[ccschua]

Quote:

Originally Posted by richierich /img/forum/go_quote.gif Doesn't the HDAM cost $80? If you are in the U.S. the LT1364 x2 samples can be had for free (a total of 5 different sample pairs could be ordered from Linear Tech). LM4562 x3 samples cost $10 shipped from National. If you have a work or school e-mail address, then they are free. And lastly, I believe people have been charged ~$50 for the OPA-Earth & OPA-Sun combo (people have been lucky to get the OPA-Sun for free after purchasing only the OPA-Earth). I wouldn't worry too much about the HDAM or OPA-Earth/Sun right now. You may enjoy the Zero just with the cheapies, like so many others have.

oh yeah. if u buy before 15 it is free OPA Sun. The balance sum is kept for other use by u. this is not officially announce though.

 

[ScottieB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccschua /img/forum/go_quote.gif oh yeah. if u buy before 15 it is free OPA Sun. The balance sum is kept for other use by u. this is not officially announce though.

Well that does it - I contacted them to order. I haven't heard back yet regarding shipping costs, but he confirmed that until the 15th it is buy-one-get-one... made me choose to send an email!

 

[AudioPhewl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccschua /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have been looking for the replacement capacitor for the power supply to the DAC and receiver chip. So far the stock is 100uF 25V. But the Sanyo Os-Con capacitor gives only max 20V 100uF. Can I use this one ?

You'd need to measure the voltage across the stock capacitor. If it's below 20v, then you should be good. But it is always advisable to try and use components of a higher working value that that actually used. The nearer the capacitor is to its rated maximum, the shorter the useful lifespan.

Panasonic FC/FM models are available at the correct voltage and with higher rated capacities. I'd look to use one of those rather than fastidiously filling the board with Sanyo OS-CONs.

They're good capacitors, especially for power supplues.

~Phewl.

 

[AudioPhewl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penchum /img/forum/go_quote.gif AP, Man, sorry about the bike accident! I'm a biker as well, who can't ride anymore because of a spinal fusion surgery gone bad. I hope you are better and can ride again? (My bike is sitting in the garage crying for me!) The speaker system preference is very common around here, and I fall into that same frame of mind. I have a "newer" respect and love for head audio, but I'm not willing to shell out the top money for that last few percent of goodness. I've been a fan of "inexpensive but quality" headphone audio from the start. It is such a good feeling to have excellent sound for less. The DT880 seems to have a large fan base here. If I had a short list, they would be on it for sure. I don't know squat about the Denon's. I guess I've fallen behind in reading lately! I hope that Sennheiser will come out with a new model or two pretty soon. Close outs are happening on HD-600's and HD-650's, from the "open box" re-certified stocks, so maybe that is a good sign?

I remember reading of your injuries in the general discussion forum. Must suck to not be able to jump on the bike, but at least there is hope that one day, you'll be able to. I assume, anyway?

Mine was relatively simple - an old woman drove into the side of my bike whilst I was on a roundabout. She hit my LH side with the front of her car. Bike was written off(mostly cosmetic damage), foot, ankle and knee were bruised but nothing broken.

Regarding Senns - it's about time they released something new, and half-decent. The HD6x0 have been kicking around for what now seems like an eternity. Maybe they've reached the pinnacle of headphone design... or maybe they've just reached their limits

.

~Phewl.

 

[ScottieB]

Hey AP, just curious if you ever got your situation with Lawrence straightened out or not - did you ever hear back? So strange to me that whole deal...

 

[AudioPhewl]

Still not heard a peep from him. My paypal dispute page says "Being reviewed by Paypal", but when you click on it, it says "Status: We're unable to decide this claim in your favour at this time. PayPal's Buyer Complaint Policy applies to the delivery of goods but not to disputes about merchandise quality.". It's been like that from the moment I started it(27th July I think?), despite me lodging documents which needed reading(emails to and from the seller).

I keep meaning to pop down to the bank and file a chargeback against them. UK law is on my side, so I can't see an issue with getting this done. It's just a case of finding the time to go into town during the day to get the ball rolling. I do plan on ordering some of those discrete component amplifiers to try out, rather than opamps, and I'll be using Paypal on them from the looks of things. So I guess I'll wait on issuing the chargeback until that is paid for and shipped.

