The Dac chip now has the 3 rails powered with their own traffs, bridges and caps...and it sounds massive in every department.
Small details are now real sounds with their own position in the presentation, incredible dynamics, mids and bass resolution
The internal i/v op amps are still powered by a poor open frame tx - this will be out soon and another 100va toroidal traff will replace it this week.
So, 4 traffs powering the machine right now and I guess it's collectively a little under 300va in total and around 50,000 uf in smoothing caps.
In it's original form it had just over 11,000 uf and probably less than 50va.
I've another big toroid for the main board and one for the clock too.
The display will then be fed from the original tx as per Pete's suggestion earlier in the thread.
' Over the top ' in available power it'll certainly be but I have a source of cheap but excellent quality toroidal traffs right now so I'll make hay while I can - and get some spares for future moments of madness.
There's little room left for everything now so I've started my top loader project made from timber earlier than expected.
I can't get the clock anywhere near the original crystal to do a proper job so it must wait for the above to happen first.
It'll be the icing on the cake..I hope
This chip and machine just get better and better in bucket loads every time I apply more power and uf.
Considering it's a fair way off being finished is a real eye opener.
Pics of the new mess to follow🙂
Small details are now real sounds with their own position in the presentation, incredible dynamics, mids and bass resolution
The internal i/v op amps are still powered by a poor open frame tx - this will be out soon and another 100va toroidal traff will replace it this week.
So, 4 traffs powering the machine right now and I guess it's collectively a little under 300va in total and around 50,000 uf in smoothing caps.
In it's original form it had just over 11,000 uf and probably less than 50va.
I've another big toroid for the main board and one for the clock too.
The display will then be fed from the original tx as per Pete's suggestion earlier in the thread.
' Over the top ' in available power it'll certainly be but I have a source of cheap but excellent quality toroidal traffs right now so I'll make hay while I can - and get some spares for future moments of madness.
There's little room left for everything now so I've started my top loader project made from timber earlier than expected.
I can't get the clock anywhere near the original crystal to do a proper job so it must wait for the above to happen first.
It'll be the icing on the cake..I hope
This chip and machine just get better and better in bucket loads every time I apply more power and uf.
Considering it's a fair way off being finished is a real eye opener.
Pics of the new mess to follow🙂
Hi,
Which op amps are these? The ones in the dac chip? If you already have 3 separate rails powering the dac I would assume that one of them is the one for the opamps.
Should be sounding very good by now 🙂
Regards
Pete
Which op amps are these? The ones in the dac chip? If you already have 3 separate rails powering the dac I would assume that one of them is the one for the opamps.
Should be sounding very good by now 🙂
Regards
Pete
Hi Pete
Yes, the dac chip internal op amps.
The sound is rich and massively detailed in a way that I could not
have imagined.
Maybe it's why Naim Audio and others use such huge traffs and stiff supplies ?
I'm not saying my little 48 ( what's left of it ) sounds like a Naim or whatever but the sheer oomph and scale it now has can only be down to the heft of VA's an Uf it now has.
There's still 300 to apply......one is a ' swap out ' as mentioned above and the other 2 are for the clock and the main traff - as per your idea.
I've looked at your pics so often to work out how you did it 😱
I always wanted a bit more bass and frequently considered other mono amp designs to eek more out of my bass drive units.
Not any more I can tell you - it really is that much better
Oh...and have a look at the clock wiring - let me know what you think ?
Cheers
Yes, the dac chip internal op amps.
The sound is rich and massively detailed in a way that I could not
have imagined.
Maybe it's why Naim Audio and others use such huge traffs and stiff supplies ?
I'm not saying my little 48 ( what's left of it ) sounds like a Naim or whatever but the sheer oomph and scale it now has can only be down to the heft of VA's an Uf it now has.
There's still 300 to apply......one is a ' swap out ' as mentioned above and the other 2 are for the clock and the main traff - as per your idea.
I've looked at your pics so often to work out how you did it 😱
I always wanted a bit more bass and frequently considered other mono amp designs to eek more out of my bass drive units.
Not any more I can tell you - it really is that much better
Oh...and have a look at the clock wiring - let me know what you think ?
Cheers
Attachments
Hi,
When I tried to do the clock I also removed 2112 and 2114 and just connected the clock to CRIN, any reason why you've left them in?
The way that you're doing it 2114 will be disconnected anyway when you remove the inductor but 2112 looks like it will still be in circuit. No idea if that will cause any issues or not though.
Remember I never got it to work so I can't really give much useful advice🙁
Pete
When I tried to do the clock I also removed 2112 and 2114 and just connected the clock to CRIN, any reason why you've left them in?
