[Seba]

Whew, read the whole 203 pages

Today I got my Zhaolu 2.5A and it's now completely stock. I'm planning to jump straight to Zapfilter and do nothing to original analog board.

So my plans:

- remove the headamp
- grounding the case (is this advisable or not considering hums?)
- solder the fuse holder
- Zapfilter
- CMC RCA jacks and Neutrik XLR's
- new faceplate

I have to say the difference between an AlienDAC and a Zhaolu is massive! My Denon's are pumping some serious bass force with Zhaolu which wasn't present with AlienDAC.

Can't wait to get my new headamp so I can connect Zhaolu and C2C together with XLR cables

 

[fdhfdy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyrilix /img/forum/go_quote.gif On a side note, why does everyone spell it Zhalou? I don't mind it really, but it makes me cringe everytime I see how a 6-letter word can be written mistakenly so often.

‘朝露’ I am quite sure this one is perfect

 

[Seba]

I got my Zapfilter from LC Audio yesterday and it looks like that they have changed the PSU board. It has now big 56ohms 5W resistors and only 4 connectors for the toroid supply. Have to send them an email and ask how to wire it properly.

 

[fc911c]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seba /img/forum/go_quote.gif I got my Zapfilter from LC Audio yesterday and it looks like that they have changed the PSU board. It has now big 56ohms 5W resistors and only 4 connectors for the toroid supply. Have to send them an email and ask how to wire it properly.

could you post a pic of it?
110 or 220?
Thanks

 

[cotdt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seba /img/forum/go_quote.gif I got my Zapfilter from LC Audio yesterday and it looks like that they have changed the PSU board. It has now big 56ohms 5W resistors and only 4 connectors for the toroid supply. Have to send them an email and ask how to wire it properly.

Stock Zapfilter PSU is just bad, and induces background noise and distortion. It sounds even better, and much cleaner, with a Sigma22 power supply.

 

[udo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seba /img/forum/go_quote.gif I got my Zapfilter from LC Audio yesterday and it looks like that they have changed the PSU board. It has now big 56ohms 5W resistors and only 4 connectors for the toroid supply. Have to send them an email and ask how to wire it properly.

What was the old situation?
Would the change make an interesting difference in sound or heat reduction?

I.e.: is this a mod-candidate?

 

[Seba]

Got a reply today from LC Audio:

"If you look on the top of the transformer you will see from left following
colours:

1 blue, 2 brown, 3 blue, 4 brown.
5 black, 6 white, 7 black, 8 white.

At 230 VAC 1 is AC ground. 2 and 3 are connectet together. 4 is live.

5 goes to blue terminal close to electrolytic capacitor and then 6, 7 and 8
in the following terminal holes."

So... "AC ground" = Null lead and "Live" = phase voltage (L1), 2&3 are ONLY connected together

 

[Bleemv1]

hi guys,

just wondering if I can change the power supply op-amp? I have switched out the stock op-amps in the output stage and the headphone stage to LM4562s for all of them.

thanks

 

[Bleemv1]

also, I'm going to be visiting Hong Kong soon. Where should I go for some audio goodness? haha. I'd probably be looking to get a zapfilter for my D2.5A, and maybe some RCA cables (analogue and digital)

 

[udo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bleemv1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif also, I'm going to be visiting Hong Kong soon. Where should I go for some audio goodness? haha. I'd probably be looking to get a zapfilter for my D2.5A, and maybe some RCA cables (analogue and digital)

Can't help you here but I would be interested to learn what you found where and where we should go when we visit Hong Kong.

 

[haclongba]

After moded wth zapfilter 2, sound become beautiful, more space, natural ......but when I update clock generator with Lclock Xo3 , sound chage like analog after some hours hearing, sweet and more emotion with my AKG K701(just about 80 hours hearing,after 300-400 hours sound should much more beautiful). I think everyone should conseder modding Lclock XO3 or lower price Kwak Clock .

 

[Ori]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haclongba /img/forum/go_quote.gif After moded wth zapfilter 2, sound become beautiful, more space, natural ......but when I update clock generator with Lclock Xo3 , sound chage like analog after some hours hearing, sweet and more emotion with my AKG K701(just about 80 hours hearing,after 300-400 hours sound should much more beautiful). I think everyone should conseder modding Lclock XO3 or lower price Kwak Clock .

That's wishful thinking.
In most cases you can remove the clock and nothing will change, because the clock on the Zhaolu DAC is used only when the PLL is unlocked and even then it's a "patch" only.
Save your pennies!!!

 

[BobMcN]

Exactly - much better to change the clock in your transport, if you can.

I did a few recent mods to my Zhaolu 2.5C that helped improve things beyond the extensive mods I did before. This was triggered by a little bit of hash on the top end and not quite warm enough upper bass/lower mid bass on the 2107 opamps. Please look back, because I did completely rewire the output board on this and clean up the power supply section a bit too.

Anyway here's what I did recently:
- replaced the diodes with 3A Shottky's (should help smooth things out)
- put the 4562 op amps back in
- added 1.5mF output coupling caps right at the RCA's and bypassed them with .1uF coupling caps
- beefed up the big power supply caps by adding an additional 2200uF to each
- bypassed the smoothing cap on the diodes with a Russian .1uF teflon cap that I had left over from another project (big sukkah, these things)
- upgraded the power cord to a new cord that is going to be sold by Paul Kaplan (Occam) very shortly on Kaplan Cables

All in all, I can say these mods lifted a veil that I never knew was there before. Things sound pure and clear and warm and punchy and vinyl like now. Yes, this is still a very high quality DAC after mods.


Enjoy,
Bob

 

[haclongba]

Thank you ori, the fact I feel sound in some first hours less natural than zhaolu/zapfilter. But after that the sound change to better, I do not know what my friend did with my zhaolu. But this is a test, i am going to mod clock in CD transport......and the coxial cable pluged in AUX not MAIN (for sync signal)

@BobMcN: Can you give some pics of your zhaolu ?

 

[BobMcN]

Here's a link to more information:

diyAudio Forums - Zhaolu DAC - a good value DAC? - Page 9

Start on page 9 of this thread at post 222 and read onward. There's some very good infor there about cleaning up the power supply traces and rebuilding the output stage. A few pictures too.

Enjoy,
Bob