Basically Yehlai is saying the DAC chip may be cheaper than the opamp such as OPA 627.

No one would just swap DAC like opamp. However there exist upgrade for the DAC but that should come from the same family. DAC implementation is board specific.

BTW, Ijan, what do u think is the improvement to the ZERO dac that can bring about smoother sound and less digital.

I was doing that too. When my mood change, the opamp changes. But recently after I found the DY2000, the whole rolling stops. I would like to try the metal DY2000 in future.

Did u try LM4562, and 2107. The HDAM really attracts me, with its new cabling that solve the height problem.





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they may be a 4th bulk. let us give encore to Godluvsxs for another round.

statement 1 : Yeah. Your fren scolded u for not recommending.
Statement 2 : After u recomended, he also scold you bcos u cause him to SPEND $$$$.
Statement 3 : So when he listened to ZERO and found the ZERO no good, he will scold you also.
Statement 4 : But if the ZERO is damn good, refer to statement 1.

In anyway u do, u are scolded. That's what frens are FOR.

Yes HDAM is poisoning. I am waiting for Penchuum to give review.

OPA 627 is very useful. Who knows u might need it again.

Well GodluvSxs has said that a better version of HDAM is coming out, in 6 weeks time. The designer of that HDAM said this.

I wonder anyone can come out with a mod of the unit. any suggestion to better it

empire23 ----
1. Diode Bypass (reduce noise)
2. Stability and Noise killing mod for digital section (PS bypass replaced with Silver Mica)
3. Ground loop breaker mod (better caps)
4. More capacitance for the main analog stage, from 4400uF to 6600uF
5. More capacitance for the digital stage with Silmic II parallel, from 2000uF to 2330uF and bypass.
6. Cap replacement on analog output stage
7. Film cap replacement with german Wimas near the clock, DAC and supply lines.

Yeah. I am just wondering how smooth is the sound after the mod. In fact, I just wonder any more improvement to mod can be done.

I wish during the Aug 3rd bulk, I could listen to your mod and hear the difference, with DY2000 as well.

Yes. That was a promise to gatevalve that I sold my DAC. I have in fact bought 2 more ZERO DAC from GodluvsXs, refer to the bulk thread. 1 ZERO DAC is for a nice guy who has a >RM 30k setup in his possession. (not nice to disclose who lah, he just want to use it for headphone)

Somebody dont believe in changing opamp, but for me I can change opamp to suit the taste of the type of system, a matching process.

Dont forget, ZERO dac still has room for improvement. component upgrade/output stage bypass as well as HDAM, and a mysterious opamp someone is working on, headphone like Grado reference, etc

zero fan is growing to ZERO clan.

I believe in value for money, Zero is proof. and they are many other things that can be value for money, such as Asylum power cord.

Below is the speaker details. (it is not difficult to drive actually)
Arcam Alpha Loudspeaker.
20-70 watts, 2-way infinite baffle, 200mm cone bass/mid, 25mm soft dome tweeter. Frequency response: 55-20kHz. VIFA driver. Nominal impedance: 8 ohms. Sensitivity: 89dB. If speaker sensitivity is below 86 dB, that will be tough. When the amp is under power, you would normally hear the bass is loose, and can also affect the high freq (become harsh). you will feel the soundstaging rather limited, and starts to distort.

This speaker is rather warm and laid back, even tested with OPA 627. I think further experiement can be done with RCA/better power cord but I think the improvement will be marginal (no more value for money), due to its warm and laid back characteristics. I think HDAM would be too expensive at this moment, but the result is very good.

back to the basics, the speaker stand has to be firm, so that when touch, it does not move much, real solid. Next the speaker tweeter level should be around the ear level when u listen to it at your comfortable sofa level.

speaker stand positioning also important, how close it is, and how far apart, near to u, far from u. try to experiment it. Also if u can get the blue tag, tag the speaker to the stand, it will help too. sometimes it is painstakingly difficult to find the right spot, and later on moved when someone mop the floor.

Those speaker and speaker stand positioning can affect the bass, imaging and separation.

However, if you want a lot of detail, I think u will find that listening to it for long time will become fatigue. A lot of good speakers are based on soft dome, which it is intended for.

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Added on July 23, 2008, 7:33 pmThe one available with the UK plug on sale at Ebay is very expensive, about RM 200.

