I just got hold of the original AKM 4309A chip documentation from 1996.
The chip calls for a supply voltage of 5V (+/-10%). I measured the supply voltage in my PS1 1002. It is about 3.55V. The 1002 I have, has a 4309AVM chip, but I would have thought that the supply voltage would have been the same? I also found a German site referring to a supply voltage of (the more moderen) 3.3V.
What is the correct supply voltage for the 4309AVM chip: 3.3V, 3.6V or 5V?
The chip calls for a supply voltage of 5V (+/-10%). I measured the supply voltage in my PS1 1002. It is about 3.55V. The 1002 I have, has a 4309AVM chip, but I would have thought that the supply voltage would have been the same? I also found a German site referring to a supply voltage of (the more moderen) 3.3V.
What is the correct supply voltage for the 4309AVM chip: 3.3V, 3.6V or 5V?
Hi there msj965,
The simple answer is we don't know
Seriously though, it depends on your setup.
The grounding resistor creates a high pass filter which you can control.... if you dont put it in then the next resistor in the chain (usually your amps volume control) will form the filter.
If you have a 50K pot then don't bother with the resistor... I don't
If it's <= 20K then you really should put one in or you'll start to loose base.
The simple answer is we don't know
Seriously though, it depends on your setup.
The grounding resistor creates a high pass filter which you can control.... if you dont put it in then the next resistor in the chain (usually your amps volume control) will form the filter.
If you have a 50K pot then don't bother with the resistor... I don't
If it's <= 20K then you really should put one in or you'll start to loose base.
couple pics of my ps mod.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Filtered Output
Hi,
I have recently removed the cap/resistor from the player output... it now feeds directly to a preamp situated next to the player, within the cabinet. First impressions are that the bass is tighter and less warm than before.
However I plan to provide both filtered and non -filtered phono output so that I can do an A/ B comparison via the external preamp selector.
Currently I am still happier with the sound of this modified Sony player than from my previous £2500 Sony SCD-1!
The next mod is to remove the local switching power supply and to use a superior external. I have built the external supply within the box of a PC power supply.. with one wall just heat-sink. I doubt if that much is needed but it looked nicer and was easier to deal with.
I plan to make a few modded versions f the PlayStation available on eBay for those that do not want to tinker with SMT.
Hi,
I have recently removed the cap/resistor from the player output... it now feeds directly to a preamp situated next to the player, within the cabinet. First impressions are that the bass is tighter and less warm than before.
However I plan to provide both filtered and non -filtered phono output so that I can do an A/ B comparison via the external preamp selector.
Currently I am still happier with the sound of this modified Sony player than from my previous £2500 Sony SCD-1!
The next mod is to remove the local switching power supply and to use a superior external. I have built the external supply within the box of a PC power supply.. with one wall just heat-sink. I doubt if that much is needed but it looked nicer and was easier to deal with.
I plan to make a few modded versions f the PlayStation available on eBay for those that do not want to tinker with SMT.
The mods
Hi,
well essentially what I did was the Dogsbreath set of modes. However, I found the output from eh player a little low so I built in a small very high quality preamp. I happened to have an old Musical Fidelity chassis around, so I embedded the player in to that.. essentially then, step 1 was modding the output directly to an inbuilt preamp, but keeping the original power supply.
The next step... 90% finished .. is to build a high quality power supply. I did that with two adjustable PS, like the preamp kit, purchased from Rod Elliott (rode@sound.au.com). I upgraded the components and since these are adjustable supplies, it is easy to set them up for use.
The above is all finished.. the "in progress" bit is testing the small power supply board which must replace the old one "in situ" in the cd player itself and then wiring it in.
I forgot to mention that I installed a stripped down remote control into the Musical Fidelity chassis.
Once I set up all the voltages on the player according to the specs there were no problems with tracking or cd recognition. All in all a fun piece of work.
If I do put any of this on eBay, it would probably only be the modified CD player itself, with the filtered output and adjusted voltages. I suspect that the cost of the whole thing that I describe above would be prohibitive. Having said that, my brother, who is similarly afflicted with the Hi Fi bug, is listening to a modified PlayStation that I built for his birthday (on Krell amps and B&W 801 speakers) and prefers it to his Krell cd player!
Hi,
well essentially what I did was the Dogsbreath set of modes. However, I found the output from eh player a little low so I built in a small very high quality preamp. I happened to have an old Musical Fidelity chassis around, so I embedded the player in to that.. essentially then, step 1 was modding the output directly to an inbuilt preamp, but keeping the original power supply.
The next step... 90% finished .. is to build a high quality power supply. I did that with two adjustable PS, like the preamp kit, purchased from Rod Elliott (rode@sound.au.com). I upgraded the components and since these are adjustable supplies, it is easy to set them up for use.
The above is all finished.. the "in progress" bit is testing the small power supply board which must replace the old one "in situ" in the cd player itself and then wiring it in.
I forgot to mention that I installed a stripped down remote control into the Musical Fidelity chassis.
Once I set up all the voltages on the player according to the specs there were no problems with tracking or cd recognition. All in all a fun piece of work.
If I do put any of this on eBay, it would probably only be the modified CD player itself, with the filtered output and adjusted voltages. I suspect that the cost of the whole thing that I describe above would be prohibitive. Having said that, my brother, who is similarly afflicted with the Hi Fi bug, is listening to a modified PlayStation that I built for his birthday (on Krell amps and B&W 801 speakers) and prefers it to his Krell cd player!
