Originally Posted by MadMan007 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sorry if this was answered but just to be clear, is that seller 'wsz0304'/'shenzhen audio store' Lawrence?
No different seller,
I got mine off shenzhen audio store and haven't had any problems with it.
Originally Posted by oofie810 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ok guys, I need help. It looks like my mkIII will be arriving today (hopefully) which I was expecting to be delivered next week. Anyway, I just got my Zero yesterday and already logged in about 15 hours in it.
Question is, how do I burn-in the Zero completely (amp and dac) if I use it as a pre-amp to my mkIII? Of course I'd like to use my mkIII right away and I also would like the Zero's amp to burn in. How do I do this?
Oof,
Just use it as a line level device to feed the MK III. No need to engage the H/Amp Preamp function at all. It's most desirable SQ wise to feed the MK III just the fixed level dac output...you'll be able to test this of course...just be sure you have both volume controls turned all the way down if you should try this. Re-amping the signal by engaging the Zero's preamp function isn't the best way to go...it degrades the signal for the most part.
Simplicity of the signal chain should be a guiding principle when it comes to anything audio related IMHO.
I'd suggest keeping the Zero as DAC when you want to listen to the MK III and use the Zero's H/Amp when you don't want to listen to the MK III....
Originally Posted by Pricklely Peete /img/forum/go_quote.gif Oof,
Just use it as a line level device to feed the MK III. No need to engage the H/Amp Preamp function at all. It's most desirable SQ wise to feed the MK III just the fixed level dac output...you'll be able to test this of course...just be sure you have both volume controls turned all the way down if you should try this. Re-amping the signal by engaging the Zero's preamp function isn't the best way to go...it degrades the signal for the most part.
Simplicity of the signal chain should be a guiding principle when it comes to anything audio related IMHO.
I'd suggest keeping the Zero as DAC when you want to listen to the MK III and use the Zero's H/Amp when you don't want to listen to the MK III....
Peete.
Peete,
I'm kinda confused about the line level feed and using the pre-amp. Are they different? I'm kinda new to DACs/preamps, only had a portable amp from the start so I'm not sure about the preamp stuff. So when I have my mkIII connected via RCA to the Zero, I should have the green light turned off on the Zero (preamp/phone led), right? Thanks.
i thought preamp mode was when it was unlit and not utilizing the headamp
thats the way I would do it.. I no longer have the headamp circuit in my zero as i will be using the darkvoice336i and when I press the preamp button to have it lit green I get no signal
Originally Posted by Nedman /img/forum/go_quote.gif No different seller,
I got mine off shenzhen audio store and haven't had any problems with it.
Thanks. Yea I figure I'll worry about the voume pot later if at all. I will primarily use it as a line-level DAC and use the pre-amp in my integrated amp.
Quote:
Originally Posted by viscosity /img/forum/go_quote.gif i thought preamp mode was when it was unlit and not utilizing the headamp
thats the way I would do it.. I no longer have the headamp circuit in my zero as i will be using the darkvoice336i and when I press the preamp button to have it lit green I get no signal
I kept getting confused on this too, I don't have one yet though, Read the additional notes on the first post or the guide in Currawong's signature. I think I've got it now though:
--When the Phone LED is out it acts as a straight DAC with no preamp function and would be appropriate as a line-level source like any other. The sound signature is based purely upon the DAC opamps and section. I would call this 'source mode.'
--When the Phones LED is lit by pressing the 'preamp' button it activates the headphone amp section and the unit then does one of two things: 1. If there is no headphone plugged in to the headphone jack the RCA outs are active as normal AND preamped by the headphone section, the Zero's volume control is active for the RCA outs. This would be used for output to an amplifier that has no preamp or volume control of its own. 2. If you plug a headphone in to the headphone jack it deactivates the RCA outputs and acts as a DAC + headphone amp as you would expect. For 1. and 2. both the DAC and headphone section opamps or mods affect the sound signature. I would call this 'preamp mode.'
The button and light label being different causes confusion.
Originally Posted by ccschua /img/forum/go_quote.gif the OPA will normally last very long, due to discrete components. Perhaps are u using the extension wire, is the extension leads broken? pls try to connect directly.
