Tag Archives: Zikra Audio Preamplifier

Opinion 1

Finally!
What does this sigh mean? Take a look at the history of our meetings with the designs of this manufacturer, and you will see that so far we have been playing around with only some „small things”. A naturally extended, two-part line preamplifier  is a very serious and excellent-sounding design, but the fact is, that even after adding a great step-up transformer, we have not hosted a full set from the portfolio of this Danish manufacturer. Fortunately, today, thanks to the logistical commitment of the Polish distributor, a full amplification setup has been delivered to our doorstep. Admittedly, at first with only a stereo amplifier, but firstly, as they say, „something is always better than nothing”, and secondly, it is a novelty in their offering, which completely compensates for the expectations for the most extensive configuration of this type, which is soon to appear in our premises. So, what will we focus on? Giving away a bit of a secret already in the introduction, this time we got a pre-power set, which includes the Zikra Audio Preamplifier line preamplifier, which has already had its five minutes in a solo performance, together with the Zikra Audio Stereo 300B XLS power amplifier. Both devices come from a Danish brand and were supplied to our listening room by Prestige Audio from Olsztyn, Polish distributor of the mentioned brand. Are you curious how this complete set of audio signal amplification will compare to the previous, in my opinion, very positive performances? If so, I invite you to take a comfortable chair and read on.

Trying to describe the external appearance of our heroes, we see a typical solution for devices built around tubes. Naturally, I mean having a support platform for the aforementioned glass bubbles with transformers enclosed in rectangular cups and hiding the necessary electrical systems under them in a flat box. A topic known since the dawn of time, and knowing that for some potential buyers it sometimes turns out to be boring, I reassure the eternal malcontents in advance, that Zikra Audio, wanting to unobtrusively revive, and in some way modernize, the design of its chasses, made the aforementioned enclosures from hand polished stainless steel. Not chrome-plated, to avoid artificiality, but brought to the final effect by a true hand polishing process, which adds an additional flavor to the devices, and for many is the true implementation of the production process referred to as „Hand Made”. Effect? Interesting, because we have a cool gloss of the case, which is not artificial and successfully contrasts with the matte black of the transformer covers and the amber glow of the tubes placed in front of or between them. Say what you want, but despite my current avoidance of this type of products, after performing many tests, even I can see for myself that it is very easy to fall in love with their appearance, which naturally happened in this case as well. Moving on to connections and functionality, the preamplifier and the power amplifier perform different tasks so in a natural way, they are different. Starting the report, in both devices we are dealing with platforms with series of transformers located on the sides of each upper surface, hidden under aesthetic lids and sets of electron tubes between them, and connection terminals on the rear panel, necessary to receive and exchange the life-giving electricity drawn from the network. One difference between the two components is that on the front of the control section, there are two input and volume selector knobs and a set of RCA line inputs in the rear part of the top panel. Unfortunately for many, but I know from experience that this is a fully conscious procedure, to ensure the best possible sound of the device, the manufacturer did not provide for the use of a remote control. This, of course, when choosing the appropriate listening volume, means you need to do some trips to the table with your equipment, but as I mentioned, experience teaches that for the world’s top designers – for example, in the case of the linear preamplifier from Koda I once owned – this is a standard.
When it was the turn of the power amplifier, the first piece of information I need to the mention is the usage of a slightly different case size. Still in the form of a platform, but rather wider than deeper, with a differently planned setup of tubes and transformers on its upper surface. The first ones, which include the iconic 300B, stand in the first row, and behind them, there is one big container that occupies the entire width of the case, hiding the transformers. As for the connection package that allows the amplifier to be applied to the existing stereo, this one is also located in the back of the roof of the box. The photos show that there is a power socket, a fuse socket, one RCA line input and WBT loudspeakers terminals. Is that all? None of these things. I only approximated the general appearance, so that, similarly to the Step-Up MC test, after reading the manufacturer’s statement, in which wishful thinking is avoided, I once again paste it below, as it provides a more detailed description of the device.

„Stereo 300B XLS power amplifier in Amorphous High Gain Silver Wired version with amorphous output transformer core, wired in pure silver, braided with cotton and silk, with interstage transformer from the Monolith Magnetics. Like all Zikra Audio projects, it is a fully point-to-point design, with no printed PCBs. The case is distinguished by a minimalist, bent and hand-polished stainless-steel housing. We do not plan to add a cage to protect the tubes or other gadgets, because we like Scandinavian simplicity. It is not a childproof design, but that is what a real 300B amp should look like! The power tubes are Emission Labs 300B XLS, which allow you to reach power level of 17 W per channel. The input is powered by Siemens EC 8010 Gold Pin tubes, and the whole offers a wide frequency response – from 12 Hz to 150 kHz. The amplifier supports loads from 4 to 16 Ω, has RCA/WBT inputs and an input impedance of 10 kΩ. It is a device for discerning purists, as it combines the combination of craftsmanship precision with the highest quality components and the classic character of 300B tubes with better control and resolution. An additional advantage is the 10-year warranty that we offer on all our amplifiers (except tubes). The model provided for review is the flagship and most expensive stereo variant in the range. If you want to start your adventure with a power amplifier in a lower configuration, there is a version with a regular Monolith Magnetics transformer, with weaker parameters, internally wired with copper, and not pure silver as in the case of the flagship. An offering which is a little less technically advanced, but equally interesting in terms of sound.”

