I've finally finished the upgrade.
First I removed those stupid 220pF loading caps from the input.
Oh man, that changed everything...
(free)
Then I replaced the original TI NE5532P op amps with TI LM4562NA
(£7.26/3pcs + sockets £1.31/10pcs)
The result was huge, the new op amps opened up sound stage, everything was much more detailed, and much more loud. It was a huge upgrade, but the sound was really sterile/cold after it. I'm still thinking to replace the output op amp with a wormer op amp.
(£6.46 and I still have bunch of caps left)
In the next step I changed the original Xunda capacitors in the PSU on the panel with Panasonic FCs. I didn't really listened it, I just checked it so I could move to the next stage which is replace the capacitors in the amplifier part.
These electronic caps has been replaced with Nichicon FG (Fine Gold) and Nichicon ES (Bi-polar MUSE). The most noticeable part was the input caps around the op amps.
After these changes, I got even more detail, and the mids were much more together with other freqs.
(£16 including post)
Finally I replaced the no-name polyester film capacitors with nice Jantzen MKT ones.
This upgrade finally brought the taste into the sound. The sound is not that sterile anymore.
(£6.60)
Final image:
So for less than £40 I got much more detail, soundstage and my sound is not that compressed anymore.
And for sure my transformer died while I was doing this upgrade, so I started to build my own nice linear PSU. Now I'm powering the phono from it.
First I removed those stupid 220pF loading caps from the input.
Oh man, that changed everything...
(free)
Then I replaced the original TI NE5532P op amps with TI LM4562NA
(£7.26/3pcs + sockets £1.31/10pcs)
The result was huge, the new op amps opened up sound stage, everything was much more detailed, and much more loud. It was a huge upgrade, but the sound was really sterile/cold after it. I'm still thinking to replace the output op amp with a wormer op amp.
(£6.46 and I still have bunch of caps left)
In the next step I changed the original Xunda capacitors in the PSU on the panel with Panasonic FCs. I didn't really listened it, I just checked it so I could move to the next stage which is replace the capacitors in the amplifier part.
These electronic caps has been replaced with Nichicon FG (Fine Gold) and Nichicon ES (Bi-polar MUSE). The most noticeable part was the input caps around the op amps.
After these changes, I got even more detail, and the mids were much more together with other freqs.
(£16 including post)
Finally I replaced the no-name polyester film capacitors with nice Jantzen MKT ones.
This upgrade finally brought the taste into the sound. The sound is not that sterile anymore.
(£6.60)
Final image:
So for less than £40 I got much more detail, soundstage and my sound is not that compressed anymore.
And for sure my transformer died while I was doing this upgrade, so I started to build my own nice linear PSU. Now I'm powering the phono from it.
Last edited:
So after recap, I was playing with the opamps.
LM4562NA was really nice sound stage, but a bit to sterile IMO. It was almost listening CD.
So I decided to give a try to the OPA2134 which is almost 5x the price.
The OPA2134 was more "musical", enjoyable and detailed, but it squeezed the soundstage so much. So I decided to mix the LM4562NA (input) and the OPA2134 (output). With this combination I was still getting some stage, and it wasn't too sterile either. But the lows were pretty slow. Every time when I was listening music I heard these things.
So I decided to find other options. Finally the Burson Audio discrete opamps came across.
I was looking into tests, but I couldn't find that many.
As the V6 didn't fit into my phono, I decided to get the V5i.
When they finally arrived, I immediately replaced my opamps in the circuit.
First album I listened was the Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman. What I can tell about the human voice use these opamps was so realistic, but I wasn't blown away. As I was listening to the following records like The Who, Emerson Lake and Palmer, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, I felt so much close to the music. The stage was really realistic, the overall sound wasn't sterile like with the LM4562 and the lows were so fast. So while I was listening my favourite albums, and started to do something on my phone, I just had to put it down, because my mind was focusing on the music so much.
This V5i just puts everything to they place. No harsh detail, no hiding highs, no overlapping slow lows. Actually after 3-4 records I realised I listening the music finally and not the system.
Actually with this setup I could toe out my loudspeakers finally, before that they were facing me like sitting in a triangle. Now I could toe them out without loosing any detail around half way which just helps with the room acoustic a lot.
So overall these Burson opamps provides a lot of detail, stage and tight bass. I'm so curious now about those V6s. I wish they would fit into my phono.
LM4562NA was really nice sound stage, but a bit to sterile IMO. It was almost listening CD.
So I decided to give a try to the OPA2134 which is almost 5x the price.
The OPA2134 was more "musical", enjoyable and detailed, but it squeezed the soundstage so much. So I decided to mix the LM4562NA (input) and the OPA2134 (output). With this combination I was still getting some stage, and it wasn't too sterile either. But the lows were pretty slow. Every time when I was listening music I heard these things.
So I decided to find other options. Finally the Burson Audio discrete opamps came across.
I was looking into tests, but I couldn't find that many.
As the V6 didn't fit into my phono, I decided to get the V5i.
When they finally arrived, I immediately replaced my opamps in the circuit.
First album I listened was the Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman. What I can tell about the human voice use these opamps was so realistic, but I wasn't blown away. As I was listening to the following records like The Who, Emerson Lake and Palmer, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, I felt so much close to the music. The stage was really realistic, the overall sound wasn't sterile like with the LM4562 and the lows were so fast. So while I was listening my favourite albums, and started to do something on my phone, I just had to put it down, because my mind was focusing on the music so much.
This V5i just puts everything to they place. No harsh detail, no hiding highs, no overlapping slow lows. Actually after 3-4 records I realised I listening the music finally and not the system.
Actually with this setup I could toe out my loudspeakers finally, before that they were facing me like sitting in a triangle. Now I could toe them out without loosing any detail around half way which just helps with the room acoustic a lot.
So overall these Burson opamps provides a lot of detail, stage and tight bass. I'm so curious now about those V6s. I wish they would fit into my phono.
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