[thislittlepiggy]

Zhaolu D2 v. Lite DAC-Ah

anyone know which DAC is better?

 

[device manager]

Send me yours and I will do a comparison.

 

[global]

I have them both and I am trying to decide at the moment.

I am certain that the Zhaolu is more accurate and its detail retrieval seems superior....

..and yet there is something (coloured, inaccurate perhaps) completely addictive about the DAC-AH. It seems to give more presence, more 'you are there' feeling than the Zhaolu (AD1852 DAC).

I cannot conscientiously advise you - this is one you have to decide for yourself!

Not very helpful I know. Sorry!

 

[thislittlepiggy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by device manager Send me yours and I will do a comparison.

thx for the input global. i really think my DAC-Ah ups the amount of bass which helps offset the K701's lack thereof. Details seem to be a little muddled up to me tho.

 

[Gone4T]

Quote:

Originally Posted by global I am certain that the Zhaolu is more accurate and its detail retrieval seems superior.... ..and yet there is something (coloured, inaccurate perhaps) completely addictive about the DAC-AH. It seems to give more presence, more 'you are there' feeling than the Zhaolu (AD1852 DAC).

Yes,I've have both too and agree with you the Lite Dac-AH has a majical addictive quality which was quite a revelation when I first used it but the Zhaolu has that clinical detailed edge which can be tailored to ones taste through dac (board changes,maybe the 1794 in the future) and op-amps swops.

 

[jimholt]

Havent heard the Zhaolu but heard the Dac-Ah combined with the Esound and well slightly better than the Esound's dac. A friend did a mod on another Dac-Ah and it was impressive with faster timing and the bass was stunningly real with drums and bass guitar just so realistic you could almost sense the shape and size of the instruments. I think in the near future i will get one for my system. Jim.

 

[thislittlepiggy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimholt Havent heard the Zhaolu but heard the Dac-Ah combined with the Esound and well slightly better than the Esound's dac. A friend did a mod on another Dac-Ah and it was impressive with faster timing and the bass was stunningly real with drums and bass guitar just so realistic you could almost sense the shape and size of the instruments. I think in the near future i will get one for my system. Jim.

i get a bit giddy when it comes to modding, but i'm curious as to what mod your friend did on his DAC-Ah. Could it be the passive mod?

@Gone4T: wow, two DAC-Ah's! *drool*

 

[J-Pak]

I've been thinking of down grading to a DAC-AH for a while now. Seems like it would pair well with my STAX. But I've read reports that in stock form the high frequencies can get a little grainy.

 

[jimholt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by thislittlepiggy i get a bit giddy when it comes to modding, but i'm curious as to what mod your friend did on his DAC-Ah. Could it be the passive mod? @Gone4T: wow, two DAC-Ah's! *drool*

I am in the same boat as you regards to modding I think he changed the caps and are they called resistors those tiny things with differant coloured stripes across them. Also upgraded the power side of it too. Used silver wire for as many connections as possible. The Dac-Ah is quite cheap and the parts for the mods dont cost much so you get a really good upgrade for your money.Jim.

 

[Firam]

If you wanted to start modding the first step would be to do the passive mod.

Mine:


Some talk about it here:
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=166545
and here:
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=180271

It isn't that hard. I just had some problems with a ground loop on the RCA jack but I figured it out.

 

[thislittlepiggy]

alrighty... time to get me a soldering iron and some solder. any suggestions?

edit: i'm also looking for suggestions on which resistors, caps, and wire to use. i know almost next to nothing about circuitry other than the stuff from my high school physics (which was my weakest subject). =)

 

[thislittlepiggy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimholt I am in the same boat as you regards to modding I think he changed the caps and are they called resistors those tiny things with differant coloured stripes across them. Also upgraded the power side of it too. Used silver wire for as many connections as possible. The Dac-Ah is quite cheap and the parts for the mods dont cost much so you get a really good upgrade for your money.Jim.

i believe the resistors are those odd cylinder shaped things with stripes around them

ie.

 

[Gone4T]

Quote:

Originally Posted by thislittlepiggy @Gone4T: wow, two DAC-Ah's! *drool*

That photo isn't mine,I only have one Dac-AH although the Zhaolu D2 photo is an original.

An interesting mod to the AH I read was where an owner had drilled above the existing RCA outs holes for a 2nd pair of RCA's and then tapped @ R35 & R36 through film caps to these new outputs.

This sounds a likely mod I shall try maybe using Russian K75-24 2.2uF 400volt PIO's

 

[Ori]

Quote:

Originally Posted by thislittlepiggy Zhaolu D2 v. Lite DAC-Ah anyone know which DAC is better?

No need to guess. Just bring your modded DAC-Ah to the So Cal meet. If all goes well, there should be one seriously modded Zhaolu D2 in there...

 

[thislittlepiggy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ori No need to guess. Just bring your modded DAC-Ah to the So Cal meet. If all goes well, there should be one seriously modded Zhaolu D2 in there...

i guess that's the only way i'll ever know w/o having to buy and mod both =(