[IcedFrosty]

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.

 

[Merlin-PT]

https://velvetsound.akm.com/global/en/products/home-audio/

AK4490:
https://www.akm.com/akm/en/product/datasheet1/?partno=AK4490EQ

AK4493:
https://www.akm.com/akm/en/product/datasheet1/?partno=AK4493EQ

 

[Necron99]

English translated instructions for the Z3

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1530307/Zishan-Z3.html#manual


NOTE: UPDATED! 9-23-19

 

[Merlin-PT]

I forgot to take a picture of the screen side.

Spoiler: Z3 PCB photo AK4493 side (factory default/no changes)

Z3 has +- the same circuit design of Z2, some obvious differences are:
Z3 has a oled screen and ak4493 dac (in the model I bought).
Z2 has no screen, a volume potentiometer, ak4490 dac and a big power supply reserve capacitor (1000uF).
In Z3 that big power supply cap is just missing and I think maybe more power reserve is needed.

In my Z3, as in my Z2, I replaced both the opamps for genuine brands and the PO audio caps for genuine nichicon gold.
After these replacements the Z2 sound is just perfect for me, but in Z3 only the LO sound was perfect for me, the PO lacked a bit of control in bass.

So I decided to copy Z2 idea and increase the PO opamp power supply reserve cap (I "overdid" this ideia).
I also did a lot of other changes, so I can't say what did what, but I can say it fixed the lack of control I had in PO bass.
I also soldered a low profile SOIC8 socket (had to trim a bit of the socket plastic to fit), so I can change both opamps.

After I unglue the batt. I need to secure it again but not in direct contact with cpu heat, so I put some rubber feet on the battery to create some space between the battery and the PCB CPU.
It elevates the battery to the other side, there's no direct contact between the CPU to the batt, so it minimizes the heat transfer from the cpu to the batt.

Spoiler: Some changes I did to my Z3

 

[Necron99]

Ladies and gentlemen, I have a question concerning playback on the Z3? I'm I the only person that has this thing freeze, stop, black out at random? Or is it the various formats of my music files that drive this thing crazy? Any and all help is appreciated!

 

[IcedFrosty]

Ladies and gentlemen, I have a question concerning playback on the Z3? I'm I the only person that has this thing freeze, stop, black out at random? Or is it the various formats of my music files that drive this thing crazy? Any and all help is appreciated!

First of all, what is your SD Card class type? Is it under class 10? Second, what is the format of it? Zishan requires FAT32 partition format, so if you don't format that way, you should re-format it. Third, what is the music format on your song library?

I don't have Z3, so I hope people here will help you.

Good day

 

[Belrat]

Ladies and gentlemen, I have a question concerning playback on the Z3? I'm I the only person that has this thing freeze, stop, black out at random? Or is it the various formats of my music files that drive this thing crazy? Any and all help is appreciated![/QUOTE]

I myself had the problem that the Z3 doesn't play m4a-files (Apple). In the case you use the player in random-mode it stops and shuts down when a m4a-file is selected. Furthermore no problems.

Groetjes,

 

[silverfishla]

Ladies and gentlemen, I have a question concerning playback on the Z3? I'm I the only person that has this thing freeze, stop, black out at random? Or is it the various formats of my music files that drive this thing crazy? Any and all help is appreciated!

I have encountered random lock ups on MP3 files every so often. I don’t know why. Not Flac though or DSD.

 

[Necron99]

Thanks for the replies, I'll unify my files under 1 or 2 formats.

Thanks again!

 

[naresh6]

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

 

[silverfishla]

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

Most of what you talk about as being problematic is solved by getting the Z3 with the 4493 DAC.

 

[manito]

hi, i cant find how to reset my Z3, can you tell me guys..? thanks

 

[Merlin-PT]

To reset: Power off, keep pressing left key, power on, wait for boot, release key.

 

[citral23]

Most of what you talk about as being problematic is solved by getting the Z3 with the 4493 DAC.

Do you mean the AK4493 version has lower output impedance than the AK4490?

 

[silverfishla]

Do you mean the AK4493 version has lower output impedance than the AK4490?

I was referring to the first part of your post where you mention some of the sounds being distant. The Ak4493 has a more even sound to it. More of the levels are on equal value, so you can hear more of what’s going on compared to the 4490 version.
As far as the oi, I can’t be sure, but it does seem more controlled than the Z2 for more sensitive IEMs.