RAV4,

I think you should get in touch with the bulk supplier. Maybe he can send you a replacement unit and waive the shipping for your trouble...

my ZERO is back in its box..... i got damn pissed off after trying to setup with the new PC...

the new PC's motherboard (gigabyte EP31-DS3L) has onboard SPDIF output. wanted to use that instead of the maya44.... cant get it to bloody work...the analog output works...but the damn spdif is blank.

so in the end, im using my Fubar II again

HI Rav,

My suggestion is to try to get a clean power source and try again. if u have inspected the pcb for any 'shorts' then just measure few of the output voltage like +- 15V, 5V, 3.3V. that would be faster.

I have thinking how to improve the sound of ZERO. Hopefully when the components come I will get some testing done.

The latest news on OPA using for Headphone has some bad news.
The output transformer is not able to supply enuf current for the headphone section.

Good news is u have got good OPA in your hand and audio-gd is running out of stock. plus some improvement is being done to the power supply stage.

I tried plugging the Zero to my AVR, which regulates the output to 230V but still has humming. I'm wondering if there's a fixed 240V transformer to replace the standard unit. I think the extra coil to support 110V is wasted here.

Hand itchy already. Hopefully can get it by this week

Hi Kwek,

I hope the new OPA will blow you off from the couch, and I can recommend you another OPA to get you back to the couch. That is OPA Moon.

Available after next week.

hi ccschua, could u elaborate more on the bolded statement, as i'm plan to roll da ne5532 on headphone section as well...

@chua

Good to hear that. I think the Moon will suit Grado even better with a warmer tone....

@leshita87

The Earth/Sun is power hungry and you won't be able to run 3 without modification. You can still use it, but the SQ is not so good. You'll do fine with one Earth/Sun in the DAC section and another opamp in the headamp section. eg. LT1364, LT1028...

Anybody selling 2nd hand? PM me with your price. No need upgraded one. Basic will do. Working condition with no noticeable cosmetic flaw.

what u mean by the bold part?



what kind of modification that u refer to??

the power supply mod. u may read this long winded story.
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/review-ze...8/index628.html

Hi guys! The discrete opamp are here! Unfortunately, it kena KASTAMed thus I spent RM50 on "special allowance", that's best I could get after an hour of haggling! So hope you guys understand, so this RM50 will be spread between 13 orders, which is RM4 for each pair of opamp ordered!

I feel sorry that I cant make my trip to KL this round, have to deal with company works, so I only able to pass the item to you guys through poslaju and of course I will package it properly with anti shock envelope! Below are the final cost calculated, any problem just shoot me an email.


Final handling cost
=============
international shipping: RM99/13 = RM8 per pair
local poslaju shipping : = RM6 per buyer (east malaysia)
taxing = RM4 per pair
handling(anti shock envelope) = RM2 per buyer
===========
RM20
===========

Handling fees to be paid:
==============
2. Stormspider "SUN n EARTH" + 1 cable RM20
3. RAV4 "SUN n EARTH" + 1 cable RM20
4. RAV4's friend "SUN n EARTH" + 1 cable RM20
5. thh1212 "SUN n EARTH" + 1 cable RM20
6. Rock_Fever "SUN n EARTH" + 1 cable PAID RM20
7. yehlai & ccschua "EARTH n EARTH" + 1 cable RM14/buyer (RM4 int. + RM6 local + RM2 tax + RM2 envelope)
8. leshita87 "SUN n EARTH" + 1 cable RM20
9. Kyl3 & SKY 1809 "EARTH n EARTH" + 2 cables RM14/buyer (RM4 int. + RM6 local + RM2 tax + RM2 envelope)
10. DEz012 "Sun n EARTH" + 1 cable RM20
11. kwekeugene "SUN n EARTH" + 1 cable RM20
12. foongchinboon "SUN n EARTH" + 1 cable RM20
13. coobra "SUN n EARTH" + 1 cable RM20

RAV4: If I could send both yours and your friend's in single parcel, please let me know about it, cos it's going to be cheaper

Those who sharing a pair: If I could send both unit in single parcel too, both of you guys could save RM4 each by sending in one package! Please let me know about it

Bank details: Maybank 108178781772 Leong Chun Yen
Procedure : Please PM me your name, address and contact no once you banked in, will post out your units on Monday

GodLuvSxs,

Has the package arrive in Msia? Kastam still holding it ar?

