The Squeezebox is stock, albeit with a double-regulated linear PSU.
I tapped into the DM supply just after the power switch and fed that into the Zapfilter box too, just to activate a relay. So when I switch the DM on/off, the Zap box powers on/off too.
John Swenson - who can be found on many forums and is a well-known Squeezebox modder - claims that the digital o/p of the new Squeezebox Touch is utterly superb, so I may get one of those. He was a beta tester for the hardware and software. Difficult to know what the gains would be though, as the DM has been measured as having particularly good jitter rejection.
Maybe I'll pick up another old Cambridge phono amp (that's where the box came from, the 540P!) and build a PSU in that....
For the moment though, very happy with how it all sounds and definitely worth the effort (especially as I already had the Zapfilter lying around).
I tapped into the DM supply just after the power switch and fed that into the Zapfilter box too, just to activate a relay. So when I switch the DM on/off, the Zap box powers on/off too.
John Swenson - who can be found on many forums and is a well-known Squeezebox modder - claims that the digital o/p of the new Squeezebox Touch is utterly superb, so I may get one of those. He was a beta tester for the hardware and software. Difficult to know what the gains would be though, as the DM has been measured as having particularly good jitter rejection.
Maybe I'll pick up another old Cambridge phono amp (that's where the box came from, the 540P!) and build a PSU in that....
For the moment though, very happy with how it all sounds and definitely worth the effort (especially as I already had the Zapfilter lying around).
Hi all fantastic thread have read upto page 160 (1300 to go!! ) i am new to cd modding, have a basic grasp of electronics GCE at school (how old!!) but am reading all i can about the subject. i have accquired a cd63se with some mods. from reading this thread the mods are superclock 4 with seperate ps, mute trans are removed. headphone circuit components removed. black gates near the op amps with are ad823 units(any good?) chassis has been dampened not the tranport though, i have not taken the board out yet so i do not know if anything has been replaced there.. the dc blocking caps are still there( c655-c658) all hdam componets are there and not bypassed. i will be runnig this cdp into a valve amp(leak stereo 20) with no pre amp just some voltage dividers at the amps input rca's to reduce the gain. would removal of the blocking caps and hdam bypass be ok for this setup? also are the op amps up to a hdam bypass? also the superclock ps caps seem to be glued to the board on top of other components( very untidy ) can this glue be removed easily? any suggestions, and future mods would be very welcome. now back to those 1300 odd pages........
regards
Deane
regards
Deane
remove and short the DC blocking caps (elna silmics I think) for sure!!! Just make sure ther eis no DC on the op of the HDAM!!!😉 Elco's in the signal path are normally horrid!!!
Depending on how much has been done to the rest will depend of if you should bypass the HDAMs now or not. If the opamps are good enough then you could try it! You'll loose some bass (well flabby uncontrolled bass at least) when you do it so things like the upgraded smoothing caps will need to be done 1st. Its just a question of trying it and seeing what it give you really!
I'm guessing you'll pick the general idea's up as you go through the tread!!!!🙂
Depending on how much has been done to the rest will depend of if you should bypass the HDAMs now or not. If the opamps are good enough then you could try it! You'll loose some bass (well flabby uncontrolled bass at least) when you do it so things like the upgraded smoothing caps will need to be done 1st. Its just a question of trying it and seeing what it give you really!
I'm guessing you'll pick the general idea's up as you go through the tread!!!!🙂
I've been reading about DACS and the ones in my 67' or on no list anywhere! Phillps TDA 7073A. Are these just another kind of Phillips with a different reference? Brent?
These are the driver ICs for the motors.
The DAC is NPC (Nippon Precision Circuits) SM5872BS.
The DAC is NPC (Nippon Precision Circuits) SM5872BS.
Thanks. I guess that shows how dumb I am! I also suppose the chip is on the underside of the board, since I can't see it anywhere.
Yes, you'll also find the decoder/servo IC under there too, it's the square one with the pins on all 4 sides. The DAC is the rectangular one with pins on two sides.
Your dac chip is under the pcb. It is to the left of the C1 clock and above the 2 metal can SEPC oscon caps
Brent
Brent
Forgive my ignorance, but where do music servers like Squeezebox get the music from?
Do you have to connect them to a computer? If so, what's the type of link and do you need special software?
Do they include a DAC or do you have to feed their output to a separate DAC? If so, why not just run the SPDIF from your soundcard to an existing DAC?
I DON'T SEE THE POINT OF THEM.
Will someone please educate me!!
Do you have to connect them to a computer? If so, what's the type of link and do you need special software?
Do they include a DAC or do you have to feed their output to a separate DAC? If so, why not just run the SPDIF from your soundcard to an existing DAC?
I DON'T SEE THE POINT OF THEM.
Will someone please educate me!!
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Internet or from a music folder on your pc. The pc runs the slim server for the squeezebox to stream music. THey have digital outputs & RCA outputs so yes there is a on board dac. They sound very good to (well when streaming lossless recordings from a good disc).
Brent
Brent
Thanks. What's a slim server and how does the thing know where to find music on the internet?
Again, why not just run your soundcard SPDIF to a DAC and dispense with the squeezebox? Is it just a convenience thing for organising your music?
Again, why not just run your soundcard SPDIF to a DAC and dispense with the squeezebox? Is it just a convenience thing for organising your music?
Slim server is software you install on your pc. You have loads of options as to where to point the squeezebox to look. The Squeezebox uses lan and wireless connections, it is very versatile and sounds better than most modded sound cards. I use one on my second system.
Brent
Brent
Thanks Brent, I think I understand now. Must get into the 21 century sometime.
So presumably people transfer their CDs to the PC HDD then play them from there? It 's just that I've seen some Sqeezeboxes connected to external DACs - that's what confused me.
Is this method any better than a good CD player/DAC combo?
So presumably people transfer their CDs to the PC HDD then play them from there? It 's just that I've seen some Sqeezeboxes connected to external DACs - that's what confused me.
Is this method any better than a good CD player/DAC combo?
For the money they are very good. Modded even better. On my main system they are no where near the standard of my cdp but thats another story.
Brent
Brent
I look at it as a remote control with a display. It's just a convenience link between your DAC/amp/speakers and digital music via the Internet, pc, server etc. It's a neat solution for interfacing between a pc in a different room (no pc noise in your listening room) and your hi-fi. No discs to change, good quality, nice user interface etc.
Simon
That's what I thought too. Think I'll spend my money on good old fashioned CDs instead.
That's what I thought too. Think I'll spend my money on good old fashioned CDs instead.
I don't blame you, it's a lot of work to achieve "convenience" although ultimately the sound would be better than with conventional CDs if using an excellent DAC. But you could argue some CD players could trump excellent DACs so it's a tricky argument.
I have a 20 odd year old heavily modded sony cdp-337esd that's still going strong amazingly. Must be the oldest working CD player in the world! Built like a tank but needed mods to give its best.
I've tried friends modern DACs connected to it and it beats them hands down.
I've tried friends modern DACs connected to it and it beats them hands down.