I don't think the risk of a fried player is any less. Additionally, depending on the specific model, the possibility of not being able to find a replacement laser should be considered. I'm personally responsible for the death (maybe suicide) of 2 donor machines due to broken dacs, failed lasers.
But look on the bright side 😉 Apart from a clock, I've tended to remove parts from mine so it hasn't been too expensive to date. Just some new caps, diodes and an opamp. And once I went NOS I think the clean supply to the standard clock gave a large improvment anyway.
I certainly find the sound less clinical than on my modded 67 even if I don't have the same level of detail. Hey, maybe that's the reason
Regards
Pete
I've realised it's sometimes wiser to maintain a working player rather than a very upgraded dead player!!
Well well, that's holding me back now... let's read more about this, and for the mech the CDM4 seems very good.
Matthieu
It is possible to get the same level of details from a 1541 player but its far more challenging.
I'd say the only way you'll get anywhere near is to put lots of low noise regs in! there are 3 on the DAC, 1 on the decoder and 1 on the filter to start. Then you need to consider the I/V and output! You'll get much further on a budget with a 63 than you will with a TDA1541 player.
Its definately worth the investment if you mess with a 1541. It all depends what you want. I've found the 63 more clinical than the 1541 but then I prefer the 1541 for its more "analogue" sound.
I'm currently messing with audio transformers on my output stage immediatley following the Burson I/V. Its sounds very fluid as an initial observation but due to the kids in bed on a school night, i'll not get a proper listen until the morning! Rollon tomorrow!
I'd say the only way you'll get anywhere near is to put lots of low noise regs in! there are 3 on the DAC, 1 on the decoder and 1 on the filter to start. Then you need to consider the I/V and output! You'll get much further on a budget with a 63 than you will with a TDA1541 player.
Its definately worth the investment if you mess with a 1541. It all depends what you want. I've found the 63 more clinical than the 1541 but then I prefer the 1541 for its more "analogue" sound.
I'm currently messing with audio transformers on my output stage immediatley following the Burson I/V. Its sounds very fluid as an initial observation but due to the kids in bed on a school night, i'll not get a proper listen until the morning! Rollon tomorrow!
Lol. I'd say it was the other way round to be honest.
Matthieu, the SAA7220 digital filter should be isolated from the rest of the power supplies as a first step IMHO, even giving it a 7805 will really improve things.
Fluid is how my cd63 sounds now. It'll be very interesting if you can feed the tda1541 direct into a tx, something I will try soon enough.
Lee.
I'll open a thread as soon as I get the CD-40 (TDA1541A R1 grade within!). Hope to find you there gentlemen! (if I don't suicide after an ultimate try to bring back to life my sweet CD53). The best is to compare and to choose, well modded there will be not money lost. But I'm scared to do like you all, keep both!
Hi,
I'm going to continue with mine, new regs are next on the list. I did have some fitted before but they were causing problems so I went back to standard power supply to try to solve the problems step by step.
But I'm still worried about the availability of lasers for these long term so I've just ordered one of these
http://www.analogmetric.com/goods.php?id=428
Maybe it'll allow the TDA1541 sound from a modern(ish) machine.
Anyone with any opinions on SPDIF? Is it fairly standard quality across machines or are some equipped with a cleaner digitalout than others?
Regards
Pete
I'm going to continue with mine, new regs are next on the list. I did have some fitted before but they were causing problems so I went back to standard power supply to try to solve the problems step by step.
But I'm still worried about the availability of lasers for these long term so I've just ordered one of these
http://www.analogmetric.com/goods.php?id=428
Maybe it'll allow the TDA1541 sound from a modern(ish) machine.
Anyone with any opinions on SPDIF? Is it fairly standard quality across machines or are some equipped with a cleaner digitalout than others?
Regards
Pete
Hi Pete,
if that may help:
http://www.lampizator.eu/lampizator/REFERENCES/Green TDA DAC/Greendac.html
and also more general:
http://www.lampizator.eu/lampizator/TDA1541 corner/TDA1541.html
if that may help:
http://www.lampizator.eu/lampizator/REFERENCES/Green TDA DAC/Greendac.html
and also more general:
http://www.lampizator.eu/lampizator/TDA1541 corner/TDA1541.html
I've almost finished building one of those! I've made all the clock mods I've discovered here and used my old Thrichord Clock 4. I've also use hexfred diodes, low noise regs and loads of ZA's, Burson I/V and I've got drop in DIR9001 board! Just need the transformers and I can give it a test!
TBH the std units not bad at all. Very well thought out. Def worth a go!
Lee! You've jumped ship! back to the 63 LOL! Out of the box, the 63 has a much more detailed commercially pleasing sound. The 1541 sounds like it behind a wall by comparisson until you start playing! NOS is a cheap way around hig quality regulation and PSU seperation I suppose!
