[rocktboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon L .... One-of-a-kind custom speakers with Aurum Cantus G3 ribbon tweeter, Focal 7K2 midrange, and Dynaudio woofers, actively bi-amped. ...

With a well implemented crossover and a well constructed cabinet (looks like you do), and active bi-amping, why would you ever need to listen to headphones!! That K1000 must be something special!

I don't think most headfiers here realize how good (revealing) your speaker is unless they have been exposed to high-end 2 channel. I don't doubt that the Ori modded zhaolu is good but you maybe setting people up for disappointment because they might not be able to hear what you hear from the Zhaolu with your highly revealing setup.

Plus when they have lousy recordings they might think that the Zhaolu sounds bad!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon L ... The thing that will frustrate some people will be the general poor quality of recordings out there b/c they WILL sound exactly as they are recorded, which means some will sound nasty, compressed, "digital." On the positive side, recordings made with care will exhibit stunning levels of resolution, clarity, continuousness, and that 3D quality. ...

Couldn't agree with you more.

 

[granodemostasa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by liuhao oic. thanks for the answer. i am veyr interested in Ori's mod. anyone has done a comparision between Ori's mod and stock zhaolu? how big is the improvement?

Hi
A discrete headhpone amplifier means that the head amp is devoid of opamps in it's output circut... this has nothing to do with the Zhaolu as a dac, which will still have opamps in it's output, but as a headphone amp.

Eddie wu does not offer a discrete output option for the dac.

The ori mod throws the zhaolu out the window as far as the headamp is concerned... it's primary focus is to improve the dac portion of the amp.
This is what is done:
1. Adds transformer for the digital input (it's a box that's added)
2. Sets default input to coaxial
3. disables the headamp
4. disables the front LED
5. adds new RCAs
6. Adds a discrete output module (passing the opamps, dc caps and xrl junk) to the RCA out of the zhaolu dac.

All i can say is that the stock and ori zhaolu's don't even compare

 

[philodox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by granodemostasa 1. Adds transformer for the digital input

You keep saying this, but the stock Zhaolu has a transformer isolated digital input... unless you are talking about something else? Quote:

Originally Posted by granodemostasa 4. disables the front LCD

LED?

 

[Jon L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocktboy With a well implemented crossover and a well constructed cabinet (looks like you do), and active bi-amping, why would you ever need to listen to headphones!! That K1000 must be something special!

You mean you haven't tried K1000 yet? It's not a "perfect" headphone, but it's the only headphone I wish to keep forever as an alternative take on the music from my speakers. I have the K1000 on my head right now playing some sweet powerful music. Ahhhh... It's just so fussy about synergy and setup, though.

While it's true that some people will not fully appreciate the (modded) Zhaolu via headphones, this is true of any DAC's b/c IME that's just the way it goes with headphones. It's just not as good for comparison of DAC's vs. speakers. However, I think anyone with a 'decent' speaker system will be able to appreciat the Zhaolu just fine

 

[Jon L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox You keep saying this, but the stock Zhaolu has a transformer isolated digital input... unless you are talking about something else?LED?

The extra transformer is a power transformer for separately powering the digital input section, not an in-line signal transformer.

 

[philodox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon L The extra transformer is a power transformer for separately powering the digital input section, not an in-line signal transformer.

Ah, I see... I wonder how large of an impact that has? The new output stage is still powered off of the stock PSU I believe?