Just wanted to let anyone suffering from 'Black Gate Burn In Woes' know that this evening my Shigaclone SUDDENLY came on song whilst listening to Frank Zappa! Now I don't know if was a weeks burn-in time, or good old Frank from beyond the grave, but it's sounding wonderful now. The piano on 'Evelyn, a Modified Dog' sounds amazingly rich and 'sparkly'... full bodied. The mouth organ also sounds very realistic indeed - good stuff! I now have the kind of rich, detailed sound I am after.
I really was ready to order a new mechanism and start from scratch with a RC-EZ51H but it's all sounding fantastic now.
Of course now I have to decide after a few more days of listening, whether to try the new crystal again and the 0.1uF cap, now I know the Black Gates are starting to hit their stride....
Have to say I'm not hearing any of the grain Kevin mentioned with the stock crystal - curious. Kevin is the crystal in the 32 board also a ZTT?
Cheers,
- John
I really was ready to order a new mechanism and start from scratch with a RC-EZ51H but it's all sounding fantastic now.
Of course now I have to decide after a few more days of listening, whether to try the new crystal again and the 0.1uF cap, now I know the Black Gates are starting to hit their stride....
Have to say I'm not hearing any of the grain Kevin mentioned with the stock crystal - curious. Kevin is the crystal in the 32 board also a ZTT?
Cheers,
- John
johnm said:Just wanted to let anyone suffering from 'Black Gate Burn In Woes' know that this evening my Shigaclone SUDDENLY came on song whilst listening to Frank Zappa! Now I don't know if was a weeks burn-in time, or good old Frank from beyond the grave, but it's sounding wonderful now. The piano on 'Evelyn, a Modified Dog' sounds amazingly rich and 'sparkly'... full bodied. The mouth organ also sounds very realistic indeed - good stuff! I now have the kind of rich, detailed sound I am after.
I really was ready to order a new mechanism and start from scratch with a RC-EZ51H but it's all sounding fantastic now.
Of course now I have to decide after a few more days of listening, whether to try the new crystal again and the 0.1uF cap, now I know the Black Gates are starting to hit their stride....
Have to say I'm not hearing any of the grain Kevin mentioned with the stock crystal - curious. Kevin is the crystal in the 32 board also a ZTT?
Cheers,
- John
Hi John,
I have not looked closely at the resonator/crystal lately, but I vaguely recall it as being the same ZTT type you mentioned. The Citizen crystal is floating off of the board just on its leads - no damping material applied. IMO I might need to damp the housing like Peter did.
I have noticed some of the same effects you mentioned in terms of break in of the BG caps.. Some of the other changes I made also contributed to the recent improvements.
This thing sounds extremely detailed, and the overall sound quality is very good. It sounds a little forward compared to the Sony and it sounds just a little too "bloomy" at times. It is still evolving and I am not done modding it either, so I expect more changes to occur.
When I actually package it I may try to fit the larger transformer I have sitting around, in theory it should better voltage regulation than the "teeny weeny little thing"
it came with, and that might improve performance in ways I have not yet been able to quantify.
As far as the crystal goes I think I'll 'quit whilst I'm ahead' as the saying goes (even though Sanyo themselves recommend the Citizen crystal, albiet with the two 8pF caps).
I may try experimenting with that C906 capacitor though at a later date. The JVC uses 0.1uF, and yet the datasheet for the Sanyo LA9242 chip recommends to use a 0.068uF cap instead... might order a film cap in that value and see what happens. I have a 0.047uF cap already so might try that...
I have to say I didn't notice a HUGE improvement with the new 100VA PSU transformer - certainly not as huge as I was expecting at any rate. still all improvements add to the greater whole
I may try experimenting with that C906 capacitor though at a later date. The JVC uses 0.1uF, and yet the datasheet for the Sanyo LA9242 chip recommends to use a 0.068uF cap instead... might order a film cap in that value and see what happens. I have a 0.047uF cap already so might try that...
I have to say I didn't notice a HUGE improvement with the new 100VA PSU transformer - certainly not as huge as I was expecting at any rate. still all improvements add to the greater whole
shigaclone
Hi Peter, for some reason the programming can't be used from the remote after the mod. Is there any reason for this?
Also , just in case the laser wear out as i got y EZ31 used, what SFP101 version is it?-there are a few different versions- 5/8pin, 15/16 ,with IC etc. Thanks Quan.
Hi Peter, for some reason the programming can't be used from the remote after the mod. Is there any reason for this?
Also , just in case the laser wear out as i got y EZ31 used, what SFP101 version is it?-there are a few different versions- 5/8pin, 15/16 ,with IC etc. Thanks Quan.
RCEZ32 Update
Here is a list of components I have changed out that seem to improve the overall performance.
C927 > 10uF/16V standard BG
C940 > 10uF/16 standard BG
C958 > 47uF/16V standard BG, remove smd cap underneath. (This one is killer.)
Remove common mode choke.
