Zidoo Z1000 Pro – My High Definition Audio Experience (so far)

Discussion in 'HDD Media player(RTD 1619DR)' started by rozel, Feb 22, 2021.

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  1. Nice Monkey

    Nice Monkey Well-Known Member Beta test group

    Did not see a need for that. The DC voltage supplies are very standard. Getting it fitted is another matter.
     
  2. toshu

    toshu Member

    @rozel
    Great write up of your journey.
    As soon as I have my UAPP loaded and set up properly on my z9x, I'll provide more feedback.
    In the meantime, since I am primarily interested in using it for audiophile listening, I would like to comment on your evaluation of the sonic benefits of the different hires files, especially DSD. Its unclear from my reading of your posts whether you were able to listen to the exact same song, in various digital formats and resolution. I have found with my ears, that it really needs to be the same song because some of the more esoteric files, at higher resolutions were recently recorded and engineered better on modern equipment.....so they do sound fantastic. As @Nice Monkey has pointed out though, they are not easy to find and are generally expensive, and rightfully so.

    I would like to introduce you to 2L.NO records, in Norway. I discovered them about 2 years ago, and have bought a number of their Pure Audio format discs which often contain as many as 5-6 recording formats/resolution, including MCH. https://www.pureaudio-bluray.com/ Some of these recordings on disc, are heavenly in multi channel.

    But, getting back to Zidoo and hi res digital, the 2L record label, which has been nominated for over a dozen Grammys is great about formats. They have a page where you can download for free, numerous songs in different digital formats, and resolution. I have done that for some of the available songs and have a folder on my drive that allows me to test and compare them, especially when I make system and settings changes. Give them a try and let me know whet you find. http://www.2l.no/hires/index.html
     
    maxhim likes this.
  3. maxhim

    maxhim Active Member

    I have two 2L BD ISOs and the Z9X plays both perfectly :

    2L Remote Galaxy by Flint Juventino Beppe (Auro 3D) (2013)
    2L TrondheimSolistene - SOUVENIR (Auro 3D) (2012)
     
    Last edited: Sep 6, 2021
    toshu likes this.
  4. rozel

    rozel Well-Known Member

    Thank you for your comments. Yes, I have a few titles in different formats and I can definately hear a difference. That said a lot of what we can discuss about sound quality is extremely subjective and so I have no wish to discuss them on here, paricularly in this thread. As mentioned the Amenaro has limitations, which some people would say are minor but I want to see if a better card sounds better. My audio setup is mainly for 2 channel (stereo) as the vast majority of sound titles were recorded this way. Multi Channel is one person's idea of what 2-channel could sound like and I'm really not into that. I appreciate though that there are multi channel titles which were oriinally recorded this way in the studio. Film music on the other hand is a different matter altogether :)

    I have stuttered with the fitting of my Singxer C-1 card to replace the Amanero so I shall get round to updating this thread once I've cracked it. Problem is with the connecting needles (pins) - the ones supplied are not compatible with the DAC's MB. If I had read @Nice Monkey 's advice earlier I ought to have had the required needles soldered to the card prior to its despatch - oh well!

    Thanks for the heads up on sourcing titles - much appreciated.
     
  5. rozel

    rozel Well-Known Member

    @maxhim - you seem to be in the wrong thread.
     
  6. maxhim

    maxhim Active Member

    Sorry, but i don't understand that...
     
  7. rozel

    rozel Well-Known Member

    It's just that I don't understand what you've said how it fits within this thread. Because you can play a couple of titles in a certain format does not make sense within the context of this thread. Please expand how I may have got this wrong if you wish
     
  8. maxhim

    maxhim Active Member

    I quote from tosu :

    "But, getting back to Zidoo and hi res digital, the 2L record label, which has been nominated for over a dozen Grammys is great about formats. They have a page where you can download for free, numerous songs in different digital formats, and resolution. I have done that for some of the available songs and have a folder on my drive that allows me to test and compare them, especially when I make system and settings changes. Give them a try and let me know whet you find. http://www.2l.no/hires/index.html"

    I replied that my two pieces of 2L BD ISO work flawlessly. That is, I don't have to download files from the site, I can I can answer without them.
     