The way that you're doing it 2114 will be disconnected anyway when you remove the inductor but 2112 looks like it will still be in circuit. No idea if that will cause any issues or not though.
Remember I never got it to work so I can't really give much useful advice🙁
Pete
Pete....what are the dangers in me using a 9v x 2 traff instead of a 10v x 2 for the main board supply ?
I can't find a 10v.
My 9v traffs read 9.72 pre loaded...is that OK ?
Thanks
I can't find a 10v.
My 9v traffs read 9.72 pre loaded...is that OK ?
Thanks
Hi Andrew,
I would think it's fine, the 10v is unregulated anyway if I remember correctly so I doubt it can be critical. If I read the manual correctly the final 10v output is only used for the opamps after the dac and the headphone circuit anyway, everything else uses the regulated 5v which ill work fin with 9v.
Regards
Pete
I would think it's fine, the 10v is unregulated anyway if I remember correctly so I doubt it can be critical. If I read the manual correctly the final 10v output is only used for the opamps after the dac and the headphone circuit anyway, everything else uses the regulated 5v which ill work fin with 9v.
Regards
Pete
Thanks very much - I hoped you'd say all that !
I've not the confidence to just try stuff so that's probably another pint I owe you..
Another step closer to achieving total madness....
3 x 100va ( plus the original transformer ) now in and running - still one more to hand off the back temporarily for the main board supply.
The clock is definitely getting the same once all this lot is in the new box.
....and the result is - it sounds HUGE - everything sounds massive, bass is feeling like it's hitting me too.
I like it and when I listened tonight I was aware of a stupid grin on my face....
Pete...can you describe what happened when you put your new traff in for the main board ?
Was is a noticeable gain ?
Even if it wasn't great can you just lie to me instead please....hahahaha😀
I'm itching to get it wired in but I've got to move the original tx along the back panel some more....I'm kind of putting it off because it's a bit of a pain in the a... job
Thanks
3 x 100va ( plus the original transformer ) now in and running - still one more to hand off the back temporarily for the main board supply.
The clock is definitely getting the same once all this lot is in the new box.
....and the result is - it sounds HUGE - everything sounds massive, bass is feeling like it's hitting me too.
I like it and when I listened tonight I was aware of a stupid grin on my face....
Pete...can you describe what happened when you put your new traff in for the main board ?
Was is a noticeable gain ?
Even if it wasn't great can you just lie to me instead please....hahahaha😀
I'm itching to get it wired in but I've got to move the original tx along the back panel some more....I'm kind of putting it off because it's a bit of a pain in the a... job
Thanks
Attachments
Apparently the TDA1305 has the same internal architecture as the 1549.
Naim applied the 1305 in the CD 3.5 following the demise of the 1541's used in the CD3 ( hardly state of the ' Naim Art ' but not too shabby nonetheless I suppose )
So I wonder what the 1305 chip sounds like ?
I'm guessing it's similar or perhaps the same as the 1549.
Having seen what's inside other Naim kit potentially means loads of regulation, fantastic military layout and equally loads of VA on a multi tapped big traff inside the 3.5's.
That may indicate that generally speaking these chips quite like loads of regulation and power or at least benefit from same.
I suppose every dac can spread it's wings that way and certainly my old 1541a based Arcam benefited massively from extra traffs and regs.
That said - it doesn't or at least didn't ever sound like my 48 and that was multi clocked ( 11.289 x 2 and 5.6 x 1 ) and with 6 traffs
The 1549 dac simply can't be underestimated....it's not the joke cheap
chip it may seem.
Yes it's been pressed into action in some pretty mediocre players presumably to fill a hole in the model upgrade path from CD34 right up
to the Marantz heavyweights and some Philips models too but it is a mystery to me why the clever ones in the tech department didn't take various chips to their limits to observe the possibilities.
They left that to the serious audio manufacturers who had the time to tinker instead maybe ?
Rambling, yes... but surprised certainly.
My own ragged implementation ( with the help and advice of others ) and whilst poor in so many areas is sounding absolutely astonishing and I'm still sub £200 in investment.
Another £100 ish ( on wood working ) and some serious tidying up of wiring it'll also look rather serious too.
Actually I can't live with it much longer looking like it is anyway...
Naim applied the 1305 in the CD 3.5 following the demise of the 1541's used in the CD3 ( hardly state of the ' Naim Art ' but not too shabby nonetheless I suppose )
So I wonder what the 1305 chip sounds like ?
I'm guessing it's similar or perhaps the same as the 1549.
