[digitalmind]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox Good responses... sounds like the PSU may be linear if you need to specify voltage when you order. We should double check this. From the responses, I think that the Zhaolu D2.5C might be a good midground between the two in terms of tonality after what I have experienced with the AD and CS chips. Anyone know what 'dint' means?

The dint has me confused aswell. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dint, a force or effort?
If he pops up online on MSN tomorow morning (He most of the time does) I'll ask him about the PSU, and also if it's fully balanced from the DAC. I think so -- if those pins that I circled are what I think they are (test pins or outputs for a possible internal headamp) it looks like a balanced setup. Also every channel has its own components, I can't see a single shared opamp or other thing. The whole PSU also looks like it's setup in two large single channel power supplies.

 

[pelayostyle]

Ok so im paying $315USD total shipped.
Fan is having me do a direct bank deposit to China Merchants Bank，H. O. Shenzhen . I dont know how safe this is but i just hope i get the dac.
BTW, im getting the 110v (obviously) version 5.0 , which is the newest.
I CANT WAIT !!!

 

[digitalmind]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pelayostyle Ok so im paying $315USD total shipped. Fan is having me do a direct bank deposit to China Merchants Bank，H. O. Shenzhen . I dont know how safe this is but i just hope i get the dac. BTW, im getting the 110v (obviously) version 5.0 , which is the newest. I CANT WAIT !!!

Awesome news. Be sure to let us know how it sounds and supply lots of pictures.

I'm talking to Fan on msn now, with some remaining questions.

Here's an image of the PSU he sent me:


According to Fan (atleast, what I make from his english) the Crystal is fully balanced, right from the dac. I'm not entirely sure if I trust his answer though, I don't know for sure if he understood what I was asking.

 

[juzmister]

Do you think any chance of Paypal? Money orders cost a bomb from my account now

 

[juzmister]

This really does look great, do you think we could do a group buy? I need mine to the UK though, could we do mixed voltages?

 

[lesserpanda]

anyone has bought the unit?
any user report pls?

 

[digitalmind]

So who would be interested in a group buy?
If we order with 5 people at once, through me, we can get them for 1550RMB plus shipping,which would make them roughly 2150 shipped worldwide. I'm seeing if he'll go any lower, 2000RMB ($255 USD) shipped worldwide would make it a great buy. For that price, send me a PM if you'd be interested. I figure Fan would ship to different adresses so that won't be a problem, but payment will most likely have to be done by one person (me?).

If there is enough interest, I'll wait for Pelayostyle to receive his before we continue any of this It'll be alot of money still and dac builders have disapeared before. But for now, let's get a head count. Shoot me a PM if interested.

I'll send some mails to different sellers to see what kind of price we can get, but since someone from here allready ordered from Fan and if he checks out ok that does seem like the best option.

 

[philodox]

I might be interested if we can get a non sketchy confirmation that the output stage is fully balanced from the DAC. Also if we can have it confirmed that it uses a linear PSU. That schematic you posted is actually a PSU filter according to my more technically inclined friend.

 

[looser101]

Anybody find out what is the difference is between version 4 and version 5?

-R-

 

[thomaspf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by digitalmind YULONG Crystal DAC use CS4397

That is rather strange. The motherboard has CS43122 printed on it and the large socketed chips in the rear of the chassis very much look like CS43122 chips.

If the unit he offers is based on the CS4397 than this picture belongs to a different DAC?

Cheers

Thomas

 

[juzmister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox I might be interested if we can get a non sketchy confirmation that the output stage is fully balanced from the DAC. Also if we can have it confirmed that it uses a linear PSU. That schematic you posted is actually a PSU filter according to my more technically inclined friend.

Well on the ebay france auction it had balanced outputs on the back...

 

[philodox]

Hey Thomas,

I brought this up already and was told that the one pictured is a previous version.

- Jay Quote:

Originally Posted by juzmister Well on the ebay france auction it had balanced outputs on the back...

It most definately has balanced outputs. What I want to know is if it is a fully balanced output stage straight from the DAC to those balanced outputs. They may have just used a OP AMP to create the inverse phase after the unbalanced output stage as this is a more common practice, especially in lower cost gear.

 

[juzmister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox Hey Thomas, I brought this up already and was told that the one pictured is a previous version. - JayIt most definately has balanced outputs. What I want to know is if it is a fully balanced output stage straight from the DAC to those balanced outputs. They may have just used a OP AMP to create the inverse phase after the unbalanced output stage as this is a more common practice, especially in lower cost gear.

Ah, I'll ask Fan when he comes online.

 

[digitalmind]

Quote:

Originally Posted by juzmister Ah, I'll ask Fan when he comes online.

I asked him this but couldn't get a decent explaination. His english is becoming a limiting factor in getting information on this.

 

[philodox]

Great, thanks for giving it another go.

It is, unfortunately a deal breaker for me if it is not fully balanced, as I will likely just wait for the ZapFilter output stages to get back on the market and upgrade my CD player rather than buying a DAC if that is the case.