Review: ZERO 24 BIT/192KHz DAC/Headphone Amp/Pre-Amp

[diab0lik]

Originally Posted by Penchum

Not that I've heard of. Sorry!

Didnt think so oh well maybe its time to update my DAP

[Penchum]

Originally Posted by Fremen

Something I noticed: if you keep the OPA2604 in the DAC, the LT1057s, LM4562s, LT1361s, LT1364s in the headamp section are not heating. Even the LT1469 is just warm.
As soon as you put one that gets hot in the dac section, the LT1361, TL1364 and LT1469 are getting hot in the headamp.
Oscillations with high bandwith opamps??
The components in the Low pass filter of the DAC may not be sweetable for all opamps.
I will try to draw the schematic around the opamp DAC to see what I can get.

That is interesting. I'll try to do the temperature measurements this weekend, if I get time. What ever it is, it isn't audible (in our range).

[fault151]

does anyone know where i can get hold of a JRC 4566AD op amp?

[fault151]

I mentioned a few pages back that i recently bought a beresford dac and i already have a zero dac. I wanted to compare both their sounds in the hope to help any other viewers interested in both dacs. Heres my latest findings...

right i think i have managed ot come up with the most accurate desciption od the dacs so far, here goes:

I think the zero represents the music in its most natural form and sounds the most realistic to how it was when recorded in the studio. I think the beresford has the ability to transform any song to a superb sound. It can take a poorly recorded song or a cd quality sound and make it sound 10x better than it did. It adds much more weight presence to the music. The zero is a bit more picky on the sound, it represents it much more realistically and to a superb sound. Both sound great in their own way!

hope that makes sense!

[fault151]

Originally Posted by RFL

Sounds like the Beresford has been a great buy for you. How's its headphone amp?

When i mentioned my findings i was using the dac and internal headphone parts from the zero and beresford. If i combine my beresford with my slee solo, the results are superb! The beresford provides the impact the solo provides the detail!

Im not trying to say the beresford is better than my zero, there just different sounding completely! I wouldn't trade either of them! There both a well worthy contender of more expensive dacs that you can buy.

[Penchum]

Originally Posted by fault151

When i mentioned my findings i was using the dac and internal headphone parts from the zero and beresford. If i combine my beresford with my slee solo, the results are superb! The beresford provides the impact the solo provides the detail!

Im not trying to say the beresford is better than my zero, there just different sounding completely! I wouldn't trade either of them! There both a well worthy contender of more expensive dacs that you can buy.

Originally Posted by RFL

Now you should also buy a Super Pro DAC 707 and you'd have the three best buys of DACs.

This is how it starts! Next thing you know, your knee deep in DACs!

[Penchum]

Originally Posted by RFL

...at your expense

Huh, I've already got two, guess I shouldn't talk much!

[fault151]

Originally Posted by Penchum

Huh, I've already got two, guess I shouldn't talk much!

Yeh im finding my self being drawn to trying them out and hen not wanting to send them back!

Im really pleased with the two that i have though! Although, i wouldn't mind a music fidelity 24k dac.

[Penchum]

Originally Posted by fault151

Yeh im finding my self being drawn to trying them out and hen not wanting to send them back!

Im really pleased with the two that i have though! Although, i wouldn't mind a music fidelity 24k dac.

I'm forcing myself to hold out with what I have for a while. When Little-Dot comes out with their new balanced amp, then I'll be looking at balanced DAC options. It is going to be difficult to justify the costs involved though.

[fault151]

Originally Posted by Penchum

I'm forcing myself to hold out with what I have for a while. When Little-Dot comes out with their new balanced amp, then I'll be looking at balanced DAC options. It is going to be difficult to justify the costs involved though.

yeh thats the thing, it can end up costing a lot. Im gettig a bit addicted to making avlve amps, i have one on the way and another on order! he he

[OvidiuDanut]

I've read about 100 pages on this topic and will follow the next 81 when i'll have time but now i have two questions for you guys owners of the zero dac/amp.

1) About the amp: How does it stack against up to 300$ stanadlone amps? And especially for Penchum how does it stack against MKV?

2) About the dac: At which level of SQ do you rate it? If we were to speak about soundcards, could it be on par or better than soundcards like auzentech and Asus Xonar?
Thanks!