For the zero club owners, I will be getting my similar asylum power cord and after test I will report here. stay tune.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jul 23 2008, 09:55 PM

Those considered harsh cd recording will give u sound that is more polished. At the end of day, warm sounding is like that. If you put those cd back to the bright system, u will feel harsh.

So I guess the EPOS is without the crossover network.

here is the review of HDAM, taken from Head-fi thread (yes, pete)

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When it came time to re-install the HDAM and power the Zero back up....The first and most obvious distinction is the HDAM's utterly unrestrained liquid smooth delivery of dynamics. I can't stress enough how impressive the HDAM module handles extremely complex passages without a hint of strain while maintaining the imaging and air. There is no compression of any kind, the instruments seem to breath along with the artist handling them. From the faintest whisper to a thundering climax, the HDAM just cranks it out as it is recorded (for good or bad) without additional color. The HDAM can sound both powerful and delicate at the same time, basically whatever you throw at it the HDAM doesn't seem to break a sweat. Piano sounds superb with the HDAM, absolutely life like, the complex harmonics of this instrument notorious for being difficult to reproduce even with the best gear is handled by the HDAM without batting an eye. Mozart sounds wonderful.....The layering aspect of modern multi tracked recordings is both a blessing and a curse with the HDAM. Fortunately there aren't all that many really horrid CD's/LP's out there. Let's focus on the what was mentioned earlier in the 627's config. Where it is possible to see into the Artist/Engineers concept of the recording the HDAM takes that level of insight all the way. Not only is left and right placement clearly rendered you get height,depth and individual FX types used on overdubs etc etc. Astounding realism. With electric guitars you can easily distinguish between the bright/sweet sound of a strat maple neck/alder body set at the neck pick up, and with all those sounds in between the 5 way switch. You can also recognize the difference between a Les Paul Standard with it's darker sounding cousin, the 57 Les Paul "Black Beauty". Very subtle shadings like these are the HDAM's hallmark IMO. Effortless is a word that keeps popping into my head every time I listen to Zero with the HDAM installed in the DAC section. I can't seem to find a single negative trait for the HDAM SQ wise.....
I've tried to find something...for days and days I've thrown every type of music I have at it. It doesn't blink at all. I have to wonder what a LD MKV would sound like with it's opamps swapped for HDAM modules. The more I think about that the more I want to try it .....Back to the Zero....Mids are outstanding,highs are outstanding,bass is outstanding.........you get the picture. My conclusion is thus....the HDAM is simply in another league all it's own. I don't think it's fair to expect the 627 to compete with the HDAM at half it's cost and yet if you decide to go with the 627's in the DAC section you'll be getting about 75% of what HDAM offers. Is that last 25% worth of performance worth double the cost of the HDAM over the BBOPA627's ? An unequivocal YES IMHO.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jul 23 2008, 11:33 PM


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I am no master or sifu, just another kung fu panda trying to learn audiophile.

Morning will be less exciting, due to vendor seting up the system, or the vendors just start to move in. afternoon might be better

Just back from KLIAV.

The most unforgetable event, the KEF LS 3/5A.

The second most unforgetable sound, Harbeth SHL 5.

Others are just too expensive, and certain frequency just dont sound right.

The most interesting CD track, NIL Lofgren Live and Whitesnack live in Tokyo. (my god, isnt that whitesnake is heavy metal)

Not too crowded, just nice.

Just got the power cord (so called Asylum). From external, I know this power cord make my stock cable to dust. going to try soon.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jul 25 2008, 06:09 PM

shiok. that's the real ZERO DIY. Wish i have the DIY skill.

These are the power cord I ordered Volex 17604 --

First, I'll state that I do not consider these industrial, mass produced, low margin 14gaX3 shielded powercords to be an 'upgrade', but rather, they are the minimally acceptable powercords for audio use (which is why I'm posting this in the General Asylum). For whatever reasons, vendors generally provide generic 18 or 16ga PCs, and I've never encountered a situation where the Volex 17604 or 17605 (2 and 3 meters) have not produced a major improvement in all areas, soundstaging, resolution, dynamics, extension, emotion.....Simply put, everything is 'mo betta'.
These powercords are ideal for anyone who wants to judge whether powercords actually make a difference or for judging what value a more 'bespoke' and expensive cord is providing.
Comparisons - In comparison to the 'Asylum' cord, the latter provides higher resolution, which may be attributable to the removal of the plummyness imparted to the bass (in comparison to most OEM cords, the Volex bass is tighter and more resolving). But realize that a premade 'Asylum' cord will cost about 10x as much, or if you DIY, each major component, the cable, plug, IEC, will cost as much as a complete Volex cord. My own DIY starquad powercords (IMO) and many other aftermarket cords are substantially better, but whaddaya expect for <$1/ft for the whole dang cord?

