Really? I haven't tried shorting the caps and measuring actually.
I've been running the card in and I find the mods have improved the sound, but I'm not sure if the difference is that huge. Maybe I've reached the limit of my speakers' resolution or my ears' ability.
I am now contemplating whether to use BGs or not. Maybe I'll try shorting the caps and testing it.
I've been running the card in and I find the mods have improved the sound, but I'm not sure if the difference is that huge. Maybe I've reached the limit of my speakers' resolution or my ears' ability.
I am now contemplating whether to use BGs or not. Maybe I'll try shorting the caps and testing it.
That's funny - I don't get no sound when I switch to 48. The sound just starts, when I check the Patchmix window it's set itself back to 44.1 automatically.
Can't say anything about the sonic improvement you're experiencing. I thought it was the same - maybe I was listening too hard, will try it in a more casual mood.
Hopefully next week my NX caps will be on the way. I've decided to keep the caps on the output - the best possible caps, but that's the only protection for my speakers. As it is I'm very scared at the removal of the muting transistors.
The card sound awesome now with all the mods, BTW, and the speakers are disappearing. Earlier the card was very good at the mids, now it is good at most things. I still am getting used to the very neutral and almost flat bass. Guess there's something to be said about running in - it's had about 60 hours worth.
Can't say anything about the sonic improvement you're experiencing. I thought it was the same - maybe I was listening too hard, will try it in a more casual mood.
Hopefully next week my NX caps will be on the way. I've decided to keep the caps on the output - the best possible caps, but that's the only protection for my speakers. As it is I'm very scared at the removal of the muting transistors.
The card sound awesome now with all the mods, BTW, and the speakers are disappearing. Earlier the card was very good at the mids, now it is good at most things. I still am getting used to the very neutral and almost flat bass. Guess there's something to be said about running in - it's had about 60 hours worth.
Hey, I've just bought a 1212m, and am planning on using it for it's balanced outputs, into a balanced headphone amp, into some balanced HD-600's.
I was wondering are all these mods "balanced friendly", or is it worth steering clear of things like removing the muting resistors when using balanced?
I was wondering are all these mods "balanced friendly", or is it worth steering clear of things like removing the muting resistors when using balanced?
I am listening to the signal direct from the DAC...
The mess..
The first impression is:Much less noise (with no signal)lower output signal,more laidback sound.compared to LM4562.Well with my HD650 I liked the more upfront sound from the opamp output.Might be diffrent with other gear...
So in the future I will build a regulated PSU for the opamps..
So with SE output from the DAC I had to use a capcitor,there was over 2v there...
A question for the experts:If I take S/PDIF signal with a coax cable from the Emu 1010 how do I implement it on the Emu 0202?
It must be better to have the signal in coax than in the long ribbon cable I use.
Suggestions?
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
The mess..
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
The first impression is:Much less noise (with no signal)lower output signal,more laidback sound.compared to LM4562.Well with my HD650 I liked the more upfront sound from the opamp output.Might be diffrent with other gear...
So in the future I will build a regulated PSU for the opamps..
So with SE output from the DAC I had to use a capcitor,there was over 2v there...
A question for the experts:If I take S/PDIF signal with a coax cable from the Emu 1010 how do I implement it on the Emu 0202?
It must be better to have the signal in coax than in the long ribbon cable I use.
Suggestions?
Hi, I have EMU 0404 which use the AK4395 dac instead. But the mods are similar.
However, I plan to do a full balanced out all the way to my HD580 headphone.
Actually, I have already convert my HD580 to balance input and connect the opamp buffer +/- output direct to the HD580. Nothing else in between. This is as pure as it gets.
Dac -> buffer -> headphone.
There are no dc if you measure between the +/- buffer output.
The sound is very good instead, but I have to set the vol in window to full in most cases to get enough sound.
However, I plan to do a full balanced out all the way to my HD580 headphone.
Actually, I have already convert my HD580 to balance input and connect the opamp buffer +/- output direct to the HD580. Nothing else in between. This is as pure as it gets.
Dac -> buffer -> headphone.
There are no dc if you measure between the +/- buffer output.
The sound is very good instead, but I have to set the vol in window to full in most cases to get enough sound.
This is what I plan to do... have you considered a headphone amp as HD-580's can be quite hard to drive (apparently)...ChuckT said:
Ryssen: Awesome pics - looks like a great mod. I'll be attempting it myself someday. Where did you get your long cable? Also, have you considered "rounding" it?
http://www.overclock.net/case-mods-general-discussion/5846-round-ide-cable-guide.html
You could very easily add shielding to the cable thenn (if you like).
Nice shots, Ryssen.
I notice you have the ground wire hooked up to the MIDI I/O area. AFAIK it is on the case ground. The signal ground on the board may be a little cleaner and more suitable for the connection. It is available at the open solder pads just above the CS4398 in your pic.
How do you find the sound of Class A opamps versus the DAC output direct?
I notice you have the ground wire hooked up to the MIDI I/O area. AFAIK it is on the case ground. The signal ground on the board may be a little cleaner and more suitable for the connection. It is available at the open solder pads just above the CS4398 in your pic.
How do you find the sound of Class A opamps versus the DAC output direct?
