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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

Showing 1 response by tuckia08

tuckia08
8 posts
 
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
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