Re: The mods
Well, the Germans are selling $3000 modded PS1 at eBay, so you could probably have at least some mark-up.
http://cgi.ebay.de/TET-Hochmodifizierte-SCPH-1000-Cochise-1000-Vintage_W0QQitemZ370168103319QQihZ024QQcategoryZ19605QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262
georgebrooke said:
Well, the Germans are selling $3000 modded PS1 at eBay, so you could probably have at least some mark-up.
http://cgi.ebay.de/TET-Hochmodifizierte-SCPH-1000-Cochise-1000-Vintage_W0QQitemZ370168103319QQihZ024QQcategoryZ19605QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262
PlayStation
It's just a hobby ... not a business... although if the financial world continues as at present, who knows?
I guess one really big motivator for me is to be able to get high quality sound without paying for the life-style nonsense (and markup) of high-end equipment. Feet that light-up, digital read-out, delicate cabinet-fronts that show scratches and finger-prints and so on all annoy me. I am afraid I am from the old school of 19" rack mount equipment and robust construction.
My gear... probably to be incrementally up-graded to totally home made over the next few years is Nelson pass pre and main amps, Yamaha NS1000M and JBL 4343 (this is a major renovation project), Crown K2 as bass amp (for bi-amping the JBL) and so on. I think all of it will be replaced by Pass DIY gear.. and a lot of fun it should be too. Much better than strolling done to the local "Hi Fi" store to buy some technically obsolete but pretty piece of kit
It's just a hobby ... not a business... although if the financial world continues as at present, who knows?
I guess one really big motivator for me is to be able to get high quality sound without paying for the life-style nonsense (and markup) of high-end equipment. Feet that light-up, digital read-out, delicate cabinet-fronts that show scratches and finger-prints and so on all annoy me. I am afraid I am from the old school of 19" rack mount equipment and robust construction.
My gear... probably to be incrementally up-graded to totally home made over the next few years is Nelson pass pre and main amps, Yamaha NS1000M and JBL 4343 (this is a major renovation project), Crown K2 as bass amp (for bi-amping the JBL) and so on. I think all of it will be replaced by Pass DIY gear.. and a lot of fun it should be too. Much better than strolling done to the local "Hi Fi" store to buy some technically obsolete but pretty piece of kit
Caps
Hi,
I used 3.3uF Wima caps.. just like the dogbreath article. However, if the next stage of amplification has its own series cap then there is little point in doing it twice, especially when the two caps in series reduce the cap value.
As soon as I rewire to allow A/B switching I shall report back on any sound differences
Hi,
I used 3.3uF Wima caps.. just like the dogbreath article. However, if the next stage of amplification has its own series cap then there is little point in doing it twice, especially when the two caps in series reduce the cap value.
As soon as I rewire to allow A/B switching I shall report back on any sound differences
Here is another one using Russian K75-10 PIO caps, just like kropo has.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Re: Nice Pixs Kropo
They are Russian 4,7uf K75-10 PIO caps, same as mine. I have also made one using Soniqs 3,3uf caps. I don´t remember the actual model, but they were those cheaper blue ones. My current prototype ps1 mod has red Wima 1,5uf caps, but they are not good. Audyn Caps work good as well.
msj965 said:Oh by the way what kind of Caps did you put and what value?
Thanks
They are Russian 4,7uf K75-10 PIO caps, same as mine. I have also made one using Soniqs 3,3uf caps. I don´t remember the actual model, but they were those cheaper blue ones. My current prototype ps1 mod has red Wima 1,5uf caps, but they are not good. Audyn Caps work good as well.
Hello everyone, this is my first posting on the digital forum even though I'm not a new member.
Just thought I'd let you know what my latest mod to my playstation has been(due to it's very low output level) and what an amazing sound it produces!!
I have the 5502 model and desoldered the first two caps that connect to the left and right outputs of the DAC chip.
To this I connected (with dual core mini shielded coax cable) two 20uf Solen polypropylene caps as DC blocking/coupling caps.
Now!.....here's the exciting part......connected to the Solens are 2 small microphone input transformers : 600ohm C.T. to 10k.
I wired the transformer by leaving the C.T. unconnected and in 600ohm input configuration.
The other end of the transformer(10k) connects to some external RCA's(one wire to the positive and the other to ground).
This has so far increased the output of the player by approximately 10db avoiding any active circuitry valve or solid state. I can detect no problems using this mod with solid state or valve amplifiers.
The transformers are available here in Australia from ALTRONICS and cost $20.65 AUS, but I have come accross the same type on the internet a while back.
The sound quality is absolutely superb - far better than my discrete transistor output stage and the valve output version I built previously
Just thought I'd let you know what my latest mod to my playstation has been(due to it's very low output level) and what an amazing sound it produces!!
I have the 5502 model and desoldered the first two caps that connect to the left and right outputs of the DAC chip.
To this I connected (with dual core mini shielded coax cable) two 20uf Solen polypropylene caps as DC blocking/coupling caps.
Now!.....here's the exciting part......connected to the Solens are 2 small microphone input transformers : 600ohm C.T. to 10k.
I wired the transformer by leaving the C.T. unconnected and in 600ohm input configuration.
The other end of the transformer(10k) connects to some external RCA's(one wire to the positive and the other to ground).
This has so far increased the output of the player by approximately 10db avoiding any active circuitry valve or solid state. I can detect no problems using this mod with solid state or valve amplifiers.
The transformers are available here in Australia from ALTRONICS and cost $20.65 AUS, but I have come accross the same type on the internet a while back.
The sound quality is absolutely superb - far better than my discrete transistor output stage and the valve output version I built previously
