Forums https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl AUDIO FORUMS >> Reviews >> ZROCK3 Review https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1740333564 Message started by Lon on 02/23/25 at 17:59:23

Title: ZROCK3 Review Post by Lon on 02/23/25 at 17:59:23 I love the ZROCK technology and the positive effect that it has on audio playback. I have owned four ZROCK2 previously, sold one to Will, and had one in each of my three systems until the ZROCK3 arrived. One, in my headphone system, had Jupiter caps and no other mods. Another, in my audio/visual system had all the mods, with Jupiter caps. The third, in my main system, had all the mods, with Miflex caps. (I sold one that I had bought previously to use in the headphone system which had the basic caps and the voltage regulation mod. I sold that when I bought the one in my audio/visual system, with the Jupiter caps and all the mods). I mention all that to show that I am familiar with the ZROCK function and sound. Have been using them over seven years. The ZROCK3 arrived over two weeks ago and to my knowledge it has the Cornell Dubilier caps in it that Steve discussed with me in email, and all the mods. Simply put: this component does not disappoint, it brings all the benefits that the ZROCK2s in any configuration do. And it adds one important function: the EQ effects are independent of the additional gain--each can be adjusted independently. This is a very useful function for me, as I no longer use a CSP3 (or any other) preamp. Shortly after receiving my SEWE300B I realized that its built in "preamp" section was astonishingly good and the CSP3, which I love, no longer was necessary and in fact was difficult to tailor to be transparent and add benefit. This ZROCK3 with its adjustable gain brought back the function of the CSP3 I most missed--another stage where I can adjust gain. The caps in this ZROCK3 I believe have settled and bring a great tonal balance, seeming to place themselves in between the warm textures of the Jupiter and the modern clarity of the Miflex, a stance that I find very helpful as the foundation of the system's balance. Or, perhaps and, there seems to be a bit more transparency to the sound that may account for the nature of the sound. If I increase the gain via the control on the back to as closely as possible mirror the increase in EQ the sound is very similar overall to the ZROCK2 "sound." Which I have enjoyed and employed for all these years. But, with experimentation of adjusting gain and EQ separately, different characteristics can be found and introduced--which have led to in some cases a more dynamic presentation, and in others a wider soundstage, and various blends of each. And now in the third week of use I have experimented with different tube complements and found a really nice one by substituting the driver tubes and rectifier tube that I had been using in the SEWE300B with different tubes. . . a new window into the recordings that I am enjoying currently, and that I am beginning to like as much as that I have been using since last summer. So I'll definitively state that I really like this component, am glad I waited a year for it (done that, got the t-shirt!) and will state that if you already have a ZROCK2 and love it this is as equally fine an instrument for tuning and tailoring, and even adds another level that you may find very useful.

Title: Re: ZROCK3 Review Post by will on 02/23/25 at 18:54:43 Sounds great Lon. Thanks for your impressions. I bet the balances are influenced by the new caps, but also, in the broader re-design, I imagine Steve found some nice improvements, including, but not exclusive to the cleaner toroidal transformer. Sounds like a really nice place between the Miflex Coppers and Jupiter... For people who need gain tuning like us, sounds like it could be cool to have both the gain and EQ on the front of the ZRock4! Really glad it is working so well for you!

Title: Re: ZROCK3 Review Post by Lon on 02/23/25 at 18:58:09 It would be more convenient on the front, yes, but I think there are "sonic" and circuit layout reasons why it is located on the rear. That said I don't find it hard to reach behind and adjust. And OMG I am totally not ready for a ZROCK4 to be marketed!

Title: Re: ZROCK3 Review Post by ozark1 on 02/25/25 at 15:35:42 Great review! I kind if looked at the volume control on the rear as a "set and forget item". If it's not, I've already rearranged the living room with the system on a rack next to my listening position, it will be within arms reach. The unit is quite a bit longer than wide unlike the rest of my components. I should get my ZROCK3 within a month or two. Jon

Title: Re: ZROCK3 Review Post by Lon on 02/28/25 at 16:20:43 I think you'll be playing with the gain setting . . . at least as the unit settles in and seasons and you get the full picture of what it can do. I find it an amazing component, like its previous incarnation. I find I keep using just a bit less gain. . . abut 3/4 of what I was using with the ZROCK2's fixed gain structure. Flipping great sound!

Title: Re: ZROCK3 Review Post by Lon on 03/30/25 at 17:31:14 The ZROCK3 has seasoned well and man this is a great component!

