Marantz CD63 & CD67 mods list

[SimontY]

There are some big positives like the better imaging and hugely reduced edginess and paper thin midrange the CD63 tends to suffer with. Piano is notably improved. I just sort of miss the impact of the active stages. Furthermore vocals are a bit recessed, male and female.

The best output section is still easily Ray's passive filter + simple discrete active stage (of the options I've heard). Second best would be Burson discrete op-amps and no HDAM... I'm not sure where transformers fit in but it would suit some ears and systems very well I feel. Worst is either op-amps + HDAM or just op-amps, depending on your preference.

Simon

[SimontY]

Hmm, of all things Dr Dre sounds good on transformers. His production style is quite compressed and upfront but also well balanced in my opinion. Everything comes across with 20% less impact and 50% more smoothness, and that is a good thing. It's perhaps like vinyl with a bit less bass swagger and overall dynamics - and no crackle or limited frequency response.

[6h5c]

The best output section is still easily Ray's passive filter + simple discrete active stage (of the options I've heard).

New DOS boards are on the way...

Ray

[SimontY]

Originally Posted by 6h5c

Ray

Hi Ray,

Have you tried output transformers on a cd player? I've not reached a final conclusion yet... and they are getting better with some hours on them. Some music sounds very analogue with this set-up. Piano is rather decent.

Simon

[poynton]

Simon,

I tried transformer output at the same time as I was trying the tube output.
(Admittedly, not for long .)

I thought the sound was very similar to the tube output I was trying at the time open, not too bright and a little shy on the bass but very nice to listen to.

I was using mic matching transformers but I cannot find the make etc.



Andy


.

[SimontY]

Hi Andy, nice to hear some more impressions about the transformers. My Lundahls say they are for microphones on them but in reality they suit a variety of line level applications and are quite versatile having a good frequency response and twin primaries and secondaries.

I think connecting after the first op-amp could give what's missing and hopefully not ruin the mature, refined sound they give.

Simon

[6h5c]

Originally Posted by SimontY

Hi Ray,

Have you tried output transformers on a cd player? I've not reached a final conclusion yet... and they are getting better with some hours on them. Some music sounds very analogue with this set-up. Piano is rather decent.

Simon

No, I never did. I stuck with the DOS, and never experimented any further, to be honest. They can sound very good (I have two big ones in my amp's output stage) but for line levels they just don't seem an appealing choice. Maybe i'm thinking too narrow-minded, but for me a tranny is useful when you need galvanic isolation, or stepping down AC voltage

Ray

[SimontY]

Fair enough. I like the idea of just one passive component doing the summing and filtering, ready to connect to an amp, and the isolation is a bonus I think. As a valve guy it's the sort of thing I thought you'd like lol

[6h5c]

You are absolutely right, it is a very good and simple solution for what is normally done by a lot more components. I should like it , but I don't know why I never got to it. I think it is also the large number of models to choose from, and to sort out which one is best for the task that held me back. But I guess if you buy a decent 1+1:1+1 you can't go wrong now that I look at it

Ray

[Shevchunko]

Hi Guys,

I've had no succes in getting my 63 KI working, still blowing the fuses. I think i'm gonna buy a cheap 63 from fleabay and put the board in the KI case. Other than the obvious bits (tranny, hdam cans) what are the other main differences between the standard 63 and the KI???

Cheers
Jamie