Okay Geek Farm
digiZoid ZO2 Personal Subwoofer review
Jason Tsay
Headphone amplifiers: they’re standard in every audiophile’s portable audio rig. Most of the time they just provide the extra bit of power to supplement a weak music player so what does digiZoid mean when they call the ZO2 a “personal subwoofer”? Well. the ZO2 features SmartVektor, a technology that supposedly allows for a richer and more customized audio experience, in addition to improved bass performance. Is the ZO2 as magical as it sounds?
Features
- Two gain modes for use with either headphone out or line-out
- Compatible with headphone impedances up to 300 ohms
- Digital volume control with 32 selectable levels
- LightBar with 32 distinct color changes for each sound contour profile
- Sound contour profiles tuned for equally spaced intensity changes
- Single-switch operation for all controls
- Memory feature automatically recalls last settings
Our Impressions
The packaging of the digiZoid ZO2 boldly proclaims, “blow your mind, not your ears.” Inside, you’ll find the amp, two skinny audio cables (one long and one short), a miniUSB cable, and a manual.
The hardware of the digiZoid ZO2 is very compact and relatively simple. A soft touch, matte finish covers the entire body of the amp while a light strip accompanies the ZO2 logo on the front. The top features 3.5mm input and output jacks, marked by a music note and a speaker. A spring loaded dial located on the right side of the device is used for turning the ZO2 on and off (press once to turn on, press and hold to turn off) as well as for adjusting the EQ and gain. A miniUSB port for charging is embedded in the left side. When you plug in the miniUSB jack, a small red light glows until the battery is fully replenished. Despite plastic construction and a lightweight body, the ZO2 feels very well built.
So what exactly does a headphone amplifier like the digiZoid ZO2 do? As the tag line suggests, it adds that extra bit of oomph to your tunes. Sound through the ZO2 was much richer and fuller. Bass was significantly boosted while maintaining audio clarity. Not a huge bass head? All you have to do is turn the dial on the side downwards for a different EQ. The ZO2 has 32 presets, or profiles, to scroll through, as indicated by the fading LED strip on the device. Red indicates a bassier sound while green emphasizes highs. The ZO2 will start out with an orange strip, in “neutral” mode. If you press the dial once, the light strip will turn blue. Turning the dial up will make it turn purple for a high gain mode. The purple mode is much more power hungry than the blue, but will power headphones with higher impedance. Although added bass is one of the primary uses for the ZO2, this amp isn’t just limited to the low end. We found that soundstage was improved and we were able to hear certain details that we had never noticed in songs before. We did most of our testing with our trusty AIAIAI TMA-1 over ear headphones and newly reviewed XePort 7010-9 in ear headphones.
The ZO2’s battery life is actually pretty good considering it’s diminutive size. With a couple hours of daily listening, a full charge should last you about a week. High gain mode consumes more power (dropping battery life to just a couple of hours) so the ZO2 will automatically switch to low gain mode when power is low, eventually flashing a secondary red light reminding you to charge up.
Overall
The ZO2 is great whether your headphones are a little light on the bass or you have high impedance headphones that require a little more power than your source device can output. Sound quality is considerably improved in areas other than just bass while no compromises are made in the pursuit of improved bass performance. The ZO2 hardware itself is well designed and simple to use. If you’re looking for a quick way to upgrade your portable listening setup, the ZO2 is well suited for the job.
Pro’s
- improves audio quality, not just bass
- simple to use
- highly portable
Con’s
Where to buy
digiZoid — MSRP: $99.95
///5///
This review was done by Jason Tsay, who was provided the ZO2 by digiZoid.
