They are a very clean and neutral sound, I always find using caps like black gates with them the best option. Capacitors like Pana FC etc can sound a bit too clinical.
Brent
Brent
JohnDK said:
Hi John.
Personally I have never got on with the LM4562 but there are many here who love them YMMV.
I would use sockets with a BGNX-HiQ 0.1uf 50v soldered between pins 4 and 8 and try out different types of opamps. Some of my favorites have been LM6172, AD826, AD827, OPA2132, OP275 which are all drop in replacements and are all available as samples.
At the end of the day let your ears decide what goes well with your taste in music and your setup.
Cheers,
Mags.
Mags said:
2132 is a good step up from 5532 and perfect for not offending your ears. OP275 is really not a good op-amp. LM6172 is a bit rough/grainy at the top end but subjectively fast and exciting. Not much point in using that when the similar but superior 4562 is about. 826 and 827 are the favourites of many (I've not tried though).
OPA627 was probably my favourite op-amp in a cd player, but 4562 was the most neutral and similar to a discrete stage.
Simon
Thomo, it would seem that your English comprehension skills are about the same level as Sercals design skill.
Maybe you would like to re-read the quote again and see what it says......
The quote is entirely ambiguous as to whether it is refering to the Sercal reg or the other regs as being 3x more expensive.
That's the problem with DIY site, you get ********* coming on trying to make a buck from everyone.
Maybe you would like to re-read the quote again and see what it says......
The quote is entirely ambiguous as to whether it is refering to the Sercal reg or the other regs as being 3x more expensive.
That's the problem with DIY site, you get ********* coming on trying to make a buck from everyone.
Who needs Big Brother for a good arguement! LMAO.
I have to say I'm in Brent,Lee,simons camp here.
The viewpoint that they are blatantly advertising is understandable. However, I just get the impression those posting negatively are just atagonistic people.
I should reiterate why I subscribed here to make a point:
I was searching the net for information on modding the my 640. Found f** all. Until of course this one came to my attention. So I signed up, totally green on the subject of modding a cd player. I asked a few questions, got some simple answers, and generally learned quite a bit. I got staight answers - no techy stuff I wouldnt understand.
Now I've noticed there are some other regs and clocks out there. Problem is, most of them cost an arm and a leg, or need to built and tested before you can use them. Sercals gear is easy to use for the novice and seems resonably priced too, and I can tell you from experience that Brent really does want to help people. I spoke with him on the phone a few times and he'll happily chat for hours. Lee and I have had many communications by email and the guy has been top class.
From my point of view, the Sercal products are perfect. Simple drop in upgrades. Whether there better than others, I couldnt give a toss. There undoubtedly a step up from the stock components they replace. Thats good enough for me. I went for the spowers because I found that Brent was a guy who was happily there on the phone If I had a question. I trust him (and Lee) because he communicates, unlike Audiocom for example.
Give them a break. They dont deserve it.
Mike
I have to say I'm in Brent,Lee,simons camp here.
The viewpoint that they are blatantly advertising is understandable. However, I just get the impression those posting negatively are just atagonistic people.
I should reiterate why I subscribed here to make a point:
I was searching the net for information on modding the my 640. Found f** all. Until of course this one came to my attention. So I signed up, totally green on the subject of modding a cd player. I asked a few questions, got some simple answers, and generally learned quite a bit. I got staight answers - no techy stuff I wouldnt understand.
Now I've noticed there are some other regs and clocks out there. Problem is, most of them cost an arm and a leg, or need to built and tested before you can use them. Sercals gear is easy to use for the novice and seems resonably priced too, and I can tell you from experience that Brent really does want to help people. I spoke with him on the phone a few times and he'll happily chat for hours. Lee and I have had many communications by email and the guy has been top class.
From my point of view, the Sercal products are perfect. Simple drop in upgrades. Whether there better than others, I couldnt give a toss. There undoubtedly a step up from the stock components they replace. Thats good enough for me. I went for the spowers because I found that Brent was a guy who was happily there on the phone If I had a question. I trust him (and Lee) because he communicates, unlike Audiocom for example.
Give them a break. They dont deserve it.
Mike
Further mods to my 640C V2
Fitted -/+ 15v spower regs on opamp supply.
5v spower on clock.
Rubycon ZLH's on DAC and clock supply.
Oscon's on DAC decoupling.
5w Kiwame resistors on output.
