[yo2tup2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RogerWilco For the ones that purchased this dac and did not know--installing an iec or using an ice adapter is a must! I have seen the ice adapter on audiogon new for $25.Being able to use different powercords makes a Dramatic difference.

what kind of differences are you noticing? what powercord? i've never ventured to try aftermarket powercords with anything

 

[RogerWilco]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yo2tup2 what kind of differences are you noticing? what powercord? i've never ventured to try aftermarket powercords with anything

Powercords do so much.The powercord i am currently using gives me silker highs,more defined bass and my depth seems to lay back farther behind my system.

 

[RogerWilco]

I did a dampening mod using soundcoat material.I put it under the transformer and took the modded board out to also put soundcoat under it.I used double sided extra sticky tape to fasten the modded board down.I think dampening the board in this way has helped some.The little chassy feels very solid now.

It is funny how such easy simple things as this can improve your sound.I wish i had used this stuff in the eastsound player instead of extreme dynamat.Sounscoat is much better.

I would like other people opnions on the modded dac.I still believe it is a killer deal for highend sound at a reasonable price.

 

[TigzStudio]

RogerWilco...

what did you use to make the top case portion of the Zhalou keep from being kinda.... loose and slighty rattling feeling?

maybe I should put some blu-tak when i secure the top portion of the case on>?

like if you tap your finger on the top of the unit.. it makes a kind of metal on metal rattle.



anyways,,, I just ordered some IEC adapters....time to use some better power cords on the Zhalou! thanks for the tip....

Man this thing is so swEEt...

had some friends over last night to listen to the zhalou on my speaker rig....major jaw droppage !!
played sarah mac live cd for them..they couldnt stop asking me questions about what components were makign it sound like this.... free concerts in my room any day i want!.. craziness! the best sound Ive heard ... ever....

cant wait to get my new amp for this baby (some Klaus ownage)!

o btw anyoen ordering a dy2000 to upgrade your zhalou, it was really simple for me to install!....just used like a small flat head screwdriver to easily pop the old one out .. and the new one fit nicely...

my friend said his seemed a little loose to fit but still tight enough..

anyways i think i might order another Zhalou as a backup ! in case mine ever dies... (may this never happen eva!)

 

[Jahn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yo2tup2 what kind of differences are you noticing? what powercord? i've never ventured to try aftermarket powercords with anything

Yep, I have a Quail powercord in there right now, and dunno if it helps, but it couldn't hurt!

 

[aco]

Guyz can you post some info on which upgrades were most worth it?, And how good is the Headphone section upgrade?
And did anyone end up trialing the diyeden's version?

 

[RogerWilco]

I am glad you like the dac.I really like the sound of mine and have been very happy with it.

I use soundcoat to dampen the chassy.Makes it feel very solid.I put it under the transformer and circiut board and all of the underside chassy..Used extra heavy duty doublesided tape to hold the circiut board in place over the soundcoat.The is no ring at all when you tap it now.

www.soundcoat.com 1-631-242-2200

You can order direct from them or

http://www.partsconnexion.com/catalo...s_isofeet.html

carries it.But if you order it direct and can get it thicker.Mine is just a little thicker than partsconnexion carries.

As for powercords i have 2 electrglide cords here--one is silver hybrid with copper ribbon the other all silver ribbon.I have 6 other powercords i made myself. Some with silver ribbons and some overstocked nucleur plant silvercoated copper cable i picked up.It is very nice.I have played around with cables for many years.

regards

 

[RogerWilco]

I am glad you like the dac.I really like the sound of mine and have been very happy with it.

I use soundcoat to dampen the chassy.Makes it feel very solid.I put it under the transformer and circiut board and all of the underside chassy..Used extra heavy duty doublesided tape to hold the circiut board in place over the soundcoat.The is no ring at all when you tap it now.

www.soundcoat.com 1-631-242-2200

You can order direct from them or

http://www.partsconnexion.com/catalo...s_isofeet.html

carries it.But if you order it direct and can get it thicker.Mine is just a little thicker than partsconnexion carries.

As for powercords i have 2 electrglide cords here--one is silver hybrid with copper ribbon the other all silver ribbon.I have 6 other powercords i made myself. Some with silver ribbons and some overstocked nucleur plant silvercoated copper cable i picked up.It is very nice.I have played around with cables for many years.

regards

I will add that most of my powercords do make a difference.I can make it brighter,softer,more bass,lessbass--or just tighter bass--by using different cords.


