[Caphead78]

Quote:

Way back in the first post, Penchum mentions this thing picking up interfearence from wifi, does anyone have any details over this?  Giving up Wifi on my desktop wouldn't be easy.  Also, I see some rumblings that the Audio gd Sparrow is better than it at a similar price point, does this hold true when used as an Amp/DAC combo?

I have it right by my laptop and so far have not heard any wifi interference.

 

[VictoriaGuy]

 
Quote:

   I have a Xonar DS sound card and I would like to know what is the best way to attach the Zero24 Bit  to my computer so I can play flac files which are on my hard drive and listen to them with headphones. If necessary I will purchase a different sound card because the Xonar does not have a line out.
 
1. Can I use the S/PDIF out?
2. Can i use the speakers out?
3. Are there better ways?
4. Should i buy the version of the Zero with USB ? What is the purpose of the USB option?
 
   Thank you !

I'm not familiar with your soundcard, but I do own/use a Zero09. I mistakenly bought the model without the USB, but I've ordered the USB board and it's on its way from China.
It's a DAC, (and headphone amp/preamp) so it needs digital input, not analog from a spkr or line out.
S/PDIF should work.
If you use USB, you just connect the DAC to the computer USB and the system (XP, 7,  whatever) will recognize the DAC as a USB sound card. Then you can play flac files and output to the DAC via USB. The USB receiver in the Zero is 'limited' to 48kHz max sample rate, so if playing 96kHz or 192kHz files is a big priority, the USB connection on the Zero is not for you. Of course, you can get your media player (fubar??) to down-sample the file to 44.1 before it leaves the computer if you want.
There are USB DACs that can accept higher sample rate files.
Hope this helps- this thread is way too long to read all the way through unless you have a lot of spare time.....
 
John

 

[Wingzero]

I have a xonar ds aswell.
 
On the back it has a port labelled optical however it is 3.5mm shape/size. How would i output from this to the Zero DAC?
 
My motherboard has on onboard sound with a proper optical port shall I just use this instead as the Zero will be doing DAC anyway ?

 

[dfwallace]

RE// This  Zero DAC Headphone Amp...
 
I'm not an audiophile, but want very good sound for music listening through my PC computer in a small 'office room'. I have no speakers now(Just an old, cheap Logitech USB headset that I'm giving to son), but I'm probably about to get the 'active' Swan M200 Mk III's. I have a Creative X-Fi internal sound card. I have Grado headphones(being used downstairs).  75% of the time, I'll be listening to the music through the new speakers, and the rest with the Grado headphones.
 
Questions...
*Will this product hook up to these speakers, and work in my system?
*Will this Zero DAC unit help my music to sound better? Most of it is MP3 at 320bps. Or, get a different DAC?
*Are there other DAC's aound @ $200>$375 that are better?
*Should I also get a better sound card, ie, the Xonar Essence STX?
*If I have a budget issue, then get the Zero DAC or Xonar sound card?
*I'd like to go back and forth from speakers to headphones easily...will that work? ( I'll also use headphones and separate mic for computer gaming with son and on the chat program 'TeamSpeak' used for online gaming)
*Though it would be difficult spacewise, I could use my older stereo receiver, a Yamaha RX-V492, and get 'passive' speakers, and then connect to my computer... is this a good alternative? ...If I do that then which of the above components are , or are not, necessary?
*Other speaker suggestions?  Nothing bigger than the Swan's ( @ 14"x9"x7"), and would prefer smaller if possible...
*Total money available approximately... $600-$800
 
Some of these questions are probably dumb, and you can quickly tell I don't have a clue about this stuff... so, any help/ideas/suggestions are welcomed... PLEASE....    
 
signed...
CLUELESS IN RHODE ISLAND...

 

[VictoriaGuy]

I'm just putting down a few thoughts since you don't seem to be getting many answers...
(A new thread might be a good idea?)
 
Questions...
*Will this product hook up to these speakers, and work in my system?
If you are talking about the USB version of the Zero -or any USB DAC- yes. Just plug it in, and select it as the audio output device.
Does your sound card have digital out? optical out?
 
