Head-Fi's Sponsors
(Premier Sponsors bolded) |
|
|
Can Jam '09
(2009
International
Head-Fi Meet)
Impressions,
Reviews, Photos |
Can
Jam '09 graphic
courtesy of Edwood
Click on the links below
for Can Jam '09 photos,
impressions and reviews:
blubliss
1,
2,
3
dallan
1,
2,
3,
4
santacore
1,
2
nhat_thanh
1, 2
vpivinylspinner
1,
2,
3
amb
1
augustwest
1
eaglejo
1
johnsonad
1
shellylh
1
Jon L
1,
2,
3,
4
Germancub
1
zippy2001
1
IPodPJ
1
bhd812
1
Edwood
1,
2
abellaw
1,
2
minidiscs
1
atothex
1
HighLife
1
achristilaw
1
SiBurning
1,
2,
3,
4
SiBurning
5,
6,
7
LFF
1
Iron_Dreamer
1
doping panda
1
morphsci
1
ironbut
1
shaizada
1
jasper994
1,
2
jp11801
1
Uncle Erik
1
drubrew
1
(More impressions/photos
still being added.)
|
|
|
Head-Fi Blogs
and Facebook |
|
|
Head-Fi's Sponsors
(Premier Sponsors bolded) |
|
|
|
| Headphone Amps (full-size) Discussion of desktop headphone amps. |
02-10-2009, 08:42 PM
|
|
100+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Bay Area, CA, USA
Posts: 300
|
|
Has anyone ever done a side by side comparison with the DAC1 versus the Zero in terms of DAC only?
__________________
Source: Unmodded X-Fi XtremeMusic --> Zero DAC with HDAM and LT1364 modifications
Source 2: Motherboard USB or Bit-Perfect X-Fi Coaxial --> Audio-gd Compass
Portable Music: Dual-boot Rockbox Cowon iAudio X5 == HP-out only
Ear Pieces: ER-4P Black, ATH-ESW10JPN, AKG K501 (Moon HDAM), AH-D7000 (Sun HDAM)
Gone: Little Dot I+, MiniBox E+; HD595, ATH-AD2000, ATH-AD900, Grado RS-1
Head-Fi Feedback
|
02-11-2009, 03:20 AM
|
|
Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 67
|
|
These should have no issues with a Beyer 880 @ 250ohm right?
|
02-11-2009, 03:48 AM
|
|
100+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Bay Area, CA, USA
Posts: 300
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by mbd2884
That would be hilarious.
One of the cheapest, entry level DAC choices, vs one of the arguably industry standard DAC. Why even bother?
Are you looking for reassurance, hey my Zero is not bad, yay I feel good now feeling? Cause its apples to oranges here.
|
Haha, well, not really. It was kind of a budget thing. Sell my zero and get a DAC1, or keep my zero and get a nice amp.
__________________
Source: Unmodded X-Fi XtremeMusic --> Zero DAC with HDAM and LT1364 modifications
Source 2: Motherboard USB or Bit-Perfect X-Fi Coaxial --> Audio-gd Compass
Portable Music: Dual-boot Rockbox Cowon iAudio X5 == HP-out only
Ear Pieces: ER-4P Black, ATH-ESW10JPN, AKG K501 (Moon HDAM), AH-D7000 (Sun HDAM)
Gone: Little Dot I+, MiniBox E+; HD595, ATH-AD2000, ATH-AD900, Grado RS-1
Head-Fi Feedback
|
02-11-2009, 06:58 PM
|
|
Junior Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 1
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by sgupt
These should have no issues with a Beyer 880 @ 250ohm right?
|
I have upgraded Zero with HDAM Moon and DT880 Pro - they work perfectly together.
__________________
PC+Zero DAC [+Currawong MOD] + Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro, CAL! recabled with Vandamme Studio Blue, Sony MDR EX-85, Pionieer Monitor se-M10R
DAP: Sony NW-A808 8GB 8), Vtec Pro V39 8GB, IRiver T60 4Gb
|
02-12-2009, 04:25 PM
|
|
Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Athens, Greece
Posts: 67
|
|
ok i've used the "search the thread" function quite a few times but i still need some answers, i'm planning to buy lawrence's version off ebay ( http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...link:middle:uk )
1) i own a x-fi titanium fatal1ty champion that has digital output in the back (no coax) do i need anything else ? (except the included optical cable)
2) will i still be able to use CMSS3d EAX and hardware audio acceleration in my games ?
3) i currently listen to my music using foobar 2000 + creative asio on audio mode with 2/2.1 speaker settings bit matched playback enabled and 44.1khz master sampling rate, windows main volume is set to 50% and wave volume to 100%, is there anything that should i change when using this dac ?
