Review: ZERO 24 BIT/192KHz DAC/Headphone Amp/Pre-Amp - Page 524

Hi, Let me know your impressions about PH100, and what Hps are you using them with... mine should be reaching soon..

You're batting a thousand here! Be careful "wiggling" or "pulling" the amps. Easy to bend the pins. Take your time. I use a Jewelers screw driver and walk them up on each side a little at a time till I can pull them out with my fingers.

An old computer chip puller works excellent also if you can find one....

Well, didn't bother waiting. The order is in. Hopefully everything goes well.

My zero dac came in today!
I tried it out, with my ATH-AD900... and to put it short I'm not too impressed. After a non-blind test, I admit it is much better than my creative x-fi xtrememusic. However, it is not much better (if not worse) than my cowon iaudio x5 music player.

Is there something funny happening? How can I bring out the best, so to speak, of this DAC? I'm using coaxial cable from blue jeans cable. So, it can't be my cable.

Zero

I have been listening to the stock opamp on my headphone amp in my zero for a week. I just received my LT1364's today and installed them immediately without attempting to ABX test them with the stock for difference in sound quality. However, a few hours later I had to stop what I was doing and just listen to the song, it really sounded good. I don't know if this is just the placebo effect or not. In everyone's experience, is the sound quality really that much better? I don't feel like pulling them back out to get a reference again from the stock opamps.

Now this makes me wonder, how much better would a dedicated amp sound?? )

I originally started my foray into high end headphones (about 2 months ago) because I couldn't tell the difference between cbr 128 KBs and lossless. I thought I lacked the equiptment. Well now with my Zero with upgraded opamps on the DAC and the Amp and Beyer DT770's I may or may not be able to tell the difference between 128 and lossless, maybe I just haven't found the right song. But at least I can definitely tell between 112 and lossless.

Lawrence

Oh, and what's the update on Lawrence. Are people still buying from him? I just started my credit card chargeback to try and get back some of my money back from him (only put $160 of the $200 on my CC, the rest came from my PP balance).

Oh, the functioning Zero I speak of above is from WSZ.

Nauxolo: - Is you Zero stock, or upgraded opamps? I've listened a little via the h/a and found it fine, if not inspiring, but that was with HDAM in the DAC and LT1364 in the h/a - but the sound improve over time. Maybe upgrade your opamps, and get some time on it.

I bought from ebay, with the title:

" Zero DAC with the HDAM, LT1364, and upgraded ALPS volume pot". So, I believe it is upgraded opamps. I'll give it some time...

Oh yeah, does your unit have the volume knob sticking way out from the body, and not hugging the case? mine seems to jut out a bit.

I'm about to get some samples of LT1361 & LT1364 from LT, but I'm not sure which one I'm supposed to be selecting out of the 3 options it gives you.





Also, while I'm at it are there any others I should grab for future use?

Which version did you get? The stock version? One of the upgraded models?

Snarky Comment about reading the thread edited...

Got my LC Zero

Hello,
Ordered my Zero Late at night on Nov 7th, a Friday. Received it Following Friday, Nov 14th. Flawless. Except for the Fact that Lawrence, when he puts in the Alps Pots, doesn't cut the POT shaft. He may have a reason for that, like you may want to fit a different knob, I guess. Other than that, it is perfect in Cosmetics and function.

cool! thanks a lot, i'll definitely give it some more time. thanks for the advice on the knob upgrades :]