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Sound Review by machinegod
Disclaimer: Zorloo has graciously provided us with this sample unit in exchange for an honest review. The views discussed below are a reflection of Project A3's thoughts surrounding the product. The sample has been run-in for at least 50 hours prior to reviewing in order to achieve an accurate representation of the product.
| TL;DR |
| Not Recommended if you like: |
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| Recommended if you like: |
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Introduction:
Zorloo is a Hong Kong based company focused at bringing affordable premium portable audio product to music lovers worldwide. It has successfully funded 5 crowdfunding campaigns and introduced the Z:ero, Aero, ZuperDAC, ZuperDAC-S and Ztella products. Today we're gonna take a look at the Zorloo Ztella MQA (99$). The MQA version also has a smaller version Zorloo Ztella (65$) without MQA support.
| Pros | Cons |
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Specification:
- DAC and Headphone Amplifier- ESS 9281CPRO (MQA version), ESS 9270C (Standard Version)
- USB Audio- 2.0 High Speed Class 2
- Smartphone/Computer Connection- USB Type C
- Headphone Connection- 3.5mm audio jack (L/R/GND/MIC)
- PCM Max Sampling Frequency- 384 kHz
- DSD Max Sampling Frequency- 5.6 MHz
- MQA- Renderer
- Max Bit Depth- 32-bit
- Max Output Power- 32 mW + 32 mW
- SNR- 120 dB
- THD+N- 0.0006%
- Output Impedance- <2 ohms
- Frequency Response (0-40 kHz)- +/- 0.0005 dBrA
- Cable Length- 11cm
- Chassis Material- Aluminium
- OS- Android, iOS, macOS and Windows 10
Unboxing:
In terms of unboxing the experience is pretty bare bones. You get the dongle with its adapter (Type c to USB A) in a generic zip-lock packet and a sealed letter containing the Quick Start Guide and the Spec Sheet.
Build Quality:
No complaints regarding the build quality. The wire is braided and has a good mix between springiness and flexibility. The dac/amp chip housing and the 3.5 mm jack housing feel solid and the connections on both the ends are tight. No disconnection/connection issues were found during the time of this review, a considerable force is required to yank the type c connector out, which is a plus.
Same goes for the 3.5 mm male. I do wish the cable length were a few cm shorter to make the portable use a bit more convenient.
Same goes for the 3.5 mm male. I do wish the cable length were a few cm shorter to make the portable use a bit more convenient.
Functionality:
Driverless recognition in windows 10 and plug-play on Android 10.
Here are the LED indicator colors : Blue - Idle of <=48 kHz content. Red - >= 48 kHz content. Magenta- MQA Stream or file.
Very minimal heating was noticed after prolonged usage. The Ztella MQA is also modest when it comes to battery power draw.
The output power is enough to drive the HD 6XX to listening volumes at 70-80% volume.
I do wish the light intensity was a bit less as it is blinding in dark/dimly lit environments.
Also, I would have loved to see a toggle for the impedance selector for a more flexible control of the output power.
Here are the LED indicator colors : Blue - Idle of <=48 kHz content. Red - >= 48 kHz content. Magenta- MQA Stream or file.
Very minimal heating was noticed after prolonged usage. The Ztella MQA is also modest when it comes to battery power draw.
The output power is enough to drive the HD 6XX to listening volumes at 70-80% volume.
I do wish the light intensity was a bit less as it is blinding in dark/dimly lit environments.
Also, I would have loved to see a toggle for the impedance selector for a more flexible control of the output power.
| Reference Used | |
| AKG K361, DROP/Sennheiser HD6XX, Sivga SV006, Moondrop Blessing 2, QoA Pink Lady. Nokia 6.1+ phone, Apple iPad Air 1, Windows 10 PC, Windows 10 Laptop. | |
| Lows | |
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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Reference Tracks / Remarks:
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| Mids | |
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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Reference Tracks / Remarks:
Joss Stone- The Chokin' Kind
Joss Stone- The Chokin' Kind
The upper midrange bite is displayed well in this song, with the vocals sometimes piercing through with a bit of an unnatural tonality.
| Highs | |
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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Reference Tracks / Remarks:
The Cat Empire- Fishies, John Williams- Theme From Jurassic Park
The Cat Empire- Fishies, John Williams- Theme From Jurassic Park
The smoothed out highs are apparent in Fishies where every cymbal crash is a little less impactful and lacks the openness of the extended overtones.
The sweetness of the violins are dialed down in the Theme From Jurassic Park noticeably.
| Soundstage | |
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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Reference Tracks / Remarks:
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| Separation | |
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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Reference Tracks / Remarks:
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| Comparison Chart | ||||
| How we compare: We chose other similarly priced earphones or similar offerings from the same brand that Project A3 has reviewed in the past, to ensure that we remain as impartial as possible in our comparisons. | ||||
| Zorloo Ztella MQA | iBasso DC01 | DD Hifi TC35 | ||
| Suggested Retail Price | 99 USD | 49 USD | 21 USD | |
| Lows | Boosted Midbass, no boost in Subbass. | Boosted Subbass. | Boosted Subbass. | |
| Mids | Midrange is forward and the upper midrange has a slight glare. | Entire midrange is quite warm. | Mids are not as forward in comparison, has lesser microdetails in comparison. | |
| Highs | Smoothed out highs, but maintains tonality. | Rolled off highs with a slight tilt towards a dark tonality. | Added sparkle and sweetness. | |
| Soundstage | Average width and good depth but loses out to DC01 in terms of depth. | Best depth and layering out of the three. | Relatively same as DC01 in width but loses out on depth. | |
| Separation | Best separation of the three. | Better separation than TC35 but loses out to Ztella MQA. | Excellent for the price range. | |
| Remarks |
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Very good sound performance but limited by 2.5 mm balanced and bulky design. | An excellent beginner choice. | |
Conclusion:
The Zorloo Ztella MQA is a sonic wonder which comes wrapped in a small and utilitarian design. It's a well rounded product hitting the right spots with an engaging sound signature. Highly recommended for someone who wants to get serious about their portable audio quality.
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All ratings are accurate as of date of publication. Changes in price, newer models may affect Project A3's views on the performance and value of the reviewed product.
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