I've tried to connect the OPA directly onto the board without using the extension cable and still no right channel. I've emailed Audio-GD and they've asked for a few photos, so I took the Earth out of the zero for quick photo session. At the end of taken those shots, I've decided to give it a last try ( without connecting the ground ) and to my surprise, it came back !! Then I've tried again with the ground as well and it is still working.
I am not too sure what happened, could this be relating to a dry solder near the ground wire as I've flexed the wire a few times when I try to sit the OPA on the desk for the photos.
Anyway, I will see now I go, just wanted to share my experience.
Originally Posted by MadMan007 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks. Yea I figure I'll worry about the voume pot later if at all. I will primarily use it as a line-level DAC and use the pre-amp in my integrated amp.
I kept getting confused on this too, I don't have one yet though, Read the additional notes on the first post or the guide in Currawong's signature. I think I've got it now though:
--When the Phone LED is out it acts as a straight DAC with no preamp function and would be appropriate as a line-level source like any other. The sound signature is based purely upon the DAC opamps and section. I would call this 'source mode.'
--When the Phones LED is lit by pressing the 'preamp' button it activates the headphone amp section and the unit then does one of two things: 1. If there is no headphone plugged in to the headphone jack the RCA outs are active as normal AND preamped by the headphone section, the Zero's volume control is active for the RCA outs. This would be used for output to an amplifier that has no preamp or volume control of its own. 2. If you plug a headphone in to the headphone jack it deactivates the RCA outputs and acts as a DAC + headphone amp as you would expect. For 1. and 2. both the DAC and headphone section opamps or mods affect the sound signature. I would call this 'preamp mode.'
The button and light label being different causes confusion.
Please correct that if it's wrong!
Sounds pretty good to me, visco, though I'm not sure that using the pre-out (green light) to an ext amp uses the actual head amp electronics in circuit, I doubt it, the signal is too clean. Basically, I think the vol pot just becomes like a passive pot, bypassing the amp when no cans are connected to the Zero, or directed into the input circuit of the amp when they are. The circuit goes through the headphone socket, the cans make or break the circuit to the Zero's amp. Capiche?
Could be, we'd need someone to inspect it closely or have a ciruit diagram to know. I was basing the statement that it uses the headphone amp as a preamp for RCA out when the light is on upon user's statements that using the unit as a preamp versus a pure line-level DAC changes the sound signature.
Originally Posted by MadMan007 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Could be, we'd need someone to inspect it closely or have a ciruit diagram to know. I was basing the statement that it uses the headphone amp as a preamp for RCA out when the light is on upon user's statements that using the unit as a preamp versus a pure line-level DAC changes the sound signature.
Gotcha point MadMan007, where the sig could be changed is only in the SQ of the pot and the cables that the signal runs through. If the signal went through the electronics, then the pre-out function's sig would change significantly depending on the op-amps used and it doesn't.
Some external amps also don't like having a near passive pot on the input, due to mismatch in impedances between the PRE-out of the Zero and the input impedance of the amp. Hence there is a change in the tonal balance with the external amp.
On my KHA, you can choose which resistors you need in a part of the input circuit depending on whether you want to use a passive pot or not, but you can't have both. Hope I haven't confused the issue.
Originally Posted by MadMan007 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Could be, we'd need someone to inspect it closely or have a ciruit diagram to know. I was basing the statement that it uses the headphone amp as a preamp for RCA out when the light is on upon user's statements that using the unit as a preamp versus a pure line-level DAC changes the sound signature.
Try this: pull the opamps out of the head/pre-amp section and see if it still works as a preamp.
Would there be an issue with the pot that GD provides? The stock pot is 100k compared to 50k for the GA ALPS variety. Also, will this pot even fit, it looks very square and longer.
yeah I thought it would fit too and I was willing to do anything to make it fit but even after I removed the back case of the pot and measured it against the stock pot and it's definitely larger. If anyone wants to post other creative solution I'm sure we'd all appreciate it.
Originally Posted by Currawong /img/forum/go_quote.gif Try this: pull the opamps out of the head/pre-amp section and see if it still works as a preamp.
When I get one I'll try that. Or anyone else here who already has one can try
as long as there isn't any chance of damage from running it without opamps.
The pot Lawrence has, someone else posted that it was a NOS Alps pot. I don't know where he gets them from. To fit a standard Alps pot, you'd have to resolder the components in the way of it to the underside of the board, if they'll fit.
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