Hi there,
I fully admit I am new to DIY at this level, but I was wondering what anyone thinks of replacing the audio board opa2604 opamps in the SONY SCD 777es with the new Analogue Devices AD8610 opamps?
My research suggests that this opamp outperforms the opa627 with the added benefit of a more neutral midrange and speed of the ad825 with deeper bass response.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
TIA
I fully admit I am new to DIY at this level, but I was wondering what anyone thinks of replacing the audio board opa2604 opamps in the SONY SCD 777es with the new Analogue Devices AD8610 opamps?
My research suggests that this opamp outperforms the opa627 with the added benefit of a more neutral midrange and speed of the ad825 with deeper bass response.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
TIA
The 2604 is supposed to be a pretty good IC. As a fellow 777 owner, I've been tempted to get mine modded, but the fear of having it develop problems and the need to use the warranty have kept me from doing this. I hope and pray that I never need to send it out. I gather that there have been some issues with these units regarding the spindle/motor/sled section. Y ou may want to think twice about doing any mods. I DO admit that the temptation is great though.
Sacd mods
Hi John,
I must admit this is an issue, but I have lready made several mods to my 777 and I am extremely happy.
If you are ver tempted here are the 2 mods that you have to do first. I found that they greatly improved my players perfromance.
I also shanged a number of passive components, but they are another story.
1. Replace the rca jacks with WBT, CARDAS or other high spec jacks and at the same time you simply must do #2.
2. Wire the audio signal directly to the jacks from the audio board bypassing the pin board.
3. Reconfigure the grounding.
See the following llinks:
http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/hirez/messages/41691.html
http://ryoko.telhope.com/~tkchan/777mod/777Mod.html
Hi John,
I must admit this is an issue, but I have lready made several mods to my 777 and I am extremely happy.
If you are ver tempted here are the 2 mods that you have to do first. I found that they greatly improved my players perfromance.
I also shanged a number of passive components, but they are another story.
1. Replace the rca jacks with WBT, CARDAS or other high spec jacks and at the same time you simply must do #2.
2. Wire the audio signal directly to the jacks from the audio board bypassing the pin board.
3. Reconfigure the grounding.
See the following llinks:
http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/hirez/messages/41691.html
http://ryoko.telhope.com/~tkchan/777mod/777Mod.html
modwright.com has a whole tube output stage he offers.
I am actually waiting for;
www.vacuumstate.com
they have a kit that taps the vc24 chip and bypasses the rest of the audioboard right to a whole new set of output jacks.
They take the bitsream feed and use a low pass filter with on a separate pc board with its own power supply.
They actually give a choice or single ended or balanced outputs.
This will shortly be available as a full kit with instructions for the SCD777es.
I am indulging my hobby as I know the vacuumstate's kit will be better than the opamps, but I would like to see how much better it is than the best opamp driven signal.
I am actually waiting for;
www.vacuumstate.com
they have a kit that taps the vc24 chip and bypasses the rest of the audioboard right to a whole new set of output jacks.
They take the bitsream feed and use a low pass filter with on a separate pc board with its own power supply.
They actually give a choice or single ended or balanced outputs.
This will shortly be available as a full kit with instructions for the SCD777es.
I am indulging my hobby as I know the vacuumstate's kit will be better than the opamps, but I would like to see how much better it is than the best opamp driven signal.The modwright site seemed to be disfunctional,so couldn't find anything about them. And I'm somewhat leary of circuits that use the 6DJ8/6922/ECC88/7308 family of tubes. I was a former owner of an Audible Illusions preamp that I became very dissatisfied with. Sounded more like solid state.After a bit of reading around, I discovered that others felt the same about equipment that uses this tube. I've found a 12AX7A(I use 5751's) based preamp more pleasing to my ear, but as they say... YMMV. Each to his own.
Audiocom-uk.com
Have not tried the 8610 or the 825 yet.
I am trying to layout a plan of attack first so as to increase chanses of success.
I will probably get Audiocom-uk's OPA627 dual module with its decoupling capacitors and replace the 627 with the 8610s on the modules.
This is probably better fit than the AD825 modules.
