[carlmart]

What Zishan DAC did you try?

I have seen the Z3, but it's not really a DAC, but a DSD and other formats card player.

It also seems prepared for headphone use, not to feed a preamp or amplifier.

Are there any other models?

 

[HeyManslowdown97]

What Zishan DAC did you try?

I have seen the Z3, but it's not really a DAC, but a DSD and other formats card player.

It also seems prepared for headphone use, not to feed a preamp or amplifier.

Are there any other models?

I got the Zishan Z3 but I also got the dsd ak4497 which is a series dac is more complicated with a lpf.

Yes the Z3 is more or less a headphone amp and in many ways: less is more. The Ak4497 sounds more detailed but it’s bit trembly. The Z3 modded Up sounds great for bassy stuff with more oomph! I prefer the ak4497 but not by much! The pcb board is also better quality on the z3 (by a long shot!)

Funny you addressed me. Just did some really cool mods to my Z3.

Very cheap mod opens up the sound up a lot on the Z3.

These go where it’s labelled “SS14” (1)

https://www.arrow.com/en/products/ss14-e35at/vishay

These are labeled “K14” (4)

https://www.arrow.com/en/products/b140hwq-7/diodes-incorporated

And finally replace the LDO for 3.3 (1)

LP5907 3.3v (make sure it’s 3.3v, not sure if the 5v works?!)

Arrow, IMO is better overnight shipping (US) and free shipping. LDO is back-stocked so you can get it at Mouser or Digi-Key

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Texas-Instruments/LP5907MFX-33-NOPB?qs=biyDIajrTn6NhrJCoL/dSQ==

I ordered an oscillator today will let you know if it improves the sound even more and OPA1652AIDR that I've heard good things about on this thread.

If want to try one. I start with the Z3 but make sure its with the ak4493 not ak4493. Slightly better specs.

It's dirt cheap (44-53 bucks US)

 

[carlmart]

Have you compared the Z3 with any of the Toppings?

Have you got a schematic or pcb photos?

Is the internal supply linear or switching?

Which are the output chips?

 

[HeyManslowdown97]

Have you compared the Z3 with any of the Toppings?

Have you got a schematic or pcb photos?

Is the internal supply linear or switching?

Which are the output chips?

I’d be glad to show you some pics and you can see for yourself (I’d rather show and not confuse me with my description) but I’ll PM to you when I get a chance. (It’s 4:30 in the morning in NYC & I’m an insomniac)

I also picked up Zishan dsd ak4495SEQ last night which looks like it has the best schematics especially with more options for op amp rolling for $110 (Reg 114 but had a coupon for a 4 bucks off ). And to me it looks like a DAC with op amps + a headphone amp baked into the scheme 2x BUF634 (but they are fakes that will be replaced with the newly BUF634A)

I can show you pics of it but I don’t physically have one. However there are plenty of them online I can find (same with Z3 which I do have!)

Speaking of Opa amp which I really like the Opa828! It’s just consistent and boring for most but I love it!

It’s like lightweight champ like Mayweather and not a Muhammad Ali or (keeping it musical) a Hank Mobley and not a John Coltrane.

@raoultrifan Dude I gonna pick up the Opa1612 next purchase but the OPA1652AIDR was 2 bucks cheaper and well let’s not be pc...I’m cheap haha

 

[carlmart]

Do go to sleep. Here in Brazil is now 6.00 AM, we are two hours ahead of NY.

But I was looking at this photo of I don't know which Zishan:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-zishan-dsds-corner.826185/page-17

With this Zishan ak4495SEQ prices are getting too close to Topping's, and I don't think they can improve on them.

Tomorrow we go on.

 

[yurt28]

It’s funny you mentioned the high quality transistors as I always bring up Moore’s Law with many audiophiles and they don’t get the principle behind microprocessing and WHY it’s hard to replicate original chips without a huge budget and why patent laws to protect them from foreign jurisdictions that don’t follow international IP Laws like China is important for quality control and things like National Security.

(It’s because of this that I can really appreciate how in-depth your review is in regards to Bursons SS with magnified pics to illustrate their quality )

It’s just my opinion. Bursons justifies their price by saying that it’s “R&D” cost over a span of years of research per op amp and I'm sure because they aren't a huge company so it cost a lot to scale up on production.

I agree with you about records and gear. I've noticed that the better the op amps shows flaws in some recordings. It actually makes me sad because even the crappiest new records are made better because of digital and DAW advancements.

The solid state argument. I really can't say if it's better than tube amps as I don't have ANY experience in them.

Op amps are also used in effects pedal in guitars and yet there is also software that can achieve almost exact sound fx so even in that argument I have no experience but algorithms in software are getting pretty close if not better than physical pedals no matter what “stock” op amp is in a soundcard. The stock tend to be cheaper since soundcard makers don’t want to pay a premium price on a op amp since it would effect on price on the customer so they will often go on the cheap end that would explain noticing a considerable different when op amp rolling.

There is so many divisions of “sound” these days like games prefer certain sound cards for multi-channel purposes so it becomes very complained and it isn't fair to say that one all purpose amp solves everyone’s needs or on every application you intended to use a particular one!