4) can this dac be used as a headphone amp at the same time too ? 1364T and OPA627 found in lawrence's version are supposed to be adequate for most headphones right ? (i own DT770/80 and audiotechnica A700)
5) should i connect my pa2v2 to the zero dac or should i use the zero dac as a dac AND headphone amp for my dt770's ?(kinda stupid question i think)
Last edited by SoFGR; 02-12-2009 at 05:17 PM.
|
02-13-2009, 09:16 PM
|
|
Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Athens, Greece
Posts: 67
|
|
*BUMP* anyone ?
|
02-13-2009, 09:31 PM
|
|
100+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Bay Area, CA, USA
Posts: 300
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoFGR
ok i've used the "search the thread" function quite a few times but i still need some answers, i'm planning to buy lawrence's version off ebay ( Zero DAC with the HDAM, LT1364, and upgraded volume pot on eBay, also, Processors, Home Audio, Electronics (end time 16-Feb-09 15:56:08 GMT) )
1) i own a x-fi titanium fatal1ty champion that has digital output in the back (no coax) do i need anything else ? (except the included optical cable)
2) will i still be able to use CMSS3d EAX and hardware audio acceleration in my games ?
3) i currently listen to my music using foobar 2000 + creative asio on audio mode with 2/2.1 speaker settings bit matched playback enabled and 44.1khz master sampling rate, windows main volume is set to 50% and wave volume to 100%, is there anything that should i change when using this dac ?
4) can this dac be used as a headphone amp at the same time too ? 1364T and OPA627 found in lawrence's version are supposed to be adequate for most headphones right ? (i own DT770/80 and audiotechnica A700)
5) should i connect my pa2v2 to the zero dac or should i use the zero dac as a dac AND headphone amp for my dt770's ?(kinda stupid question i think) |
I think the answer to 2 is yes... the digital post-processing should still occur. Only part that is different is the re-routing of the digital signal to the Zero DAC.
3. One thing I missed when I used foobar was that even though I enabled bit-perfect output, I didn't realize I needed to install ASIO4ALL and such. If you this or related .dlls, then everything should be fine.
4. Yes, it should make a decent headphone amp. I found the upgraded headphone amp to be comparatively similar to the Little Dot I+ and the MiniBox E+ portable amp. Some differences, but not worlds apart.
5. Never heard the PA2V2, but I don't think it'll be much better than the headphone amp of the zero. However, it is more convenient in a sense because I plug my powered speakers into the headphone amp, and then use the zero dac as a dac connected to an external amp. This allows for convenience of switching between the two.
__________________
Source: Unmodded X-Fi XtremeMusic --> Zero DAC with HDAM and LT1364 modifications
Source 2: Motherboard USB or Bit-Perfect X-Fi Coaxial --> Audio-gd Compass
Portable Music: Dual-boot Rockbox Cowon iAudio X5 == HP-out only
Ear Pieces: ER-4P Black, ATH-ESW10JPN, AKG K501 (Moon HDAM), AH-D7000 (Sun HDAM)
Gone: Little Dot I+, MiniBox E+; HD595, ATH-AD2000, ATH-AD900, Grado RS-1
Head-Fi Feedback
|
02-14-2009, 12:48 AM
|
 |
500+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: NY, NY
Posts: 565
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoFGR
ok i've used the "search the thread" function quite a few times but i still need some answers, i'm planning to buy lawrence's version off ebay ( Zero DAC with the HDAM, LT1364, and upgraded volume pot on eBay, also, Processors, Home Audio, Electronics (end time 16-Feb-09 15:56:08 GMT) )
1) i own a x-fi titanium fatal1ty champion that has digital output in the back (no coax) do i need anything else ? (except the included optical cable)
2) will i still be able to use CMSS3d EAX and hardware audio acceleration in my games ?
3) i currently listen to my music using foobar 2000 + creative asio on audio mode with 2/2.1 speaker settings bit matched playback enabled and 44.1khz master sampling rate, windows main volume is set to 50% and wave volume to 100%, is there anything that should i change when using this dac ?
4) can this dac be used as a headphone amp at the same time too ? 1364T and OPA627 found in lawrence's version are supposed to be adequate for most headphones right ? (i own DT770/80 and audiotechnica A700)
5) should i connect my pa2v2 to the zero dac or should i use the zero dac as a dac AND headphone amp for my dt770's ?(kinda stupid question i think) |
1. Yes, probably. You'll need a 1/8" "mini" to toslink (the outs on the back panel of my older xfi fata1ty are minis, but one doubles as a SPDIF - that's why I bought the breakout box too - you'l have to check your specific card - they may have added a proper optical jack I don't know). Try monoprice.
2. Yes, but for music you should use "audio creation mode" with bitperfect out (ah I see you do this already from #3 heh).
