Yes you are right. It's a really easy device to modify, and a lot of information.
For me, it is valuable because it is very sensitive to any kind of change (even to replacing one capacitor, one centimeter of wire, one connector) and good upgradable.
I listened to many sources that did not respond at all to cables that cost more than 100 money. Well, that is, this did not add any quality to their sound. But playstation 1 responds perfectly to cables in the any price range of 500 to 1000 and above, which I consider a very good sign and indicator of potential.
I would characterize it as a very solid hi-fi above average. In addition, this is a very reliable device that can spin disks for years without turning off.
In the format of a compact device, I have not been able to find an alternative to it to this day.
Direct output after DAC is definitely the best improvement.
The second thing I think is the power supply upgrade.
But I do not agree with the statement that the original power supply is bad (at least there are many devices costing 10k or more that use a switching power supply). They handle dynamics better.
I don't see any problems with it if it is updated with good suitable components. At least to me it sounds very clean and dynamic. As soon as you upgrade the components to suitable ones, the cloudiness immediately goes away, dynamics, volume and clarity appear.
An important point, the power supply greatly affects the purity, dynamics and tonal balance.
So it is very important to choose the component model for your task.
There is also the other side of the coin. If you use budget wires, then you will not get the result you are counting on.
An attempt to suppress noise and distortion from the network using LC filter or linear power supplies is a road to nowhere. Of course, there is some sense in this, but it gives rise to other problems. (endless research, investments and unpredictable results). Therefore, it is worth starting with the original power supply.
p.s. to understand what I mean, I use not very expensive power cables and distributors (probably about several grand), and I am absolutely sure that such a combination cleans noise from the power network well (at least I am satisfied), and I am very not sure that just a linear power supply will replace this connection just as well.
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There is another good example regarding power delivery (and this is why I don’t want to get into this story).
If you replace the factory power capacitor with a very large capacitance (x6-10 or more), then the player will no longer be sensitive to wires and the power network (although there will be another problem, too much current, which will blow the fuse, but this can be solved). That is, you will create an alternative power buffer for it.
Many manufacturers do this, and it has a right to life.
I'm counting this is a hack that raises the level of the device to a certain level, compensating for cheap wires, but which becomes a stopper when you try to improve the quality with good wiring/distributors and nothing happens.
But this is a problem, since there are no ideal capacitors. You will no longer be able to control the dynamics, clarity or own signature of the system. This capacitor is your entire system. The same applies to bypassing this capacitor. Too much influence.
I once read that users do not see the need to replace the power inlet. This is really funny to me, since even one centimeter of wire from the inlet to the board can change everything in this case. I will not say anything about the quality of the ears, I will just assume that their systems are so low in information that it is difficult to hear the difference.
If you replace the factory power capacitor with a very large capacitance (x6-10 or more), then the player will no longer be sensitive to wires and the power network (although there will be another problem, too much current, which will blow the fuse, but this can be solved). That is, you will create an alternative power buffer for it.
Many manufacturers do this, and it has a right to life.
I'm counting this is a hack that raises the level of the device to a certain level, compensating for cheap wires, but which becomes a stopper when you try to improve the quality with good wiring/distributors and nothing happens.
But this is a problem, since there are no ideal capacitors. You will no longer be able to control the dynamics, clarity or own signature of the system. This capacitor is your entire system. The same applies to bypassing this capacitor. Too much influence.
I once read that users do not see the need to replace the power inlet. This is really funny to me, since even one centimeter of wire from the inlet to the board can change everything in this case. I will not say anything about the quality of the ears, I will just assume that their systems are so low in information that it is difficult to hear the difference.
To summarize the above, the beauty of this player is that it is very sensitive to any modifications.
If you initially have a fairly good system with good resolution and clean power, then this is exactly the player with which you can achieve good sound.
This is truly a player of a confident hi-fi level.
If you initially have a fairly good system with good resolution and clean power, then this is exactly the player with which you can achieve good sound.
This is truly a player of a confident hi-fi level.
Certainly. An expensive Mercedes should not require service to run well. for that kind of money it should fly
My system consists of several power distributors, a shunyata power cable system (also oyaide, duelund, kimber power cables), an electrocompaniet amplifier and a playstation as source. Also I use chord signature/duelund silver/neotech copper/straight wire/kimber tc etc.
Nowadays it’s no difficult to find many alternatives, but at that time I needed to spend at least one and a half grand on something decent to replace my source (on the aftermarket, at an initial RRP 2.5-3.5k). And it’s not a fact that I would be completely satisfied.
So I'm still with it for now.
Nowadays it’s no difficult to find many alternatives, but at that time I needed to spend at least one and a half grand on something decent to replace my source (on the aftermarket, at an initial RRP 2.5-3.5k). And it’s not a fact that I would be completely satisfied.
So I'm still with it for now.
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And if we’re talking about how to get high-quality sound inexpensively, then I’ll tell you what.
No matter how expensive your system is, it will play as the weakest link in it.
That's why I moved away from the transport-dac-preamp-power concept. It is very expensive. It’s not as expensive to buy all these devices as it is to make them work in synergy and connect them with decent switching.
I don’t think that the owners of serious expensive systems are reading us, but you can ask any of them a question, what will happen if in their system, for example, they replace a good digital wire from the transport to the dac with a cheap one. They will tell you that all the magic will fall apart.
Of course, having many devices, different sources, they will all play differently depending on their level and level of cabling. But making them sound at a high level will be really difficult (and expensive)
So another plus of the PlayStation is that it is a full CD player. And there aren't many full CD players that sound good.
That's why I use a full cd player and a full amplifier - it's cheaper. Because I can hear very clearly when the system plays worse due to cheap wires.
So I’m trying to save money on the wire, shortening the path from the CD to what I hear in the speakers.
No matter how expensive your system is, it will play as the weakest link in it.
That's why I moved away from the transport-dac-preamp-power concept. It is very expensive. It’s not as expensive to buy all these devices as it is to make them work in synergy and connect them with decent switching.
I don’t think that the owners of serious expensive systems are reading us, but you can ask any of them a question, what will happen if in their system, for example, they replace a good digital wire from the transport to the dac with a cheap one. They will tell you that all the magic will fall apart.
Of course, having many devices, different sources, they will all play differently depending on their level and level of cabling. But making them sound at a high level will be really difficult (and expensive)
So another plus of the PlayStation is that it is a full CD player. And there aren't many full CD players that sound good.
That's why I use a full cd player and a full amplifier - it's cheaper. Because I can hear very clearly when the system plays worse due to cheap wires.
So I’m trying to save money on the wire, shortening the path from the CD to what I hear in the speakers.
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