Is this feasible?

[computerpro3]

Hello everyone,

I am huge into headphones and love my system as it currently stands (in my sig). The centerpeice of it is the fairly rare Melos SHA-Gold Reference, which I brought to another level by blackgating and auricapping it. Here are some pics:












Anyways, now that I'm purchasing either a Cary Audio or Wadia CD player (undecided), I've been bitten by the balanced bug. I need to hear my Grado RS-1's balanced! But at the same time, I am unwilling to let go of my beloved Melos. One possible soultion would be to create a balanced Melos.

Now from what I can tell, the way the Melos is set up stock it would be capable (assuming you have two Melos units) of running balanced. All that would need to be done is to make some custom cables that allowed me to go from the balanced outs on the cd player and run the left channel into one amp and the right channel into another amp out to reterminated balanced headphones. If I am correct, this would be fully balanced operation with all of the benefits.

But of course, who wants two identical cases sitting there? Also, I would want XLR connections for the headphones, not dual mono plugs. They just sound better. This got me thinking, what if I put the two Melos units in one enclosure and wired them up to have XLR connectors? This certainly appears technically possible to me. Am I missing something?

I could even retain the Melos' styling ques by working with Par-Metals to have them custom fab me a larger version of the Melos case capable of fitting two circuit boards in it and perhaps with large heatsinks on the side.

I have plenty of experience soldering and with DIY, I just want some reassurance that what I'm doing will work before I splash out another $1500 for another Melos and associated costs. Any help would be tremendously appreciated.

[nurxhunter]

I am new here. Apparently I cannot email until I post a bit.

Is there a parts list I can get for Melos Gold Mods??

Thanks!

[Richard Ellis]

Computerpro..
Just some observations for ya..

The proximity of those sweet caps between your tubes..they are way too close! Think heat buildup. It almost looks as if those caps are touching the tube on the right. Its' gonna roast that cap!
I also noticed almost all of your TO-220 devices do not have a heatsink....I know it is a "factory' PCB but a simple clip-on type sink will help things out....someone must have designed with derating of said TO-220 devices.
I'm just thinking of you zoning out hours on end while all that heat is building up...the wirewound resistors slowly charring the PCB because they designed it with them slammed down onto the PCB.
I know when we design circuits we choose power values(Watts) that are way conservative but factory stuff should allways be suspect.
__________________________________Rick............ ...

[korneluk]

Originally posted by computerpro3
Hello everyone,

I am huge into headphones and love my system as it currently stands (in my sig). The centerpeice of it is the fairly rare Melos SHA-Gold Reference, which I brought to another level by blackgating and auricapping it. Here are some pics:

Computerpro3,

Would you happent to have a schematic for the Melos. I had one but lost it due to a hard drive crash and now I need it to fix my own SHA-Gold.

TIA,

-- josé k.

[Alastair E]

Originally posted by Richard Ellis
Computerpro..
Just some observations for ya..

The proximity of those sweet caps between your tubes..they are way too close! Think heat buildup. It almost looks as if those caps are touching the tube on the right. Its' gonna roast that cap!
I also noticed almost all of your TO-220 devices do not have a heatsink....I know it is a "factory' PCB but a simple clip-on type sink will help things out....someone must have designed with derating of said TO-220 devices.
I'm just thinking of you zoning out hours on end while all that heat is building up...the wirewound resistors slowly charring the PCB because they designed it with them slammed down onto the PCB.
I know when we design circuits we choose power values(Watts) that are way conservative but factory stuff should allways be suspect.
__________________________________Rick............ ...

Exactly what I was thinking......

Looks like things in there have been getting quite hot for some considerable time anyway....

IMO, this does not look to be a particularly well made device--No offence, I'm sure it sound wonderful, just not well made!