EQB hasn't worked for me with the OG ZROCK2 or this modded one, believe me I've tried it. Not enough treble reduction per bass boost. I think we have different needs in room/system.

I must say that with the speaker cable change I was pretty much where I needed to be, with the 5814A tube and could have the ZROCK2 at about the 25 minute on the hour position, and excellent sound.

And then today I installed the latest firmware for the PS Audio DirectStream Memory Player and I observed as many others have a decided improvement in bass response and was very happy for the hour I got to spend with the system (my wife was home today and I didn't have any more time for music). Looking forward to tomorrow, I think that the ZROCK2 has broken in considerably and I have things dialed in well. I am thrilled with the solidity of the instrumental sound and the dynamics this modded component is capable of.

JOMAN,

Great to know this. I should be getting my 25th Anniversary ZR2 in a couple weeks. I look forward to experimenting with the settings, after things settle in.

I'm guessing about 200-250 hours for the caps and everything to fully "burn in". Does this amount of time sound right for folks that have the modded ZR2?

HK

HockessinKid, I lost track of time and do not think that I’m at the 200 hr., point.  Like Scott I had a lot of things going on at the same time.  I would say at about the 25 hour mark I started to notice changes.  Now I’m probably somewhere between 70 and 100 hours.  

The first significant change was 20 - hours after I installed the new spades on my cables.  I did have the ZR-2 with modifications before I installed the spades.  Immediately after I installed the spades the sound went for a bit of dump.  Around the 20 hour mark things began to sound like they did before only much better.

The next thing I changed was the tube that was in the ZR-2 prior to the mods.  It worked then but not after the mods and the more the whole affair burnt in the more it became evident.  So I went back to what was sent with the ZR-2, the 5963 long grey plate.  Much better.  Talked to Steve and I bought a Philips long grey plate and a National black plate.

As the Philips settled in, along with a tube change in my CSP-3 the results started to edge into the ‘spectacular’ category and they continue to ‘improve’.  That’s not the word I’m looking for but I think it’ll make the point.

So more to the point, the results continue to go more and more into the ‘spectacular’ category and I think it’s now the ZR-2 modified that is changing, seasoning as time goes on.  If it stopped here I would be thrilled but based on what is happening every time I turn it on, I do think it has a ways to go yet.  When I get to the 200 hour mark I’ll see where it all ends up.

I don’t like to make statements that can be taken as absolutely ‘this is what will happen’ as there are too many variables, but in this case, if you are patient, I think you’ll be rewarded beyond expectations.

Sorry about the duplicate post... something went haywire with the server at the time that I posted...

No, I think that's how it is designed to be, I think "muddy" is not the word I would use but darker, more treble reduction, lower frequency boost in EQA compared to EQB.

But with the 25th Anniversary modified ZROCK2 I find there is far less "muddiness" possible. So much more open and transparent. I wish there were a bit more bass boost, maybe it will come, seems unlikely now. But when Steve says the original ZROCK2 can hold back a system with 25th Anniversary modifications to amps and preamps I believe him now. The modded ZROCK2 certainly unleashes the sonic beasts!

I don't know, I'm at the point that I thought today about sending the modded ZROCK2 back. It's been a while since I thought of sending a Decware component back.

I got the RCA backplate 5814As in and though I like to have a tube in the component a few days to draw a conclusion, so far after about five hours it sounds essentially the same as the GE gray plate, which is okay, good in fact; it may get a touch of warmth in a day or so, we'll see.

But compared to the OG ZROCK2 everything is still just a tad brighter than I'd like pretty much regardless of tube type. Sounding oh so good as far as detail and dynamics and instrumental character and texture. . . but just a tad too bright.

And then today I tried bypass to compare. . . and in bypass the channels are reversed! When I tried it before it was with mono material, but today stereo. What the heck? That and the wrong knob put on this is two strikes. The tad of brightness (and I have treble cut circuits on my amps!) makes me wonder if all is copacetic. I could put it in my second system and put the OG ZROCK2 back in and relax into listening again. I haven't had relaxed listening really since this arrived.

