[silverfishla]

I just got the Z1 about 2 hours ago. If you're a FLAC guy like me,..this one is a no brainer. Get this now!! It sounds amazing. I haven't even rolled the op-amps (I have a Burson in the wings) whatever is in there now, sounds great. Great vocals and soundstage. Can drive my HD650 Senns no problem and sounds really good (unlike the Walnut which doesn't). I don't know about the new Walnut, but the Z1 sounds better than the nut I have (soldered op amp). Obsolete to me now (after only a week haha, oh well). My mojitos never sounded so good.
It's a tiny bit smaller than the nut and lighter too.

 

[bzfrank]

Since you have opened up your Zhisan, mind sharing what are the values of the Nichicon and Elna Caps?
16V 470Uf?

16V 10µF (violett) and 100µF (gold).

 

[bzfrank]

whatever is in there now, sounds great.

Default is a TI NE5532

 

[DBaldock9]

The Z1 is truly a Winner!

Received my Zishan Z1 today, and charged it until the LED went off. Then I inserted a microSD card with 320Kb MP3 files from my CD rips.

First, I connected my VE Asura 2.0 (2.5TRRS - with a 3.5mm TRS Plug -to- 2.5mm TRRS Jack Adapter), and started playing my "Iona" (UK Celtic Progressive Rock band) CDs - and the presentation of a wide & open sound stage, and the clarity of vocals, was amazing (especially considering the <$32 price).

Then I switched to my K's 500 (2.5TRRS - with same adapter), and the Bass quantity improved, with only a slight recessing of the Midrange and sound stage.

This Z1 (without doing any opamp rolling), actually has a more realistic sound stage than my much more expensive Onkyo DP-X1 (although the DP-X1 does have WiFi & Bluetooth, for streaming music).

One mod I will probably do, is replace the Volume control, with one that operates in the same direction as all my other volume controls. I'm wondering whether ordering/installing a reverse logarithmic taper pot, is all that's needed - or will I also have to change the wiring on the circuit board?

 

[Dark Helmet]

The Z1 is truly a Winner!

Received my Zishan Z1 today, and charged it until the LED went off. Then I inserted a microSD card with 320Kb MP3 files from my CD rips.

First, I connected my VE Asura 2.0 (2.5TRRS - with a 3.5mm TRS Plug -to- 2.5mm TRRS Jack Adapter), and started playing my "Iona" (UK Celtic Progressive Rock band) CDs - and the presentation of a wide & open sound stage, and the clarity of vocals, was amazing (especially considering the <$32 price).

Then I switched to my K's 500 (2.5TRRS - with same adapter), and the Bass quantity improved, with only a slight recessing of the Midrange and sound stage.

This Z1 (without doing any opamp rolling), actually has a more realistic sound stage than my much more expensive Onkyo DP-X1 (although the DP-X1 does have WiFi & Bluetooth, for streaming music).

One mod I will probably do, is replace the Volume control, with one that operates in the same direction as all my other volume controls. I'm wondering whether ordering/installing a reverse logarithmic taper pot, is all that's needed - or will I also have to change the wiring on the circuit board?

How is it compared to the Walnut? I ordered mine on the 14th of April and no sign of it yet.

 

[DBaldock9]

How is it compared to the Walnut? I ordered mine on the 14th of April and no sign of it yet.

The stock units sound pretty similar, when listening to the 320Kb MP3 on my K's 500 - with the Z1 seeming to have a slightly wider and more open sound stage.

I'm really tired right now, and may not be staying focused as well as I will after I've had some sleep. I'll continue listening in the morning.

 

[AudioNewbi3]

16V 10µF (violett) and 100µF (gold).

Wow! Thanks mate!

 

[AudioNewbi3]

I just got the Z1 about 2 hours ago. If you're a FLAC guy like me,..this one is a no brainer. Get this now!! It sounds amazing. I haven't even rolled the op-amps (I have a Burson in the wings) whatever is in there now, sounds great. Great vocals and soundstage. Can drive my HD650 Senns no problem and sounds really good (unlike the Walnut which doesn't). I don't know about the new Walnut, but the Z1 sounds better than the nut I have (soldered op amp). Obsolete to me now (after only a week haha, oh well). My mojitos never sounded so good.
It's a tiny bit smaller than the nut and lighter too.

I have the Mojito too! Looks like I might need to get one sooner hahaha

 

[Karl2009]

Can anybody confirm me if it can be used as a DAC with a computer without having the administrator privilege (so no driver is permitted to install)

 

[lecky]

I've had my Z1 for a couple of days now. Compared to my DX90, and with stock opamp, the sound has more mid presence, which makes the sound a little less ethereal - sound doesn't quite drift off into space in quite the same way, but this seems on par with the stronger mid presence. If the soundstage is smaller at all, it's not by much. I like the sound and wouldn't describe it as worse than the DX90, it's just different. I'm using it mainly with Yinman 150, and Carbo Tenore when isolation is needed, but it also sounds remarkably good with HD580.

As a DAC with my mac it's plug and play, and it sounds great. There's a very small delay - movies are perfectly watchable but there's definitely a tiny delay - in this regard, it's much better than the DX90 which has a bigger delay which gets longer the longer it's plugged in.

Awaiting OPA2132PA, LM6172ON, and LME49720NA to see what they do for it.

 

[knudsen]

Great info... do you find a difference in bass between them? Asking as I believe someone wrote the z1 has large bass, which I don't feel can be said for the dx90. Also, does it play alac (guessing not, as its not in the specs)?

Anyway I ordered one too. Amazing if it is competitive with dx90 at 1/10th the price.

I've had my Z1 for a couple of days now.

 

[lecky]

Great info... do you find a difference in bass between them? Asking as I believe someone wrote the z1 has large bass, which I don't feel can be said for the dx90. Also, does it play alac (guessing not, as its not in the specs)?

Anyway I ordered one too. Amazing if it is competitive with dx90 at 1/10th the price.

I didn't try alac files yet...

I just listened to them side by side for bass, it's not clear to me that there's a lot of difference, but YMMV. I don't find the DX90 bass-light, but rather neutral (I'm on firmware V2.3.0).

edit. there may be a little more bass on the Z1. If so it's not a lot. I couldn't tell you for sure it's not the result of volume mismatching.

 

[DBaldock9]

Can anybody confirm me if it can be used as a DAC with a computer without having the administrator privilege (so no driver is permitted to install)

My work PC is really locked down, so that's something I want to know, as well. I'll be testing what happens when it's connected to a Win10 PC, when I get to work tomorrow morning.

I can say that it was detected by my home PC (Win7 Pro), and the drivers auto-installed, without my having to click on anything - except opening the Audio Settings and selecting the Z1 as a Playback Device.

 

[macky112]

I wonder if Z1 req hundreds of hours of burn in, like the recommended in walnut faq (walnut thread first two posts)

From high school physics, it only takes about 4 hours of work load for new electrolytic caps to build up enough chemical balance for max capacitance

 

[macky112]

I have dual AD825 on adapter, LME49720, LME49860, but I only have a dead walnut v2.0, a working but still burning in walnut v2.1 (soldered op2604), and a MIA Z1 somewhere in the shipping process

I want to roll me some opamp dang it!