Anyone have any suggestions for SACD modification?

[SteveG]

I bought one of those cheap Sony DVP-NS500V SACD players, and I think that it sounds pretty good. I would like to improve on it. Can anyone suggest some power suppy and/or analog stage mods for this? I haven't been able to find anything on the internet yet. Thanks.
Steve

 

[grataku]

Steve
have you tried to take a look inside your player? How does it look?
I was thinking about modifying my cheap sony DVD-CD player...I opened it, went WOW!, re-closed it. The stuff I wanted to change, namely the op amps and caps, were just not there, all was in a big integrated chip.
I suspect a cheap SACD would probably be constructed in the same way.
You could probably do the usual suspects PS mods, shottky rectifiers, bypass electrolytics with film caps, then try to hunt down all the nasty tantalum and ceramic caps in the signal path.
good luck

 

[gnomus]

www.tweakaudio.com will be doing mods on many SACD, DVD and universal players.

 

[johan]

Don't take it personally, but I have never found so much unproofed theories as on these pages. Ok, I should say, the tweakings are not bad as such, and they are in the right direction, but the guy is talking about the tweaks with such a certainity without proofing anything of it. I don't really like that. I'm not trying to offend anyone, it is just that, when talking about that something is a good tweak, it is not a bad idea to tell WHY it is good.

www.tweakaudio.com will be doing mods on many SACD, DVD and universal players.

 

[M_Anker]

I have the SCD-CE775 which is one step up from your little player. With the much larger 775, based on its ES series brothers, the construction is very impressive. Power boards are separate from the main (digital) board which is separate from the audio board. Most of the components in the player are surface-mount, except for regulators and larger electrolytic capacitors.

My first mod was replacing a diode bridge to the audio board with Harris TO-251 high speed, soft recovery doides. This is a fairly challenging mod since the stock doides are SMT and the replacements are not. They are 3X te size. This replacement yields a wider soundstage with lower noise.

I am also planning to replace the four Nichicon coupling capacitors with Black Gate NX series. The clock will also be replaced with an LC Audio LClock.

I'm not sure what the NS500V will look like inside. Many of your parts may be integrated into a few ICs. This is the reason I bought the CE775 instead. It has room for tweaks and modifications. You may also consider purchasing the service manual.

Good luck!

-Matthew Anker

 

[TJ]

try this http://www.audiocom-uk.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv . This people tell u how to tweak Marantz sa1 and Sony SCD1 and also provide part for u ! hope this will help !
cheers

 

[dice45]

Maybe Alle Wright's article about upgrading his Sony XB940 is of help?
I heard one of his modifcations levels and although it was not the fianl one i heard, it was really impressive and very musical.

see http://www.vacuumstate.com/various/XB940_Upgrade.PDF

 

[SteveG]

Thanks for all the great info! Does anyone know how I would go about purchasing the service manual?
Steve

 

[M_Anker]

To order a service manual call 1-800-488-7669 and have your model number ready. They will accept money orders or credit card. The prices are around $20, and are well worth it. My SM had excellent fold out schematics and board diagrams.

P.S. Where's Newton Falls, OH?

 

[SteveG]

Thanks for the number! Newton Falls is West of Youngstown, a little east of Ravenna, between routes 76 and 5. Where is Cambridge?
Steve

 

[M_Anker]

Follow I-77 (North/South) until it intersects I-70 (East/West). Cambridge is right on the intersection. We have about 5 exit ramps to Cambridge alone. One heck of an interchange! Essentially, I would be about 70 (give or take a few) miles to the south.

 

[Elso Kwak]

Allen Wright Vacuumstate Mods for the Sony SCD-1

Hi,
Has anybody experience with the Allen Wright modifications for the Sony SCD-1 SACD player? I found the information on the website rather vague.

 

[peranders]

Don't take it personally, but I have never found so much unproofed theories as on these pages. Ok, I should say, the tweakings are not bad as such, and they are in the right direction, but the guy is talking about the tweaks with such a certainity without proofing anything of it. I don't really like that. I'm not trying to offend anyone, it is just that, when talking about that something is a good tweak, it is not a bad idea to tell WHY it is good.

Johan, don't take this personally either. As aoon as you hear the word "tweak", switch your "filter" on. I have a rather neutral attitude (was negative before) to all this. You must believe also. It's very important. For instance, put a CD in the freezer, put safety pins in the curtains, and ....more crazy stuff.

Tweaks are to 99.99% religion, 0.01% facts, note not 0.00% facts. That's my point of view.