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Ztellar! - Zorloo Ztella MQA Review

Project A³by Project A³0 comments
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.







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TL;DR
Not Recommended if you like:
  • If you like a flat and uncolored signature.
Recommended if you like:
  • To drive high impedance headphones on the go.
  • To use Tidal MQA for the most part on the go.
  • A dynamic and engaging sound signature.




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.



ProsCons
  • Output power is very high, pushes 2 Vrms if impedance is auto-detected to be >= 150 ohms.
  • Sound Quality is a big step up from phones, among the upper echelon of dac-amp dongles.
  • A very small form factor given its performance.

  • Upper midrange has a slight glare.



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. 

 

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.



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
  • Midbass boost with increased speed.
  • Cleaner and more controlled sub-bass response.
Cons
  • Sub-bass isn't boosted, which could have otherwise improved the listening experience with IEMs/Headphones that are bass-light.
Reference Tracks / Remarks:
-





Mids
Pros
  • Forward sounding midrange in comparison.
  • Very good detail retrieval and texture in this range.
  • Aids transients in this region and presents an overall edgy midrange.
Cons
  • Entire midrange is warm and smooth, which can put off some people.
  • Upper midrange is a bit too revealing and sometimes harsh.
Reference Tracks / Remarks:
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
  • Does not have the ESS glare at all, in fact the treble response is smooth, with no added sparkle.
  • Micro-details are not lost or masked nonetheless.
  • The smooth highs tend to be forgiving of bright IEMs/Headphones with harsh recordings.
Cons
  • Treble response is noticeably smooth, people looking for a bright sound or sparkly highs will be disappointed.
  • When using the HD 6XX at near about full volume, the treble gets a tiny bit splashy.
Reference Tracks / Remarks:
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
  • Soundstage depth is enhanced notably with an obvious improvement in layering.
Cons
  • Soundstage width isn't affected.
Reference Tracks / Remarks:
-





Separation
Pros
  • Separation is the best part about the Ztella, player outlines are much cleaner and well placed.
  • Image clarity is exceptionally clear. 
Cons
  • -
Reference Tracks / Remarks:
-



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 Price99 USD49 USD21 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

The edgiest sound of the three with the best form factor and design.


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. 

Be sure to follow Project A3 on Facebook for more reviews.















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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Project A³
Project A³ is a collection of individuals that are passionate and dedicated to consumer and enthusiast audiophile products. Originating from various countries and involved in different fields what they all have in common is an appreciation for listening to music in the best way possible.
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