You have to think of the HAP-Z1ES  'as a whole' to extract maximum performance. Just like a race car, every little thing you do to it "will" change its performance ... yes including a SSD. What unique about the Z1 is that it's a total digital solution, no computer, no cables, no nonsense...

Gentlemen,   I thought I might share a couple simple DIY upgrades to the HAP-Z1ES. While I have done extensive mods to the Z1, these 2 provide what I call "essential" for maximum performance. The combination of these 2 actions will transform the HAP-Z1ES from best bang for the buck ... to...

Well gentlemen I finally put the finishing touches on my Black Chameleon I2S today,     To recap, I completely removed the main circuit board and had Steve Nugent from Empirical Audio re-map and hard wire I2S direct, they are the 3 twisted pairs in the foreground and the re-wires on the...

Here is what Apple says about the Snow Leopard operating system. http://www.apple.com/macosx/technology/ One of the main features of the 64 Bit architecture is its more efficient use of RAM. I have the current maximum of 4 GB installed but the sky's the limit in 64 Bit mode. With Amarra...

I know computer audio is just now becoming economically and technically viable solution for hi-end audio. The fact was the software and hardware interface was simply not up to the task until now. I have been playing with computer audio for the past 5 years and the M2Tech device is a real game...

Pat- yes there has to be a balancing point at all times within your system and while the source is very crucial you cannot neglect the system as a whole. Give me a call I have a really cool direction you could head.   That said I really think this LiFePo4 battery technology is what hi-end...

Quote:     Great idea, I nominate you to handle this process! Perhaps people could just send their DAC's to you to Mod for free, that way they wouldn't have to read or learn anything. With all that free time they could put all their effort into complaining how Woody modded their DAC but...

  Quote: Rhodes- yes better dynamics and resolution but more on a global level. I described it earlier as akin to adding a more powerful and better quality amp to your system. Which of coarse you are doing as every change to the 8 VDC rail for the DAC chips will change how the DAC sounds...

  Quote: Rhodes - at the level of the game you play at I would say upgrading to .1uf caps will be well worth your effort. I have 3 Chameleon DAC's at my disposal, one with just BG's on the DAC chips, one with GB's & .01uf bypass, and one with BG's and .1uf bypasses. The sound is akin to...

Taiphan- yes just follow the traces over to the input board, the USB data input is marked D+ & D-. Use an ohm meter to make sure which one is which and then solder to the upper backside pins on the input board. The other two wires on the USB are power and ground, the power wire is a direct...

Quote: Yes unfortunately the USB cables do make a sonic difference pre or post the ASUM module as would a hard wire USB connection. The only way around this would be to use an Asynchronous USB interface such as the M2Tech Hiface. With the Hiface I tried every USB cable I have, including a 5...

Rhodes - Keep us updated on the sound with your Tent Labs 12mHz clock on the input board. This clock is used for both the Wolfson Spidf receiver chip and the Tenor USB chip. Did you eliminate the USB input option on your receiver board? When using the Pace Car for Spdif input I found the DAC...

All interesting and valid points. However the pre-production Chameleon DAC currently sits between a rock and a hard place. In stock form it is an upgraded 16 chips Valab with 3 inputs, outboard power supply, 96/24 input capability, and a simple reclocker module that actually works. The Chameleon...

The Black Art is getting it to sound awesome. Proper or not.   You got to love us DIY guys ... always doing things for the wrong reasons.   Yes I did indeed cut the main ground for the Spdif input board by cutting the trace at the number 5. Woops again! When I float ... I float big! This...

The question: Is the Spdif input of the Chameleon 75 ohms by simply putting that surface mount 75 ohm resistor between pins 1&2 on the Pulse transformer. Probably not as true impedance is a complex relationship between the Pulse transformer, jacks, cable and source … but that 75 ohm resistor has...