  9. rozel

    rozel Well-Known Member

    It's been a very time consuming journey and this update is long overdue. However I have now at long last I've been able to install the Singxer C-1 USB interface card to my DAC - this one: -

    https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...ceneId":"20114","sku_id":"12000020635339110"}

    Far from what @Nice Monkey suggested it has been far from easy :rolleyes:. With hindsight I should have read his advice more carefully and have the Pin Header soldered in place before it was despatched. Almost 4 months have elapsed during which time I have tried 2 different types of pin headers. Thanks to a small repair shop in Penrith, Cumbria I found some hands on help. The first set of pins in the header didn't fit the DAC's motherboard and after I tried to de-solder which didn't work due to my kak-handedness, I was back to square one. So yesterday I took myself off back to the shop (a 275 mile round trip) armed with a different pin header and got the first header removed and the second one installed. After fitting the Singxer again to my DAC, I switched everything on earlier this morning and Voila and it worked!

    The difference in sound is chalk and cheese/night and day - primarily I bought this card as I was hearing that the C-1 has a nicer sound with louder and firmer bass - which would suit my setup and with a better Xmos chip. It also had the same pin-outs as the Amanero, so it should have been easy to install lol! The sound was beautifully balanced, smooth (if selecting the right filter on the DAC) and with much firmer bass. Indeed when I first switched on I used my Yamaha Amp and Subwoofer. I'm still unsure whether the sound is routed through its own DAC too - that's another area where I will explore soon. But taking these out of the equation and substituting my vintage Sugden A48 MkII amp, this let the sound be output via my Spendors, which are renowned to be smooth sounding with exceptional top and mid frequencies. The bass is there when it needs to be - no more no less. Well I've never heard nicer sounds through the Sugden & Spendors before and currently, I'm in 7th heaven!

    The journey is now almost complete. Oh I have been able to get "Native DSD" for the first time and was able to playback DSD256 titles very easily and overall playback seemed easier from the Zidoo as though it wasn't taking as much resource to get the song title going. I have one title that's DSD512 but for some reason as yet, I'm struggling to get it playing. That said all I have done so far is to playback via the Zidoo's file manger. Later this weekend, I'll get it all working with UAPP.

    So my outstanding issues are now: -

    1. Using my Yamaha for amplification, how can I tell that its own DAC is not interfering with the sound?
    2. The Zidoo's remote control and indeed my Harmony Elite's Remote constantly mess with the DAC's filters and inputs. For example changing tracks remotely, will at the same time move the DAC away from the "USB Input" and also mess with the filters. I still need to work out how to stop this from happening and maybe I'm missing a setting using the DAC's own tremote? For example it has a "Menu" button but so far I have been unable to work out what this does. I have no printed instructions - @Nice Monkey any more thoughts?
    3. I have a couple of Albums which won't play - one is a DSD256 and the other the DSD512 mentioned above - maybe I'll have more success using UAPP and/or maybe I should try re-ripping them?

    I'd welcome anyone's thoughts and advice please.
     
  10. Nice Monkey

    Nice Monkey Well-Known Member Beta test group

     
  11. rozel

    rozel Well-Known Member

    Thank you @Nice Monkey, much appreciated - I seem to recall now that you've given me this advice before lol!

    1. But when I'm in Pure Direct mode, I hardly get any bass at all. Not sure why, because when I connect up my Vintage Sugden amp, I get much more. I'm told that when I set my Fronts to "Small", which I do to channel the bass through to my Sub when playing via HDMI, when playing via the RCA inputs in Pure Direct, they revert to Large. Hmm, not sure they are doing so I will try putting them in Large mode just to see as this could explain matters

    2. I've just pulled the trigger on a Bluetooth mouse and maybe that will prove ok - if not I'll try the paper-trick

    3. Re-Ripping later
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2021
  12. Nice Monkey

    Nice Monkey Well-Known Member Beta test group

    1) Setting speakers to small uses DSP processing for directing low to a sub! Using Direct/Pure DSP processing should be disabled implicitly. My Onkyo does it like that as should.

    2) I had also IR reaction of the DAC unit with some Zidoo remote commands. I think you need to shield it anyway.
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2021
  13. rozel

    rozel Well-Known Member

    1. This is not an issue that seems easy to rectify with my Yamaha. The AV forum where I raised this issue gave me quite complex answers. If I am able to cross-post, I will , so that someone like your good self could simplify what they are saying in order that I can understand better - what do people think?
    2. Well I had a great session earlier today and used Uapp 100%. I used my new mouse, which was set to Bluetooth only. I only had 1 instance where the mouse seemingly interfered with the DAC Filter which was set previously at startup. The inputs didn't change at all! I'm really not sure what's going on but a much much better experience than I've ever had with UAPP, and all from my arm chair too :) It's interesting to note that the filter changed immediately I started playing DSD titles, after playing various PCM ones. Maybe DSD didn't like the filter I use?
    3. Re-ripping the two titles that previously would not play, then played as they should.

