It has been more than 10 days and I have not received my samples on LT1364, etc.

I have purchased the follow item from bluejeans. apparently this is budget upgrade that gets good review. e.g. the LC-1 RCA is better than low end Audioquest.

------

Item Name: 3 foot BJC Optical Digital Audio Cable
Quantity: 1

Total: $13.75 USD



Item Name: 3 foot BJC LC-1 Stereo Audio Cables
Item Options: Cable Color: White

Quantity: 1

Total: $31.75 USD

----

I am hoping to receive to the LT1358. another good recommendation for mid and vocals.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jun 3 2008, 11:56 PM

I have always been searching to upgrade and improve the ZERO dac.

I will be getting this in 1 or 2 days. Do let me know if u want to buy as well. if u are into stereophile and valve tube amp, u may like this.

Analog device DY2000 (dual, ceramic)
Price: US$15
Comment : These chips makes the sound more valve like than the tube sound ever did if that can possibly make any sense! Melodious, slightly laid back and warm yet it brings out every last bit of detail from a recording. Overall a very nice sound. A kind of hybrid valve and solid state mix which gives the best of both worlds. Nice smooth valve like mids and highs with lovely solid state bass oomph . This is the Op amp for those who prefer a valve like sound but would also like a solid state bottom end delivery. With this Op amp you can have your cake and eat it. Smooth as silk.

Hi Kwekeugene,

nice to see u back. I dont seem to get the free sample from LT. can I borrow your LT 1057. what do u think ?

this is from Lawrence.
Linear techonolgy LT1057(dual, ceramic)
Comment: Without a shadow of a doubt this op amp is the star of the the centry. Easy to listen to, easy to pick out every last detail and ever so natural. There was an ethereal quality to the sound that only ever heard on high quality loudspeaker based systems. It's hard to put what this op amp does into words but listening to the sound with it on board is as close to headphone heaven. Very analytical.


This post has been edited by ccschua: Jun 5 2008, 12:50 AM

let me know fast. Abel has confirmed 1 unit of DY2000. by the way, is your Marantz 5001 a reclock version? any upgrade on power supply.
does the zERO need any reclock?

this is non profit buy. will let u all know once the seller give me the best price.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jun 6 2008, 12:14 AM

OK,

altogether 4 units of DY2000 plus myself. But to warn first, the DY2000 is a used unit.

rgds

ccschua x 1
Abel x 1
Godluvsxs x 1
Stormspider x 1

--------------------------

Guys,

a message from Eddie Wu that the DY2000 is not as good as LM 4562. Eddie is frank and open about it, below is the email from Eddie. Eddie said LM4562 gives more pronounce mids, more sweet sounding and slightly more dynamic and control than DY2000. u may refer to Penchuum head-fi thread, post no 1.

''''''''''''''''''
Hello Mr. Wu,

Just to let you know that I received the LM4562 chip and it's better than my DY2000! Thanks! I'm using it on the Zero DAC and Yulong AMP4780. Can you tell me if the Poppulse is better than Zero DAC with LM4562 and Yulong AMP4780 because Poppulse use also LM4562? How much does it cost the shipping to Brazil? How long does it takes to arrive here?

Regards,

Adrian
'''''''''''''''''''''


I am still waiting for some pro to reply, so I hold on first and let me know your preference.


This post has been edited by ccschua: Jun 6 2008, 06:49 PM

Hi Stormspider,

Please let me know by Sunday if you want the DY2000.

So far

ccschua x 1 DY2000
abel x 1 DY2000

FOR STEREO speakers , in the merits orders (This HDAM really poisoning)

HDAM
LT1358
DY2000 -
LM4562 -

For headphone

For the warm opamp in the headamp, I would use LT1364 or LT1469.

The LT1364 is very nice in the dac also, very clear but with a touch of warmth.

I want to love the LT4562 (I have the LME49720, different name but same) but I just don't keep it in the dac. I find the soundstage to be rather small, and I'm having a hard time with the coloration (It turns the sound into dark purple/dark blue every single time I use it). I find it to lack punch as well, it sounds a bit tired. It's rather neutral, but not in a natural way if that makes any sense.

I'm not at home, and haven't been for some days, but from my memory I find the OPA627, LT1028 and LT1358 to be rather good for the dac. OPA627 has got the largest soundstage and most bass, but is rather laid back. I find the LT1028 to have very good transparancy and really like it, but I don't think it's safe to use it. The LT1358 is somewhere in between. It has a nice natural and full midrange, not harsh in any way. It didn't wow me in any way at first like the OPA627 does with the soundstage and bass, and LT1028 with the open airy transparent sound, but in the long run I have found it to be very enjoyable. It sounds a bit like LT1364 but without as much warmth. The OPA627 pushes the singer back a bit, while on LT1358 the singer is closer.

