[Sean H]

The opamp circuits in the Zhaolu uses dual opamps so you must use a dual opamp. You can use a single channel opamp but then you must use two of them on a Brown Dog single to dual adapter.

AD843 - Single channel opamp. Must use two of them on an adapter.
AD845 - Single channel opamp. Must use two of them on an adapter.
AD8620 - This is a dual but only comes in SOIC package so must be mounted on Brown Dog's first.
OPA627 - Single channel opamp. Must use two of them on an adapter.
OPA2604 - This is a dual, 8-pin and can be directly used in Zhaolu as is.
DY2000 - This is a dual, 8-pin and can be directly used in Zhaolu as is.

 

[ssingh0]

Quote:

okay... i got it now, and i'm practicing on the old amp. Am i suppose to resoder a coper wire or something after i take the dc blocking caps off?

hey granodomestoma, if you got your's from ifiaudio, what were you removing? I thought the dc blocking caps were a mod done only by eddie??

 

[theexec]

I've been using my new Zhaolu d2 through discrete headamp for a few days and it has been working fine.

Today, I tried it through RCA line out to an amp, and I noticed the right channel is louder than the left channel, is there anything i can adjust to fix it?

 

[goto2003]

Is there any post on the comparison between the moded DAC1.3 and 2.0?

 

[zdogg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by goto2003 Is there any post on the comparison between the moded DAC1.3 and 2.0?

I assume by "modded" you don't mean the discrete output stage mod, but rather the upgraded psu for the 1.3. The gist of it is that the 1.3 with upgraded psu sounds very similar to the blackgate-modded, DC-cap-removed 2.0 with the same DAC chip (the AD1852). I personally prefer the modded 2.0 with the CS dac to the 1.3 (I have them both). This is using a dy-2000 in the center and opa2604's on the sides in both units. I now use 3 dy-2000's and this tightens up the bass further to my ears. Still, with the discrete output mod and the second transformer (Ori's modifications) the 2.0 is really in a different class. I've also heard Ori's discrete mod minus the extra transformer in the 1.3, and my recollection was that it sounded much better than the stock 1.3 or the stock 2.0. Still, the unmodded units both sound great with the right opamp combos.

 

[fwojciec]

Quote:

Originally Posted by adhoc Any other suggestions for well-regarded opamps would be welcome!

My favourite opamp configuration for Zhaolu is 3xOPA2107 - I've also tried OPA2604s and DY2000.

 

[Gone4T]

Yes but where can these purchased ? I'm currently using 3 x 2604 pictured below.

 

[fwojciec]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gone4T Yes but where can these purchased ? I'm currently using 3 x 2604 pictured below.

I bought mine on ebay - I think they were around $6 each. The difference between OPA2107 and OPA2604 was subtle, I felt that there was a touch more bass with the OPA2107s - I could only tell the difference when listening on speakers. I also preferred 3x2604 to 2x2604+DY2000 configuration.

 

[Gone4T]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fwojciec I bought mine on ebay - I think they were around $6 each.

Thanks for that but I could only find 2 listings of OPA 2107s and one was SMD.

 

[yo2tup2]

I got a few 2107 opamps, PM me.

 

[granodemostasa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssingh0 hey granodomestoma, if you got your's from ifiaudio, what were you removing? I thought the dc blocking caps were a mod done only by eddie??

the dc blocking caps are stock... what eddie does is short them/and or remove them. i had to do this since i didn't get mine from eddie.

also note: that i've been making many changes to my rig lately so it's become somewhat difficult to talk about change, since it's so hard to attribute it to any particular thing, but so far everything sounds better

a try at it: an older recording of Barber's adagio for strings is much easier to listen to, the sound is stronger/more complete and the soundstage depth is impressive.

 

[Gone4T]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yo2tup2 I got a few 2107 opamps, PM me.

Done,

I hope there are no objections but I've included 'another' photo of my Wu blackgated,cs 4398 modded Zhaolu D2.

 

[lan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gone4T Done, I hope there are no objections but I've included 'another' photo of my Wu blackgated,cs 4398 modded Zhaolu D2.

Quesstion, can you read what series the Blackgates are? Looks like either Standard or FK to me.

 

[Gone4T]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lan Question, can you read what series the Blackgates are? Looks like either Standard or FK to me.

These look like bog standard,run of the mill (I'm unsure of your colloquialism) 50 volt 100uF bg's.

 

[granodemostasa]

I wonder how easy/hard it would be to replace the coxical digital in with a higher end one on the zhaolu and the out on my soundcard.... any suggestions on this proceedure?

How much of a difference does the bg caps make? how can i get them done, if i already have the unit?