Hello!
I have a heavily modded Marantz CD63 Mk II KIS, I have done the following:
- no output caps, mute transistors etc. in the output stage.
- no HDAM
- the first clock mod from www.acoustica.org.uk
- I use 2134 opamps, bypassed with 0,1uF polyprops at the pins
- Shottky diodes in the rectifier section (not bypassed with 0,1uF ceramics)
- bypassed the second opamp (filter section)
- matched the resistors on the first opamp input within 0,1% (recommended)
- the player and transport full with bitumen and blue-tak
- shorted the protective resistors on the +/-12V
In short, the signal goes straight from the first opamp after the DAC to the phono contacts and the out to my system.
Yesterday I installed an XO clock into the player and I can hear an improvement in detail and resolution. The stereo image is also more exact and the bass is a bit better.
Still I am not satisfied with the result, the sound is/has become "shrill". I am still remembering the soft, warm sound I got when I removed only the output caps...
I still have the 0,1uF ceramic cap on the DAC pins, as described in the first clock mod.
The wires from the XO clock to the board is about 1 cm and is single copper wire. The power supply comes from the output pin of the 12V regulator as LCAudio instructs. That wire is a multiple copper wire inside. I also have a separate XOClock power supply, but I haven't installed it yet (is it any good, btw?).
What are your suggestions? Go back to HDAM/2nd opamp-filter? Go further and install the separate power supply, clean up the 5V rail, install coax cables, improve the power supply? Or have I done smth wrong?
Looking forward to your informed advice and suggestions...
I have a heavily modded Marantz CD63 Mk II KIS, I have done the following:
- no output caps, mute transistors etc. in the output stage.
- no HDAM
- the first clock mod from www.acoustica.org.uk
- I use 2134 opamps, bypassed with 0,1uF polyprops at the pins
- Shottky diodes in the rectifier section (not bypassed with 0,1uF ceramics)
- bypassed the second opamp (filter section)
- matched the resistors on the first opamp input within 0,1% (recommended)
- the player and transport full with bitumen and blue-tak
- shorted the protective resistors on the +/-12V
In short, the signal goes straight from the first opamp after the DAC to the phono contacts and the out to my system.
Yesterday I installed an XO clock into the player and I can hear an improvement in detail and resolution. The stereo image is also more exact and the bass is a bit better.
Still I am not satisfied with the result, the sound is/has become "shrill". I am still remembering the soft, warm sound I got when I removed only the output caps...
I still have the 0,1uF ceramic cap on the DAC pins, as described in the first clock mod.
The wires from the XO clock to the board is about 1 cm and is single copper wire. The power supply comes from the output pin of the 12V regulator as LCAudio instructs. That wire is a multiple copper wire inside. I also have a separate XOClock power supply, but I haven't installed it yet (is it any good, btw?).
What are your suggestions? Go back to HDAM/2nd opamp-filter? Go further and install the separate power supply, clean up the 5V rail, install coax cables, improve the power supply? Or have I done smth wrong?
Looking forward to your informed advice and suggestions...
Hi this is what I get when I enter, www.acoustica.orgNo web site is configured at this address.
Audiofanatic
Audiofanatic
Zombie,
you may want to try either to leave the HDAM circuit in the signal path or do as I did and use only the output JFET pair (2SJ74, 2SK170) of HDAM to buffer the first opamp stage from output.
I tried the variation also where the signal went straight to output plugs after the first opamp - I also found the sound shrill and especially with music material "that has a lot going on at one time"... The cure was the buffer I mentioned before. I guess the opamp has trouble filtering and driving the cable all at once, even though it is a good opamp.
Ergo
you may want to try either to leave the HDAM circuit in the signal path or do as I did and use only the output JFET pair (2SJ74, 2SK170) of HDAM to buffer the first opamp stage from output.
I tried the variation also where the signal went straight to output plugs after the first opamp - I also found the sound shrill and especially with music material "that has a lot going on at one time"... The cure was the buffer I mentioned before. I guess the opamp has trouble filtering and driving the cable all at once, even though it is a good opamp.
Ergo
Hello Ergo!
My post is a bit old now and I read through your recommendations in another post. I have put the HDAM back, but bypassed the second opamp. Like you said, the sound is better.
I have also put in separate regulators for the clock, analogue and digital sections of the DAC, all taken from the 5V feed.
It sounds pretty good now...
The next steps would be to put in the LCAudio PSU (+ a regulator) and use it for either the analogue part or the DAC. To clean up the 5V rail would also be good...
Ergo, it would be extremely interesting to compare my CD63 to any of your modded machines.
The mods have developed into an interest (some say obsession) to see how much can be squeezed out of this poor old CD63.