    I will try the paper trick to see if this resolves 2. tomorrow.
     
  14. Nice Monkey

    Nice Monkey Well-Known Member Beta test group

    Filters always are swapped going from PCM to DSD or vice versa. PCM uses very complex filters (7 choices) but DSD uses simple low pass filters (4 choices) with ES9038Pro.
     
  15. rozel

    rozel Well-Known Member

    Wow! I haven't noticed that - again possibly because I have no user information. Well at least that explains why the filters change and suggests that my new Bluetooth mouse works as it should :) I'll check the filters using the DAC's supplied remote later today - do you know if any are common to both DSD and PCM ? I'll defer the paper-trick for now.

    Ok this is the conversation regarding the use of Pure Direct mode on my Yamaha: -

    https://www.avforums.com/threads/yamaha-rx-a1070-2070-3070-owners-thread.2116341/page-77 The relevant posts are #1903 through #1916

    Still so very confused - any idea what he's saying?

    Aliexpress sell a Bluetooth module: -

    https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33000694773.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000023.22.34415575JX377O

    Any idea what this might bring to the table?

    Thanks again for sticking with me, your advice has been phenominal and feel I am approaching the end of my journey :)
     
  16. muha

    muha Active Member

    If you are referring to Pure Direct - that means that new AWR or Stereo won´t use any sound processor, and sound will be reproduce as is. On my Denon it just shuts off everything. This is what Purist Audiophiles like, as less components included in reproduction. Usually accompanied with full range speakers (1-driver).
     
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2021
  17. rozel

    rozel Well-Known Member

    Yes I am but if you read the conversation I'm doubtful. And when I invoke Pure Direct I get no bass. If I use my vintage amp, I get plenty - why is that?
     
  18. Nice Monkey

    Nice Monkey Well-Known Member Beta test group

    1) NO, PCM and DSD filters are 100 % dedicated. Never shared as they work completely different.

    2) Lots of talk about cross over and directing low to the the sub. Essential is this part:

    This is because PURE DIRECT does what ist say and results in only essential processing being applied. All the PEQ room EQ is bypassed, the bass management and any video processing are all negated in this mode. You get as near as damn it what was output to the AV receiver from the source.

    The DAC would still be in use if the source is digital though and the speaker levels and distances are also still in play.

    Obviously for any Digital Input the DAC of the AMP will still be used (but not the DSP only volume and channel delay adjustments) but your setup uses Analog Input and then all this is NOT used as stated correctly above.

    He tries to explain to you why you might get less Bass using Pure Audio with many words and side tracks. It even includes ways to use the sub in an pure analog stereo setup.

    Most vintage AMP's used to include an analog volume dependent boost of low frequency exponentially at lower volume levels (mostly called Loudness). Only on some this "fysiologic tone control" could be enabled/disabled explicitly. Keep that in mind.

    3) The Bluetooth module will send the DAC output wireless to Bluetooth enabled Headset/Speakers which is very popular doing so these days.
    The latest generation HT AMP's is now including bi-directional Bluetooth for Stereo Audio (both Input from music players and output to Headsets/Speakers)

    You know my home direction for sending that bottle of cognac. :p:D
     
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2021
    muha likes this.
  19. rozel

    rozel Well-Known Member

    Excellent info again @Nice Monkey , thank you and clarifies for me very complicated stuff. The main reason I'm not using my vintage amp is because currently it emits a hum, probably because transistors/resistors capacitors need renewing. The company is currently closed though due to covid. Only matter that still confuses me is whether setting my front stereo speakers from small to large makes any difference. Are you saying then by using the analogue RCA inputs, which I am, that in Pure Direct mode, the size settings of my front speakers are still functioning or not?

    Also do you know what benefits, if any, the bluetooth module might bring?
     
  20. muha

    muha Active Member

    Setting them as large no matter if they are bookshelf or floorstand, small is for small satellite speakers that get cutoff in bass at 80Hz (sometimes 100-120Hz).
    Set even surround speakers to large if they are capable to go below 50Hz.
     

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