Those little green electrolytics are the output caps i think. They're bypassed with the little blue polypropylene caps right next to them.
This company suggest replacing the output caps with a sigle pair of 'N Series' Blackgates doing away with the bypass caps. Sounds like an ideal starting point to me. Im thinking of doing this first so that I get the most from the Clock/Regulator upgrade?
Seems daft to fit a better clock if the output caps are compromising its effect on the sound?
As always your thoughts are welcome!
I am compiling the V2 mods package at the moment and hopefully I can shed a bit of light later.
Brent.
Hows it going on the V2 mods package? When ready will it be available to buy as components that come with instructions so it can be fitted at home? Ive come to realise I may be better off just waiting for it rather than trying to figure it out myself. After all, your the man with the knowledge and im just starting out!
Any Ideas on modding the 340SE Amp? I was looking at your modded Marantz on another post and got some ideas. Im thinking of an Alps Blue Motorized pot, Spower regulators, Blackgates etc...?
Hi Mike
The V1 and V2 look like very nice cd players when quickly looking at the circuit board. But unfortunatly there are some really poor components fitted to the pcb. But the good news is you can change these parts and lift the audio level much much further.
Yes change those output caps for Black Gate N or similar, or bypass them completely. The 6 opamps are used also and change these for LM4562NA and feed them with Black gate std.
This caps on the input are pretty crap to be honest and it is hard to improve them using the standard holes as there is not too much room. We managed to drip the pcb and fit 4X 35V 2200uF ZLH caps.
After this is all done add a clock and decent regulators (more the better). As with all cd players there is lots to change but you will reap the benefits big time
Brent
The V1 and V2 look like very nice cd players when quickly looking at the circuit board. But unfortunatly there are some really poor components fitted to the pcb. But the good news is you can change these parts and lift the audio level much much further.
Yes change those output caps for Black Gate N or similar, or bypass them completely. The 6 opamps are used also and change these for LM4562NA and feed them with Black gate std.
This caps on the input are pretty crap to be honest and it is hard to improve them using the standard holes as there is not too much room. We managed to drip the pcb and fit 4X 35V 2200uF ZLH caps.
After this is all done add a clock and decent regulators (more the better). As with all cd players there is lots to change but you will reap the benefits big time
Brent
We managed to drip the pcb and fit 4X 35V 2200uF ZLH caps.
Whats 'drip the pcb' mean?
I think that's Brent's typing. I would read it as drill, though I may be wrong, lol.
Cheers, Lee.
Cheers, Lee.
LMAO
Whoops some kind of typo there, keyboard tourettes lol.
I was meant to say drill as Lee said
Brent
Whoops some kind of typo there, keyboard tourettes lol.
I was meant to say drill as Lee said

Brent
He,He! LMAO!
SO lads, I'm itching to get started on the 640 but funds are tight at the mo. (Just had a baby daughter).
Whats the single most cost effective mod to get me going?
😀
SO lads, I'm itching to get started on the 640 but funds are tight at the mo. (Just had a baby daughter).
Whats the single most cost effective mod to get me going?
😀
I found adding a few nice caps around the dac and bypassing the output caps gave good improvements, and adding a clock made a large difference.
Lee.
Lee.
Congratulations on the girl 😉 It's all down hill now hehe
I think for sheer cost changing the opamps would be a good bet first. The add some nice Black Gate caps for the power rails.
Brent
I think for sheer cost changing the opamps would be a good bet first. The add some nice Black Gate caps for the power rails.
Brent
Selling a 640 and buying a 740 is not a cheap upgrade. Modding a 640 with the cash saved by not buying 740 will bring about much better sound quality.
Brent
Brent
I disagree when spending ca.£250 on upgrading the 640C I will have a CDP that sounds better than a 740. Think about it, I sell the 640. Lets say I get £150 for it. Then I have to buy a 740 for £500. So Ive paid £700 for the 2 players less the money lost on the resale of the 640c (£650).
Alternatively I spend £250odd on modding my 640c so I've spent £500 total and have a better sounding player than the 740! 😀
Does anyone know what values the outout capacitors need to be? Im considering Hovland musicaps as my first mod.
Alternatively I spend £250odd on modding my 640c so I've spent £500 total and have a better sounding player than the 740! 😀
Does anyone know what values the outout capacitors need to be? Im considering Hovland musicaps as my first mod.
Around 3.3uF should be enough. But, you are best to measure for dc at the output first.
Do you NEED dc blocking caps? Afterall, the best cap is no cap.
Lee.
Do you NEED dc blocking caps? Afterall, the best cap is no cap.
Lee.
Hi, ive been reading his thread with interest because i have a 540C which i think is electrically and mechanically identical apart from a slighlty lower performance DAC.
Ill list differences from the manual because it might be interesting.
540c / 640c
D/A= WM8716/WM8740
THD= -88dB / -92dB
Dynamic range >95dB / >105dB
channel seperation = 70dB / 75dB
correlated jitter = <300ps / <300ps
might try some of the mods myself.
Ill list differences from the manual because it might be interesting.
540c / 640c
D/A= WM8716/WM8740
THD= -88dB / -92dB
Dynamic range >95dB / >105dB
channel seperation = 70dB / 75dB
correlated jitter = <300ps / <300ps
might try some of the mods myself.
Hi Craig.
These guys have been a great help to me. I reccomend you post some piccys of your 540's internals so that we can see whats going on in there. List the type of opamps you have and get closeups of the PSU and output stage.
All the best,
Mike
These guys have been a great help to me. I reccomend you post some piccys of your 540's internals so that we can see whats going on in there. List the type of opamps you have and get closeups of the PSU and output stage.
All the best,
Mike
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
- Home
- Source & Line
- Digital Source
- Cambridge Audio 640C v1 Mods