[raabje]

I just received my Z3 with ES9038. First impression is good, nice small form factor, it's a DSDs junior.

I popped in a Muses 8920. I don't know if the stock LM4562NA is good or bad, listened only to it for 15 minutes. With the 8920 I have no complaints.

 

[saatya]

I have received zishan z3 ak4490 few days back I have paired it up with kz zs10(a warm sounding iem with recessed mids, 25 ohms). Sound stage, separation and bass is good but I feel like accuracy is missing for some instruments and some instruments are very laid back that they are virtually non existent.
I thought I would like stock zishan z3 but I am not . I guess I have to start modding it.

Finding a genuine opamp is very difficult in India.
I can order some caps from AliExpress and try them
Anyone know if zishan z3 has output resistance greater than 100 ohm issue same as ziahan z1, zishan z2.
Did any one try to fix the output resistance issue with replacing output resistance with a capacitor of 1000 uf or replace resistor with less than 32 ohm resistor?

Thanks in advance

hi naresh , i m thinking of buying an mp3 player under 5000 to 6000rs is zishan z3 ak4493 advisable in this price range, and can u share your experience with this device compare to competition in india. plz reply soon

 

[saatya]

I have received zishan z3 ak4490 few days back I have paired it up with kz zs10(a warm sounding iem with recessed mids, 25 ohms). Sound stage, separation and bass is good but I feel like accuracy is missing for some instruments and some instruments are very laid back that they are virtually non existent.
I thought I would like stock zishan z3 but I am not . I guess I have to start modding it.

Finding a genuine opamp is very difficult in India.
I can order some caps from AliExpress and try them
Anyone know if zishan z3 has output resistance greater than 100 ohm issue same as ziahan z1, zishan z2.
Did any one try to fix the output resistance issue with replacing output resistance with a capacitor of 1000 uf or replace resistor with less than 32 ohm resistor?

Thanks in advance

ZiShan Z3 & Z3 Pro
Third generation DAP of the Z series, now with screen

Z3
Featuring;

- PCM playback up to 32bit/192kHz
- Native DSD 256
- AK4490EQ VERITA DAC
- STM32F427 controller up to 180MHz
- 3.5mm output
- 3.5mm Line out
- 0.96" OLED display, 5 physical buttons
- 3.7V 1500mAh battery
- 256GB max. SD Card expansion (FAT32 required)
- Sound filter option available
- 180 EQ, custom preset available (Careful here)
- Can be act as USB DAC (External soundcard)
- Micro USB port
- Mini size

Z3 Pro
Featuring;

- PCM playback up to 32bit/192kHz
- Native DSD 256
- AK4493EQ DAC
- STM32F427 controller up to 180MHz
- 3.5mm output
- 3.5mm Line out
- 0.96" OLED display, 5 physical buttons
- 3.7V 1500mAh battery
- 256GB max. SD Card expansion (FAT32 required)
- Sound filter option available
- 180 EQ, custom preset available (Careful here)
- Can be act as USB DAC (External soundcard)
- Micro USB port
- Mini size

Difference
The only difference I can tell so far is the DAC chip itself, and the firmware. The AK4493EQ supports 6 sound color, but the firmware doesn't yet to support all of the potential from AK4493EQ. Fingers crossed, that they'll make a new firmware that supports 4493's potential.

Pics
Z3

~ Front


~ Inside


~ Block diagram


~ Sound color menu


~ User interface


Z3 Pro

~ Front


~ Format support


~ Sound color menu


~ User interface


Links:
Get Z3 here on AE: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New...hone-Amplifier-DAC-AK4490-Z2/32846257503.html
Get Z3 Pro here on AE: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/AK-...-Support-Headphone-Amplifier/32979832988.html
Firmware: http://zishan.ru/ (Прошивки официальные is the official firmware, the first link is for the baidu.pan official zishan link, where the .rar one is the direct link.) How to update: extract the rar file, you'll get z3app.bin. The .bin file is the firmware itself, and the .txt is the manual but in chinese. Move the .bin file to the root of your sd card (make sure the sd card is empty first). Insert the sd card, turn on the player, wait for a minute, then turn off player, remove sd card, delete the .bin file. Now you can add music all the way you want.

NOTE:
I know that ZiShan Z3 is getting a bit old, but there's no official thread for Z3 in head-fi yet, so I created this new thread. Z3 is old but good. Also. statements that I wrote above are based from my observations on the link above only. I haven't ordered the unit yet, so there's a lot of possibilities that these statements can be false. So for you guys that already place an order or even already use the unit, please help me by comment down below to correct me if there's any . Let's discuss this player.

God bless.

Hi i m satya from India, i m planning to buy an Hi-Fi Player UNDER 6000rs = ( 100$ ),
1- any suggestion and
2- how is zishan z3 compare to lg quad dac and Fiio M5 and Shaling M0 (sound quality)

 

[numon]

hi
when in usb dac mode,how is battery use?

 

[raabje]

Hi i m satya from India, i m planning to buy an Hi-Fi Player UNDER 6000rs = ( 100$ ),
1- any suggestion and
2- how is zishan z3 compare to lg quad dac and Fiio M5 and Shaling M0 (sound quality)

I stepped in very late into Zishan DAP's, and I am no expert at all, but I did some research and what I know is:

It all started with the Z1, I have bought this one, and it's a good DAP, if you can handle the interface (no screen, just buttons), and if you change the opamp, the Z1 will sound great. People discribe this DAP as muscial, and the mid frequency is boosted

Then the Z2 came as an improvement of the Z1, with AK4490 DAC, people describe this as better sounding but with a V-shape sound, so mid is less pronounced. And the top end could be a bit more harsh than Z1. But with an other opamp all this can change.

