Ray did a tube test at the same time he brought to light the DOS, last one was sounding at least as good if I remember well.
Note that the CD63 modded by Lukasz has just the output done, it sounds like anaolg is better, not the player ! A "just" DOSized one, will be the same, waiting for the serious work before... it's far away from all the top mods featured here, drivers regs, sevo clock, DAC clock, coax mod, cleans PSUs... anyway, he is on the "just a bit and just enough", Lukasz is never looking for the last 1%, he takes the 80% and that's all. And that may be just enough
And for some players he has prejudice on the DAC and does not want to do what we do, like the TDA1547 wich sounds great but needs work.
As Simon said he does one part of the job, on some players that may be enough (top TDA1541A ones à la CD80) but on our budget one not.
More ideas:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-source/54009-marantz-cd63-cd67-mods-list-54.html#post835650
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-source/54009-marantz-cd63-cd67-mods-list-127.html#post864015
Note that the CD63 modded by Lukasz has just the output done, it sounds like anaolg is better, not the player ! A "just" DOSized one, will be the same, waiting for the serious work before... it's far away from all the top mods featured here, drivers regs, sevo clock, DAC clock, coax mod, cleans PSUs... anyway, he is on the "just a bit and just enough", Lukasz is never looking for the last 1%, he takes the 80% and that's all. And that may be just enough
And for some players he has prejudice on the DAC and does not want to do what we do, like the TDA1547 wich sounds great but needs work.
As Simon said he does one part of the job, on some players that may be enough (top TDA1541A ones à la CD80) but on our budget one not.
More ideas:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-source/54009-marantz-cd63-cd67-mods-list-54.html#post835650
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-source/54009-marantz-cd63-cd67-mods-list-127.html#post864015
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Oh, no !!!!!
The front panel and control electronics have not been "done" yet !
It also needs a complete rebuild with discrete circuit boards for each section .. the "modular' approach.
The "lampizator" is merely a BandAid for the HDAM.
Andy
.
I am always asked by my customers about whats the best cdp to buy to upgrade. The answer basically boils down to how much you want to spend. I often advice the Marantz CD6003 if only a few hundred is to be spent as it responds very well (as does the 7003). If they have a long term spending plan I of course advise the cd63. I still have not heard a hard pushed one beaten. Some better cd players like the CD17KI for example are very nice modded but all of a sudden seem to hit a brick wall with treble detail etc (as does the 67) and it seems to be all down to the decoder chip. Of course if a customer likes the character of the TDA1541 then I advise on keeping their old player and upgrading that.
Unfortunatly the only way to really is to go for it with good quality parts but of course this costs more money.
Brent
Unfortunatly the only way to really is to go for it with good quality parts but of course this costs more money.
Brent
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Fortunately or not, I started this with my old 67', without really knowing where I was going or how. As I have invested a fair amount in this machine, since I am hopeless with this level of diy, I am kind of stuck with it. Each level of upgrades is a significant investment for me. I was really looking for another approach, and assuming Lucatz doesn't tear out what has already been done, and promises "night and day" changes (yeah I know, I am a sucker for this kind of talk from waaayy back), I was just risking your collective wrath by expressing curiosity. He does seem to have a lot of hands on experience, with a variety of Cdps and if you read thru his site, I wouldn't say he just does just band aids, but I am willing to admit my profound ignorance!
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Clearly he's worked on a lot of machines but he gives the impression he doesn't do much other than the output stage. He's perhaps looking for character rather than fidelity or resolution. There's nothing wrong with that but, as has been said, the valve output stage will give a sound not too dissimilar from the discrete FET version Ray suggested and many have since adopted.
Simon
Simon
IMHO,
if one should loose is euros and mind on a CDP then he should have an arlready great set of speakers and amp, as I was comparing my CD-43 and my CD-40, both well modded, I can't say wich is better, they do sound different but not one bad and the other good. And I feel the amp should be something more serious than a tiny budget amp of the 90s and the speakers something more extended and able of high level than my 70s' speakers.
And according to all that crowd calling the TDA1541A the champion the CD63(43...) well modded... is a champion! Can a TDA1541A do that powerfull yet detailled bass? It's miles away, i find the involving of the TDA being better.
Keeping them until a better setup and/or buy a better setup before going on small details madness seems wiser to me, Shep I hope you have top class gear as all of you guys... I feel like I am the only one to run a well modded CDP on tiny budget gear! Am I?
Matthieu
if one should loose is euros and mind on a CDP then he should have an arlready great set of speakers and amp, as I was comparing my CD-43 and my CD-40, both well modded, I can't say wich is better, they do sound different but not one bad and the other good. And I feel the amp should be something more serious than a tiny budget amp of the 90s and the speakers something more extended and able of high level than my 70s' speakers.
And according to all that crowd calling the TDA1541A the champion the CD63(43...) well modded... is a champion! Can a TDA1541A do that powerfull yet detailled bass? It's miles away, i find the involving of the TDA being better.
Keeping them until a better setup and/or buy a better setup before going on small details madness seems wiser to me, Shep I hope you have top class gear as all of you guys... I feel like I am the only one to run a well modded CDP on tiny budget gear! Am I?
Matthieu
It's not easy to get the detail and articulation of a tricked out CD63's bass, but in weight and depth it can be stunning, sort of like vinyl.
The Lampizator or whatever it is does not perform balance to unbalanced conversion as far as I can see, it's just a buffer.
I'm sure it's great with some DACs but with the NPC DAC in the '63 you don't want to be throwing away half of the signal.
Ray's effort was far more suitable I seem to recall, and ultimately not worth the effort over his own FET-based DOS.
The Lampiwotsit site is great reading though!
P.S. Brent - I asked you a few questions over on the PM66 thread...
I'm sure it's great with some DACs but with the NPC DAC in the '63 you don't want to be throwing away half of the signal.
Ray's effort was far more suitable I seem to recall, and ultimately not worth the effort over his own FET-based DOS.
The Lampiwotsit site is great reading though!
P.S. Brent - I asked you a few questions over on the PM66 thread...
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Well,
having a look at TDA's output stages around and after some reading of very bad words about the "Fetishizator" that is all but simple.
I've built one and found it sounds better than my factory's opamp based one. So I'm deaf? Or some high level engineers see the world in black and white or need to proove they are more skillful?? Can't something simple and not that "great" sound good? I'm having a look at "so called" top output stages, like "less simple" wich has DC issues or the D1 wich has million of variations and no simple "how to" anywhere...
Seems many love the chase, not the catch. Why? Music is the catch, nobody want it?
I'm like you Shep, doing things, naive and trustful, then someone get out of the wood and pointing at the thing you built: "what's that POS!"...
Will I go on... right now I'm mroe willing to put that Jung/Didden/Sjöström 5V at mu NPC instead of the 317 and leave the TDA in dust...
An astounded and exhausted Matthieu
having a look at TDA's output stages around and after some reading of very bad words about the "Fetishizator" that is all but simple.
I've built one and found it sounds better than my factory's opamp based one. So I'm deaf? Or some high level engineers see the world in black and white or need to proove they are more skillful?? Can't something simple and not that "great" sound good? I'm having a look at "so called" top output stages, like "less simple" wich has DC issues or the D1 wich has million of variations and no simple "how to" anywhere...
Seems many love the chase, not the catch. Why? Music is the catch, nobody want it?
I'm like you Shep, doing things, naive and trustful, then someone get out of the wood and pointing at the thing you built: "what's that POS!"...
Will I go on... right now I'm mroe willing to put that Jung/Didden/Sjöström 5V at mu NPC instead of the 317 and leave the TDA in dust...
An astounded and exhausted Matthieu