3. No you should be good, although I keep all my volumes at 100% - no idea if that makes a difference or not.
4. Not sure if I understand you, but you can't go out from the headphone jack AND the RCA outs at the same time .
5. I'm not familiar with the pa2v2, but if it is a decent stand alone amp it may be better - the Zero's amp is really only so-so, even with opamp upgrades. But the best thing would be to try both and see which you like better.
Happy listening!
Oh, and if you can spare the $$, an HDAM blows the doors off the OPA627 - like instantly noticeable, easily worth the cost, easy to do upgrade - a no-brainer!
__________________
Xfi Fatal1ty (Coax, ASIO)-->Compass (OPA Sun V2)-->Little Dot MKIII (GE 5-star)-->HD600/SR325is/HFI-780 (S-Audio recable)/DT250-80
Gone: SR80, SR225, Sony 7506
|
02-14-2009, 03:26 PM
|
|
Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Athens, Greece
Posts: 67
|
|
my sound card already has an optical digital output ( http://images.europe.creative.com/is...pro_card_c.jpg ) so no extra cable/adapter needed i think, are you completely sure that cmss3d EAX and hardware audio acceleration pass through 2 channel PCM ? would you please test it by yourself by toggling cmss3d on game mode or something ? note that i'm on xp not vista
Pa2v2 is just 46$, i'm sure the headphone amp of the modded zero dac will drive my beyers better
|
02-14-2009, 11:20 PM
|
|
500+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: NY, NY
Posts: 565
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoFGR
my sound card already has an optical digital output ( http://images.europe.creative.com/is...pro_card_c.jpg ) so no extra cable/adapter needed i think, are you completely sure that cmss3d EAX and hardware audio acceleration pass through 2 channel PCM ? would you please test it by yourself by toggling cmss3d on game mode or something ? note that i'm on xp not vista
Pa2v2 is just 46$, i'm sure the headphone amp of the modded zero dac will drive my beyers better |
Ok yeah, you have one of the newer ones; the cable that comes with the zero will be fine.
I have tried it - just set the output to headphone - mine actually says "CMSS Headphone" when I do this, and there's a test button you can use to try it out. It is the sound of a helicopter flying overhead in a circle, and it sounds pretty effin' awesome! Use it all the time, trust me. And there's a big difference is 3D positioning with this setting on vs gaming in audio creation mode - much easier to tell where things are with it on. It's all good! I'm on XP as well.
__________________
Xfi Fatal1ty (Coax, ASIO)-->Compass (OPA Sun V2)-->Little Dot MKIII (GE 5-star)-->HD600/SR325is/HFI-780 (S-Audio recable)/DT250-80
Gone: SR80, SR225, Sony 7506
|
02-17-2009, 02:28 PM
|
 |
100+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 154
|
|
Thanks for the initial write-up, I'm just learning about these budget Chinese DAC/Amps so it's good to read more about them.
__________________
The rig: Xonar Essence STX -> Denon AH-D2000 with partial markl mod. That's it.
|
02-17-2009, 03:24 PM
|
|
Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 52
|
|
I'm located in China right now and the ebay sellers for this amp charges me the same shipping as if they're shipping to US. pisses me off
thanks for the review op
|
02-17-2009, 03:58 PM
|
 |
Headphoneus Supremus
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Markham/Waterloo, ON
Posts: 2,204
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by corujo712
|
Interesting. I have my Zero hooked up to a pair of Z-2300, and they sound as good as they should be. Might be something to do with the settings on the Airport?
__________________
Team College
Portable: Apple iPod Touch 2G 16GB > Westone UM2, AKG K518 LE, Sennheiser PX100, Apple Premium In-Ears
Home: Foobar2000 0.9.6.9 > WASAPI > Cambridge Audio DACMagic > Millet Hybrid (12FM6, dB) > Grado HF-2 #356 (bagels), Shure SRH840
My Feedback Last.fm
|
02-17-2009, 04:10 PM
|
 |
Headphoneus Supremus
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: S. FLorida
Posts: 3,263
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by paulw86
I'm located in China right now and the ebay sellers for this amp charges me the same shipping as if they're shipping to US. pisses me off
thanks for the review op
|
That's Bizarre! How do they justify that?
.
__________________
<<<Les Garten>>> Leave the gun, take the cannoli -- Fat Clemenza circa 1950
Conversation with future Nobel Prize winner Doris Lessing in 1969: Lessing: "You do still have gangsters [in Chicago], don't you?" Studs Terkel: "Yes, but these days they're mostly in business, or politics."
"We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office" Aesop
Ich Bin Ein Europeaner!
JOIN TEAM Snake Oil
Head-Fi Feedback<<>> ebay Feedback<<>> Pink Noise Burn-In Tool!!
I Changed My Windows Desktop to a PIC of the Audio-GD REF 1
Witness the Birth of the Phoenix Phoenix
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT. The time now is 09:12 PM.
|