Hi MikeHunt79,
yes, the HD580 does need an amp to sound its best. My mod to drive the headphone direct is only temporary. I want to see how it sound with just a buffer between the dac and the headphone in balanced mode. I can say that it sounds very good, but obviously with the jrc2068 and the lousy decoupling, there is still a lot of room for improvement. Still, in this extremely simple path, there isn't that much to complain about.
I plan to take the dac output direct to an external amp in balance mode using 4 dual opamp in 2 stages with a pot in the middle for volume control.
To change the HD580 to balance , I cut the 3.5mm jack and solder on 2 3.5mm jack with left/right on the jack connect to +/- for each channel.
I did the same with 2 female 3.5mm solder to the buffer +/-.
The CS4398 can be done the same way if anybody care to try.
yes, the HD580 does need an amp to sound its best. My mod to drive the headphone direct is only temporary. I want to see how it sound with just a buffer between the dac and the headphone in balanced mode. I can say that it sounds very good, but obviously with the jrc2068 and the lousy decoupling, there is still a lot of room for improvement. Still, in this extremely simple path, there isn't that much to complain about.
I plan to take the dac output direct to an external amp in balance mode using 4 dual opamp in 2 stages with a pot in the middle for volume control.
To change the HD580 to balance , I cut the 3.5mm jack and solder on 2 3.5mm jack with left/right on the jack connect to +/- for each channel.
I did the same with 2 female 3.5mm solder to the buffer +/-.
The CS4398 can be done the same way if anybody care to try.
Yes,I noticed that when I measaured,but I don´t like to drive my HD650 direct from the opamps,I have my headphone amp connected after the EMU1212,and it is unbalanced so..
I bought the parts (cable and connectors)and made it my self,rounding and shealding it might be an option,but still the other cables (Power + and -,analog out etc.)still is in the same cable as the digital in,how much that matters for the sound I don´t know..?
If any one knows which of the cable in the ribbon holds the digital in,please tell...
The class A opamp is more upfront sharp(in a good way),detailed,the bass is solid.
DAC output is more laidback,softer,it is detailed,but not as sharp as opamp,and the bassguitar is further back than opamp output.
With my headamp (AD8671+QRV05 buffer) I prefer the ClassA opamp output.
Hi Guys, I am back
This time I decided to give a try and use a soundcard as a measurement system.
I have TrueRTA software for some time and I was never able to use it with cheap soundcards (major problem of course was the noise at mic input).
The attached picture represents three measurments:
1) soundcard in and out looped, no signal (red)
2) soundcard in and out looped, 1059 Hz sine wave from TruRTA generator (purple)
3) 1059Hz sine wave form my BK Precision Dynascan 3030 functional generator unbalanced out to balanced in (green).
When soundcard in and out are looped (purple), there is almost no 2nd harmonic and the third one is at -84db, which translates to less than 0.01% HD. Not bad at all
bad news is that my Dynascan generator sucks
This time I decided to give a try and use a soundcard as a measurement system.
I have TrueRTA software for some time and I was never able to use it with cheap soundcards (major problem of course was the noise at mic input).
The attached picture represents three measurments:
1) soundcard in and out looped, no signal (red)
2) soundcard in and out looped, 1059 Hz sine wave from TruRTA generator (purple)
3) 1059Hz sine wave form my BK Precision Dynascan 3030 functional generator unbalanced out to balanced in (green).
When soundcard in and out are looped (purple), there is almost no 2nd harmonic and the third one is at -84db, which translates to less than 0.01% HD. Not bad at all
bad news is that my Dynascan generator sucks
Attachments
Finally got my 1212m installed today - unmodded (at the moment)...
I'm using the balanced out going to 2 x single ended headphone amps (one for each channel), then on to my HD580's (with re-terminated HD650 cable)...
It sounds very good, but this is my first balanced rig... My headphone amps are portable, so I'm powering them from a 12v SLA battery.
Piccy:
My friend thought it was a bomb!
Ryssen: Where did you get the parts to make the extended ribbon cable... Farnell? I'm going to do an order soon, and hopefully they will sell all the parts.
Do you need any special tools to crimp on the connectors on the ribbon cable? I know nothing about these ribbon cables...
EDIT: I'm tempted to get a 4 pole Alps pot for volume control (so I can have patchmix set to 100%)... Would this give better quality than using patchmix for volume control? I only have my hedphone amps turned up 1/4 of the way, and I most listen to patchmix with the mixer -30db to -20db.
I'm using the balanced out going to 2 x single ended headphone amps (one for each channel), then on to my HD580's (with re-terminated HD650 cable)...
It sounds very good, but this is my first balanced rig... My headphone amps are portable, so I'm powering them from a 12v SLA battery.
Piccy:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
My friend thought it was a bomb!
Ryssen: Where did you get the parts to make the extended ribbon cable... Farnell? I'm going to do an order soon, and hopefully they will sell all the parts.
Do you need any special tools to crimp on the connectors on the ribbon cable? I know nothing about these ribbon cables...
EDIT: I'm tempted to get a 4 pole Alps pot for volume control (so I can have patchmix set to 100%)... Would this give better quality than using patchmix for volume control? I only have my hedphone amps turned up 1/4 of the way, and I most listen to patchmix with the mixer -30db to -20db.
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