The green Nichicon ES cap are non-pola and they are good quality cap.
The blue Elna 1000uF in C1, C14, C17 cap are not as high quality.
I have replace the C34, C36 and C38 in the Dac board with 470uF cap with good results. To my ear, they sound with better authority and dynamic. I tried 1000uF on C38 and that doesn't make much different so 470uF should be enough.
BTW, what opamp are you using? I currently using OP42 with AD797 and they match quite well together. I have tried Opa627 and although vocal sound very nice (specially female), it lack the details and ambiance, not by much but noticeable. I am tempting to get another pair of AD797.
The blue Elna 1000uF in C1, C14, C17 cap are not as high quality.
I have replace the C34, C36 and C38 in the Dac board with 470uF cap with good results. To my ear, they sound with better authority and dynamic. I tried 1000uF on C38 and that doesn't make much different so 470uF should be enough.
BTW, what opamp are you using? I currently using OP42 with AD797 and they match quite well together. I have tried Opa627 and although vocal sound very nice (specially female), it lack the details and ambiance, not by much but noticeable. I am tempting to get another pair of AD797.
BG N series is very good cap, I will only put N series in signal path. I think BG std or PK series is good enough in power side.
Hi SamL,
How are you? Hope everything fine.
I'm using 627 and I like it very much in vocal,but this is without compare to AD797 as I never try AD797 before. Where you get AD797, how much?
I've order BG std to replace the 1000uf elna caps in power board, and will put in 330uf in the location you suggested in your reply.
Another thing I will do is replace the 100uf (C11 & C12) caps in I/V board with BG 47uf PK series, just hope that 47uf is enough for the job.
I think the original supplied caps in our DAC kit are not hte same for everyone.
Hi SamL,
How are you? Hope everything fine.
I'm using 627 and I like it very much in vocal,but this is without compare to AD797 as I never try AD797 before. Where you get AD797, how much?
I've order BG std to replace the 1000uf elna caps in power board, and will put in 330uf in the location you suggested in your reply.
Another thing I will do is replace the 100uf (C11 & C12) caps in I/V board with BG 47uf PK series, just hope that 47uf is enough for the job.
I think the original supplied caps in our DAC kit are not hte same for everyone.
I got my AD797 from http://www.partsconnexion.com/catalog/semiconductors.html. They are one of the sponsor for this forum. I had bad experience of getting fake Opa627 from ebay and will not buy opamp from unknown source. AD797 is about 1/2 the price of Opa627 so, it will not hurt the pocket too much. I used to love Opa627 but my taste of music have change and the AD797 suit me better now.
Looks like you are using IV2, 2 x single opamp version. Why not try the IV1 that come with the kit, 4 x single opamp. Most find them sound better and they have the correct polarity.
I replace the output protection cap (C11, C12 on IV2) with 47uF 6.3V BG NX. There should be no more than 3V over the output so 6.3V is enough.
I have replace the two 100uF Cap in the IV board with BG std and I don't like the sound of it. It is overly 'hi-fi'. Will leave it for a few more days to see if matter improve. It not, I will put the original Muse ES back.
Looks like you are using IV2, 2 x single opamp version. Why not try the IV1 that come with the kit, 4 x single opamp. Most find them sound better and they have the correct polarity.
I replace the output protection cap (C11, C12 on IV2) with 47uF 6.3V BG NX. There should be no more than 3V over the output so 6.3V is enough.
I have replace the two 100uF Cap in the IV board with BG std and I don't like the sound of it. It is overly 'hi-fi'. Will leave it for a few more days to see if matter improve. It not, I will put the original Muse ES back.
ooops........ my order with partconnexion just shipped out, too late to add extra item.
You mean the sound too 'hi-fi'? Is it the sound too real, you want a little bit of msg in the music? ha ha....
I'm using the 4x single opamp board with 4 pcs opa627, I bough the 627 as used item in HongKong, about half the price of new one.
You mean the sound too 'hi-fi'? Is it the sound too real, you want a little bit of msg in the music? ha ha....
I'm using the 4x single opamp board with 4 pcs opa627, I bough the 627 as used item in HongKong, about half the price of new one.
