LTA Ultralinear ZOTL Power Amplifier

I am saving perhaps the best for last here, I was completely blown away by the spacious soundstage this amp produced. It transformed the soundscape, adding multiple layers of depth and copious cushions of air around the performers. Everything became completely three dimensional in a way I have only heard in rooms that allowed for a much better setup than mine. It is this type of spatial realism, when combined with such vivid, realistic tonal color and transient fidelity, that makes the Ultralinear so intoxicating--so NECESSARY.

This is an incredibly detailed amp. I mean detailed in a good way, without sounding analytical in the process. Its ability to unravel complex passages resulted in a supreme sense of spatial clarity. This was a function of preserving transient decay into an exceptionally low noise floor.

The results confirmed strong similarities with the SIT-3 in detail resolution and harmonic textures, though the UL was more dimensional, especially with respect to soundstage depth.

It’s fair to say that the ZOTL Ultralinear amplifier is a smashing sonic success.

What makes this amplifier so special is you would swear you’re listening to a SET 2A3 amplifier because of its beautiful tonality/colors and spatial qualities, yet the overall dynamics and bass control rival a much more powerful solid-state design.

The Linear Tube Audio ZOTL Ultralinear is quite remarkable. It fools you into thinking that it's a reference SET for its ability with tonality and color. It provides rich, vibrant and gorgeous timbres along with an overall silky smoothness that just floats the music into the room in relaxed fashion. However because of its overall speed, dynamics, lower bass extension and control you know it couldn't be a flea-power SET.

Think of the ZOTL Ultralinear amplifier as a world-class SET for its inner glow of gorgeous color/timbres plus the sense of aliveness and dynamics of a more powerful push/pull. This amplifier would be welcome in any system with standard speakers and listeners who prioritize beautiful tonality and timbres, first-rate imaging and the aliveness and 'speed' of live music.

I’ll start by saying this is the best Class AB amplifier I have ever heard. The first thing I noticed was that the LTA Ultralinear was the quietest amp I have ever heard; not the quietest tube amp, but the quietest amp. I think this enabled me to hear some of its most captivating qualities; its incredible sense of pace and rhythm, explosive dynamics, and micro-dynamics. I found myself tapping my foot almost as often as I do when listening to live music. The amp is so unbelievably natural that it was hard to think about anything but the music, the glorious music.

If you have high-efficiency speakers and you don’t want to spend five figures on an amp that weighs a ton and heats up your room, then you need to hear this amp. There are very few SET amps that can stay in the game with the Ultralinear. It has the ability to magically take recorded music and almost convince you that it’s live! Yes, there are some SET amps that can do this, but the ones I know of start in the five figures and work their way up.