I've done this to my Pioneer MVH-X195UI head unit and haven't yet tested it if it sounds different or better. Was wondering what peoples opinions are on this. I've removed the capacitor which feeds the DAC aka the main IC and replaced it with a Panasonic FC 3900uF 35v capacitor, I've also added two 47uF 16v Tantalum capacitors across both capacitors. I used a 1mm drill bit to remove all of the solder from the through holes, it worked a treat and perfectly fit the large capacitor leads of the larger FC capacitor.
The original capacitor was a Rubycon 1000uF 16v YK.
I won't be using the amplifier outputs rather I will be using the RCA outputs so I'm not concerned about the 5% THD of the amplifier.
Would love to hear of your opinions on this.
The original capacitor was a Rubycon 1000uF 16v YK.
I won't be using the amplifier outputs rather I will be using the RCA outputs so I'm not concerned about the 5% THD of the amplifier.
Would love to hear of your opinions on this.
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Thanks for that.
The sound quality is quite good from this head unit, I'm saying that with the full knowledge that I didn't do any previous testing before the mod. So my commentary about this mod is irrelevant. However it does sound quite good, I've got the equalization set to FLAT and any special enhancements (Such as S.RTRV) turned off.
I also only have my pc to compare audio to and it sounds tons better. Sounds very natural with a fully intact 3D stereo image with beautiful sounding vocals. Its quite nice. Theres no difference in vocals between my pc's dac and this one, but the 3D stereo image has appeared out of nowhere.
In saying that it does sound a tad muffled.
I'm listening to Nelly Furtado , Yelle and Dead Can Dance cd rips. I'm using MP3s at VBR 200kbps that I've ripped myself using EAC from CD.
It should work very well in my SQ car audio build.
The sound quality is quite good from this head unit, I'm saying that with the full knowledge that I didn't do any previous testing before the mod. So my commentary about this mod is irrelevant. However it does sound quite good, I've got the equalization set to FLAT and any special enhancements (Such as S.RTRV) turned off.
I also only have my pc to compare audio to and it sounds tons better. Sounds very natural with a fully intact 3D stereo image with beautiful sounding vocals. Its quite nice. Theres no difference in vocals between my pc's dac and this one, but the 3D stereo image has appeared out of nowhere.
In saying that it does sound a tad muffled.
I'm listening to Nelly Furtado , Yelle and Dead Can Dance cd rips. I'm using MP3s at VBR 200kbps that I've ripped myself using EAC from CD.
It should work very well in my SQ car audio build.
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I did something similar, just tacked a similar part onto the incoming supply, never liked the FC, but look good in the data sheet though.
What made more difference was to run a dedicated supply from the battery, with a ferrite/inductor out at the battery Also to tend to the smaller supply capacitor for the analog supply close to the chip.
If you can add sockets for the output op amps, you can change those and add decoupling close to them as well. I used some Burson modules which sound way better than the njr2114 parts.
Also, if you can use wav files, the treble will be smoother I have noticed anyways.
What made more difference was to run a dedicated supply from the battery, with a ferrite/inductor out at the battery Also to tend to the smaller supply capacitor for the analog supply close to the chip.
If you can add sockets for the output op amps, you can change those and add decoupling close to them as well. I used some Burson modules which sound way better than the njr2114 parts.
Also, if you can use wav files, the treble will be smoother I have noticed anyways.
Hi Nigel,
He has. In one shot there are traces on top. No solder on the top side that I can see, so that capacitor could possibly not be connected.
Hi VenusFly,
Installing components that are much larger than the original part is never a good idea. At least the product wasn't an expensive one in case a terrible mistake happened.
-Chris
He has. In one shot there are traces on top. No solder on the top side that I can see, so that capacitor could possibly not be connected.
Hi VenusFly,
Installing components that are much larger than the original part is never a good idea. At least the product wasn't an expensive one in case a terrible mistake happened.
-Chris
Thanks for looking after me gents but if you look at pics 5 on the top of the board there is a trace going to a diode and to the choke and pic 6 is of after I did the solder job but pic 5 is before I soldered it. The radio works fine with no issues.
