[arfett]

Thanks for the input les_garten. Before you responded though I had already put my 880s up for sale because I do enjoy the extreme clarity it has, but it just doesn't have the bass I need it to. I'm going to pick up some HD650s.

I don't have enough posts here to sell in the head-fi forums, but my 880s are on sale here

Only 2 or 3 weeks old and spent most of their time just burning in.

 

[djchaz]

Dumb question, If I'm trying to get the best sound quality in stages, should I first buy a Zero (DAC/Amp) first or a dedicated amp (No DAC)? I would be connecting it to an X-fi notebook soundcard if this helps at all.

 

[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by djchaz /img/forum/go_quote.gif Dumb question, If I'm trying to get the best sound quality in stages, should I first buy a Zero (DAC/Amp) first or a dedicated amp (No DAC)? I would be connecting it to an X-fi notebook soundcard if this helps at all.

IMHO, both approaches will Yield huge improvements. I went the Zero first route. Here you are bypassing the DAC and AMP on your Soundcard. Then you get to appreciate the quality of the Zero DAC/HeadAmp combo. Two birds with one stone. Maximize your Zero, listen a while and see if you want a better Headamp. After some time listening to the Zero, Pull it out and go back to just the soundcard. You always hear more difference going down in performance as opposed to up in performance. Then plan a Head Amp upgrade if you are a mind to.

 

[djchaz]

So even if I've upgraded the soundcard the Zero will bypass it?
Sorry for all these questions, you've been a really big help in my purchasing decisions, les_garten, thanks a lot.

 

[ScottieB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pricklely Peete /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just an additional note to Scottie B's usual great advice...DVD-A audio streams can only be played back if the stream itself is unlocked or unencrypted. MLP (Meridian Lossless Packing) is the DVD-A compression/encryption scheme on 99% of all the DVD-A's sold and as such will not allow a free and clear digital output from the transport component. The only way I know of to get around MLP encoded DVD-A's is to record the analog output from the DVD-A player into the computer (at 24/96 ) and save these streams as .wav files. I suppose they can then be converted to FLAC although I'm not 100% sure FLAC supports 24/96 PCM wav files for conversion. Maybe someone can clarify this for me. SNIP

All very true... your method of recording is one way, and I've done it, and yes FLAC supports 24/96 wav or aiff. There's another way, though - not sure of the legality, so I won't go into detail - that allows you to rip the mlp from the disc and then convert to whatever.

 

[ads2]

Hello,
Wich wifi web radio module do you suggest me to use with the Zero DAC ? I have heard about the squeezebox, the soundbridge..any other that doesn't need to be connected to a PC ?
Thanks

 

[kyanzes]

Hi! I bought one of these beasts but unfortunately, after about a week, the only sound I got from the Zero was static noise. Similar to the sound you can hear when you crank a radio between stations. Also, I can hear clicking noises after I turn on the amp. They happen a few seconds apart, irregularly. Now it outputs no sound at all and when I crank up the volume there's no background noise as used to be.

I used the Zero with a DT990Pro btw. Never connected anything to the outputs on the back panel. I used both of its digital inputs (XBox360 / PC) and switched the input according to need.
I never used it at an extreme volume level. Think I never went above three of four notches or so.

Any ideas what could have went wrong? I wrote a mail to the guys and I was advised to send it back, but heck, the postal fee (as it has to be paid by me) is so high that it wouldn't worth it.

Any input would be appreciated guys!

 

[sandchak]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyanzes /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi! I bought one of these beasts but unfortunately, after about a week, the only sound I got from the Zero was static noise. Similar to the sound you can hear when you crank a radio between stations. Also, I can hear clicking noises after I turn on the amp. They happen a few seconds apart, irregularly. Now it outputs no sound at all and when I crank up the volume there's no background noise as used to be. I used the Zero with a DT990Pro btw. Never connected anything to the outputs on the back panel. I used both of its digital inputs (XBox360 / PC) and switched the input according to need. I never used it at an extreme volume level. Think I never went above three of four notches or so. Any ideas what could have went wrong? I wrote a mail to the guys and I was advised to send it back, but heck, the postal fee (as it has to be paid by me) is so high that it wouldn't worth it. Any input would be appreciated guys!

Who sold you that Zero?
Maybe you could just ship the board or ask him to you one.. but then how does one know if the problem is with the board, I am sure help will be around soon..

 

[kyanzes]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandchak /img/forum/go_quote.gif Who sold you that Zero? Maybe you could just ship the board or ask him to you one.. but then how does one know if the problem is with the board, I am sure help will be around soon..

