I just received my new Zrock2 and it is still breaking in but so far all I can say is wow!

I thought it would give more of a bass boost ( I have the base Zen Triode system) - I still need to learn more about how to use it by fiddling around with it but I suspect this is more of a function of the speakers that I have. The speakers seem to be fairly efficient at 94.5 db @ 8 Ohms but they only have a 6" single driver so perhaps I am expecting too much.

But everything else is really wonderful. I listen near field in my office while I work so I listen at very low volume which is why I wanted more bass boost. But whatever the Zrock2 is doing - it is doing it magically!

I bought some different tubes to roll to experiment but right now I am listening to it stock to get a feel for what it can do out of the box. I have the level II Caps and tube regulator as upgrades.

Really love Decware - the only complaint I have is that the music sounds so amazing it is hard for me to work, as all I want to do now is listen to it!

Highly recommend the Zrock2!

Regards to all.

Steve

They are an awesome piece of equipment. Mine is exactly like your’s with the type II beeswax caps and complete anniversary mods. Alas due to changes I’m making I am contemplating selling it. I’m sure I will regret it.

I’ve been stuck at my sisters house during this event.

She enjoys listening to music she just bought a pair if Caintuck F15 and 4 ASC Isothermal tube traps so she does care about high quality audio.

Currently the system is audioquest dragonfly red -> zrock2 -> ZMA -> F15’s she also has a 10” svs sub.

I got a fully loaded Zrock2 yesterday.  This morning i was playing with it.  After slowly going back and forth with the dial a few times i asked her what she thought about it.  She said “it sounds more full” she paused then said something that really made me laugh “not just more full, makes it sound like what we were listening to before was shit!”

Yep i agree  ;D

Just received my ZRock2.  I love the weighty tonal boost that it adds without being heavy handed.  It's subtle but notable...in a sonic way.  I appreciate the capability of being able to dial in the tone that I want on any recording.  Flipping the by-pass switch on & off provides immediately distinctive sound quality...removing all doubt from the subjective equation of A/B listening.  It's day one (albeit)...still....I'm highly impressed out of the box.  

Note:  The unit's custom with Type I Cryo Beeswax signal capacitors and the tube regulation mod

Aaaah...ok...now I see.  I had not tried it in that manner.

My chain: PC>DAC (Border Patrol & Topping D90 MQA)>ZR2>LTA MZ3 Preamp/amp>Schiit Aegir amp>Omega Super 3 High Output monitors.

My third ZROCK2 is now in TESTING! It has the stock caps and no options except the tube regulation mode, will go into my headphone only system; the sources are DVR and Audiolab 6000CDT into a 2 input ZBOX with standard caps and no other options, then to a PS Audio NuWave DAC, the other input of the ZBOX is a Pioneer Elite Blu-ray player (which also does SACD) and the ZBOX will go into the ZROCK2, and then the ZROCK2 will connect to a PS Audio GCHA headphone amp. All are plugged into a PS Audio P10. I use ZMF Ori* headphones with this system, and it sounds nearly perfect right now, but the ZROCK2 will be an improvement I know.

*The Ori never sound better than with this headphone amp!

Oh, I just wanted to see how that would be. I will have one ZROCK2 in each of three systems now, and they are each configured differently. In the two systems that have one now I have all components with Type 2 caps so I also have those caps in the ZROCK2s and one has no further mods, the other the 25th Anniversary mods and the tube regulation mod. In the system this is going into I only have one other tube component, a Decware ZBOX with two inputs and standard caps--which I have had for many years and which I hadn't been using again til recently. As there are no other tube components except the ZBOX and no components with tube regulation in the system I thought it would be nice to add it to this ZROCK2--I suspect it will add a bit of clarity and dynamic contrast to an otherwise stock unit, and this system could use just that.

It's a voltage regulation tube. The way that Steve implements this small tube it will help to improve the quality of the electricity that powers the device, it will subtly alter the sound, it should give you a tiny bit more detail and a bit more clarity to the sound. A further refinement.

This is a miniature version of a voltage regulation tube and will be inside the chassis, assembed to the eye the unit will look no different, one tube only visible.

I'm sure that Steve's sound great, I haven't heard them; I used the Silver Reference for a long time, they are excellent cables. I spent a lot of money years back and equipted my entire system with VooDoo Cable Stradivarius interconnects, which are fabulous, but very expensive.

