View Full Version : Audio Note DAC-Zero. Upgraded!
As the title!
I bought this from jonboy here on the forum , it was either NOS or factory refurbished. I forget which, and it's in spotless condition. Since then I've played with a few modifications and ended up with: Schottky rectifier diodes, a JLH 'ripple eater' in the valve heater supply, Obbligato Gold Premium coupling cap's, and last but by no means least, an Audiocom SuperReg replacing the standard LM7805 voltage regulator.
Now, to be honest, the diodes and ripple eater only made a tiny difference, but the caps and super regulator really raised the bar! It's now a very musical DAC indeed IMHO!
I'm looking for £300 (or very close offers) plus postage at cost. I have the original box so safe shipping is not a problem and I'll also include one of my digital interconnects. Not any old one, mind you, but my very own cable from my own system. This, of course, is obviously made with extra snake oil and powdered Unicorn horn! ;)
I can post pictures but it's really just "a black box" to look at! :rolleyes:
How about posting pics of the 'innards' instead, where all the work has been done? ;)
Marco.
Work, work, work..... will it ever end! :rolleyes:
Lol - it'd be a good way of illustrating what potential buyers are getting for their dosh! :)
Marco.
P.S Did you get my PM, regarding the addy?
Yes, but I'm bloody listening to it as I type!
Now I've got to go and re-jig things to keep the music going, take it out, open it up, take some photo's, upload them to the PC, convert them to jpeg, resize them, upload to imageshack, etc. etc. etc. :doh:
P.S. Yes, I've been in touch with Barry. Thanks.
Cool - good luck with the sale :)
Marco.
Oh my you have been busy with the mods Mike , nice dacs these and very musical
ATB
Sounds good! Let's see its guts then, daftee.... :eyebrows:
Marco.
Sounds good! Let's see its guts then, daftee.... :eyebrows:
Marco.
Later.... I'm enjoying myself too much" :ner:
Not really bothered if this doesn't sell TBH! :rolleyes:
Hehehe... Sounds like it might be hard to replace!
What valves does it use, btw?
Marco.
Right, here we go...
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/4537/img0665ke.jpg
By shian7 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/shian7) at 2012-05-02
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/8000/img0665vc.jpg
By shian7 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/shian7) at 2012-05-02
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/4472/img0666qt.jpg
By shian7 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/shian7) at 2012-05-02
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/3396/img0662zr.jpg
By shian7 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/shian7) at 2012-05-02
http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/7786/img0663vh.jpg
By shian7 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/shian7) at 2012-05-02
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/3195/img0668cf.jpg
By shian7 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/shian7) at 2012-05-02
Very nice, Mike... What valve is that?
Marco.
Very nice, Mike... What valve is that?
It's a 6111WA.
Reid Malenfant
02-05-2012, 20:23
Love the layout, looks like individual ground planes! Very well thought through imho.
If I was looking for a DAC I'd have that assuming you still want to sell it Mike, you look as though you aren't too sure :eyebrows:
Love the layout, looks like individual ground planes! Very well thought through imho.
If I was looking for a DAC I'd have that assuming you still want to sell it Mike, you look as though you aren't too sure :eyebrows:
I'm only considering selling coz I've set my sights a little higher and I've dipped a little too far into my pre-amp fund... I've bought a few too many 'toys' lately! :rolleyes:
Ali Tait
02-05-2012, 20:41
Nice dac mate, I used to have one too , good luck with the sale. This is a very good dac folks!
What are you replacing it with?
Ali Tait
02-05-2012, 20:44
Very nice, Mike... What valve is that?
Marco.
6111WA mate, which. I'm pretty sure is a miniature version equiv. of ECC82. Fairly sure I read that somewhere!
Canetoad
03-05-2012, 06:51
Yes, I have Ali's now. Sounds very nice too! :)
Yours does look good in black. Mine is silver.
wee tee cee
09-05-2012, 00:23
I heard ALIs at his place.....best dac I have so far heard, would love to give it a good home.....
Tony.
RochaCullen
09-05-2012, 14:32
Anybody compared this with a Caiman?
Nathan
would love to give it a good home.....
Go ahead! :D
Ali Tait
09-05-2012, 17:28
Anybody compared this with a Caiman?
Nathan
Yep. It does the valve thing unsurprisingly, better/wider soundstage and a smoother sound but no loss of detail.
*Withdrawn*
This has been a bit poorly lately, it developed a rustling noise on one channel. Jonboy sent me a new valve for it and now it's working flawlessly! :)
Not only has the noise completely disappeared, but it's now such an obvious improvement over the analogue output of my Shanling UFO that I've decided to keep it!
At least until I can lay my hands on something better! :eek:
Cheers...
Ali Tait
19-06-2012, 19:21
Ask Nick to make you one of his AK4396 valve dacs mate. ;)
I might! :) How much as a starting point?
Ali Tait
19-06-2012, 19:55
Dunno, ask Nick. :)
The O'Netics output trannies are not cheap though.
This has been a bit poorly lately, it developed a rustling noise on one channel. Jonboy sent me a new valve for it and now it's working flawlessly!
Glad that you got to the bottom of it. Ian and I had a feeling that it was the valve! :)
Marco.
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