Will bank in the money to you on tomorrow.

good job, will bank in to u

---

Added on September 6, 2008, 7:11 pmgood job, will bank in to u

Ok no problem .... a lil poison here:

EARTH sounds like an improved OPA2604 to me, the highs are more extended yet without any sibilance at all, unlike OPA2604's hard highs! Depth is good, listening to live concert makes me feel enjoy! Bass hitting lower and mids are slightly laid back, I wont classify it as sweet cos it's neutral and natural, like a dish of vege without ajinomoto! Quite balance to my ears, roughly same sound signature as OPA2604 but better! I always think OPA627's sound kinda thin to me, details is there hey I'm not enjoying my music with them!

Woohoo... I'm can't wait. I'll bank in tomorrow.

I hope the solder will hold up during postage. Quite a few already complained that it's quite fragile..

GodLuv (GL),

pls send both to me.

What about the USB to Coax converter? Should have clear customs rite?

Also, any chance of getting a dedicated 240V transformer from your supplier to replace my unit's? Still have humming issue. Thx

To all who is going to test the zero. Do listen intensely at this initial impression, then at 50 hours and then at 250 hours. u will notice some changes in the sound, like a girl growing up to pretty women.

Welcome to the delicate world of HIFI.

chua,

I heard you mentioned about the Volex 17604 power cord. Where did you get yours? Noticeable improvements with the Zero?

Volex 17604 can be obtained from Farnell. I tried it out on amp, expected some positive outcome but was disappointed.

So since it has not done well on the amp, I made no further attempt on dac.

This is kind of contradicting what Audio circles guys was saying as well as advice by Empire23.

Perhaps I need to modify the stock Volex 17604 male wall plug to Marinco/Hubbel.

That's odd. They say this cable is like the Zero for power cords

Have you done the cap mod on the Earth/Sun?

As I have mentioned in the previous posts, when u listen to OPA (or they called it HDAM at head-fi), they will be changes in sound quality. The soundstage staging also narrowed, widened, narrowed and widened, strange isnt it.

Here is Pricklely peete review
--

Talk Talk was intelligible (no easy feat!) ... etc.

LOL...I saw them live a long long time ago and still can't figure just WTF that was exactly.....

The HDAM goes through some rather dramatic stages before it settles down for good...as you've just witnessed. Like you, I listen for almost all the time the amp is on so I'm quite familiar with the HDAM SQ signposts.

You'll hear it flutter back and forth between , rolled off bass, then rolled off highs, the mids well recess and come back, the sound stage will deepen considerably in the latter stages, mind you...the best part of all is the relaxed presentation, as in effortless delivery, that will increase to gigantic proportions. Excellent transient speed (with the cap tweak) decay that lasts as long as the note is held, hall reverb trails heard perfectly while crescendos crash all around you...great stuff Wait till you hear this with HD650's...


The synergy between the HDAM and Zero is fantastic.
--

Oh yeah. I am also getting some Volex for DAC. May be when it arrive I will give it some listening. My Volex now is connected to the filter.

The cap mod will be done but at a latter time. audio-gd thinks the cap mod is only for those uses long cable to connect the OPA.

Any how audio-gd new product come with the cap. it is a EVOX 0.68uF, which is natural and soft sounding. They are 2 of them. see the photo.

I wonder when is Empire23 back, cos I run to bottleneck regarding ZERO DAC mod.

I wanna order Sun and earth also.

I have received my earth, but a bit of confused.

It is short and about the same height as sun ( I borrowed from Mr. Chua before ).

Can someone please enlighten me on how to check ? and it is labeled as earth with a paper sticker , i prefer the one with good vocal . Did I order the wrong thing ?

The Poslaju guys in the area is seriously lazy. This is the 2nd time they put in a note "fail to deliver" when there is always someone at home.

Only can collect later at the evening. Idiots.

Hi there, Earth is the one better for vocal, if I'm not wrong, when plug in Sun, the LED will gonna light up, while the Earth dun have so feature ... Maybe the Earth's vocal abit too natural for you? I find that the Earth's vocal is quite up to the task for me ... if u looking for more warmth at vocal, i think the upcoming Moon suits u better ... please give the Earth some burn in, cos I heard some improvement after 20 hours of burn in ...

---

Added on September 9, 2008, 2:09 pm

Hi there, I think I will conduct another for "Moon" discrete opamp once it's out, let's order together during that time



LOL Just go to the post office and complain the idiot kau kau! Hope u guys enjoy the Earth!

I heard the burn in stage is quite funny. The soundstage will expand and contract before settling at 250 hours.