*Will this Zero DAC unit help my music to sound better? Most of it is MP3 at 320bps. Or, get a different DAC?
I can't comment on this. Better speakers=better sound. Are you going to be listening 'near field' to the speakers, or using them like 'bookshelf' speakers and listening from farther away? A headphone amp will make your headphones sound better than just plugging them into your soundcard, IMO
 
*Are there other DAC's aound @ $200>$375 that are better?
The Zero is quite a bit less than that price. There are other DAC/HP amp/Preamp combos in that price range, but I haven't heard them (yet). (audio-gd, Grant Fidelity, Maverick are some names that spring to mind) No comment from me on DAC comparisons - the differences are fairly subtle IMO in the kind of setup you will have.
 
*Should I also get a better sound card, ie, the Xonar Essence STX?
That is not the route I would go for 'hifi' music. I'm not interested in games, though - that may make a difference.
 
*If I have a budget issue, then get the Zero DAC or Xonar sound card?
Lots of options here, including getting a cheap USB DAC and pairing it with a better HP Amp/Preamp combo.
 
*I'd like to go back and forth from speakers to headphones easily...will that work?
Yes
( I'll also use headphones and separate mic for computer gaming with son and on the chat program 'TeamSpeak' used for online gaming)
That would be using your soundcard for the gaming/teamspeak and the USB DAC for music? Could be done- probably have to select the output device in the computer?
*Though it would be difficult spacewise, I could use my older stereo receiver, a Yamaha RX-V492, and get 'passive' speakers, and then connect to my computer... is this a good alternative?
That would work as well.
 
If I do that then which of the above components are , or are not, necessary?
All, or none? You can figure this one out. You already have a DAC in your soundcard. HP jack on receiver. Only you can judge the quality you need/want/can afford/can hear.
 
*Other speaker suggestions?  Nothing bigger than the Swan's ( @ 14"x9"x7"), and would prefer smaller if possible...
There has been some favourable talk about some Behringer monitor speakers (?active and passive both available, around $300??), but I haven't heard them. Speaker quality/placement will make a big difference. If you eliminated the speaker option, getting to high-quality sound would be easier - that's been my experience..so far.
John
 
John

 

[dfwallace]

Thx, John...
 
Sticking w/ the sound card I have (Creative X-Fi), and getting a DAC and 'active' speakers....would be a hassle to fit my Yamaha receiver into this tight space and then use 'passive' speakers.
 
For a DAC, at this point, I'm leaning to the Cambridge Audio 'DAC Magic' ( @ $429 ). (  http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/specifications.php?PID=320&Title=Specifications ). Maybe I'm blind, but I'm not seeing that it has a headphone amp/connector...??    I had considered the Little Dot DAC_1 ( @ $260 ), but the necessary set-up process for it is cumbersome.
 
For 'active' speakers, the Swan M200 Mk III's are too expensive for me. I might just get the KRK  Gen2 Rokit 5's from BestBuy for @ $300. I also saw a quick review of some Behringer MS40's...will look into these more...can't believe they are @ $165.
 
$700 or so is my budget for everything now. I am not an audiophile, but want better than the typical quality I've been hearing at my desktop...
 
What do you think?
 
 

 

[dfwallace]

EDIT...    Sorry, double-posted...

 

[VictoriaGuy]

The Cambridge audio DAC may be a good unit - I haven't heard one. It does have the benefit of a 'known' brand name, so you could always re-sell it at some point- though I doubt that most DACs will hold value well.
For myself, I wouldn't put that much of my budget into a DAC ($450/700). I don't think you will see the benefit, especially with the system you will have.
I think you should look at DAC/preamp combos in the $125-250 range:
Zero
audio-gd
Maverick
 
and pair that with either some decent active speakers like the Behringer B2031A? ($350) or passive speakers and a chipamp power amp (T-amp ?) @$50.
With shipping costs that would use up your $700.
 
