Upgrades to my Rotel RCD-930AX CD Player

[Drew]

I'm wondering what kind of OpAmp I can put into my Rotel RCD-930 CD Player to make it sound alot better? I'm new to tweaking and I know nothing about electronic parts - I just have a friend that can install the stuff more me. I recently just brownbreaded the transport and the chasis as well as the case, including the power supply to help reduce jitter and vibrations. Is there anything else that I can do that is easy and inexpensive?

Drew

[Wombat]

At first you have to know what OP-amps are in.
Then you can think about an exchange with better parts.

You can´t generalize the results to expect cause most OPs sound different to the better or worse when dropped into existing designs.

Wombat

[KevinLee]

Hello All,

Does anybody know which op-amp is in this cd player? I do not have the schematic.

Also can anyone suggest any links to general CD Player DIY upgrades for the novice?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

KevinLee

[skaara]

Open it and look

[schmad]

Be careful, otherwise you may end up doing more bad than good.
There's more to switching op amps than just pulling the op amp and replacing it. Just as an example, some op amps have much better PSRR/CMRR than others. Switching to an ultra high performance op amp while having a power supply that's too noisy for it will not do good things.

First, you should understand what's "wrong" with the sound coming out right now. When you say "better", what specifically are you looking to "better" about the sound?

If you're going to modify a device in pursuit of something, be scientific and methodical about it, you won't be disappointed.

[tubenut]

I have looked inside a RCD930 some time ago, I was somewhat dissapointed. Really looked like a basic sony kit in a rotel box. I have alot of respect for most of their other units bar the RCD940 that used a quirky transport.
If memory serves than it used TLO72 op amps. Even NE5532 tend to sound way better than these. I remember the sound as thin, 5532 would definately help I think and it is not such a fussy op amp in terms of PSU requirements.

[Drew]

Thanks for the reply guys. I guess I should have checked to see which Op-Amp I had before I asked the question. I'll have to pull the brownbread damping material off it to check. I know this unit uses a Sony Transport, alot of manufactures use Sony Transports. The sound is pretty rich but would like a fuller sound with a wider deeper sound stage.

[Wombat]

hmm... when you want a "fuller" sound you seem to be a candidate for the Burr Brown types - although i don´t know your actual OPs i´d suggest an OPA2134, the OPA2604 sounds even drunken to my taste in my enviroment.

Wombat

[jjanderson]

The Rcd930ax use the TL072CP