I've also looked at the schematic for a higher end 395BT model and the cap goes to the reg and choke too and nothing else.
Considering there are plenty of vias everywhere else I doubt they put a via on a 3rd trace layer in the middle of the board on the positive lead of the cap I could be wrong though?
I've also looked at the schematic for a higher end 395BT model and the cap goes to the reg and choke too and nothing else.
Also the holes were the same size as the older capacitor suprisingly. The 1mm drill bit that I used was mainly just to make the holes clear for the leads to go through as I don't have a great solder sucker, it gave very little resistance and I ran the drill at an extremely slow speed so I was eating into lead not copper, what came out on the drill was lead too not copper or pcb. So no over-sizing was made. But even if that were the case I doubt that it would've made any difference because as you see in the 6th picture in the far left of the image thats where the large cap connects its earth to, so one side is connected to the large earth trace which is enormous and on the top theres traces going to the diode and choke.
Considering there are plenty of vias everywhere else I doubt they put a via on a 3rd trace layer in the middle of the board on the positive lead of the cap I could be wrong though?
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I should have mentioned that I also used potting to maintain shock and vibration protection on any components that were added. The larger parts really aren’t a problem once this is done, and there was lots of room in my head unit. RTV would work for this if you only apply it to finished surfaces, ie. the sleeve of a capacitor, or the case of the radio. I used jumpers to sockets for the new op amps.
The analog supply on the main processor was the only thing changed besides the op amps, op amps local decoupling, decoupling on the amplifier chip, and adding a larger cap to the existing large main one.
My other option was to have a crappy sounding stereo, and that actually was worth the risk of destroying a $40 oem Head unit.
I found the limited schematic by searching for the main processor part numbers, and got lucky, have noticed it has been taken down now however.
The analog supply on the main processor was the only thing changed besides the op amps, op amps local decoupling, decoupling on the amplifier chip, and adding a larger cap to the existing large main one.
My other option was to have a crappy sounding stereo, and that actually was worth the risk of destroying a $40 oem Head unit.
I found the limited schematic by searching for the main processor part numbers, and got lucky, have noticed it has been taken down now however.
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Hi VenusFly,
I'm a little sticky on best practices because I work on equipment for other people professionally. But the rules I work with seem to apply equally well to what you are doing on your own. Get information first, then act carefully. Either that, or just buy a better radio to begin with. Chances are everything has been improved and it will work better in every way. Overall you'd be happier, and then you can create franken-radio to use on a workbench or garage.
-Chris
Which is exactly why you shouldn't have touched it to begin with. One of my rules is, if you make a change, be certain you can back out again. Not knowing for sure if your capacitor is in circuit or not is a scary thing to contemplate. I know it is a cheap radio to start with, but you should treat all things you work on the same way.
I'm a little sticky on best practices because I work on equipment for other people professionally. But the rules I work with seem to apply equally well to what you are doing on your own. Get information first, then act carefully. Either that, or just buy a better radio to begin with. Chances are everything has been improved and it will work better in every way. Overall you'd be happier, and then you can create franken-radio to use on a workbench or garage.
-Chris
I'm not using the head unit anymore.
I've got a better Fujitsu Ten that is 100% analog from beginning to end so i don't have to worry about a head unit DSP getting in the way and ruining the sound.
Here is my opinion of the Ten: Why don't we make our own head units?
I'll be using a bluetooth to spdif converter going to a headphone dac and then plumb the audio directly into a pioneer dedicated Class AB amp, routing around the fujitsu ten (it doesn't have aux inputs anyway unless I routed the audio through the cd deck input but it would take some hacking.)
I've got a better Fujitsu Ten that is 100% analog from beginning to end so i don't have to worry about a head unit DSP getting in the way and ruining the sound.
Here is my opinion of the Ten: Why don't we make our own head units?
