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Review: ZERO 24 BIT/192KHz DAC/Headphone Amp/Pre-Amp - Page 92

post #1366 of 9226
2/7/08 at 5:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Henmyr View Post
I use LT1469 in my dac for the moment, but it is really really hot. If I touch it with my finger I will burn myself, thats how hot it is. Is that bad? I have the LT1469IN8 so it should withstand higher temperature than LT1469CN8 but still.

LT1364 will burn my finger too. I'm testing LT1361 now and its not hot.
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post #1367 of 9226
2/7/08 at 7:02pm
My Zero arrived few days ago and i'm amazed , this is my first headphone dac / amp combo. I can say it's a big improvement from an M-audio sonica theater external soundcard. I didn't wait for the stock opamp to burn in, its has been swapped with 1469 in DAC and 1361 in headphone amp section. It is too early to have an clear opinion, they have only few hours of playing. Btw as first impresion of this combination I can say I like the bass definision and extension, the highs aren't harsh at all.
I have a pair of SR60 and I can say they really like Zero Soon it will arrive my SR225 and I think there will be more fun. I also have an AkG k601 ,obvious better than SR60, very detalied headphone with a great sound stage but I consider to be not as much involving as Grados.

There is problem if my coaxial Led is clipping, or sometimes goes off?
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post #1368 of 9226
2/7/08 at 11:05pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Henmyr View Post
What is the most natural, neutral, cleanest, airiest, most uncolored, good bass presence and texture, not overpowering treble, most transparent and purest op-amp combination for the zero you've(anyone) found yet? Natural and airy and clean are key-words.

I just can't seem to get the sound to be all that. My previous best combination was LME49720(dac) + LT1469(amp), but I sensed a very slight warm coloration in the mids and a small flowing effect which devoured a lot of the air (the flowing effect(made the music "flow" effortless) was very pleasant, but the slight air lost made it very hard to breath), so in the end I couldn't stand it and had to change.

The stock does a lot of things right, but I want a little bit more detail, but the coloration, or UNcoloration is very good, as is the air.

My favorite (for the moment) favorite combination is LT1469(dac)+LME49720(amp) and it sounds very good, but I think I hear the slight midrange coloration of the LT1469 shine through.

It might be that in the end, beyers, grados/alessandros, or me in general just don't love the LT sound, so I might have to turn to OPA627 or similar.

Any suggestions?
I'm not dissing you, or coming down on you by saying this, but I think saying it, may help others as well. "Don't be too analytical, enjoy the music for a while". It is so easy to get caught up in the rolling, and never be totally satisfied, when many of the combinations you have found, would easily do the trick.

I also would suggest the OPA627's in combination with the LT's. When I was judging both outputs, one of my favorites was the OPA627s in the DAC, LT1469s in the headphone amp. It might be worth a listen.
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post #1369 of 9226
2/7/08 at 11:09pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by magnetiq View Post
i upgraded my soundcard finally



the bass has never been deeper, and never this clear, im not sure if it's placebo but it seems now that the Zero is sounding better than ever.

gift and a curse though, my mo3s sound crap now all of a sudden, but my flacs are seem clearer. heh.

opamp rolling next!!
There has to be something to the changes in sound cards, even when they are serving as transports. The difference in sound between my notebook optical out and desktop optical out, is very noticeable. Almost exactly what you said.
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post #1370 of 9226
2/7/08 at 11:11pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by davve View Post
can i use LT1469 in dac and also in headphone amp? three lt1469 in the zero.
Amazing! After all this, I hadn't even thought of that! Let us know how it turns out!!
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post #1371 of 9226
2/7/08 at 11:15pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andreas_D View Post
My Zero arrived few days ago and i'm amazed , this is my first headphone dac / amp combo. I can say it's a big improvement from an M-audio sonica theater external soundcard. I didn't wait for the stock opamp to burn in, its has been swapped with 1469 in DAC and 1361 in headphone amp section. It is too early to have an clear opinion, they have only few hours of playing. Btw as first impresion of this combination I can say I like the bass definision and extension, the highs aren't harsh at all.
I have a pair of SR60 and I can say they really like Zero Soon it will arrive my SR225 and I think there will be more fun. I also have an AkG k601 ,obvious better than SR60, very detalied headphone with a great sound stage but I consider to be not as much involving as Grados.

There is problem if my coaxial Led is clipping, or sometimes goes off?
I'm glad things are going well! Good combinations you are trying too. I would check and see if you have a loose connection on the LED board up front. After shipping, anything is possible.
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post #1372 of 9226
2/8/08 at 3:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andreas_D View Post
There is problem if my coaxial Led is clipping, or sometimes goes off?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Penchum View Post
I would check and see if you have a loose connection on the LED board up front. After shipping, anything is possible.
It is worth mentioning that the connection on the LED board is soldered. I already tried to detached it.
Check the cable and the plug to the main board...
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post #1373 of 9226
2/8/08 at 5:19am
Like having a bunch of Tungsol black glass 6SN7's all in a row. They are great but it is nice to mix it up. I think you get a better texture and excitement to the music but who knows until you try it, right?
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post #1374 of 9226
2/8/08 at 5:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Allure View Post
Yup. But anyway, my experiences with opamps have always confirmed that idea.


Also, for those gifted with synaesthesia, the other idea that each number in the opamp's model number has its specific sonic color has proven absolutely spot on.

For instance, 3 and 5 are warm sounding numbers one yellowish and the other redish, 4 sounds dead, 6 sounds "correct" but a bit whiteish, 2 sounds greenish, and so on...
Boy, that seems out there. So do you think they really design the opamps to sound a certain way and then number accordingly? Or is it the numbers that either doom or elevate the opamp? AD8397, a little unrefined on the top and slightly bright. So what are the numbers saying there?
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post #1375 of 9226
2/8/08 at 5:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Allure View Post
No there's absolutely nothing intentional about it

It's just the universal rule of correspondence between form (names) and content (sounds in our case), even with [very] inanimate things like opamps. Combined with the other principle that the universe is ruled by the numbers - and not merely in a mathematical sense you see.
Ok, then how do you define the theory of chaos with numbers that will form a pattern? Or does it matter? Or is the chaos the interacting numbers of an undefined sequence?
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post #1376 of 9226
2/8/08 at 5:48am
And there is nothing to thought of anew, only rediscovered for all possibilities already exist but are to be found and deciphered.
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post #1377 of 9226
2/8/08 at 1:08pm
Whoa, this is getting way too ontological for a thread about DACS!
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post #1378 of 9226
2/8/08 at 2:45pm
Thread Starter 
I think my head hurts! Jamato8, have you ordered your Zero yet?
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post #1379 of 9226
2/8/08 at 2:53pm
I am looking for a place to land.
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post #1380 of 9226
2/8/08 at 3:11pm
Your sig must have flown ahead of you.
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