The "mod your Zhalou" Thread

[El Condor]

@#$%. It looks like something is wrong with my D2.5A unit. The digital in seems to be completely fried. Analog in and out works still but optical in and coax in seem to be toast.

I get static like the unit is seeing a few bits of signal on the optical, but nothing consistent enough and I get NO signal from coax even though it's playing full throttle from my Denon unit.

Anybody experienced this before? Or did I just wake up with a few brain cells missing?

I did experience something yesterday. I was playing Call of Chtulu and the game is rather demanding graphically. I had to revert to an earlier version of the BIOS so the stupid processor throttle would stop kicking in in the middle of the game, bringing it down to a crawl. But it was pretty hot yesterday over here and the computer shut down to prevent CPU melt down (hehehe). The computer is unharmed, but I'm wondering if a surge could have gone through to the unit?! I don't see how since it's just light flowing through. I was connected via optical at the time.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[SonicDawg]

Could it be the soundcard that is gone?

 

[Progenitor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by keyid /img/forum/go_quote.gif I got an used Zaholu 2.5c with 2604 opamps...Question I have is would 2107 or LM4562 tame the highs even more. I do really like sound with the bypass but I need a more natural high

I can't speak from experience regarding the 2604 opamp. However, going from the LT1057 to the LM4562 took away the sibilance completely. On my A900 (a relatively bright phone), the LM4562 sounds like a perfect match. (I do miss the crazy high on my HD650 tho - they do make the Sennheiser sound bright and interesting in an weird way).

 

[El Condor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SonicDawg /img/forum/go_quote.gif Could it be the soundcard that is gone?

Hmmm, I guess it's possible; and more likely given that the computer had a core melt down

. I'll have to double check more thoroughly tonight. I didn't have alot of time to check this morning.

On the other hand, The Denon should be sending a signal on the coax digital in of the Zhaolu and I get nothing (but I know the Denon is playing because I can make the Zhaolu sing if the Denon is plugged preamp in (analog in). The only case when coax doesn't output a signal is whenever I have a DVD-A or SACD playing (This is expected; silly securities; in that case, I connect the Denon directly to preamp in on the Zhaolu) but I know I didn't have an SACD or DVD-A playing so coax should flow.

 

[El Condor]

Nope, it's confirmed. Digital in is blown up. What the hell?!

So I tried my sound card analog out (which is the same port as the digital out through optical) and I could hear music.

On Optical digital in, the Zhaolu unit has it's signal light flickering in the front and I hear a few noises (static like) coming through.

Then I try coax from my CD Denon 757 directly to Zhaolu digital in and the unit does the same thing. When I start the CD up, the Zhaolu signal light flickers but I don't get static and eventually, the light goes to a blinking mute; every so often I hear half a second of music on coax through denon.

 

[keyid]

Thank Progenitor;
I kept fiddling around with it and the highs have tamed themselves automatically. I doubt it was burn in as, its used. What I did do was mess with couple opamps in my pimeta and put both optical and coax cables from the same source into the zhalou so I could compare different cables. And its quite listenable at the moment with 627/637 on my pimeta.

 

[dviswa]

Of all the cheap mods you can do to a Zhaolu, short of changing the output stage, pehaps rolling the opamps with a LM4562 is perhaps the best mod. Man, did this improve the sound or what?

It added more air, took away some of the fatigue, increased the details. It has just been a couple of hours since I rolled it. Can't wait to get it all burned in.

 

[kocsu]

Any comments on this mod?
output stage was replaced from DAC chip with a tube amplifier, no opamps

http://lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/REFE...ese%20dac.html


what is lampizator?
http://lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/Lampizator.html

cheers

 

[keyid]

what the heck is the lampizator? tube output? didnt see a price...

I have to agree with dviswa, swapping LM4562na changed the sound dramatically. My pimeta 627/637 sounds like I added 2227 or 8610/20; but still carrying the 627/637 laid back sound sig.

 

[dviswa]

Yeah, it changed dramatically, but...

OK, I have to admit that since the mod, I have been busy and not listened much. Yes, the details increased, bass increased a lot, so much so, the mids seem to get overpowered (not really, but in comparison to what it was, one might think so).

Sound stage decreased ever so slightly? or is it the increased impact of bass making me think so? On other thing happened, which I am too sure of. The warmth disappeared. It sounds a lot more solid statey (if I may use that word).

Maybe I should give it more time and then see how it goes.

Regards,
Dinesh

 

[keyid]

It does sound alot less warmer, but with the opa2604 was really too warm with 627/37 in my pimeta. Now it sounds more balanced little leaning towards the light side, and I do miss those ultra warm vocals. I think I may need to finish up my soha. I would rather want to have a neutral source and see what amps fits.

I can also swap in the 2604 in my pimeta and get that ultra warmingess back.

 

[dviswa]

Well, I did it, undid the LM 4562. It sounds much better now.

 

[vDrag0n]

where can we buy a ori modded zhalu ?

 

[looser101]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vDrag0n /img/forum/go_quote.gif where can we buy a ori modded zhalu ?

Oritek Audio

 

[d-cee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vDrag0n /img/forum/go_quote.gif where can we buy a ori modded zhalu ?

Ori is also a head-fi member, username: Ori