My schtick with Bursons Is that I refuse to pay for them. I can't justify paying an extra 100+ on say two avids v6 when the difference isn't as noticeable with their competitors who have been at it longer and more experienced with a larger line and with more options to choose from. So I can get 30+ for the price of two Burson V6 Avid or classic. I’d rather spend that money differently. Just my opinion though.

Well explained you are defentely right about these transistors in this stuff. Its funny how some dacs sound different than the other ones even though the model could be the same??? Im using EsK2m right now and man they reisisted out the internels so we'll i am just amazed for how large it sounds for being such a tiny dac. Really amazing.

 

[HeyManslowdown97]

Do go to sleep. Here in Brazil is now 6.00 AM, we are two hours ahead of NY.

But I was looking at this photo of I don't know which Zishan:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-zishan-dsds-corner.826185/page-17

With this Zishan ak4495SEQ prices are getting too close to Topping's, and I don't think they can improve on them.

Tomorrow we go on.

It’s depends... Topping have some nice Headphone amps and computer dacs.

I have the D10 and love it! With a PC/Mac there’s certainly more options. I really LOVE Synalyst HQplayer and as far I’m concerned it’s THE best software I’ve ever used for audio. It converts upsampling, has amazing digital filters. https://www.signalyst.com/

I have a Dual Ak4497eq balanced dac that I run through it and it’s amazing when I’m at home!

The Zishan is more on-the-go.

I can confirm that Opa1652 is pretty good to drive headphones through. I would imagine the OPA1656 being slightly better depending with what it is matched with!

 

[carlmart]

I do not listen to headphones anymore. I had my share when I was a film & video professional sound recordist, and it was enough.

Nothing compares to listening to good loudspeakers on a good acoustics room. So I really do not care for headphone amps. Only line amp level DACs.

Try the Topping D50, which does use the OPA1612 at the output. The OPA1652 and OPA1656 seem quite similar.

I wonder if there is a single OPA1656, and which name it is.

 

[endia]

The OPA1652 and OPA1656 seem quite similar.

major differences are much lower noise (cmrr: 136 vs 110) and more importantly much higher output current (100mA vs 50mA) on opa1656.. it also has higher slew rate and gain bandwidth make sense depends on the application.

 

[HeyManslowdown97]

I do not listen to headphones anymore. I had my share when I was a film & video professional sound recordist, and it was enough.

Nothing compares to listening to good loudspeakers on a good acoustics room. So I really do not care for headphone amps. Only line amp level DACs.

Try the Topping D50, which does use the OPA1612 at the output. The OPA1652 and OPA1656 seem quite similar.

I wonder if there is a single OPA1656, and which name it is.

I totally agree with you. It’s nice for headphone which is very “Amplified”. I am not much of a specs guy (though they are important) and favor overall “sweet spot” listening for hours!

It’s good but hard to tame (in my opinion) and I don’t know how to calculate resistors/caps on a DAC to dampen them a bit. You hear more but it’s more fatiguing which is counterproductive. The specs are a bit of an overload (in my opinion, my ears were ringing after one hour of listening) For me, listening to music that’s fatiguing starts to sound like white noise and isn’t really musical. But it’s great to turn up every now and then! Haha

That said it’s innovative as op amps go and would work awesome for underpowered dacs and even external ones (I thinking). You hear the bump in current in volume. Crap it’s loud. Can’t even imagine how loud the opa1656 is!

 

[NNewman]

Hello. Does anybody have an experience with the discrete class D opamps?
Thinking if buying one...

 

[HeyManslowdown97]

Hello. Does anybody have an experience with the discrete class D opamps?
Thinking if buying one...

It actually depends on what you are using them for?

I watched this last night out-of-the-Blue.

Traditionally Class D’s are great for lpfs in DCA since they are hybrid between Digital to analog. (If I remember correctly).

So I believe you’d have to give the thread what application you want to use the Class D for what purpose unless you figured that out already?!

Just putting this up here for educational purposes I don’t know what op amps this company makes nor endorse them but it makes it clear what Class(s) fall traditionally used for and what their characteristics are. It’s not a “rule” of them just a nice rule of thumb.

 

[adeadcrab]

Try the Topping D50, which does use the OPA1612 at the output. The OPA1652 and OPA1656 seem quite similar.

I wonder if there is a single OPA1656, and which name it is.

The Topping D50 is really quite good, there are 3 OPA1612 in the output stage, bass is slightly forward and detailed. Overall sound is great. Turned my electrostats into bass cannons!

 

[HeyManslowdown97]

Took screenshots from DIYaudio of posts of the description of what one of the engineers who worked on the team who designed the Opa1656 intentions were in creating it if anyone is interest in reading them.

Sadly TI cracked down on samples on personal email accounts because it didn’t result in more business.

 

[carlmart]

There's a thread on DIYaudio about the OPA1656, with a guy from TI telling very useful things.

One thing is that TI is not sending samples when request comes from private mail services like gmail and similar. Only companies.

He suggested to buy the parts direct from TI.