Zishan Z4 - DAP with Dual DAC ES9038Q2M | Dual AMP OPA1622 | USB 32-bit + DSD | Bluetooth LDAC 24-bit | Balanced 2,5/4,4 | LO/PO 3,5mm

[Setmagic]

That's right, the smaller the better.
But there is a rule that can help.
The source must have an output impedance 8 times lower than the connected load, so that the influence is not negative.

It is perfectly explained in this old article:

https://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/headphone-amp-impedance.html

Sometimes output impedance can be helpful as well. Every single driver have different impedance to frequency response graph and sometimes 10-100x bigger output impedance than usual 0,1-2 ohm can sound better for us.
As a @cqtek mention there is solid article about that.

Everything depends on our preferences and headphones that we have.
Studio headphones and vintage hi-end like 120ohm output impedance because they was design for it. Most modern headphones with dynamic or orthodynamic driver sounds nice from 0-10 ohm.
High output impedance and destroy multi driver and armature/electret ones.
IEMs and CIEMs don't need any amplification bigger than standard DAC + Opamp up to 100mW.

@sndr666 I'm really happy to see new enthusiast here
Due a lot of reported problems with Zishans around the world I just fall back with this devices.
Z4 was a hope for new refresh of DIY but it's nothing more than disappointment for me.
Z3 is all You need for DIY mods. It's cheap as first and nice as player. DSDs is overpriced but stronger for big boys headphones, both have similar topology now so for me there is no advanced of DSDs for now.

I have contact with Zishan and there is no plans to open source a firmware (operating system). It's hardware encrypted and it's impossible to change it now.

For now I see hope for BT devices and DACs of all kinds more than players.
I'm happy user of EarStudio.

 

[C4PPY]

Does they Z4 support AptX Adaptive?

 

[LaughMoreDaily]

Due a lot of reported problems with Zishans around the world I just fall back with this devices.
Z4 was a hope for new refresh of DIY but it's nothing more than disappointment for me.

Is there a list/post of the various problems of the Z4?

My favorite version of theirs was the Z3 but it had the worst build quality and broke quickly (loose 3.5mm jack).

I assume Zishan has said goodbye to it's portable music players.

 

[Merlin-PT]

I assume Zishan has said goodbye to it's portable music players.

I don't have any information about Zishan, but there were a combination of factors, the ICs shortage (still affects STM32 soc/cpu) and AK DAC factory burned in a fire.
Recently AK started shipping some of the affected DAC models and has redesigned AK4490R, AK4493S, etc.
I took a look at some USA electronic components sellers and notice the above models had stock and the prices are equivalent to the old prices.
So maybe there is hope.
Personally my favorites were Z2 and Z3 (ak4493), I like their price/sound quality ratio.
I would buy a new edition of ak4493s if the price was equivalent to before.

 

[POKILPO]

Hello, I am having a problem with my zishan z4 I think it got bricked so tried to update the firmware. Using the method of factory resisting it with out a card in then putting the z4app.bin (V0.3 from zishan.ru) into an sd card and inserting it and turning it on. But it is just stuck in Get and check firmware...
Is there any way of fixing this?

 

[Setmagic]

Does they Z4 support AptX Adaptive?

I don't think so it's not needed if You have AptX and LDAC.
You can force device to stream Adaptive and see if will.be connected.
Smartphones are tricky and if signal is 16-bit it will stream AptX and if 24-bit will be AptX HD or LDAC if supported.

Is there a list/post of the various problems of the Z4?

My favorite version of theirs was the Z3 but it had the worst build quality and broke quickly (loose 3.5mm jack).

I assume Zishan has said goodbye to it's portable music players.

On the first post in thread. Plus various hardware problems can be show during usage. And it can be everything... Most common is bricked or no sound.

Hello, I am having a problem with my zishan z4 I think it got bricked so tried to update the firmware. Using the method of factory resisting it with out a card in then putting the z4app.bin (V0.3 from zishan.ru) into an sd card and inserting it and turning it on. But it is just stuck in Get and check firmware...
Is there any way of fixing this?

It's bricked right now and You try to instal software?
1. If it's bricked now it will be. There is probably some cold solder on chip.
You can try repair it by yourself or give it to professionals.
2. If it's bricked during installation of firmware probably it's a problem with aborted during installation.
Some part of firmware exist in memory and got a crash.

 

[ImanolHP]

¡Hola! He estado viendo distintos reviews del hilo principal y no encuentro la información exacta ¿Hasta cuantos gb soporta este dispositivo?, según las reviews que he leído son aprox 256gb.
¿Hay alguien que lo haya probado con mas almacenamiento y comprobado que sea compatible ?

//

Hello! I have been seeing different reviews of the main thread and I cannot find the exact information. Up to how many GB does this device support? According to the reviews I have read, it is approximately 256GB.

Is there anyone who has tested it with more storage and verified that it is compatible?


Gracias por la ayuda // Thanks for the help

 

[Unolord]

¡Hola! He estado viendo distintos reviews del hilo principal y no encuentro la información exacta ¿Hasta cuantos gb soporta este dispositivo?, según las reviews que he leído son aprox 256gb.
¿Hay alguien que lo haya probado con mas almacenamiento y comprobado que sea compatible ?