Before I get into the specifics of the Zikra Audio set presented above, in order to understand the final opinion of this test, I will articulate a few issues that bothered me from the very beginning. The first was to see how it would cope with my loudspeakers, which are very difficult to drive having only 17W of power. The second is the verification of the decision of the designer to continue or not to continue the aesthetics of music presentation proposed by the linear preamplifier itself. And the third, and for me probably the most important in this case, is to prove that the hitherto excellent approach to the definition and descent of bass was not just the result of chance. As you can see, we are looking at very important matters in general, but for me it is all even more important, because tube solutions sounding in the way presented by the Danish are very rare, not to say exceptional, confirming the rule that the world of the tube is music flowing with milk and honey. Always fluid, essential and without a shred of aggression, usually unwanted by users, which simply becomes boring for me in the long run. Perhaps this is the aftermath of the current fascination, with the much more unpredictable in artifacts of well-understood directness and unpredictability of presentation, solid state technology, but as the products from the trademark of today’s hero show – I refer to the test of a linear preamplifier, a glass tube with a common-sense preservation of its advantages in the center and top of the band can show some silicon roughness in the lower registers. But does it happen always? Naturally, the last question was not asked without reason, but as a provocation to the answer the questions asked at the very beginning of this paragraph. Therefore, answering it with full responsibility, I state that in the case of Zikra Audio, always. Namely, it is about confirming the continuation of the idea for music according to the line preamplifier also in the power section. The effect is, that from the often boring tube, which often glues the sound into one mush, it leaves only a colorful, but very vivid and phenomenally creating a 3D effect, vibration, thanks to which it enhances the tangibility of the stage event in the midrange. The upper and lower ranges are a completely different sonic fairy tale from the typically applied vacuum containers. The treble does not become golden and sweet, but sparkles with endless transparency while maintaining the truth about their color and weight of for example the drummer’s cymbals shining in this frequency band. There is no effect of crushing food grade aluminum foil, only hitting a hard metal disc made of sheet metal, which allows you to recognize not only the moment of hitting it with a wooden stick, but also the sound of a rather thick metal lid resisting it. Anyone who pays attention to such nuances knows what I am talking about. As for the bass range, it can easily show the often inaccessible descent of this register, but also, depending on the musical material, energy, sometimes hard and sometimes full of juicy modulated pulses. For me, this is a phenomenon, because it can easily convey the diversity of playing the double bass, from immediate changes in tempo and juiciness of the attack on the strings, to showing the full palette of shades of their work after reinforcement with the belly, when the material requires it, by meticulously marking its edge, sometimes sharp, and at other times slightly round. Surprised? I certainly was, because based on many encounters with this type of equipment, it really is the highest skill, which the Danish once again passed with flying colors. However, to be completely honest, I have to signal, that this does not happen with the full spectrum of volume – at least with very difficult speakers. What am I talking about? Pay attention to my first question related to the control of the Gauder speakers I have. These are dragons that, despite a certain kind of versatility – many weak amplifiers could easily cope with them – are still quite a challenge for the tube. So much so that the 300B XLS presented the quality of music I mentioned only to the average levels of everyday listening, which is still an excellent result for me. I repeat, it is an excellent result. Later, despite the still good reception of the musical spectacle, it could unfortunately be heard that 4 woofers plus a 3-speaker mid-tweeter section were still making themselves felt. But I note, that is why I bought large speaker units, so that, colloquially speaking, they would move the walls, and that is why I have a powerful transistor amplifier. And while it would seem that such a stance disqualifies me and some of you from a possible life with a tube, the Zikra Audio set made surprisingly much of the expected unpredictability of music presentation visible, in a slightly different way, but resulting in the same disturbing aspects that torment my restless spirit when played at a lower volume level. Usually, when turning on my system, I automatically focus on a truly concert experience, but during this one, as well as the previous test with the Danish vision of music, this view was turned upside down. Yes, I did not rearrange the walls, but the audioferak does not live by earthquakes alone, and there comes the time to celebrate music in the aesthetics of ethereality. But not in the domain of over sweetening, and thus losing a specific expression, but as the set from Denmark showed once again, always with a strong kick and volatility. And when it would seem that not getting a concert presentation can really be a kind of problem sometimes, Marcin came to me for his test session. In the strongest variant, he listens at home at least half as quiet as me, which broke the aforementioned problem of the requirement of concert sensations into the proverbial dust. In my opinion, he listened very quietly, and yet every now and then his eyes showed that the title tube collection surprised him with all those elements often lost somewhere in the background, due the amplifier not being able to reproduce resolution and timbres of each frequency subrange properly. And I assure you, these were not one-time „antics”, but a feast of nuances rarely shown by even many times more expensive devices, with the bass range being the most spectacular. This, in turn, only confirmed my conclusions about the class of the system configured for the test. Does Marcin’s test session mean that large speakers are unnecessary in this case, because quiet „strumming” gives just as much joy? Not at all, because from the very beginning large loudspeakers give greater freedom to visualize even the most emotionally crazy music, and if you have a chance to live with such speakers at home, I recommend taking advantage of the opportunity. If Marcin had a choice, he would also use my configuration, but I mention it only to show two completely different performances with different expectations of how music is created, but to my and his surprise with almost identical conclusions. I assure you, such a level of consent is rare with us.
To illustrate the above-mentioned state of affairs, I will use the jazz album „Homage” https://tidal.com/album/430781533 by the fusion ensemble Marcin Wasilewski Trio in cooperation with saxophonist Joe Lovano. It is jazz playing with the so-called silence. Overall calm, but with many touches free jazz, which is still easy to absorb even by beginner listeners. What enchanted me so much about this music? To tell the truth, everything, and probably most of all, that the whole thing was presented with phenomenal freedom, volatility and transparency. And while in many configurations it ended in a tiring overinterpretation, only the „tubey” midrange signaled by Zikra –and wit that I mean symbolic warmth and vibration – skillfully heated up the atmosphere of pensiveness in this music, giving filling and sonority to both the piano and the saxophone reed shining with its wood flavor, and the lower range was on the point, allowing to show the tiniest sound entities, often brought to life by accidentally touching the string, while, with the energy of the lower range, it phenomenally turned up the emotions associated with not only creating a single sound, but also absorbing of the full composition of this musical event. And not only in the understanding of a music lover, which is often used to justify exceeding the good taste of essentiality and the weight of sound, but also of an audiophile, which is my second nature. The album turned out phenomenally, but not wanting to artificially dilute this text too much, I will not disassemble it into even smaller primary factors. However, in order to convey the emotions it aroused in me, I deliberately described my sensations in one, admittedly quite long, and therefore many times complex sentence. I try to avoid such tapeworms, but in order to convey the true state of mind, sometimes it is not possible to do it differently, you may even necessitate to do it like that. Finally, I will only add that I received every music in the same way. Naturally, the one poorly executed with all the shortcomings emphasized, but this is the result of dealing with sophisticated devices and you cannot put the blame on them. What about rock and similar genres? Yes, sometimes the power of the transistor was missing, and yet in most cases everything sounded good. But only good, not excellent, because we all know that tube amplification is not an ideal partner for playing the usually poorly engineered musical rebellion. Yes, you can always do it, but if you want to rearrange the walls in the way Zikra presents genres based on contemplation and enjoying the silence contained in them, this is not the way to go. For me, this is completely understandable. If for someone it is not, then that person probably has not yet grown up to the highest quality music presentation through truly high-end systems.

Is the eponymous Zikra Audio pre-power set a remedy for all the needs of every music lover and audiophile? In my opinion, if you agree with my last thought from the previous paragraph, it definitely is. Every, I repeat, every aspect of the presentation by the tested setup meant, that not only was there no chance to break away from the music listened to at a given moment, but I even subliminally felt forced to automatically place the next record on the turntable’s platter. Every time it was something magical. And not only in the sense of listening to your favorite album, but also because competitive products rarely reach a similar level of quality. Thanks to the descent and resolution of the lower registers, the tangibility of the sound created by the vacuum tubes and the clear arrangement of the virtual stage, the system made me sit all the time as if I would be enchanted. However, not with sweetness and smoothness, but with well-understood unpredictability. Nothing but listening, which I did with great pleasure for several days. Was this the case for every material? Well, I think we have already clarified that. Although for me rock in many cases also reached an acceptable point – let us remember about the evident mismatch of the speakers with the power of the amplifier, with my solid-state amplifier feeding the great German columns I achieved a higher level of engagement. There is only one „but” – who in their right mind wants to test the resistance of their hearing organs by playing rock at the concert level with difficult loudspeakers, using a tube amplification offering a symbolic amount of power? Of course, I know, but in order not to offend anyone, I leave this issue to you. Another thing, when the configuration is consistent with the art, i.e. poor power of the amplifier in cooperation with effective loudspeakers, then it is a different story. Still slightly different from the aesthetics and momentum of a transistor, but then certainly rich in the amount of controlled unpredictability. In this edition, it will only be a choice of aesthetics, not the sound quality of the system, because both versions will show the highest level. At least the one with Zirka Audio on the sound path, will, in my opinion, for sure. Unfortunately, you have to make your own opinion about the set with the transistor you own, because for natural reasons I don’t know it, but I assume that if you are looking for a phenomenal tube in the type of the titular Danish, it is at a similar level.

Jacek Pazio

Opinion 2

Already during previous meetings with the preamplifier and step-up, we signaled that Michael Zingenberg behind them – the founder, chief designer and owner of the Danish brand Zikra Audio – operates not even on the fringes of the audiophile mainstream, but rather has settled in the underground explored by orthodox audiophiles and does not particularly feel the need to jump out of every refrigerator. It is not enough that, at least at present, he does not have such processing capacity to aspire to the group of global hegemons, and on the other hand, due to its fully intended niche and boutique nature, he does not have to cling too tightly to the „mass product” requirements, such as the need to enclose all kinds of tubes in cages that do not give them any justice. Therefore, not being able to boast any child- or animal- safety, it directs its products to „adults”, who have already grown out of the proverbial shorts. And it was from this pool, thanks to the efficiency of Olsztyn’s Prestige Audio, that we managed to obtain a linear preamplifier for testing for the second time, which this time was given only the role of the „chaperon” to main star of the evening, a tube power amplifier, using the iconic 300B tubes, the Stereo 300B XLS.

Since Jacek and I have managed to confess extensively about the appearance, construction, and sonic qualities of the preamplifier, this time in the descriptive part, I will focus all my attention on the eponymous power amplifier, and if any of you would like to refresh your memory about the preamp, I cordially invite you to the source materials. Moving on to the substance and taking a look at the above gallery, it becomes clear that our today’s leading protagonist turns out to be surprisingly compact, at least compared to his „chaperon” who leads him by the hand. To be completely happy, it only needs a single, not a double, minimalist body made of polished stainless steel, where the front landing pad is equipped with a very beautiful set of tubes, about which we will talk about literally in a moment, while the second line is occupied by a rectangular black catafalque hiding the transformers inside. And at this point, it is worth mentioning that the de facto main star of this meeting has reached us in its highest specification, i.e. Amorphous High Gain Silver Wired, which means the use of not only amorphous cores in Monolith Magnetics transformers, but also silver wiring in cotton and silk braids. For the sake of completeness, I will only mention that the basic version, armed with „ordinary” transformers and copper wiring, costs „only” €14,500. All connections are state of the art, in point to point wiring technology, thus eliminating printed circuit boards. In the input section, Siemens EC 8010 Gold Pin tubes are being used, while in the output stage we will encounter Emission Labs 300B XLS tubes capable of outputting 17W per channel. The list is completed by a single Chatham JAN CAHG 5R4WGA rectifier lamp. The main switch is located on the left side and all connections (speaker, a pair of RCA and power inputs) are located vertically on a small „windowsill” along the rear edge.