Having seen what's inside other Naim kit potentially means loads of regulation, fantastic military layout and equally loads of VA on a multi tapped big traff inside the 3.5's.
That may indicate that generally speaking these chips quite like loads of regulation and power or at least benefit from same.
I suppose every dac can spread it's wings that way and certainly my old 1541a based Arcam benefited massively from extra traffs and regs.
That said - it doesn't or at least didn't ever sound like my 48 and that was multi clocked ( 11.289 x 2 and 5.6 x 1 ) and with 6 traffs
The 1549 dac simply can't be underestimated....it's not the joke cheap
chip it may seem.
Yes it's been pressed into action in some pretty mediocre players presumably to fill a hole in the model upgrade path from CD34 right up
to the Marantz heavyweights and some Philips models too but it is a mystery to me why the clever ones in the tech department didn't take various chips to their limits to observe the possibilities.
They left that to the serious audio manufacturers who had the time to tinker instead maybe ?
Rambling, yes... but surprised certainly.
My own ragged implementation ( with the help and advice of others ) and whilst poor in so many areas is sounding absolutely astonishing and I'm still sub £200 in investment.
Another £100 ish ( on wood working ) and some serious tidying up of wiring it'll also look rather serious too.
Actually I can't live with it much longer looking like it is anyway...
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Hi Andrew, honestly it was only a small gain (and that may have been my imagination) but the tx was the only thing that I changed at that stage. I didn't change any caps or anything else and I'm still running just a LM340 for the main voltage reg (which I plan to do something about later).
The main reason I changed it was that I didn't like using the very small original tx and this was a cheap and simple change, I just cut the cable from the tx to the main board and linked in the new tx.
Regards
Pete
Combining your last 2 posts, I bought one of these a few months back 🙂
2014 Latest PCM2706 TDA1305 DAC decoder USB sound card assembled board | eBay
Out of the box it looks legit and doesn't sound too bad but I haven't really spent much time listening to it yet. The intention was to give it some more regulation, better caps, cleaner supply etc. but the board looks a bitch to work on with my soldering skills. It's back in the to-do box awaiting a renewed rush of enthusiasm on my part. There's also a tda1541 dac kit in the box which I doubt I'll ever get to now 🙂
Pete
2014 Latest PCM2706 TDA1305 DAC decoder USB sound card assembled board | eBay
Out of the box it looks legit and doesn't sound too bad but I haven't really spent much time listening to it yet. The intention was to give it some more regulation, better caps, cleaner supply etc. but the board looks a bitch to work on with my soldering skills. It's back in the to-do box awaiting a renewed rush of enthusiasm on my part. There's also a tda1541 dac kit in the box which I doubt I'll ever get to now 🙂
Pete
That looks rather nicely done too.
I think beefing up the supply, like you said - seems like an excellent idea.
You could easily do that tomorrow Pete....and what's this thing about your soldering skills ?
Not buying that !!!😉
If I had something as neat as that I'd be all over it, probably wreck it ...and buy another.
Two 48's went for next to nothing last week and I was so annoyed.
I want another reserve player so I can do what you originally suggested ( when I was worried about the clock ) and practice clock fitting ( damn )
I think beefing up the supply, like you said - seems like an excellent idea.
You could easily do that tomorrow Pete....and what's this thing about your soldering skills ?
Not buying that !!!😉
If I had something as neat as that I'd be all over it, probably wreck it ...and buy another.
Two 48's went for next to nothing last week and I was so annoyed.
I want another reserve player so I can do what you originally suggested ( when I was worried about the clock ) and practice clock fitting ( damn )
That's exactly what will happen when I get some spare time, no probably about it. 😛 I think it's a multi layer board and they're been a pain in the past, removing components without leaving the hole blocked is always an issue.
Regards
Pete
The TDA1549 is found in some less known Philips CD players. As far as I know you will find this chip in the CD911, CD740, CD751 and CD753 models.
I didn't know about the first 2 but there's stuff all over the net about 751 and 753.
For your information the Philips 753 is Marantz version of my player - the CD48 - which is identical internally.
I'll check the other 2 though
Thank you very much
The CD740 uses the 1549 and is also same as mine internally.
The CD911 doesn't and instead uses the SAA7341GP.
I'll look out for the 740 - thanks
The lists you find around on the net will tell you that the CD911 has a SAA7341GP dac, but the service manual for the CD911 and CD921 says that the DAC is TDA1549T.
I believe the 753 is the Philips version of the Marantz 5000, the 751 is the Philips version of the CD48. All use the 1549
There's also a Sugden that uses the 1549 - CD21 I think.
Regards
Pete