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DarkThanatoS
New Head-Fier
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I need pictures once already completed the modification.
ThankS.
ThankS.
Germanium's Sound blaster ZXR mod thread
- Thread starter germanium
- Start date
germanium
Headphoneus Supremus
NCSUZoSo
500+ Head-Fier
2015 bump for the best mod I have ever done and not a single problem since doing it in October 2013.
NCSUZoSo
500+ Head-Fier
I've had a few PMs about Op-Amps to go with this mod, so I wanted to show yall these two pictures which should explain everything.
The key is when you are buying them you either need a Dual DIP op-amp in the 1st stage as shown in the picture below, or you use two Single DIP op-amps with an adapter like I have done with my 4x ADA4627-1BRZ.
If anyone has any questions feel free to ask, these screens were sent to me by Creative Support about a year ago. The 1st picture is just showing you where the Single vs. Dual DIP op-amps go, but the 2nd picture is the most informative. It shows how the signal path is routed along with various other pieces of info.
Here is how my op-amp setup looks:
*Note: The blue adapters are holding two Single DIP op-amps per socket, there is another soldered on the bottom side that you can't see in the picture.
The key is when you are buying them you either need a Dual DIP op-amp in the 1st stage as shown in the picture below, or you use two Single DIP op-amps with an adapter like I have done with my 4x ADA4627-1BRZ.
If anyone has any questions feel free to ask, these screens were sent to me by Creative Support about a year ago. The 1st picture is just showing you where the Single vs. Dual DIP op-amps go, but the 2nd picture is the most informative. It shows how the signal path is routed along with various other pieces of info.
Here is how my op-amp setup looks:
*Note: The blue adapters are holding two Single DIP op-amps per socket, there is another soldered on the bottom side that you can't see in the picture.
NoOneLt
100+ Head-Fier
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At last i ordered 3x8 uF and 2x18 uF caps, and damn 18 are HUGE 
Hope will put everything together and will share it here on weekend..
Hope will put everything together and will share it here on weekend..
NCSUZoSo
500+ Head-Fier
Nice!! Let us know if you have any questions.
NoOneLt
100+ Head-Fier
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I thought i will do it myself, but after trying to put it all together i see that my hand is not that strong I have taken it to experienced person.. He works mostly with Motorolla radio equipment. I haven't seen his work, so i just hope he will make it with care.
I'am a bit perfectionist in the wrong way...
so sometimes i don't even start something if i see a wont' get 100% result, and this was the case...
Anyway, i have i closed PC case so i care most about sound quality + nothing will short out
Hope he will make it by tomorrow, if not he is out for 2 weeks
So then either i will do it myself either will look for someone to do it.
I have taken it to experienced person.. He works mostly with Motorolla radio equipment. I haven't seen his work, so i just hope he will make it with care. I'am a bit perfectionist in the wrong way...
so sometimes i don't even start something if i see a wont' get 100% result, and this was the case...Anyway, i have i closed PC case so i care most about sound quality + nothing will short out
Hope he will make it by tomorrow, if not he is out for 2 weeks
So then either i will do it myself either will look for someone to do it.
NCSUZoSo
500+ Head-Fier
It is definitely a good idea to give it to someone with enough soldering experience that this looks easy (how it looked to me). That isn't saying I'm smarter than you or vice versa, it's just I have over a decade of soldering experience.
You may want to ask them to use similar methods to what I did in regards to using heat shrink and hot glue to prevent any possibility of a short. However reading the instructions carefully and taking your time is much more important in the assembly of the mod.
In my opinion this mod is 100% worth the risk. If you know how a tube amp sounds, the change with this mod reminds me of comparing a SS amp to a tube amp.
The next thing I'd like to do to the ZXR is make all the op-amps replaceable. If you look at the Creative supplied pictures I posted above you can see all the op-amps and it IS possible to put a DIP8 socket in the places of the SMD op-amps.
Anyone interested?
You may want to ask them to use similar methods to what I did in regards to using heat shrink and hot glue to prevent any possibility of a short. However reading the instructions carefully and taking your time is much more important in the assembly of the mod.
In my opinion this mod is 100% worth the risk. If you know how a tube amp sounds, the change with this mod reminds me of comparing a SS amp to a tube amp.
The next thing I'd like to do to the ZXR is make all the op-amps replaceable. If you look at the Creative supplied pictures I posted above you can see all the op-amps and it IS possible to put a DIP8 socket in the places of the SMD op-amps.
Anyone interested?
NoOneLt
100+ Head-Fier
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Hey guys, got my ZxR modded, still didn't plugged anything into it to try Need to make measurements first, but it is already in my PC Check it out
All respect and thanks go to germanium this was possible only with his help and the fact that he was so kind to answer all my noob questions
man!!!
UPD: germanium found one wrong connection so i had to re-solder it, and now it not as neat as before, but i think it is still should do the job right. Uploaded pics from camera.
Need to make measurements first, but it is already in my PC Check it out All respect and thanks go to germanium this was possible only with his help and the fact that he was so kind to answer all my noob questions
UPD: germanium found one wrong connection so i had to re-solder it, and now it not as neat as before, but i think it is still should do the job right. Uploaded pics from camera.
NCSUZoSo
500+ Head-Fier
It looks like 4 of the caps are connected to each other, are they?
germanium
Headphoneus Supremus
Yes that is ok as they are all going to ground. This was done so as to facilitate easier cap placement due to closeness of large CPU heat sink to sound card & should not negatively affect sound.
NCSUZoSo
500+ Head-Fier
Ok, I couldn't tell what was going where on my phone, haha.
It's looks like a great job with good use of heat shrink and hot glue. Definitely let us know your impressions and are you going to be using just stereo or are you using 5.1?
It's looks like a great job with good use of heat shrink and hot glue. Definitely let us know your impressions and are you going to be using just stereo or are you using 5.1?
NCSUZoSo
500+ Head-Fier
Hey germanium, you never did tell us the source of this mod. You mentioned to me a few times about it, but I never found out where it started. If you just Google "ZXR Mod" on my computer, the first hit is this thread and I don't see any other hits related so I am curious just where this did originate from.
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