Here is a description of the Sony's circuit:
http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/hirez/messages/33130.html
Have not tried the 8610 or the 825 yet.
I am trying to layout a plan of attack first so as to increase chanses of success.
I will probably get Audiocom-uk's OPA627 dual module with its decoupling capacitors and replace the 627 with the 8610s on the modules.
This is probably better fit than the AD825 modules.
Here is a description of the Sony's circuit:
http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/hirez/messages/33130.html
SCD1/777 Mods
I have tried the OPA249 and was not impressed. This is a high gain design compared to the AD285. Suggest placing IC sockets and trying different ICs. You can easily make your own 825 DIL units from conversion boards from RSComponents much cheaper. The decoupling capacitors don't matter. If you insist you can put these in yourself.
I have tried the OPA249 and was not impressed. This is a high gain design compared to the AD285. Suggest placing IC sockets and trying different ICs. You can easily make your own 825 DIL units from conversion boards from RSComponents much cheaper. The decoupling capacitors don't matter. If you insist you can put these in yourself.
Finally did it...thanks Fmak
The mod was a lot easier than I first suspected as thanks to Fmak, I did not need bypass caps in the SONY SCD777es i/V conversion.
As I was not a pro, I had to be carefull and hense it was time consuming.
Works well and much better than the original OPA 2604s.
Still burning in...will see what final sound is.
The mod was a lot easier than I first suspected as thanks to Fmak, I did not need bypass caps in the SONY SCD777es i/V conversion.
As I was not a pro, I had to be carefull and hense it was time consuming.
Works well and much better than the original OPA 2604s.
Still burning in...will see what final sound is.
Re: Finally did it...thanks Fmak
Reread the 8610 spec sheet. One aspect worries me somewhat, and that is the long settling time. The spec sheet shows prolonged ringing into capacitative loads.
Still, if it sounds good, that is what counts.
-----------------------------------------------------------------PhopsonNY said:The mod was a lot easier than I first suspected as thanks to Fmak, I did not need bypass caps in the SONY SCD777es i/V conversion.
As I was not a pro, I had to be carefull and hense it was time consuming.
Works well and much better than the original OPA 2604s.
Still burning in...will see what final sound is.
Reread the 8610 spec sheet. One aspect worries me somewhat, and that is the long settling time. The spec sheet shows prolonged ringing into capacitative loads.
Still, if it sounds good, that is what counts.
What are you trying next?
Thanks for the feedback.
I will wait a week for burn in and then if I have the nerve to do this again, I will test the AD 826 and compare .
I do wonder though that if I have to leave the AD826 in for 3 weeks to burn in, will I still be able to tell the difference between it and the AD8610.
The thing is of course to let the AD826 burn in and then try the AD8610 again...
A lot of opening/closing and soldering and desoldering.
After last night, I planned to only go back in to put in the VSE mods and your capacitance mods in the digital section.
The AD610s do sound very musical tho...
What are you doing next?
Thanks for the feedback.
I will wait a week for burn in and then if I have the nerve to do this again, I will test the AD 826 and compare
.I do wonder though that if I have to leave the AD826 in for 3 weeks to burn in, will I still be able to tell the difference between it and the AD8610.
The thing is of course to let the AD826 burn in and then try the AD8610 again...
A lot of opening/closing and soldering and desoldering.
After last night, I planned to only go back in to put in the VSE mods and your capacitance mods in the digital section.
The AD610s do sound very musical tho...
What are you doing next?
Re: What are you trying next?
PhopsonNY said:Thanks for the feedback.
I will wait a week for burn in and then if I have the nerve to do this again, I will test the AD 826 and compare
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I find that it is the long term acceptability and mussicality that counts, and that means a few weeks at least.
I am looking at DVD-A. See my post on the Technics A10 which I took completely apart - very brave and it took a long time to develop the inclination!!!
The answer is a dCS DAC and drive -- but I can't afford it.
jarthel said:I just compared an AD826, OPA2604, OPA2132P and OPA2228. I like the OPA2228 best.
Jayel
ps. my player is not the sony SACD player.
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Can you pl let me know which position you tried it in, I/V, filter, ot buffer/output? Also what CDP?
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