To tell the truth, moving on to the listening part, correlating the manufacturer’s declared and surprisingly high power of 17W for a single 300B, with the editorial „black towers” from Gauder Akustik, we were constantly preparing a contingency plan. So if we noticed that the Zikras were running uphill and just getting tired, we would load the Danish electronics into the trunk and transport them to my home to relieve their suffering and connect them with my, definitely more merciful for the weak tube amplifiers, Audiosolutions Figaro L2, with which even the 11.5 W (8Wrms) BonaWatt Tamesis was not afraid to roar menacingly to Alissa White-Gluz on Arch Enemy’s „Deceivers” . However, as it turned out, the trip turned out not to be necessary, because contrary to our (by no means unfounded, because for example, for 16W (at THD 5%) Western Electric 91 E we had to procure the highly effective Klipsch Horn 75 TH Anniversary SE) fears, in the so-called blink of an eye, the Stereo 300B XLS found a thread of agreement with Berlinas and from the very first bars of the Japanese pressing of „Agent Provocateur” from Foreigner showed itself from an extremely attractive side. Interestingly, surprisingly not a … tubey side. The point is that the Zikra duo played with intimidating resolution and delightful freedom, showing the momentum and multi-faceted rock arrangements. The bass was characterized not only by infectious timing, but also by such diversity that was difficult to expect from a 17W tube. No averaging, no saving yourself from drawing contours with a thick line, or betting on romantic oneir. Here there was a reliable adherence to the facts and even if the drums played in unison with the bass, both sources were defined to the millimeter on the virtual stage with truly watchmaking precision. Of course, as a precaution, I will only mention that we did not have such irrational ideas as attempts to play with truly concert volume levels, but please believe me that even with slightly higher decibels than our standard doses, I did not notice any disturbing symptoms indicating shortness of breath of the Danish amplification. Only the metalcore „Searching for Solace” by The Ghost Inside turned out to be beyond Zikra’s capabilities at the volume levels proper to this type of joyful creation, which honestly must be admitted, did not particularly surprise and worry me, because since the Danish combo coped with a less problematic, more civilized input, both in terms of resolution and dynamics, I was able to accept a certain correction of the playlist. And the fact that the 300B threw in the towel by thumping that could make inexperienced listeners suffer from a pre-heart attack is hardly surprising, since much more muscular audiophile legends can be brought to their knees on it.
Returning to the tastes of most of the supposed recipients of this type of construction, i.e. jazz devoid of slight commercialism, I reached for the minimalist and meditative „Koptycus” by the Oleś Brothers and Dominik Strycharski, on which seemingly economical sounds suspended in space built intricate cobwebs of musical installations. And here too, an innate precision came into play, allowing us to carefully follow both individual solo parts and group improvisations. However, it was not an antiseptic vivisection aimed at breaking every sound into atoms, but an intimate presentation more engaging than walking in the swamp, based on an extremely careful rendering of not only the musical notation, but also the textures and colors of the instruments used, as well as the flows of energy between the participants of the recording. You could feel the flow and mutual understanding prevailing during the sessions, and the boundary between musicians and listeners perhaps not so much disappeared completely, but became a completely negligible element of reproduction.

Perhaps due to its niche, and thus the laboriously built awareness, Zikra Audio is not (yet) the brand of first choice for lovers of tube High-End, but I dare say that the Preamplifier and Stereo 300B XLS signed by Michael Zingenberg can be successfully considered the pinnacle of dreams of most golden eared music lovers. They play absolutely phenomenally, with drive, resolution and freedom, which may not be so much unmatched, because after all, whether it is Kondo, Audio Tekne, or Air Tight do not take prisoners either, but the eponymous Danish set successfully deserves to be included in a very elite group of references unsurpassed by many competitors.

Marcin Olszewski

System used in this test:
– CD Player/DAC: Gryphon Ethos
– Streamer: Lumin U2 Mini + switch Quantum Science Audio (QSA) Red-Silver
– Preamplifier: Gryphon Audio Commander
– Power amplifier: Gryphon Audio Apex Stereo
– Loudspeakers: Gauder Akustik Berlina RC-11 Black Edition
– Speaker cables: Furutech Nanoflux-NCF Speaker Cable
IC RCA: Hijiri Million „Kiwami”, Vermouth Audio Reference
IC XLR: Hijiri Milion „Kiwami”, Furutech DAS-4.1, Furutech Project V1
Digital IC: Furutech Project V1 D XLR
Ethernet cable: NxLT LAN FLAME
USB cable: ZenSati Silenzio
Power cables: Hijiri Takumi Maestro, Furutech Project-V1, Furutech NanoFlux NCF, Furutech DPS-4.1 + FI-E50 NCF(R)/ FI-50(R), Hijiri Nagomi, Vermouth Audio Reference Power Cord, Acrolink 8N-PC8100 Performante, Synergistic Research Galileo SX AC, ZenSati Angel
– Table: BASE AUDIO 2
Accessories: Quantum Science Audio Red fuse; QSA Silver fuse; Synergistic Research Orange fuse; antivibration platform by SOLID TECH; Harmonix AC Enacom Improved for 100-240V
– Power distribution board: POWER BASE HIGH END, Furutech NCF Power Vault-E
– Acoustic treatments by Artnovion
Analog stage:
– Drive: SME 60
– Cartridge: My Sonic Lab Signature Diamond
– Phonostage: RCM Audio The Big Phono
– Clamp: Omicron Luxury Clamp
– Eccentricity Detection Stabilizer: DS Audio ES-001
– Tape recorder: Studer A80

Manufacturer: Zikra Audio
Prices
Zikra Audio Preamplifier: 40 000 €
Zikra Audio Stereo 300B XLS: 23 500€

Specifications
Zikra Audio Preamplifier
– Tubes: 4 x EC8010; power supply – 2 x GZ34 or 2 x 657G (rectifier)
– Inputs: RIAA (MM), 2 pairs RCA (line)
– Outputs: RCA, XLR
– Frequency response: 12-115 kHz
– Dimensions (W x D x H): 440 x 330 x 210 mm
– Weight: 25 kg + 28 kg (power supply)

Zikra Audio Stereo 300B XLS
– Output tubes: Emission Lab 300B XLS
– Input tubes: EC8010
– Power output: 2 × 17 W / 4–16 Ω
– Input impedance: 10 kΩ
– Frequency response: 12-150kHz
– Connections: RCA/WBT
– Dimensions (W x D x H): 440 x 330 x 210 mm
– Weight: 28kg

Opinion 1

All audio maniacs, who know me better, probably are aware of my approach to vacuum tube audio. Yes, you can say that I like the presentation they offer. In fact, I might even admire it. However, currently, in the perspective of everyday life, it presents an overly beautiful sound, at least for me. It is a vision of a world of music, which is too sugar-coated – and of course, I only think of well-made devices here. Theoretically, everything is fine, because it is full of essence, palpable and airy, but usually it is lacking one important thing – sometimes to a lesser extent, some times more. To make it easier for you to guess what I mean, I will mention, that it is all about the element that allows you to listen comfortably to both very soft music and rock madness. What am I talking about? It’s probably obvious, I am meaning a good quality lower end. And it is not about quantity of it, because an avalanche is very easy to make, but about its quality, in the sense of reach, energy, well-understood hardness and appropriate resolution. And while until recently the situation seemed hopeless, currently much more often, the designers of tube solutions show that when you have the right knowledge, electrons enclosed in a glass tube are able to stand up to good transistors in many aspects of bass projection. Impossible? Not at all, as I found out again after the recent test of the Destination Audio phonostage – it was a great example of what my tube master should sounds – during the test of today’s hero. Whom, or rather what are we talking about? Well, the brand just started making its way towards our market, but if it keeps doing it in this way – more on that later – I do not have any questions. Ladies and gentlemen, here is a representative of the Danish technical thought, from whose portfolio, thanks to the Olsztyn distributor Prestige Audio, we have received the Zikra Audio Preamplifier, obviously a line preamplifier, which shows that nothing is impossible for a tube.

As befits a high-end design, our hero consists of two separate units. Of course, the main reason for this, is the separation of the adequately worked out power section from the main part of the preamplifier that controls the signal, ensuring the best possible sound results. Their enclosures are typical, flat platforms made of polished aluminum, and the only difference between them is the hidden circuitry inside and the hardware placed on the upper surface. Everything is so well thought out, that despite performing different tasks, and usage of different tubes, both modules are visually very similar to each other. In both cases, series of chokes are hidden in black boxes on the sides and a transformer is centrally mounted in the power supply, while the electron tubes appropriate for each product are mounted between them. When it comes to the equipment of the power supply in any manipulators, then, due to the simple task of feeding the device with life-giving energy, we realize, that it is equipped only with a mains switch on the right side, as well as a fused power supply socket and a cable terminated with a multi-pin plug for connection to the control section. On the other hand, the main preamp section, offers us two control knobs on the front panel – gain and a line input selector, while on the back there is a socket receiving electrical energy from the power supply, XLR signal outputs with separate toggle switches for each channel, and, this time on the upper surface right next to the back panel, a set of RCA inputs and outputs including a phono preamplifier, which is available in RCA version only. This, in a nutshell, is our tested unit. I think you will admit that our hero not only looks impressive, but also shows how you can visually unify two constructions dealing with completely different tasks in an interesting way. Colloquially speaking, I plainly love it.

