Marantz CD63 & CD67 mods list

[marcusdeming]

hi ray,

the common mode filter part number was the one i am referring to(part number 353 2331) i cant seems to find this item there. But its ok now since i don need it.

Can i have part number for the varistor S20K250? I am sorry cos i really know nuts about this? By the way, what is the varistor for?

Simon,

I have request for samples from the national site and was asked to pay a small fee for it.
But I got it anyway, since you gurus are recommending it.

regards,
Marcus

[marcusdeming]

1000uf next to the opamps...sounds interesting, maybe i should try that too.

for the HDAM issue, i saw a wire coming out form the HDAM, how did he do that without opening up the HDAM

[markk02474]

Marcus,

I feel for someone like you who is new to modifying these machines! Besides all the posts here (!), there are two old mod writeups (Thorsten and Bobwire), and a couple others here. You kind of need to synthesize what you are willing to do from all of them based on what others have done over the last 13 or so years!

Someone like you is ideal to update the parts list! Those who've replaced those parts long ago is less up to date and less motivated.

I like to give people modification levels, starting with very basic and audible to inspire them to continue. This is supposed to be fun!

Level 1 would be jumpering the power supply resistors (they stick up off the board) for the opamps and HDAM (None on digital circuits!), and also jumpering out the DC blocking electrolytics that sit right after the HDAM. You get bass and dynamics from the first and detail from the second. Jumpering the resistors makes at least as much initial improvement as you're likely to get from one power supply cap versus another.

Just do these two things Now. No parts needed! When you order parts, you can upgrade from just jumpers on the resistors to either a ferrite bead on a wire (my choice) or a low DCR inductor with ferrite. Then the next step after that is to make separate regulators for each section fed of the stock transformer and removing the inductor and ferrite, then another step is using additional transformers.

Next, replace the opamps with LM4562s - a direct swap. There is no other dual opamp as good and it is a toss-up with the very best and much more expensive single opamps that require a converter module. This part sounds open, clear, clean, neutral, and dynamic. It needs a couple days to burn in where the excessive midrange dynamics smooth out. With these opamps you are going to hear additional changes much better than others of us because they weren't available when we did our mods.

Yes, the HDAM boxes are hard to unsolder. I'm not sure you need to remove them and they would make handy spots to mount, say regulator boards! Most of us have bypassed the HDAMs out of the circuit, just using the opamps. One person used it instead of the second opamp stage and reports it is better. Either way, you don't need three amplifier stages after the DAC, less is more. Bypassing the HDAM is another one of those free mods you can do right away. Later on, after many other upgrades you may want to try using it instead of an opamp stage.

You can use the varistor after your filter. In the States we call them MOV's for Metal Oxide Varistor. It acts to short transient high voltage spikes. The voltage marking is when it starts shorting. The capacitors may duplicate what's in the filter - listen and decide!

[martin clark]

Excellent starting points. Also replace the mylar (orange blob) capacitors - definitely worth doing to removal of some of the 'mush' in the CD63s sound, as will this:
http://www.acoustica.org.uk/t/63/63hacks.html

[SimontY]

Originally posted by martin clark
Excellent starting points. Also replace the mylar (orange blob) capacitors - definitely worth doing to removal of some of the 'mush' in the CD63s sound...

Yes, excellent points made there. Mush eh? I've left those caps in place on mine! I am aware of a sonic signature that mylar caps can have (I've tried them as crossover caps in series with a tweeter) so I can believe this. A sort of cloying, plasticky sound?

I'm not changing mine because it's getting Ray's excellent discrete output stage eventually, when I can afford the not-inconsiderably priced "best" parts I want to use.

Certainly a straightforward but productive start with a CD63 is to remove the muting transistors, DC blocking caps and HDAM, and even to go straight to the sockets from the output of the op-amps, with perhaps a small (e.g. 20R) resistor on the output.

Simon

[marcusdeming]

Originally posted by markk02474
Marcus,

I feel for someone like you who is new to modifying these machines! Besides all the posts here (!), there are two old mod writeups (Thorsten and Bobwire), and a couple others here. You kind of need to synthesize what you are willing to do from all of them based on what others have done over the last 13 or so years!

Someone like you is ideal to update the parts list! Those who've replaced those parts long ago is less up to date and less motivated.

I like to give people modification levels, starting with very basic and audible to inspire them to continue. This is supposed to be fun!

Level 1 would be jumpering the power supply resistors (they stick up off the board) for the opamps and HDAM (None on digital circuits!), and also jumpering out the DC blocking electrolytics that sit right after the HDAM. You get bass and dynamics from the first and detail from the second. Jumpering the resistors makes at least as much initial improvement as you're likely to get from one power supply cap versus another.

Just do these two things Now. No parts needed! When you order parts, you can upgrade from just jumpers on the resistors to either a ferrite bead on a wire (my choice) or a low DCR inductor with ferrite. Then the next step after that is to make separate regulators for each section fed of the stock transformer and removing the inductor and ferrite, then another step is using additional transformers.

