Disconnect CD digital output?

[float]

Having lost the little cap that covers the optical output on my player, I notice that the red LED thingy is constantly on.
Probably a silly question, but has anyone found disabling the digital outs to be of benefit

Could these outs be a source of noise that would be better gone?

 

[Extreme_Boky]

You would have to remove the buffer (74HCU04 ?) and everything around it - optical thingy as well! Remove everything, cut the +5V tracks as close to the +5V voltage reg (source - as I call it...) as possible, and bridge all the not-needed-any-more tracks to the ground plane. RF track should also be cut 'at the source'... No one listens to 2DAY FM anyway…

Extreme_Boky

 

[float]

Cheers EB, you make it sound so simple

Can I take it that you've thought about this yourself? Or even tried it?

The real question remains- would/does it make a worthwhile improvement?

 

[Extreme_Boky]

Can I take it that you've thought about this yourself? Or even tried it?

Yes, I did this many times: not needed headphone stage in analog section of a CD Player, digital out sections not in use / needed on CD transports, obsolete tracks around removed xtals... Just make sure that tracks are not floating, but tide them to ground plane. Power supply tracks should be set free – cut close to the voltage regs + the ‘leftovers’ should be connected to ground potential!

would/does it make a worthwhile improvement?

The effort is worthwhile 100%.

Extreme_Boky

 

[float]

The effort is worthwhile 100%.

Extreme_Boky

DAMMIT!! Looks like more work

Thanks again EB, you're a gent.