If you're unsure as to whether powercords make a difference, want maximum bang for the buck, or want a cheap baseline for evaluating audio specific cords, do yourself a favor and buy the Volexs. Many electronic distributors cary them - Allied, Newark, etc...

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However, I am disappointed it is not Belden cable as used in the Asymlum power cord. As to how much improvement, I think it does not sound clear to me, but I will just leave this power cord to the ZERO DAC. For less than RM 50, I think it barely meets value for money. Alternative is to replace the stock plug and connector.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jul 26 2008, 12:48 PM

Please spend some time reading this..

http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/index.p...6&topic=50799.0

Please note in the review, the Volex (RM 50) is pitted against such cable as Harmonic Tech AC11 (single crystal copper) RM 600, Tsunami RM 1100, and other $$$ cables.

Bob has written the review above. The guy who diy the Asylum power cord has ventured into making his own power cable, if not wrong, it is VH audio. Should sound quite familiar.

My ears are trained to good power cords. I was poisoned by this Transparent Power link plus and I could discern (Blind fold wont fail me I bet). On the instance of Volex, I have to place my ears inside the speaker.

I understand the fundamentals of RFI and EMI and how that gets transformed and go into the signals. For the system to sound, the AC source that comes out from the plug (red) has to returned to where it came (black).

Therefore every every component in the AC source, right up to the speaker and back is important.

Since I dont have ZERO now, I would wait to see if Bob's comment on Volex hold water when the dac comes.

empire, u are wanted in the ZERO dac section, u could be the new opamp to the better sounds.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jul 26 2008, 07:36 PM

u should total silence. Even when u soundstage volume turn to 3'o clock, u should still hear Nothing.

if your AntiQue got sound, first u have to make sure where the hum come from. Bring your amp to some one system that is totaly quiet, to confirm if the sound is from the amp.

next .. u have to mention your setup. noise can come from RCA as well.

Wellcome to Soundstage 1.5 club. I think ur soundstage 1 does not have remote ? Ask tong lee to give that remote, very good remote.

So sky1809, have u got the ZERO DAC ? (I cant quite recall who, sorry for the poison. )

why u getting the antique sound lab?

I tried the soundstage (with the Mullard tube ) on Harbeth LS 3/5a 11 ohm. I quite like the sound, I really feel missing the 3/5a sound. I will not miss the chance to get the legend.

I have tried the soundstage 1.5 as pre out. The gear I tried include Krell KST 100 power amp, driving a difficuly ribbon speaker, vocal sound terrific because that Krell is Class A amp (plus the Mullard lol). but stay away from Rock, mullard just cant pump out the current.

Hi Gatevalve,

I still owe u one session of AAD S-1 if u still keen. I think sometimes those CD u thot very bright now play on warm and laid speaker it sound great.

I hope for all those who visit the AV show can share what is your treasure ? I only part RM 75 for some CD. I hope to get some speaker Spike. Uncle Joeph Ki said if u cant seem to get the vocal during the rise, dont blame on amp and cdp, may be the speaker stand and spike. So many speaker spike is being used, amazing. The vibration was so great that during the dynamic parts of audition, Joseph's KEF LS 3/5a right speaker spike falls off... really FALL off, almost spoil the KEF speaker. can imagine the micro vibration happening. That vibration travel down to stand and back to speaker, causing so much vibration. He also put 2 crystal weight on top of speaker (due to the light weight of speaker).

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jul 27 2008, 06:09 PM

U need a great marketing director, and a fool like IBM to manufacturer the product, while the DSP algorithm is in it.

Your DSP algo is probably the distortion generator that can switch between class A, B, AB, T, tube, SET, NOS, OS, US, and most of all, it understand the owner's mood.

Oh my. It feels like time to pk.

so are the Team ZERO going to meet. let's suggest where to meet and who will bring what.

I will come with Volex power cord lol.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jul 27 2008, 09:40 PM