So, my favorites for dac in no particular order:
LT1358 - Clear, natural midrange, no major drawbacks but no immediate wow-factor.
LT1364 - Rather large soundstage, clear, warm midrange.
LT1028 - Good bass, neutral and natural midrange, good transparancy, clear, major drawback: Get very very very hot.
OPA627: Largest soundstage, rather laid back, rather neutral, rather clear, good bass amount, full midrange but without a very warm coloration.


This post has been edited by ccschua: Jun 7 2008, 12:31 PM

I was with Abel to try out the different opamp. Although the ZERO DAC is budget level, the sound is definitely not entry level, given the good quality compenent used in ZERO DAC.

I agree with the different sound characteristics written by Abel, up to certain stage, we were confused due to too many swapping back and forth.

However those audition are based on initial swapping, with each individual opamp not yet run in.

Now for my setup, I stick with LT1364, still running in the LT 1364. I found the LT 1057 and LM 4562 to be rather special. will keep posted regarding the sound characteristics.

So by today I will order 2 units of DY2000.

-----

the order for 2 x DY2000 is on.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jun 8 2008, 05:23 PM

Well all I can say is ZERO DAC is definitely best bang for the bucks. About the Marantz cdp, the ZERO dac is not that far off with OPA627, I am comparing it to the Marantz KI version (Ken Ishiwata). This player is wide sought after, and it has got HDAM loh.


So it looks like the ultimate for ZERO dac is HDAM module by Burson. This HDAM is more expensive than the ZERO. I suspected the discrete opamp version is coming close to audiophile level. bro, go discrete and u will feel the warm of discrete opamp, especially at soundstage and vocal.

LT1364 is definitely not bad, but OPA 827 is interesting too. I have now switched over to LM 4562. If you recall LM 4562, its widely used in Zhaolu.

I am eagerly waiting for the LT1358 to come.

another area for upgrade. look at the tubes, mullard, amperex or china.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jun 8 2008, 10:11 PM

Well if you are HIFI bugs (stereo speakers, not headphones because I dunno headphone), you will like LM 4562. No doubts or any second thoughts about it. After running in the LM 4562, the sound gets warmer and sweeter, with good musical separation.

I will stick to LM 4562 for some time till the DY2000 come.

ZERO DAC will make your money worth the investment. The immediate reaction when you listen to ZERO is like wow, so clear, crispy and u can hear the sound coming from wider angle (the so called soundstage).

Musicality is the ability of the sound to be separated very well, soothing to listen to and not fatigue at all. as if you talk to each other and still can hear the music playing clearly in the background.

One more thing, if you roll the opamp, you are actually learning to discern the different sound characteristics of the opamp. Those opamps are hifi grade designed by the engineers with a purpose.

thats the beauty if you get 1 stage higher. HDAM


This post has been edited by ccschua: Jun 9 2008, 11:23 PM

HI VELO,

from where u get the supra power cord and teletron power conditioner? and how much for each

looks like the opamp rolling is coming a long way. now the 637 is coming. LT 1358 any order ?

hope to receive the mysterious DY2000 for rolling. my fiber optical cable from blue jean sou be in soon.

Well this HDAM actually comes from the genius from China. The guru I admire so much.

thnks to Godluvsxs for introducing this genius.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jun 10 2008, 10:07 PM

LME 49720 gives very thick warm sound but the bass lacks clarity. You can hear the acoustics well. Very relaxing at vocals, e.g. if you just listen opera/soprano and no instrument is playing in the background. This opamp is definitely out.

OPA 627 is too revealing and dynamics. Begining and ending note is fast settling. Again not really a choice for stereo vocals.

LM 4562 and LT 1057 are very close to my choice of listening. (why is LT 1364 so hot)

I guess need more listening, if not more ears or deeper ears.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jun 11 2008, 08:19 PM

Today finally the bluejeans cable arrive.

I swapped out the stock fiber optic and in the new Mitsubishi ESKA fiber optic cable which is made of Plastic optical fiber (POF). Now who says fiber optics will not give u a difference.

Then swapped in the LC1 RCA, which is basically low capacitance RCA cable. this cable give good separation.

Now go through one round the opamps. the worst is LME 49720, which distorts the high and low and sounded too bright.

LT 1364 and OPA 627 also very bright. Finally my opamp of the day is
LM 4562 .

With the new cables and LM 4562, I get the best separation now, it just gets more musical now. The vocal is warm and airy. the bass has more attack and extension.

