[Trax416]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottieB /img/forum/go_quote.gif The OPA627 is a "traditional" opamp chip - one that has been found to sound pretty darn good in the DAC section of the zero (see page one of this thread - Penchum's rreview). The OPA Sun is a "discrete opamp" - meaning an opamp with components more geared toward audio specifically. Check it: н¨ÍøÒ³ 1 Make sure you read all the way through Penchum's review, though. There is a TON of info there. Woo-hoo 100th post (only took me 2 years!) -- and why is it I always seem to do so much LABOR on labor day? Thought it was supposed to be a day off! Meh...

Sounds good. I might go with the OPA627 just because I am going to move the ZERO around a lot (toss it in a bag when I go on a trip for example), and the OPA-SUN bouncing around on it's extension inside the casing might cause an issue.

Thanks for all the help. So All I do is just pop off the old chip with Pliers, then push the OPA627 into the socket? Will it click into place? or do I need to do anything more to lock it down.

 

[dacavalcante]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottieB /img/forum/go_quote.gif The OPA627 is a "traditional" opamp chip - one that has been found to sound pretty darn good in the DAC section of the zero (see page one of this thread - Penchum's rreview). The OPA Sun is a "discrete opamp" - meaning an opamp with components more geared toward audio specifically. Check it: н¨ÍøÒ³ 1 Make sure you read all the way through Penchum's review, though. There is a TON of info there. Woo-hoo 100th post (only took me 2 years!) -- and why is it I always seem to do so much LABOR on labor day? Thought it was supposed to be a day off! Meh...

I'm getting there 2..... + 2 posts to go.... "only took" 2 years too....

And thanks to this post I'll hit this mark..... Lol...

 

[dacavalcante]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trax416 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sounds good. I might go with the OPA627 just because I am going to move the ZERO around a lot (toss it in a bag when I go on a trip for example), and the OPA-SUN bouncing around on it's extension inside the casing might cause an issue. Thanks for all the help. So All I do is just pop off the old chip with Pliers, then push the OPA627 into the socket? Will it click into place? or do I need to do anything more to lock it down.

just push it.... it's really that easy and simple.... just be careful when taking the stock one out, to not break it "legs"

 

[dacavalcante]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trax416 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sounds good. I might go with the OPA627 just because I am going to move the ZERO around a lot (toss it in a bag when I go on a trip for example), and the OPA-SUN bouncing around on it's extension inside the casing might cause an issue. Thanks for all the help. So All I do is just pop off the old chip with Pliers, then push the OPA627 into the socket? Will it click into place? or do I need to do anything more to lock it down.

Oh, and be sure to insert it on the right position... all chips have a mark indicating the right side, and also the socket.... pay attention before taking the stock one out on the mark position...

Geee.... this was my 100th post also!!

 

[jizzzared]

I don't want to take this thread off topic, but I'm very interested in getting this Zero amp/DAC but have a question if I'll be able to use it with my setup. I have a computer with a chaintech av-710 soundcard. I'm using the optical out to go to my receiver. I have an amp hooked up to the receiver through the L/R preouts where it drives my speakers. I know the Zero requires a digital input. Now here's what I'm unsure of. Can I keep my optical out going to my receiver and then hook up the receiver to the ZERO DAC or is this not possible? Will I be able to have both my receiver/amp (for speakers) and the ZERO DAC/amp hooked up at the same time? Thanks for any replies.

 

[Trax416]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dacavalcante /img/forum/go_quote.gif Oh, and be sure to insert it on the right position... all chips have a mark indicating the right side, and also the socket.... pay attention before taking the stock one out on the mark position... Geee.... this was my 100th post also!!

Thanks. In your sig I see you have the OPA627 and LT1364. What is the LT1364.

 

[dacavalcante]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trax416 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks. In your sig I see you have the OPA627 and LT1364. What is the LT1364.

It's a stereo op-amp that I'm using on the Zero headphone amplifier section...

 

[Nedman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jizzzared /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't want to take this thread off topic, but I'm very interested in getting this Zero amp/DAC but have a question if I'll be able to use it with my setup. I have a computer with a chaintech av-710 soundcard. I'm using the optical out to go to my receiver. I have an amp hooked up to the receiver through the L/R preouts where it drives my speakers. I know the Zero requires a digital input. Now here's what I'm unsure of. Can I keep my optical out going to my receiver and then hook up the receiver to the ZERO DAC or is this not possible? Will I be able to have both my receiver/amp (for speakers) and the ZERO DAC/amp hooked up at the same time? Thanks for any replies.