Just received mine, doing some spray painting, no time to test

Now I'm noticing better bass response, it's getting more dynamic ...



Please come back and post some impression

As much as we know Earth is neutral and natural, I believe u review will also be neutral. I guess yr listening has improved a lot since spending $$$ hanging on to lowyat.net.

Yes now its time to rock and roll. Anyone can post some photo here of your OPA and setup.

Just receive my sun & earth, how to install it ?

use a long nose to remove the stock OPA. u will see a semi and make sure it is in the sam orientation. Godluv posted this in the earlier thread.

Holy shit i just nearly burn my earth opamp. I install it terbalik the transistor were melted slightly after on just a 10 sec turn on with burn smell & it was very hot while i try to disconnect it.

But will this damage the opamp as i reinstall it another way everything works fine but i don't know has damage anything as theres a stain on the sticker after the transistor were melted slightly.

Check carefully, there is a semi circle on any opamp, which is the head.

This head must point towards the back of ZERO.. another mistake will burn down the earth.

Be extra careful when using the extension leads. If you bend it too much near the solder ends, it might come off!

Hi kwek,

Have u got the OPA.. is it cooking now ...


which one u burn in \first. i guess it must be earth.

Just collected it from Poslaju.

Earth is in 1st. Initial impression is that the separation of instruments is much better compared to OPA627. Using Grados, the mids is more prominent while the music works around behind it. Sibilance in some songs are still noticeable. I think a tube headphone amp would complete the setup. As of now, the Earth makes the OPA627 sound like if someone turned on the "loudness" button.

Hi guys,

if u want some slight improvement, try the Volex cable. they is a slight improvement in terms of life vivacity, separation and bass department. of course, u need to listen critically to hear the difference.

http://my.farnell.com/1252871/connectors/p...equestid=161406

Agree with you at lease the opamp were working fine but i don't think it will last long. after such damage done. I also slightly bend one of the OPA2604 extension leads while remove it.

The extension cable were useless as the wire were too short end up plug in the opamp straight on the ZERO.

For my comment about the EARTH were sound more calm on the instrument & bass were less humming, more accurate but the vocal sound like slightly lost of sharpness. As for the SUN sound more active, joyful but might felt annoying if want calm music like EARTH, SUN would be sound great for techno , rock & POP genre music.

Just got home and opened up my package...
Unfortunately the pins on the wire extension to connect to the DAC was bent, and when i tried to straighten up again the pin broke.. major bummer man....damn sad..

Moon discrete opamp?Well how much izit

stormspider,

plug it in directly first la without the top on. At least you get to listen to it while you replacement adapter gets here.

Yeah that's what i'm doing but I'm just a little frustrated that the pin was bent out of the package and when i tried to straighten it broke...

Can't see how the Earth sounds with my speakers since it's so late in the night...lol Just using headphones now.. Can't wait for day..

Hi Charles, I got some extra extension cable here, sorry for all the mess cos first few parcels was handled by my sis and she told me didnt bubble wrap the cable, I will send u one cable again .... sorry!

---

Added on September 10, 2008, 11:24 am

Yup, moon discrete opamp! Tubie sound discrete opamp, best for lush vocal, EARTH is good for vocal too but it's less "ajinomoto", thus some might think it's slight neutral

Should be coming out this 15th, pricing to be confirmed!

i got some extra coaxial cable who are interested i got 2 set of 1M is canare cable

now i got make some power cable .... still under development .... is using Kimber wire heheh soon i make it for sale

yehlai already audit my DIY power cable liow hehehe how much is ur budget i wanna make it bulk sale

the design is like this but no worry it will have braid sleeve to cover it up and have IEC socket n the main plug hhehe





The unique KIMBER woven cable

Replacing the mains cable to any of your Hi-Fi or Home Cinema components mean they perform better, giving you less distortion, clearer pictures, and more musicality, so that you enjoy your music and movies even more!

---

Added on September 10, 2008, 3:38 pm

ermm not a hard job .... Evox easily can purchase those HDAM that want to put the cap i can done it for u guys .... hehehe

---

Added on September 10, 2008, 4:24 pm

wow this moon really poison .... is suite my taste

Where are u guys now, is it busy listening to OPA.

Let the reviews floodgate open.

Its ok bro its partly my fault for trying to straighten the pin till it broke... I'll transfer the money for a new cable to you.
Just thankful that you have extra extension cable and don't need to wait till the next bulk to get one...
Thanks...

well, next time dont forget to get a long nose to straighten it. That will save yr day.