I bought it off e-Bay from casque_hifi

 

[sandchak]

Well, that shouldn't be a problem as he is also one of the premier sponcers of Head-Fi, hang on for a while, there are plenty of experts in the forum that can help and i am sure they will ..
wish you best.

 

[Pricklely Peete]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottieB /img/forum/go_quote.gif All very true... your method of recording is one way, and I've done it, and yes FLAC supports 24/96 wav or aiff. There's another way, though - not sure of the legality, so I won't go into detail - that allows you to rip the mlp from the disc and then convert to whatever.

Those programs disappeared a long time ago due to the major amounts of legal pressure brought to bear by the RIAA and reps of MLP upon those that tried to offer links to the software capable of ripping MLP. Most of the threads are 2-3 years old now...........seems to me they did a very thorough job of clamping down.

Every link where I tried to Dl tools something like this appears.....Mininova : The ultimate BitTorrent source!

By all means Scottie...if you have a valid link for these tools, PM me please. I would like to give my small library of DVD-A's a whirl through Frankie for testing purposes and my own fair use of a bought and paid for medium.

Peete.

 

[sandchak]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pricklely Peete /img/forum/go_quote.gif That is why I have another chassis still in transit from China to complete that mod properly Peete.

Hi Peete,
Can you let me know the vendor in China for the chassis?.. I somehow want to change the original one (better half doesnt like the looks of it...)

Btw, you must be knowing that WSA sent me the entire board of the Zero along with the HP section with all opamps (including 627 on the DAC).
I just ordered a Moon opamp from Audio Gd and should be arriving within a week, I was wondering, now that I have two sets of op627s, would it sound better in the HP section in place of the 2 LM4562 that I have in place now.. have you tried op627s in your HP section??...

Thanks

 

[oatmeal769]

Been awhile since last I posted... How are you Peete??

Anyhow, I live in an apartment and so cannot do 'proper' surround sound. But I do have a damn good set of headphones and want to use another ZERO to supply them with a 2ch. 'downmix' from my Blu-Ray player.

My question is, where is the best place, (lowest shipping, reliable, good customer service, lowest to my door cost) to buy a new ZERO? I've read back through and do not want to give Lawrence the business. He took 6 weeks to ship my last one, plus it seems he's given the shaft to some Head-Fi Members...


Anyhow, where can I get a new 'stock' Zero cheap and fast?

 

[ScottieB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oatmeal769 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Been awhile since last I posted... How are you Peete?? Anyhow, I live in an apartment and so cannot do 'proper' surround sound. But I do have a damn good set of headphones and want to use another ZERO to supply them with a 2ch. 'downmix' from my Blu-Ray player. SNIP

Can't help you with where to get one (I'm a LC buyer before the nonsense started - sorry) but I too do a mixdown from my blu-ray player and LOVE it. Love those PCM/DTS-MA/DolbyTrueHD tracks mixed down and played thru my head-fi stuff - actually prefer it to the (very mediocre) surround speakers I have (as do the neighbors!).

 

[derekv]

I've had this thing for a few months now and I'm noticing some problems.
Configured as follows, but I have narrowed it down to the Zero by trying it from a cd player with a different cable at a friends house:
-software: MPD on FreeBSD 7, using built in usb audio drivers
-sound module: Turtle Beach Advantage Audio Micro usb
-cable: generic 6ft spdif optical
-amp: zero
-phones : akg k701s

Issue:
The problem is intermittent, varying from unnoticeable (where I am not sure there is any problem) to dramatic.
It occurs in both channels more or less equally.
It happens at all volume level more or less equally (both with the volume on the zero and the source volume with the sound card mixer).
The sound is difficult for me to describe accurately mostly due to my inexperience with audio evaluation in general, but i'll try my best:
distortion is observed usually in the higher ranges however the sounds it corresponds to might be any range (from bass drum to higher stuff like snare/cymbals, I have one track with a mid range pad that seems to really set it off).
When it is 'noticeable but not dramatic', the music sounds a little overbright to the point of some distortion above a certain range.
At its worst, it reminds me of clipping, but as if the clipping is only happening at certain frequencies. It also reminds me of a ring modulator. I also want to use the word crackle, but that would seem to indicate sound with a lot of pops and peaks, which isn't really the case here (unless the peaks are fast enough to not be differentiable)
At times there is also a sort of sound like you might get playing audio on a very busy computer, as if it is about to start dropping frames, however it never actually has instances where the sound drops out.
There is sometimes some mild popping and crackling at times, and once in a while i'll get some random artifact, such as just a moment ago, it dropped to static in one channel for only a half a second or so.

From skimming around the thread it seems like other people have had problems that have been solved by replacing the opamps. What should I do?


(PS admins, how about starting a subforum for the zero? it'd be much nicer then having the giant thread)