You would use the zero in between your receiver and the chaintech.
e.g. chaintech optical out to the Zero. Then from the RCA outs on your Zero, to your receiver/amp.

 

[sennsay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaMnEd /img/forum/go_quote.gif Opamp: Operational amplifier - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Audio-GD opamps are Discrete Opamps, you can find info on this here: Burson Discrete Opamp (Just giving you this site because the info is in english) The Burson opamps are the same Audio-GD makes, actualy, Burson just buys them from Audio-GD and sells them for more.

Hey there DaMnEd, thanks for that link to Burson Audio, that's a terrific insight into what I am now even more hanging out for, ie two sets of those puppies.
Recommended for anyone interested in the HDAMs.

 

[jizzzared]

Quote:

You would use the zero in between your receiver and the chaintech. e.g. chaintech optical out to the Zero. Then from the RCA outs on your Zero, to your receiver/amp.

Thanks Nedman. Does that mean that the DAC from the Zero would be used for my speakers or the DAC in my receiver?? Thanks again.

 

[Nedman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jizzzared /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks Nedman. Does that mean that the DAC from the Zero would be used for my speakers or the DAC in my receiver?? Thanks again.

You would be bypassing the inbuilt DAC [digital-to-analog converter] in your receiver, with the Zero DAC.

 

[sennsay]

One of these days do try a Glass toslink, from the research I've done, a glass toslink should match a good coax, and would be considerably less expensive.

I’ve seen quite a few “wow's” like yours (toslink > coax) from people going from a basic plastic based toslink to a glass one. DaMnEd

Yes, I shall hunt one out, though the build quality of the MIT coax is just wonderful! It's true though, I don't want to get much further into spending on add-ons that total more than the cost of the Zero in the first place .................. oh ..... I'm already there ....
Um, now I don't know what I'm going to do with the LT1028s and LT1057s ..... impulsive lad. Mmmm, another project maybe.

 

[fugimax]

Glass toslink can be found starting at like $10 depending on the length you need ... I'm not sure of what's a good brand or not, though.

 

[LeBuLLeT]

fugimax where can this glass toslink be found? I found some on ebay but it goes for about 30 dollars including shipping.

 

[Pricklely Peete]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeBuLLeT /img/forum/go_quote.gif fugimax where can this glass toslink be found? I found some on ebay but it goes for about 30 dollars including shipping.

30US is about as cheap as you'll find for a glass toslink including shipping...the only other place I can think of off hand is BlueJeans Cable but I don't know if they have a glass toslink....I'll have a look and see...

A disturbing note with my Zero running SUN in the H/Amp and the reg HDAM in the dac section...once the OPA's burned in I noticed the bass had leaned out considerably...almost like the volt regs could not deliver enough juice to the current hungry SUNs...I don't know for sure if this the case. Alex is redoing his volt reg section in the H/Amp section and I had talked with CC about a sep power supply and volt reg for all 3 HDAMs...anyway when I pulled the SUNs from the H/Amp section and put the LT1364's back in the bass came back to what it was before....weird. Further investigation is needed and Pench and I are in the middle of that right now...

Alex do you know the max current the stock regs on the H/Amp board can supply ? I think the dual channel SUNs are drawing what...close to 88 ma ? The LT's maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of that...although that may be incorrect. In any case I think the stock Zero can run 3 HDAMs but will need help in some form to deliver the current needed to sound great to those current hungry HDAMs..

I do have a volt reg board and transformer on the way...so I'll be able to test this theory for real in a couple of weeks. I also wasn't keen on the SUN's voicing...I found I much prefer the neutral presentation of the Earth/LC module. With the heavily modded Zero the voicing of the SUN once it had 75 hours to cook wasn't my cup of tea and found the LT1364's a much better match to my ears, but also the problem talked about earlier in the post.

Can people post impressions of the SUN module in the DAC section please so we can get a baseline of it's SQ's vs the known Earth/LC HDAM. For now I have to keep my Zero as is for the final leg of tests before the mod kit is released so I can't pop the SUN into the dac section for a little while yet

Thanks guys !!!!

Peete.