I'll give it more time. It's been plugged in 12 days and had music flowing through it probably more than one hundred hours. . . .

Anyway I can tell it's supposed to be a killer component and other than being a tad too bright it is. . . . I'll give it more time.

It's possible. Sure is hard to send something back. . . . I may email Steve for a suggestion. Thanks for the assessment.

I've moved away from the 5814A back to Amperex 12AU7 which are helping just a bit, brining pretty much where I want to be with EQA nearly all the way up. But the tubes not warmed up enough, and my window for listening is ending.

This could all be a burn-in journey. I emailed Steve for his input as to whether what I am experiencing is normal with the mods.

Yeah, thanks. I think I may just be experiencing break-in. . . . I'll quit expressing for a few more days and weigh in if there's changes. I'm hoping that last bit of brightness goes away.

Thanks HK. I remember what you reported of your journey. Glad it's been sorted out for a long time now!

Thanks for that info John. I won't be doing any changes myself. I'll wait to hear back from Steve (I hope) and go from there.

Today I received the first two Raytheon 5814a windmill getter tubes.  I’ve got 5 hours on one and right from the outset this tube showed that it is very different from the 5963 grey and black plates that I have tried.

Not too many reviews on these but the couple that there are seem to be spot on.  It seems to have the best of what the 5963 grey and black plates offer, at least the ones that I’ve tried.  I’m going to put another 50 hours on these and then make an assessment on these and the Sylvania 5963 long grey plates.  So another 75 - 100 hours.

They are the most extendended across the frequency spectrum of the ones that I’ve tried without being too hot in the treble or boomy in the bass.  Vocals are really good and may be the best yet.

Right now I’ve got the ZR2 set in the A position and its anything but muddy with this tube.  The highs are attenuated but very present.  If I were to nit pick I’d like to see a touch more in the mids.  I’ll put another 20 hours on this tube and try it in the B position with better source material.  At that point I should be able to get a better ‘feel’ for this tube.

I haven't heard anything back from Steve about the reversed wiring for the bypass affecting anything else. To be honest nothing seems wrong, and further break in has really helped the sound, and I haven't ended up with any tube changes except the ZROCK2 tube which has an RCA black plate 5814A that is seasoning in nicely.

Vinyl playback sounds pretty amazing. I had an issue for a while and it just didn't sound as good as I knew it should and then discovered that though the turntable was level in one direction it was off in the other axis and when corrected . . . great great sound. I really like the PS Audio NuWave Phono Converter--I'm getting the sound that I like as much as the ZP3 sound, and its balanced output with my Take Five Audio Deluxe Neotech XLR cables is perfect for the ZTPRE.

With all the tuning I've done these last weeks it's at the point now that when I flip sources between vinyl playback and digital playback I don't have to touch the ZROCK2, I just adjust the volume and I switch from "MultiWave" (for digital) to "Sine" mode on the PS Audio P10, and I can do both of those via remotes.

I'm almost relaxing into the digital playback, it mostly sounds fantastic and I'm so relieved. As John has said above the modded ZROCK2 really does show you what you have on recordings. A great recording can stop you in your tracks and take the world away. I think as this RCA tube continues to season (I'm using the GE version in my ZROCK2 in my downstairs system) I'll be where I want to be and can quit futzing and just spin whatever I feel I want to from my collection.

One big improvement for me was using four each of the VooDoo Cable "Iso-Pod" footers under each speaker--not the current version but the predecessor which was much cheaper, just had one bearing separating two pieces, effectively isolating the speaker from the carpeted floor. Of all the different ways I've had the speakers this one really opens up the sound of the HR-1s and the height puts the tweeters where they do their best and don't over achieve.

The ZROCK2, modded or not, is a system-changing product. The modded version will bring a microscope to the signal coming in and allow varying focus. In my system it caused a minor upheaval, not unlike the firmware upgrade to "SnowMass" did with my DAC. There was a significant difference between the modded and its predecessor, and the difference was chiefly in detail portrayal, and I had to deal with it to acclimate to the sound and presentation. I think I'm nearing completion of the process, and pleased to be nearing the end of the process, and pleased with the resulting musical environment.

