AmarokCZ
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2010
- Posts
- 203
- Likes
- 18
Hello HEAD-FIers,
everyone who own ZERO knows that headphone amplifier is weakest part of this DAC/Headamp. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find this disatvantage before I bought ZERO. Mainly because nobody was able to measure real ZERO parameters, so here they are (unregulated LINE OUT and headphone output at two potentiometer positions):
Well, headphone amplifier is not even good, especially when USB input is used, also crosstalk is terrible. That's is why I decided to swap this amp for something better.
Schematic (one channel) and parameters of new headphone amplifier is following:
The circuit is very simple but very effective. It's just diamond buffer driven by high quality operational amplifier.
Next picture shows importance of mechanical "organization":
The red and blue wires are left and right input (leading from DAC output) and even though they are shielded there is some (well, quite a lot) noise (more like hum) bieng induced from transformer.
It's important to say, that my new headphone amplifier doesn't have regulated LINE OUT (I didn't need it, but it won't be hard to create it).
Most important thing - the sound. Well, it sound amazing, old ZERO was waste of my "ear-time"
Soundstage is better, overall sound is more bright, less dark, more realistic, more natural.
I would say, that this is the best DIY solution of asymmetrical amplifier after legendary DisPre.
Feel free to ask questions.
everyone who own ZERO knows that headphone amplifier is weakest part of this DAC/Headamp. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find this disatvantage before I bought ZERO. Mainly because nobody was able to measure real ZERO parameters, so here they are (unregulated LINE OUT and headphone output at two potentiometer positions):
Well, headphone amplifier is not even good, especially when USB input is used, also crosstalk is terrible. That's is why I decided to swap this amp for something better.
Schematic (one channel) and parameters of new headphone amplifier is following:
The circuit is very simple but very effective. It's just diamond buffer driven by high quality operational amplifier.
Next picture shows importance of mechanical "organization":
The red and blue wires are left and right input (leading from DAC output) and even though they are shielded there is some (well, quite a lot) noise (more like hum) bieng induced from transformer.
It's important to say, that my new headphone amplifier doesn't have regulated LINE OUT (I didn't need it, but it won't be hard to create it).
Most important thing - the sound. Well, it sound amazing, old ZERO was waste of my "ear-time"
Soundstage is better, overall sound is more bright, less dark, more realistic, more natural.I would say, that this is the best DIY solution of asymmetrical amplifier after legendary DisPre.
Feel free to ask questions.
