[pojen_h@hotmail.]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HumanMedia Make sure to get a solder-sucker to desolder the existing bits. I prefer the pneumatic type you press down with your thumb.

Thanks, I will practice on broken electronic board before apply to 7.2x.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spare Tire Did you ask him specifically to get the kit and do the assembling yourself or does it happen randomly that he sends out units with sockets and units without like that to unsuspecting customers?

? When I purchased my unit, TXCO is not available. (it is like the picture I posted on page 6.) To install TXCO, I will need to install the socket myself. Eddie ship me the socket and TXCO, so I can properly install TXCO.

If you get it now, it will have the TXCO socket pre-installed. All you need to do is install TXCO. (no soldering requed, you might even ask Eddie to install it for you.) According to Eddie, the model he is offering now has all the fixed I posted on page 6 and TXCO socket pre-installed for easy upgrade. As always, if you decide to buy it, you should write to Eddie to doulbe confirm this.

From my experience, access the PCB board is takes some time, since you will have to unscrew everything except the largest one on the bottom.

 

[HumanMedia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spare Tire Did you ask him specifically to get the kit and do the assembling yourself or does it happen randomly that he sends out units with sockets and units without like that to unsuspecting customers?

For the early buyers there was no upgrade, so these people have to ship back to Eddie or DIY. All units after a certain date have the socket installed.

 

[HumanMedia]

Just removed the variable analog out and in, so I just have the fixed analog outs with decent Furutech RCAs. I bought some cheap vampires for the 7.2x but had the Furutechs lying around from another project and thought why not try em?

Also put Cree Shottkys in, replacing the cheap rectifying diodes.

Midrange is more relaxed and more forward but bass is pushed back a little. Not sure I like how forward the midrange is. Its not harsh or anything, but I will let it burn in and settle (some shottkys vary wildy in first few hours of use.)

Another thing I noted is that signal ground isnt tied to the chassis (good, it shouldnt be), but the chassis is grounded to the IEC AC ground (good for draining away interference picked up by chassis). So optimally people should use a power cord with ground wire.

 

[pojen_h@hotmail.]

.

 

[rumatt]

So does anyone have a bottom line on this DAC in terms of how it might rank up against the standard big shots? (DAC1, etc).

There's been lots of discussion on breakin, tweaking, etc, but very few head-to head comparisons.

 

[HumanMedia]

The Cree Shottkys didnt sound that good. Dampened upper treble, pushed midrange out. Removed them today and went back to stock diodes.

 

[HumanMedia]

For anyone who is wondering, here is what I did with the RCAs.

*Removed the part that had all 6 RCAs (I wont ever use variable out or in)
*Put the replacements in the top two farthest apart (so the collars dont overlap)
*Put acoustic dampening rubber/foam over the holes to seal them up and keep noise out

 

[pojen_h@hotmail.]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HumanMedia For anyone who is wondering, here is what I did with the RCAs. *Removed the part that had all 6 RCAs (I wont ever use variable out or in) *Put the replacements in the top two farthest apart (so the collars dont overlap) *Put acoustic dampening rubber/foam over the holes to seal them up and keep noise out

One question... how do you put the case back? Or you plan to run the unit naked?

I plan to remove fix out only, and screw and RCA socket from outside.

|
|
RCA <- face screw
|
|
back plate

How to remove the red box for fix out is a problem... (checked it yesterday, it seems it will be very hard to remove just one of it.) Is it possible to remove all three, take one out and put the red box back?

Nice mod~ What is the name of the damping rubber you applied to TXCO?

 

[HumanMedia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pojen_h@hotmail. One question... how do you put the case back? Or you plan to run the unit naked? I plan to remove fix out only, and screw and RCA socket from outside. | | RCA <- face screw | | back plate How to remove the red box for fix out is a problem... (checked it yesterday, it seems it will be very hard to remove just one of it.) Is it possible to remove all three, take one out and put the red box back? Nice mod~ What is the name of the damping rubber you applied to TXCO?

What do you mean put the case back? - I just removed the two screws that held the 6 RCA part to the chassis and put the lids back on.

The 6 RCA part cannot be separated into smaller parts.

The damping rubber on the TXCO? (blush) You werent meant to notice that, its just a temporary test of Bluetak. The stuff melts with heat so I am just testing it to make sure its ok within standard operating temperatures. If its OK I redo it properly and if not I'll use a few layers of heatshrink around it.