When the time has come to write a few sentences about the sound of the preamplifier in question, I think that my statement will be very important for the test. If at any point in time, for any reason ever, I would need to deal with vacuum tube designs, in the area of audio pre-amplification the Zikra Audio Amplifier would be one of the very few, if not the only one I would consider – this would naturally depend on the final sound of the rest of the setup. The reason is of course, the aspect of how this type of construction is dealing with the low registers, which I am very insistent about. Does this mean that the rest of the acoustic spectrum is less important to me? Of course absolutely not, but even a moderately knowledgeable audio enthusiast will quite easily be able to create a system, which puts the aesthetics of beauty above everything else in the sound. It will be juicy, pleasant, airy and thus phenomenally palpable, but there will be nothing that would allow you to put something on the player or turntable platter, what comes from both sides of the musical barricade. Of course, such a „pleasure maker” of life will seemingly play everything. But it is one thing to listen to music because it is pretty, yet completely another being exposed to the full range of its unpredictability. And unfortunately, the latter is very much determined by the approach of a given device to the foundations of the sound, being the right proportions of impact, edge and control. It cannot be the boring, soft massage of the your guts, because rock and electronic music really hate it, but it must be skillful dosing of the aforementioned softness alternating with concentrated energy, depending on the material listened to. That is why, from the very beginning, I have been mentioning the issue of good bass reproduction like a mantra. And this ability, so much awaited, was shown to me by the reviewed Danish preamplifier. Personally, I catch it from the first strong chords. I turn on any record, even with slow jazz, and I know if this is what I expect from a good device, especially from an exceptional, extreme High End one. It is about a kind of well-understood hardness of sound, combined with a well-defined energy, especially in the domain of the edge and the signal raise rate, without which, to quote a classic: „It’s nice because it’s nice”, it becomes a sound, which in the long run turns into boredom squared. Fortunately, Zikra mastered this issue in a perfect way, which meant that the testing process did not focus on looking for its advantages, because from the very sonorous and freely presented treble, through the vivid, essential and full of the smallest information midrange, to the low-reaching, fully controlled, energetic and powerful bass, those were beyond the reach of many of the competition’s designs. Instead this review concentrated on controlling my amazement at how brilliantly it competed with a solid state. Just to make sure we understand each other well, I am talking about how well it managed showing different states of my mind while listening to a variety of music. The romantic one and the aggressive one, both in a way that is adequate for each of them, and this is really a feat.
The first very good example to prove the above thesis is the latest AC/DC album „Power Up”. The music is not easy to reproduce, because it not overly well recorded and mastered, but even this kind of recording, when it is presented well, can make skeptics fall in love with it. However, in order for this to happen, it is not enough to warm it up and saturate it so that it is not clamoring anymore, because in such case we will get something like an advertisement for Żywiec beer, where the term „almost” always makes a big difference. Unfortunately, in order to adequately meet the requirements of the aforementioned group, it is necessary to slightly turn up the level of vividness, spice up the whole thing with a pinch of essentiality and energetic, tight and low-reaching, point-like bass. Otherwise, instead of a joyful display of musical rebels, we will get warm noodles à la „Hard rock”. And I do not just mean tuning up the kick drum to make it kick more bluntly, but also the weight of the guitars. Yes, they have to be juicy, but the riffs have to have the right weight and hardness to be able speak to the listener uncompromisingly. And it was exactly how the music of this group, cherished by me since my youth, was presented by the Zikra preamplifier. There was aggression and a corresponding pulse, the former as a result of skillfully shaped clarity, and the latter thanks to well-embedded in the mass, fully controlled energy as feedback of maintaining the rising and falling speed of the sound.
Another, literally and figuratively from the opposite pole, candidate for defending the thesis of the excellent performance of the eponymous construction is Leszek Możdżer’s album „Kaczmarek”, which I often exploit. It seems to be just one instrument, but a very demanding one, and in the case of the virtuoso’s skills, an instrument which is crushing a lot of evaluated system. When it is supposed to enchant, it shimmers with a million aliquots caused by the brushing of the keys by the maestro, lasting forever, like a mist floating between the loudspeakers. But when there is desire to induce some unbridled cavalcade of emotions, out of nowhere real earthquakes come. And while it may seem to be a trivial task, once we collide with this music, and its full spectrum of alternating emotions, from dilemma, through grief, to rage, it turns out that sometimes volatility and enchantment with the flickering of individual notes and a seemingly solid, but too round and not low enough bass, served with the typical aesthetics of a vacuum tube, always beautiful sounding, is not enough, or you may even say something is broken. Am I writing nonsense? Not at all, because even when the upper and middle ranges presented by a given vacuum tube design have good chances to shine, without a proper presentation of the lower octaves, something which also helps the rock musicians, the sound will remain only a substitute to what can be achieved by the fiercely dignified piano, which can sometimes be very subtle while at other times it is breaking down walls with hard and immediate chords. Well rendered in the matter of low registers, it can even corner drums. And I assure you, I don’t mean the sheer level of generated Hertz, but of course the quantity and quality of information contained in the material. This is an evident killer, which was mastered at such level of quality by a tubed device only for the second time in my listening room. How is it possible that this is such a rare feeling? Looking at the huge range of this type of devices on the market, I have no idea. However, if this is the second case, which I had the opportunity to listen to in my audio sanctuary and was a jaw-dropping experience. So we can only be glad that the designers are finally beginning to understand that the electron tube is a technology that allows us to reach the truth in music, and not just something that is supposed to “stigmatize” the sound of the device that uses it.

What will be the punchline of the above text? Well, very telling. The Danish Zikra Audio linear preamplifier supplied by the Olsztyn distributor is so universal thanks to the aesthetics of its presentation that I do not see the slightest problem with winning the hearts of literally every music lover. On the one hand, it offers the advantages of a well-applied tube, i.e. it vibrates beautifully and thus phenomenally illuminates the space of a wide and deep virtual stage, while on the other hand, it is very good at rendering a tight bass, descending to hell. Thanks to this, it easily shows not only a set of emotions associated with romanticism, but also other, often expressive emotions of all kinds of music, and which, in the end, has a very good chance of convincing music lovers from both sides of the barricade – both the eulogist of electron tubes and the thoroughbred admirers of solid state. I know from experience that it is not that easy, because usually in the case of the latter, this are about lower range, I so often mentioned in my description. And since in my opinion the Danes do shine in this aspect, so I am strangely calm when it comes to predicting the target customer.

Jacek Pazio

Opinion 2

In addition to the well-known biggest players, the audio market consists of countless mini and micro manufactures, the lion’s share of which has a chance to appear only among local communities, at least until recently. Of course, usually through word of mouth and/or travelling/moving, or even a pure stroke of luck, some minute percentage of them broke through to the awareness of a wider audience, but still the range of such activities leaves much to be desired. However, now the era of the Internet has arrived, the world has shrunk to the form of the nearest parcel locker, so whether a given device is manufactured just across the border or in Bali, which is mainly associated with holiday destinations, becomes, if not completely irrelevant, then at least a non-critical criterion during the decision-making and purchasing process. And today we are dealing with precisely such an entity, maybe not necessarily exotic, but undoubtedly existing on a micro scale and having a truly underground recognizability. Thanks to the courtesy of Prestige Audio from Olsztyn we are taking a peek at the Danish Zikra Audio, a manufacturer based in the town of Jyllinge, located on the Roskilde Fjord, from which portfolio we have extracted the 2 chasis Preamplifer LCR Riaa Nano X Core Silver Wired tube line preamplifier, the name of which, for the purposes of this text, we will allow ourselves to shorten to “Preamplifier”.

Michael Zingenberg, the man behind Zikra Audio, is an advocate of the most advanced minimalism, so both the design and construction of his products are far from Byzantine splendor and overload with all sorts of complications. However, it focuses on solidity, which guarantees longevity, and thus the chasses are made of polished aluminum. Since the plural has appeared, it is clear that we are dealing with a separated construction, but it does not separate the channels from each other, but the power supply and signal sections. Fortunately, both sections have been unified in terms of design and dimensions, so when placed next to each other, they create a harmonious whole. Thus, we are dealing with polished bases with rows of cuboidal, matte silos running along the side and rear edges, hiding transformers and chokes inside, and an appropriate set of lamps between them. For obvious reasons, resulting from the performed function, the front plate of the power supply was deprived of any manipulators by moving the main switch to the right side, and the power socket and fuse chamber to the back, together with the power cable for the signal module. And in the signal part, the front is decorated with two solid knobs responsible for source selection and volume control, between which the company logo is located.
In the power supply module you will find a transformer powering two 5R4WGA rectifier tubes (GZ34 or 657G), then four double chokes for high voltage and two chokes for the heating voltage. The ground „floats” holding only the neutral point of the transformer through the chokes. Both transformers and chokes are ordered according to Zikra’s specifications from Monolith Magnetics, Belgium. The 200V voltage treated in this way is delivered to the signal module via a 1.5m cable armed with a multi-pin, military type connector. In the preamplifier itself there are additional RC shunts to lower the supply voltage down to approx. 170V. The signal section is the realm of four single triodes EC88010, permalloy transformers and pure silver cabling in a cotton braid, signed by the American company Jupiter. The volume is controlled by a high-end Alps RK50 potentiometer, and there is no capacitor in the signal path.