Next, replace the opamps with LM4562s - a direct swap. There is no other dual opamp as good and it is a toss-up with the very best and much more expensive single opamps that require a converter module. This part sounds open, clear, clean, neutral, and dynamic. It needs a couple days to burn in where the excessive midrange dynamics smooth out. With these opamps you are going to hear additional changes much better than others of us because they weren't available when we did our mods.

Yes, the HDAM boxes are hard to unsolder. I'm not sure you need to remove them and they would make handy spots to mount, say regulator boards! Most of us have bypassed the HDAMs out of the circuit, just using the opamps. One person used it instead of the second opamp stage and reports it is better. Either way, you don't need three amplifier stages after the DAC, less is more. Bypassing the HDAM is another one of those free mods you can do right away. Later on, after many other upgrades you may want to try using it instead of an opamp stage.

You can use the varistor after your filter. In the States we call them MOV's for Metal Oxide Varistor. It acts to short transient high voltage spikes. The voltage marking is when it starts shorting. The capacitors may duplicate what's in the filter - listen and decide!

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the long piece of advice. I have read thru the Thorsten and Bobwire write up previously, but being someone with limited knowledge and of the electronic parts and diagram, i do have had problem understanding what is what. Therefore going for the easiest one; changing the opamps and ecaps.

You mentioned jumpering the resistor in the power supply region, but which one, i dont see any sticking upwards at the power supply section. Maybe some numbers of these resistor would help. Can i also confirm that jumper means, removing the resistors and replace it with the thin silver strip.

The only few resistor that i can see sticking out are the ones between the opamps and HDAM. There are about 8 of them:
Are you refering to them..?

And for the 4 dc electrolectics caps to jumper are they these, the 4 ecaps btw the rca output(red) and the HDAM.

If i understand correctly, jumpering these ecaps would give me clarifty, right? I am a little confused now as i look at ray's pic at http://home.quicknet.nl/qn/prive/ra....DAM_bypass.jpg where i dont see any jumpers!!

I have in fact soldered in a socket for the opamps and removed all the muting transistor over the last weekend.

Will post more photos up when i am about done with them, its kind of getting pretty late over here, and electronics101 is certainly tough for a newbie like me.

Really appreciate all the advise rendered. Good night

[Glenn2]

Anyone here tried a ZAPfilter (mk2) from LCaudio?

It has its own shunt-tegulated (I think) PSU and toroidal transformer, and runs in class-A.

People using them in other players appear to be gobsmacked by the improvements.

I think it's only 2nd or 3rd order though, so I presume connecting after the first RC would be the way to go.

By the time one has invested in Black Gates, polystyrene filter caps, 0.1% resistors, better regs for the 7x12's, reservoir caps, schottky rectifiers, op-amps (though should just get free samples) and a separate trafo you've spend half of the money for this all-in solution.

Just wondered if anyone's had a go.

[avr300]

Originally posted by martin clark
Excellent starting points. Also replace the mylar (orange blob) capacitors - definitely worth doing to removal of some of the 'mush' in the CD63s sound, as will this:
http://www.acoustica.org.uk/t/63/63hacks.html

Yes, for polypropylene. And match the resistors 'round the PWM stage. Mush, no-no, not here, not with the 4562's.

If MC can provide more PCB's, consider The Flea

I will be beefing up my analog supply (again) because I had a "faster" sound with a jucier PSU once in the past. I think my opamps are starving.

Well, it all has been said all ready in this mighty thread, hasn't it?

[6h5c]

Originally posted by marcusdeming
I am a little confused now as i look at ray's pic at http://home.quicknet.nl/qn/prive/ra....DAM_bypass.jpg where i dont see any jumpers!!

Can i have part number for the varistor S20K250? I am sorry cos i really know nuts about this? By the way, what is the varistor for?

Hi Marcus,

The 'jumpers' are the thick white wires running under the HDAM cans. They run from the opamps' outputs directly to the RCA sockets, bypassing everything else in one run.

The varistor is still available here in Holland, which Farnell site do you use? Try a search for B72220S251K101. It clamps voltage spikes by the way.

Ray

[markk02474]

Marcus, you got the parts right in those pictures. The HDAM power supply (+12v and -12v times two channels) resistors are grouped together at top and the pair for each opamp below and split. The other picture shows the two pairs of electrolytics at the top. Each is a series pair used to create a non-polar capacitor out of two polar ones. Looking at the traces, you'll see only one jumper wire is needed per pair. I usually use resistor leads for jumpers as they are copper while capacitor and other leads are often plated steel.

There are traces where the HDAM can be bypassed. Its there for the cheaper model players and the HDAM is left unpopulated. If you bypass the HDAM, simply leave out the resistors that power it. If all still works then with your bypass, you want to take the connections from the HDAM's input and output resistors from the rest of the circuit. I think at least one is under the cover and so you can cut the trace instead. A little solder bridge can fix the trace if you err. On the HDAM output, it goes to the DC blocking electrolytic caps.