[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by prinz /img/forum/go_quote.gif I gave my zero to some electronics specialist.. three days ago. I'll get crazy soon, if he wont give me my zero back. Day after day he says that he doesnt have time or smth. :/ Yesterday we sheduled the phonecall on todays evening... he didnt call. person!

Good luck! And don't rush Genius! Sometimes if you rush Genius, it refuses to play with you!

 

[helicopter34234]

I mentioned before that my Zero (from wsz0304) stopped working but I wanted to have you guys weigh in on a possible cause. I currently switched out the DAC board from another Zero that had a bad HP amp so I have a running system, I am just worried that something will happen again. Also, it's been a week since I asked wsz0304 if he will give me a replacement (he had responded earlier about things that his engineers said I should test to verify exactly what isn't working). I have a working unit now (from my own spare parts) so I am not as impatient as I would be if I was sitting here with nothing, I just hope he comes through seeing as how I already gave him feedback so he has 0 incentive to satisfy me. However, I am hopeful and will give it time.

Ok, so the description of the failure:
-It worked for a little over a month.
-Nothing was changed in my setup for quite some time before the failure
-Only mod was upgrading the OPAMP in the HP amp (which still works)
-I left the unit on most of the time, the unit sits on its side and nothing is obstruction the vents.
-The LED's lit indicating signal lock and the relays click when I played a song so it seems that part was functioning
-I tested the OPAMP from the DAC in the other DAC board and it appears to still be functioning
-When I swapped out the DAC board for the one from my other system, everything worked indicating the problem was in the DAC, not in my signal delivery.

Possible issues:
-I left the unit on so anytime Windows would send a sound (error dings, etc.) the relays would engage. Could this cycling of the relays some how damage other components?
-Some I plug my computer speakers into the Zero HP amp for convience. The speakers input is designed to be plugged into a soundcard (1/8 inch plug) so I imagine its not drawing tons of current or anything, it has a build in amp. Is there any way that this could be an issue?

 

[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by helicopter34234 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I mentioned before that my Zero (from wsz0304) stopped working but I wanted to have you guys weigh in on a possible cause. I currently switched out the DAC board from another Zero that had a bad HP amp so I have a running system, I am just worried that something will happen again. Also, it's been a week since I asked wsz0304 if he will give me a replacement (he had responded earlier about things that his engineers said I should test to verify exactly what isn't working). I have a working unit now (from my own spare parts) so I am not as impatient as I would be if I was sitting here with nothing, I just hope he comes through seeing as how I already gave him feedback so he has 0 incentive to satisfy me. However, I am hopeful and will give it time. Ok, so the description of the failure: -It worked for a little over a month. -Nothing was changed in my setup for quite some time before the failure -Only mod was upgrading the OPAMP in the HP amp (which still works) -I left the unit on most of the time, the unit sits on its side and nothing is obstruction the vents. -The LED's lit indicating signal lock and the relays click when I played a song so it seems that part was functioning -I tested the OPAMP from the DAC in the other DAC board and it appears to still be functioning -When I swapped out the DAC board for the one from my other system, everything worked indicating the problem was in the DAC, not in my signal delivery. Possible issues: -I left the unit on so anytime Windows would send a sound (error dings, etc.) the relays would engage. Could this cycling of the relays some how damage other components? -Some I plug my computer speakers into the Zero HP amp for convience. The speakers input is designed to be plugged into a soundcard (1/8 inch plug) so I imagine its not drawing tons of current or anything, it has a build in amp. Is there any way that this could be an issue?

I don't think anything you were doing had anything to do with the dead DAC board. The relays should be good for lots of switches in their lifespans.

If there were an overdrive issue with the Headamp, I think it would only affect the HA. Also you were driving powered spkrs, so that seems highly unlikely.

 

[nauxolo]

Did the hidden bid really employ the task?

 

[ScottieB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nauxolo /img/forum/go_quote.gif What kind of bottle neck is the Zero DAC with HDAM upgrades a la ebay.com? Hypothetically, if I attached a high-end expensive amp such as RSARaptor, MAD Ear+, or even a LISA III, would the Zero DAC really have a hard time pulling its weight??

I asked this question once myself in a thread about some of those amps (or maybe some other hi-end amps). I was basically told it would do a decent job of sourcing, and would sound better than most CD players and just about any sound card - so it'd be worth upgrading my amp. They (of course) said I'd probably want to look at upgrading the DAC as well eventually to bring out the full potential, but as a source the Zero is certainly above average - "mid-fi" many called it.

