Zero Dac or ?
Nov 21, 2008 at 9:51 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 9

Shizdan

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Should i get the ZERO DAC or just use my Auzentech Prelude?

Auzentech Prelude --> Zero Dac--> Marantz HT Receiver
 
Nov 23, 2008 at 11:11 PM Post #3 of 9
Quote:

Originally Posted by Garret Jax /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Just use the Prelude -> Receiver. Are you using the Prelude to decode or the receiver? The prelude has pretty good analog outs on it.


I go
Prelude Through Optical to the Receiver
 
Nov 24, 2008 at 12:00 AM Post #4 of 9
Quote:

Originally Posted by Shizdan /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I go
Prelude Through Optical to the Receiver



Why are you considering getting the Zero? Strictly for the DAC? So your sound card doesn't do the decoding? People talk about the noise inside a PC as degrading analog sound quality so maybe there's something to this, and with the Zero you can upgrade the OP Amps and other components, but personally I would stick with what you've got. I had an HT Omega Claro + that I used as my DAC and I now have a Zero that I use as my DAC and they sound different but equally good IMHO.
 
Nov 24, 2008 at 5:17 AM Post #5 of 9
I never heard the zero, but I had an upgraded zhaolu before getting the prelude. The stock preluded sounded marginally better than the zhaolu, so I got rid of it. Later I upgraded the opamp to a moon hdam and now it's leaps and bounds above anything the zhaolu could do. Keep your money, or use it to upgrade other components.
 
Nov 24, 2008 at 7:45 AM Post #6 of 9
OP - if you're using optical out you could possibly even get rid of the Auzen and try the onboard. Do you use it for HT stuff or just 2 channel?

Quote:

Originally Posted by moodyrn /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I never heard the zero, but I had an upgraded zhaolu before getting the prelude. The stock preluded sounded marginally better than the zhaolu, so I got rid of it. Later I upgraded the opamp to a moon hdam and now it's leaps and bounds above anything the zhaolu could do. Keep your money, or use it to upgrade other components.


You put a moon HDAM on your Auzen Prelude? I want to make sure I understand what you meant correctly...if so that's pretty sweet
biggrin.gif
Were you able to compare the Moon on the Zhaolu vs on the Prelude?
 
Nov 24, 2008 at 8:48 AM Post #8 of 9
Looking at this one again it seems to me the question is whether the Zero or the Marantz receiver has a better DAC section because all he'd be doing is using the Zero for the DAC instead of the Marantz.

Maybe if you want to add the Zero as a HA in the loop for headphone listening without using the Marantz it makes sense. But since the Marantz is 'HT' I might assume he runs surround material through the Prelude, so you'd have to set it up so that different connection types do different tasks. One S/PDIF type for the surround material straight in to the Marantz and the other in to the Zero for HA use.
 
Nov 24, 2008 at 9:00 AM Post #9 of 9
Quote:

Originally Posted by MadMan007 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Looking at this one again it seems to me the question is whether the Zero or the Marantz receiver has a better DAC section because all he'd be doing is using the Zero for the DAC instead of the Marantz.

Maybe if you want to add the Zero as a HA in the loop for headphone listening without using the Marantz it makes sense. But since the Marantz is 'HT' I might assume he runs surround material through the Prelude, so you'd have to set it up so that different connection types do different tasks. One S/PDIF type for the surround material straight in to the Marantz and the other in to the Zero for HA use.



yeah, and a modern multi-channel D/A is a few grand for a discrete unit (Grace m906 for the extreme, Rotel/Outlaw processor for the rest)

I would keep the Prelude as is, just because it doesn't have a ton of fancy boxes and cables on your desk, its still an amazingly high quality piece of kit, especially in its price range
 

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