I am a novice at this but would someone please tell me what would be the key differences between using a ZROCK and the Schitt Loki?

Many thanks for your help

Andy

I haven't heard a ZROCK, but I do have a Loki, and what Lon said is spot on.  The Loki is what you would expect with a typical EQ - if you want less lower mids, you just turn down one knob.  If you want more highs, you turn a different knob, whereas the ZROCK is infinitely adjustable, and has an impact on the total tonal balance of the signal.

I personally like the Loki's top three EQ options (I think 400 Hz, 2kHz and 8kHz), but I don't like what it does with the bass (20 Hz).  Somewhere on the internet, there's a forum post where someone from Schiit talks about their design choices, and for some reason, they had to do something different with the lowest one, and it really shows.  The bass gets flabby, lifeless and indistinct if you turn the knob any direction.  The other three are fine, especially if you only cut, never boost.

I mostly just use mine to turn down the highest frequencies a few dB, as my system has a way of getting overly bright from time to time.  I also have a few albums I enjoy, but were either mixed or mastered poorly, and being able to make some adjustments on the fly makes them more enjoyable.  Most of the time, though, it's either bypassed, or out of the system completely.  It's also really useful in making headphones more listenable, less so with speakers.

I'm personally interested in getting the ZROCK, and think it's perhaps a more elegant solution to some of my problems, and from the samples I've heard, a far better way to affect EQ changes in the lowest frequencies, but for the time being, the Loki is a fine choice.