The new magnificent Linear Tube Audio MicroZOTL Preamplifier


I have spent the last 48 hours, did not go to sleep last night, listening to Linear Tube Audio's new dedicated full size, full function Micro ZOTL Preamplifier and I'm amazed, mesmerized, and delighted with what Mark Schneider in conjunction with David Berning has brought to the market with this new creation.

I'm a reviewer for hometheaterreview.com and about three years ago I awarded the "Product Of The Year" to the LTA ZOTLhead phone/preamplifier, which as a preamplifier completely out performed my $22,000.00 reference linestage!  Even today this remarkable piece, which sells for $1,700.00 with the upgraded power supply is still one of the best preamplifiers on the market.

Well, it took about three years for Mark to come up with a better "mouse trap". This new linestage is on a significantly higher qualitative performance level then its less expensive sibling and is driving my reference system to beautiful musical heights.  You can go to LTA's website to see how their new chassis work looks and the details of the internal quality of parts/construction and the explanation of the Berning's Zero Hysteresis Output Transfomer-Less circuit design.

Across every sonic attribute: timbres/color, image palpability/density, spatial qualities- air around players- tremendous soundstage depth/width/height, powerful overall dynamics, and deep extension with great low frequencies regarding tone/accuracy which gives a great foundation to the music.  All this and delivered with total liquidity and ease.  This preamplifier renders the illusion of real music better then any other linestage I have had in-house for review. 

My full review for hometheaterreview.com, with many more superlative details, will be coming out in the next few months, just wanted to give this "heads up" to the GON members because this preamp just kills it.  By the way I believe the retail cost is 4K, which is a bargain for what you get and the "magic" it will bring to your system.


teajay
Hey israeljones,

Congrats!  You are in for a treat, indeed.  What source and amplifier are you going to team it up with?
Nad m50 and m52 into yggdrasil into qol completion stage into new microzotl with Loki in tape monitor switch into Sanders magtech into martin logan montis with rthymik subwoofer and Townsend super tweeters attached.....interconnects by audience except for transparent xl aes/ebu into the yggy......
You said it @teajay , I have the new MZ Preamp along with the LTA Ultralinear and this combo is otherworldly. For the last month I’ve been listening to the new Pre and UL on my Tekton DI SE speakers with the best sound I’ve ever been able to produce in this system.

As good as the MZ2 is the new ZOTL Preamp is in another class. I wished Mark had given it another name because I’ve already had some people get confused when I’ve tried to tell them about it. They say I’ve already heard it and I reply how’s that? I’ve got one of the first ones.

I have now moved the new ZOTL preamp and UL upstairs to my reference system. I removed the ZOTL40 and MZ2. Installed the UL and new MZ preamp, now paired with my Janszen zA2.1 hybrid electrostats. Holy crap! Its freaky good. I am not sure what is at work here because this 20 watt ZOTL amp is powering my 87db Janszens as loud as I can listen. I will be stuck in this chair the rest of the night for sure.

So the hot tip of the day if you want to go straight to the top is to get an LTA UltraLinear and a Micro ZOTL Preamp, save thousands and call it a day. This combo puts you in the stratosphere of quality Audio without the stratospheric prices.

Lance
@teajay ,
How does the MicroZOTL compare to the Backert Labs Rhumba? Is the higher price justified compared to the Rhumba?
Hi Teajay,
Thanks for the review on the MicroZOTL preamp. I have to admit I'm a bit curious. Just a quick question. How does this preamp play with moretraditional amps?  I have a Pass Labs XA-30.8. Are there any issues to consider? Do you lose any of the "magic" of this preamp by pairing itwith non-OTL gear?
Hey cmach,

I have used the MicroZOTL preamp with many SS amps, including Pass Labs, and tube based amps and it drives all them with beautiful results in both my systems.


cmach,

I’m running the new preamp (S/N 005) with my XA30.8. The combination is flat out beautiful. I also have an MZ2 which worked well, but the new pre is just better in every way. Clarity, staging, dynamics (both micro and macro). Very liquid, fatigue free, but also dynamic and extended.

One consideration is overall system gain. Listening at typically lower levels the volume rarely goes over 5 out of 100. I should probably swap to some 12au7 drivers but the stock Sylvania 12at7’s have a good sound going. The front end is an Aurender N10 into a Bricasti M1 SE, so I didn’t really need any gain. The sound is just more complete with a pre in the chain.

So far I’ve changed the output tubes to Psvane CV 181T-II (6SN7) with a nice improvement in body and solidity. The supplied outputs are actually pretty good though. 

I did hear the LTA combo at Axpona (pre with mono Ultralinears) and really liked it but the setting was somewhat familiar. I can’t say directly how the XA compares to the Ultralinear. My aural memory says that the XA is more liquid and the UL has a little more punch in the lower ranges. Go figure that the 16 lb. amp sounds punchier than the 92 lb. amp. I’m sure the XA is a far superior space heater.

Greg
I’ve heard people debate using a preamp vs. not using a preamp and I can say the amp direct people have never tried a preamp this good. The Micro ZOTL Preamp has improved every amp I’ve tried it with so far. It’s just incredible.

Lance
Greg, Lance, Teejay,

Thanks for the feedback. Its much appreciated. I'm going to put the MicroZOTL on my must audition list early next year. In general I'm not a fan of OTL. The ones I've heard have amazing detail and transparency but at the cost of sounding thin or a bit bright and edgy. I'm curiousto hear what the MicroZOTL will bring to the table.
Cheers
lance I still need to get down your way to hear all your nifty stuff sometime soon.
@teajay -- as milpai asked earlier, do you have any impressions of how this pre stacks up against the Backert Rhumba 1.2?  Didn't you review that one a little while back?  Thanks for any thoughts. 
Hey soix,

The Backert Rhumba 1.2 is a wonderful preamplifier.  However, for my tastes/system the LTA preamplifier, nothing is better then this David Berning ZOTL based piece.  It provides all the qualities of a reference level linestage, like the Rhumba 1.2, and adds a special quality of "aliveness" that other preamps do not provide.
Hi @teajay 
Being interested in this preamp, as well as interested in audio terminology and understanding... could you explain what you mean by “aliveness”?? 
I am assuming it might refer to a combination of things like dynamics, speed and complet tonal harmonics? But that’s  me just theorizing a breakdown of what might make a piece of gear seem more ‘alive’. 
Hey jriggy,

Great question.  When I wrote my professional review on the Tekton Design Double Impact Speakers I used the term "aliveness" to try to convey that this speaker presented the music with the kick/pop of live music.  Yes, I could use more objective terms like macro-dynamics and transient speed.  However, there are speakers and preamps that are fast/quick, but still lack the illusion of live music in their presentation.

The LTA preamplifier has this special quality to a higher degree then any other linestage I have ever had in my system for review.
 
@jriggy 

Maybe he means “aliveness” like the band is playing in the room. It certainly is for me right now. It’s breathing new life into my amp.
Thanks for the clarifications guys! As I stated, being one that is interested in audiophile terminology and how we use these terms (and sometimes differently), I seek to find a baseline of definition descriptions... Im happy this time I am on the same page with you comments. 
Hello everybody,

My review on the LTA MicroZOTL preamplifier was posted on hometheaterreview.com today.  He gives all the details of way I gave it five stars, the highest possible rating, and purchased it as my new reference linestage.  Hope you enjoy the review.