Anyone listen to Zu Audio's Definition Mk3?

Spirit,

I've replaced a $6000 audiophile power conditioner with a $600 standard industrial balanced power transformer. Night and day difference.

What 6K PC did you get rid of?

Keithr wrote:

The amps are the only ones I've heard that do strings as well as Shindo--which says something. SET spooky midrange of course is there. Only negative thus far is a bit of midrange glare, which I believe is Chinese tube related. Have a pair of RCA NOS 6ns7s that I will drop in soon

When you say they do strings well, are you referring to bowed, or plucked, solo or massed? I'm curious if the langauge you used is meant to convey excellence in timbre, harmonic richness, transient capability, inner detail or possibly all of the above and more I didn't list?

How bad is the midrange glare? Definitely curious if this is wholly a tube issue or just mostly mitigated by changing tubes.

In an earlier post you made, you mentioned you had tried the Audion Black Shadows, but they were very noisy. Phil then replied stating the problem was found to be a failed bridged rectifier (or something similar?) and stated another audition would be undertaken along with the Sophia? Do you still plan to compare the Sophia and the Audion? Thanks!

plucked strings- there is a rightness that is tough to describe.

the midrange glare is pretty muted. i'm being very picky here. 213Cobra feels the A tube is the reason behind this. i think the cheap input tubes are the reason. we shall see.

I've heard the Black Shadows 20+ times over the years. well aware of their sound. comparing the two head to head may happen, but it's not a priority. in fact, it's not particularly of significance to me as I chose Sophias over Audions and others.

KeithR

Keithr, do the Sophia's still use the 206 driver tube? Are the amps tube rectified or SS...do you have an opinion on the differences between the two? Having a difficult time finding up to date info on the Sophia's. Thanks!

Agear wrote:

do you think reinserting a tube pre-amp would ameliorate some of what you are missing, particularly lower midrange density? I know you have already done that experiment, but...

Well...I was fully in your camp on this issue several years ago. My friend and I listened extensively with and without a good PRE in the system with both my Audio Aero Capitole CD player and his Resolution Audio Opus with Ref mod from Steve Huntley at GNSC. At that time, even with the SS Rowland Capri pre, we both preferred the sound WITH a pre in the chain.

With the Berkeley, using an Atma-Sphere MP1 MkIII pre with V-caps and caddock resistor package, we both preferred the Berkeley direct. What's more, anyone who has lived with an MP1 MkIII will attest that it is incredibly transparent, musical, bold, neutral with the exception of a slight emphasis in the lower midrange, yet we both preferred it direct.

Agear wrote:

I know many feel that the Metric Halo and Berkeley dacs are too "digital" sounding and converted to tubed products like the Lampizator.

I could understand how one might come to that conclusion, particularly if they use some of the "ultra resolution" type speakers/equipment that masquerade as "neutral", but sound leached of body to me. I don't find either the Berkeley or the LIO-8 remotely "digital" sounding, but the LIO-8 was more "real" sounding to me. I happen to agree with Barry Diament that the use of a switching PS is not a disqualifier for top performance. Every design is greater than - or lesser than - a sum of it's parts. BJ (Metric Halo) knows his stuff and I judge this solely on the quality of sound it delivers. Trust me...I have a little vanity in me and if the LIO-8 wasn't outstanding, I'd have irresistible desires to find a more "high-end looking" source. It is butt-ugly, but it sounds wonderful!