The upgraded level 3 preamp arrived yesterday just in time for my wife’s Mother’s Day present. 
This upgrade is a major improvement in 3 dimensionality, dynamics, bass and imaging. The upgrade is like getting a new preamp that is better in every aspect of sound quality. If you’re on the fence regarding this upgrade, I highly recommend just going ahead and doing it. I couldn’t be happier the improvement in sound quality.
Linear Tube Audio - Micro ZOTL - version -3 Update on upgrades
Having just received the Micro-Z OTL version 2 in Feb and seeing a much better upgrade was available . I had to do it to help complete my quest to get everything in my audio system as good as possible, and for 6 months the 30% off the upgrade stands . Where the older model had 4 circuit boards ,now just one very high quality Ceramic board ,with a small sister board , Gold over thick Copper traces. To start with an additional 80k uf in filter capacitance over 200k in total ,more then most amplifiers,pretty much Everything is name brand parts . I have the Top of the line Lundahl input transformers from Sweden .
having many years in Audio and having had many audio pieces modded , this preamp is Loaded with top of the line in parts quality using worlds best Belleson low noise regulators , Nichicon GOLD capacitors ,from Japan ,AMTRAN BEST - Golden SQ also Japan .EPCOS from Germany.Clarity-CMR -U.k all top notch capacitors
With balanced inputs , and the David Berning design Micro -Z-OTL output stage and Mark and engineering team . The interior is vastly upgraded, now a. Nice large toggle switch to choose between the 6 v - 6sn7 tubes and 12v. 12sn7 , the whole tube socket area is a nice thick platform no flexing and having just 1 Big main board not only more robust but much lower noise floor is Very apparent. Sonically the New version -3 is a major step up. To start I used just the stock tubes in the Version 3 to test vs an audio friends with the version 2 with much better Rays select 6sn7 tubes and same Telefunken 12au7 tubes that I bought . TheNew Version is better with ease ! Image depth is better and a deeper larger soundstage , Bass-MidBass has even better dynamics and slam, even quieter blacker back grounds, With excellent control ,and is just more tuneful, fast, and articulate. When I decided Now it’s time to. Put in my top Rays select 6sn7 tubes And 12AU7 Telefunken Red tip medical grade tubes . It was at minimum another 5 % Better still !! This was a substantial upgrade even with stock tubes .I go to several audio gatherings, the ones who have heard this all have $50k+ audio systems and stated you would have to spend well over $12k to just to come close to this preamplifier performance music just is seamless and coherent which I totally agree !! It has the best of what tubes do best in a Big open soundstage stage , with lots of Air and separation around the instruments ,with excellent Solid state like imaging Big dynamics and ultra fast Tight Bass, much more so now in the version 3 . Listening ,to classic Beatles to Pink Floyd interactions in the micro details that before we’re barely audible now come out of the shadows and are clear and defined , this alone to me is special .I have not found a preamp even close in the $10k+ range that can better this SS or vacuum Tubes, Great Job 👏 To all at LTA Audio 👍🎶👍.
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I’ve had my level 3 upgrade for the past 9 days and I continue to be impressed with the sound quality improvement. The improvement in speed and detail while remaining musical isn’t subtle. Before the upgrade, I couldn’t use the LTA preamp with my First Watt F7 because the sound was slow and somewhat soft. By contrast, it seemed fine with my Pass Labs XA-25. After the level 3 upgrade, the speed and detail improvements with the F7 are startling. I’m also very much into headphones (see my headphone system in my profile). I think this preamp was very good with ZMF dynamic headphones (300 ohm impedance) before the upgrade. After the upgrade, driving the ZMF Verite Open headphones, it’s even better. I have a lot of high end headphones but the ZMF VO with the LTA level 3 preamp/headphone amp is about as good as it gets imo. The Verite Open can be had on the used market for $1500-1700 which is still expensive but a bargain in comparison to some $4K-8K headphones. This preamp is excellent with efficient headphones but don’t expect it to drive a power hungry Susvara or DCA Expanse well. |
Thanks for the feedback @smatsui . Seems like both you and audioman58 think it is a worthwhile upgrade. Just curious if you think it also sounded better with the XA25 or only the F7. Looking forward to any additional feedback from cbrez and thriftyaudio, Happy listening. |
Got my Level 3 upgrade back last week. It did need a bit of break in within my system. There is a bit greater extension or perhaps clarity that stands out on both the high and low end. Cymbals shimmer a bit more than ever and the notes of a standing bass are more taut. The midrange is still outstanding. The LTA is not an old school tube preamp,with the lush, dense midrange of old CJ sonics, but is also not like a lean SS preamp either. The Level 3 upgrade maintains for me the clean, present midrange quality that was there before. Perhaps a bit “cleaner” than before, which makes sense given the apparent attention to lowering the noise floor in this redesign. I am very pleased I had the upgrade done. LTA was very good at communicating status, not surprising given my past interactions with them. The Level 3 is still a great companion to my Pass XA25 and I am very happy overall with LTA and this upgrade. |
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