Help me Choose BW VS Zana Deus VS DNA Stratus

Think of Torpedo 3 as an ecp L-2 lite. I used to own the L-2 and directly compared it to BW. I slightly preferred the BW to L-2 overall, even with Sennheisers. This is quite a compliment, especially for an SS amp, because both T3 and L-2 are some of the best amps for HD800 (albeit not as great with orthos).

From best to worst (for HD6X0 and HD800), it would be ZDS > BW > L-2 > T3 for me.

 

Where did you hear a T3? I don't think you can just assume it's an ecp L-2 lite, with the torpedo 1, that might have been the case, but I am not so sure that the t3 can be labeled as such, specially not with the cinemag output transformers.

Marv said it was more resolving and had a larger soundstage than BW, which would mean it's a fair amount better than the L-2, since BW was both more resolving and had a larger soundstage than the L-2.

 

You remembered right @songmic. And I remember everything lol. Glad to see the EC path still working well for your tastes.

I sold my ZDSE a few years ago in anticipation OF THE LEVI. *gulp* @purrin @zerodeefex are about to do me right though.

 

This thread is basically/totally legitimizing my BW order, seems like a really solid jack of all trades amp from senns to orthos. To quote Tuco, "Tight tight tight"

 

He also said the Valhalla 2 is almost as good as the Super 7.

I refuse to believe that a $200 product can sound superior to a $2,000. It goes against all my beliefs.

 

Valhalla 2 isn't $200, and an S7 isn't $2,000.

Keep in mind a 5% objective technical superiority may equal a 200% subjective superiority. Or inferiority for that matter. It's all subjective, relative, and frankly 100% meaningless if it doesn't jive with your personal tastes. I preferred the Vali over a WA5LE, but that's because I like good sound.

 

I never got to listen to T3 but that is what Doug told me when I asked him right before T3 was released. He didn't use the term lite but basically comes quite close to its performance at a fraction of the price.

 

Hi Bourne......I apologize if this is an obvious question (with an obvious answer that I should have seen), but where is the list of 'options' - I thought I remembered them being listed on the ZD page at the bottom.

 

Just email Craig about it-their website is possibly the last place on earth to learn about Eddie Current, as it relates to, uh, current info.

The only upgrade options aside from the cosmetic black top, is the P&G pot option.

 

I think once I sell my Ragnarok I'm going to order a ZD S. Maybe I should put an order in now and hope I sell before the deposit hits.

Any chance for a demo unit, Marv?

 

That is kind of my plan as well - need to sell my AURALiC Taurus to purchase the ZDS.

 

Your analysis wreaks of assumptions.

I have only heard the black widow and torpedo 3 and they are very different amps with their own flaws and strengths. The torpedo is very low noise/thd for an amp with tubes and is extremely resolving, more so than the black widow in my opinion. However it is bright, and it doesn't work well with low efficiency planars. I found the hd800 to be unbearably bright through the torpedo. Some people rolled tubes and are happy now. For me, it was still too bright and thin through all the tubes I rolled. To my ears the torpedo 3 is synergistic with the hd6x0s and I'd recommend it to people who mainly use one of those headphones. There are exceptions though, and not everyone shares my preferences or hearing. My biggest gripe in my setup of gungnir torpedo 3 and hd650, is that vocals sometimes lack body and just float around. This may be an issue with the gungnir, because I found the Yggdrasil a bit better in this aspect.

The black widow is pretty damn dark and suffers from the same issues as other solid state amps. I think it is about as resolving as the rag but lacks the rag's physicality in the lows. I found the rag more neutral although it too was rolled off in the highs. The bw can power basically every headphone that exists dynamic or planar. That is a huge deal. The black widow was a bad pairing with the modded hd650. It exacerbated the hd650s issues and sounded especially dark and shouty. I did not try out the hd800s so cant comment on that pairing at all.

The best I have heard the hd800s sound is out of the ec 2a3. I think that headphone longs for tubes. But, if you also have planars the black widow might be the more convenient choice. This forum is a huge resource, but not only because of what is written on the forum. It is a community, you can hit someone up to let you try out their gear to see how you feel about a certain pairing. Audio is a battlefield, stand together or perish.

 

My EC BW gen 1 is definitely colored/fun and required some rethinking when paired with my Havana 2 tube DAC having switched from my bright Mjolnir amp. The DAC was specifically selected to tame the Schiit brightness so I had to play with tube rolling to get it right again. Pairing with the Yggdrasil at a meet, my BW soared to new heights with large sound stage and improved treble details. The BW/Yggdrasil is end game for me. My Havana is definitely holding back the BW. Currently trying a MDHT Stockholm from the same DAC family and it is closer to the Yggdrasil performance, but not quite there. Not saying my Havana is bad as I am very happy with my setup right now. But we are audio junkies after all and are always looking to our next move.

The Rok's secret sauce is the Yggdrasil that makes it fly - 1 plus 1 = 3. However, I still like the BW paired with the Yggdrasil better. A Rok was available at the same price as the BW I picked up and I chose the BW. The Rok by itself is a little cold and bright sometimes and that volume clicking drives me nuts. It really needs the Yggdrasil IMO.

The HD800 needs a lot of help to sound good IMO. It works with the BW very well, but the ZD/ZDS is much better and more versatile plus the tubes are much more romantic. However, the HD800 with Sonarworks and the other two tweaks I mentioned elsewhere on the HD800 thread make the HD800 magical on much lesser setups - even better than the ZD/ZDS untweaked. Have not gotten a chance to hear the HD800 on the ZD/ZDS tweaked to see where we can get it.

 

This!

In my personal opinion the BW is extremely overrated by SBAF. I realize I'm part of the extreme minority here.

I agree with everything you said about the BW being dark. If dark is your thing, then BW all the way. If you prefer HD650s to HD600s then the BW might be for you. If you don't, and if you prefer a tonally neutral amp, look elsewhere. I could tell within 30 seconds of listening to BW that it absolutely wasn't for me.

I would go a bit further than you did and state that BW isn't as resolving or technically competent as Rag.

Of the three amps the OP asked about I'd take ZD over the other two every day and twice on Sunday.