Marantz CD63 & CD67 mods list

Dr.Gone said:



Indeed! My father gave me my CD-63SE because he had bought a Cyrus cd-player. I think he is starting to regret that he himself did not mod the player :D

Jacco

I've heard some Cryus ones, including the DAD9Q or something like that. I think they're good but surely don't hold a candle to a well-modded CD63/7.

The Cryus and Mission set up I heard in someone's house was terrible actually. Agressive in the extreme! But I'm sure that was largely the room and positioning. :smash:

Brent - your Missions don't make you wince do they?? :whazzat:
 
Samuel Jayaraj said:
Thanks rowemeister, that was quicker than one can imagine. You took less than a couple of minutes for your reply. I am amazed by the mods you guys are carrying out. I have a stock CD63SE and will have to start the long journey sometime sooner than later.

Hello Samuel,

The story on the PCB is in post #2225 (page 221).
Furthermore you can try to fit psu bypass caps on the underside of the pcb. I used 1uF BG NX, decouples up to light :) Any good 100-220uF will do.

Regards, Jaap
 
rowemeister said:
Temp inside is pretty good. With everything running on its own psu and reg nothing is drawing much current and they all keep to a minimum temp.

Brent

Good job Brent.
Reason I asked is because my Tent is getting hot, the PSU mains tranny that is. I don't like things to warm the interior, not even the valves which will be on top this weekend.
Spent half day looking for a lost pair 'BG NH 100uF/160V'. Found them in a rotten Geloso chassis after clearing the attic . :xeye:


SimontY said:
Hey Rowe,

I think he meant the FETs inside the HDAM can shield. How warm are they running?

Simon

Really Simon,
After a first look at the pictures of Brents Monster I thought he had separated the PCB with a copper sheet. Ethusiasme got hold of me in my response, but it was only shade and the glare of the Ahum cans. :sleep:

Regards, Jaap
 
Work in Progress

Hi there,
right now I've not found anywhere to order the main Ray's list, many parts does not appear on Farnell's site, even with there part numbers, others have diffrent products I know nothing about ( I just make the diffrence between capacitor and resistor, but many do not have the right spec as 470uf 10V... ). So I don't know If i will be able to do it one day...
I've recieved many opamps form sample, and only one seems to be pin to pin exchangable : the OP275GP. Can I just replace the JRC ones for these ? Will it improve some ?
Keep you informed...
 
Re: Work in Progress

Malefoda said:
Hi there,
right now I've not found anywhere to order the main Ray's list, many parts does not appear on Farnell's site, even with there part numbers, others have diffrent products I know nothing about ( I just make the diffrence between capacitor and resistor, but many do not have the right spec as 470uf 10V... ). So I don't know If i will be able to do it one day...
I've recieved many opamps form sample, and only one seems to be pin to pin exchangable : the OP275GP. Can I just replace the JRC ones for these ? Will it improve some ?
Keep you informed...

Hi Matthieu,

Of course you'll be able to do it! You must have some problems with the Elna RSH capacitors :D. The mods list is over a year old, you see. They have been replaced by the RJH series. Just type "RJH" in the Farnell search bar and you will find all of them. They are available until stocks are exhausted, but you can also click on the equivalent they offer, those are the Panasonic FC. They are a good replacement. Just pick a value that is the same or a bit larger than the original.

For a list with more up-to-date components, see this one: post #48. It is for the CD57, but a lot of parts are the same, and you can get a general idea of which type components are used. If you want to know specific replacements for a component, just post here, or mail me a list and we'll sort it out.

The OP275 can be used to replace the standard opamps. The sound will improve over the JRC2114. But didn't you get the AD8620 too? That one is much better :D. They are SMD, so you might want to get some of these. For AD8620, use this one. When you finish it should look like this ;).

Regards,

Ray.
 
KI 63 with KI 66 (and chums)

Hi folks,

I have been reading these posts with great interest and the more I read the more I am reminded how little I know about tweaking or getting the most listening pleasure out of my CD63 KI. :bigeyes:
For those avid tweakers and sound afficionados amongst I may come across as the ultimate luddite but your posts have spurred me into action. I have a woeful story to tell to date however that is about to change, and if possible I would really appreciate your views and input to remedy what is nothing short of pitiful.
Well I bought my KI63 about 7 years ago and have been listening to it using a pair of Sennheiser HD25s. :cannotbe: Yep headphones. It has never been hooked up to an amp. (so virginal one might say? - not even a headphone amp!)
As time passed the KI63 started to skip when playing even brand new cds. To a point where I started to give the KI63 a skip, and as I speak to you it is at home in its box in the cupboard where is has been for the last 4 years.:dead:
I had stripped it out a couple of times to clean and lubricate the laser tracking mechanism. A remedy which would last all of 6 months before the whole cd skipping thing would raise its ugly head. Ken should have left the HDAM things alone and gone for a transport that was up to the job :(
After reading all the interesting posts in your forum, I really want to get it going again and want to sample some of the latent talents hidden within the innocuous looking KI.

To date, what I will have to work with are: a sickly CD63MKII KI (no love lost there), a PM66KI (in the process of purchasing), audioquest quartz x 3 interconnects, and a pair of Polk Audio monitor 40s (which I got for a reasonable price) and ummm no speaker cables.