It’s been about 15 hours on the Raytheon 5814a wndimill getter in the ZR2 and I have to say what a disappointment!  Should you have any of these don’t install them, don’t listen to them, save yourself the agony.  In fact out of the goodness of my heart let me help you out... send them all to me.  ;)

JOMAN wrote on 03/29/19 at 03:24:28:


Glad you are enjoying the Windmill Raytheon. I haven't tried those but am loving the backplate RCA and the GE gray plate, both in use in my ZROCK2s (the RCA in the modded, the GE in the OG). A great tube. . . full of life and character.

HK,

You’re going to be very pleased with what you have coming, I’m pretty sure...
It’s always nice when things make it on the truck.
Happy Listening.

Best,
Scott

I predict you will be happy with it in far less time then "a few" weeks!  :)

Holy Crap, Holy Crap and this after only 10 hours of ZR2 burn in. Listening to vinyl this morning was an absolute revelation. The music has been elevated to a whole new sensory level - I am swimming in the sound.

HK

HK,

Did you have the zrock and have it A modded or is this a maiden voyage? Cheers

^ very nice. Deciding if I want to send mine in the the A treatment. It will suck to part with it /:

Yes, that was my experience as well. Two to three weeks of use and it's so much better. . . . Hang in there, it's worth it.

I've had two modifications to existing components--Taboo Mk IV and CSP2+--and the Anniversary Mods sounded great right off the bat and the whole components didn't go through the mood swings that the fully new ZROCK2 with the mods did! So I think your ZMA modification break-in will be. .. smoother.

Lon,

Thank you for the additional break in period information. I am using the ZROCK2 exclusively in my vinyl listening chain (between my phono preamp and CSP3 preamp), so its not on constantly. I have been listening about 4-5 hours straight per day, then off for the remainder. So my full break in period (150 hours) will likely be a 1.5 months or more.  

I heard some widening of the soundstage this morning, but tonality is still shifting around and there's some muddiness to the sound throughout the frequency range. No bigee, things will improve with time.

HK

Lon,

It stays plugged in 24/7 per the manual recommendation. I'll try unplugging a couple nights to see if it helps. Thanks again.

HK

This morning after unplugging the ZR2 last evening I heard distorted vocals and congestion for the first two hours. Then (somewhere between 40-45 total listening hours) everything snapped into focus.

Music on steroids, hyper detailed sound with a massive soundstage. I felt like it was being shot out of a huge fire hose straight at me. I was almost blown out of my seat by the Talking Heads "Stop Making Sense" album. Transients had a bit of a hyper real leading edge, kind of like a ruthlessly revealing DDD digital recording.

I am hoping that the caps will settle in some more and smooth out over the next 25-30 hours. Then I'll spin some really well recorded piano and vocal albums to carefully check things out.

BTW, my turntable is totally dialed in now. Adjusted the level and VTA yesterday. I'm extracting everything out of those grooves.

HK

I whole heartedly agree with the rollercoaster ride on this one!  Mine ZR2-A25 arrived Monday morning and has been plugged in a had music running through it non stop since.   At times I can sit and listen and start to hear 'it',  at other times it feels so uninvolved that I'm out of my seat within a couple songs.   I'm trying to leave the same tube for brake-in in although I do have a 6085 on the way, arriving tomorrow.
Initially on my Zu's,  the ZR2 had me questioning it synergy with the speakers due to the feeling that the tilted mid/low-mid-range was a bit overly exacerbated, naturally by the freq shift that the ZR2 pushes.   Last night that had seemed to 'calm' down a bit and was not as pronounced through the speakers.
 Here's to being hopeful... I really want to like it, and feel I will,  it's gonna take some time to beak/dial in....
  I think going forward for the weekend at least,  I will unplug over night and turn on again in the mornings...