ZEN HEAD model ZH1 is now also available in kit form! See the following link:

DECWARE ZKITS

New reviews are coming in frequently:

April 2009 - Hi Steve,

Just like to say thanks for all your help with my many questions. I have to say the amp is astonishing even at this early stage. The Zen Head just gets better and better - it has to be the biggest difference I’ve ever noticed in an amp after 10-15 hours play compared to out of the box. I’ve got about 30 hours on it so far and it’s really opened up in sound stage, detail and richness. I’ve never had a tube amp but I can see it’ a different sound to most other amps. In fact, I can see what you mean now in that, the Zen is natural sounding and it’s the other amps that are far more colored in the bass and general soundstage. I just love it.

I have a lot of live recordings on my ipod, especially the Rolling Stones, and the Zen takes these recordings to another level, they’re so natural with everything in the right place, and the soundstage not falsely widened - it’s truly like being there. I don’t know if I’m making sense, I think I am having my hearing re-educated as I can’t quite believe what’s coming out of my Senn HD650s. Probably the best way to explain is as that it’s like carrying my old hi-fi system around on my head!

Anyway Steve, promise not to bug you with anymore emails just wanted to say what a helluva product you’ve made - the likes of the P-51 Mustang and Meier Move should bow down.

May 2009 - update!

Up to 300 hours now play on the Zen now and it has gone up several notches, this time more subtle and refined than the first seismic leaps from straight out of the box. The bass is tighter, more defined, the mids and the highs just seem to get lusher without losing any detail. ( Played a Leftfield track yesterday and had to look behind me because I thought someone was there).

It really seems that the Zen is pushing my HD650s to show their full potential. What is most palpable though is the ever deepening soundstage. It’s got deeper but not in an unnatural way. It’s becoming a more layered landscape that the music lives in, in much the same way as you would hear music from high end speakers in a home hifi. The sonics have so much room to breathe and therefore shine. There is no compression in the overall sound - that in your head sledgehammer onslaught - and this I guess is why the amp is so non-fatiguing. I’ve used it with my Koss Porta Pros as well and it’s even given them a palpable soundstage that makes them sound like a pair of headphones ten times their price.

Mike Brennen

Optional room gear description: Rig set-up: Sennheiser HD650s; Cardas sennheiser replacement headphone cable; Qables performance lineout cable; ipod classicRegards Mike Brennen

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Hello,

I recently received and have been using the Zen Head headphone amp and am very, very pleased. It works remarkably well with my Sennheiser 650’s and even makes my vintage Koss Pro 4aa’s sound better than ever. It even sounds better and has more volume range than the headphone output from my McIntosh preamps, amp and CD players!! All that great sound and a first class build makes for a great little headphone amp for sure.

Thanx for your response.

Frank Horvatich

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Hi Steve,

I just wanted to let you know how much I’m enjoying my ZH1. I’ve finally gotten the rest of my portable rig sorted out (Red Wine Audio iMod and Denon AH-D2000 cans), and I’m listening to it right now. I would never have believed portable audio could sound so good.

Many thanks for a great product.

Greg

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I have a Total Bithead and a Decware Zen Head ZH1. The Total Bithead has a DAC; otherwise it’s the same as the Total Airhead. It’s a brilliant amp/dac for the money. I like the crossfeed and the 2 headphone jacks so I can share. The Decware Zen Head ZH1 is considerably better at twice the price. The soundstage outclasses the Total Bithead, the noise floor is black, and the crossfeed is the best I’ve ever heard. I think with the Total Bithead you get a lot of amp for your lolly, but the Zen Head is much better. That being said, at half the price of the Zen Head, the Bithead is a veritable bargain. With my laptop, I use the Total Bithead (I want the DAC). With my ipod clone, I use the Zen Head. My headphone of choice is the Grado 325i. It has a lovely synergy with the Zen Head. I’ll have to try my Total Bithead with my Grado 325i’s and then I’ll report back to you (I don’t remember having to use the high gain setting). More later.

Cheers!

yashicaman

500+ Head-Fi’er

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more info on the Zen Head