There are many cables that will work wonderfully with the ZROCK2--I'm sure many here will be able to give recommendations or some may be able to speak to the copper Decware cables.

I've a pair of the Belden BAV on a shelf. They are quite neutral I suppose. . . I just found them. . . boring. I may have not let them season long enough, I expect I may get back to them again if I need a pair of interconnects.

GroovySauce, what conductive material is the Analysis Plus Oval One made of?  The Analysis Plus website is a bit dubious in that they offer no spec sheet declaring the materials used.  Is it copper?  With their Copper Oval line, which cost 3 times more than the Oval One, they spell out "oxygen free copper".  With their silver line they spell out that it's copper with a layer of silver.  For the Oval One they only say "quality materials".  Any idea?

Whoo hoo! My ZROCK2 (my third!) is in QUALITY CONTROL!

Yes, that's when it's hard to sleep! l) Luckily I'm pretty close to the mothership. . . it took whole days longer to reach me when I was in Texas!

The ZROCK2 arrived and Steve sent a very nice 6189 with it. I set it up and verified it works and am letting it simmer in and will do some serious listening in a bit. So glad it arrived at last! Ordered it May 1 or so. . . and figured I'd get it around my birthday. Shipping on my birthday was a cool thing!

Congrats Lon and Happy Birthday!

Out of curiosity, is the ZRock2 essentially a ZBox with an equalizer added?  If I bought a ZBox, does it have the same tube effect as the ZR2?

Thanks Donnie. I'm too old to have any more birthdays now, so good thing this was a good one on Tuesday, and tonight had a nice birthday dinner at my brother- and sister-in-law's where our nephew just moved back from NYC and it was good to be with family this way for the first time since March.

Yes, I would say that if you don't need an eq adjustment (I always have!) then the ZBOX is quite impressive in what it does. I had one I used years and years ago and then put away for years. It has been modded by Steve to have two inputs to switch from. I put it back in use this year and am very impressed with what it added to a before-then all solid state system. It's a great little component.

In many cases one tube is better than many tubes, and this is the case in Decware designs imo. If you were to add the voltage regulation tube option you'd have two tubes in the ZBOX (one literally inside) and the voltage regulation tube has made a decided improvement in two ZROCK2 that I have.

I just bought the used ZBox off the forum. I’m now officially a part of the Decware family  ;)

Lon - I have 2 each of these tubes left over from my Ah! Tjeob CD4000.  For some reason, the player is no longer reading discs even though the transport mechanism was replaced a few years ago.  The Sylvania’s have never been used in 20 years.

In any case, do these tubes work with the ZBox?

https://tubedepot.com/products/jan-sylvania-6922

https://www.thetubestore.com/jan-philips-6922-low-noise

Thanks for saving me from blowing anything up!  It’s a used ZBox built in 2005.  I got it from the second owner from these forums.  The tube currently installed only has red lettering reading “ECC81”.  I also bought his never installed Genalex Gold Lion 12AU7 tube.  Any idea about the first one?

It will be a worthy investigation to figure out which ECC81 it is.  The seller said almost no markings, and just the ECC81 in red letters.  I guess that rules out the JJ’s as those clearly say JJ on them, right?  Or did 2005 JJ’s not say “JJ” on them?

The other link you sent gives lots in clues.  Once the unit arrives, I’ll investigate further.

On another note, Steve sent me a Sylvania 6189 with my ZROCK2 received this week and I popped it into my main system ZROCK2-25 and man, it's become my favorite tube in that component!

Well, in general yes. As with most things audio it depends on the system. I only have recent experience with the ZBOX in one system and most of the tubes that work in the ZROCK2 that I have sound very good as well in the ZBOX. At the moment I have an Adzam 6085 in the ZBOX. That's working well as the first tube that the signal hits in this system.

Maybe someone else can chime. in as well?

I don't know whether what I recommend will act the same in your system as mine but my three favorites with the ZBOX are an Amperex 12AU7 (because it has a warm sound, but clarity), an Adzam or Amperex or Tesla 6085 (because they have a very big, open sound, with subtle tonal characteristics separating them--lots of gain in this tube) and an RCA 5814A (because it has a very detailed sound with subtle dynamics).