I tend to think that had my second email to him not been so firm regarding the acceptable outcomes to me(I expected to pay to return the unit, and either have the full cost of purchase refunded, or a replacement unit shipped FOC), we may have gotten somewhere. I think he's not keen on paying to ship me a replacement unit, his email was somewhat ambiguous about exactly what would be refunded if I spent the money on returning the unit.

As things stand, he's not even given me his shipping address, so I'm at quite a loss really. Whilst I think I've tracked the fault back to either a dry joint on the DAC IC or a faulty DAC IC, I'm confident I can repair it, but I'm cautious about removing the faulty component. They're fiddly little blighters.

Either way, I'm not touching it until the dispute is resolved or the chargeback complete.

I'm still disgusted with his lack of communication, but I'm equally peeved at Paypal. They offer no assistance if the goods are received but faulty. Makes me wonder exactly what they do in order to charge their fees...

~Phewl.

ETA - my 100th post in this thread!

 

[ScottieB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AudioPhewl SNIP I'm still disgusted with his lack of communication, but I'm equally peeved at Paypal. They offer no assistance if the goods are received but faulty. Makes me wonder exactly what they do in order to charge their fees... ~Phewl. ETA - my 100th post in this thread!

Haha I've wondered that myself about paypal - many many times (especially as an ebay seller - especially especially now that ebay OWNS paypal - they get you twice the bastards!). Bummer to hear it still hasn't been fixed - here's hoping you get it all squared away soon!

 

[AudioPhewl]

Fingers crossed the chargeback will work out in my favour. I've already got a 0.5mm soldering iron tip, and some really thin solder, and AD were kind enough to ship me a couple of AD1852 samples a week or two ago.

With a dollop of luck, I'll come out of this all with a working Zero DAC, and all my money back. I keep holding off on buying a new Zero through another seller because I'm quietly confident I can repair this one.

But, truth be told, I'm hating the sight of it at the moment. I might buy myself a new one, then loan this one out to folk looking to buy a Zero. Seems to be lots of interest in such a loan programme, judging by the amount of queries this thread gets.

~Phewl.

 

[davidastoria]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Currawong /img/forum/go_quote.gif The resulting head-fi special is a Zero with 2x OPA627 opamps on a special adaptor for the DAC section, and 2x LT1364 opamps in the AMP section and the better quality volume pot.

Thanks! you have been very helpful! so I would want the "upgrade" version from wsz0304 with the OPA627 opamps, and then I would just get an HDAM later to add-on, right? I'm primarily interested in the ZERO as a DAC for a Little Dot MK V, so the amp upgrades isn't necessary, right?

 

[AudioPhewl]

The replacement of the opamps in the headphone section would be useless if you are using an external amplifier via the RCA output sockets.

Upgrading the solitary dual-opamp in the DAC section with a pair of OPA627s on an adapter board would yield a noticeable gain in sound quality. The OPA627s and adapter board would be useless if you upgraded to an HDAM, whether it be Bursen, from Lawrence, or the OPA-SUN or OPA-EARTH modules purchased elsewhere. The HDAM module would take the place of the original, or upgraded, opamps.

~Phewl.

 

[davidastoria]

in other words, get the normal version and getting a HDAM addon is the optimal setup right now, at least till reviews for the OPA-Earth/Sun get going. right?

 

[AudioPhewl]

OPA-Earth and OPA-Sun are just different names for HDAM modules. They are all discrete-component-based opamp-substitutes.

Chances are that any of them will perform better than an opamp.

HDAM is a term coined by Marantz back in the mid-1990s. They created a discrete-component based opamp substitute, and branded it "HDAM". The name has stuck with this thread.

It's certainly a lot easier to type "HDAM" than "Discrete-component-based-opamp-substitute"

.

Marantz Europe
http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache...lnk&cd=6&gl=uk

~Phewl.

 

[nsx_23]

Hmm, interesting unit. May well consider one of these as a Christmas present

 

[decayed.cell]

Not sure if anyones picked this up yet but I've been doing some snooping around and I have a feeling that biglawhk off eBay is actually Lawrence Chan. Alas, doing some googling... "I know Lawrence (who sells this amp on ebay under biglawhk)"

That said, I'm going to fire him a message to confirm this. Can anyone clear up this Head-Fi deal thing (why does he offer it etc)? If he does sell an upgraded Zero I'm just not sure why he doesn't sell it on eBay, even if it is at a premium.

 

[richierich]

^^^

Been mentioned many times in this thread