[bada bing]

Originally Posted by OvidiuDanut

1) About the amp: How does it stack against up to 300$ stanadlone amps? And especially for Penchum how does it stack against MKV?

The amp built in is fair. It is definately usable as a stand alone. It is maybe on a par with a good portable like a mini^3. It will drive high impedance cans - like hd650's - better than a portable by virtue of the beefier ac power and dual rail regulated power. The "$300 amps" I have experience with are all DIY solid state models like M^3, PPA & CKIII. They pretty handily best the Zero's internal amp, but what do you expect? The internal amp is only one feature of a $140 piece of equipment. I have more than $140 in just the internal parts of my M^3 .

Originally Posted by OvidiuDanut

2) About the dac: At which level of SQ do you rate it? If we were to speak about soundcards, could it be on par or better than soundcards like auzentech and Asus Xonar?
Thanks!

The DAC section is very good for the price of the unit. I'm not aware of any computer soundcard that will best it in two channel SQ. I have the most experience with a EMU 0404 and I clearly prefer the Zero DAC to it. The Zero's amp is clearly superior the the headphone out on the EMU. The EMU is a good comparison of the Zero's relative value in my mind. If you aren't using the recording features of the EMU, the Zero handily beats in all aspects of playback SQ for about the same $. I have listened to the auzentech and the zero is superior as a source from my memories of it.

The Zero is a very nice desktop music solution for computer audio. For the price, I'm very pleased with mine. It is easy to get too enthusiastic of an impression from a lot of equipment threads here. The Zero isn't going to best equipment at several times it's purchase price. It is an extremely good value for anyone looking for a cheap alternative to a computer sound card for mid-fi music at their work station.

[Penchum]

Originally Posted by OvidiuDanut

I've read about 100 pages on this topic and will follow the next 81 when i'll have time but now i have two questions for you guys owners of the zero dac/amp.

1) About the amp: How does it stack against up to 300$ stanadlone amps? And especially for Penchum how does it stack against MKV?

2) About the dac: At which level of SQ do you rate it? If we were to speak about soundcards, could it be on par or better than soundcards like auzentech and Asus Xonar?
Thanks!

Read and scroll this thread here:

Review of Little Dot MKV Dual Mono Solid State Headphone Amplifier

The Zero's DAC is going to be better than soundcard DACs. The ability to change the Opamps to further enhance it's capabilities, puts it in a different category all together. It is holding up well to other desktop DACs, so the value it represents continues to get better.

[javaphones]

Thanks to you guys, my wallet is $180 emptier. And my mouth is dry waiting for the thing to ship (something about Chinese New Year and natural disaster in the main land)...argh!!!...time for more coffee.

[Henmyr]

I've just got the OPA627, and is using it in the dac now together with LT1469 in the amp, and the sound is VERY good.

Before this combination, I used LT1028 in the dac and LT1469 in the amp. This combination is also VERY good and was the best I've found for DT880/ms2i before I got the OPA627.

I need to listen a bit more with OPA627 to declare a winner, but my first impressions was that OPA627 has better midrange. The LT1028 have a very detailed midrange, which can make the voices overly grainy sometimes, but other times make them really really good. LT1028 works VERY good with male voices. The bass has a bit more presence with LT1028 I think. The headstage is very similar. The LT1028 was the first which had a very wide headstage, something which the OPA627 share.

If I had not bought OPA627, I would have been very happy with the LT1028 + LT1469 combination.

LT1028 sound more hifi and clear with good bass presence, while OPA627 is sweeter, more easy to listen to (does not mean that LT1028 is harsh) and a bit more musical.

I'm finally starting to really appreciate the Zero. It wasn't until LT1028 I really felt content with it.

EDIT: Off topic: The op-amp list provided by Lawrence gave the impression that LT1028 and LT1057 was very similar, something I did not found at all. LT1057 have the better midrange of the two, but I think that everything else is worse, and not even a bit similar. LT1028 have a very impressive headstage while LT1057 is very closed in and small. LT1057 had very laid back treble I think, but LT1028 didn't have that at all.

An LT1028 with the midrange of LT1057 or OPA627 would be the best one of them all.