Well, I had to take a closer look on this too...
Galaxy Note 2 is equipped with an good DAC processor chip. It should have a very good quality audio out. It have actually when is to compare with other phones out there.
So, my though it were to buy a good headphone set too, to get the most of this phone as audio player. A middle class price Sennheiser IE80 were my choice.
I were disappointed soon enough about the cable of those (else very good quality headphones). The (very good mechanical point of view) cable have an 200pF capacity. There is its compact construction which leads to this huge internal capacity for an 120cm length. To be compared with, an conventional shielded RCA connection cable of 5 - 7 m can reach such capacity. I`ve made my own using silver wires (quite nice result), 60pF total capacity including its connectors. Good sound! I use Neutron as music player.
But it were not just enough for me. I decided to take a closer look at how the hardware is made in to the phone itself. I used an YouTube video (Galaxy Note 2 - N7100 Complete Disassembly & Assembly) to learn how to tear down this phone.
So, I found out what is pictured here out. The meaning of this mod is to remove the 150pF caps which are to ground the signal for filtering reasons in high frequency domain. I have to say that this is very difficult mod. The components looks quite big in the picture, but in real they are very small. Without good skills and very good soldering tools, one may not even think to try this...
The final result (and the first listening impression) it were not spectacular, but a little bit better sound stage i could hear. After more listening the improvement become more noticeable: the sound is better defined, and the details are more evident. An increasing in dynamic is also noticeable. The few distortions in some high special music passages are not noticeable now, as before. At least I`m satisfied with the overall result so far. I can even say that I`m glad I could get this improvement for my portable music player...
I`m not very sure if the improvement can be noticeable using an low end headphone, or even with those Sennheiser IE80 with the original 200pF capacity cable... To say, 200pF capacity for the cable + 300pF those caps on the DAC output, it become an quite important capacity on the outputted signal. I personally did not liked that... BTW, I may say now that the elements inside those Sennheiser IE80 are just exceptional. The bass is really impressive and the details in highs are very well reproduced. I have to admit that I worked a little bit around on those elements of Sennheiser IE80 too (only a little bit... )
The 150pF caps it were measured after desoldering process. The right value of those it may be altered by the heating. I do not know the real value Samsug used in this device. I have to precise a little more about the components used on all the outputs which are to use long wires connected (marked with C on it). It seems also to be a protection to the accidental high electrostatic levels which it may be developed on those long wires connected to the phone (headphones, audio cables, etc). Those components are placed on all the output/input used in this stage (DAC out, radio antenna, mic, etc). It may not be in conduction in normal functioning mode, so I think it will not negatively affect the audio signal out. I`m convinced now that the 150pF caps did influence in negative way the outputted audio signal.
It could be nice if somebody else will find something more about this DAC circuit and its around components... I will like to know the components used on the power rails of the DAC. The 0550 DQKN chip is the radio receiver.
On the bottom/center of the pictures it is an quite large circuit, where the components it seems to not be in use as how are connected. It looks like something power regulators, but important connections are not made on this phone model...
It is possible that a part of the sound improvement with this mod in place it may also come from the upper shielding of the DAC chip, but I can not be very sure about this and how much it may be the procent... Is not very easy to experiment with a device which is quite difficult to be disassembled, and the risks to destroy it`s plastic pieces is enough high.
Galaxy Note 2 is equipped with an good DAC processor chip. It should have a very good quality audio out. It have actually when is to compare with other phones out there.
So, my though it were to buy a good headphone set too, to get the most of this phone as audio player. A middle class price Sennheiser IE80 were my choice.
I were disappointed soon enough about the cable of those (else very good quality headphones). The (very good mechanical point of view) cable have an 200pF capacity. There is its compact construction which leads to this huge internal capacity for an 120cm length. To be compared with, an conventional shielded RCA connection cable of 5 - 7 m can reach such capacity. I`ve made my own using silver wires (quite nice result), 60pF total capacity including its connectors. Good sound! I use Neutron as music player.
But it were not just enough for me. I decided to take a closer look at how the hardware is made in to the phone itself. I used an YouTube video (Galaxy Note 2 - N7100 Complete Disassembly & Assembly) to learn how to tear down this phone.
So, I found out what is pictured here out. The meaning of this mod is to remove the 150pF caps which are to ground the signal for filtering reasons in high frequency domain. I have to say that this is very difficult mod. The components looks quite big in the picture, but in real they are very small. Without good skills and very good soldering tools, one may not even think to try this...
The final result (and the first listening impression) it were not spectacular, but a little bit better sound stage i could hear. After more listening the improvement become more noticeable: the sound is better defined, and the details are more evident. An increasing in dynamic is also noticeable. The few distortions in some high special music passages are not noticeable now, as before. At least I`m satisfied with the overall result so far. I can even say that I`m glad I could get this improvement for my portable music player...
I`m not very sure if the improvement can be noticeable using an low end headphone, or even with those Sennheiser IE80 with the original 200pF capacity cable... To say, 200pF capacity for the cable + 300pF those caps on the DAC output, it become an quite important capacity on the outputted signal. I personally did not liked that... BTW, I may say now that the elements inside those Sennheiser IE80 are just exceptional. The bass is really impressive and the details in highs are very well reproduced. I have to admit that I worked a little bit around on those elements of Sennheiser IE80 too (only a little bit...
) The 150pF caps it were measured after desoldering process. The right value of those it may be altered by the heating. I do not know the real value Samsug used in this device. I have to precise a little more about the components used on all the outputs which are to use long wires connected (marked with C on it). It seems also to be a protection to the accidental high electrostatic levels which it may be developed on those long wires connected to the phone (headphones, audio cables, etc). Those components are placed on all the output/input used in this stage (DAC out, radio antenna, mic, etc). It may not be in conduction in normal functioning mode, so I think it will not negatively affect the audio signal out. I`m convinced now that the 150pF caps did influence in negative way the outputted audio signal.
It could be nice if somebody else will find something more about this DAC circuit and its around components... I will like to know the components used on the power rails of the DAC. The 0550 DQKN chip is the radio receiver.
On the bottom/center of the pictures it is an quite large circuit, where the components it seems to not be in use as how are connected. It looks like something power regulators, but important connections are not made on this phone model...
It is possible that a part of the sound improvement with this mod in place it may also come from the upper shielding of the DAC chip, but I can not be very sure about this and how much it may be the procent... Is not very easy to experiment with a device which is quite difficult to be disassembled, and the risks to destroy it`s plastic pieces is enough high.
Attachments
Last edited:
