LTA micro zotl preamp

@jriggy 

If you do a little research on David Berning designed amplification you will find a common thread. Complete transparency, blackest background, just totally quiet in all the right ways. This new preamp has these qualities in spades. I have been a fan of amplifer direct from my DAC for some time but this new preamp just makes my amp sound better. Forget about being concerned with an additional component in the chain.

Here is another thread TJ started:
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/the-new-magnificent-linear-tube-audio-microzotl-preamplifier

Thanks @lancelock 

I’ll look up his past work. Your comments help.

I always had a preamp but this past year, I’ve been running DAC w/ vol control, the clear window transparency is great. I’ll put a pre back in and definitely get a little more density and presence...but at the cost of reaching all the way into the recording —you know the rub.  Sure, the added quality a pre brings is great but it fades and I end up listening harder, searching fro those innerspace details and then just go direct again... I’m hoping for the best of both worlds.

Thnks for the link. I do know about that thread and should of posted there instead for possibly more responses. 

A little bump here; I’m seriously considering the Linear Tube Audio MZ3 headphone amplifier (which is supposed to be very close in sound to their preamplifier, but $750 less expensive). Do we have new people (to this thread) with thoughts on either one - or old people with refined opinions now that they have lived with their units for several months?

I like "better sound", which the preamplifier might have very slightly over the MZ3, but I don’t need all the inputs and outputs for $750 more.  Additionally, I don’t want/need the preamp because I need ONLY one headphone jack and one RCA analog input (coming from my DAC), and maybe, at some future time, one set of speaker terminals and an analog out. But this is now only for a high-end headphone system; I’d prefer to not even have (to pay for) the remote control but I understand Mark can’t offer umpteen options and still sell equipment at a "reasonable" price. I believe the MZ3 and Preamp have the same outboard power supply.

I’d be glad to have people’s thoughts between the MZ3 (or preamp) and other tube-based headphone amps...

@delsfan 

You may not find anyone for a while. The MZ3 has only been in production for a short time. I have the MZ2 and the new full function MicroZOTL Preamp. The new pre is really good and a nice jump in quality from the MZ2, but the little MZ2 is one helluva preamp on its own. You can’t go wrong either way. I can only guess here but I bet the MZ3 is a winner.

Just to be absolutely clear, LTA sells THREE tube preamps.

• microZOTL MZ2: $1235-$2160 depending on options
• microZOTL MZ3: $3700
• microZOTL Preamplifier: $4450