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Review: ZERO 24 BIT/192KHz DAC/Headphone Amp/Pre-Amp - Page 97

post #1441 of 9226
2/10/08 at 11:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Penchum View Post
Ok, good. Everything appears to be fine, as far as I can see from the pics. I don't see any obvious signs of a bad component. Great pics though! What are you going to do next? Just curious.
Thanks!

Thank you!

I don't know what to do next, wait for Mr.Chan's holiday to end?
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post #1442 of 9226
2/10/08 at 12:04pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by davve View Post
Thank you!

I don't know what to do next, wait for Mr.Chan's holiday to end?
If he's answering his emails, you probably should arrange to send it to him, and get it on it's way, so when the holiday is over, he'll have it and check it out. Hopefully, this would be ok with him. That is all I can think of. One thing is certain, the sooner you get it to him, the sooner you get it back, fixed.
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post #1443 of 9226
2/10/08 at 12:35pm
Can I swap an op amp if I don't know what an op amp is? Do I need any tools?
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post #1444 of 9226
2/10/08 at 2:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Henmyr View Post
Does your LT1469 get hot when you have it in the dac? Mine gets really hot so I dare not to use it that way, shame when it sounded rather good.
Hi, Henmyr! Yes, I am using this for my DAC and it gets very hot to the touch but seems to work just fine. I have had it in the Zero for about 2 weeks and listen to it constantly - probably 2 to 5 hours almost every evening that I am on the web (about every other evening).
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post #1445 of 9226
2/10/08 at 2:44pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by edguetzow View Post
Hi, Henmyr! Yes, I am using this for my DAC and it gets very hot to the touch but seems to work just fine. I have had it in the Zero for about 2 weeks and listen to it constantly - probably 2 to 5 hours almost every evening that I am on the web (about every other evening).
I double checked the LT1469 and it was tested for up to 150c temperatures, with 0 failures. That is pretty impressive if you ask me.
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post #1446 of 9226
2/10/08 at 2:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Byrdman View Post
Can I swap an op amp if I don't know what an op amp is? Do I need any tools?
Hi, Byrdman! Welcome to Head-fi, sorry about your wallet!!!

Opamp is short for operational amplifier. You have 3 opamps in the Zero that we have been "rolling" or changing out. One is in the DAC position (OPA2604) and is the digital to analog converting chip. Two others are in the headphone-out board and amplify the signal for both left and right channels of your headphones. The DAC chip (1) is a 2 channel chip, the headphone amps (2) are single channel.

The Zero was designed to allow the user to customize the sound of the unit to their taste by switching out (rolling) these opamps.

It is very easy to do. Turn off the unit, remove the cover (there are 6 screws), ground yourself by touching the case or other metal grounded object (to eliminate static electricity that can harm your chips) and look for the chip you want to change. They remove easily with needle-nose pliers or a chip puller. Be careful not to apply too much pressure - just enought to wiggle the chip loose.

Many here are getting chips free from the manufacturers as samples. Linear Technology is one of the more common ones. Take some time to read through this long discussion thread to get ideas. Penchum's original post (OP) has photos and lists combinations of chips that he has tried. Or do search of this thread for a particular chip that you are interested in.

Good to have you "onboard"!!
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post #1447 of 9226
2/10/08 at 3:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Penchum View Post
The only thing I have noticed (and it may be nothing) is: In the second pic down, that big "Sync MOS" chip looks like it had something wrong with it.
FYI that's the microcontroller.

Quote:
Originally Posted by davve View Post
I took out the chip and had a closer look. It looked just fine!
@all:
Some piece of advice... check for ESD: wikipedia

Shortly before you touch any circuit (especially CMOS) like the DAC, touch your radiator, the water line or anything which is electroconductive and earthed.
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post #1448 of 9226
2/10/08 at 3:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by edguetzow View Post
Hi, Henmyr! Yes, I am using this for my DAC and it gets very hot to the touch but seems to work just fine. I have had it in the Zero for about 2 weeks and listen to it constantly - probably 2 to 5 hours almost every evening that I am on the web (about every other evening).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Penchum View Post
I double checked the LT1469 and it was tested for up to 150c temperatures, with 0 failures. That is pretty impressive if you ask me.
Great. I have the LT1469IN8 so it should probably work even better then. Will probably put it back in the dac.
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post #1449 of 9226
2/10/08 at 3:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by edguetzow View Post
Yes, I am using this for my DAC and it gets very hot to the touch but seems to work just fine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Penchum View Post
I double checked the LT1469 and it was tested for up to 150c temperatures, with 0 failures. That is pretty impressive if you ask me.
They are about 1$ and with some thermal conductance paste you can probably rest easily: Heatsink for DIL-8
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post #1450 of 9226
2/10/08 at 3:46pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by kmel View Post
They are about 1$ and with some thermal conductance paste you can probably rest easily: Heatsink for DIL-8
Great find! Thanks! I had been looking for some of these.
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post #1451 of 9226
2/10/08 at 3:56pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by kmel View Post
They are about 1$ and with some thermal conductance paste you can probably rest easily: Heatsink for DIL-8
Prior to you showing us the "correct" ones, I had been looking at these: Newegg.com - Thermaltake CL-C0025 RAM Heatsink - Retail
I thought I'd mod them for a better fit, since they are copper and easy to file.
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post #1452 of 9226
2/10/08 at 3:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Penchum View Post
Great find! Thanks! I had been looking for some of these.
The link doesen't work for me? I'm coming to this site Farnell Export
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post #1453 of 9226
2/10/08 at 4:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by davve View Post
The like doesen't work for me? I'm coming to this site Farnell Export
Sorry, URL is corrected.

Quote:
Originally Posted by kmel View Post
They are about 1$ and with some thermal conductance paste you can probably rest easily: Heatsink for DIL-8
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post #1454 of 9226
2/10/08 at 4:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kmel View Post
They are about 1$ and with some thermal conductance paste you can probably rest easily: Heatsink for DIL-8
Thanks, Kmel!!

When I go to that link I get a page listing all worldwide distributors for the heatsink. I picked one of them (Hungary) and was sent to their site (in English) and did a search of their items. Found it.

Now I feel funny ordering 1 heatsink at 0.20 pound with shipping!!
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post #1455 of 9226
2/10/08 at 5:37pm
Hi everybody,
i'm just brand new on head-fi, so let me say hello to everybody one more time!
I've started reading this long looong thread on the Zero DAC, and..mmmm...it seems so interesting!
I'm sure the DAC section is pretty nice, maybe not the last word in high-end converters, but it looks like a very nice unit.
The headphone amp section is what makes me wonder hot good it could be..there are someone who have tried the built.in amop of the Zero DAC with my cheap and beloved Sony mdr-7506?
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