However, as it happens, the visual qualities, although undeniably important, cannot overshadow the sound issues, and full happiness can only be achieved when they are joined by exemplary ergonomics. And a little ahead of the facts, I dare say that Michael Zingenberg has achieved this ambitious goal. Of course, everyone should evaluate the exterior design on their own, but it’s hard to find fault with anything here. The same goes for ergonomics, which focuses on logic and intuitiveness, and the only thing that is lacking, at least from my point of view, is the descriptions of I/O terminals. But the sound … it automatically evokes memories of the equally underground design of the Audio Tekne TFA 9501, but compared to its Japanese competitor it goes a step or two further in terms of realism and truly holographic resolution. Moreover, under no circumstances should we look for stereotypical features of a tube in its sound, or even worse, we should not go into denial that as an orthodox solid state lover, that what Zikra represents, to put it mildly, would not be our fairy tale. Why? Because we will simply hurt ourselves by excluding the possibility of contact, if not with the absolute, then with a construction that is by all means outstanding. But just to be clear. The Danish preamp sounds extremely transparent and resolving, so that it is closer to the freshness of a spring alpine morning than to the lazy naturalness of a Tuscan afternoon. On the other hand, it is incredibly vital, energetic and free to convey even the biggest sudden jumps in dynamics. However, instead of zooming in on the foreground, turning up the tempo, or blowing up the virtual sources, the tested preamplifier clings on to the facts on one hand, while on the other is so faithful to them that we are dangerously close to the level, where the boundary between participation in a live music event and reproduction ceases to have any meaning. And we do not need polished, ultra-audiophile, gold-pressed albums for such intensity, because even TOOL’s „Fear Inoculum”, which is extremely far from such ambitions, showed the class of the Danish design, releasing both the intricate web of murmurs, whispers and reverbs, usually hidden in the background, as well as the almost infrasound bass rumbles. The effect was simply shocking – on one hand, quite confusing melodic lines and dark atmospheres, and on the other hand, a stunning package of information, the existence of which we could only guess until now. And here we got them not only with surprising intensity and tangibility, but served almost on a silver platter. In addition, this happened without artificial contrast enhancement or equally painful exaggeration. Similarly, on the thrash-metal and madly galloping „Palace For The Insane” by the English band Shrapnel, it was easy to extract individual instrumental parts and, if someone felt like it, follow them easily. However, the key thing was that even during the most breakneck, truly cacophonous accumulation of sounds, there was an exemplary order on the stage, and each sound reaching our ears had its precisely defined place in three-dimensional space, its own time and, most importantly, kept the assigned role in the overarching whole. Therefore, the above-mentioned resolution did not consist of selecting individual components and presenting them to the listener „in bulk”; but by presenting a fully coherent whole, in such a form that every, even the smallest cog in its composition is visible on an equal footing with it, this whole. The key aspect was however, the intimidating differentiation and precision of the lowest frequencies, which could not be attributed with even the slightest tube softening, or thickening of the edges in defining the virtual sources. There was also no question of any drying out of the sound, so if someone was afraid that Zikra, renouncing its undeniable tubeness, was trying to escape into the stereotypical „transistor” sharpness, those people should easily get rid of those fears.
The same goes for the midrange and the highest frequencies, where crystal clarity and vitality reign supreme, so that even on „’Round M: Monteverdi Meets Jazz” by Roberta Mameli’s vocals smoothly transitions from deep timbre and captivating saturation to registers that make wine glasses burst. And it’s not about some kind of excessive offensiveness, but only about the ability to give back the full force of the emission, not a protective withdrawal that makes it „nice and smooth” all the time, but not necessarily true. And as I have already mentioned, Zikra sticks to the truth and conveys only the truth, so if you manage to configure the system in such a way that the other components also exhibit such features, I dare say that after just a few listens to your favorite albums, you will be on very friendly, or even familiar terms with the musicians participating on them.

Maybe the Zikra Audio brand has not known to you at all, and the name 2 Chasis Preamplifer LCR Riaa Nano X Core Silver Wired seemed too long, but just a few dozen minutes with the tested Danish preamplifier in the system will make it clear that it will be extremely difficult for you to find a sparring partner worthy of it. Not only does it shock with its realism, but it is also an extremely silent device, not only among tube competitors, but in global terms, so lovers of high-efficiency loudspeakers should also pay attention to it.

Marcin Olszewski

System used in this test:
Source:
– transport: CEC TL 0 3.0
– streamer: Lumin U2 Mini + switch Silent Angel Bonn N8
– DAC: dCS Vivaldi DAC 2.0
– Master clock: Mutec REF 10 SE-120
– reclocker: Mutec MC-3+USB
– Shunyata Research Omega Clock
– Shunyata Sigma V2 NR
– Preamplifier: Gryphon Audio Pandora
– Power amplifier: Gryphon Audio Apex Stereo
– Loudspeakers: Gauder Akustik Berlina RC-11 Black Edition
– Speaker cables: Furutech Nanoflux-NCF Speaker Cable
IC RCA: Hijiri Million „Kiwami”, Vermouth Audio Reference
IC XLR: Tellurium Q Silver Diamond, Hijiri Milion „Kiwami”, Furutech DAS-4.1
Digital IC: Hijiri HDG-X Milion
Ethernet cable: NxLT LAN FLAME
Power cables: Hijiri Takumi Maestro, Furutech Project-V1, Furutech NanoFlux NCF, Furutech DPS-4.1 + FI-E50 NCF(R)/ FI-50(R), Hijiri Nagomi, Vermouth Audio Reference Power Cord, Acrolink 8N-PC8100 Performante, Synergistic Research Galileo SX AC
– Table: BASE AUDIO 2
– Accessories: Harmonix TU 505EX MK II, Stillpoints ULTRA SS, Stillpoints ULTRA MINI, antivibration platform by SOLID TECH, Harmonix AC Enacom Improved for 100-240V, Harmonix Room Tuning Mini Disk RFA-80i
– Power distribution board: POWER BASE HIGH END
– Acoustic treatments by Artnovion
Analog stage:
– Drive: Clearaudio Concept
– Cartridge: Dynavector DV20X2H
– Phonostage: Sensor 2 mk II
– Eccentricity Detection Stabilizer: DS Audio ES-001
– Tape recorder: Studer A80

Distributor: Prestige Audio
Manufacturer: Zikra Audio
Price: 40 000 €

Technical details
– Tubes: 4 x EC8010; power supply – 2 x GZ34 or 2 x 657G (rectifier)
– Inputs: RIAA (MM), 2 pairs RCA (line)
– Outputs: RCA, XLR
– Frequency response: 12-115 kHz
– Dimensions (W x D x H): 440 x 330 x 210 mm
– Weight: 25 kg + 28 kg (power supply)

Opinia 1

Wszyscy znający mnie bliżej audiomaniacy znakomicie znają moje podejście do lampowych rozwiązań audio. Owszem, spokojnie można stwierdzić iż lubię oferowaną przez nie prezentację. Ba, nawet potrafię się nią zachwycić. Jednak na chwilę obecną codziennym w perspektywie codziennego obcowania, przynajmniej dla mnie, prezentuje nazbyt piękną, bo w przeważającej ilości zbyt mocno polukrowaną wizję świata muzyki – naturalnie mam na myśli udane konstrukcje. Teoretycznie wszystko jest w porządku, bo esencjonalnie, namacalnie i lotnie, jednak zazwyczaj raz mniej, a innym razem bardziej brakuje im jednego. Dla ułatwienia dodam, że chodzi o pierwiastek pozwalający na komfortowe słuchanie i przysłowiowego plumkania i rockowego szaleństwa. O co chodzi? To chyba jasne, że o odpowiedniej jakości dolny zakres. I nie chodzi o jego ilość, bo przysłowiową bułę bardzo łatwo wytworzyć, tylko jakość w rozumieniu zejścia, energii, dobrze rozumianej twardości i odpowiedniej rozdzielczości. I gdy do niedawna sytuacja wydawała się bez wyjścia, coraz częściej konstruktorzy rozwiązań lampowych pokazują, że gdy dysponuje się odpowiednią wiedzą, zamknięte w szklanej bańce elektrony w wielu aspektach projekcji basu są w stanie stawić czoła dobrym tranzystorom. Niemożliwe? Bynajmniej, o czym po niedawnym teście phonostage’a Destination Audio – to był znakomity przykład, jak brzmi mój lampowy wzorzec, kolejny raz przekonałem się podczas testu dzisiejszego bohatera. O kim, a raczej o czym mowa? Cóż, marka dopiero przeciera szklaki na naszym rynku, jednak jeśli robi to w ten sposób – o tym w dalszej części tekstu, nie mam więcej pytań. Panie i panowie, oto przedstawiciel duńskiej myśli technicznej, z portfolio którego, dzięki olsztyńskiemu dystrybutorowi Prestige Audio, w nasze progi trafił pokazujący, że dla lampy nie ma rzeczy niemożliwych przedwzmacniacz liniowy Zikra Audio Preamlifier.

