Simon,
Thanks for the advice, where do you think I'd be best off looking at to get the most improvement from where I am now?
Hi,
Just off the top of my head: more regs on the consumers, separate power supplies, good footwear, good socketry and power cable, better op-amps (OPA627 aren't very good by modern standards in sound quality).
I'm by no means saying any of these mods are must-do, just pointing out there is always more, usually MUCH more.
Simon
Just off the top of my head: more regs on the consumers, separate power supplies, good footwear, good socketry and power cable, better op-amps (OPA627 aren't very good by modern standards in sound quality).
I'm by no means saying any of these mods are must-do, just pointing out there is always more, usually MUCH more.
Simon
I've got abot 100 hours now on my 67'. I have to say, with the Flea clock and the CPF addition to the Dos, the sound just gets better and better. This was perhaps the most significant upgrade I've had. The sound is dynamic but very smooth and organic. Not a trace of digital nasties, just music. The good recordings sound great, the mediocre sound acceptable. I wonder if more burn in time will improve things further. My experience has been that 300 hours is pretty much necissary to fully come on song. This is one sweet player now.
That's funny because you've changed one good clock for another and had a small tweek on the output stage. What else did Ray do, install a turbo charger???
Happy to hear those mods have taken it over the edge into the land of musicality.
Simon
What else did Ray do, install a turbo charger???
Yes, among other things
I would not call the C1 and The Flea the 'same' clocks. If it were a C2 that would be true perhaps.
Ray
Here's a sneak preview of my new DOS board
It's got the CFP input stage with revised current sink (yes, with a cool LED...) and a current sink in the output stage for improved output impedance.
It also accepts the 1% boxed-type MKP/PS capacitors now. Inspired by Steve!
Ray
It's got the CFP input stage with revised current sink (yes, with a cool LED...) and a current sink in the output stage for improved output impedance.
It also accepts the 1% boxed-type MKP/PS capacitors now. Inspired by Steve!
Ray
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The new DOS board looks sweet, Ray. I hope the final PCBs are going to be red?
I've had some time to listen to my player some more after the HDAM bypass. I'm pleased with the increase in detail, but I'm mourning the bass something rotten... so much so that my itchy soldering finger is threatening to hook the HDAMs back up again.
I've had some time to listen to my player some more after the HDAM bypass. I'm pleased with the increase in detail, but I'm mourning the bass something rotten... so much so that my itchy soldering finger is threatening to hook the HDAMs back up again.
clock the servo and dac ben makes all the difference.The new DOS board looks sweet, Ray. I hope the final PCBs are going to be red?
I've had some time to listen to my player some more after the HDAM bypass. I'm pleased with the increase in detail, but I'm mourning the bass something rotten... so much so that my itchy soldering finger is threatening to hook the HDAMs back up again.
Thanks for the tip, Alan. I'd really like to understand how that would help. How does re-clocking improve the bass? I'm particularly confused about what effect clocking the servo would have.
The HDAMs are essentially a second pair of op-amps, right, so presumably I've lost some gain? I wondered if the removal of those back-to-back DC blocking caps might also be a factor, as I remember thinking the treble sounded harsh last time I tried that. The treble response is great now with the analogue filter caps changed.
I was wondering if there is a way to increase the gain from my op-amps by adjusting the input or output impedance somehow.
Edit: Dammit, now I think about it, I completely forgot to add a resistor in series with the output RCA. Could that be it?
The HDAMs are essentially a second pair of op-amps, right, so presumably I've lost some gain? I wondered if the removal of those back-to-back DC blocking caps might also be a factor, as I remember thinking the treble sounded harsh last time I tried that. The treble response is great now with the analogue filter caps changed.
I was wondering if there is a way to increase the gain from my op-amps by adjusting the input or output impedance somehow.
Edit: Dammit, now I think about it, I completely forgot to add a resistor in series with the output RCA. Could that be it?
Got to say that amused me - couldn't agree at all
While such hi-po parts are NEVER just 'drop-in' substitutes - there's only one thing wrong with the '627: it's essentially out of production!
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The secret is not in the What but in the How. Who said "Le bon Dieu est dans le detail"?
While ours' not a religion...more like some strange sect, a gentle reminder as to who started all this is not amiss
How very beautifully put... thank you Shep
The new DOS board looks sweet, Ray. I hope the final PCBs are going to be red?
I've had some time to listen to my player some more after the HDAM bypass. I'm pleased with the increase in detail, but I'm mourning the bass something rotten... so much so that my itchy soldering finger is threatening to hook the HDAMs back up again.
No the board is going to be just plain green... Boring, isn't it? But it has a Red LED!
The bass will come back when you tweak your player further, don't worry. I don't think the resistor has anything to do with it at low frequencies, but who knows... The HDAM circuit has no gain, it's only a buffer. If the output is considerably lower now, you may have done something wrong in the analog filter. But the biggest issue is perhaps perception, and how you're used to the sound the player had. The original sound is quite warm and pleasant to listen to, but also not very revealing. If the high-end opens up, you may perceive that partially as a change in the low-end because their mutual relationship has changed. Hope this helps... ;-)
Ray.
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Got to say that amused me - couldn't agree at all
While such hi-po parts are NEVER just 'drop-in' substitutes - there's only one thing wrong with the '627: it's essentially out of production!
Well it's not to say I don't like the 627. I thought they sounded good when I used them in my cd63ki years ago. They just lack transparency, detail and tightness. They are also horrifically over-priced. One might suggest you can only use the best op-amps if you have a neutral system. Yes, I am hinting you may have a small system problem if 627 gives the best sound in your system. I hope you know me well enough not to take that the wrong way
Thinking about this a little more, there was something quite musical about the 627s and whilst they do lack a lot of detail and bass tautness compared to say a 4562 they did make music when I used them. Ultimately I seem to prefer discrete circuits in spite of their weaknesses. I am going to have some op-amps back in my system soon as I'm feeling an urge to try the "tin hat" op-amps in place of my Pedja Rogic buffer in my pre-amp. This will be a path towards active bi-amping, which is easier to do with op-amps. Sorry, this is off-topic again.
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You completely nailed it, Ray. I proved to myself that it was just my perception that the bass was reduced because of the increase in detail. I compared it with a friend's stock CD67SE which I have on loan at the moment. The '67 is a nice sounding player, and the last time I compared it with my modified CD63KI I actually found it more relaxed and natural and preferred its treatment of vocals in particular. That was many mods ago, and I find that my player now destroys it on all counts, particularly with its relatively tight and powerful bass. My turntable also now sounds warm and very slightly distorted by comparison, and I find the bass seems more dominant on vinyl for that reason. Overall, the vinyl still somehow wins for bottom line musicality, even though the raw capabilities of the CD player are now leaving it in the dust, but I suppose that's the battle I'll be fighting with clocks and whatnot.
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Very good !
What is your vinyl setup ?
Initially I wanted my CDP to sound as "musical" as my vinyl setup and I heavily moded the CD53 until I got a superlative undisputably better sound from CD... Than someone wrote "your vinyl setup should kill the CDP" and I dedicated myself to it. Now I have two superlative sources and cannot decide witch is better. CD has better control in the bass... Vinyl excels in mid~high freq... New music is available on CD... Old tunes on vinyl...