Zen Ultra owners - how does the Ultra sound as a 2 channel preamp? Does it seem to be fairly transparent or more geared for smoothing out nasty SS op-amp driven devices?

Thanks Lon. Hopefully he and others will chime in. I would be curious to know what Ultra owners are using as a source too. My Oppo BDP 95 Modwright tube modified output and my Torii MKIII create midrange to die for and some of the best imaging I have ever heard. Put my Ultra in between those two and it’s not the same. The Ultra takes my magic away. It no longer sounds like I am live with the band. Tonight or tomorrow I will try to get my other channels hooked up and see what it sounds like for home theater and play with the mixing.

I played quite a bit with different levels going back and forth with level changes from my source, Ultra and the Torii. It does make a difference but nothing like taking it completely out of my audio path. I have rolled several tubes too. I am pretty sure Steve designed this unit to add “love” and make nasty SS equipment in most DVD players sound better. It probably does that. It almost sounds like it is rolling the high end of the spectrum off too much. I need more time with it; I have only had a few hours off and on to play with it. However I am pretty sure that I have had enough time to know I won’t be using it with my 2 channel listening. I don’t think it is a match for the Torii with a very high end source. Maybe the Torii is just too good! I am very disappointed in the Ultra but I don’t want that to deter someone from trying one. It maybe my setup or any other number of things and I have not had it long enough to really say that. It is built very well, as well as the Torii if not better.  I will report back after I have had more time with it and tried it with 5.1 audio.

“But the truth of the matter is that the Torii does not NEED a preamp. Its own built in section is excellent,” I agree. I will put the Torii up against anything 5 times its price. The right source mated with a seasoned Torii is nothing short of magic.

Lon said:

Quote:


I also have my BDP-95 (unmodified) hooked up to my Ultra for 5.1, and stereo, but recently began using the second input on the Torii for my PWD input. And I think it sounds better for it as well; I am a bit of a detail nut, so as much as I love the Ultra on 5.1, it subtracts from the excellent stereo of the PWD. I think the speculation here may be correct, that the Ultra is designed to improve otherwise harsh and 2-dimensional solid state. I think the unmodified Oppo sounds excellent through the Ultra, but I have not run the Oppo stereo out directly into the Torii yet, and will try that as soon as she returns from her trip to the shop. I would say my Ultra did not blossom for at least 500 hours. Moreover, though I have not heard a Modwright Oppo, I am not surprised it might indeed sound quite good without the Ultra, possibly better, as it is already very good in its in modified state.

I was running my unmodded oppo 95 directly into my Torii and it was benign.  I recently added the CSP2+ to "ride the gain" and also increase my amount of inputs.  The CSP2+ has taken a looong time to break in and at first thought it might have been an expensive mistake. It never hurt the sound just seemed to work as a line level pass through.  Now fully broken in it will never leave my system. THere is so much fine tuning and tailoring that the CSP2+ allows you to investigate and master...Would the mod's be better than adding a Zstage? Curious to hear how the mod's helped the oppo.  Love the Oppo!

I had a bybee rail installed on each DAC, all SS channels modified and the tube mod. I absolutely love it. I did not like the player much stock for two channel listening.  I also have a PS Audio PerfectWave Dac II w/bridge. I really like the PS DAC but I always find myself playing the Modwright.  Tubes make a huge difference in the Oppo. The Raytheon CK5694 (requires an adaptor) is the most dynamic, transparent, detailed and non-fatiguing tube I found. They are hard to find NOS and non-microphonic but they make my Tung-Sol RBP’s sound inferior. I would place the Modwright another level up from the PerfectWave Dac II, especially with the right tubes. I find that the taller early 1950’s NOS 3 hole Sylvania 6SN7’s are wonderful sounding tubes too.  The short chrome tops Sylvanias are better than any current production except maybe the Sophia Electrics but much more magic can be heard with others. They are different and I would say it comes down to preference but in my opinion the Triode output on the ModWright Oppo BDP-95 is well worth the cost. Dealing with Modwright is as good of an experience as dealing with the Decware folks.  

As far as the SS mod goes, it made a big difference for Blue ray movies but the SS mod alone does not place the Oppo in the same league PS DAC II. It takes off some of the digital / SS edge for a smoother sound.  If ones budget does not permit the tube mod, it defiantly makes a better sounding unit.

Since the BDP-105 is out, Dan has modified the power supply with tube voltage regulation. It is my understanding that it further improves the sound of the mod and the new power supply works with the BDP-95.  If your room is properly treated and you are using a Decware amp, I would absolutely highly recommend the Modwright Oppo tube mod.

You bet. Let me know there is anything else I can tell you about it. This is an expensive hobby and I think hearing from other users is important. I don't think Modwright ever advertised the bybee rails. If I remember correctly, they were installed at $225 each. If you go with the tube mod I would only do the multi/ch SS mod or not do any SS mod at all.

6SN7 to 5694 adapters are not easy to make. Unbelievably, I had someone from China off Ebay make me a pair with gold pins for $60 or $70 and they work great. They look better than the several pairs I made and sound just as good. Send me a PM and I will get you the pin outs and a link to the EBay place I used.

Is your PSA DAC an MKII?