Z3 with AK4490 is a Z2 with a screen, and the Z3 pro is a Z2 with a screen and AK4493. Because of the fire at the AKM factory these Z2 and Z3 versions are not available anymore. Maybe some old stock somewhere?

I have bought a Z3 with ES9038 chip and it's a nice player. I changed the opamp and I don't have complaints. But I also have a DSDs with dual CS DAC, with a new opamp, and the difference is that the DSDs sounds more 3D, there is sound stage front to back and left to right. I think the Z3 has less front to back. And the high frequencies are a bit harsh or crushed, for example a hihat, the DSDs plays this more clean, the Z3 sounds a bit crushed in certain songs. I don't know if this is the opamp I am hearing or the DAC and the circuit by itself.

The beauty of ther Zishan players is that you can change the opamp to get a better sound, I guess M5 and M0 don't allow this, and you are stuck to the basic sound they offer. If you can solder and have some understanding in electronics there are more possibilities for improvement.

 

[raabje]

I just installed a Burson V5i-D in the Z3 ES9038 (instead of a Muses 8920).



My first initial impression is that this is a solid opamp, full sounding, instrument separation is great, vocals are strong. I have two, the other Burson is for my Z1.

 

[saatya]

I stepped in very late into Zishan DAP's, and I am no expert at all, but I did some research and what I know is:

It all started with the Z1, I have bought this one, and it's a good DAP, if you can handle the interface (no screen, just buttons), and if you change the opamp, the Z1 will sound great. People discribe this DAP as muscial, and the mid frequency is boosted

Then the Z2 came as an improvement of the Z1, with AK4490 DAC, people describe this as better sounding but with a V-shape sound, so mid is less pronounced. And the top end could be a bit more harsh than Z1. But with an other opamp all this can change.

Z3 with AK4490 is a Z2 with a screen, and the Z3 pro is a Z2 with a screen and AK4493. Because of the fire at the AKM factory these Z2 and Z3 versions are not available anymore. Maybe some old stock somewhere?

I have bought a Z3 with ES9038 chip and it's a nice player. I changed the opamp and I don't have complaints. But I also have a DSDs with dual CS DAC, with a new opamp, and the difference is that the DSDs sounds more 3D, there is sound stage front to back and left to right. I think the Z3 has less front to back. And the high frequencies are a bit harsh or crushed, for example a hihat, the DSDs plays this more clean, the Z3 sounds a bit crushed in certain songs. I don't know if this is the opamp I am hearing or the DAC and the circuit by itself.

The beauty of ther Zishan players is that you can change the opamp to get a better sound, I guess M5 and M0 don't allow this, and you are stuck to the basic sound they offer. If you can solder and have some understanding in electronics there are more possibilities for improvement.

can you suggest me earphones that goes better with this DAC under 4000rs ( 60$), ri8 know i use soundmagic e80.

 

[raabje]

I am sorry I don't know. I don't use IEM's. I use a Sennheider HD560S at the moment for critical listening.

 

[Mimikozala]

What's the difference of z3 with es9038 from z3 Ak4490 can i use the z3.04 firmware on both zishan?

 

[Merlin-PT]

You can use V0.4 firmware in z3 Ak4490.
I don't have the Z3(ES9038Q2M).

I have all Z1,Z2 and Z3, except the Z3(ES9038Q2M).
In those (after modded) my classification for sound quality is:
Z3(ak4493) >> Z3(ak4490) = Z2(ak4490) >> Z1(ES9023)

I'm not sure yet where to position Z3(CS43198) regarding the Z3(ak4490), I like it a lot but I didn't had time to compare them.
The Z3(ak4493) is (much) better than Z3(CS43198) or any of the others, but all the others (after modded) are very good on their own. I enjoy listening to them all very much.

All my zishans are modded, so these observations don't reflect the stock experience.

 

[Mimikozala]

My problem is I upgraded my zishan z3 with the 0.4 firmware then its stops working...there still a display but no sound coming out from the unit..

 

[raabje]

My Z3 with ES DAC has firmware 0.5.

On my DSD with ES DAC I tried an earlier firmware, and the sound dissapeared. With the newest firmware the sound came back. So I assume the ES DAC chip needs it´s own firmware on Z3 and DSD.

 

[Merlin-PT]

My problem is I upgraded my zishan z3 with the 0.4 firmware then its stops working...there still a display but no sound coming out from the unit..

It's what raabje said, if you put V0.4 FW in the Z3 ES9038Q2M, you need to put FW V0.5 back, sound will be back.

Contact the seller, explain what happened and ask him for Z3(ES9038Q2M) V0.5 FW files, then share the files with us.

 

[raabje]

I have received this file from NiceHKC, they got the file from Zishan. It's a Z3 firmware file. I asked for the ES DAC DSD firmware and they send me this, that was a mistake.

Maybe it is 0.5 for Z3, I don't know, I haven't used it since my Z3 has 0.5 already. I am not familiair with the Z3 flash procedure. Use at your own risk, but when there is no sound, there is no risk trying.

 

[Merlin-PT]

@raabje

Thanks for sharing.
It is as you suspected the Zishan Z3 V0.5 FW.

It works in my Z3(ak4490) and in my Z3(CS43198), music plays, but I didn't compared the sound quality (I don't have time to listen now).
I don't have the Z3(ES9038Q2M).
We don't have the change log to know what changed beside the ES9038Q2M support.