[Calvin]

I was wondering if anyone here owns or has extended listening experience with the LTA Z10e Headphone Amp. I’m considering a purchase to use with the STAX SR-X9000 headphones.

Anyway any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.

https://www.lineartubeaudio.com/products/z10e-electrostatic-headphone-amp-integrated-amp

[FullRangeMan]

This is a lot of money.
There is the Hifiman amp 550V/650V.
https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/mini-shangri-la.html

[Calvin]

Thanks for your post FullRangeMan. I have a friend that owns HiFiMan headphones. He due to bring his hp system over to my place in a few weeks so we can listen to it with my preamp, etc. I’ll know more after I hear his. Thanks again for your suggestion.

[Don_S]

I have no experience with the headphone amp but I am a fan of LTA ZOTL designs. I had the Z10 until I changed speakers and needed more power. I hated to see the Z10 go. It was very musical.

Now I have the LTA Aero DAC. It is a great DAC. It outperforms DACs costing a lot more. It is a keeper for me. No more DAC searching.

[Calvin]

Thanks Don_S. Great to hear that it’s musical. That’s what it is all about. It may be a good fit with my DAC. 

[Alex-Hu]

I am also wondering the same. I have x9000 and am looking to pair it with BHSE. Z10e is in the same price range.

[viggen]

i was fortunate to listen to the 10e at canjam last month.  fwiw it's the best amp at the show imo.  the ferrum was probably 2nd.  now i a curious how the 10e would sound driving speakers.  i had mz2 and mz3 and think the 10e is a much better hp amd so think it should be a better speaker amp too.

[Jon L]

i was fortunate to listen to the 10e at canjam last month.  fwiw it's the best amp at the show imo.

Did it have enough "tube warmth" and richness?  ZOTL (and OTL) tend to have a rep for sounding very clean and neutral but not for tube-sound lovers..

[aldcoll]

When I bought my Ultra linear last year(by Mr Schnider) I was told all of their products had the same parts just how they ran output for the amps at the plug or jack.

Alan

[viggen]

Did it have enough "tube warmth" and richness?  ZOTL (and OTL) tend to have a rep for sounding very clean and neutral but not for tube-sound lovers..

i thought the mz2 is warmer than mz3 although mz3 is definitely the better amp in audiophile terms.  you can use different psu with mz2 that allows you to further tailor the sound.  mz3 you have to use lta's psu.  that said, they are both very sensitive to tube rolling.  i thought they had plenty of tube warmth with RCA and Valvo tubes also using 12au7 instead of 12at7 driver tubes lowers the output a bit but sounds smoother.

[Jon L]

How about the 10e with electrostat headphones though?

[aldcoll]

How about the 10e with electrostat headphones though?

  I belive some minor  adjustments were needed.  There is a Headphone Speaker switch .

Alan