I know that there are the beginnings of a half decent setup in there, however I am at the baby steps stage so no Siemens Sikorel caps etc in the PM66KI just yet.
First things first is the CDM or transport mechanism which has ruined many a good listening session to date and clearly we aren't friends. Do I toss this and get something a little more reliable that will be compatible with the KI63 , follow a 3 day search and recovery procedure to get it operational (which I quite like the idea of), or failing that do I reach out for the ubiqitous snake oil (mail order from Hogwarts). :confused:

I am open to suggestions here and appreciate any and all the help I can get, but being a complete layperson when it comes to pcbs, jcbs, lcds etc, I cant speak the lingo. Many of the acronyms used are as enigmatic to me as good old scotch mist is to a leprechaun. Is there a 101 for hifi, or hifi for dummies where I can get some background before I start tinkering within the hallowed copper walls of KKKKKennnsss KI?
What I would like to do in this process and in order to help the next poor guy in my position is to collate a step by step guide/workbook (yes with pictures, and glossary) that covers all the various tweaks relating to the KI63 in particular that have found their way into this great forum. The maze of tweaks and revised tweaks and links to still more tweaks gets me totally lost to a point where I dont know where to start.

Enough of that, heres to the start of a journey of sonic discovery from the never ending font of ideas in this forum to the rebirth of a lapsed KI63 (and chums).

Cheers,

Justin
 
What will it match ?

Mornin'!
So fellows, I've a question for you:
which or which price level will my modded CD53 -updated with Ray's style PCB, AD8260, maybe audiocom kit (regs & clock) or custom (flea)- be able to face? In my shop they've introduced me the Naim entry CD player (and amplifier) and said it's unreachable by my old Marantz... I've red Cyrus does not match even? So wich level of price?
I ask because I want tu built a homogenic music system through a cheap but smart update, and get a Chinese integrated amplifier -to exchange my Arcam Alpha One- and match the Marantz, maybe the Dussun DS99, which is the Red Rose Passion -but 300€ instead of 3000€...-.
My Quad 11L have to work a while, famous Jean-Marie Reynaud will replace later.
That's why I need to have a view of the modded final reslut :)

Thanks guys!
 
Re: KI 63 with KI 66 (and chums)

JustIN8 said:
Hi folks,

...
First things first is the CDM or transport mechanism which has ruined many a good listening session to date and clearly we aren't friends. Do I toss this and get something a little more reliable that will be compatible with the KI63 , follow a 3 day search and recovery procedure to get it operational (which I quite like the idea of), or failing that do I reach out for the ubiqitous snake oil (mail order from Hogwarts). :confused:
...

Cheers,

Justin

Hi Justin, welcome to this thread. Malefoda is right, you have some long hours of reading ahead :yes:. There's lots of info in this thread that will answer most of your questions. But the first thing is to get your '63 playing again. So a replacement of the laser-transport seems a good idea to me :D. That is likely to be the culprit. The original CDM12.1 doesn't have a very long lifespan. It is now replaced by the VAM1202 unit. Here you will find a how-to guide with pictures.

After that, we can take you by the hand and lead you into modding-wonderland :clown:.

Regards,

Ray.
 
Re: What will it match ?

Malefoda said:
Mornin'!
So fellows, I've a question for you:
which or which price level will my modded CD53 -updated with Ray's style PCB, AD8260, maybe audiocom kit (regs & clock) or custom (flea)- be able to face? In my shop they've introduced me the Naim entry CD player (and amplifier) and said it's unreachable by my old Marantz... I've red Cyrus does not match even? So wich level of price?
I ask because I want tu built a homogenic music system through a cheap but smart update, and get a Chinese integrated amplifier -to exchange my Arcam Alpha One- and match the Marantz, maybe the Dussun DS99, which is the Red Rose Passion -but 300€ instead of 3000€...-.
My Quad 11L have to work a while, famous Jean-Marie Reynaud will replace later.
That's why I need to have a view of the modded final reslut :)

Thanks guys!

A well-modded CD53 will sweep the floor with a Naim entry player :D....
You should take your Marantz to that shop after it's modded :D.
I wouldn't trade your Arcam for a Chinese thing though. My advise: finish the player first and then take a good listen to it. Then decide what you want to do.

Ray.
 
Just made mine Panasonic Blue. And added a few BYV95B diodes in the PSU's
 

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Re: Re: What will it match ?

6h5c said:


A well-modded CD53 will sweep the floor with a Naim entry player :D....
You should take your Marantz to that shop after it's modded :D.
I wouldn't trade your Arcam for a Chinese thing though. My advise: finish the player first and then take a good listen to it. Then decide what you want to do.

Ray.

Good advice. Don't decide what else you need until you've modded your CD53 a little more. Remember, those guys in the hi-fi shop probably don't realise the magnitude of improvement that can be achieved in these players.

When my CD63 just had OPA2604 (not so good op-amp), oak cone feet, damping, special power lead and a clock running off the bad 5v rail a guy in a hi-fi shop was comparing the overall sonics to an Arcam FMJ22, which is not a cheap player. He felt it lacked in some areas but was ahead in others. It's amusing to think how much the player has come along since those early days, and it would certainly better anything a hi-fi chain like Sevenoaks (popular UK hi-fi chain) could offer.

Bottom line: the player will never be your weak link if you upgrade the parts inside sufficiently.


avr300 said:
Just made mine Panasonic Blue. And added a few BYV95B diodes in the PSU's

Nice, looking good ;)
 
Re: Re: Re: What will it match ?

avr300 said:
Just made mine Panasonic Blue. And added a few BYV95B diodes in the PSU's

Ah, those good old FC's...
Nice, avr! Still using the orange film caps??? :eek: :D

SimontY said:
Bottom line: the player will never be your weak link if you upgrade the parts inside sufficiently.

Hear, hear! :cool:

Ray.
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: What will it match ?

6h5c said:


Ah, those good old FC's...
Nice, avr! Still using the orange film caps??? :eek: :D

Ray.

I'll think they're up to the job. All the FC are bypassed with WIMA film at the bottom.

I would like to put in matched caps for the filter (the AD8620 stays! ;) ). I do have a bunch of cheramics, so many that I can match the 100p, 120p and 1000p filter caps around the opamps - just wonder how they sounds?