Initially I hear a nice improvement in the Treble. No sibilance, extended, smooth. Result. Listening to Floyds 'Delicate sound of thunder' live CD, I can hear the ambience of the venue. Litarally, the sound of Gilmours voice bouncing off the wall's and the overall feel of the occasion really comes through. 'Comfortably numb' really got to me. Probably from far too many plays of this track, I had lost that 'feeling' I used to get when I heard it. Well, I got that feeling again! Overall things sound a little more silky, smooth without sounding soft, and the timing of the song is much better. Everything seems in sync, and just flows along nicely. Dynamics are superb too.
I need to give it a week or 2 to properly bed in, and listen to some other music to fully evaluate the differences. So far Im really impressed. Cant wait to hear it when its all bedded in niceley
Fitted -/+ 15v spower regs on opamp supply.
5v spower on clock.
Rubycon ZLH's on DAC and clock supply.
Oscon's on DAC decoupling.
5w Kiwame resistors on output.
Initially I hear a nice improvement in the Treble. No sibilance, extended, smooth. Result. Listening to Floyds 'Delicate sound of thunder' live CD, I can hear the ambience of the venue. Litarally, the sound of Gilmours voice bouncing off the wall's and the overall feel of the occasion really comes through. 'Comfortably numb' really got to me. Probably from far too many plays of this track, I had lost that 'feeling' I used to get when I heard it. Well, I got that feeling again! Overall things sound a little more silky, smooth without sounding soft, and the timing of the song is much better. Everything seems in sync, and just flows along nicely. Dynamics are superb too.
I need to give it a week or 2 to properly bed in, and listen to some other music to fully evaluate the differences. So far Im really impressed. Cant wait to hear it when its all bedded in niceley
Nice one Mike! Good regulators powering the op-amps and DAC analogue make a world of difference, and the caps are a tremendous value-for-money upgrade too. I've heard this player with similar mods and it sounds very good in my opinion. Almost as good as the Marantz competition 
Keep up the good work! 😉
Keep up the good work! 😉
Thanks.
I might go one better and use one of Brents PSU's on the DAC's. Also I want to try running the spower on the clock from its own suplly. Obviously I need to fit better smoothers too. After that theres not much else to do apart from better resistors and diodes. Depends how much difference that will make. Already things are getting smoother. Its only been running a few hours....
mikesnowdon said:
Great. Brent's PSU is great, but it's not too hard a DIY job to build your own PSU also - saves money. The regulators are not so easy to DIY! The clock on its own supply and transformer will benefit, largely due to not polluting the other supplies. Very worthwhile. The diode replacements will probably not make a massive difference.
This player certainly has good timing and detail, but as stock it's slightly lacking in the tone department. I find it a bit thin.
Have you changed the feet for hard cones yet? Oak or aluminum will work a treat and improve the timing and dynamics greatly.
Another sexy tweak is to use decent RCA output sockets. Pure copper or pure silver would be worthwhile. The benefit would be a very slight reduction in grain and hardness.
Of course more regulators and more power supplies will ALWAYS improve the sound, but at a price.
Some thoughts anyway.
Simon
Thanks Simon.
Im looking at bonding aluminium sheet to the base and adding some oakcones. Also bitumin on the top plate too.
I'd like to find a way to rig a psu to feed the spower on the clock. A simple tx and rectifier/smothing cap should do. Any idea if thers suitable kit out there?(maybe Brent knows?)
Mike
Im looking at bonding aluminium sheet to the base and adding some oakcones. Also bitumin on the top plate too.
I'd like to find a way to rig a psu to feed the spower on the clock. A simple tx and rectifier/smothing cap should do. Any idea if thers suitable kit out there?(maybe Brent knows?)
Mike
mikesnowdon said:
I doubt a kit is particularly worthwile, but they certainly exist. If you use an off-the-shelf bridge rectifier it's VERY easy to wire up a basic psu. Tx, rectifier, cap... done. The benefit of some modules is the addition of a high quality regulator, discrete diodes (and no fear of connecting those incorrectly), a well chosen cap or even bank of caps.
You have choices anyway, just look around. You won't find many kits for this though, as it's such a simple circuit. If I were you I'd try building a simple PSU on bare board. This way you get the satisfaction of doing some proper DIY and save money too. Eventually you'll want a good regulator on the DAC analogue and digital supplies too - huge improvement.
For the clock PSU you'll only need a small transformer (7VA toroidal at 12VAC will be plenty and then some), a small bridge rectifier (1A, 50V will do, for example), and a smoothing cap (e.g. 2200uF Panasonic FC rated at 25V will do the trick).
You then just connect one of the transformer's secondary windings to the bridge on the pins marked ~. And the + and - make your ground and + voltage. It's obvious which way round the smoothing cap then goes. Connect + to the S Power and - to ground somewhere on the PCB.
Someone please correct me if I've made a mistake there, I'm tired!
Simon
Thanks Simon.