//

Hello! I have been seeing different reviews of the main thread and I cannot find the exact information. Up to how many GB does this device support? According to the reviews I have read, it is approximately 256GB.

Is there anyone who has tested it with more storage and verified that it is compatible?


Gracias por la ayuda // Thanks for the help

I've had a 400GB card in mine since day one. No issues. Have not tried a 512.

 

[InvisibleInk]

I've had a 400GB card in mine since day one. No issues. Have not tried a 512.

Question I have is how many songs (tracks) it can store on the card before it chokes on starting up.

 

[XTF1]

Not directly related to Z4 (or the DSD) but maybe a preview of an updated Z4...???
Zishan just released the MD3, the latest version of their MD1/MD2 desktop DAPs, which are closely related to the Z4:, especially the MD2 dual-ES9038Q2M.. The MD3 is single ES9038Q2M (no AKM...), with a socketed JRC2068 ($51 on AliExpress) or MUSES02 ($61). It does not have the balanced high-power HPA of the Z4. There a new UAC2-compliant USB interface replacing the Amanero and a new ESP32-based Bluetooth module. This appears to be all Zishan-proprietary, so not really exciting unless Zishan opens their software.

 

[Unolord]

¡Hola! He estado viendo distintos reviews del hilo principal y no encuentro la información exacta ¿Hasta cuantos gb soporta este dispositivo?, según las reviews que he leído son aprox 256gb.
¿Hay alguien que lo haya probado con mas almacenamiento y comprobado que sea compatible ?

//

Hello! I have been seeing different reviews of the main thread and I cannot find the exact information. Up to how many GB does this device support? According to the reviews I have read, it is approximately 256GB.

Is there anyone who has tested it with more storage and verified that it is compatible?


Gracias por la ayuda // Thanks for the help

I've had a 400GB card in mine since day one. No issues. Have not tried a 512.

Question I have is how many songs (tracks) it can store on the card before it chokes on starting up.

I have over 4700 files on mine. A mix of FLAC, DSF and ISO. The Z4 is very barebones and basic. It doesn't scan like my Sony or Fiio DAPs do. It's just a folder tree that you scroll through to get to the album or song you want to play.

 

[InvisibleInk]

I have over 4700 files on mine. A mix of FLAC, DSF and ISO. The Z4 is very barebones and basic. It doesn't scan like my Sony or Fiio DAPs do. It's just a folder tree that you scroll through to get to the album or song you want to play.

I’m coming from the also very basic ZiShan DSDs. That one does some kind of scan at startup, and if there are too many files on the card, it just chokes and never finishes starting up. That’s why I ask.

 

[Unolord]

¡Hola! He estado viendo distintos reviews del hilo principal y no encuentro la información exacta ¿Hasta cuantos gb soporta este dispositivo?, según las reviews que he leído son aprox 256gb.
¿Hay alguien que lo haya probado con mas almacenamiento y comprobado que sea compatible ?

//

Hello! I have been seeing different reviews of the main thread and I cannot find the exact information. Up to how many GB does this device support? According to the reviews I have read, it is approximately 256GB.

Is there anyone who has tested it with more storage and verified that it is compatible?


Gracias por la ayuda // Thanks for the help

I've had a 400GB card in mine since day one. No issues. Have not tried a 512.

Question I have is how many songs (tracks) it can store on the card before it chokes on starting up.

I have over 4700 files on mine. A mix of FLAC, DSF and ISO. The Z4 is very barebones and basic. It doesn't scan like my Sony or Fiio DAPs do. It's just a folder tree that you scroll through to get to the album or song you want to play.

I’m coming from the also very basic ZiShan DSDs. That one does some kind of scan at startup, and if there are too many files on the card, it just chokes and never finishes starting up. That’s why I ask.

Ah, I see.

I put in my 512 card from my Sony. Over 9000 songs. No issues that I could see. Everything was displayed quickly. No problem with playback or changing folders.

 

[InvisibleInk]

I've had a 400GB card in mine since day one. No issues. Have not tried a 512.

I have over 4700 files on mine. A mix of FLAC, DSF and ISO. The Z4 is very barebones and basic. It doesn't scan like my Sony or Fiio DAPs do. It's just a folder tree that you scroll through to get to the album or song you want to play.

Ah, I see.

I put in my 512 card from my Sony. Over 9000 songs. No issues that I could see. Everything was displayed quickly. No problem with playback or changing folders.

That’s awesome. Thanks for testing that for us.

 

[LaughMoreDaily]

Not directly related to Z4 (or the DSD) but maybe a preview of an updated Z4...???
Zishan just released the MD3, the latest version of their MD1/MD2 desktop DAPs, which are closely related to the Z4:, especially the MD2 dual-ES9038Q2M.. The MD3 is single ES9038Q2M (no AKM...), with a socketed JRC2068 ($51 on AliExpress) or MUSES02 ($61). It does not have the balanced high-power HPA of the Z4. There a new UAC2-compliant USB interface replacing the Amanero and a new ESP32-based Bluetooth module. This appears to be all Zishan-proprietary, so not really exciting unless Zishan opens their software.

No fun without a link.