Modding a TAS5613 amp

[ChuckT]

I started this thread to share modding experience with the Genius200w amp using the tas5613.
There are some additional info here:
Tas5630+smps+aluminum case finished!new year coming!

Don't ask me how it sound out of the box, it didn't stay a virgin on the first night
But before the modding, I can say it does have a bit better details and soundstage and control of the bass than my highly modded t-amp, however, it is not as musical and lacks the organic full body sound of my highly modded (has Blackgate caps) t-amp. The bass is not as much as well. Also, the tas5613 amp is quite a bit cheaper than my Populse t-amp too. We'll see how it sound after the modding as I see it has good potential.

This amp uses a smps (no LC filter however) to output a 31.5v PVDD and +/- 21v to further regulate to +/-15v using 7815/7915 for a quad opamp and a smd lm317 for 12V for the 5 VDD pins.

1. PVDD: 1 1000uf/50V (Nover RX) cap after smps and 4 x 820uf and 4 ceramic for each of the PVDD pins. The ecap can be replace with better spec low esr caps, I will use Panasonic FM. On Ti datasheet (page 16), there are additional 47uf cap and a zobel for the PVDD, so I'll probably add them on the underside of the board.

2. 5 VDD pins: around the lm317, some Taicon 10uf cap are used, those will be replace as well. The layout for the VDD pins is not very good, some ceramic cap is over 2cm from the pins.

3. opamp: +/-20v goes through current limit resistor to 7815/7915 for +/-15v. No cap before regulator, so u can add a cap directly on the 7x15 pins. 470uf/16 Chemicon KY cap after regulator, good enough cap, but u can replace with audio grade cap like Silmic. There are 2 more 470uf KY cap close to the opamp as well, again Silmic if u like.

4. Input coupling cap: uses Taicon 10uf, I will replace with 1uf film (MKT1822) as I believe input impedance to the opamp should be very high.

5: 4 x input coupling cap to tas5613: 10uf Taicon, again 1uf film as the tas5613 datasheet says Rin is 33k (I'll assume this mean input impedance).

6: output filter: not sure what to change, maybe replace cap with known caps that I like.

7: Volume pot: uses Blue Alps, I'll replace later with a better pot.

[authlxl]

First , clarify matters

We know ChuckT just ago because he purchased one G200,I believe him dedicated audiophile and senior diyer,because data chat .

I am so aspire to look our products are improved by friends,pls give us more advice and we can make it better!

If friends meet product questions and can not going on ,pls tell us and we will send same and determinative free PCB board to you.

Thanks!

[Galgo]

ChuckT/authlxl,
Any of these relevant to the Tas5613FFD as well (the module w/o the SMPS)?

Sherly - what parts from the above link are identical between the modules and which parts are different?
Can be interesting to compare/mod both of these.
Gal

[authlxl]

Originally Posted by Galgo

ChuckT/authlxl,
Any of these relevant to the Tas5613FFD as well (the module w/o the SMPS)?

Sherly - what parts from the above link are identical between the modules and which parts are different?
Can be interesting to compare/mod both of these.
Gal

Gal,
Difference list below:
1.TAS5630FFD module use single dc power supply,preamp use single 15dc,can be connected from main dc supply.
G200 use double dc power supply,pream use +/-15v .

2.TAS5630FFD have class D amp and preamp in one board
G200 include SMPS and class D and preamp.

3.TAS5630FFD can works at 2*225W/46V along,(need fan cool),G200 can works below 2*100W.

4.All of them use Hi-Fi parts and professional manufacture.

[ChuckT]

Originally Posted by Galgo

ChuckT/authlxl,
Any of these relevant to the Tas5613FFD as well (the module w/o the SMPS)?

Sherly - what parts from the above link are identical between the modules and which parts are different?
Can be interesting to compare/mod both of these.
Gal

Gal, sorry I don't know about the Tas5613FFD, you'll have to study the circuit and see which part of the mod fits. But I suspect the some points like the coupling caps and caps around the 5613 should be similar.

[ChuckT]

The sound of the amp is coming along nicely, esp after the pot change. The sound is more musical now but does not have that "tube" sound of my t-amp. Vocal sounds very good, just does not have that warm sound that my t-amp have. (For ref, this is my t-amp PopPulse T-amp with Remote - modding)
But for resolution, bass control, and complex music like classical, tas5612 does a better job. I still have not change the main caps yet.