I just know you cannot hear where the music is coming from in my system.My depth hangs back 3 to 8 feet behind my system.According to how well the recording is.I have tweeked it to have this kind of depth and imaging.
I did not have this much when i had a very highend system.It took a long time for me to believe that money does not buy sound

 

[Jahn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svperstar Hello, I am just curious, so the DAC-AH has better sound quality than the 0404? I didn't see any SNR ratings or anything. I have been reading up on it and it seems great especially for that price. If you have a second could you explain the difference between it any the EMU0404 musically? Thanks

No problem. The 0404's DAC via the 0404 analog out sounds great, good attack, very aggressive and punchy, but you don't realize that it's 2-dimensional until you compare it to the DAC-ah via the 0404's digital optical out. Night and day - the DAC-ah comes off the paper and is really 3-D. Plus, it's warmer and more lush than the 0404, which can sound "soild-statey" comparitively.

The 0404 alone is still very nice, but the DAC-ah as an external DAC is definitely a step above.


Edit- originally this was a PM but his mailbox was full, so i just put it here!

 

[ScubaSteve87]

Jahn, do you know what mods Lan did to your DAC-AH? Mine is coming on monday and I am interested in performing some mods, my opamps are socketed too in the one I bought for easy opamp rolling

 

[Jahn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve87 Jahn, do you know what mods Lan did to your DAC-AH? Mine is coming on monday and I am interested in performing some mods, my opamps are socketed too in the one I bought for easy opamp rolling

i'm not too technical-minded, but i know lan bypassed my output stage - does that mean no more opamps in the signal? something like that. round 2, lan ordered some parts upgrades - caps, resistors, stuff like that. i think that's going to go in sometime next year. but even now this DAC is pretty groovin'.

 

[Dr_Skoobie]

After reading a bit about the Zhaolu, I am curious whether it is an upsampling dac. I can't make heads or tails of its specs from the manufacturer website, so I can't tell?

I do know that it uses a CS8414 digital receiver, which means it can't pass more than 24 bit 96kHz spdif. That would suggest that the dac is not outputting at 24/192kHz signal unless it upsamples after the CS8414. While the AD1852 is capable of receiving a higher sampling frequency, it would be receiving 96kHz unless there is upsampling somewhere in the circuit.

Anyone know?

-dr_s

 

[fattighjon]

i got my zhalou today...

i track n traced it to my local post office where it was being "held" (hostage?) until i paid customs (£38 eeeew)... i went to the shop to get a travel card for the tube, and just as i got out of the shop, i see this deliverytruck coming around the corner. i stop him and wanted to ask for directions to the post office, and it turns out he had my dac in his truck! my am i glad i asked? else i wouldve gone to the post office, found out its not there, go home, find a note saying i wasnt home, and then have to wait until the next day to go to the post office to pick it up, wasting ANOTHER £5.20 on a travelpass.

anyways, its now hooked up with my iriver, grado sr125 and genelec 8020a monitors. i know its not burned in yet, only played a few hours. my first reaction is highs are a bit harsh, mids are a little laid back (but sound soo sweet) and the instruments doesnt separate all that well. is this something that will get better once its burned in? (its got the opamp upgrade)

just had to share my thoughts, because ive been so excited today

cheers,
G

 

[yo2tup2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fattighjon i got my zhalou today... my first reaction is highs are a bit harsh, mids are a little laid back (but sound soo sweet) and the instruments doesnt separate all that well. is this something that will get better once its burned in? (its got the opamp upgrade) G

yes, it will

i have the fully modified version. when i first got it, it was exactly like you discribed...except for the part about the intrument separation. i thought it imaged great right out of the box.

after around 100 hours everything got better... the harshness started to receeded, vocals bacame more natural and smoothed out. ....even better still after 150 hours. i have around 175 hours on it now...and i can say its the best source i've ever heard

 

[TigzStudio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yo2tup2 yes, it will i have the fully modified version. when i first got it, it was exactly like you discribed...except for the part about the intrument separation. i thought it imaged great right out of the box. after around 100 hours everything got better... the harshness started to receeded, vocals bacame more natural and smoothed out. ....even better still after 150 hours. i have around 175 hours on it now...and i can say its the best source i've ever heard

I too have one fully modded!

and i agree with him in totallity....


but for some added insight... the headphone OUT OWNS YOU!!!!

it suked when out of box and the opamp was the older one... but after burn in ~150 hours, and tthe dy2000 opamp in it.... BOO YAH!!!

This think rocks!