I haven't finished with it yet
Cheers,
Tom
My post is a bit old now and I read through your recommendations in another post. I have put the HDAM back, but bypassed the second opamp. Like you said, the sound is better.
I have also put in separate regulators for the clock, analogue and digital sections of the DAC, all taken from the 5V feed.
It sounds pretty good now...
The next steps would be to put in the LCAudio PSU (+ a regulator) and use it for either the analogue part or the DAC. To clean up the 5V rail would also be good...
Ergo, it would be extremely interesting to compare my CD63 to any of your modded machines.
The mods have developed into an interest (some say obsession) to see how much can be squeezed out of this poor old CD63.
I haven't finished with it yet
Cheers,
Tom
Tom,
Do you have this: -
http://www.alw.audio.dsl.pipex.com/Downloads/CD43_53_63_Service_Manual.pdf
The second op-amp is part of the post-DAC filter, and should not be bypassed.
Better to change the filter caps to better types (polystyrene / PPS) and maybe modify the filter characteristics slightly for better response.
I would definitely install a seperate supply for the clock, the 5V supply in a CD63 is VERY noisy, and is modulated heavily by the mechanism currents.
The DAC inverter / oscillator gate should have it's own reg too for the same reason - even when using an external clock the PSU noise adds jitter to the clock when it passes through the DAC's internal inverter.
Another big plus is leaving the HDAM stages in place, but giving them a far better PSU feed than the poor 7812 / 7912's used currently.
Andy.
Do you have this: -
http://www.alw.audio.dsl.pipex.com/Downloads/CD43_53_63_Service_Manual.pdf
The second op-amp is part of the post-DAC filter, and should not be bypassed.
Better to change the filter caps to better types (polystyrene / PPS) and maybe modify the filter characteristics slightly for better response.
I would definitely install a seperate supply for the clock, the 5V supply in a CD63 is VERY noisy, and is modulated heavily by the mechanism currents.
The DAC inverter / oscillator gate should have it's own reg too for the same reason - even when using an external clock the PSU noise adds jitter to the clock when it passes through the DAC's internal inverter.
Another big plus is leaving the HDAM stages in place, but giving them a far better PSU feed than the poor 7812 / 7912's used currently.
Andy.
Thanx ALW, I've got it. Can't do much without it, can you?
What do you mean? To put a 120p cap instead of 100p? Or do you have any bigger changes in mind?
Would be very interesting to know and try out...
What do you guys think about making drop-in regulators with LM317/337 on veroboard in the place of the 7812/7912?
And to use the recently discussed (LT1763?) reg as a drop-in for the 5V rail?
Cheers
Tom
What do you mean? To put a 120p cap instead of 100p? Or do you have any bigger changes in mind?
Would be very interesting to know and try out...
What do you guys think about making drop-in regulators with LM317/337 on veroboard in the place of the 7812/7912?
And to use the recently discussed (LT1763?) reg as a drop-in for the 5V rail?
Cheers
Tom
Zombie said:
Helo Zombie
It may not help now, but it will in future
When doing mods, ones' enthousiasm should be well tempered.
My adsvise is to do ONE mod at a time, and then listen to it, carefully.
If you like it, leave it, otherwise be brave and remod the thing.
I'd suggest to restore the analog output, and to start the focus on the clocks.
Now to your clock issue: Which XO do you use ? Are you sure you connected the XO clock output to the input of the filter ?
Go for the seperate supply, it surely helps. Make sure the only connections with the 63 are the mains and the ground (via the clock PCB to the oscillator ground nearby the Nippon)
succes
I've modded mine too
Hi everyone,
Great to hear others are modding their CD63kis too
I bought one 2nd hand from Ebay and have done the following (from tnt audio mainly, they are great!):
- removed output transistors
- added shielding to chips on topside of the main board
- replaced power lead with CAT5 monster
- replaced analogue psu caps with BG 1,000uf 25v (bypassed with 22nf stacked polyester 400v)
- installed audiocom dvc-1 clock
- built external dedicated 5v psu for dvc-1 (big improvement over analogue section's 7805!!)
- added Russ Andrews oak cone feet
- damped chassis with lots of bitumen and blue-tac
- added input filter cap, .33uf, salvaged from a pc psu
- replaced some diodes with shottky, as per tnt advice
- replaced two output filter caps with 150PF 500V Silvered Mica
The sound is fantastic now! - but not before doing most of these mods.
The feet and shottky diodes made the biggest difference to musicality IMHO, probably. The clock and clock psu improved absolutely everything but were expensive mods. My cap changes made only subtle differences. The 150pf caps made the sound more listenable, but also less exciting. Without every single mod, or most of them at least, the sound might not be perfectly balanced, IME, though this will come down down to your other components' colourations.
