AliExpress Preamplifier by Zero zone review Part 2

Тәжірибелік нұсқаулар және стиль

Intrigued by the AliExpress products I decided to buy a Preamplifier by Zerozone and here is a review on how it performs. This is part 2 where I did some tube changes and more burn in time.
I used NOS CCA Siemens E88cc some vintage Mullards and Telefunken suppose to be one of the best will see how they do.
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Preamplifier link
www.aliexpress.com/item/10050...
you can ask them for the Schematics but I think they only send them if you buy it not sure.
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Пікірлер: 68

  • @Quarryparksharks
    @Quarryparksharks2 жыл бұрын

    Love your work Gabster. thank you

  • @jungtarcph

    @jungtarcph

    9 ай бұрын

    Will there be a "Part 3" for upgrades.... I am missing preamps with Tube here in Europe.

  • @mcgjohn22
    @mcgjohn22 Жыл бұрын

    thanks for posting. Am looking forward to seeing what you do for upgrades in part 3.

  • @Pete.across.the.street
    @Pete.across.the.street Жыл бұрын

    I would like to see part 3. I would like to know how recapping something like this would get you to a high end preamp. If you can do it on the cheap, I might do a solid state one.

  • @robh9079
    @robh90792 жыл бұрын

    Looking forward to pt 3!

  • @pcwchengful
    @pcwchengful Жыл бұрын

    Looking forward to part 3.

  • @kft590
    @kft590 Жыл бұрын

    Upgrading the power supply with good, regulated power supply would likely improve the performance. If the 12 volt tube heaters aren't regulated that would improve the performance. Changing the input and output cabling to Cardas wire will make a huge improvement, that was the biggest improvement that I made on my ARC preamp, .

  • @Mikegritz
    @Mikegritz Жыл бұрын

    I'm new to this channel and happily enjoying the content. Will be checking out pt 3. Thx!

  • @ereisner2438
    @ereisner243811 ай бұрын

    Love your video work Sir, thank you ❤

  • @victorwai00
    @victorwai007 ай бұрын

    I enjoyed your video very much, thank you! I believe a lot of us still very much look forward to part 3 of this journey, and wanted to see how far this preamplifier can go. 😊

  • @Gabster1

    @Gabster1

    7 ай бұрын

    On my bucket list to complete 2024 is looking good for that one :)

  • @ramsaybolton9099
    @ramsaybolton90992 жыл бұрын

    Great job!

  • @DrBroncanuus
    @DrBroncanuus Жыл бұрын

    brilliant video .I learnt a lot...thank you..I am considering buying some Chi-Fi amps....

  • @vinylaudio4231
    @vinylaudio42312 жыл бұрын

    Great work 👍

  • @crimsonghost6454
    @crimsonghost64542 жыл бұрын

    Very good and I am very excited to see what mods you do and how the sound changes after that. I have a zero zone tube phono preamp that says it is a clone of the ear 834. I'm happy with it but I really heard a big difference when using vintage tung-sol 12ax7 tubes. The build is good and it sounds better than all of the solid states I have. I too am planning on doing a capacitor upgrade. Some of the cheap Chinese gear is good.

  • @Gabster1

    @Gabster1

    2 жыл бұрын

    I almost pulled the trigger to buy there phono preamp a couple times another one on my list Try vintage Telefunken smooth plates 12ax7 You will like it even more make sure you don’t get fake ones they should look a bit old with a diamond on the bottom.

  • @anjovandijk9797
    @anjovandijk9797 Жыл бұрын

    aha interesting very informative I subscribed looking forward to part 3 of this journey. would like to hear your thoughts about the build quality of the Xindak xa 6950 ii hybrid from china

  • @ronfreeman4687
    @ronfreeman46875 ай бұрын

    Thank you Gab.

  • @davegrant9179
    @davegrant91795 ай бұрын

    Hi Gabster. Love your work. It would be great to see Part 3 and see how you've upgraded the caps and HV power supply. Cheers!

  • @Gabster1

    @Gabster1

    5 ай бұрын

    still on my list to do been busy with the Dac projects

  • @goodsound4756
    @goodsound47565 ай бұрын

    I wonder why for little money more you didn't got yourself a Musical Paradise 701 preamp which has short signal path and is optimized to change tubes and capacitors.

  • @impuls60
    @impuls602 жыл бұрын

    You should change the input impedance to something close to the Machintosh amp since you already know that works well with your dac. Impedance matching equipment has a big effect in my experience.

