The Apple diyMod: My Take on the Famous iMod [56k killer] Featuring 3G, 4G, 5G and nano 1G!

[wgr73]

Haha! Thats funny. The zune mod would be great though. I have a warranty from best buy on my 1G zune, so I took it apart to tinker...all looks good to mod. And if anything goes wrong I can take it back for warranty I know, thats dirty

[iQEM]

Originally Posted by joneeboi

Anyone have a Zune 2G?

maybe you should make another seperated thread for Zune, Jon...cos it's a lili bit out of topic if you make a topic about it here, cmiiw...

Originally Posted by vvs_75

Ok all ipods done, now we are moving to the zune line.

not me... not even done with the ipod yet...

Originally Posted by wgr73

Haha! Thats funny. The zune mod would be great though. I have a warranty from best buy on my 1G zune, so I took it apart to tinker...all looks good to mod. And if anything goes wrong I can take it back for warranty I know, thats dirty

good for you then...

[limathy]

if i cant get access to black gates, does anyone have any other capacitor recommendations that are easier to obtain?

[cfcubed]

Originally Posted by limathy

if i cant get access to black gates, does anyone have any other capacitor recommendations that are easier to obtain?

Too bad I didn't see your request prior to my order from sonicraft, I would have tacked on a couple more BGs (it does list Int'l shipping there).

Maybe someone yet to order could order an extra pair or two & fire them over to you for cost + shipping (maybe a WTB post in Components would help?)

I was considering back-to-back tants because they a very small & very available. But they are apparently not ideal for this use although I'm not sure how inferior they'd be to BGs for this purpose.

Good luck.

[pcyl]

Well any cap with the same value should do the work

it only cost cents

47uf 6.3 V easily avaliable i guess not necessary to use black Gate

Correct me if i am wrong

[KoKoKrunch]

Well, you will want to find high end ones, because essentially the difference is in the capacitors for iMod.

[cfcubed]

Originally Posted by pcyl

Well any cap with the same value should do the work
it only cost cents
47uf 6.3 V easily avaliable i guess not necessary to use black Gate
Correct me if i am wrong

Well, if caps internal to an iPod are wanted, this is a case where size matters

I had difficulty finding 10uf+ non-polar in a size like BG's 5x7 NX22s for my 3G... Plus if we are caring about SQ (the whole reason for this upgrade), I'd like to *try* to stick w/known quantities like the BGs.

But it was tempting to just trot down to RS & pick up 4 10-20uf tantalums for a quick test (since back-to-back will = 1/2 individ. tantalum value, but reference for my 3G is 1uf so I figured 5uf+ would be o.k.).

N.B. Ran across this Wolfson whitepaper that might be of interest... It seems to confirm that 10uf+ may be desired & says tantalum is "a good second choice" to polymer/alum electrolytic (but that's OEM info I guess, not necessarily directed at audiophiles It also refers to this for more cpl cap info.

[joneeboi]

limathy is looking to diyMod a nano 1G, so internal caps would be difficult to accomplish. limathey, what you could do is hit up any of the boutique capacitor suppliers in my sig and make an external dock much like those in the OP. That way, you can roll caps to see which one you like best. We've seen VCaps, Sonicaps and BGs docks so far, so maybe you can try a different brand and report on the sound quality. I have some Sprague Vitamin Qs I'm considering, but I'm debating whether or not I should throw them into the MAX. A while back, Nichicon Silmic IIs were recommended as an alternative to BGs because of their good sound, low cost, and relative ease of access thanks to Digikey.

You would do well to read the numerous "This boutique cap is the best!" threads and find the ones that suit your sound preferences the best. Just remember that you need at least 1uF. From those Wolfson papers, it seems tantalums and aluminum electrolytics (or aluminium for those of you from the land down under) would work fine.

[joneeboi]

Originally Posted by iQEM

maybe you should make another seperated thread for Zune, Jon...cos it's a lili bit out of topic if you make a topic about it here, cmiiw...

I thought about it, but it actually goes in line with the ideology of the diyMod: simplify the signal path between the DAC and the amplifier. Granted, you'd have to change the thread's title, but with this whole new title-of-the-thread-creates-the-link business, changing the title will destroy every link in the world wide web. Besides, it would bring Apple and Microsoft DAP users closer than ever because they would share in the same legacy. I think Zune owners deserve to have a proper line out, don't you? I haven't heard from the Zune 2Gs, but I know that the first ones had a volume controlled, who-knows-what's-in-the-signal-path line out. It would be pretty cool if we could help those Zune owners out. *cough wgr73 cough*

[cfcubed]

Originally Posted by joneeboi

limathy is looking to diyMod a nano 1G, so internal caps would be difficult to accomplish. <snip>

True enough and wondering how that "Caps inside iPod, use uncapped line out dock" config option came about under the "iPod nano 1G" (maybe holes?) & sorta gave up trying to comb this large thread for it.
Edit: Ahh, yes, holes it was

Originally Posted by joneeboi

You would do well to read the numerous "This boutique cap is the best!" threads and find the ones that suit your sound preferences the best. Just remember that you need at least 1uF. From those Wolfson papers, it seems tantalums and aluminum electrolytics (or aluminium for those of you from the land down under) would work fine.

Yes, best to steer clear of a "best cap" diversion.
I guess I'm done here till I post results & pics of the 3G work I'm planning.