 

[lesserpanda]

any follow up report on the DAC after the TXCO upgrade?

also, anyone heard of the Yulong Crystal DAC? The build is superb!

 

[HumanMedia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lesserpanda any follow up report on the DAC after the TXCO upgrade?

Yep big thumbs up for the TXCO upgrade.

My latest tweak for this DAC is the Oyaide SWO-XXX power outlet.

With my previous DAC (Zhaolu) this outlet was toxic as they both seemed to emphasis the same region in the audio spectrum. The outlet has been sitting in a box for some time, but while the 7.2x was burning in, I kept thinking that they might balance well.

However I wanted to let the 7.2x settle well in and get completely familiar with the sound before throwing that euphonic power socket into the mix, especially as its a hassle to replace the socket and the system was sounding pretty good, and if it aint broke dont try to fix (and all that).

The tweaking urge nibbled at me over the weekend and I put the Oyaide SXO-XXX in.

The result is that they complement each other very well. Throw a heavy gauge copper power cord in and the combination is fantastic. Ive heard good things about the socket from others, but never heard anything but negatives in my system until I paired it with the 7.2x. The pairing is highly recommended.

 

[Jon L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HumanMedia Ive heard good things about the socket, but never heard anything but negatives in my system until I paired it with the 7.2x. The pairing is highly recommended.

Glad you found the right synergy with SWO-XXX and 7.2x, but your original observation about SWO-XXX IS true. This is a very colored-sounding outlet..

 

[rodentmacbeastie]

I have been following this thread for a while and notice that some owners have more than one source. I have only read one comparison where a dude is selling his DAC to buy this one. Please, please, please, some comparisons please!

 

[anddre]

Hi Folks,

First Thread here so I will put a little bit of introduction also if you don't mind

.

I am from Brazil and after experiencing the Channel Island DAC VDA1 with VAC1, borrowed from a friend of mine, to complement my Arcam Alpha 7SE CDP I started looking into a new DAC.

Surfing through the net I came across the Zhaoulu and then got in contact with Eddie. So I decided to buy the DAC 7.2 a couple of months ago. Since I have to spend some time of the month away from home due to business issues I don't think my unit is totally break in, should be around 200 hours.

I have to say that the sound has improved a lot and that the DAC 7.2 and the Channel Island VDA1 come from different leagues as the the DAC 7.2 is by far superior, at least in my system. I didn't have the opportunity to listen to the VDA2 though.

The differences that I perceived, favourable to the DAC 7.2, are:
- Better low level definition;
- Better attack as you can really feel the first note impact on the instrument - Yim Hok-Man is a good example for the first two aspects;
- Better focus;
- Voice intimacy - Diana Krall, Patricia Barber and Joss Stone records are good examples;

I should run, till the end of the year a test between the DAC 7.2 and the Opus resolution

, top of the line CD player from a friend of mine.

I think that it is in the order of the day now to list my system for a better understanding of what I am saying so far

:

Source: Arcam Alpha 7SE, MD Sony
Power: Copland CSA14 Hybrid Integrated Amplifier
DAC: 7.2
Extras: Rack anti vibe, Monarchy Audio DIP for anti jitter
Cables: Aural Thrills Silver digital coaxial, High Copper RCA analogic, Monster Toslink
Energy: Dedicated electrical node with hospital grade plugs and an energy signal regenerator that filters the electrical harmonics and keeps the voltage at 120V - Brazilian usual voltage is 127V.
Speakers: Definitive Technology BP2002TL.

I didn't run any of the upgrades/mods mentioned so far though I am putting my list together to do so by the February. Eddie also mentioned to me that he implemented the function fs 768 with great results. I wonder if that would be expensive or hard to do ourselves.

I am having a litlle problem so far:

- The Audio input is not passing any signal. If I change between the coaxial to it the sound is exactly the same without even a little delay that happens when you switch the source. I questioned Eddie about it but he never had such a problem. Did any of guys had this problem?

I was looking forward to use this input for the following reason:

- Did anyone test the SACD analogue output with this DAC? I am curious how it shoud perform.

Best Regards,
André

 

[HumanMedia]

Just heard that people have found further improvements to the 7.2x by upgrading the 6 large caps with Red Elnas and/or the 2 smaller caps at the output stage with non-polar caps (?). Darker background and smoother highs apparently.

Im investigating further and will post more details when I find out more.