I also replace the long cable connecting the RCA to the pot, I really think a better wire should be use considering the reasonable quality parts of the rest of the amp. I use one of the cheap professional audio mic cable.

To found out how much improvement for replacing the pot, this is a pot tweak I have done in the past which basically applies to all amp with a pot .
Instead of replacing the Blue Alp, you can
1. measure the resistance between the In & Out pins of your pot at your favorite listen volume
2. bypass the Input to the pot by, unsolder the wire to the Input pin of the pot, and solder the wire to one end of a resistor of value from step 1 and the other end of resistor to Output pin.
3. Done. Turn on the amp and listen, you should hear a nice improvement.
4. After you are finish listening to this tweak, you can either reverse the tweak to the original form, or keep this tweak if you vary the volume level and find the volume change acceptable. If you keep the tweak, note that the input impedance of the amp is no longer fix, but I don't find this a problem.

[authlxl]

Originally Posted by ChuckT

The sound of the amp is coming along nicely, esp after the pot change. The sound is more musical now but does not have that "tube" sound of my t-amp. Vocal sounds very good, just does not have that warm sound that my t-amp have. (For ref, this is my t-amp PopPulse T-amp with Remote - modding)
But for resolution, bass control, and complex music like classical, tas5612 does a better job. I still have not change the main caps yet.

I also replace the long cable connecting the RCA to the pot, I really think a better wire should be use considering the reasonable quality parts of the rest of the amp. I use one of the cheap professional audio mic cable.

To found out how much improvement for replacing the pot, this is a pot tweak I have done in the past which basically applies to all amp with a pot .
Instead of replacing the Blue Alp, you can
1. measure the resistance between the In & Out pins of your pot at your favorite listen volume
2. bypass the Input to the pot by, unsolder the wire to the Input pin of the pot, and solder the wire to one end of a resistor of value from step 1 and the other end of resistor to Output pin.
3. Done. Turn on the amp and listen, you should hear a nice improvement.
4. After you are finish listening to this tweak, you can either reverse the tweak to the original form, or keep this tweak if you vary the volume level and find the volume change acceptable. If you keep the tweak, note that the input impedance of the amp is no longer fix, but I don't find this a problem.

We use ALPS RK27112 POT ,50KA TYPE

ALPS POT DATASHEET :
http://www.alps.com/products/WebObje...K271/RK271.PDF

UPLOAD HERE:

[ChuckT]

Originally Posted by authlxl

We use ALPS RK27112 POT ,50KA TYPE

ALPS POT DATASHEET :
http://www.alps.com/products/WebObje...K271/RK271.PDF

UPLOAD HERE:

R27 is a good pot for the price, but this is diy, there is always room to improve. I can't find any info on the resistor type (plastic or cabon pot), for the clean sound of the tas5613, I think carbon type is preferable.

[ChuckT]

Authlxl, thanks for the info on the caps.
"c10, c12, c55, c65 100N/100V tdk ceramic cap x7r
C64,52,40,c7 100N/100V tdk ceramic cap x7r
C5 100N/100V tdk ceramic cap x7r "

The datasheet calls for 2uf for C10 PVDD pins, maybe I should use a higher value cap there.

What is the BST (Bootstrap supply), the datasheet requires 33nf, but you have use C64 100nf, is this ok?

C5 decouples the VDD pin and the cap is a bit too far from the pin. I think this is a very important PS pin. I had quite a bit improvement with the ta2022 chip when I directly put a ecap across the 5V pin, the bass improve a lot. I need to find a way to directly put a cap on the VDD pin.

[authlxl]

Originally Posted by ChuckT

Authlxl, thanks for the info on the caps.
"c10, c12, c55, c65 100N/100V tdk ceramic cap x7r
C64,52,40,c7 100N/100V tdk ceramic cap x7r
C5 100N/100V tdk ceramic cap x7r "

The datasheet calls for 2uf for C10 PVDD pins, maybe I should use a higher value cap there.

What is the BST (Bootstrap supply), the datasheet requires 33nf, but you have use C64 100nf, is this ok?

C5 decouples the VDD pin and the cap is a bit too far from the pin. I think this is a very important PS pin. I had quite a bit improvement with the ta2022 chip when I directly put a ecap across the 5V pin, the bass improve a lot. I need to find a way to directly put a cap on the VDD pin.

I think such ceramic cap value is not important at all,fundamental issue is well route and perfect parts .

BTW rk27 series should carbon film resister.