The audio journey is certainly a twisting road. Just a few years ago, I believed that the combination of my Wilson speakers and the wonderful Tenor electronics would be my end game. However, my introduction to Zellaton quickly changed that belief.
Gideon Schwartz of Audio Arts had been a longtime proponent of mating Zellaton with fast, extended and high bandwidth amps such as DarTZeel and Goldmund, which seemed to bring out the best in the Zellaton Statements. With this pairing, I believed that I had reached the pinnacle. Yet a phone call last month from Gideon changed that. He asked me to audition the recently released Soulution 326 preamp and 312 stereo amp in my system. Myles Astor recently converted to Solution and was kind enough to loan me his personal components (thanks Myles!). These entry level diminutive components seemed even smaller when compared to my massive Goldmund and Tenor electronics. Yet looks can, and in this case, were deceiving. That day, Gideon and I listened in a darkened room for almost five hours. We both emerged mesmerized, stunned, and emotionally drained from this intense musical experience. The Soulution 300 series components clearly outperformed the mighty and much more expensive Goldmunds, DarTZeel and Tenor by every measure. Not even close.
I was fortunate to have an extended multi-week audition of the Soulutions. Sometimes I struggle to dissect subtleties between components. In this case the differences and improvements were so obvious and mesmerizing in every respect. Needless to say, I boxed up the aforementioned gear for the new Soulution 727 preamp and the yet to be released Soulution 717 monoblocks (I think may be getting the first set in the country thanks to Gideon expediting) A few days ago, the 727 preamp was delivered along with a Soulution 511 stereo amp as a loaner. After three days of break-in, I want to share my initial observations.
To my humble ears, the Soulutions are not an incremental improvement, it is not subtle - it is overwhelming. There is an utter transparency and purity that I am at a loss for words to accurately describe. They provide a window into the musical event that is utterly captivating, involving, and deeply emotional.
New details emerged from familiar music. Such resolution and detail can be the antithesis of beauty and emotion. That is why throughout ninety percent of my audio life, I have had tubes somewhere in the electronics chain. For me, tubes brought out the color, the passion, and the reality of the musical event. However, the Soulutions deliver a beauty, and richness that will thrill even the most ardent tube aficionado.
The first stunning initial observation is the impact, and definition of the low-end. It is not a bottom-up voicing, nor a heavy dark weighting. This is a deep bottom-end with detail, power, and authority, exceeding by a large margin anything that I've ever heard previously.
The soundstage is wide and deep – the best in my experience. Excuse the play on words, but the Soulution components “amplify” every characteristic that makes the Zellaton speakers so special. Gideon will be returning to retune my Schnerzinger protectors and will install a full loom of my new Schnerzinger wiring as well. Even changing out just the speaker wire to Schnerzinger brought about changes warranting a separate treatise but that’ll come later and besides, looks like Steve W is doing the honors on that subject!
To say that I'm blown away is an understatement. As my journey continues, I will post updates, and certainly welcome members to my home to experience what I do.
Gideon Schwartz of Audio Arts had been a longtime proponent of mating Zellaton with fast, extended and high bandwidth amps such as DarTZeel and Goldmund, which seemed to bring out the best in the Zellaton Statements. With this pairing, I believed that I had reached the pinnacle. Yet a phone call last month from Gideon changed that. He asked me to audition the recently released Soulution 326 preamp and 312 stereo amp in my system. Myles Astor recently converted to Solution and was kind enough to loan me his personal components (thanks Myles!). These entry level diminutive components seemed even smaller when compared to my massive Goldmund and Tenor electronics. Yet looks can, and in this case, were deceiving. That day, Gideon and I listened in a darkened room for almost five hours. We both emerged mesmerized, stunned, and emotionally drained from this intense musical experience. The Soulution 300 series components clearly outperformed the mighty and much more expensive Goldmunds, DarTZeel and Tenor by every measure. Not even close.
I was fortunate to have an extended multi-week audition of the Soulutions. Sometimes I struggle to dissect subtleties between components. In this case the differences and improvements were so obvious and mesmerizing in every respect. Needless to say, I boxed up the aforementioned gear for the new Soulution 727 preamp and the yet to be released Soulution 717 monoblocks (I think may be getting the first set in the country thanks to Gideon expediting) A few days ago, the 727 preamp was delivered along with a Soulution 511 stereo amp as a loaner. After three days of break-in, I want to share my initial observations.
To my humble ears, the Soulutions are not an incremental improvement, it is not subtle - it is overwhelming. There is an utter transparency and purity that I am at a loss for words to accurately describe. They provide a window into the musical event that is utterly captivating, involving, and deeply emotional.
New details emerged from familiar music. Such resolution and detail can be the antithesis of beauty and emotion. That is why throughout ninety percent of my audio life, I have had tubes somewhere in the electronics chain. For me, tubes brought out the color, the passion, and the reality of the musical event. However, the Soulutions deliver a beauty, and richness that will thrill even the most ardent tube aficionado.
The first stunning initial observation is the impact, and definition of the low-end. It is not a bottom-up voicing, nor a heavy dark weighting. This is a deep bottom-end with detail, power, and authority, exceeding by a large margin anything that I've ever heard previously.
The soundstage is wide and deep – the best in my experience. Excuse the play on words, but the Soulution components “amplify” every characteristic that makes the Zellaton speakers so special. Gideon will be returning to retune my Schnerzinger protectors and will install a full loom of my new Schnerzinger wiring as well. Even changing out just the speaker wire to Schnerzinger brought about changes warranting a separate treatise but that’ll come later and besides, looks like Steve W is doing the honors on that subject!
To say that I'm blown away is an understatement. As my journey continues, I will post updates, and certainly welcome members to my home to experience what I do.
Last edited:
