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

[fault151]

Ok i think the whole op amp testing for me is going to have to stop soon. Iv just listened to OPA627s + LM4562 and it sounds great! Theres a few combos i really like but i can only use one. damn!

[Penchum]

Originally Posted by fault151

Ok i think the whole op amp testing for me is going to have to stop soon. Iv just listened to OPA627s + LM4562 and it sounds great! Theres a few combos i really like but i can only use one. damn!

Hee Hee Heee! You should have seen me that day I was testing for the chart! Here is what you can do to help determine which you like better:
Use a song you know by heart. Put in the first set, play the whole song, and as it is playing, write down what you DON'T like. Put in the second set, and repeat. Third set, repeat. When you have done all the sets you liked, compare your write ups on what you didn't like. A clear winner will usually stand out.

If you try to do it the other way, like writing down what you like, you'll get lost all over again.

[fault151]

Originally Posted by Penchum

Hee Hee Heee! You should have seen me that day I was testing for the chart! Here is what you can do to help determine which you like better:
Use a song you know by heart. Put in the first set, play the whole song, and as it is playing, write down what you DON'T like. Put in the second set, and repeat. Third set, repeat. When you have done all the sets you liked, compare your write ups on what you didn't like. A clear winner will usually stand out.

If you try to do it the other way, like writing down what you like, you'll get lost all over again.

Iv taken the LM4562 out as i was getting some serious interference and noise. I can't seem to track where it's coming from but it's annoying. I got the LT1364 back in which is where i originally started! ha ha. The thing is i do notice differences in the op amps but some are so minute that i go round in circles. I already did what you suggested from the start. It helps a lot!

[Fremen]

Originally Posted by Normality

I had wanted to trust Lawrence's list of upgrades, but it seems I was fooling myself? I justified it to myself with the fact that in differential operation (as in our case) the opamps' behaviour could be different from what is stated in the datasheets. Not so?

Don't blame yourself. As I wrote in a previous post, Lawrence's list of upgrades is not related to the Zero but part of it to the Chiarra amp.
In fact it seems to be a kind of copy/paste of this page: Op-Amp review page
That's also why a reader got confused and ordered the OPA2604 as an upgrade.

I ordered mine last week (on the 13th) and still no sign of life of Lawrence since I paid. I'm not really annoyed as I read here that Lawrence seems to be a serious guy. Anyway I just sent him an email as I would like to know when it's supposed to be shipped.

[Penchum]

Originally Posted by Normality

Yes, and the AD823 has turned into the LT1057, magically.


edit- btw, Penchum, how's the LT1057 in the DAC & in the amp?

Originally Posted by Normality

Penchum, may I ask you another question...

Which one between the LT1364 and the LME49720 (if you tried it in the DAC, otherwise the LM4562) has better midrange, meaning better tonality/emotion and better body?


All this (again) to decide one and for all what opamp to start with.

Hi! Sorry, I had to go shut my eyes for a while.
No matter what I did, I could not get any performance out of the LT1057. I was going to go look at it's specs, to see if I could determine why, but I got distracted and forgot. It seems to be (compared to the others) "low power" and not as dynamic. Bass is weak and highs have little definition. It shows the same deficiencies in both the DAC and headamp. In my mind, I kept thinking, "this is like a filter" when I was swapping it around. The easy experiment is to slip it in the DAC while listening to your headphones. You'll instantly hear what I mean.

The LT1364 has better tonality/emotion and body. The LM4562 in the DAC is very bright and has a more powerful "attack", which overrides or masks the tonality/emotion and body.

[Seba]

I don't like my LM4562 anymore with SB X-Fi Xtrememusic. Makes the music overly bright, lacks bass and is giving listening fatique. I think that the op-amp made me switch amp and headphones in the past because I couldn't get the sound I was looking for.

[Penchum]

Originally Posted by Seba

I don't like my LM4562 anymore with SB X-Fi Xtrememusic. Makes the music overly bright, lacks bass and is giving listening fatique. I think that the op-amp made me switch amp and headphones in the past because I couldn't get the sound I was looking for.

Well, let's see. It could still be the transport for your Zero, so that's cool. Zero feeds your new MKIVse......ow ya! That'll work! Especially if your rips are lossless.

