ZMF headphones - Cayin Tube Headphone Amp comparison - HA 3A, 6A 300B MK II - collect them all?

DISCLAIMER: This is not a review - ZMF sells the Cayin amps here: shop.zmfheadphones.com/collec...
Check out the cool looking ZMF cables used in the video here: shop.zmfheadphones.com/collec...
The upcoming Caldera, and other current ZMF models are for sale here: shop.zmfheadphones.com/collec...
Cayin HA-300B Video: • ZMFheadphones - Zach U...
Cayin HA-3A Video: • ZMF Headphones - Cayin...
This video is informational and should be viewed as such via the bias of ZMF selling Cayin products.
0:00 - 0:59: Intro
0:59 - 3:09: General Features among all three amps
3:09 - 4:12: OTL VS OTC Amps, transformers, are they better?
4:12 - 6:28: Tube Swapping Considerations; price, type etc
6:28 - 7:59: Functionality Differences, the HA - 6A is kinda special!
7:59 - 10:18: Choosing between the amps - Noise, Power and Timbre + More features
10:18 - 13:59: Sound Quality Characteristics, defining the amps and more tube talk
13:59 - END: Wrapping Up, conclusions.

[@ConvinceMeAudio]

Nice work mate 6a 300 mk ii are both waiting for their reviews at CMA when I get back, looking forward to throw in your new planar beast on there, keep up the good work. We’ll have a chat when I get back. 🐅

[@joelbussey8305]

I absolutely LOVE my HA-6A I got from you guys earlier this year. Tube rolling has been really fun on it. 22DE4 tubes like you said can be tougher to find, but they're not expensive at all. Being able to switch to KT88 (6550 and other options) makes it so versatile. The synergy with my ZMF VC's is exceptional - same for others who love their Cayin 300B's. Thanks for the video!

[@TheKent2288]

Been waiting for this. You are not wrong about cost of tube rolling for the HA-300B! I have already spend enough money to buy another decent pair of headphones just by buying some different driver tubes to try. Very good review 😊 Thanks Zach!

[@jamesthoma4927]

Bought the 300B from you guys and upgraded all the tubes. Dead quiet on the Western Front with RCA 5692 NOS Red Base. Noise is a bug a boo of mine and this one is perfect. Thanks Z

[@ZMFheadphones]

Nice! That's an amazing tube combo. Maybe I'm headed there 💡😊

[@nicolasyance40]

Hey Zack, thank you for making time to do this video. Also I'm digging your mad headphone scientist haircut. I have to agree with you that the 300b sound is something special and moved me away from solid state. Now I don't only crave for more headphones but also to try new tube types, 2A3 based amps are winking at me. To leave you some feedback about the videos, I personally don't like the music playing during the transitions and I think it is a bit loud.

[@gerritfridericksohn4627]

I have lived with 2A3 and tannoy speakers for decades. I have dozens of vintage 6ns7 and 12AU7. My faves are the Sylvania VT231, Reytheon 7028 and Amperex 7316. I'd like to sample the 6V6 with RCA. That's the amp for the Chicago Blues The 300b is for Billie Holiday in a smoke filled club. Man, I would hate to go down a 300b path. That could cost money. Just buy the pair you think you want, one time, and with as good a warranty as you can get.

[@Peace_Guard]

Is there any list of Zach's recommended tube amps for his headphones, either in general, or with some per headphone specificity? At mid-price, Euforia or HA-6A? At higher pricepoint, HA-300 MK2, Envy or Nirvana? Not really considering WA33 and higher. I can see Feliks amps can work as preamps and are lighter. But let's say purely sonically?

[@jonandresen1483]

Rock on! I recently got the HA-6A from y’all and am loving it especially with the VC. I kinda want to buy the others as well ha ha. The 300B is the most intriguing but with the HA-6A I mostly, but not always, prefer ultralinear. Assuming that triode mode generally mimics the 300B I was probably maybe smart to get the HA-6A instead of the 300B. The build quality is rather good too. Any recommendations on which output connection type to use with ZMF headphones?

[@ZMFheadphones]

I usually use whatever cable I have on hand honestly and rotate. Although the 4.4 is the quietest.

[@canibiteyou8980]

Zach, do you have any experience with Feliks Audio Euforia and Euforia Evo? Especially with VO, considering getting it right now , since 6A is rather expansive over here in Germany

[@holytiger89]

great video

[@willie9537]

One day....one day.

[@nathanberger618]

Try the Sylvania 22DE4 rectifiers, Zach!

[@ZMFheadphones]

Any suggestions on where to find them?

[@nathanberger618]

@@ZMFheadphones I got a quad for my 300B MK I on eBay, but that was December 2020. I haven’t looked for them in some time. I do like how they sound better then the RCA and GE version.

[@bryansheridan6434]

What DAC do you recommend matching with these amps?

[@FabioKasper]

Is the HA 3A on triode or ultra linear mode?

[@FabioKasper]

10:38 so no lush tubey sound from the "tiny HA 3A" with stock tubes?

[@ZMFheadphones]

It's lusher than solid state, but not as lush and and liquid as with a shouldered 6v6g or similar NOS tube.

[@djhmax09]

What DACs do you have in-house other than dcs?

[@ZMFheadphones]

A few EAD and Sonic Frontiers Dacs, Schiit Yggy, Sonnet Morpheus, ifi dsd pro, geshelli and jds stuff, and the Cayin cs100!

[@FabioKasper]

Zack, you came from a guitar background, right? So in the guitar world it's a fact that a tube amp must always have a load when it's on. In the video, not even the beefier 300B had a load on it. I'm perplexed. 😅

[@ZMFheadphones]

Never been something I've worried about with headphone amps! Never had an issue. 🤔

[@FabioKasper]

This is great news then. Thanks.

[@absoluteaudio0028]

another windbag

[@ChaseHub]

How do they stack up against the Pendant?

[@ZMFheadphones]

The Pendant is awesome! I think the HA 3A has the most similar tonality, but the Pendant has more power for harder to drive planers like the HA-6A. The Pendant is Ultra-Linear and has that fast transient type response.