Jak na high end-ową konstrukcję przystało, nasz bohater składa się z dwóch osobnych bytów. Naturalnie głównym powodem jest zapewniające jak najlepsze efekty brzmieniowe oddzielenie odpowiednio rozbudowanej sekcji zasilania od sterującej sygnałem głównej części przedwzmacniacza. Ich obudowy są typowymi, wykonanymi z polerowanego aluminium płaskimi platformami, a różnią je li tylko skryte wewnątrz układy oraz usadowiony na górnej płaszczyźnie osprzęt. Wszystko jest na tyle fajnie przemyślane, że mimo spełniania różnych zadań oprócz zastosowania różnych lamp, obydwa moduły wizualnie są do siebie bardzo podobne. Chodzi o w obydwu przypadkach umieszczenie na bokach serii skrytych w czarnych puszkach dławików oraz centralnie osadzonego w zasilaczu transformatora i aplikację pomiędzy nimi stosownych dla każdego z produktów lamp elektronowych. Jeśli chodzi o wyposażenie manualne zasilacza, z racji prostego zadania nakarmienia urządzenia życiodajną energią został wyposażony jedynie w główny włącznik na prawym boku oraz gniazdo bezpiecznika, zasilania i przewód zakończony wielopinowym wtykiem do połączenia z sekcją sterującą. Natomiast preamp, na froncie oferuje nam dwie gałki sterujące – wzmocnienia i wybór wejścia liniowego, na rewersie gniazdo odbierające energię elektryczną od zasilacza, wyjścia sygnału w standardzie XLR z realizującymi ich wybór dla każdego kanału osobno przełącznikami hebelkowymi oraz na górnej płaszczyźnie tuż przy tylnej ściance zestaw wejść i wyjść z przedwzmacniaczem gramofonowym włącznie w wydaniu RCA. Tak pokrótce prezentuje się nasz punkt zainteresowania. Chyba przyznacie, że nasz bohater prezentuje się nie tylko okazale, to jeszcze pokazuje, jak przy realizacji innych zdań można ciekawie zunifikować wizualnie dwie zajmujące się całkowicie innymi zadaniami konstrukcje. Mówiąc kolokwialnie, ja to najzwyczajniej w świecie kupuję.

Gdy przeszedł czas na kilka strof o brzmieniu rzeczonego przedwzmacniacza, myślę, że bardzo istotnym dlatego testu będzie moje skromne oświadczenie. Otóż jeśli w tym momencie z jakiś powodów miałbym obcować z konstrukcjami lampowymi, w dziale wstępnego wzmacniania sygnału audio Zikra Audio Preamlifier byłby jednym z niewielu, jeżeli nie jedynym – to naturalnie zależałoby od finalnego brzmienia reszty toru – kandydatem do ożenku. Powodem jest oczywiście cały czas mocno artykułowany przeze mnie aspekt radzenia sobie tego rodzaju konstrukcji z niskimi rejestrami. Czy to oznacza, że reszta pasma akustycznego jest dla mnie mniej istotna? Naturalnie nic z tych rzeczy, jednak nawet średnio znający się na rzeczy pasjonat audio spokojnie powoła do życia coś grającego w estetyce piękna ponad wszystko. Będzie soczyście, przez to przyjemnie, lotnie i dzięki temu zjawiskowo namacalnie, jednak zabraknie pierwiastka pozwalającego włożyć do odtwarzacza, czy położyć na talerzu gramofonu czegoś z dwóch stron muzycznej barykady. Oczywiście taki „umilacz” życia pozornie zagra wszystko. Tylko czym innym jest słuchanie muzyki bo jest ładna, a czym innym jest obcowanie z pełną skalą jej nieprzewidywalności. A niestety, ta ostatnia bardzo mocno determinowana jest podejściem danego urządzenia do posadowienia dźwięku w odpowiednich proporcjach uderzenia, krawędzi i kontroli. To nie może być nudne, miękkie masowanie trzewi, bo rock i elektronika tak naprawdę tego nie cierpią, tylko w zależności od słuchanego materiału umiejętne dozowanie wspomnianej miękkości na przemian ze skomasowaną energią. Dlatego też od samego początku jak mantrę wspominam kwestię basu, bowiem taki, jakże bardzo oczekiwany przeze mnie stan pokazał mi opiniowany duński przedwzmacniacz. Osobiście wyłapuję to od pierwszych mocnych akordów. Włączam jakąkolwiek płytę, nawet z plumkającym jazzem i wiem, że to jest to, czego oczekuję od dobrego urządzenia, a tym bardziej od brylującego w segmencie ekstremalnego High Endu. Chodzi o pewnego rodzaju dobrze rozumianą twardość dźwięku, połączoną z dobrze zdefiniowaną w domenie krawędzi i szybkości narastania sygnału esencjonalną energią, bez czego cytując klasyka: „Jest miło, bo jest miło”, co przecież na dłuższą metę staje się nudą do kwadratu. Zikra na szczęście opanowała to zagadnienie w perfekcyjny sposób, co sprawiło, że tak naprawdę proces testowy nie skupiał się na poszukiwaniu zalet, bo te od jakże dźwięcznej i swobodnie prezentowanej góry pasma, przez plastyczną, esencjonalną oraz pełną najdrobniejszych informacji średnicę, po nisko schodzący, w pełni kontrolowany, energetyczny o mocny bas były poza zasięgiem wielu konstrukcji konkurencji, tylko na opanowywaniu zdumienia, jak znakomicie konkurowała z tranzystorem. Tylko żebyśmy się dobrze zrozumieli, mam na myśli radzenie sobie z pokazaniem drastycznie odmiennych w odbiorze stanów mojego umysłu podczas słuchania różnorodnego materiału. Tego romantycznego i tego agresywnego w sposób adekwatny dla każdego z nich, co jest już wyższą szkoła jazdy.
Pierwszym bardzo dobrym przykładem dla udowodnienia powyższej tezy jest najnowsza płyta AC/DC „Power Up”. Muzyka niełatwa do odtworzenia, gdyż zrealizowana bez szału, jednak nawet taka, gdy dobrze ją się zaprezentuje, potrafi rozkochać również sceptyków. Jednak aby to się stało, nie wystarczy ją ocieplić i nasycić, aby nie była krzykliwa, bowiem dostaniemy coś na kształt reklamy piwa Żywiec z określeniem „prawie”, co zawsze czyni wielką różnicę. Niestety chcąc odpowiednio sprostać wymaganiom wspomnianej grupy, należy delikatnie podkręcić poziom plastyki, przyprawić całość szczyptą esencjonalności oraz energetycznym, zwartym i nisko schodzącym, jakby punktowym basem. Inaczej zamiast radosnego popisu muzycznych buntowników dostaniemy ciepłe kluski à la „Hard rock”. I nie mam na myśli jedynie podkręcania ekspresji stopy perkusji, żeby dosadniej kopała, tylko również wagę gitar. Owszem, mają być soczyste, ale riffy muszą mieć odpowiednią wagę i twardość, aby bezkompromisowo przemówić do słuchacza. I w takim stylu tę od młodzieńczych lat hołubioną przez mnie formację pokazał przedwzmacniacz Zikra. Była agresja i odpowiedni plus, tylko ta pierwsza jako wynik umiejętnie ukształtowanej wyrazistości, a ten drugi dzięki dobrze osadzonej w masie, w pełni kontrolowanej energii jako feedback utrzymania szybkości narastania i wygaszania dźwięku.
Innym, dosłownie i w przenośni z przeciwnego bieguna kandydatem na obronę tezy znakomitego występu tytułowej konstrukcji jest nierzadko eksploatowany przeze mnie krążek Leszka Możdzęra „Kaczmarek”. Niby jeden, ale jakże wymagający, a w przypadku umiejętności wirtuoza miażdżący sporo ocenianych zestawów instrument. Kiedy ma czarować, mieni się milionem wywołanych muskaniem klawiszy, trwających w nieskończoność, niczym mgła unoszących się bezwiednie pomiędzy kolumnami sonicznych alikwot. W przypadku chęci wywołania jakiej nieokiełznanej kawalkady emocji zaś, nie wiadomo jakim cudem, natychmiast wywołuje istne trzęsienia ziemi. I gdy wydawałoby się, że to banalne zadanie, gdy raz zderzymy się z tym materiałem w pełnym spektrum zawartych w nim, na przemian targających sobą emocji od rozterki, przez żal, po wściekłość, okazuje się, że czasem lotność, czarowanie migotaniem pojedynczych nut i pozornie solidny, ale nazbyt krągły i zachowawczy w kwestii zejścia bas, podane z typową estetyką zawsze pięknej brzmieniowo lampy to za mało, aby nie powiedzieć ułomnie. Bredzę? Bynajmniej, gdyż jeśli nawet górny i środkowy zakres w wydaniu jakiejkolwiek konstrukcji lampowej mają dużą szansę pokazać się z dobrej strony, to bez pomagającego również poczynaniom rockmenów odpowiedniego pokazania dolnego zakresu będzie to tylko namiastka, co potrafi zdziałać raz filigranowy w brzmieniu, a innym razem burzący mury twardymi i natychmiastowymi akordami, piekielnie dostojny fortepian. Dobrze oddany w materii niskich rejestrów potrafi zagonić w kozi róg nawet perkusję. I zapewniam, nie chodzi mi o sam poziom wygenerowanych Hertz-ów, tylko naturalnie ilość i jakość zawartych w materiale informacji. To jest ewidentny kiler, z którym już drugi raz w ostatnim czasie na takim poziomie jakości bez problemu poradziła sobie u mnie konstrukcja ze szklanymi bańkami. Jak to możliwe, że to takie rzadkie uczucie? Patrząc na ogrom oferty tego typu urządzeń na rynku, nie mam pojęcia. Jednak jeśli to już kolejny taki przypadek, jaki z tak zwanym opadem szczęki zaliczyłem w okowach swojego muzycznego sanktuarium, to tylko się cieszyć, że wreszcie konstruktorzy zaczynają rozumieć, iż lampa elektronowa to tylko technologia pozwalająca dotrzeć do prawdy w muzyce, a nie coś co ma stygmatyzować brzmienie wykorzystującego ją urządzenia.

