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Headphone performance: The comparison against Burson Audio's new $1.100 HA160D headphone amp with USB & S/PDIF DAC plus variable outputs [right] was illuminating whilst being nearly predictive (relative to personal beliefs of course). At this level of implementation specifically to build a headphone system around, which would be dominant - ultimate converter technology (Antelope, digital) or beefier all-discrete power supply and output stage (Burson, analog)? If the Burson photo had you bet on it, you'd have won. Cross referencing proved that the Zodiac's already described DAC traits didn't waver or drift.

To headphones, the Antelope was Sennheiser's HD800 while the Burson was beyer-dynamic's T1. The Zodiac+ was more aerated, lithe and fluffy plus—here the tie-in with the stock HD800 stops—smooth. This combination of qualities proved very much secondary however to the Australian's audibly greater drive. It translated into higher solidity, density, tone color richness and, quite simply, more substance. That suite of qualities dominated. The general difference was very much like swapping in a more powerful speaker amplifier. Superior control nets greater firmness, higher power greater dynamic contrasts. While smaller amps in a line routinely are somewhat more sophisticated, that's often outweighed by improved drive into wide-bandwidth more demanding loads.


While Antelope's headphone output had sufficient voltage to generate fully satisfactory levels from today's best headphones—on loudness, the Zodiac's circuit was as 'powerful' as the Burson—and while it was of obviously higher quality than raw convenience sockets on receivers; it was bested by the less than half-priced Australian. The latter's raison d'être is first and foremost as dedicated headphone amplifier. To that platform were then added a DAC and relay-switched inputs. The Zodiac+ seems first and foremost a converter to which were tagged headphone outputs for studio monitoring. For demanding audiophile headfiers, the Burson is the better more focused choice. For those adamant about the last few potential percentage points of D/A conversion and 24/192 async USB, the $2.200 combo of $1.500 Wyred4Sound DAC2 plus $699 Burson Audio HA160 from my circle of hardware familiars would be the top offering in this price range. In that context, don't think of the Zodiac+ as a headphone amp with DAC. Think of it as a very advanced pro-audio DAC with studio caliber (but not ultimate audiophile) headphone sockets.


USB cables: Over my ALO Audio-rewired HD800 as the headphone in my collection that most complemented the Zodiac+'s harmonic and soundstage strengths, the differences in USB cables were narrower than over my regular speaker systems but still trackable. The WireWorld had the most top-end air and upper harmonic elucidation, the Furutech was the warmest and fullest. Compared to those two, the generic cable included with the DAC was the sharpest. However, rather than any unequivocal and obvious best, I expect that most listeners would eventually identify a slight favorite—mine was the Furutech—but (surprise?) not single out the generic as the clear loser. At lengths up to 2 meters, with standard rather than mini plugs and over speaker systems, I had previously heard rather larger differences between generic cables and Entreq's for example. I had thus settled on the latter as an unambiguous choice. With the two half-meter aftermarket cables now vs. the longer generic, headphone listeners shouldn't—as in, ought not to—be in any rush to upgrade. The cable differences I perceived fell very much into the highly diminished return on investment category. Running Amarra 2.0 in memory (buffer) over hard-disk mode for example was a rather bigger step up in performance.


Over my regular speaker system where particularly soundstaging and bass impact differ to headphones, the subtle difference shades of the three USB cables became more pronounced. While the prior WireWorld and Furutech differences held—with the American being more detailed from the upper midrange on up, the Japanese fuller and mellower in the opposite direction—the upset came from the generic. Far from being outclassed, its grippier rawer character could have had many listeners prefer it to the more 'civilized' renderings of the special cables. A few years ago, I reviewed Melody Valve Hifi's 2A3 integrated to conclude that standard Sovtek power triodes sounded far better than the same tubes held up vs. costlier glass in other amps - as though the designer had specifically voiced his amp around the affordable Sovtek bottles. I of course won't suggest that Igor Levin has optimized his USB input for the included freebie wire. I will simply stress that before you stress over a fancier cable, give the generic one a fair shake. You could be surprised.


What you perhaps should take more serious is what readers Tony Piquer and Ted Brady had to say. The former found that "...as owner of an Antelope Zodiac+ I must say that it needs more run-in if you want to get the best from it. I came to the same conclusions as you and I even emailed the importer to ask Antelope Audio about the lack of impact of the bass and body. After some more weeks of continuous playing the DAC suddenly made more bass so I suggest you keep it for some additional weeks and report on the changes if those finally occur. My sample needed at least 800 hours if not more."


Ted Brady: "As one who owns the DAC2 (and many other of your inventory….Wyred STP SE, ModWright etc.) and has evaluated the Antelope Zodiac Plus, among others, I have to agree with a large part of your recently completed review. The speed, finesse and overall depth/airiness of presentation tells me that Antelope knows clocking; they know jitter management! However, I found that the missing heft you described started showing itself after about 200-300 hours of break in. Not quite up to the Weiss DAC2 mind you but significantly more than earlier in my demo. This was one aspect of the sound that changed the most with more mileage. Wondered how many miles you put on it."


I originally clocked about 200 before putting keys to pixels. I then ran up another good 100 hours before penning this last page. While the Zodiac+ did flesh out just a bit more, my Weiss DAC2 still overshadowed it on incarnation factor. I did not feel that I had to rewrite my original assessment.


Meanwhile Igor Levin announced that "we have a software control panel coming out and inspired by your remark about the pro-audio nature of the dB scale have added an option switchable from the control panel that will display the level on a 0 to 100% scale."

Wrap: As a 1st-gen pro-audio platform introduced to the consumer audio market, Antelope's Zodiac+ is an impressive debut. Out of the gate it competes on the level of the two DAC2s from Wyred4Sound and Weiss respectively and outfeatures them both. With such a positioning, the Zodiac Gold's upgrades of stepped attenuator and beefier power supply and output stage have the very real—actually, highly likely—potential of catapulting that machine to the very top of the heap. The Plus' showing suggested to me that its (digital) front end already is there. To fully catch up with the audiophile competition merely requires additional efforts on the (analog) back end. If the Gold delivers that, I expect that it could really upset the status quo.
Quality of packing: Very good.
Reusability of packing: A few times.
Ease of unpacking/repacking: Effective.
Condition of component received: Flawless.
Completeness of delivery: Perfect. Includes owner's manual and generic Toslink, USB and power cable.
Human interactions: Sales manager Leizer Benvenishty was very responsive and helpful.
Pricing: A hi-tech high value.
Final comments & suggestions: Volume control tracking of fine setting vs. display readout could be improved. Sonically, the Zodiac+ majors on soundstaging, air, upper harmonics, speed and very high resolution. Depending on system context, ultimate body, density, color saturation and bass power may need to come from elsewhere. In my context, class A push/pull EL84 monos in feedback pentode mode plus a high gain transistor preamp provided the appropriate reinforcement.
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