Over at Audio asylum, on the digital board, there are too many posts to count concerning the 3950/3960 CDP's.
They are cheap, 3950 is $60 at Best Buy right now, are supposed to sound reasonable stock, and are supposed to respond very well to mods and tweaks.
I had not visited here or AA that much recently, and I was somewhat surprised that there is so much on the 3950 there, and nothing here.
Seems like it would be a natural here, cheap to buy, and appears to make a good foundation for a modded CDP.
I bought one yesterday at BB, but I have not had a chance to unpack it yet. My plan is to let it burn in for a few weeks, and make sure it works OK, then start modding it.
It has a switcher PS, which I am sure is a weak point. The thing I like is all the rest of the electronics are on one board, no interconnecting cables to introduce jitter, and that board is supposed to have a ground plane. The ground plane, if true, is really surprising to me in a $60 CDP.
It uses a TI 1751 DAC.
Randy
They are cheap, 3950 is $60 at Best Buy right now, are supposed to sound reasonable stock, and are supposed to respond very well to mods and tweaks.
I had not visited here or AA that much recently, and I was somewhat surprised that there is so much on the 3950 there, and nothing here.
Seems like it would be a natural here, cheap to buy, and appears to make a good foundation for a modded CDP.
I bought one yesterday at BB, but I have not had a chance to unpack it yet. My plan is to let it burn in for a few weeks, and make sure it works OK, then start modding it.
It has a switcher PS, which I am sure is a weak point. The thing I like is all the rest of the electronics are on one board, no interconnecting cables to introduce jitter, and that board is supposed to have a ground plane. The ground plane, if true, is really surprising to me in a $60 CDP.
It uses a TI 1751 DAC.
Randy
Randy
I picked one up 2 weeks ago and have changed the coupling caps in the audio path to black gate NX-Hi Q, the op amp to a BB OPA2604 (a ****** to solder) and several power supply bypass capacitors with 120uf Panasonic FC, all I need to do is identify the mute transistors and remove them and I'll be just about there
In all honesty is is a suprisingly good player, it balances it's compromises well. A very listenable player stock but certainly plays better music with decent coupling capacitors and a slightly more acomplished op-amp. well worth the $40 in modifications I spent.
Finally, I hear that it is a great transport and better than most CD player transports at any price...but I haven't verified this.
Kevin
I picked one up 2 weeks ago and have changed the coupling caps in the audio path to black gate NX-Hi Q, the op amp to a BB OPA2604 (a ****** to solder) and several power supply bypass capacitors with 120uf Panasonic FC, all I need to do is identify the mute transistors and remove them and I'll be just about there
In all honesty is is a suprisingly good player, it balances it's compromises well. A very listenable player stock but certainly plays better music with decent coupling capacitors and a slightly more acomplished op-amp. well worth the $40 in modifications I spent.
Finally, I hear that it is a great transport and better than most CD player transports at any price...but I haven't verified this.
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for the reply.
My player is unpacked, and burning in now. I bought a 2nd one, as a backup, while they are still available. Have not had good luck with my CDP's lately, so I wanted a spare one.
I am looking for a service manual for it, to help figure out what to do. Would like to start with the PS, then go to the audio board.
Randy
Thanks for the reply.
My player is unpacked, and burning in now. I bought a 2nd one, as a backup, while they are still available. Have not had good luck with my CDP's lately, so I wanted a spare one.
I am looking for a service manual for it, to help figure out what to do. Would like to start with the PS, then go to the audio board.
Randy
Hysteria Toshiba style
I got caught up in the 3950/3960 hysteria about three weeks ago. I purchased a 3950 from BB for $60. I listened to it and was suprised how good it sounded right out the box. I set it on repeat fro 96 hours. I placed a few books on top of the chassis and then sat down to listen again. The unit mellowed some, but not to my liking. The sound stage seemed to be completely between the speakers. Although there was depth to the soundstage. The sound came from between the speakers and the midrange was "forward", but this aspect of the unit I liked.
I then impemented the AA Swenson mod using Dayton 0.47 MFD caps and CAT5 twisted pairs. I ran the wires from the audio board out thru the crack in the chassis and into a plastic travel soap container from Walmart. I mounted the caps and RCAs in the soap container, checked the wiring again, then turned it on for a listen.
I was, pleasantly, suprised upon listening, that the sound stage had broadened well beyond the width of my speakers. The "forward" midrange had retreated back into the soudstage. I really enjoyed the results gained from this minimalist tweak. I had all the parts on hand except the 65-cent soap container. I listened for a few days and then switched back to my standard player a heavily tweaked Sony CDP 390.