C950 1000uF retain (in RCEZ31 the equivalent cap is removed) - This is the filter cap right after the common mode choke, removing it does not seem to result in any improvement, and I thought it sounded a bit dead and lifeless once removed.
I prefer the Citizen crystal to the ZTT, but YMMV.
Oddly at the moment I have a marked preference for cheap Radio Shack 92 and 330 ohm 5% 1/2W carbon film resistors for spdif output. I have tried several combinations of holco and the cheap RS really seem to work well.
I have Caddock MK-132 in several value combinations on the way and additional BG. I am going to change out one part at a time and listen.
I added a 3 pin connector to one of the mechanisms for spdif out and use a salvaged cable to bring it out. The other one goes direct from the chip.
I am now using the newer mechanism with all the above updates because the hub is actually a bit flatter. QC on these cheap mechanisms is ok, but not great.
To be fair I think my shigaClone "clone" is now performing almost as well as the Sony as a cd transport. It doesn't sound exactly the same, but that is ok.
Here is a list of components I have changed out that seem to improve the overall performance.
C927 > 10uF/16V standard BG
C940 > 10uF/16 standard BG
C958 > 47uF/16V standard BG, remove smd cap underneath. (This one is killer.)
Remove common mode choke.
C950 1000uF retain (in RCEZ31 the equivalent cap is removed) - This is the filter cap right after the common mode choke, removing it does not seem to result in any improvement, and I thought it sounded a bit dead and lifeless once removed.
I prefer the Citizen crystal to the ZTT, but YMMV.
Oddly at the moment I have a marked preference for cheap Radio Shack 92 and 330 ohm 5% 1/2W carbon film resistors for spdif output. I have tried several combinations of holco and the cheap RS really seem to work well.
I have Caddock MK-132 in several value combinations on the way and additional BG. I am going to change out one part at a time and listen.
I added a 3 pin connector to one of the mechanisms for spdif out and use a salvaged cable to bring it out. The other one goes direct from the chip.
I am now using the newer mechanism with all the above updates because the hub is actually a bit flatter. QC on these cheap mechanisms is ok, but not great.
To be fair I think my shigaClone "clone"
is now performing almost as well as the Sony as a cd transport. It doesn't sound exactly the same, but that is ok.Peter,
Did the Levinson lose the 'Transport Shootout' to the Shigaraki?
No. 37 For Sale
Regards,
Dan
Did the Levinson lose the 'Transport Shootout' to the Shigaraki?
No. 37 For Sale
Regards,
Dan
dantwomey said:
Not only the ML37 lost the battle, but my other two main transports as well (ML31.5 and CEC TL0). Presently they sit idly on a shelf waiting for "better days". And since together they worth some $10,000 on used market presently, I will be putting them for sale soon as well
Attachments
Gopher said:
I'm not convinced necessarily that it does, (can speak only about the version based on the RCEZ32) but it certainly comes very close. 47Labs claims it is the simplicity of the processing chain, and the mechanism design that results in this level of performance. I suspect it is just a good design on silicon and a competent board design. The mechanism is chintzy, but apparently there is some crucial aspect to its performance that was not compromised by the low cost. In oem quantities I doubt the board and mechanism combined was over $2, the total electronics package probably in the range of $5 or so for either model.
I am still in the process of tweaking mine. Interestingly my two mechanism/board sets with the same components installed (literally swapped from one to the other) do not sound exactly the same. Both sound good though, and one has a lot more hours than the other - there does appear to be some component burn in (I'm assuming electrolytic caps and the motors primarily) before it really starts to bloom. Mine always sounds better after an hour or so of continuous operation, although it sounds fine cold.
It is extraordinarily sensitive to the quality of the passive components used in certain key locations which I am still identifying.
I'm quite surprised, while still being a bit suspicious - it can't possibly sound this good can it? As a consequence I get hyper critical and need to listen to the Sony for a while to get my feet back on the ground, and then I can accept for a while at least that it sounds quite good, if not quite yet digital nirvana. I have the suspicion with more work that it might get quite close..
Incidentally I removed the plastic shroud on the mechanism, and wouldn't you know that it appeared to cause an audible improvement, disturbing because I really like the protection it affords the laser pick up, the noise reduction it provides, and the tidier appearance. Go figure...
None of this really makes sense, but it is FUN! (When I am not breaking something.)
Just installed the resistors in the digital output - 291 ohms for the series resistor (selected 10k and 300ohm metal film resistors in parallel to get 291 ohms) and 100 ohms generic carbon film for the shunt.
Already the sound seems a tad more assured - bass a little firmer. And I can rest easy knowing I'm not over-stressing the output now
Edit: Kevin my transport also improved when I removed the plastic cover - less there to vibrate I guess?
Already the sound seems a tad more assured - bass a little firmer. And I can rest easy knowing I'm not over-stressing the output now
Edit: Kevin my transport also improved when I removed the plastic cover - less there to vibrate I guess?