Removed the BG std on C13 and C14 and original Muse ES is back with a big welcome.
Bypass the 10uF surface mount cap C7, C8 with BG NX 0.1uF and 100nF Rifa. A minor improvement in details and only worth it if you have the spare parts laying around. I remember Julien_M did replace this cap with 4uF Auric cap with good results.
I replace the C7 47nF poly cap on the digital input board with same value Rifa PHE that I have laying around. Background sound a bit cleaner and less grainy. Another worth trying if you have the parts.
Bypass the 10uF surface mount cap C7, C8 with BG NX 0.1uF and 100nF Rifa. A minor improvement in details and only worth it if you have the spare parts laying around. I remember Julien_M did replace this cap with 4uF Auric cap with good results.
I replace the C7 47nF poly cap on the digital input board with same value Rifa PHE that I have laying around. Background sound a bit cleaner and less grainy. Another worth trying if you have the parts.
Hi Kokheng, You are lucky. I replace it with Muse SE and it sound a bit slower and bass although full, it is no longer snappy. The SMD cap is back with extra bypass which improve a bit of clarity.
Edit: btw. According to the the circuit diagram, C7 and C8 should be non pola cap.
I just found that my C1 cap on I/V is wrong value. It is 1200pF where as the C2 is 2200pF. Replace both with 1800pF silva mica and it doesn't sound as good as the original. Will let it run in to see there any improvement.
Anyway, anyone replace the CS8412 input receiver? Julien appear to prefer the CS8414 and would like to know if anyone else have good results with this.
Edit: btw. According to the the circuit diagram, C7 and C8 should be non pola cap.
I just found that my C1 cap on I/V is wrong value. It is 1200pF where as the C2 is 2200pF. Replace both with 1800pF silva mica and it doesn't sound as good as the original. Will let it run in to see there any improvement.
Anyway, anyone replace the CS8412 input receiver? Julien appear to prefer the CS8414 and would like to know if anyone else have good results with this.
After over 48 hour, the silver mica on C1, C2 is a keeper. It not only added richness it also add soul to Op42 opamp that it feed. Cymbal from my OW1 tweeter has never been so good. Listening to songs from The Eagles show details in cymbal that I didn't notice before. The low end has also improve. You can easily follow the bass guitar.
Recommended mod if you using Op42 as this is what I used and not sure other opamp will have the same results. BTW, owner with metal dome tweeter may not like the added details in the high end as it can be too sharp.
Recommended mod if you using Op42 as this is what I used and not sure other opamp will have the same results. BTW, owner with metal dome tweeter may not like the added details in the high end as it can be too sharp.
-ecdesigns- said:
Hi John or anyone who have done this mod. The SN74HC04 that come with the Thomas DAC is 16 pin version not 14.
Can someone please provide the conversion between 14pin and 16pin conversion or point to a datasheet that will provide such info. All the one I found doesn't.
http://rocky.digikey.com/WebLib/Texas Instruments/Web data/SN74HC04.pdf
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=1342664&stamp=1194200446
Once again proved that signal decoupling cap is very important to use a good quality cap, I replaced the cap in the 4 opamp board from 100uf Elna e-cap to 0.1 film and foil cap, resulting a very clear and clean sound, better imaging, faster sound, more detail, the only down side is the bass quantity lesser but tighter.
The nice people over Aspen Amplifiers form have point me to this link that some of you will find it interesting. Endless mod to try.
http://www.lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/TDA1541 corner/TDA1541.html
They also advice to replace the C11 on the DAC board with silva mica and ground the digital ground, pin 14 of TD1541A with 100nF multilayer ceramic cap. Which I did with good results. BTW, silva mica do take min 30 hours to sound good.
Have fun,
Sam
http://www.lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/TDA1541 corner/TDA1541.html
They also advice to replace the C11 on the DAC board with silva mica and ground the digital ground, pin 14 of TD1541A with 100nF multilayer ceramic cap. Which I did with good results. BTW, silva mica do take min 30 hours to sound good.
Have fun,
Sam
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