Jaka będzie puenta powyższego słowotoku? Cóż, bardzo wymowna. Otóż dostarczony przez olsztyńskiego dystrybutora duński przedwzmacniacz liniowy Zikra Audio dzięki estetyce prezentacji jest na tyle uniwersalny, że nie widzę najmniejszego problemu zaskarbienia przezeń serc dosłownie każdego melomana. Z jednej strony oferuje zalety dobrze zaaplikowanej lampy, czyli pięknie wibruje i przez to zjawiskowo rozświetla przestrzeń szerokiej i głębokiej wirtualnej sceny, natomiast z drugiej bardzo mocno pilnuje się w oddaniu zwartego, pełnego zadzioru i schodzącego do piekieł basu. Dzięki temu z łatwością pokazuje nie tylko pełen romantyzmu, ale również ekspresji pakiet emocji każdego rodzaju muzyki, co finalnie ma bardzo duże szanse przekonać do siebie melomanów z obydwu stron barykady – tak piewcę lamp elektronowych, jak i rasowego wielbiciela krzemu. Z doświadczenia wiem, że to nie takie łatwe, gdyż zazwyczaj u tych drugich sprawa rozbija się o tak często wspominany w moim opisie dolny zakres. A, że w tym paśmie w moim odczuciu Duńczycy wręcz brylują, w kwestii typowania docelowego klienta jestem dziwnie spokojny.

Jacek Pazio

Opinia 2

Oprócz wszem i wobec znanych największych graczy rynek audio składa się z bezliku mini i mikro manufaktur, których lwia część do niedawna miała szanse zaistnieć jedynie wśród lokalnych społeczności. Oczywiście zazwyczaj poprzez pocztę pantoflową i / lub podróże/przeprowadzki, czy wręcz łut szczęścia jakiś ich promil przebijał się do świadomości szerszego grona odbiorców jednak nadal zasięgi takich działań pozostawiały wiele do życzenia. Nastała jednak era Internetu, świat skurczył się do postaci najbliższego paczkomatu, więc to, czy dane urządzenie produkowane jest tuż za miedzą, czy też na kojarzącej się głównie z wakacyjnymi destynacjami Bali staje się jeśli nie zupełnie nieistotnym, to przynajmniej mało krytycznym kryterium podczas procesu decyzyjno – zakupowego. I właśnie z takim, może niekoniecznie egzotycznym, acz niewątpliwie egzystującym w osobowym rozmiarze mikro i iście undegroundowej rozpoznawalności bytem przyszło nam się, dzięki uprzejmości olsztyńskiego Prestige Audio, zmierzyć. Mowa bowiem o duńskiej, mającej swą siedzibę w położonym nad Roskilde Fjord miasteczku Jyllinge manufakturze Zikra Audio, z której to portfolio wyłuskaliśmy lampowy przedwzmacniacz liniowy 2 Chasis Preamplifer LCR Riaa Nano X Core Silver Wired, którego nazwę na potrzeby niniejszej epistoły pozwolimy sobie skrócić do samego Preamplifier-a.

Stojący za Zikra Audio Michael Zingenberg jest orędownikiem możliwie daleko posuniętego minimalizmu, więc zarówno design, jak i budowa jego produktów dalekie są od bizantyjskiego przepychu i przeładowania wszelakiej maści komplikacjami. Stawia jednak na gwarantującą długowieczność solidność a tym samym korpusy są z polerowanego aluminium. Skoro pojawiła się liczba mnoga, to jasnym jest, iż mamy do czynienia z konstrukcją dzielona, lecz nie polegającą na odseparowaniu od siebie kanałów, lecz jedynie sekcji zasilania od sygnałowej. Całe szczęście obie sekcje zunifikowano tak pod względem designu, jak i gabarytów, więc ustawione obok siebie tworzą harmonijną całość. Mamy zatem do czynienia z polerowanymi bazami z biegnącymi wzdłuż krawędzi bocznych i tylnej rzędami prostopadłościennych matowych silosów kryjących w swych wnętrzach transformatory i dławiki a pomiędzy nimi stosowny zestaw lamp. Z oczywistych, wynikających z pełnionej funkcji, względów płytę czołową zasilacza pozbawiono jakichkolwiek manipulatorów przenosząc na prawy bok włącznik główny a na zaplecze gniazdo zasilające i komorę bezpiecznika, oraz przewód zasilający dla modułu sygnałowego. A w części sygnałowej front zdobią dwie solidne gałki odpowiedzialne za wybór źródła i regulację głośności pomiędzy którymi umieszczono formowy logotyp.
W module zasilacza znajdziemy transformator zasilający dwie lampy prostownicze 5R4WGA (GZ34 lub 657G) następnie cztery podwójne dławiki dla wysokiego napięcia i dwa dławiki dla napięć żarowych. Uziemienie „pływa” i poprzez dławiki trzyma się jedynie punktu neutralnego transformatora. Zarówno transformatory jak i dławiki są zamawiane zgodnie ze specyfikacją Zikry w belgijskim Monolith Magnetics. Tak uzdatnione napięcie 200V trafia do modułu sygnałowego 1,5m przewodem uzbrojonym w wielopinowe militarne złącze. W samym przedwzmacniaczu znajdują się dodatkowe boczniki RC obniżające napięcie zasilania. do ok. 170V. Sekcja sygnałowa to już królestwo czterech pojedynczych triod EC88010, permalloyowych transformatorów i okablowania z czystego srebra w bawełnianym oplocie sygnowanego przez amerykańskiego Jupitera. Za regulację głośności odpowiada high-endowy potencjometr Alps RK50 a w ścieżce sygnałowej nie ma żadnego kondensatora.

