[akwok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yellafella321 Anyone know if Ken is out of the country or something? He hasn't replied to e-mails for two days.

He's currently in the process of a very lengthy move back to Hong Kong.

 

[rodentmacbeastie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yellafella321 Anyone know if Ken is out of the country or something? He hasn't replied to e-mails for two days.

He is also very very busy trying to get the D03 built, D02 orders completed, and designing the D01 so that I can buy one ASAP! Take it easy on the guy, he saild to me in his latest email that his kids don't even recognize him now. That email took me a week to get and I don't mind. Good things come to those who wait.

 

[rodentmacbeastie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thaddy Are you drinking milk from a saucer? Are you jumping around all nimbly bimbly? MEOW!

For those who have no idea what we mean meow, watch "Super Troopers" and you will understand. I am assuming that is what was meant by, "that's all for meow." Are you receiving me? Are you receiving me?

 

[rincewind]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodentmacbeastie watch "Super Troopers" and you will understand

Bingo.

My comparison will be mainly between the DACs, since the D02 only functions as a DAC.

I can tell you already that (in my opinion) the standard HP jack on the zhaolu doesn't even compare to the Gilmore Lite/DPS combo. But that's logical and expected for the price difference and the fact that the Zhaolu is multi-purpose, so even less of it's total price can be compared to the Gilmore, so that's an unfair comparison (hence mostly looking at the DACs).

I got the DAC yesterday and test-listening about 6pm until 2am. Got up 9.30 today and have been listening ever since. I'm forming my own impressions before tomorrow when I'm taking all this gear (except the HD970 cos none of my friends are interested in that) to a friends place where 3 of us will listen for the whole day. I'll then have it for another evening to myself before returning the Zhaolu to the owner the next day. I think this is the longest anyone's had to play with both in a controlled environment (ie not a shop or factory floor/whatever) so making the most of the time I can.

I don't know if anyone reading this thread could answer, but is anyone else using the E-Mu 0404 and the Zhaolu? This combination doesn't play friendly and crackles quite badly on every second song change (ANY crackle is bad, but this is "aaargh! my cans!" bad). From my iRiver portable (it has optical out) and the CDP coax out I don't get it, so I suspect it's a peculiarity to the configuration. I get it from both the Zhaolu coax and optical inputs (Emu has both) and regardless of whether I'm using it's built in HP jack, or outputting the analog to the Gilmore. So its well certainly particular to either the Zhaolu, or the Zhaolu and 0404 combo.

 

[Towert7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rincewind I don't know if anyone reading this thread could answer, but is anyone else using the E-Mu 0404 and the Zhaolu? This combination doesn't play friendly and crackles quite badly on every second song change (ANY crackle is bad, but this is "aaargh! my cans!" bad). From my iRiver portable (it has optical out) and the CDP coax out I don't get it, so I suspect it's a peculiarity to the configuration. I get it from both the Zhaolu coax and optical inputs (Emu has both) and regardless of whether I'm using it's built in HP jack, or outputting the analog to the Gilmore. So its well certainly particular to either the Zhaolu, or the Zhaolu and 0404 combo.

Someone else had this same exact problem (reported it in the main zhaolu impression thread), and they were using the CS4398 chip. Not sure if this happens with the AD1852 chip. I think some people found upping the bit rate to 96k fixed this, although the two links below don't mention it.

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showp...&postcount=528
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showp...&postcount=534
You might want to start a new thread about this.

 

[rincewind]

Thanks, I read those two quotes but I don't intend to change my sample rate to make up for what appears to be a piece of hardware's shortcoming. I was expecting the ifi site to say the sample rates supported but they don't. Even if that did solve the problem, there are so many ppl (/purists) out there who prefer their source to output 44.1 without any dithering or up/oversampling that a solution like this basically discounts the product from consideration... Suggestion appreciated though.

Today I'm certain I've shortened the life of the sockets on these two units from all the plugging/unplugging, having to change sample rate as well each time would be worse. I wonder what the Zhaolu company expects people with only standard 44.1kHz sources to do if they encounter this problem.

Anyway, for now I'll just say that in my opinion, one DAC is definitely better than the other, to the point where I have more or less stopped listening to one of them, after much to'ing and fro'ing last night (6 hours) and this morning (5 hours), just to give both a "fair go." I like to think that if you can tell a noticeable difference in the first few minutes, then there is a considerable difference that most people would notice. If you need to listen to two different configurations for a few hours just to say "ohhh this part *here* is better" then you're struggling to differentiate them. No such struggle occurred in this comparison.

 

[alex_cs]

i assume you favour the Storm

 

[003]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thaddy Ahh I can't wait, I'll spill the beans now. Ken told me that all new orders will come with a free power cable!

There actually is an "enhancement", but the power cable is not it. I however can not spill the beans, it would not be good Ken, so I won't do it. I will kindly ignore requests to do so.

I do not know if the "enhancement" is limited. I would not be surprised if it is.

And that, my friends, is all I have to say. My lips are sealed.

Please note how I have enhancement in quotes.

 

[rincewind]

You know, any time someone says there is some big secret coming, you know you can just email or message Ken from Storm (or any manufacturer at this level) and just ask him what it is? You might need to chat a little bit with him to show a valid interest, but that shouldn't be too hard.