So I the consensus seemed to be that it would be adequate if not stellar - but if it beats most CD transports then it's worth something, no?

I don't claim to have any experience with this, the stuff in my sig is my first head-fi rig, so all of this is from others.

 

[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nauxolo /img/forum/go_quote.gif What kind of bottle neck is the Zero DAC with HDAM upgrades a la ebay.com? Hypothetically, if I attached a high-end expensive amp such as RSARaptor, MAD Ear+, or even a LISA III, would the Zero DAC really have a hard time pulling its weight??

I "think" you'll hear that the Zero is a great DAC for the price and a "greater" DAC if you mod it. I have had mine running a "nice" amp, a DV 337SE. I'm getting a Much better DAC in March, then I'll be able to assess how good the Zero DAC is for sure vs a Higher end DAC. Currawong has had a lot of Nice DACs as well as Prickly Peete. The underlying theme of this thread is how good the Zero is for the Money. What you're asking is how Good the Zero is PERIOD. That's a slippery question, let's watch for the answers...

 

[Currawong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nauxolo /img/forum/go_quote.gif What kind of bottle neck is the Zero DAC with HDAM upgrades a la ebay.com? Hypothetically, if I attached a high-end expensive amp such as RSARaptor, MAD Ear+, or even a LISA III, would the Zero DAC really have a hard time pulling its weight??

If I had a Raptor or the like, I wouldn't call the Zero "good enough". Basically, it's not as detailed as a good DAC is. What it has going for it is that it sounds good for the money.

Overall, I've rated DACs on two scales: How much detail they have, and how natural they sound. The Zero uses a DA chip that is quite good on the "natural" front, sounding less analytical than, say, an Apogee Duet, but the Zero itself is not anywhere near as detailed as a Lavry, Benchmark or the like, even with a HDAM installed.

What I've found is that the detail of DACs such as the Lavry DA-10 and Benchmark DAC 1 reveal their digital sound more. So, listening to something like the Zero is easily enjoyable as it masks its digital sound with a little warmth.

Lets say you bought a serious amp, and plugged a Zero. First you might be blown away by how well the amp drove your headphones compared to the Zero. Then if you got a serious DAC (say one using 4x the PCM1704 chip such as the Nakamichi Dragon I heard the other day) and some good cables, then you'd be incredibly shocked at the difference.

 

[nauxolo]

Thanks currawong!


Guess the zero is a keeper until I feel a bad case of upgraditis or it blows up.

 

[Alai]

A question for those who know their way around the insides of the Zero...

My Zero died. Just stopped turning on for no reason. My dad (knows his way around electronics, to a good extent) claims that due to the lack of a fuse, the Zero is good as dead and all the components with it. Does that mean the LT1364 and Moon HDAM are unsalvageable?

(There's no signs of burned or bulging caps to indicate fried board. Dad thinks it's those "Chinese transformers" that did the Zero in. I dunno if I can understand how a magnet wrapped in copper wires can hurt anything, but... anyways.)

 

[ScottieB]

^ this is starting to get a little scary - seems like these are popping up more and more... I really hope not though...

 

[AudioPhewl]

Scottie - mine died for no reason.

Alai - is there voltage coming from the tranny? If so, are the voltages from the regulators correct?

~Phewl.

 

[Alai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AudioPhewl /img/forum/go_quote.gif Scottie - mine died for no reason. Alai - is there voltage coming from the tranny? If so, are the voltages from the regulators correct? ~Phewl.

We tested for voltage from tranny and there was none. Also, I dunno if it's just me, but shouldn't the magnet be magnetized? Even my cheap-o experimental DJ headphone drivers are having screws stick to them (I am trying to get familiar with headphone insides) while the tranny doesn't let anything stick to it at all (through the plastic, but should that stop it from magnetizing?).

 

[AudioPhewl]

Should they be?!? Mine isn't, whether powered on or not...

I'd take voltage measurements, so you knew which wires should be what, but I don't have my meter to hand

.

~Phewl.

 

[fermentol]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alai /img/forum/go_quote.gif A question for those who know their way around the insides of the Zero... My Zero died. Just stopped turning on for no reason. My dad (knows his way around electronics, to a good extent) claims that due to the lack of a fuse, the Zero is good as dead and all the components with it.

But there is fuse integrated in the AC socket (at least on my Zero), you need screwdriver to break inside and change it.

 

[AudioPhewl]

Spot-on! I'd never noticed this!

Remove the power plug... on mine, there was a small gap inside the socket. Lever outward with a screwdriver, and the plastic housing pops out... mine even had a spare fuse in there

.

~Phewl.