[dmkbox]

Looks interesting, ordered.
I have FA1 and M200+, so it will be AK4497 #3

From where you ordered?

 

[Ivan TT]

From where you ordered?

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=568829484698

 

[nesty]

I wish they also made the LPF op amp as rollable

 

[endia]

I wish they also made the LPF op amp as rollable

lpf was the only rollable opamp in previous (ak4495seq) version..

 

[endia]

just noticed, it has no analog volume control which is a downside in my book..

 

[noknok23]

Is it true balanced? the price seems super good (approx 100euro)

 

[neog007]

True balanced and ak4497 at that price... I don't know...

 

[weedophile]

Any i just realised 0.4H is out guys, no gapless yet but the 200ms cut at the beginning is solved!

Like finally.....

Anyway there's a note for text scrolling which is the to-do

 

[Zerohour88]

Hoping the firmware for this new version gets more love, also better USB controller (so I can use it as my primary USB DAC)

Z2 had the 16-bit/48khz limitation (no idea on the Z3, probably the same?)

 

[jessymarinus]

My Zishan DSD doesn't work with Xiaomi Mi5 in DAC function. I have tested it (zishan) with windows 10 and it works.

 

[hellfire8888]

just receive my Zishan DSD. Is there any manual i can refer to on how to operate it? And by the way i notice the description say Zishan DSD AK4497EQ 16G MP3 Player Professional Lossless HiFi Protable Music Player Hard Solution 2.5 balanced Amplifier but i notice the player do not have any build in memory. Just a SD card slot. Is this correct?

 

[spbkaizo]

Hi All,

Just wanted to post my findings of the new Firmware.

Seems better (but had a few random crashes). AAC Supported now, which is a big plus for me as some radio shows are in that format natively.

Firmware Update Guide:

1. Enter the setting interface to see if the interface displays "ZiShan DSD 0.4H". If it is, you do not need to upgrade. The firmware is already up-to-date. Close this file.
2. Get the latest firmware app.bin and flash.bin, see this article shows that you have obtained
3. Shut down the player
4. Use a card reader to copy app.bin and flash.bin to the root directory on the TF card (that is, the directory that appears after you double-click to open the removable disk)
5. Insert the TF card with app.bin and flash.bin into the player
6. The boot appears red on a white background, release the middle button, the process is generally about a minute, will automatically shut down after success
7. Use the card reader to delete the app.bin and flash.bin on the TF card
8. Press and hold the middle button of the player to boot.
9. Enter the setting interface to check the firmware version number.

EQ use method:
Copy "180EQ" to TF card, enter player browser to browse "180EQ" folder, select the EQ file to be set, press right button to set as current EQ


0.4H update log:
1. Increase the stability of deleted files
2. Reduce CPU usage during playback
3. Muscle increase m4a aac alac aiff support
4 speed up the boot cache
5. Fixed the problem that the first 200 milliseconds of each song was faded out and faded out
6. Increase the DAC sound quality option (similar to the hardware EQ turned on after the DAC is turned on, the indicator is not guaranteed at this time)
7. Delete the box game
8. Increase the full-speed running option (can be turned on when the card sounds, the battery life will be reduced)
9. Added AK4497 support
and many more

Still need to do:
1 play interface long text scroll

and many more

 

[Ivan TT]

Few Zishan DSD AK4497EQ mods:

1. Removed output capacitors and added them to 9V pool, added 0.1uF bypass caps on top of 10uF stock ones.
2. Replaced filter opamps for AD8599ARZ, AD8620ARZ in substractor.
3. Replaced 3.3V and 5V LDOs for low-noise ones (also around CPLD), caps replaced for 10uF XR7
4. Replaced oscillators for 25PPM MEMS.
5. Replaced input caps for Nichicon BP Muse 10uF

Improvements are incremental yet substantial, of a special note reduction in upper mids and highs harshness (my main issue with stock AK4497 DSD) and slightly better defined lows after LDO replacement and less grainy highs after oscillators upgrade, switching filters produces more noticeable effect too.

 

[max232]

What type of headphone or device would one connect to the "balanced output" and does it make that much of an improvment? They make it sound like it's a big deal. Does it work with any old device with a TRRS plug? I haven't received my unit yet but am I correct that it's a 2.5mm plug? That seems odd in itself. Sorry, NOOB here.

 

[Ivan TT]

What type of headphone or device would one connect to the "balanced output" and does it make that much of an improvment?

Any head/earphones, configured to have separate electrical connections to each earpiece, x4 in total, no common ground where 2 of 4 are connected together and connected to common ground, AKA single ended (SE) connection.

I haven't received my unit yet but am I correct that it's a 2.5mm plug?

Yes, it's 2.5mm 4 pole plug.
The difference is that 3.5mm SE output passes through extra opamp and transistor buffer, capable of driving both low and high impedance headphones, while 2.5mm output is fed directly from LPF filter opamps, which give just enough drive for low-impedance headphones (not sure about high-impedance ones).
For all practical purposes best option is to use 2.5mm balanced mmcx cable (or similar) if your headphones are not hard-wired, or solder in 2.5mm balanced plug, optionally with 2.5mm-3.5mm balanced to SE adapter (the reverse would not work, I mean 3.5mm jack into an adapter that converts it into balanced 2.5mm jack)