[HumanMedia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryBr /img/forum/go_quote.gif HM, Do you know what these caps are doing? Are they power supply caps for the output stage or are they DC blocking caps? Thanks, ---Gary

I dont know. I just went off guidance from Eddie as to what others had modded that gave sonic benefit. The two suggested groups where the 6 large caps in the power supply, or the 2 caps in the output stage. I went with the easier option, and the two in the output stage had an immediate effect on the sound.

 

[HumanMedia]

Ya know, it is all sounding so good now, even the bass really, that I might just add a silver interconect in downstream to compensate for the slight warmth. Maybe thats all it needs now.

BTW I tried swapping out the shielded power cable and Auricap tweaked power board its on, and is was immediately worse. So either the DAC is sensitive to RFI or is generating it itself which interferes with other equipment (transport/ preamp).

 

[ack_0220]

Hi there,

I just ordered mine from eddie, was wondering about the quality of the cables that come standard with the DAC. I know the Coax and Toslink won't be any good....but how is the main cable? Should i get a good filtered one?

 

[lesserpanda]

HumanMedia,

do you mind sharing what power supply caps and the caps in the output were replaced with?

 

[HumanMedia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lesserpanda /img/forum/go_quote.gif HumanMedia, do you mind sharing what power supply caps and the caps in the output were replaced with?

I only replaced the 2 (total) caps in the output stage with N series Blackgates 100uf 50V. I dont think these will be as optimal as 25V parts, but they are still a step up.

They are so large that to fit them without sitting next to the transformer, I secured them on top of the red boxes and had to add hook-up wire extensions to the legs and added teflon tubing over the entire extension/legs.

Be prepared for a long burn in.

 

[HumanMedia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ack_0220 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi there, I just ordered mine from eddie, was wondering about the quality of the cables that come standard with the DAC. I know the Coax and Toslink won't be any good....but how is the main cable? Should i get a good filtered one?

Yeah the cables are all cr@p. Go for shielded, and RF isolated power cables.

 

[ack_0220]

Hi there,

mine just arrived today. I think Eddie has put in the TCXO for me and i wanted to take out the casing and see. But i can't seem to work out which screw to unscrew and open it. There are some big screw and some hex nut underneath the DAC, should i take those out as well? Any ideas on how to take out the screws?

I can't use the DAC yet cause i am still waiting for my cables to connect to my amp. However i turn on the power and everything seems to be fine. But i heard a sound like something is lose inside the DAC when i move it around, it is a small spring like sound. Is it normal?

 

[Sinwerm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ack_0220 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi there, mine just arrived today. I think Eddie has put in the TCXO for me and i wanted to take out the casing and see. But i can't seem to work out which screw to unscrew and open it. There are some big screw and some hex nut underneath the DAC, should i take those out as well? Any ideas on how to take out the screws? I can't use the DAC yet cause i am still waiting for my cables to connect to my amp. However i turn on the power and everything seems to be fine. But i heard a sound like something is lose inside the DAC when i move it around, it is a small spring like sound. Is it normal?

This is just a guess but I had the same noise in my Zhaolu , check the fuse tray it may be a spare fuse your hearing moving around. Drove me nuts for awhile I thought a somthing was lose inside the dac.

 

[ack_0220]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sinwerm /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is just a guess but I had the same noise in my Zhaolu , check the fuse tray it may be a spare fuse your hearing moving around. Drove me nuts for awhile I thought a somthing was lose inside the dac.

You are damn right, i took out the casing, and it was the fuse cover that is making the noise.

Thanks.

 

[Angaria]

ygpm

Quote:

Originally Posted by auditude /img/forum/go_quote.gif power cords to try out on the citypulse. I've got a Signal Cables pc and the tried and true volex in 2m length. I'm really excited about the dac. I'm also thinking about picking up a sonic frontiers sfd 1 MKII and a pac valves modded diyeden gm from a local for sh!ts and giggles. The SF is a bit more of an investment financially but I can gain a whole lot of knowledge from these 3 dacs. Thanks again for your help folks. One more DAC to throw into the mix, the MF x-can v3...is the citypulse still the giant killer in this picture? TIA

 

[Sinwerm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ack_0220 /img/forum/go_quote.gif You are damn right, i took out the casing, and it was the fuse cover that is making the noise. Thanks.

Cool , glad to help , I had my DAC stripped down to the case before I found it... Had taken out the main board , the amp and the power supply. It still rattles !!! then checked the fuse. Duh.... I really did not want a loose metal part shorting something since I was doing mods at the same time.

 

[fkuti]

Hi!

Great info here!
A question:
What do you think, would Squeezebox (playing flac-files) + d7.2x outperform my current Arcam FMJ CD33 soundwise? I have a solid-state amp (Arcam a32) and I would not use this DAC for headphone-listening. Speakers only.

Price for the SB+DAC is much less than the Arcam...

Any thoughts!?

Best regards
Fkuti

 

[lesserpanda]

I have sb3 + da7.2x (TXCO modded) as my source for speakers.

I happened to have a chance to compare this setup with transporter's analogue output only.

I have been playing the same flac files on both player simultaneouly and switch input between the two.

All I can say is that I can hear absolutely no difference between the two. I cannot really tell which is which on classical music (symphonies, opera or chamber music)

However, I notice the transporter sounds softer and lighter in bass relative to the sb3+da7.2x setup.

 

[HumanMedia]

Tried putting a ferrite coil on the AC before it goes into the transformer. Seemed to clean it up a bit but dramatically flattened the sound. Much better without it (and ideal with a simple shielded power cord with capacitors between hot and neutral)

 

[PUGSTUB]

Looks like I am a little late to the party but I just bought a Citypulse from Pojen. Can anyone tell me if the Sennheiser HD650's sound good from the headphone output or do lower impedance cans sound better? Also, do you like upsampling or not? Thanks.