Denon DCD-3560 Mods

[edwardcr]

I have been shopping around for new CD player to replace my 1996 vintage Denon DCD-3560, and have listened to a few excellent models - Esoteric SA-10; Marantz SA-11S2; CEC TL51X. I'm probably inclined to the CEC at this stage - a great combination of performance and price.

Before I make a final decision I want to investigate the possibility of modifying the Denon - from what I have read, with relatively minor mods this player can perform as well as many of the top modern players. It really is a beautiful machine - a 17 kg monster, wonderfully engineered, and still sounds great through my Linx Stratos Amps and my IMF Professional Monitor Mark IV's!

From what I have read, I should look at upgrading the clock, opamp and regulator - but could anyone expand on this, give me further suggestions, and enlighten me as to what I would need, and what is involved. Also sources of components would be great - even if they are in Europe, I may be able then be able to contact these to find sources in here in Aus!

I have recently retired, and have loved hi-fi and music for many years, but have only just started to dabble in electronics. So I know that that my abilities wouldn't extend to carrying out these mods myself at this stage! I do have access to a couple of good technicians in Brisbane who would be able to carry out the work for me.

So I suppose I'm looking for basic, cost-effective mods that would make a real difference to the performance of the Denon, but ones that could be easily carried out by a tech!!

[inertial]

hi,

Imho, look at the D/A chips. Are they BB PCM ***?
In positive case you can yump all the ICs and make a passive I/V
conversion . You can expect a very low signal level ( 0,1-0,2 volt
instead 2 volt) but a real improvement in sound quality
Just my 2 c.

Cheers,

Paolo

[Joschl]

Hi,

your machine has 4 x PCM58P-K D/A chips. not too bad
I believe the PASS I/V stage would be a great step forward.

Br
Josch

[inertial]

Hi,

Also a tube modd a la Thoersten Loesch would be nice

Paolo

[PaleRider]

Too bad I didn`t se this earlier

DCD3560 is the best player Denon ever made, they just doesn`t know it. Those old BB PCM58P in differential outplays the later DCD-S1.

The secret here is to bypass the whole "analogfilter" by picking out the signal directly from the opamps called IC509/511 / IC609/611. Seventh leg of eight, that`s number two from the rear on left side when you watch the player from behind.

Put on some new goldplatted XLR`s and you`ve got a balanced signal in a quality that makes your jaw drop.

Mow this is just step one; uppgrade to killer-trafos; 2x15V analog can be placed on the outside, buy a real trafo w. thick tread, that`s the secret to powerful dynamics. I`ve placed a 300va on mine. The 2x12v for the digitals doesn`t need to be that huge and has all the room left inside.

On mine I`ve allso uppgraded the tiny cords from the powerboard to the analogprint into some 13awg solid copper. Huge dynamic improvement with all the other done.

And don`t forget a new clock, just be shure to put it on right so you don`t kill the player

Mine got even more uppgrades, like a shielded sold core powercord. After all this modifying the old Denon gives a soundquality I still haven`t heard anything outplay exept vinyl on Jadis.