[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AudioPhewl /img/forum/go_quote.gif Tried 2 cables. Signal lock LED illuminates with both, so I'd say it's a fair assumption that both are working correctly . I've tried 2 sources with optical out, with both cables, with no joy. I'll try and dig out my M-Audio Revolution soundcard to try it with coax, but I'm not hopeful. ~Phewl.

Bad luck there homes!

If it were me, I would first check all my solder joints that were hit during the Cap upgrades, maybe movement or something made a marginal joint fail. Take the OpAmp out of the Headamp into the DAC and see if the dac comes to life. Then it's the VOM. I think you are not the only guy to have one fail down the road after some good runtime. The Boards are soldered together pretty crappy, and the quality BEFORE the solder monkeys gets to them is bad as well.

 

[AudioPhewl]

The DAC itself hasn't moved though mate. Not even the cable from the PC to the DAC. The stereo, my speakers, and my TV all had to be moved for the satellite receiver to be fitted(wall needed drilling).

As I said before, it worked directly after I put everything back, but has stopped functioning over the last couple of days.

My soldering had been fine for several months prior. I used to repair mobile phones and laptop boards, so I'm not inexperienced in replacing big things like capacitors

.

I'll get the 'scope on it soon and see what's what.

~Phewl.

 

[AudioPhewl]

BTW, what is "VOM"?

 

[jujulio]

wow so it can really go down after a while :s too bad...is it due to the heat? are there any mod regarding the issue? maybe some ventilator or heat pipe??

edit: what if i use solely the dac section? should i still expect heat issues?

 

[mattcalf]

Is it possible to do a mod to change to output to a 1/4" jack?

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[jujulio]

Is it not already a 1/4?? i was told 1/4 are better on the long term with less hiss problems...

 

[les_garten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AudioPhewl /img/forum/go_quote.gif BTW, what is "VOM"?

Don't take it personal, wasn't tryin' to diss ya. VOM=VolT Ohm Meter. Ya probably really don't know what a VTVM is then!

 

[mattcalf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jujulio /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is it not already a 1/4?? i was told 1/4 are better on the long term with less hiss problems...

Oooh, my mistake.

Yeah, disregard my earlier question as it does come with a 1/4" out.

 

[jujulio]

Do you think it's possible to add a PC fan? How could you use the power supply to make it work? and i guess you would have to cut a square in the unit to place the fan which would extract hot air outside the zero....if it's doable i definitely want to know how? actually one review for this fan says it can be used to cool a onkyo receiver: For only $6.61 each when QTY 50+ purchased - Enermax Marathon 120mm Fan - Magnetic Bearing | Case Cooling Fan but he placed it directly over the receiver vent, i d like a more 'refined' option

 

[Lss]

does it really require one? its not really that hot.

 

[goorackerelite]

I was browsing headfi after a long haitus from the site and this thread came up. After about a few weeks I thought to my self I'll give this DAC a try. BOY am I glad I got this unit. I've had it for about 10 hours and I'm totally satisfied with this DACs performance. Soundstage and image depth and instrument separation totally came about on my HD650, the high frequency extension is amazing and the bass is blossoming nicely after just about 10 hours of burn in. I can't wait to journey further into burn in with this gem. Thank you again Penchum for keeping this thread alive and well, and for the great recommendation. I would have gladly paid twice for this unit...... Shhhh don't tell anyone

 

[sandchak]

...and then there is the question of adding more noise along with that of the power supply - If there is, off course..

 

[stellablues]

I am having an weird issue with my zero. I modified the RCA jacks a few months ago and everything seemed to be fine in my old apartment. In my new place I have optimized the stereo setup and have noticed a very weird issue. I have almost no channel separation using the RCA outputs to my speakers.

I compared the same piece of music playing through a different dac and channel separation there is amazing. This is how I first noticed the issue. i was comparing cd > Ack dac vs iTunes > Airport express > zero. Right now my zero sounds like a mono DAC. Every piece of music I try has almost complete channel bleed into both speakers. When there should be a specific instrument in left and another in right ( the specific part has guitar only in left channel and piano in the right) I here both right down the center. Isolating each speaker gives me almost identical sound coming from left/right.

If the problem was upstream or from the Zero in the digital domain, I would expect the headphone out to have the same issue, but it does not, listening through my HD580s sounds perfect, giving me a very distinct left and right channel... (guitar on the left and piano isolated on the right)...

Does anyone have any idea what could cause this loss of separation just at the RCA outs and not through headphones? My new wire from the board to the rca jacks look clean and not crossed or shorted.

Any ideas would be helpful.

 

[nauxolo]

Is the hug mixture better than the student?

The massive principle can't tempt the sick.

 

[pmd]

my zero is here and i am happy.
bought 11-22-08 from ebay seller snow. paid through paypal ( my bank checking account - which takes extra few days to clear).... delivered to my home by fed ex 12-05-08. very well wrapped. good communication (tracking).
with just the grado 80's and listening to some wes montgomery , jacintha and some henry mancini... this is indeed a bargain. and with breakin promise of enhancement.
the only thing i see (not hear) is that the assembly of the shell to the face plate is a little off.... such that the the shell edge that butts up to the face plate behind the upper right edge of the face plate can be seen protruding out. it is a slight malalignment of the assembly of the 2 parts. it perhaps could be corrected... not sure yet. the other thing is that the power button and the phone jack appear to be slightly off center of face plate holes. probably part of the same above problem .

paul