LTA MZ3 Headphone Amp/ Preamp / Integrated Amp
The MZ3 is the 3rd generation of the original microZOTL designed by David Berning. Linear Tube Audio has steadily raised the bar with this excellent amplifier and produced one of the highest value components available on the market that will improve any audio system as a preamplifier, deliver unmatachable performance as a headphone amplifier, and is one of the best integrated amps for very high efficiency speakers.
Incorporating almost all of the technology enhancements recently released in the new microZOTL Preamplifier, the new microZOTL MZ3 is the result of years of refining the microZOTL circuitry.
The MZ3 is the 3rd generation of the original microZOTL designed by David Berning. Linear Tube Audio has steadily raised the bar with this excellent amplifier and produced one of the highest value components available on the market that will improve any audio system as a preamplifier, deliver unmatachable performance as a headphone amplifier, and is one of the best integrated amps for very high efficiency speakers.
Incorporating almost all of the technology enhancements recently released in the new microZOTL Preamplifier, the new microZOTL MZ3 is the result of years of refining the microZOTL circuitry.
The MZ3 is the 3rd generation of the original microZOTL designed by David Berning. Linear Tube Audio has steadily raised the bar with this excellent amplifier and produced one of the highest value components available on the market that will improve any audio system as a preamplifier, deliver unmatachable performance as a headphone amplifier, and is one of the best integrated amps for very high efficiency speakers.
Incorporating almost all of the technology enhancements recently released in the new microZOTL Preamplifier, the new microZOTL MZ3 is the result of years of refining the microZOTL circuitry.
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When I was a little kid I got my own transistor radio. I loved it. Went with me everywhere. Slept with it under my pillow at night. Wow. The joy and thrill of hearing new music for the very first time. Being transported into another world. Mind blown. That is the place where I want to be. I long for it. Listening now to Audeze LCD5 headphones through a Linear Tube Audio MZ3 amplifier brings me right back to those wonderful moments. Mind blown. I’m so lucky. Thankful.
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I can say without hyperbole that in my experience this is a headphone amplifier with few peers at this price point... Highly recommended.
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The Linear Tube Audio microZOTL MZ3 offers some of the purest, cleanest sound of any headphone amp we’ve ever heard. It’s not overly neutral or balanced, but it presents music in breathtaking detail, to a level we don’t think we’ve heard from anything else on this list.
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The MZ3 combines power and richness in a way that is so deeply musical and pleasurable. Listening to music through the MZ3 makes me feel like all of the acoustic and sonic information available is being focused like a beam of light, stripping away anything that might color or impede the purest signal. The MZ3 makes it feel as though I’ve been ushered into the center of the music and the musicians making it. It is utterly sublime! A dream!
I/O
Inputs: 3 Stereo single ended RCA high quality connectors using sealed, silver contact relay control for a short signal path
Outputs: Headphone ¼” Phone jack, Dual preamp RCA outputs single ended, Stereo speaker binding posts Amplifier class: Push-pull Class A, no feedback Sensitivity: 0.6V RMS [full output] Output impedance: (measured @ 0.5A, 60 Hz) 2 ohms for headphone and speaker outputs, 50 ohms for preamplifier outputs Input impedance: 50k Volume Control: Stepped attenuator constructed of 1025 steps of 50 ohms, with 100 positions selected to provide very fine resolution at the lowest volumes and a logarithmic control for higher volumes . Low noise, precision 1% Vishay Dale resistors and hermetically sealed silver contact relays are used for precise, isolated analog signal attenuation Balance Control: 100% channel isolation using stored differences of volume values. Maximum balance differential is 16 steps
U/X
Front Panel Control: Functions include volume, input select, headphone/speaker output select, and amplifier power on-off.
Remote Control: All functions, including Mute and the configuration menu, are available from the remote, except power on-off and headphone/speaker output selection. Uses an Apple TV remote. The remote is registered to unit to limit control from unintended remotes. The Right-Left buttons can be configured as balance controls.
Auto-save Features: Volume level per input is automatically saved and the unit powers on using the stored volume levels. Balance and all other configuration menu selections are all saved as a global level across all inputs.
Display Controls: 16 levels of brightness and on-off selectable 7 second timeout
Home Theater Mode: an input can be selected from configuration menu to set one of the inputs to a high volume level fixed input to allow surround sound device control the volume level
Power Supply
Linear power supply: User-switchable between 110/120 and 220/240 (100V linear supply available for Japan). Uses dual banks of organic poly ultra low ESR capacitors (4 times MZ2) for over 100KuF of output choke isolated storage. Oversize transformer secured with aluminum and brass mountings (no steel). Regulation is performed using low noise Belleson super regulators. Current transformer controls output protection circuit
Power Supply Output: 12VDC 3 amps
Power Supply Umbilical Cable: premium low noise shielded cable with silver contact, spring loaded premium XLR connectors
Hum and noise: minimum 60mV RMS or 90dB below full output (20Hz-20kHz)
Power consumption from ac power source: approx. 50W
Power output: with 4-ohm load: 1W, 1% THD, with 14-ohm load: 0.5W, 1% THD
Channel separation: (4-ohm loads) 46dB, 100Hz-10kHz, (14-ohm loads): 54 dB, 100Hz-10kHz
Frequency response full power: (4-ohm load) +0, -1dB 10Hz-20kHz, (14-ohm load): +0, -1dB 5Hz-50kHz,
Voltage gain: (4-ohm load): 10.3dB, (14-ohm load): 12.4dB
Dimensions
Amp: 9 1/2 inches (24.1 cm)wide, 4 3/4 inches (12.0 cm) tall, 7 7/8 inches (19.7 cm) deep (including connectors)
Linear Power Supply: 12" (30.48 cm) x 3.25" (8.26 cm) x 4.25" (10.8 cm)
Net weight: with switching supply: 5.35 lbs (2.5 kg) - amplifier and external power supply)
with linear supply: 8.94 lbs (4.1 kg) - amplifier and external power supply)
Tubes
Tube complement: 2 premium hand selected 12AT7 input tubes, and two premium hand selected 12SN7 output tubes. (6SN7s can be used with jumper settings) 12AU7s are often substituted for the 12AT7s to lower the gain if higher headphone output is not required.
