[Chu]

   
You could do it that way, but desoldering has it's own issues/dangers.  If there is a board underneath you could drop solder on it shorting something out.  Why can't you get the board out? Can't yo just desolder all the wires?  Do you have the IC?  How long are the leads?

When Kingwa said the board was not removable, I just left it at that.  When you remove the screws that mount it to the standoffs, it feels like there is something solid besides the connections near the Neutrik jack keeping it in place.  I didn't investigate further.  When I actually get the replacement IC (it's still in the mail) I might take a look at it from the transformer side and see what is keeping it mounted.
 
The leads should be 0.126" (3.2mm) long

 

[les_garten]

  When Kingwa said the board was not removable, I just left it at that.  When you remove the screws that mount it to the standoffs, it feels like there is something solid besides the connections near the Neutrik jack keeping it in place.  I didn't investigate further.  When I actually get the replacement IC (it's still in the mail) I might take a look at it from the transformer side and see what is keeping it mounted.
 
The leads should be 0.126" (3.2mm) long

 
 
If you built a CMOY you can do this.  Didn't KW say to cut off the IC and solder leg to leg?

 

[Chu]

   
 
If you built a CMOY you can do this.  Didn't KW say to cut off the IC and solder leg to leg?

Went back to check the originally e-mail, and what he specifically said was "You just rock the UPC1237, broken its pins, then solder the new one on the board."  I think I might have interpreted that incorrectly.

 

[les_garten]

  Went back to check the originally e-mail, and what he specifically said was "You just rock the UPC1237, broken its pins, then solder the new one on the board."  I think I might have interpreted that incorrectly.

 
 
Even better.
 
If RF interference was a problem I think he would mention it.
 
I'd go for it.
 
1)  Clean old pins and Use Flux
2) Use kester eutectic solder
3) Clean up flux well
 
Strange that an IC has gone bad...

 

[MarChi]

does anyone known that es9018 dac module will compatable with compass 384

 

[Chu]

Hate to necro a thread this old, but seems the most appropriate place to put it. BTW, just as a follow-up from the previous time I necroed it, I think the diagnosis the IC was bad was correct. I installed a socket with the new IC in case that ever happened again, and the amp has been flawless the last couple of years.

Needed a new from-scratch headphone rig for a brand new setup, splurged on a RME ADI2-DAC, and the difference between that and the original Compass are really surprising. Not all of them flattering for the RME.

I am wondering if there were any measurements published for the original compass or the discreet op-amps? Or the output impedance of the headphone jack? I have scoured both this and the old Compass thread, as well as the web and archive.org, and have found nothing!