Seems easy to do.
Of all the components in a CDP, I notice that the clock is the most important thing to run from a dedicated PSU. With this in mind I might be better off getting another +5v spower so Ive then got 2 for each DAC analogue. Then I can get one of the sercal PSU's (or simmilar) for the clock. If I want to at a later date, I can add a psu like you mention above for the 2 spowers on the DAC's.
Maybe this method would bring better results?
Seems easy to do.
Of all the components in a CDP, I notice that the clock is the most important thing to run from a dedicated PSU. With this in mind I might be better off getting another +5v spower so Ive then got 2 for each DAC analogue. Then I can get one of the sercal PSU's (or simmilar) for the clock. If I want to at a later date, I can add a psu like you mention above for the 2 spowers on the DAC's.
Maybe this method would bring better results?
Two more good regs - one to supply DAC analogue (shared across the DACs) and one to supply DAC digital (shared again) will reap huge gains in sound quality. You could use 4 so each DAC has two but this is moving into overkill territory in my opinion!
Each regulator run off its own tx winding and PSU will bring further gains, and is easy to bolt on later, when you're bored. In my CD63 I LOVED adding psus - I found this made the sound more solid with unbeatable bass and texture.
In my CD63 I currently have 4 transformers, many power supplies, 3x S Power regs, 2x Audiocom regs with a third to fit, plus further 7805 types. Oh and 2x C1 clocks. Each of these upgrades was well worthwhile and most are applicable to the Cambridge player too.
Simon
Each regulator run off its own tx winding and PSU will bring further gains, and is easy to bolt on later, when you're bored. In my CD63 I LOVED adding psus - I found this made the sound more solid with unbeatable bass and texture.
In my CD63 I currently have 4 transformers, many power supplies, 3x S Power regs, 2x Audiocom regs with a third to fit, plus further 7805 types. Oh and 2x C1 clocks. Each of these upgrades was well worthwhile and most are applicable to the Cambridge player too.
Simon
Good advice.
While your online, can you tell me where I can get appropriate caps for the main PSU? The CA has as standard 2 x 4700 35v radial electrolytics. I want to use Panasonic FC, will probably need 4 x 2200uf 35/50v. Cant find them though?
Mike
While your online, can you tell me where I can get appropriate caps for the main PSU? The CA has as standard 2 x 4700 35v radial electrolytics. I want to use Panasonic FC, will probably need 4 x 2200uf 35/50v. Cant find them though?
Mike
mikesnowdon said:
I've used Farnell in the past - www.farnell.co.uk. Only problem is a £40 minimum order.
Now I tend to use Lee of this forum when I want parts.
Small quantities of industrial grade items aren't easy to find IME.
Simon
mikesnowdon said:
Those will do a job, for sure. BTW I only pulled 2200uF out of my head at random... there may be more to choosing the size than first meets the eye - price, ESR, size & fitting, current draw of the circuit etc. Some of those points are more relevant when choosing local decoupling caps though, I believe.
Simon
These will do too:
http://uk.farnell.com/1144706/passives/product.us0?sku=rubycon-25zl2200m12-5x35
They are slightly better, and have the big bonus of being in stock!
Here's a diagram to get you started:
http://sound.westhost.com/project15.htm
Fig 1. is a basic PSU that will do the job. Glad you are having success.
Dan
http://uk.farnell.com/1144706/passives/product.us0?sku=rubycon-25zl2200m12-5x35
They are slightly better, and have the big bonus of being in stock!
Here's a diagram to get you started:
http://sound.westhost.com/project15.htm
Fig 1. is a basic PSU that will do the job. Glad you are having success.
Dan
I know Brent used 4 x 2200uf Rubycon ZLH on his V2 with the leads linked underneath. Dont know any other specs though. Im using that as a guideline really. The FC's dont come in 4700uf 35v so I cant swap like for like.
Am I right that for smoothing caps its better to up the capacitance if possible? I could probably squeeze 4 x 3300 35v Fc's (giving 2 x 6600uf) In there. The dimensions are simmilar to that of the stock caps so it would be a tight fit.
Am I right that for smoothing caps its better to up the capacitance if possible? I could probably squeeze 4 x 3300 35v Fc's (giving 2 x 6600uf) In there. The dimensions are simmilar to that of the stock caps so it would be a tight fit.
Spartacus said:
Thanks for the PSU Dan.
Re: Smoothing caps.
I read that Panasonic FC's are really good, infact the best, so Id like to go for those unless theres a reason not to. Are the Rubycons you advise as good? If so I might as well get some ZLH from Lee?
PS: what about my question above on using larger caps, worth it or not?
Cheers,
Mike
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