Yes, the AC plug fits through it, no need to cut. I bought the biggest available one which is about 4cm (hole, this one). You can twist the cable around as many times as you get to manage. As always when it comes to squeezing long things through tight holes, some lube might help along the way. Leave some space before the plug though, for we do not want the ring to filter out anything from the speaker-plugs which are close by. Mine is right underneath the table the amp stands on.
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Well, thanks to a parcel that got lost between the UK and mainland Europe it took so much longer than expected but finally I received my shipment of bipolar AN 22uF/16V caps. I replace the six caps next to both inputs (and four more which I spotted on the board as well). To my ears this is THE most recommended mod of those mentioned above. Meanwell PS, higher voltage, ferrites - all audible, but kind of "tiny" upgrades in comparison to those caps. I really liked this amp from the start, but now add to all its qualities a considerable amount: bigger sound, more dynamics, more details, more holographic presentation etc. You name it, it's better - hence - in a nutshell - a major upgrade!
Yes, I was hoping for that kind of improvements.
Question: How did you remove the SMD caps?
Ok, great. I have just bought a hot air station and a microscope...
Another question: Why bi-polar?
Another question: Why bi-polar?
Good question - I have a friend whose ears I trust and he recommended those - some people even claim that bipolars sound better (but I wouldn't know).
What brand are they?
I don't know what brand and type the original capacitors are but they look like they are solid tantalum capacitors that in my experience have much lower ESR, much higher bandwith and much higher reliability than electrolytic capacitors.
I don't know what brand and type the original capacitors are but they look like they are solid tantalum capacitors that in my experience have much lower ESR, much higher bandwith and much higher reliability than electrolytic capacitors.
Ah, Audio Note, offcoarse, could have thought of that.
Pretty expensive mod for such a cheap amp.
Personally I wouldn't have choosen them for a Class D amp since there is no info available on esr, usable bandwith, ripple current and long term stability.
For analog circuits that's not much of a concern. In high frequency switching amps, DSP processors, computer CPU's etc these factors are becoming more important.
Pretty expensive mod for such a cheap amp.
Personally I wouldn't have choosen them for a Class D amp since there is no info available on esr, usable bandwith, ripple current and long term stability.
For analog circuits that's not much of a concern. In high frequency switching amps, DSP processors, computer CPU's etc these factors are becoming more important.
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That is one way of looking at things - but my ears tell me that this mod was definitely worth the financial outlay - just listened to a whole Garbarek album (and his tone I often find difficult to tolerate for more than one track - now it was a pleasure to follow the music) - and that is a major difference for me - now the amp wants me to listen to complete albums rather than just some special tracks.
Very interesting, thank you for the report dubai2000. How long did it take for you to conduct this operation? I'm not familiar with soldering, but I believe this is not impossible to do for a novice.
Since they're roughly in the same league, I'm waiting for someone to compare the new Topping PA5 to the (modded) SabajA20a. Not by measures (for sure it measures better) but by tonality and dynamics. Does it have as much "juice" as the A20a with a bit more clean headroom or is it a very clean and detailed, but kind of flat or "unengaging" sound in comparison? I think both is possible.
Since they're roughly in the same league, I'm waiting for someone to compare the new Topping PA5 to the (modded) SabajA20a. Not by measures (for sure it measures better) but by tonality and dynamics. Does it have as much "juice" as the A20a with a bit more clean headroom or is it a very clean and detailed, but kind of flat or "unengaging" sound in comparison? I think both is possible.