I hope the DY2000 will not disappoint me... hope so.

ps. if u want to know the ZERO delivery status, pls go to the bulk section, (and promote the zero a bit lah)

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jun 12 2008, 12:23 AM

My samples LT 1358 is in Malaysia. LT local agent called me that he will deliver by post to me. Then it is PK time for LT 1358, DY2000 and LM4562.

It was widely discussed Bursons HDAM is not made by him, but rebadged from Chinese products. Chinese products is not bad nowadays. Loot at the Zero, Zhaolu, Yulong, Bada, Xindak, etc.

------------------

Yes just got the following

LT 1358

LT 1028 x 2

LT 1057

LT 1361

LT 1469

.

PK between LM 4562, LT 1028 and LT 1358.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jun 14 2008, 11:41 AM

2xLT1028 is not gain stable, that means the opamp runs super hot, upto certain stage it produces hissing noise.

Dont try LT 1028.

I just wonder how does you guys connect the source to the DAC. what u use or plan to use to connect .

Anyone try the wireless music server, like squeezebox 3 from Logitech, netgear, creative, apple airport. this looks like killer to cdp, just like cd did to tape. Apparently newer version of DAC is able to contain the so called jitter down to minimum, so it looks like the DAC route is the next future.

I will be more cautious in investing for CDP.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jun 15 2008, 10:38 PM

Yes I notice the LT1358 being skewed towards vocals, so much as the vocal has coloration. Some call it light brown, to some extent brown [I was surprised to hear the sound Aaron Neville, thought he became old overnight]. To me I feel the sound becomes more forgiving at the Ssss and Sssshhh. But this comes at the expense of detail, transparency of details at both high and low. However on a system which uses metal dome tweeter, this can be a savior.

Wheareas LT1057 is more analytical, with immediate positive effects of the sweet sounding voice. You can hear more clearly the lips twisting, breath taking, etc.. No wonder some call this chip clinical. Listening to this is fun. May be the mellow Headphiler might like this.

[all the chip is used in DAC section, again no stereophile for me]

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jun 17 2008, 12:04 AM

compare burson with Lawrence, it is about 50% more expensive. Looks like for the 30% gain SQ is close to getting a better DAC.

Do you think the OPA 2107 can be used in the DAC section?



This post has been edited by ccschua: Jun 18 2008, 09:40 PM

I would like to share the following : -

I was reading this info off a USB DAC web page.

The DAC has a single digital USB input (no SPDIF inputs). USB unlike SPDIF is bidirectional and therefore has error correction and buffering on both sides. This happens automatically so the data on the disk is identical to what is going out all the time. Also since this interface is asynchronous the clocking problems associated with SPDIF go away. What happens is... On power up of the computer the 2 devices negotiate services. In this case the Cosecant tells the computer it can do 16 bit audio at 32K, 44.1K and 48K. Since the USB receiver only has to handle these 3 frequencies, The clocking to the separate DAC IC has almost no jitter. SPDIF actually has to be synched to the exact frequency of the transport (i.e. if the transport is working at say 44.0896K instead of 44.1K the dac has to sync to that frequency). Therefore there is no interface jitter like you see in SPDIF. So using USB we have a zero error protocol to link the computer to the DAC and very low jitter.

------

My feeling for all this jitter problem is 16 bit / 48 (not 44) is enuf use. some high end CDP and DAC uses upsampling to 192 kHZ and then do the DA conversion to remove jitter, which is overkill. Remember the Marantz cd7 (costs about RM 100,000) only uses 16 bits (afterall most the cd we have in market is 16 bit)

At this moment, I am still waiting for the mysterious DY2000 to arrive. So far, My choice of OPAMP is LT 1358, LT1057 LM 4562.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jun 19 2008, 06:46 PM

After listening to LT1057 more, I found the opamp is more unforgiving at giving the high end delivery of vocal. The tonality of singer is quite good. After listening to the Chinese hdcd/xrcd for a while, I found the Ssss and Ssshhh a bit stressful.

I would still think LT1358 is more smooth. You have to give time for the LT 1358 to run in and give it a try for LT1358 in the DAC and LT 1364 in the amp.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jun 20 2008, 12:15 AM

OPA 2107 is used in some of the DAC. How do you find the power cord. You need to modify to suit local connection.

have fun. try more chip like LT 1057, LM 4562, DY2000 and LT 1364.

Hi Owners of ZERO, are u guys ready for a small gathering to test out the zero and also the headphone.

---------------

ZERO dac DY 2000 just arrive. time to pk again.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jun 20 2008, 07:30 PM