  • @tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120
    @tee-jaythestereo-bargainph21202 жыл бұрын

    Great Job ! 😃 Thanks for the video

  • @Gabster1

    @Gabster1

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you very nice Chanel you have

  • @tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120

    @tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Gabster1 Thank you the channel has been alot of fun . Meet some great enthuist and learned alot since '89' 😆 I am very impressed with you knowlege of electronics . I know you have some sort of electronics degree and lots of expierence 😆 'Top level' thank you Subscribed

  • @TheHahayanyan
    @TheHahayanyan10 күн бұрын

    nice , wish it is a part 3, thx you

  • @Gabster1

    @Gabster1

    4 күн бұрын

    On my list to do

  • @califmike2003
    @califmike2003 Жыл бұрын

    Where is part 3 ??? love to see you change parts inside and see how it sounds ? Did you give up on this pre amp ?

  • @borisjelenc1217
    @borisjelenc1217 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you for the excellent information, but in order to reach a similar level with c22, it will be necessary to improve the power supply... increase the capacitance and also replace the output decoupling capacitors with of around 3.3uf and not around 1uf as they are usually added.

  • @Gabster1

    @Gabster1

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you great info I almost got tempted to mod it but ended up selling it as is still a great preamp that I regret selling

  • @Spicycomment1

    @Spicycomment1

    Жыл бұрын

    Is that preamp good? To what could we compare it as good?

  • @michaelmajchrzak3476

    @michaelmajchrzak3476

    Жыл бұрын

    @@Gabster1 that means there will be no part 3?

  • @Gabster1

    @Gabster1

    Жыл бұрын

    @@michaelmajchrzak3476 I sold my C22 but There will be a part 3 on the Zerozone too many mods in the works :)

  • @jeremyphilander8833
    @jeremyphilander88332 жыл бұрын

    Looks good to me...

  • @JingoLoBa57
    @JingoLoBa57 Жыл бұрын

    My Audio Research Ref CD9 has a Brown Burr 1794 DAC, 2x channels it sounds sublime 👍

  • @JingoLoBa57

    @JingoLoBa57

    9 ай бұрын

    But it requires a preamplifier to follow it…

  • @jamesshands2844
    @jamesshands28442 жыл бұрын

    I'm new at this tube thing. I have the Zero Zone would like to change tubes but need more info on the best tube to buy.

  • @bmamree
    @bmamree2 жыл бұрын

    I just subscribed your channel, very interested about China products.

  • @user-bu3cl2rs5z
    @user-bu3cl2rs5z Жыл бұрын

    Hello, tell me, have you changed anything else besides the tubes in this pre-amplifier -?

  • @stevenpaul3886
    @stevenpaul3886 Жыл бұрын

    I’m in the process of updating all the resistors to audio quality nonmetallic and non-magnetic, caps and electrolyrics. My other preamp I purchased is the Marantz 7 which is mind blowing it’s an amazing circuit for the money off of eBay.

  • @Gabster1

    @Gabster1

    Жыл бұрын

    Thanks I will try it

  • @jgogo

    @jgogo

    Жыл бұрын

    Hi, I also bought the M7, what mods have you done to improve it ?

  • @logotrikes
    @logotrikes4 ай бұрын

    What to choose? A couple of Aliexpress a/b mono power amps for the same price delivered to my door in Australia as a couple of Fosi ZA3's of known reputation. I can't decide if it's worth taking a chance on these el-cheapo power amps of unknown reputation or quality, or the Fosi's. I don't expect anyone to make up my mind for me, but some folks impressions/experience may be useful....

  • @Gabster1

    @Gabster1

    4 ай бұрын

    If a good cheap amp you are looking for try the Ayima T9Pro or Dook Audio ST01.

  • @logotrikes

    @logotrikes

    4 ай бұрын

    @@Gabster1 Cheers Gabby. Neither are really suitable because they can't easily be run in mono. That's the attraction of either AO7 Max or Fosi ZA3...

  • @JohnLee-db9zt
    @JohnLee-db9zt2 жыл бұрын

    Hi Gabster, which preamp has the best sound quality that you’ve ever heard?

  • @Gabster1

    @Gabster1

    2 жыл бұрын

    I am really enjoying the Mcintosh c22 also the C2300 almost the same I also like the Audio research Ref 5 and 6 but price starts to creep up I never heard the very high end preamps that retail north of $10000 I try to buy good used I am also experimenting with no preamp if your Dac allows volume control and have enough juice try hooking it up straight in the amp with no preamp you may be blown away. The shorter the path the better worth trying it is usually better 70% of the time depending on your system.