Jak to jednak bywa walory wizualne, choć niezaprzeczalnie istotne, nie mogą przesłaniać kwestii brzmieniowych a pełnię szczęścia można osiągnąć w momencie, gdy dołączy do nich wzorowa ergonomia. I nieco uprzedzając fakty śmiem twierdzić, że Michael Zingenberg ów ambitny cel osiągnął. Oczywiście ocenę projektu plastycznego każdy powinien dokonać we własnym zakresie, niemniej jednak trudno się tu do czegokolwiek przyczepić. Podobnie z ergonomią, która stawia na logikę i intuicyjność a jedyne, czego przynajmniej z mojego punktu widzenia brakuje, to opisów terminali we/wyjściowych. Za to brzmienie … niejako z automatu przywołuje wspomnienia równie undergroundowej konstrukcji Audio Tekne TFA 9501, lecz w porównaniu z japońskim konkurentem pod względem realizmu i iście holograficznej rozdzielczości idzie o krok, bądź nawet dwa dalej. Ponadto pod żadnym pozorem na tym pułapie jakościowym nie należy się w jego brzmieniu doszukiwać stereotypowych cech poczciwej lampy, czy co gorsza iść w zaparte, że jako ortodoksyjny tranzystorowiec na pewno to, co Zikra reprezentuje najdelikatniej rzecz ujmując nie jest z naszej bajki. Czemu? Bo po prostu zrobimy sobie krzywdę wykluczając możliwość zetknięcia jeśli nie z absolutem, co z konstrukcją ze wszech miar wybitną. Żeby jednak była jasność. Duński preamp gra szalenie transparentnie i rozdzielczo i to na tyle, że bliżej mu do rześkości wiosennego alpejskiego poranka aniżeli rozleniwiającej naturalności toskańskiego popołudnia. Jest za to niesamowicie witalny, energetyczny i swobodny w oddawaniu nawet największych i gwałtownych skoków dynamiki. Zamiast jednak przybliżać pierwszy plan, podkręcać tempo, czy rozdmuchiwać źródła pozorne tytułowy przedwzmacniacz z jednej strony kurczowo trzyma się faktów, lecz z drugiej jest im w takim stopniu wierny, że niebezpiecznie zbliżamy się do poziomu, gdzie granica pomiędzy uczestnictwem w jakimś wydarzeniu muzycznym na żywo a reprodukcją przestaje mieć jakiekolwiek znaczenie. I wcale do takiej intensywności nie potrzebujemy wymuskanych ultra-audiofilskich, tłoczonych na złocie albumów, gdyż nawet szalenie daleki od takowych ambicji „Fear Inoculum” TOOL-a pokazał klasę duńskiej konstrukcji uwalniając zarówno zazwyczaj ukrytą na dalszych planach misterną pajęczynę szmerów szeptów i pogłosów, jak i niemalże infradźwiękowe tąpnięcia basu. Efekt był wręcz porażający – z jednej strony dość zagmatwane linie melodyczne i dość mroczne klimaty a z drugiej oszałamiający pakiet informacji, których istnienia do tej pory istnienia jedynie mogliśmy domniemywać. A tu dostaliśmy je nie dość, że z zaskakującą intensywnością i namacalnością, to jeszcze podane niemalże że na srebrnej tacy. W dodatku bez sztucznego podbicia kontrastu i równie bolesnego przejaskrawienia. Podobnie na thrashowym i szaleńczo galopującym „Palace For The Insane” angielskiej formacji Shrapnel bez trudu dało się wyekstrahować poszczególne parte instrumentalne i jeśli tylko kogoś naszła ochota niezobowiązująco za nimi podążać. Jednak kluczowe było to, że nawet podczas najbardziej karkołomnych, iście kakofonicznych spiętrzeń dźwięków na scenie panował wzorcowy ład a każdy dobiegający naszych uszu dźwięk miał swoje precyzyjnie określone miejsce w trójwymiarowej przestrzeni, swój czas i co najważniejsze rolę, jaką pełnił w nadrzędnej całości. W związku z powyższym wspomniana wcześniej rozdzielczość nie polegała na wyselekcjonowaniu poszczególnych składowych i przedstawieniu ich słuchaczowi „luzem”. Lecz przedstawieniu w pełni spójnej i koherentnej całości, lecz w takiej formie, by każdy, nawet najmniejszy trybik wchodzący w jej skład był widoczny na równi z nią, ową całością. Kluczowym jednak był fakt wprost onieśmielającego zróżnicowania i precyzji najniższych składowych, którym nie sposób było przypisać nawet odrobiny lampowego zmiękczenia, czy chociaż delikatnego pogrubienia krawędzi definiujących źródła pozorne. Nie było również mowy o jakimkolwiek osuszeniu, czy też osuszeniu, więc jeśli ktoś obawiał się, ze Zikra odżegnując się od swej niezaprzeczalnej lampowości próbuje uciekać w stereotypową „tranzystorową” ostrość, to może spokojnie owych lęków się wyzbyć.
Podobnie sprawy mają się ze średnicą i najwyższymi składowymi, gdzie króluje krystaliczna czystość i witalność dzięki czemu nawet na „’Round M: Monteverdi Meets Jazz” wokal Roberty Mameli płynnie przechodzi z głębokiej barwy i urzekającego wysycenia do rejestrów przy których pękają kieliszki do wina. I wcale nie chodzi tu o jakąś ponadnormatywną ofensywność a jedynie zdolność oddania pełnej siły emisji a nie asekuracyjnego wycofania sprawiającego, że cały czas jest „ładnie i miło”, acz niekoniecznie prawdziwie. A jak już zdążyłem wspomnieć Zikra prawdy się trzyma i prawdę przekazuje, więc jeśli tylko uda się Państwu tak skonfigurować system, by i pozostałe jego składowe takie cechy wykazywały, to śmiem twierdzić, że już po kilku odsłuchach ulubionych krążków powinniście być z udzielającymi się na nich muzykami jeśli nie na „ty”, to w nader przyjacielskich relacjach.
Może i marka Zikra Audio niewielu z Państwa cokolwiek do tej pory mówiła a nazwa 2 Chasis Preamplifer LCR Riaa Nano X Core Silver Wired wydaje się nazbyt długa, lecz wystarczy zaledwie kilka kwadransów z tytułowym, duńskim przedwzmacniaczem w systemie a jasnym stanie się, że szalenie trudno będzie znaleźć Wam godnego mu sparingpartnera. Nie dość bowiem, że poraża realizmem, to przy okazji jest niezwykle cichym urządzeniem i to nie tylko wśród lampowego towarzystwa, lecz w ujęciu globalnym, więc i miłośnicy wysokoskutecznych kolumn powinni zwrócić na niego uwagę.

Marcin Olszewski

System wykorzystywany w teście:
– transport: CEC TL 0 3.0
– streamer: Lumin U2 Mini + switch Silent Angel Bonn N8
– przetwornik cyfrowo/analogowy: dCS Vivaldi DAC 2.0
– zegar wzorcowy: Mutec REF 10 SE-120
– reclocker: Mutec MC-3+USB
– Shunyata Research Omega Clock
– Shunyata Sigma V2 NR
Przedwzmacniacz liniowy: Gryphon Audio Pandora
Końcówka mocy: Gryphon Audio APEX Stereo
Kolumny: Gauder Akustik Berlina RC-11 Black Edition
Kable głośnikowe: Furutech Nanoflux-NCF Speaker Cable
IC RCA: Hijiri Million „Kiwami”, Vermouth Audio Reference
XLR: Tellurium Q Silver Diamond, Hijiri Milion „Kiwami”, Furutech DAS-4.1
IC cyfrowy: Hijiri HDG-X Milion
Kabel LAN: NxLT LAN FLAME
Kable zasilające: Hijiri Takumi Maestro, Furutech Project-V1, Furutech NanoFlux NCF, Furutech DPS-4.1 + FI-E50 NCF(R)/ FI-50(R), Hijiri Nagomi, Vermouth Audio Reference Power Cord, Acrolink 8N-PC8100 Performante, Synergistic Research Galileo SX AC
Stolik: BASE AUDIO 2
Akcesoria:
– bezpieczniki: Quantum Science Audio Red, Synergistic Research Orange
– antywibracyjne: Harmonix TU 505EX MK II, Stillpoints ULTRA MINI
– platforma antywibracyjna SOLID TECH
– zasilające: Harmonix AC Enacom Improved for 100-240V
– listwa sieciowa: POWER BASE HIGH END, FURUTECH e-TP80 ES NCF
– panele akustyczne Artnovion
Tor analogowy:
– gramofon – Clearaudio Concept
– wkładka Dynavector DV20X2H
– przedwzmacniacz gramofonowy RCM Sensor 2 mk II
– docisk płyty DS Audio ES-001
– magnetofon szpulowy Studer A80

Dystrybucja: Prestige Audio
Producent: Zikra Audio
Cena: 40 000 €

Dane techniczne
– Lampy: 4 x EC8010; zasilacz – 2 x GZ34 lub 2 x 657G (prostownicze)
– Wejścia: 1 para RIAA (MM), 2 pary RCA (liniowe)
– Wyjścia: Para RCA, para XLR
– Pasmo przenoszenia: 12-115 kHz
– Wymiary (szer. x gł. x wys.): 440 x 330 x 210 mm
– Waga: 25 kg + 28 kg (zasilacz)