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The Melos Modification Thread - Page 3

post #31 of 278
9/23/06 at 11:38pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by nikongod
hello good sir.

it seems we will meeet in person, and so will our melos's

anywhoo, dont take the assumed lack of effort of soldering a melos pcb lightly. it is easier than a pcb that was designed to use machine-mounted parts, but it has its own pain in the ass features.

you will find that the holes need VERY carefull desoldering, or the component you took out will not fit back in. if the hole looks clean and the part dosnt fit, you can thank whoever designed the board. its not fun.

also, if you remove the 2 ground-wires on the far right side of the board you should be able to tip the board wayyy up. mucho easier than undoing the transformer. even with them attached, the board will tip up pretty far. be sure to put the nylon nut on in the correct spot when you are done with your toys, or bad stuff can happen.
Interesting. Thank you for the advice. You sound like you've modified or repaired this amp before. Care to elaborate? Good catch on the nylon nut to - I opened my amp up to verify I put it in the right spot. Thankfully I did, but am I right in thinking that they actually have a trace running through a mounting hole????!?! That can't be right....


Regarding the external psu, I shot a quick pm to MisterX regarding it. He said that he doesn't think an external psu is the solution, and I trust him implicitly.
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post #32 of 278
9/23/06 at 11:47pm
I think the reason why folks haven't rolled up their sleeves to mod a Melos recently are the very reasons you posted up above. It's a labor of love, but for some reason the end result hasn't ended up in a crappy sounding Melos yet!
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post #33 of 278
9/23/06 at 11:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Computerpro3
Interesting. Thank you for the advice. You sound like you've modified or repaired this amp before. Care to elaborate? Good catch on the nylon nut to - I opened my amp up to verify I put it in the right spot. Thankfully I did, but am I right in thinking that they actually have a trace running through a mounting hole????!?! That can't be right....
the same "citizen" who designed the board with holes too small for decent parts designed a hole which had a connection through it that should not have... if you put the metal nut on there it will short the 2 traces which should not meet.

yea, i mod EVERYTHING. im waiting on black gate caps for the LV side. i may put blackgates in the HV side. im not into the fancyness of the tantalium resistors yet (yet.) you can get them from angelica instruments in close sizes (arguably better in some spots,) remaining stock.... you need to buy enough that you get the pricebreak from $8 each to $6 each...
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post #34 of 278
9/23/06 at 11:56pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by nikongod
the same "citizen" who designed the board with holes too small for decent parts designed a hole which had a connection through it that should not have... if you put the metal nut on there it will short the 2 traces which should not meet.

yea, i mod EVERYTHING. im waiting on black gate caps for the LV side. i may put blackgates in the HV side. im not into the fancyness of the tantalium resistors yet (yet.) you can get them from angelica instruments in close sizes (arguably better in some spots,) remaining stock.... you need to buy enough that you get the pricebreak from $8 each to $6 each...
Sounds like I'll be cursing that "citizen" frequently during this process

The caps for the LV side are freaking expensive. This is how my caps loadout is looking so far - this isn't even including resistors. By the way, I can't find those BG pk caps in the proper size anywhere - did you use something else or did you find them?

Low Voltage Supply

2x 4700uf 35v Blackgate Standard = $60
2x 4700uf 16v Blackgate Standard = $33.12
2x 2200uf 35v Blackgate PK = $???
2x 1000uf 25v Blackgate NX = $21.46


Signal Path

8x Auricaps 1uf 200v = $76
4x Auricaps 10uf 200v = $99.80


High Voltage Supply

470uf 160v Blackgate Standard = $39.25
100uf 160v Blackgate Standard = $13.24

Total = $342.87+++
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post #35 of 278
9/24/06 at 12:11am
for the LV i have a slightly diferent setup from what it looks like you are getting.

i have 2*470/100V elna tonerex caps (the ones nearest the top heatsink) and am getting the 4700/16V blackgates for the 2 caps further to the right. it may be my misinterpertation, but the other 2 lv caps wont have as much impact as those, so im leving them stock in the interest of my wallet. this may be rediculous after reading further on.

my amp has 4*6uf/200V solen caps for the ballanced output output caps. some ****** HOT_GLUED them to the board, so they are going to stay. it dosnt matter that much, because i dont forsee myself using the balanced outputs in the near future. it does kind of suck that the output from the preamp for SE signals goes through them....

i have upgraded my "interstage caps" to v-cap oimp. 2.7uf/200V. maybe i should not have skimped on that last pair of lv caps afterall.

my present input caps are 2uf solens and 1.5uf on the grounded side. i am buying multicaps (rtx-film and foil) in 1.5uf/200V for the input caps.

yea, i have a capacator fetish. i skimped on the interstage caps, i was eyeing teflons....

i really should get a better cap for the HV side.
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post #36 of 278
9/24/06 at 12:18am
Computerpro3, there is no PK in that size as they are only miniature. He must mean FK (which the F might have looked like a P) as there is FK available in that spec.

