Hi folks
Recently I bought a reVox B226S cd-player, build around the TDA1541A and a CDM-1 drive. I was told that this was a good platform for tweaking and with the possibilities of getting a real good cdplayer.
The first modification, was replacing the OPAMPs in the ouput stage with some decent ones. Like many other players, it was born with NE5532. I replaced them with the OPA2604. The operation was straight forward, remove the old IC and put in the new one. The result was stunning, the NE5532 really sucked, the OPA2604 offered much more detail both in the highs and lows and much more dynamic.
To remove the offset from the DAC a 100uf cap was used. The amps I have now don’t mind getting some DC, so I replaced the CAPs with a wire. The offset at the output raised to 4V, not something any amp will eat, be difference was surprisingly big. This CAP had been bottleneck for the player and without it, it open up more, more natural sounding and more detailed.
Next step was to replace the decupling CAPs around the TDA1541. I’ve replaced them with some WIMA caps, the original was some noname ceramic CAPs. This made it sound a bit more detailed and the instrument less conflicting. With “less conflicting” I mean that the drums for example had less impact on the voices.
The latest modification (I did today), was replacing the CAPs near the OPAMPs from + to ground and from – to ground (local power supply bypassing). The originals were 2 X 100uf for each rail, the same type as used the removed the DC offset from the output. I replaced them with some 1000uf. This made it sound much more relaxed and a bit more dynamic.
I’m surprised how much better it sound with these rather easy and very cheap modifications. I am wondering how much how much better a new clock will make it sound. If the clock is made with the same quality as the parts for the player that I’ve looked at, then there will properly also be a lot to gain there.
I find it rather sad that they have cut so many covers, just to make the production of the player a bit cheaper.
/Flemming J P
Recently I bought a reVox B226S cd-player, build around the TDA1541A and a CDM-1 drive. I was told that this was a good platform for tweaking and with the possibilities of getting a real good cdplayer.
The first modification, was replacing the OPAMPs in the ouput stage with some decent ones. Like many other players, it was born with NE5532. I replaced them with the OPA2604. The operation was straight forward, remove the old IC and put in the new one. The result was stunning, the NE5532 really sucked, the OPA2604 offered much more detail both in the highs and lows and much more dynamic.
To remove the offset from the DAC a 100uf cap was used. The amps I have now don’t mind getting some DC, so I replaced the CAPs with a wire. The offset at the output raised to 4V, not something any amp will eat, be difference was surprisingly big. This CAP had been bottleneck for the player and without it, it open up more, more natural sounding and more detailed.
Next step was to replace the decupling CAPs around the TDA1541. I’ve replaced them with some WIMA caps, the original was some noname ceramic CAPs. This made it sound a bit more detailed and the instrument less conflicting. With “less conflicting” I mean that the drums for example had less impact on the voices.
The latest modification (I did today), was replacing the CAPs near the OPAMPs from + to ground and from – to ground (local power supply bypassing). The originals were 2 X 100uf for each rail, the same type as used the removed the DC offset from the output. I replaced them with some 1000uf. This made it sound much more relaxed and a bit more dynamic.
I’m surprised how much better it sound with these rather easy and very cheap modifications. I am wondering how much how much better a new clock will make it sound. If the clock is made with the same quality as the parts for the player that I’ve looked at, then there will properly also be a lot to gain there.
I find it rather sad that they have cut so many covers, just to make the production of the player a bit cheaper.
/Flemming J P