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aleXmod - true audiophile tweak of cowon i-audio X5 DAP - Page 3

post #31 of 60
9/29/09 at 8:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by anadin View Post
iAudio 7 is a great sounding little DAP.

It betters the D2+ and S9 in my opinion.
oh the i7 sounds better than S9 really?
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post #32 of 60
9/29/09 at 1:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by anadin View Post
iAudio 7 is a great sounding little DAP.

It betters the D2+ and S9 in my opinion.
and that subjective statement is relevant how exactly??
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post #33 of 60
9/29/09 at 6:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by qusp View Post
and that subjective statement is relevant how exactly??
Steady on, Jeremy. He was only giving his opinion based on previous statements.

I have an X5, and it's a stellar performer - although it lags behind my Q5W in terms of SQ.

I would be happy to take one for the team and give the OP the chance to lift up the bonnet of mine and carry out the tweaks he mentions - OP, are you anywhere close to being able to provide this?
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post #34 of 60
9/30/09 at 12:26am
Thread Starter 
I'm not a producer, so my mod is just a kind of hobby..
I had to do it myself and glad to help with it someone who interested.
If anybody have some soldering skill and have a microscope (lenses) or good eyes it is possible to connect my plate into your own X5L by yourself. You just need:
1. Totally reassemble the unit,
2. Solder I2S bus from general plate with 4 thin wires to the aleXmod plate,
3. Solder 2 more thick wires to the battery, 1 to the turn ON high signal
4. Desolder mini jack from original plate and solder 3 wires of output to it.
5. Assemble the unit back

I guaranteed that assembled plate will be free of malfunction. It'll be tested and running for warming at least 48hrs.
Or, I forgot, before doing these steps you must unconnect original HDD and connect CF card instead of it via special connector (doing flash-mod) and install the rockbox software.
If you strong enough it will be you last trick and step into the portable high end league

Unfortunately, right now I'm searching for the TPS63700DRC chips to complete the last 4 plates of aleXmod. I hope I'll receive it at the end of October.

Stay tuned!
LL
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post #35 of 60
9/30/09 at 12:32am
Could a similar mod (or maybe even simpler) be used to get a digital audio signal out of the X5? You could then run this into an external DAC?
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post #36 of 60
9/30/09 at 12:53am
Thread Starter 
I2S just presented at the picture above.
Possibly there is a SPDIF, but it should be proved.
It isn't necessary for my needs so I just don't do it.

As times goes on I keep in thinking that X5 is "the gold era's DAP".
It's tacted from 256*Fs quartz (11.289 not 12MHz ipod and so on way)
Its digital audio bus is external and could to be used for our (audiomaniac's) needs.
No any stupid descent sounding SoCs around there!

BTW it's sound quality is awfull because of descent sound abiltyies of internal codec and (of cause) terrible tantalum DC-blocking 220uF caps at the output. It's degrades the clearness and strong recess the bass abilityies of sound when connect low impedance HP to it.
It's original sound is equal to any other usual DAP such as D2, S9, 7, ipods and so on...
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post #37 of 60
9/30/09 at 2:33am
this alexmod looks amazing, sound like mid-end cdp level.
how about the Line-out of X5?? some said the line out of X5 even not as good as phone out which is very strange case. which this mod, can i still use the line-out??

thanks
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post #38 of 60
9/30/09 at 3:23am
Thread Starter 
Original line-out staying alive.
You can use it of cause but why don’t use the output from aleXmod instead.
It works as line out just as well as it could.
Much, much better than original HP out. Don't think 'bout original line-out!

P.S. Original line-out is descent in sound quality because this line go throughout the codec plate, then connector between plates then general plate from top to the bottom and receive many interference with digital noise and so on...
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post #39 of 60
9/30/09 at 4:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by qusp View Post
and that subjective statement is relevant how exactly??
Its my own opinion which makes it "objective" so you are wrong, its something I have seen and observed by my own ears and then came up with a conclusion.
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post #40 of 60
9/30/09 at 9:59am
By the way, for anyone who's still hankering for an X5, I would suggest setting up a 'Save this search' on Fleabay. They do come up from time to time, and even the holy grail that is the remote control come up occasionally (I have bought 2 X5s and 2 remotes there over the past 18 months or so).
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post #41 of 60
10/1/09 at 1:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by anadin View Post
Its my own opinion which makes it "objective" so you are wrong, its something I have seen and observed by my own ears and then came up with a conclusion.
LOL, from England and all, it is impossible to have anything but a subjective opinion of something going on inside your own head. regardless of how objective you think you are being about it, it is by definition, subjective

thanks for the ebay tip Philski, just did that. i'm in no great hurry as I have plenty of other projects to carry on with. I will probably just buy the pcb board and hang onto it until I find one for a good price. although if this takes of, I guess they will start to go up in price. plus I already have a pretty amazing sounding rig (or 2), this would just be to satisfy my tinkerer's affliction/addiction
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post #42 of 60
10/1/09 at 4:29am
Well, a few 'broken' ones come up sometimes and sell for next to nothing - not a problem for someone with your burgeoning DIY expertise, I'm sure!
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post #43 of 60
10/1/09 at 6:00am
Thread Starter 
Hm, by the way!
aleXmodded X5L must to run under special build of rockbox(aka alexmod build)
With this SW there is volume control in DSP module of CPU not in analog stages of original codec.
If run alexmodded X5 with general rockbox SW the volume could only be changed by pre-cut function in EQ module (it is possible to stand it as quick menu item though)

Stay tuned!
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post #44 of 60
10/1/09 at 8:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex_Nsk View Post
I had to do it myself and glad to help with it someone who interested.
If anybody have some soldering skill and have a microscope (lenses) or good eyes it is possible to connect my plate into your own X5L by yourself. You just need:
1. Totally reassemble the unit,
You started to lose me with the soldering skills and microscope bit, then had me fleeing in terror at point 1.! I guess I will have to see what the take-up of this is like, and then see if a kind DIY-er could do it for me (once they have made all the required mistakes on theirs first, of course!).
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post #45 of 60
10/12/09 at 4:53am
well Alex, I have an X5L on the way to me in perfect working order; I need to get one of the boards from you. I do not need to wait for the parts, I will organize them myself as I already have much that I need for this.
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