Help me Choose BW VS Zana Deus VS DNA Stratus

I think you would be waiting for even longer for the stratus from what I've heard.

 

The last couple of people that I know who ordered a ZDS received it in about 5-6 weeks. That was also the timetable of my ZDSE btw. Also, depending on the ortho, the ZD can be an excellent pairing-just don't plan on running an HE6 or 5LE from it.

 

To Donald's credit-Smurf genocide isn't quite an exact science these days.

 

Definitely try to make it to a meet and see if you can get a listen to these amps with different cans.

 

Super 7?

 

2-3 months wait for an amp that is custom made is nothing.

Limited run amps also don't necessarily climb in value like some Nike Jordans.

 

What makes the 2.2 shine on the BW? And, how would someone go about picking one up used, given that they might sound different from one another? Maybe just roll the dice

 

Stratus is going on 10 months for me ATM, haven't heard from Donald in quite some time. I've got a different order that going on 16 months, and I'm considered to be pretty damn lucky.

 

I found mine on craigslist and sold it here. Just search around, it'l show up. The BW just had great control over the 2.2. Sometimes the 2.2 can sound like a compromised headphone and it really didn't feel that way on the 2.2.

 

LOL. That explains why I am never able to sell anything via Craigslist.

 

Thanks for the feedback. That make it all more interesting for me. However, I happened upon an original BW at a good price that I couldn't resist and just purchased it. Now you have me wondering if I made the right decision. Anyways, having it in Seattle at the meets will lead to more BW purchases so I can eventually compare. However, the BW will only be a bridge drug for me until I can convince my wife to upgrade to the ZDS/2a3/BA/Studio for some EC tube action. The comfort of the original version is that I have already heard it and it tested well as is with my own gear.

 

I am sure you made the right decision. Too bad you are not local to Seattle so we can compare the two chassis options. Just be warned the EC products pull you in making you want more so a ZDs is probably in both of our futures. I have a meet coming up on the 30th where I can go back and forth between a ZD and my new BW to post some additional impressions.

 

@purrin and @drfindley pretty much had me convinced on getting the ZDS but current funds are lacking plus similar wait times for both made me consider the BW for now and to go to meets and get a final end game later rather then get a ZDS then end up hearing a balancing act and then feeling retarded XD

 

I put my order in for a ZDS yesterday. Craig said he'd start on it next week-but they haven't billed me for the deposit yet. Getting the P&G pot and probably a black top/bottom.

 

Didn't you own a Zana Deux previously? I could have sworn I seen a ZD on the classifieds with your avatar from awhile ago.

 

He owned the ZDSE. The ZDS is a different beast. Now I'm feeling a little guilty cuz I might have enabled him into ordering one after me posting countless praise about how my ZDS is so much better than the ZDSE I used to own. On second thought, nah, if I remember correctly it was Bourne who had convinced me to order the ZDSE several years ago (and get rid of my TH900 and grab a HD800) at the other website in the first place. Not sure if he remembers that.

For the nth time, the ZDSE is even eclipsed by BW on multiple grounds IMO.

 

So you like the BW over the ZDSE, but the ZDS over the BW?

 

On a scale from 1 to 10, here is how I would rank the amps.

For high-impedance Sennheisers (e.g. HD6X0, HD800) : ZDSE 8 BW 9.5 ZDS 10
For orthos : ZDSE 7 ZDS 8 BW 10

Now I only own modded Senns so the logical choice for me was ZDS. But as you can see, the BW is no slouch, a more versatile amp if you plan on listening to orthos and at nearly half the price of ZDS a much better value. This is why I tend to praise BW far more often than ZDS despite owning the latter.

 

Interesting. @purrin said Topedo 3 may be better than BW in some ways. Now I wonder if someone can compare the T3 vs ZDS.