Meridian 808i upgrading the "best" CDP inthe world?

[Menno Keizer]

Hi,

I have an 808i and I'm not afraid to solder in it........
(although the 5 jear warrenty isn't over yet)

I've don alot of upgrading in the past,but lack the fundamentel knowledge.
So like many here on audiogon we ask each other and read alot on the internet.
And ofcourse we try many different approaches.

To start with,this is an very expensive cdp.
It retails for $14500 in the states,and mine is les than ayear old.
So why an upgrade now?
Simply because I can't keep my hands off.

Its an cdp with a computer dvd-rom drive, 3 processors, memmory for buffering a computer stile enclosure(pics later) a SMPS enz.

I started with the SMPS.
It's a very standard +12/2.5A -12/0.5A +5/6A powersupply
US made UNIVERSAL MICROELECTRONICS UP0653S.
I replaced all caps with panasonic-fc types exept for the two small ones on the front: Nichicon Fine Gold types just becouse I had them.
The biggest upgrade is the big Black Gate NH type 150/350
It's all burning in richt now so updates on the sound quality later.

[Menno Keizer]

IMG_5807

[Menno Keizer]

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[Menno Keizer]

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[Menno Keizer]

IMG_5821

[Menno Keizer]

Meridian 808i

More tomorrow.........

[stephensank]

I would frankly be very, very, very angry if I opened up a player I paid thousands of dollars for and found a switchmode power supply & a computer dvd drive. I would find the designer's house & throw bricks through his windows every night for a month.
Needless to say, the first thing I would do is figure out the voltage/current requirements & completely replace that worthless SMPS with real, linear power supplies.
That's what I really HATE about Meridian. They do nice circuit design on the audio bits, then screw it all up with choices of mechanisms & power supplies & other corner-cutting.

[georgehifi]

With you there stephensank.

Don't forget the cd rom drive, it's one of the cheapest available, and has been so unreliable, there have been many returned for replacement because they have become noisy or died, and the machines were still under one year old. But it does sound good for a while at least, I could imagine that with a linear supply would take it up one more notch again as well.

Cheers George

[Menno Keizer]

I'm planning to upgrade the psu to a linear one.
The boards needed came from AMB labs (q11 and q22).

This picture is from the inside of the player.
As you can see there is plenty space in there.....

[Menno Keizer]

psu q22.