I just thought I should mention that I'm currently reviewing the FrankenZero, completely modded (all by myself! LOL, with guidance from PP) with one of PP's mod kits. Due to some personal delays, I might not be done with the review for a little while longer, but I promise it is coming soon.
I can say at this point, the FrankenZero is one heck of a great sounding DAC/Amp. The DAC section is extremely neutral and dynamic, with all the hallmarks of a superior DAC. My separate headphone amps have never had such an excellent sounding source before! The improvements are very universal, and can be heard with all of my headphone amps, from the MKII to the MKIVse for tubes, and also my MKV SS Headphone amp. The built-in headphone section has been transformed into a real clean and powerful head amp, that is leaps and bounds superior to the stock head amp. I'll have more details in the review, but I thought I should mention that the improvements are very noticeable in my main speaker rig as well. I'm testing the FrankenZero with everything I have, so that everyone can picture what the mods might mean for them.
Doing the FrankenZero mod is a blast, if you are into DIY, and for those with some soldering/electronics experience in the past (like me), doing the FrankenZero mod is extremely rewarding! This is one of those mod projects where you can actually "hear" the differences you have made, which makes each phase of the mod more fun to complete. When the FrankenZero is done, and you've used it enough to mature all the caps, you are left with a real heavy weight contender, for very little cash!
Thanks to the FrankenZero, I've canceled my plans to purchase a high end DAC for headphone amp use. Looking at this mod from an audiophile point of view, the SQ gained by this FrankenZero mod, are nothing short of amazing. Every aspect one might look for in a high end DAC/Amp, is here in the FrankenZero's presentation. I did a quick side by side comparison with my second (HeadFi Deal) Zero, and even my wife could hear the improvements! I see her eyeballing my second Zero, and I know exactly what she is plotting! She wants me to make her a FrankenZero for her home office!
Figures!
Hats off and a firm salute to PP for creating one outrageously fun and rewarding mod kit, the FrankenZero!
Stay tuned!
Pench