The 3590 compared to the Sony had close to the same breadth and depth of soundstage. Although, the Sony had the low level detail, gets a slight edge on the soudstage, air around the performers, localization and focus, and bass impact that the 3950 lacks. Overall the modified 3950 lacks focus.
NEXT: I am ordering the parts for the AA Vinnie mod which beefs up the capacitance in the power supply for the 3590. In, addition I am going to try the opamp replacment and the blackgate coupling caps. I want to up the capacitance at the ICs (ala Bobwire) over the capacitance used by Vinnie. I also plan to shield the ICs and ground the shields. I will experiment with dampening the chassis and transport, and experiment with various coupling/isolation techniques.
I have seen a lot of people slam this unit and I can see it has considerable merit and some drawbacks. The unit is a winner at any price and considering its actual cost it is a superb value.
I got caught up in the 3950/3960 hysteria about three weeks ago. I purchased a 3950 from BB for $60. I listened to it and was suprised how good it sounded right out the box. I set it on repeat fro 96 hours. I placed a few books on top of the chassis and then sat down to listen again. The unit mellowed some, but not to my liking. The sound stage seemed to be completely between the speakers. Although there was depth to the soundstage. The sound came from between the speakers and the midrange was "forward", but this aspect of the unit I liked.
I then impemented the AA Swenson mod using Dayton 0.47 MFD caps and CAT5 twisted pairs. I ran the wires from the audio board out thru the crack in the chassis and into a plastic travel soap container from Walmart. I mounted the caps and RCAs in the soap container, checked the wiring again, then turned it on for a listen.
I was, pleasantly, suprised upon listening, that the sound stage had broadened well beyond the width of my speakers. The "forward" midrange had retreated back into the soudstage. I really enjoyed the results gained from this minimalist tweak. I had all the parts on hand except the 65-cent soap container. I listened for a few days and then switched back to my standard player a heavily tweaked Sony CDP 390.
The 3590 compared to the Sony had close to the same breadth and depth of soundstage. Although, the Sony had the low level detail, gets a slight edge on the soudstage, air around the performers, localization and focus, and bass impact that the 3950 lacks. Overall the modified 3950 lacks focus.
NEXT: I am ordering the parts for the AA Vinnie mod which beefs up the capacitance in the power supply for the 3590. In, addition I am going to try the opamp replacment and the blackgate coupling caps. I want to up the capacitance at the ICs (ala Bobwire) over the capacitance used by Vinnie. I also plan to shield the ICs and ground the shields. I will experiment with dampening the chassis and transport, and experiment with various coupling/isolation techniques.
I have seen a lot of people slam this unit and I can see it has considerable merit and some drawbacks. The unit is a winner at any price and considering its actual cost it is a superb value.
Dave
I'm using mine with a set of HD580's right now and out of the box it would get congested and fall apart at high signal levels, with the OPA2604 that problem disappeared, and numerous other niggles with it. The black gates are true to form and take a while to loose a rather disjointed character and settle down.
Soundstaging is a funny thing but to be honest it is fairly low on my list of priorities, I'd rather have a musically correct presentation rather than a spatially correct one, so I generally don't worry too much about it (that is what us "flat earthers" are like I guess). What really surprized me about this player is it's tune playing, sure it's not a Linn CD12 or a Naim CDX/CDS etc. but it makes you tap your foot and doesn't want to make you switch it off which is good going for a CD player at any price level, at $60 it's a bargain. And just like you I bought it on a lark just to see what all the fuss is about, I'm glad I did. I'll be adding some chassis and transport damping and call it good, musically it rates up there with far better players and is a lot better than my old Arcam Alpha 5+ (that cost me the equivalent of $900 8 years ago)
Kevin.
I'm using mine with a set of HD580's right now and out of the box it would get congested and fall apart at high signal levels, with the OPA2604 that problem disappeared, and numerous other niggles with it. The black gates are true to form and take a while to loose a rather disjointed character and settle down.
Soundstaging is a funny thing but to be honest it is fairly low on my list of priorities, I'd rather have a musically correct presentation rather than a spatially correct one, so I generally don't worry too much about it (that is what us "flat earthers" are like I guess). What really surprized me about this player is it's tune playing, sure it's not a Linn CD12 or a Naim CDX/CDS etc. but it makes you tap your foot and doesn't want to make you switch it off which is good going for a CD player at any price level, at $60 it's a bargain. And just like you I bought it on a lark just to see what all the fuss is about, I'm glad I did. I'll be adding some chassis and transport damping and call it good, musically it rates up there with far better players and is a lot better than my old Arcam Alpha 5+ (that cost me the equivalent of $900 8 years ago)
Kevin.