I am about to mod more, I am at it all the time My next mods will be to damp the crystal with a sand bag/sock and to add chokes to the mains input area, maybe I'll remove those output caps too, like eveyone else
If anyone wants to see pics of my real botch jobs, quite funny really, please ask and I will post some here.
-Simon
http://www.wessex.f9.co.uk/cdplayer.html
Hi everyone,
Great to hear others are modding their CD63kis too
I bought one 2nd hand from Ebay and have done the following (from tnt audio mainly, they are great!):
- removed output transistors
- added shielding to chips on topside of the main board
- replaced power lead with CAT5 monster
- replaced analogue psu caps with BG 1,000uf 25v (bypassed with 22nf stacked polyester 400v)
- installed audiocom dvc-1 clock
- built external dedicated 5v psu for dvc-1 (big improvement over analogue section's 7805!!)
- added Russ Andrews oak cone feet
- damped chassis with lots of bitumen and blue-tac
- added input filter cap, .33uf, salvaged from a pc psu
- replaced some diodes with shottky, as per tnt advice
- replaced two output filter caps with 150PF 500V Silvered Mica
The sound is fantastic now! - but not before doing most of these mods.
The feet and shottky diodes made the biggest difference to musicality IMHO, probably. The clock and clock psu improved absolutely everything but were expensive mods. My cap changes made only subtle differences. The 150pf caps made the sound more listenable, but also less exciting. Without every single mod, or most of them at least, the sound might not be perfectly balanced, IME, though this will come down down to your other components' colourations.
I am about to mod more, I am at it all the time
My next mods will be to damp the crystal with a sand bag/sock and to add chokes to the mains input area, maybe I'll remove those output caps too, like eveyone else If anyone wants to see pics of my real botch jobs, quite funny really, please ask and I will post some here.
-Simon
http://www.wessex.f9.co.uk/cdplayer.html
- bypassed the second opamp (filter section)
- matched the resistors on the first opamp input within 0,1% (recommended)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Apart from a separate power supply for the clock (low noise very important), you might try reinstating the 2nd filter, or alter the roll off point of your first. Maybe you are letting too much hf hash thru'. You should measure thd and look at waveforms after mods of this magnitude.
- matched the resistors on the first opamp input within 0,1% (recommended)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Apart from a separate power supply for the clock (low noise very important), you might try reinstating the 2nd filter, or alter the roll off point of your first. Maybe you are letting too much hf hash thru'. You should measure thd and look at waveforms after mods of this magnitude.
Marantz modding...
Hi, you forgot something!
The one part that will do the most change (4 actually);
C 655 + C 656 + C 657 + C 658, the back to back DC-blocking caps should be changed for a bi-polar, or the best film-cap you can afford. If you are lucky / with the right op-amps,
you will not have any DC-offset, and you may jumper them instead.
I can guarantee that even a blind can hear the difference....
Arne K
NORWAY
Hi, you forgot something!
The one part that will do the most change (4 actually);
C 655 + C 656 + C 657 + C 658, the back to back DC-blocking caps should be changed for a bi-polar, or the best film-cap you can afford. If you are lucky / with the right op-amps,
you will not have any DC-offset, and you may jumper them instead.
I can guarantee that even a blind can hear the difference....
Arne K
NORWAY
DC blocking/coupling caps
Hi,
I have modded my player a lot and always want to take it further...
Can anyone advise me, and others, on what caps to replace the [Elna Silmic?] DC blocking caps with, in the Marantz?
I would love to use film caps, but is there a minimum sensible value to use (I mean, because they're large and pricey)?
In the UK, for example, would Maplins 'Audiograde' film caps be a wise choice? Or how about x-over type caps from Audiocom? Or something from Farnell?
Lastly, can one measure DC-offset (is that the one?) with a simple multimeter? If so, how do I do that?
I'd appreciate it if anyone can fill me in on this quite simple issue,
Thanks very much in advance
-Simon
ps- I added a mains input choke the other day, sounds even nicer
Hi,
I have modded my player a lot and always want to take it further...
Can anyone advise me, and others, on what caps to replace the [Elna Silmic?] DC blocking caps with, in the Marantz?
I would love to use film caps, but is there a minimum sensible value to use (I mean, because they're large and pricey)?
In the UK, for example, would Maplins 'Audiograde' film caps be a wise choice? Or how about x-over type caps from Audiocom? Or something from Farnell?
Lastly, can one measure DC-offset (is that the one?) with a simple multimeter? If so, how do I do that?
I'd appreciate it if anyone can fill me in on this quite simple issue,
Thanks very much in advance
-Simon
ps- I added a mains input choke the other day, sounds even nicer
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