I'll be using a bluetooth to spdif converter going to a headphone dac and then plumb the audio directly into a pioneer dedicated Class AB amp, routing around the fujitsu ten (it doesn't have aux inputs anyway unless I routed the audio through the cd deck input but it would take some hacking.)
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Maybe eventually you will notice that inside a car really isn’t all that great sounding of an environment, and figure out how the dsp was the only thing that really helped.
Then you can get one of these to put it all back again;
Audison bit - bit Ten
Oem Head unit gives me a place to use all those old CDs...
Then you can get one of these to put it all back again;
Audison bit - bit Ten
Oem Head unit gives me a place to use all those old CDs...
My 1997 Camry Vienta Grande V6 XV10 series (XV10 ran until 1997 in Aus) is incredibly quiet inside and I haven't even put sound deadening on the firewall or rear doors or boot yet.
To give you an idea you can barely hear the engine running and when you open the bonnet you can whisper something to someone standing next to you its that quiet and when I floor it on the road nobody hears it, all I hear is a quiet rumble from the exhaust. I can drive up to someone on the side of the road and they won't even turn their head, done this to my neighbor.
Its also worth nothing that this car does not have electric cooling fans, it has hydraulic cooling fans driven by a pump attatched to the back of the power steering pump which makes everything super-quiet and when on the highway the loudest noise is the wind going across the bonnet/windscreen.
That is the quiet running 3VZ-FE. Toyota's most smooth running engine ever made. The loudest noise is the fuel injectors, not even shitting you.
Its no bentley but its pretty close to a mercedes in terms of in car noise levels and its a toyota so its not going to break down, cost me $2k.
I'm currently shopping for two 12" drivers. going to put them in my dual 10" subwoofer to louden things up a bit.
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Even if you're quiet, there is no end of big trucks, squealing brakes and various forms of "music" blasted through other open windows. A quiet, open road is your haven from the general population (and why I moved to this area). Noise will always be around for the bulk of the time you're in the driver's seat.
-Chris
-Chris
Hi phase,
I know what you mean. I have a nice Nakamichi system that is just waiting for an older car to install it in. Also a McIntosh and a Denon head unit to choose from. The new cars (except Ford) have systems that are good enough to leave in place, even though the Nak blows them away for sound quality. A 1990's Caprice would suit that system well (had one) and I already have the mounting board made! A Roadmaster would be perfect! Not enough integration to lose by swapping the radio out and a nice quiet interior. Maybe go with another 5.7L engine and 700R4 transmission, that would be fun and comfortable.
The new cars have too many neat features built into the radios so that you can't really swap them out. You'd have to keep the factory system (- the speakers) and mount the good stuff under the dash or something. A neat project for sure.
-Chris
I know what you mean. I have a nice Nakamichi system that is just waiting for an older car to install it in. Also a McIntosh and a Denon head unit to choose from. The new cars (except Ford) have systems that are good enough to leave in place, even though the Nak blows them away for sound quality. A 1990's Caprice would suit that system well (had one) and I already have the mounting board made! A Roadmaster would be perfect! Not enough integration to lose by swapping the radio out and a nice quiet interior. Maybe go with another 5.7L engine and 700R4 transmission, that would be fun and comfortable.
The new cars have too many neat features built into the radios so that you can't really swap them out. You'd have to keep the factory system (- the speakers) and mount the good stuff under the dash or something. A neat project for sure.
-Chris
Wow, I have always wanted a ‘79 Coupe De Ville to do the same thing with, that Caprice would be perfect, just saw one here in the Seattle area for $3500 that was in very nice shape. Those cars drive very very nice.
The newer cars just seem to have too thin of sheet metal that just isn’t speaker-friendly. If my oem Head unit was a more costly one, I would have hesitated to tear into it and back it up.
That sounds like some really nice gear you have there, hope you can find the perfect car to enjoy it.
The newer cars just seem to have too thin of sheet metal that just isn’t speaker-friendly. If my oem Head unit was a more costly one, I would have hesitated to tear into it and back it up.
That sounds like some really nice gear you have there, hope you can find the perfect car to enjoy it.
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