it’s better as a headphone amp
Also for dac pairings, I quite enjoy the amber 3 combo, a mojo mystique v3 is also great, sw1x dac ii is real nice, rockna wavelight too
Well so far signature wise, both are more neutral leaning but I find the mz3 to be more forward clean neutral and the pass a bit more relaxed smoother slightly warmer neutral. Tonality I think the pass is a bit more agreeable but it really depends both are very solid and natural here, I just think the mz3 can get a bit more forward in the mids at times. Smoothness wise the pass is a bit smoother. Coherency is somewhat of a toss up dependent on the headphone. Extension wise I think the mz3 reaches farther in the treble, but the pass reaches deeper into the low end.
When it comes to spatial recreation, the pass is more wide but a bit more vague where the mz3 is a bit more intimate but very deep approach with a bit sharper placement. Something I do think the mz3 pulls ahead in is background blackness, the mz3 is really good at that. Timbre wise the mz3 also pulls ahead but the pass isn’t bad either. For speed and separation the mz3 also might pull ahead in the midrange and treble, but bass is better on the pass in this regard. Texture wise both are pretty textured but the mz3 pulls a bit more in the midrange and treble where the pass offers more texture to the very lower end. Dynamically man I’m not sure but I think the mz3 is more alive in both macro and micro than the pass, but the pass might equal in macro (or exceed depending on the headphone). Resolution wise the mz3 pulls ahead too. Impact wise the pass can hit harder.
Really so far I’d say the mz3 offers more technical ability in most aspects than the pass with the right headphones, but I do feel the pass is a slight bit more refined and overall balanced than the mz3 (and also is a better all rounder with a wide range of headphones and more forgiving to the dac pairing). I do think that both are on a similar enough tier, the mz3 just sits higher while the pass sits lower in that tier.
The thing is though they somewhat pair with different headphones. For most planar I have tried I likely would find the pass to drive them to a better experience (although some of the more efficient planar like d8kp, he1000se, or lcd24/4z pair well), but if I had anything like the dianas, hekv2, ether 2, etc I’d rather go pass, and also with some of the ones that do work well with the mz3 it’s still slightly up in the air for preference and dac pairings
But where the mz3 really shines is with dynamics
These are the really good pairings moreso than the planar imo and would rather confidently have the mz3 with those over the pass (with the exception of the th900 if I was going for a bass and slam focus so that’s in the middle)
I joined the MZ3 club today. Spent months researching. This thread helped with my decision. Thanks @don and @M0N. I don’t have any experience with gear in this tier so it’s easily the best amp I’ve heard. Considering adding speakers and use this as a gateway into 2 channel.
Yoooo glad you are enjoying it, what have been some standouts for you so far? Also yes with some more efficient speakers it can be pretty cool as a speaker amp
Awesome! Congrats man. Definitely share some impressions as you get more time on it.
I recently have been using the MZ3 more as an integrated with my Heresy iv’s. My thoughts are now much more favourable than they were in the earlier post. Once I’ve spent more time with it I’ll add to the thread some more. Also it’s sounding really excellent with the Focal Radiance headphones so far.
Amber 3 > MZ3 is just ridiculously good. I think it’s the best synergy in two pieces of gear I’ve heard so far.
Lol. I feel like this with most gear. I feel like I have a “reverse honeymoon phase” almost. I get new gear ive been lusting over and go “I spent how much on this again?” Then 2-3 weeks in I switch back to something else and just go “ohp, yup, that thing is actualy dope. Glad I bought”
Lol yeah for sure especially like you say when you take the piece of gear out. The longer I’ve owned it the more I appreciate what it does. The detail retrieval and microdgnamics and how black the background is makes it very easy to forget tubes are even in the thing.
I’m selling it to @NickMimi but only to eventually replace it with a Z10 integrated from LTA. The MicroZOTL tech is unique in my experience so far and I love what is it accomplishes.
I ordered an MZ3 a week ago, over the holiday I’m sure the usual two week or so delivery time will grow a bit and that’s given me some time to think about where I am and where I’m going in my system. A couple of days ago I had the opportunity to eat an obscene amount of Sushi with @NickMimi and in a post dinner hallucinogenic state he said a lot of things about my current situation that I had thought of but had been too scared to take the leap on. Standing on the ledge, I think Nick gave the gentle nudge I was looking for.
I have a small ass room 9X12 that I’m trying to make work as both an office and listening space.
So the question is I’m thinking of just pulling the plug on the MZ3 order and going right for the LTA Ultralinear+.
From what I’ve gathered, it’s an even more capable HP amp, has enough power to drive the speakers that are on my radar and it would allow me to greatly simplify my system.
I can use the funds from selling my Pass Labs pre, my Amber 3 and my Carey Audio amp to pay for the LTA UL but also get me a long way towards the purchase of new high sensitivity speakers.
Anyone with experience with the LTA Integrateds? Real world differences between the 40+ and that UL+? which one will have better synergy with my Weiss 502?
While I’ve only tried the headphone out on the z40 int, it didn’t really seem like a jump over the mz3, more a sidegrade headphone amp wise, which is no issue whatsoever but I don’t know if I’d buy the bigger lta for their headphone amp alone vs the mz3
[quote=“dB_Cooper, post:16, topic:314”]
has enough power to drive the speakers that are on my radar
[/quote]Much better for diving speakers for sure
The Z40 is more focused on midrange overall, tonal density/body, organic tonality, and microdynamics. The UL focused more on clarity and neutrality, speed and desperation, resolving power, and spatiality. Generally both are more similar than not, I’d personally go with the ultralinear just due to it’s more technical edge, since if you wanted a smoother and richer amp I’d not really consider LTA to begin with
Thanks for the feedbak… interestingly enough one of the things the Weiss does is a lot of modes, one of which is a Vynyl symulation that works! Pretty wild actualy.
I’m thinking given what I read that I can roll tubes to get me closer, better of both worlds kind of thing, and from a speaker standpoint hit you up for advice once I’m ready. The Voxitives monitors are a nice dream but I’m thinking I can wind up with a pair of Omega and a good SW and be very happy. I think the Omegas would bring things back a little away from the neutral.
I’m enjoying neutrality and detail but I do want it on the fun side, not the analytical side. I think that’s where I’d like things best. The Weiss has a shit ton of setting that will allow me much tuning should I want it.
The idea being, less is more. Less shit in the house, and on that Nick is right.
Personally I wouldn’t, the stock tubes they come with are good and well matched, and I don’t know if I found it worthwhile to try and roll what I had in my ULs. With a z40 might be different though, but for a UL I wouldn’t bother rolling
Would be very solid. As would something from like devore, or spatial or pure audio project, but those are open baffle so it depends.