John

 

[VictoriaGuy]

I just had a look at the Cambridge unit you linked-
It's a DAC-only unit..how do you plan to handle the preamp/volume control/headphone amp/power amp functions?
 
I think you should start a new thread:'Suggestions for $700 computer audio system, please!' and get some fresh ideas.
Asking at other sites like AudioKarma would get some more speaker ideas, as well...though many head-fi folks have very good speaker systems as well.
John

 

[Intuvati]

hello, I dont mean to thread jack, so just one quick question. right now i have an Auzentech x-fi forte, and i listen to my music from lossless sources on my pc. I've been waiting for the iBasso D6 which just started selling on their website today, and i thought I'd just give one last look over here before I buy something. If we disregard the portability features of the iBasso unit, which one of these would be best for me? I use a pair of sennheiser hd555 (will probably get 600/650 in future) and would like a nice DAC/AMP to go with them. I heard the D4 was pretty good, and the d6 is an upgraded form of it, but would the ZERO sound better? again, most of the time, the unit that i buy will remain on my desk, the only added benefit of the d6 is that i could take it on the train with me, other than that i can take them both with me when i travel to and form my home and my university campus. any thoughts?
 
edit: if it helps, i like to listen to a lot of orchestral/instrumental (soundtracks etc), and i really like it when i can 'feel' the music. my x-fi forte does a nice job, but i have to play with the digital source a lot to make it sound 'as it should' and of course the extra noise from the computer doesn't help at all. it would be nice to be able to just pass on the clean source and have a unit take care of the rest.

 

[Intuvati]

sorry double post
 
edit: nvm, i bought one, cant wait to try it out/burn it in

 

[John Grady]

 
Hey guys,
 
I want to be able to hook up my Senn 650's to this Zero Amp, then the amp to my Yamaha Receiver and then an mp3 player into the receiver with an aux cable but I am not getting any sound.
 
I am using an optical cable from the amp to the receiver but there is no red light shining through no matter which I plug into first; I have tried two optical cables..could it be that both optical plugs are not working?
 
Is there any other way to do this; I would also like to be able to hook the amp up to the receiver and use the headphones when watching blu rays.
 
Thanks for any help!

 

[VictoriaGuy]

 
Quote:

 
Hey guys,
 
I want to be able to hook up my Senn 650's to this Zero Amp, then the amp to my Yamaha Receiver and then an mp3 player into the receiver with an aux cable but I am not getting any sound.
 
I am using an optical cable from the amp to the receiver but there is no red light shining through no matter which I plug into first; I have tried two optical cables..could it be that both optical plugs are not working?
 
Is there any other way to do this; I would also like to be able to hook the amp up to the receiver and use the headphones when watching blu rays.
 
Thanks for any help!

Does your Yamaha receiver provide Digital Out via the Optical jack?
I don't understand exactly what want to do with the ZeroDAC, and why...
The ZeroDAC is looking for digital input and will output an analog signal via the RCAs on the back panel, or into the headphone amp which is in the same case.
Your mp3 player contains a DAC. Your Yamaha also contains a DAC, from the sounds of it.
Doesn't your Yamaha have a headphone jack? Why not just use it?
 

 

[John Grady]

Hmm, I guess that's the problem. The Receiver has two optical plugs but I suppose both are optical in's. Well I want to use the ZeroDAC because I have played music through just the Receiver and then just the Zero with the Senn 650's and the Zero powers the headphones a whole lot better; the music sounds a ton better going through that.

 

[Intuvati]

so i totally broke down and got one (http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260685413881&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT)
and i feel like a kid at christmas agan, anyway, i see that it comes with OPA2604 (I assume its an all-around good one) but everywhere i read about the 627s, i can't help but want one, i mean, whenever someone describes what it does over the stock, i think "man thats totally me, i want that". Anyways, if i do get one, do i have to do any soldering to replace the dac? i think i remember reading a few [hundred] pages back that soldering wasn't needed.
 
also, if anyone knows where i can get one for really cheap...