Hotrodding the X-Fi: A Layman's Guide (No 56k) - Page 133 - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

Apocalypsee · #**1981** (**permalink**) 08-21-2009, 02:08 PM

I just use one single capacitor on the output and removed the resistor because there is already resistor after CS4398 and before the caps. It sounded very good, makes me wonder why do they need to put opamp after the DAC? Its a voltage out DAC and doesn't need one, and sounded natural and distortion free

m_lucas · #**1982** (**permalink**) 09-02-2009, 10:14 PM

I have a creative x-fi extreeme gamer it is the smalller one
I am looking for someone to mod it for me with the works
I am an avid online sim racer and looking for the best sound i can get in surround sound

please recommend and give me details as far as cost ect.

Thankyou

hexiumvii · #**1983** (**permalink**) 09-17-2009, 02:02 PM

I have an Xfi Xtreme Audio PCIe SB1040 (yes the crappy one) and changed the OP Amps. Difference was night and day. However for the rear channel i took off a solder strip for one of the legs so the rear black jack doesn't work. The other ones are fine though. Is there anyway to remap the jacks? I'm using YouP PAX with Win7 64bit with the summer pack. Or if anyone seen schemas for the Xaudio (it's pretty diff from the real xfi) i might be able to hot wire it somewhere. Thanks!

Okac · #**1984** (**permalink**) 09-19-2009, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Decided to do this mod and failed miserably.

This is my first time soldering so it was difficult at first. I replaced the opamp by cutting the original off with a mini cutter and cleaning it up with desoldering wick. Took me a while to solder the LM4562, but during the operation one of the pads came off. Searched this whole thread to figure out its the V+ power pad, I uploaded some pictures. I tried the soundcard but there was no sound, so I went back and redid the 7 legs, result: very very low volume in left ear, nothing at all in right. My question is, how do I connect the last (8th leg) of the opamp to the board? Somebody mentioned we could solder the leg onto the trace, I'm not sure what that means. Or I could solder it to the 8th pad of a different opamp, one of the surround maybe? Except its too far away and I'm not sure what to do at this point.

I have no idea if there is contact between the legs and the pad, seeing how this is my first soldering attempt. But from the looks of it, even though its messy, the 7 legs seem to be fine. Would a single leg/pad still cause no sound/low volume in one ear?

Here are some pictures, it would be great if you guys who have done the mod already could give me some pointers. Thanks in advance!

I have the same symptom, I soldering lm4562 (in front) replace 4556 and get that symptom, I think maybe I burn them with solder, order new solder them with much carry on but the same symptom, then first ("burned lm4562") put on the rear change 4558 result front same symptom rear work left right but volume is low and causes unstable froze the comp etc....then I put back 4556 on her place and work but with unstable system and I take off rear ("burned lm4562") and now work fine without rear chip on....

Now is mess with the layout and I pay too much (for one lm4562 12Euro with post, yes, yes I know but that the way is here...) and for now I stay with this project...

What you think do I burn them 2 IC ((lm4562) 4556 solder and desolder several times but work) this is not my first work I have experience with soldering but with SMD little (I know that they are sensitive and I fast solder it but...(temp of solder was about 300c) or incorrect IC (hmmm I seen that too, wrong legs...) or my non seen problem with broken or short circuit layout (but I watch and check circuit)

fab_flix · #**1985** (**permalink**) 09-26-2009, 09:58 PM

After reading the guide and asking for a friend's advice whether to do it or not, I finally ordered 4 LM4562. I short circuited the four caps and replaced the Jamicon 220uF/16v with Elna 2200uF/16v (I didn't find Blackgate, is Elna good?) and it sounds much more better than before. I'm looking forward for receiving those LM's. Hope I keep things clean as I did until now and don't mess anything up.

Skauneboy · #**1986** (**permalink**) 10-24-2009, 01:21 PM

I'm in the middle of upgrading my Xtreme Music with new opamps and capacitors. Unfortunately I've learnt the hard way how fragile the solder pads are on these things and have managed to rip two of them off. One is for the mic opamp and I just can't seem to trace what it's supposed to be connected to. If anyone knows or if anyone with an untouched card could look into it I'd greatly appreciate it.

Skauneboy · #**1987** (**permalink**) 10-26-2009, 04:09 PM

Seems like it's my lucky day. According to this that pin on the opamp is left open which, unless I've misinterpreted it, means it's not connected to anything.

Gilly · #**1988** (**permalink**) 10-26-2009, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skauneboy

Seems like it's my lucky day. According to this that pin on the opamp is left open which, unless I've misinterpreted it, means it's not connected to anything.

Yep

Output, Out2, is left open. (to insure opamp current demand is minimal)

and just to say, all I have done is shorted the caps, no opamp or capacitor change yet, it does sound a little sharper

dhw4488 · #**1989** (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 10:43 AM

Hey,

I recently replaced the op-amp on my x-fi xtreme music to the AD8599 and the power cap to a 16v 1000uF blackgate, but there is a problem. When I am listening to music, the volumes in both the L and R channels are very low with windows volume at max. I guess its like a 50% loss of volume? Anyone know the problem?

Gilly · #**1990** (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 04:55 PM

sounds like the opamp isnt getting enough power. but wouldnt like to pinpoint the exact fault (sorry).

does the power filter capacitor take all the input power and supply it to the card? reason I am asking is, if its the wrong way around, would the card exhibit similar problems to those Dhw4488 is describing?

I'm not an expert on this, and havent look at the traces, schematics or specifications.

dhw4488 · #**1991** (**permalink**) 11-05-2009, 07:43 PM

Nevermind, I figured out what the problem was. It seems part of the AD8599 v- pin was somehow cut off even though I did not do anything like that. I just added more solder to connect that joint and it now works out perfectly.

mz5 · #**1992** (**permalink**) 11-07-2009, 09:16 PM

Hi all
this is my audigy live value 7.1 mod
i only use it as transport to my external DAC so this is what i did.

1. replace the caps for i/o lm1117 regurator ( digital part )
2. remove some smd caps
3. add RCA and rewire to the sorce of SPDIF signal
4. driver mod
5. i did some caps mod for analog but didn't use it at all

The result was grate. all the detail, bass, cleaness have improve.
i send one to my friend, he said the SQ comparable to his auzentech prelude and the bass is better.

next week i will try X-fi Xtreame fidelity (sb0790) with mundorf m-lytic cap. will let u all know the result.

Apocalypsee · #**1993** (**permalink**) Yesterday, 02:09 AM

Nicely done mz5

When your friend say its better than Prelude, do you mean its analog stage? Looks like it uses Wolfson DAC instead of Cirrus Logic on regular X-Fi cards, can you tell me which one is it?

mz5 · #**1994** (**permalink**) Yesterday, 04:46 AM

Apocalypsee

i mean the spdif out is comparable to prelude with deeper bass and better dynamic .

the audigy has no way to go close to prelude on analog stage

i will mod x-fi for analog and send my friend the card to campare angain

this is the x-fi that i am waiting for some part. will use m-lytic and polystylene for this card. do you have any suggestion for this card?
what opamp whould be the best for it ? (for audiophile)

and has anyone mod power supply yet ? any thread for it ?

Thanks

Apocalypsee · #**1995** (**permalink**) Yesterday, 07:29 AM

Oh the SPDIF, I thought the analog out

For opamp, there is lots of choices, I recommend LME49722, AD8599 (some say this sound 'analog') or LT1364