Example: I just got my new Optical cables in, hooked one up between my Xtrememusic and the Zero, Zero out to my MKIVse. I had 4 CDs finally show up today, so I ripped Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy to lossless WAV. I'm listening to it right now and I hear nuances in the songs I have never heard before! Never! That is truly a shock. It is also a testament to the quality of both the Zero and the MKIVse. I'm in love with music all over again.

[dantztiludrop]

Originally Posted by Fremen

I ordered mine last week (on the 13th) and still no sign of life of Lawrence since I paid. I'm not really annoyed as I read here that Lawrence seems to be a serious guy. Anyway I just sent him an email as I would like to know when it's supposed to be shipped.

When you say no sign of life since you paid, do you mean that you haven't had any return email at all? I bought mine this morning & it was 13 minutes later (literally) that he emailed me saying that it's highly probable it will ship next week & he'll email me again to let me know. I was pretty impressed considering the "waits" I've read about in this thread. Or does this not necessarily have much weight as far as when it will actually get shipped? Anyways, I'm psyched!

[Fremen]

Originally Posted by dantztiludrop

When you say no sign of life since you paid, do you mean that you haven't had any return email at all?

Yes . That's why I sent him an email today... 17 min after I received this answer:

"Dear Sir,

Your Parcel will ship out next week and will let you know by email.

Thank you very much !

Best Regards
Lawrence
"

I think that he may have some problems handling his "supply chain". The Zero may have too much success

[Kake]

OT: 17 days ago, I requested some free samples from LT (2xLT1364 ). Have yet to receive them,,
Anny one know if thy ship samples to Denmark?

[Henmyr]

Originally Posted by Kake

OT: 17 days ago, I requested some free samples from LT (2xLT1364 ). Have yet to receive them,,
Anny one know if thy ship samples to Denmark?

They did ship to sweden. Took around 12 days from ordering them to delivery at my doorstep.

[Trapper32]

Originally Posted by Fremen

Yes . That's why I sent him an email today... 17 min after I received this answer:

"Dear Sir,

Your Parcel will ship out next week and will let you know by email.

Thank you very much !

Best Regards
Lawrence
"

I think that he may have some problems handling his "supply chain". The Zero may have too much success

I think you're correct...Just wish he'd be a little more accurate on his timings....causes a lot of frustration..I don't mind waiting if the info is accurate....I ordered on 2 Jan and was told the same thing...On a brighter note I just received an email from Lawrence and mine is on its way..

[Penchum]

Originally Posted by Trapper32

I think you're correct...Just wish he'd be a little more accurate on his timings....causes a lot of frustration..I don't mind waiting if the info is accurate....I ordered on 2 Jan and was told the same thing...On a brighter note I just received an email from Lawrence and mine is on its way..

This is good news then! If I've been following correctly, his first 25 of 50 is shipping, and the last 25 of 50 ships next week. I agree that he could probably tighten up a little on the management side, but I suspect his operation is very small and he has found himself a little overloaded. In the beginning of this discovery, I tried to keep track of how many Zero's had been ordered by HeadFi'ers, but soon discovered there were more people ordering them who don't post, than there were people who post about it!
So, that idea was abandoned. I'm just happy everyone is getting a nice unit like the Zero. Everyone deserves to have one!!

[Kake]

Originally Posted by Normality

In case you shouldn't ever receive them, you may get yourself an AD826 for the DAC (DON'T use it in the amp!). It's another fast bipolar opamp with a pretty good reputation.

I have had a couple for long but didn't know where to try them (since their input bias current has forbidden quite a few 'settings'); now I know!


Should be yummy paired with the LT1358 in the amp.

Have no plans to acquire AD826. but tnx for the heads up

They are meant as an alternative for DY2000 in the amp.
Have an 627 module which is going in the DAC,, at least that's my intention before testing any of them..

Have yet to receive my amp, but today I finally received an mail with an shipping nr :-)

[Penchum]

Originally Posted by Normality

I have unpacked the Zero, from the outer postal package I mean. Also I have opened the cardboard box, enough to take a look at the (nice) optical cable.



Penchum, is the supplied optical cable what you've been using yourself?

Up until yesterday, when my glass optical cables came in.