[uzziah]

Quote:

Originally Posted by udo So these pics mean that the replacable DAC-chip setup has materialised! Thanks very much for posting! (handmade boards?) The AD1852 is the preferred chip? Any possibilities for dual mono-mode DAC chips? Other upgrades and tweaks?

i believe the 1852 is the basic one, there are three possibilities, it's the one used in zhaolu 1

no way a machine soldered that

....i'm thinking that "3.5" hole in the middle is not a headphone jack

but rather so you don't put it on the wrong way; that's useful; so probably a piece of plastic will stick up on the main board

 

[chengzhe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by uzziah i believe the 1852 is the basic one, there are three possibilities, it's the one used in zhaolu 1

1852 < 4398 < 1794

 

[chengzhe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by uzziah i believe the 1852 is the basic one, there are three possibilities, it's the one used in zhaolu 1

1852 < 4398 < 1794

 

[chengzhe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by uzziah i believe the 1852 is the basic one, there are three possibilities, it's the one used in zhaolu 1

1852 < 4398 < 1794

 

[udo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chengzhe 1852 < 4398 < 1794

I just checked the 1794a datasheet. Does it sound as nice as the figures look?

 

[RogerWilco]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chengzhe 1852 < 4398 < 1794

Maybe the company can send me a unit to beta test

 

[chengzhe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RogerWilco Maybe the company can send me a unit to beta test

of course.
the picture comes from the simple of D2 and it was sent to me not you!

 

[nabwong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chengzhe of course. the photo is about D2 paired samples. but send me, isn't u.

Sorry, but i don't understand this.

 

[udo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nabwong Sorry, but i don't understand this.

The photo's are of a sample (prototype?) D2.
They were originally sent to Chengzhe.

 

[fatko]

the price is <1000RMB
arround 125usd

 

[roy_jones]

Quote:

Originally Posted by uzziah i just hope that it's a REAL audible improvement from version1, or at least not a downgrade in favor of more functionality. i wouldn't even wait for version2 except i'm sold on getting the upgraded headamp after seanH's comments. whether it measures up to our favorites: m3, danayhi, ppa, all that is hard to tell (i'd of course doubt it), but at the price, it's a heck of a steal, and sean said it's comparable to mapletree ear + (or some such thing) for $500

This pretty much captures my own considerations and concerns. One question, has anyone 'other' than Sean_H heard the upgraded headamp? What do we know about the upgraded headamp, in terms of specs and design? I'm not questioning Sean's credibility, and I'm encouraged and optimistic about his review of the integrated amp, but after reading the Lavry vs. Zhalou vs. Dac1 thread...I am a little skeptical about trusting popular opinion on some of this stuff. And by a little, I mean a lot.

It's hard for me to imagine how a 30 amp upgrade could compete on that level, when the parts alone for an M3, PPA, etc... cost much more than that. Not saying it can't be done...just that it makes me wonder. Because that's the primary reason I would hold off, too, in terms of timing of the purchase. I don't expect D2 to be a huge improvement on the first- but who knows. The different DAC boards are intriguing.

I'm trying to do a source/amp solution on the cheap- big time- so sadly this is an option I'm having to give more consideration than maybe I would like to...in a more ideal circumstance.

 

[Sean H]

I'm also very curious about what this new DAC will sound like. One would hope as good or better but given the significant redesign you have to wonder. It will be crap shoot. But you would think that they would carry the same sort of sound signature and be cognizent of all that.

As for the headphone amp upgrade. It's a no brainer given the price. I think I paid like $20 for the upgrade, that's nothing. Who cares if I am wrong? You know?

Honestly though, at least with my Grado HF-1's, the amp is very good. I've owned a slew of headphone amps in recent years and I can honestly tell you that it's very good. Fully discrete, fet design, it's really good. I tell you, I switch back and forth often between it and my Mapletree Purist and you have to listen very closely to hear their differences. The grain of salt to take with my comments is I am driving Grado's which most competant solid state amps can drive fairly easily. However if you know Grado's well and know their full capability then you know when a quality amp is behind them, you can hear them completely come alive. So at least with my cans this amp is very good. With Senn's? I don't know. But again, for $20, why would you even think twice for the love of god?

 

[RogerWilco]

I don't know about the headphone upgrade,but i have been preaching for 5 months now on how good the dac part is.Too bad i am not really into headphones anymore.You just can't beat a good 2 channel setup

Lawrence had told me many months ago that they may be coming out with a transport too--anyone know anything about this?I know they have an integrated amp that lawrence had and said sounds outstanding.

 

[Sean H]

Quote:

Originally Posted by roy_jones It's hard for me to imagine how a 30 amp upgrade could compete on that level, when the parts alone for an M3, PPA, etc... cost much more than that. Not saying it can't be done...just that it makes me wonder. Because that's the primary reason I would hold off, too, in terms of timing of the purchase. I don't expect D2 to be a huge improvement on the first- but who knows. The different DAC boards are intriguing.

Not trying to get defensive and I'm not taking your post offensive in any way at all. Few more points I want to make on the headphone amp upgrade. Let's disect it down, there may be some things we're not thinking of here.

First off you have to remember the cost of parts and labor in China versus the US or Canada. Major difference here. The same parts we buy here for $.35 or a dollar cost a couple cents US over there. Labor costs doesn't even need to be debated we know China's labor thing. While the headphone amp upgrade may only cost $30 it would cost MUCH more if made here. Apples and oranges. If a manufaturer here decided to make an exact duplicate of this amp over here, factoring in what he would have to pay for the parts HERE (or similar in quality found here) and what they would charge for American labor costs the amp would be a LOT more money.

Another point is this amp comes with no power supply or a chassis. Think about that. It's just the amp board. It connects to the supply in the Zhaolu and uses the Zhalou as a chassis. There's a big thing right there, a power supply and chassis is not included in that $30 price.

The design is a fully discrete fet based design. If done right discrete designs are very good (and they have done it right in this case). Apparently the headphone amp upgrade has received raves in Chinese boards. The torroidal supply behind it in the Zhaolu is likely no slouch for this amp either.

Another big thing to consider is the near direct connection between the amp and the DAC. You have eliminated the poor RCA interface and interconnect cables. That's a big deal right there. You keep the signal in the chassis as opposed to sending it out into a possibly noisy environment and the path is very short and to me this has to equal better sound.

So factor in the parts and labor costs in China, the fact the cost doesnt include a chassis or power supply, it has a quality power supply behind it and has nearly a direct connection to the source and you can start to see the big picture and why it might compare to my $500 Mapletree amp and possibly others you have mentioned.

 

[uzziah]

Quote:

Originally Posted by udo I just checked the 1794a datasheet. Does it sound as nice as the figures look?

i believe it is indeed highly regarded. used in vda1 or some such thing?

if indeed the 1794 is simply SUPERIOR, then i would see no reason to have the other two. i'd probably considerer going so far as to remove the black plastic connectors and solder it to the mainboard.