, seems kind of wrong doesn't it.I finally decided to hang out over here a little bit and here is a thread about the 3950!
I've been getting a lot of enjoyment out of my modded 3950, with it I want to air banjo along with the Kinston Trio, that doesn't happen with the WAY WAY more expensive AN DAC3.
The most recent upgrade was putting DIY roller bearing under it, that helped a lot. Its sounds so smooth now its incredible, but it still "sings".
With the original op amp you can see the waveform clip on loud passages which is I'm sure whats responsible for the congestion at loud levels. Rather than change the op-amp I just bypassed it altogether. In my system that works very well.
I just finished building a DDDAC so I've got it hooked up to the 3950 right now, in a few days I can give a preliminary comparison between the two.
John S.
I've been getting a lot of enjoyment out of my modded 3950, with it I want to air banjo along with the Kinston Trio, that doesn't happen with the WAY WAY more expensive AN DAC3.
The most recent upgrade was putting DIY roller bearing under it, that helped a lot. Its sounds so smooth now its incredible, but it still "sings".
With the original op amp you can see the waveform clip on loud passages which is I'm sure whats responsible for the congestion at loud levels. Rather than change the op-amp I just bypassed it altogether. In my system that works very well.
I just finished building a DDDAC so I've got it hooked up to the 3950 right now, in a few days I can give a preliminary comparison between the two.
John S.
Welcome
I am really glad to see you are still around and posting the tresults of your tweaks. I would hope the folks here will be more open minded than audioswine that have popped up else where.
I have implemented your mod and I am anticipating doing the Vinnie PS mod next week. I do not have the caps to ground as you suggest (none in the range you suggest on hand). I have larger and smaller value ceramics on hand.
What would be the effect of a 200 pf cap or a 400 cap?
The only popping I have heard is when I power up the unit while the preamp is already powered up. I am just loving the quest to tweak this unit.
I am really glad to see you are still around and posting the tresults of your tweaks. I would hope the folks here will be more open minded than audioswine that have popped up else where.
I have implemented your mod and I am anticipating doing the Vinnie PS mod next week. I do not have the caps to ground as you suggest (none in the range you suggest on hand). I have larger and smaller value ceramics on hand.
What would be the effect of a 200 pf cap or a 400 cap?
The only popping I have heard is when I power up the unit while the preamp is already powered up. I am just loving the quest to tweak this unit.
Update on my search for a 3950 service manual.
Today, I went up and picked up the CD with the "3950 service manual" on it.
For the 3950, the service manual is 4 pages long.
It basically says that they replace a 3950 if it's under warranty, and do not repair.
That cost me $50, that's $12.50 a page .
On the plus side (if there is one), the same CD has the service manual for other DVD players on it. I am going to see if any is close enough to use on the 3950. If not, I will see if the place will give me my money back for it.
Randy
Today, I went up and picked up the CD with the "3950 service manual" on it.
For the 3950, the service manual is 4 pages long.
It basically says that they replace a 3950 if it's under warranty, and do not repair.
That cost me $50, that's $12.50 a page
.On the plus side (if there is one), the same CD has the service manual for other DVD players on it. I am going to see if any is close enough to use on the 3950. If not, I will see if the place will give me my money back for it.
Randy
randytsuch said:Update on my search for a 3950 service manual.
Today, I went up and picked up the CD with the "3950 service manual" on it.
For the 3950, the service manual is 4 pages long.
It basically says that they replace a 3950 if it's under warranty, and do not repair.
Randy
What, no schematics???!!!
How can they charge so much for 4 pages of uselessness?
Glad to see there is some discussion on this board on the 3950. It is a DIY project afterall
-Vinnie
Vinnie R. said:
What, no schematics???!!!
How can they charge so much for 4 pages of uselessness?
Glad to see there is some discussion on this board on the 3950. It is a DIY project afterall
-Vinnie
Hi Vinnie,
In fairness to Toshiba, I should mention there are maybe 50 SM's on that CD, covers some TV's, other DVD players, TV/VCR combos and I think a couple projector TV's. That's why it's $50. But, the one SM I wanted was not there.
Randy
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