  • @ramsaybolton9099

    @ramsaybolton9099

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Gabster1 tried the no preamp route. Those Mac preamps add a level of musicality that’s hard to live without.

  • @jgogo
    @jgogo Жыл бұрын

    Hi, have you changed the caps finally and is there a part 3 video ?

  • @Gabster1

    @Gabster1

    Жыл бұрын

    still working on it will be changing the caps and PSU on hold now too many projects but on my to do list :)

  • @pabulumdrummer
    @pabulumdrummer Жыл бұрын

    Purchased. Are you getting a large surge/ pop when switching off the power with the remote? It throws my amps into safe mode after the surge....Super undesirable to say the least.

  • @evgenevgenov8077

    @evgenevgenov8077

    Жыл бұрын

    I have the same problem, but I taught myself to turn on the power amplifiers last in the system, and turn them off first

  • @PaoloCaminiti
    @PaoloCaminiti2 жыл бұрын

    Did you try tube rings?

  • @Gabster1

    @Gabster1

    2 жыл бұрын

    I will when I am close to being happy with the sound.

  • @califmike2003
    @califmike2003 Жыл бұрын

    Change the coupling capacitors.

  • @Gabster1

    @Gabster1

    Жыл бұрын

    For sure I Already ordered some

  • @OCDHIFiGuy
    @OCDHIFiGuy Жыл бұрын

    How's Warranty on that Chunk ? #ocdhifiguy

  • @Gabster1

    @Gabster1

    Жыл бұрын

    comes with a Good luck warranty :)

  • @OCDHIFiGuy

    @OCDHIFiGuy

    Жыл бұрын

    @Gabster lol. Right ? Double Happiness Rainbow preamp... ;-) Rock on Man !

  • @frankgeeraerts6243
    @frankgeeraerts6243 Жыл бұрын

    I never use CCA and other nos quality tubes in this kind of amplifiers, only in the better and my own buiild ones...soft start that switches inputs and or outputs is useless topreserve tubelife , therefor one must only apply HV when tubes are preheated and also switch off the HV before shutting down the heaters to drain the capacitors ...... It's a pity to sacrifice precious , rare and expensive nos tubes when they are not protected this way or used with non correct operating points . One can mpdify such a cheap preamp but often it's better to build one oneself with quality components , often the simpler circuitry with less componeznts sounds better.. Anyway your exposure of this peamp is correct and it may offer some tube tasted sound to many audiophiles wit perhaps some mosdifications, but please do not waste money on nos tubes in this case, nor use up those precious tubes , stick with current production tubes . thank you for the review and sharing your experience !

  • @NoName-to5xl
    @NoName-to5xl Жыл бұрын

    Wait, wait wait, you reviewed a 500$ pre amp with 500$ of vintage tubes? So it's 1k, correct?

  • @sc0or
    @sc0or Жыл бұрын

    360 (their price) minus Ali fee, minus taxes gives about 120 netto. Let's say 20 is a profit. So, do you see those 100 there? Including the case, the transformer, the heat sinks, the capacitors, and so on.. Everything inside is a fake. When you see 360 instead of 1500-2000, you must be ready for "abibas"

  • @capdew

    @capdew

    2 ай бұрын

    He already said the sound is about 80%, not up to the high level he expected but it is alright for the price. Well, if the thing works, that means you are a fake

  • @NormcoreGreg

    @NormcoreGreg

    Ай бұрын

    Chinese manufacturers receive funding from state funds to subsidise production and exports of many categories of products. That's why they're able to sell it at such low prices. Also, a lot of parts are original ones made on the same assembly lines as the branded products, but leave the factory through the backdoor - this shows how much premium "brands" put on their products.

  • @roberthart9886
    @roberthart9886 Жыл бұрын

    Issues; he's playing it on top of another component and apparently without good isolation feet, and likely mediocre ICs and PC

  • @jerometroit3669
    @jerometroit36692 жыл бұрын

    In fact it cost 150 dollars to produce and they sell it 520 dollars X5 Factor. When an audionote is X4 Factor. No value..capacitors look like nichicon gold or kaisei but it is just gold paint to look like high end...lol 😅

  • @matthewtaylor7355
    @matthewtaylor73557 ай бұрын

    Shows how extremely expensive audio is after Western markups....

  • @user-bn2kw5zu8y
    @user-bn2kw5zu8y2 жыл бұрын

    Wow~ Greite!!! But Alli*** 헤잍(Xxx)

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