Highly modified Cambridge Audio CXUHD

Hi. I though i would share my upgrade project that is finally finished.

I have taken a Cambridge Audio CXUHD player and done some serious mods.

I have taken the swiched psu and replaced it with a linear one. I didn't like the toridal transformer that came with it. So i replaced it with a custom one from Canterbury Windings that has been custom built for audio, with shielding between primary and secondary windings and also has a Metal Goss band aroud it for EMI shielding. I then got hold of a kit that i installed of milled aluminium that stabelise the optical drive. Further on i installed a second small psu from Lascar. And removed the voltage regulator, replaced it with a UWB 2 15.0V Ultra Wideband Low Noise Regulator from NewClassD. This was for driving the precision clocks i was going to install. I then removed two onboard oscillators with a heat gun. And removed some surface mount resistors and caps. That was a pain i n the ***, they where like 0.5mm so it what not so easy. I then precision solderd in small 50ohms coaxial cables with precrimped contacts for clock circuits where the oscillators had been. And because of the tension of the cable on the small connections on the circuit board i reinforced the soldering points with epoxi. So it should hold. I then connected two Neutrino 2 Reference clocks that has an accuracy of +/- 1ppm to the main board and to the modified Lascar mini psu. I then installed a mini switch to turn of the clocks when the player is in standby mode because the mini psu like the big one is always on. Unless you disconnect the mains cable. Finally i installed anti vibration Sorbothane feet im also planning to install anti vibration and stabilisation sheets to the chassis. but im quite pleased with the mods. They make an already good player get super! im planning to use it as bluray player but also a transport for my Simaudio Moon DAC. I would share this in case someone wants to mod their own CXUHD.
 

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Even higher modified CXUHD...

My mods...🙂

Linear power supply, which also provide linear power for circuitry inside main board (replacing a small SMPS), responsable for optical drive data processing section. Added my clock board (centralised clock system battery powered). Also extended shielding and improved processor cooling (high grade thermal paste, instead original thermal pad). Whole power up sequence is synchronised and controlled by original start up button. The battery on clock board is charged up while the device is in standby, and it can run the player for more than 20 continuous hours (the approach is fully transparent for the user).
 

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