Those TX's I tried, showed promise but killed the dynamics and detail. I spoke to Brent earlier and he suggested that the DC on the output of the Burson could be saturating the core so when I return from sunny Doncaster tomorrow, I'll try them after the caps to see if that makes a difference. If it does I'll look into step up TX's with passive I/V to see if thatwill give me the "fluid " sound that it got but this time with the detail and dynamics!
I will try those TX's in my 63 as you've had very good results with them.
I'm also picking up 2 more SPowers tomorrow to replace the audiocom regs I'm using on the -5 and -15 rails on the DAC. That will completed the set SPowers on Filter,Decoder, all3 DAC rails & Burson! I'm not sure what to expect as its way beyond my expectations now!
Sounds great,be interested to know how it turns out.
DIR9001 is a USB converter? I've been looking for something like that. Does it output I2S or just spdif?
To be honest I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the dac kit long term, I might just ignore the spdif and put it in my cd with a direct connection of the I2S signal from the 7210 to the tda as a temporary measure.
Pete
DIR9001 is a USB converter? I've been looking for something like that. Does it output I2S or just spdif?
To be honest I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the dac kit long term, I might just ignore the spdif and put it in my cd with a direct connection of the I2S signal from the 7210 to the tda as a temporary measure.
Pete
LOL. I only did it because I couldn't get my cd94 going again. For me, it took an awful LOT of work to make the cd63 musical. It really only sounded "right" when I regulated the driver IC's. Tbh, the Marantz cd94 is pretty well sorted on the transport/servo side as standard so not really a fair comparison.
As I've just done it waiting for your mail Lee, I'm very excited to check if I can save my CD53... and my pain (in case I've murdered it) will be eased by the fact the TDA1541A R1 waiting for me can do good music. Just to tell some of your sentences guys draw hope of glorious music and brilliant sounding old boxes!
I got the kit to run on my media centre. I've got SPDIF out on the PC.
I've thought about I2S and looked into it a bit. The cable run needs to be very short! I've not looked at USB but I'm sure you could add the USB input if the DIR 9001 is the input chip!
I'm more than happy with what I've got as an output stage on my philips (burson I/V and decent cap) and i'll copy it on this board.
I really should get a couple of mains TX's and see what it can do!
Also the SPowers I picked up today, one of them is the new design! I'll get a couple of pic up over the weekend when I've fitted!
Last thing Matthieu, As Lee said, the 1st and most important thing to do on this sort of player is to get the 7220 filter chip on its own reg. Then you can start to clock everything direct (decoder, filter, dac, DEM)! If you do this, there is no need to NOS. So far as I'm concerned, NOS it a cheap way to bypass the filter chip rather than sort it out properly. I'd never go NOS! ever! lol
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PCM2707 is the easiest USB interface that I've found. Just plug and play as far as the pc is concerned. Outputs i2s too.
Cheers, Lee.
Cheers, Lee.
Hi guys,
I've seen (CD630 one... the same?) that there is the same small cap in the HF path before the decoder, 2.2nF as in the CD63. In the latest one we are used to change it for a good styren one, that briging some details back. It should does here also, doesn't it?
I've seen (CD630 one... the same?) that there is the same small cap in the HF path before the decoder, 2.2nF as in the CD63. In the latest one we are used to change it for a good styren one, that briging some details back. It should does here also, doesn't it?
Hi Guys,
I've done a bit of housekeeping in the player this weekend! Tidied a few cables, mounted regs direct onto the board etc. I also replaced audiocom2 regulators with SPowers on the -5v and -15v. As luck would have it, I've ended up with one of the new SPowers on the -15v(got an LED now!). This brings the SPower total to 8! I've still got an Audiocom2 on the DEM reclock board, and 2 QPowers on the +/-12v for the servo and laser. I think this is the next area i'll look at. Although the 5v for this area is SPower, there is no seperation.
There is no 2 ways about it, those SPowers are awesome! I wasn't expecting much of a difference but the background has dropped away again and the soundstage is so accurate.
Took some pictures too! used the tripod and no flash just to get the LED's in!😀
Ian
I've done a bit of housekeeping in the player this weekend! Tidied a few cables, mounted regs direct onto the board etc. I also replaced audiocom2 regulators with SPowers on the -5v and -15v. As luck would have it, I've ended up with one of the new SPowers on the -15v(got an LED now!). This brings the SPower total to 8! I've still got an Audiocom2 on the DEM reclock board, and 2 QPowers on the +/-12v for the servo and laser. I think this is the next area i'll look at. Although the 5v for this area is SPower, there is no seperation.
There is no 2 ways about it, those SPowers are awesome! I wasn't expecting much of a difference but the background has dropped away again and the soundstage is so accurate.
Took some pictures too! used the tripod and no flash just to get the LED's in!😀
Ian
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