[Jimmysilvers]

I have just installed the headphone upgrade for my Zhalou 1.3 Dac. The installation was relatively trouble free. I used the very useful installation photos on the Zhalou site.here

The new headphone section not only improves the headphone output, it also allows you to by-pass the dac using the replacement phono board, which includes phono input.


Well how does it sound, my first test was listening to Led Zeppelin ‘Babe I’m gonna leave you’ using my sennheiser HD600s. Well as soon as I fired it up the Zhalou it became clear that there was a more airier sound to the last time I had heard this song. I was instantly aware of more detail than with the stock amp, I could hear the bass guitar and other sounds more clearly with the upgrade. It almost made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
There is a little bit of harshness, but I suspect that will go once I have let the amp burn-in a little. But so far I am very happy and excited about this upgrade.

As means of a fair test yesterday I compared the stock headphone output with the headphone output on my NAD C320BEE amp. Once the upgrade has burned in a little I plan to do the same comparison again. I will report my findings here.

Anyway I must make dinner and let the amp burn in a little. Keep you eyes peeled for an update.

James

 

[TigzStudio]

awesome!....

did you have any of the mods done to your Zhalou like clock, ps supply, and opamp?....

I may have to get the headphone upgrade after all..

 

[Jimmysilvers]

This is the only mod I have had done to the dac.

 

[Sean H]

Thanks, Jimmy. I went ahead and ordered one myself with the headphone amp upgrade. I plan to swap out the stock opamp chip for possibly an OPA627 but want to hear it's sonic virtues before deciding that (I like the 627 a lot myself). Good to hear the headphone amp upgrade seems to be good. I'll be using Grado HF-1's myself. It would really be interesting if this DAC/amp combo could compete with my Mapletree Purist and dAck 2.0, it would be cool to have a one box solution but it may just end up in a second system. Haven't heard too many people talk about differences between the optical and coaxial inputs. Tried any experimentation there? I've got a glass optical I may try out. Let us know how break in comes along. (I would suspect those Bennic caps could stand to be swapped out!

)

 

[RogerWilco]

Nice pictures.

You still would have enough room for the clock upgrade just not the power supply upgrade.

That is a huge board for the headphone section.Looks nice.

 

[Sean H]

Thanks for the heads up on the opamp, btw Roger. For some reason Zhalou tells the dealer I am getting the 1.3 DAC through they can only do the clock upgrade or the headphone amp upgrade but not both due to space. I thought it sounded odd but decided to go for the headphone amp upgrade. Reason I am not going through Lawrence is a friend of mine (who is Chinese) is having his brother (who lives in Shanghai) buy us a couple units for us and then shipping them here. It's amazing how cheap I am getting this DAC for (a good bit cheaper than Lawrence's already quite cheap prices).

 

[TigzStudio]

im thinkin about buying a second Zhalou , getting ALL the mods and the head amp upgrade.. and get another chasis for the power supply upgrade!!

just have to find a nice chasis tho.....any ideaS?

 

[RogerWilco]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean H Thanks for the heads up on the opamp, btw Roger. For some reason Zhalou tells the dealer I am getting the 1.3 DAC through they can only do the clock upgrade or the headphone amp upgrade but not both due to space. I thought it sounded odd but decided to go for the headphone amp upgrade. Reason I am not going through Lawrence is a friend of mine (who is Chinese) is having his brother (who lives in Shanghai) buy us a couple units for us and then shipping them here. It's amazing how cheap I am getting this DAC for (a good bit cheaper than Lawrence's already quite cheap prices).

Hello

I don't know how big there clock upgrade is,but the one from lawrence will fit in there with the headphone upgrade

 

[udo]

Hmm. Maybe it can fit but it would require custom work, I guess.
The clock is normally close to the DAC board. With some fiddling it can be done?

 

[Jimmysilvers]

I think roger is correct as Lawrence e-mailed me asking if I would be interested in the clock upgrade, so it must fit.

James

 

[Sean H]

It must be something Lawrence is able to custom work himself. Again my thing here is I am getting this through a Chinese dealer straight from Zhalou and Zhalou themselves say they can only do one or the other. It's odd but I couldn't pass up the price! Wish I had the clock upgrade but that's cool. Maybe I could have Lan mod it one day.

 

[TigzStudio]

only thing that wont fit with upgraded headphone amp is the power supply. I had asked Lawrence this question a while back..I think i stil have the email I will post it for your translation. It was a little hard to decode, but that is what I gathered.

 

[udo]

Maybe we need an 'intermediate' (by size?) headphone upgrade for the Zhaolu 1.3 DAC users that have power supply upgrades in place?

 

[TigzStudio]

I'l post some pics of the internals of my fully modded Zhalou, and do some measurements and post those as well...

if you could post the dimensions of the headpphone upgrade board that would be kool!