I do not think Blackgate Standard is worth the price. N and higher and FK make the most positive effect but the pricing in crazier.

One thing I didn't mention is once you start spending this much here, you must realize this is ONLY an amp. The rest of your components need attention also
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post #37 of 278
9/24/06 at 12:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lan
One thing I didn't mention is once you start spending this much here, you must realize this is ONLY an amp. The rest of your components need attention also
whats wrong with the ipod? jk.
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post #38 of 278
9/24/06 at 12:23am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by lan
Computerpro3, there is no PK in that size as they are only miniature. He must mean FK (which the F might have looked like a P) as there is FK available in that spec.

I do not think Blackgate Standard is worth the price. N and higher and FK make the most positive effect but the pricing in crazier.

One thing I didn't mention is once you start spending this much here, you must realize this is ONLY an amp. The rest of your components need attention also
That was my interpretation about the caps as well, but I got that from the Carlo thread. I naturally figured I was the one messing up because he is Carlo. Guess not.

As far as the other componets,the only thing I need is a source, and around Christmas time I am purchasing a Cary 303/200 or a Wadia 301 with digital inputs. My RS-1's I'm set on for life - they are my definition of an ultimate can.

So you see why I need to be ready!

Anyways I'm off to actually listen to my rig! Then to dream about auricaps. But I'd say we had a good first days work. Thanks guys.
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post #39 of 278
9/24/06 at 12:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by nikongod
whats wrong with the ipod? jk.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Computerpro3
As far as the other componets,the only thing I need is a source, and around Christmas time I am purchasing a Cary 303/200 or a Wadia 301 with digital inputs. My RS-1's I'm set on for life - they are my definition of an ultimate can.

So you see why I need to be ready!
That's great you are stepping up the source soon
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post #40 of 278
9/24/06 at 12:40am
holy schamoly. i don't think you'll be needing to mod your XMas source anytime soon, whichever one you end up with!
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post #41 of 278
9/24/06 at 6:30pm
update:
in my quest to install my 2 hexfred rectifiers, i had to remove the stock ones.

pain in the bumm.

they are top-soldered (or so it appears) and it is impossible to get to the joints due to proximity of caps and power resistors.

so i cut em off with a clipper. i showed them whose boss

im in the process of installing the LV one, the HV one is in. i will post photos when i have them in, and a couple other things changed.
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post #42 of 278
9/24/06 at 6:44pm
I'm subscribing to this thread. Head to head parallel Melos mods after years of none at all. Feed off each other and make some monster amps!
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post #43 of 278
9/25/06 at 12:17am
Thread Starter 
ordered up a few blackgates now too


I listed up a few computers on ebay. Soon as the first one sells I'm ordering the rest of the caps.

If anyone wants to help the cause and buy some killer custom configured computers, let me know!
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post #44 of 278
9/25/06 at 12:34am
hello headfi.

after an eventfull evening of dinner with dad and amp moding i am done. the limits of one nights maddness are exceded. its time to stop before i get angry and break something on purpose or solder myself.

my melos hasnt had its lid on in ages, it still dosnt. its sort of like saying your done even just for now... this is of course not true.


the sister unit kniting while wearing hp-1000

ooh, look a melos. how quaint.
the big silver caps ontop of eachother are 2.7uf/250V v-caps
the HV hexfreds are taped to the left of the board.
the LV hexfreds are in the wayyyy back-between the big film cap and the outputs. the big ugly connector is there so i can unclip the thing and tip the board up.
the ugly solens in the input line just kind of floating in space will be replaced shortly. the new caps will be mounted better, honest.

the afore mentioned big film cap (a 100uf/250v solen) will replace the 1000uf/200v electrolytic cap on the board. it has been my previous experience that quality is wayyyy better than size in a tube suply. the electrolytics before the SS "cleaning" stage will stay and may be upgraded as the wallet permits.

the earbator is in progress of being built.
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post #45 of 278
9/25/06 at 12:38am
You should install them fast. I hear blackgates need a long burn in time. And when you burn in, might as well use cheap stock tubes to not wear out your good ones.
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