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Problems getting the best out of my Berning

Hello fellow Agoners,

I beckon for help from experienced users of the Berning ZH270! I just received mine new a week ago, and although it is an incredible amp, it is not meeting my expectations. HELP!

First the good news:

This is the fastest amp I have ever head, and it has virtually no noise floor. I am truly impressed with these aspects. It handles most everything with ease and clarity.

Now my system:

Proac 2.5 loudspeakers
Cary CD308 and Arcam FMJ CD23
Kimber PBJ Interconnnects
Audioquest Type 4 cables

(I've also used Dynaudio Audience 72's and all MIT cables, and Triangle Titus + Audioquest Slate cables and PBJ IC's).

OK - now to the problem:

On all three setups mentioned above, the amp seems strongly biased towards the midrange and upper midrange, resulting in a fatiguing presention. There is a significant decrease in bass (not detail, but the actual movement of air) from the other amps I have used for comparison (Classe CAP 101, Pass Aleph 3, Adcom GFA 5400). While the detail and fastness are truly amazing, the midrange emphasis is getting the worst of me!

I've spoken with David Berning and Frank S (FS Audio.com) and both encourage some tweaking to get rid of this perceived (psycho?) acoustic bias. Frank is going to send me some interconnects to try. David mentioned that others have changed the tubes. He doubts anything is wrong with the amp.

Is this all in my head, or have others had similar problems and needed to make adjustments to get it right? While all my other amps are currently SS, I have trouble believing that this is the "tube sound" (I've heard other tube amps). Other threads mention system tweaking to get rid of a "glare" with the ZH270, changing tubes, sensitivity to cabling. My perception of the sound is pretty strong - currently I like my Aleph 3 a whole lot more with the existing setup.

I'm willing to put some time and money into making this work - because in all other respects, this is an absolutely amazing amp. Perhaps it doesn't suit my ear - but I want the advantages of this amp without the disadvantages I just mentioned. Please - suggestions on what to do from all you experienced Berning fans... so many high commendations cannot be that far off (right?).
peter_s

Showing 5 responses by allanbhaganinfo

allanbhaganinfo
121 posts
 
The chances that there is something wrong with the ZH-270 is extremely low to nil, chances that there might be a problem with a tube is somewhat higher.

I recommend that you leave the ZH-270 on for the next week or so and play as much music as possible through it, it will break-in more.

The tonality of a ZH-270 is as neutral as it gets, any and everything you do will make a difference in what you hear, unshielded cable, metal shelves, stacking, will all hamper/change performance, this is not a short coming of this amp, it's ultimate performance without coloration.

However, ultimate performance without coloration might not be for everyone, wait a week or so, then contact me and let me know where it's at.

Changing tubes is for taste, not to bring up the performance, not everyone is ready nor do they want an amp that reveals everything, there must over 60 ZH-270 owners, all extremely happy, so much so that used ZH-270's have one of the highest resale values in audio, that is if you can find one.

The tube changes can be suited for your taste, while keeping the attributes of the speed and clarity that Berning has designed into these amps, it's not a performance upgrade but a taste that you might be more use to, I hope this explains it better.
Allan
allanbhaganinfo
121 posts
 
Tubegroover and those interested.
Yes, I hear the improvements that the tubes make, yes, it's certainly a big hell of an improvement to me and most of those that hear it an have them, it's shocking how good but not everyone prefer it, believe it or not, some may want that glare, it's not a tube glare, it's a true glare, it's there in live amplified music, it's there in digital recordings.

One person preferred the stock tubes in all, a very small amount but still shows that improvements are a taste thing, there is no other explanation for it.

So to call it an upgrade, it would have to be better for everyone.
One thing in Audio I have learnt is, for every one thing a person upgrades to, another upgrades to the opposite, if you have speaker cable A, an you hear speaker cable B an love it, there is always someone that had speaker cable B and now loves speaker cable A, so the only logical explanation for this is personal taste but then I suppose there is no logic in audio :)
allanbhaganinfo
121 posts
 
It takes getting use to, for sure, the amp really has no sonic signature per say, it's most timber correct, as Bobby from Merlin will attest to.

So it really does not smoothen, brighten, add bass or anything, you get exactly what you give it, that really needs getting use to.
allanbhaganinfo
121 posts
 
I really don't think it's phase, he's not complaining of imaging, which would be the first obvious thing, he also has issues with his pre-amp, he just needs to get it all together and get use to the clarity, as Gbeard stated, he also was set back by the sound for the first little while, it's that different, an very much so from what he is use to.
allanbhaganinfo
121 posts
 
Joneill.
The steel ball, I assume would be a stainless non-magnetic type, you should have no problems putting them under your Berning.
However I do recommend the new Still Points, if no one yet is using isolation.
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