Title: Re: ZROCK3 Review Post by ozark1 on 03/30/25 at 18:55:44 Nothing like well seasoned electronics! I hope the ZROCK3 makes many of my CDs manufactured back in the 80s sound better. Many lack bass & midrange. My system is in a fairly large room with much out of my control being an apartment. I should be driving to Peoria soon to pick it up, it's almost done. I'm lucky it's just a few hours away, I've lost faith in shippers that treat packages like a football, which is pretty much all of them. Are you still finding that you need access to the rear for adjustments? I've got a place cleared for it on my rack, I'll be able to lean slightly to my left to make adjustments on the back. This will be my first tubed component.

Title: Re: ZROCK3 Review Post by Lon on 03/30/25 at 19:41:10 I think you will find that the component will improve the cds you need it to. I think in time you will be using it a lot. I occasionally make adjustments of gain from the rear. . . sometimes a disc makes its need known. So being able to access the rear on occasion is a good thing. In my headphone system the ZROCK2 there has the only tube in the whole system, and it does a fantastic job there.

Title: Re: ZROCK3 Review Post by pursuitofnow on 04/01/25 at 22:09:41 I'll add that I now love my zrock 3 as well. It has been the hardest burn in I've ever experienced. I was ready to return it at 30 hours. Congested, flat, and just lifeless compared to my well seasoned zrock 2. However, now with over 300 hours it sounds glorious and much better than the zrock 2. More space, dynamics, and overall tone. Both models have full anniversary mods. Very happy with them.

Title: Re: ZROCK3 Review Post by Lon on 04/01/25 at 22:33:53 Good to hear that it has lived up to expectations even if the road there was a bit bumpy. A great component!

Title: Re: ZROCK3 Review Post by ozark1 on 04/11/25 at 17:49:03 I made the ~150 mile trip to Peoria to pickup my ZROCK3 yesterday. They aren't right in Peoria, out in a more rural area in a nice quiet subdivision. My original plans didn't work out, I was going to bring my wife and do something overnight in Peoria, but work got in the way of it. Got to meet Steve and some of the staff which was nice. My Rock came in a box that was ready for shipping. It was packed properly to survive shipping but at 150 miles I'll just pick it up myself. It was actually a bit of a chore to unpack it, which is a good thing. I'm doing the break-In about once a day, powering it off (unplugging) overnight. I do have a small hum which does not sound like the 60hz type. You can't hear it from the listening position. Turning the gain down on the rear 'just a little" cut that noise basically down to nothing. I control volume using the Cambridge CXN100 (in pre-amp mode) into the Rock, then straight into the amp which has no volume control. Any noise produced by the Rock is multiplied X 10 when it hits the amp. If I had a pre-amp between the Rock and the amp, It would be silent. Since I don't make a habit of listening to the tweeters with my ear glued to them, I'm very happy! As far as performance, it sounds great out of the box. I believe it even sounded a bit better after the first break-In cycle. It really fills in what is missing from my system. I've ran the knob on the front at about 3:00 and have been experimenting with the toggle switch. I do have some hearing loss in the high frequencies but I've found that rolling off some of the highs with the toggle switch can sound good too. My speakers also have a 3 position switch that does the same thing. I appreciate the "Decware family" producing fine gear in Illinois!

Title: Re: ZROCK3 Review Post by Lon on 04/11/25 at 23:32:53 Congrats on the trip and the ZROCK3! I have fallen in love with mine. A fantastic component.

Title: Re: ZROCK3 Review Post by RY on 01/01/26 at 19:31:32 I eagerly await my zrock3.... Simple question (as I figure out how to restack my components in my tight space)... the Zrock is listed as 2.5" high. Does that include the feet? Or does that measurement just pertain to the metal box? thanks, Richard

Title: Re: ZROCK3 Review Post by Hearafter on 01/01/26 at 20:03:43 Box is 2” with rubber pads .5” = 2.5”

Title: Re: ZROCK3 Review Post by RY on 01/02/26 at 05:22:04 Is it possible / easy to remove the feet?

Title: Re: ZROCK3 Review Post by Lon on 01/02/26 at 07:22:07 Yes, they are just on the botttom of the case with adheaive.

Title: Re: ZROCK3 Review Post by Tim S. on 03/26/26 at 14:18:18 Thank you to all who've posted, it sounds great, I have one on order :D

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