[Anouk]

Hello, I find this thread very interesting since rockbox has speech (I am blind so very useful to me and has a + over other hifi players that dont use speech) but either you are gonna have to release the specs to your mod or i think this thread should be deleted/agree with qusp. Apply for member of the trade status and get yourself a sponsored thread and/or release the specs/procedure to do the mod.
It is very interesting and innovative though thats for sure and I can udnerstand your excitement for wanting to share this.
Greetings, Anouk,

 

[Alex_Nsk]

My mod isn't easy way, but if someone do it the total quality of sound outperfoms ANY DAP in the market right now. (Estimate HFM isn't in reach of usual users)
There is a part list for my mod with some remarks:

Active elements:
1.TI PCM1798 – 1 pc
2.TI THS4032 -2 pcs (AD8620U, LM4562, LT1364, LM6172IM, etc.. 2xOA in SOIC acording to your tastes)
3.TI TPA6120 – 1 pc (THS6012 as well)
4.TI TPS63700 – 1pc
5.TI TPS63002 -1 pc
6.Schottki diode 10BQ040 or same (Us>10v, I>200mA) – 1pc

Inductors:
1.SMD Inductors size 1812 L=4.7…10uHn – 2pcs
2.Ferrite beads MURATA BLM31P or same. – 4pcs

Caps:
1.Tantalum SMD Caps size 1825 47uFx10v – 4pcs
2.X7R SMD Caps size 1206 0.1uF – 18pcs
3.X7R SMD Caps size 1206 5.6nF – 4pcs
4.X7R SMD Cap size 1206 54.7nF – 1pc
5.X7R SMD Cap size 1206 0.22uF – 1pc
6.X7R SMD Cap size 1206 10pF – 1pc
7.Black Gate NX 220uFx6.3v – 4pcs (possible substitutes in descending order: Nichicon Muse, Chemicon KJZ, Sanyo WG with same or less dimentions)
8.Sanyo Os-Con SP series 270uFx4v – 2pcs (1 for aleXmod plate, 2nd for CF plate PS bypassing)

Resistors (SMD all 1206 sized)
1.10Ohm -3pcs
2.100Ohm – 6pcs
3.430Ohm – 4pcs (must be 1% exact!)
4.1kOhm – 8pcs (must be 1% exact!)
5.10kOhm – 2pcs
6.100kOhm – 1pc
7.150kOhm – 1pc
8.680kOhm – 1pc

Stay tuned!

 

[a_tumiwa]

yeah, even though u give complete guide and what material/parts needed, its still hard to do this expert mod

 

[sknight]

I'm going to guess that this mod will make an X5 sound as good as an iaudio 7.

 

[bernado]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sknight /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm going to guess that this mod will make an X5 sound as good as an iaudio 7.

I hope not. I thought it was meant to be an upgrade.

 

[sknight]

I have both and the i7's sound, plus enhanced sound-shaping abilities kills the x5, especially when listening equipment is less than idea.

Even flat, the i7 sounds better.

 

[a_tumiwa]

u mean a $300 mod only make the sound as good as i7 ?

 

[bernado]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sknight /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have both and the i7's sound, plus enhanced sound-shaping abilities kills the x5, especially when listening equipment is less than idea. Even flat, the i7 sounds better.

I guess we all hear things differently. I've yet to hear a player, from Cowon or anyone else, that betters a Roxboxed X5. Although I've never been much of a fan Jet Effect etc.
Anyway, don't want to derail this thread, looking forwards to further details

 

[qusp]

excelent; good man

see you will probably get busiuness outr of it anyway since most users will not wish to even attempt it.

@ sknight: lol I dont think you guys realize the difference in quality between the dac he replaced and the dac he installed. the PCM1798 is a dac that is used in many high end CD players. although I prefer the PCM1792 or 1794. is it simply cost stopping the use of these chips OP?? I would expect the pinnout to be the same.

so in short if the i7 sounds that good. why arent we all buying them?? I would say that is one of the biggest understatements I have seen in a while.

OP I have actually just received some or 1794A and some OPA1611/12 or OPA211 which might fit nicely I wonder if this mod will handle one DAC per channel

nice part selection. how about the use of the DIR9001 receiver?? I have all these parts in my possession except for the DIR9001 which was on backorder, will have shortly. the 1611/12 should really be considered. its a great new opamp with similar performance to OPA211. of course this is easily tried once the rest is done and more of a matter of preference I guess

 

[sknight]

Quote:

so in short if the i7 sounds that good. why arent we all buying them?? I would say that is one of the biggest understatements I have seen in a while.

Well, that's putting words into my mouth. First thing, I have massive criticisms of that crappy company. There are also drawbacks. On top of that, many don't know about them, the availability sucks, support is total garbage, especially with the buggy firmware that support for ends when they introduce something else. The list goes on and on. It's far from anything perfect, and since then, better have come out.

 

[Alex_Nsk]

I really hope that it is only a joke isn't it?
My entire story is writing down at the forum thread (link above), unfortunately in Russian. Sorry that's my origin language )
So some things in short:
I plan to have an ultimate in sound quality DAP with
a- metal body
b- buttons not sensors
c- flash memory
d- lossless playback
e- gapless playback
f- minimal dimensions and weight
g- hi-fi sound quality
h- possible ability of empty places inside for further tweaking
So when I looking for such DAP I found that cowon X5L suit almost all aspects when it is
a- flashmoded
b- rockboxed
c- when removing the second battery there is a place to put down appr. 50x50mm printed circuit board.

Of course the original sound quality of X5 is very descent (with original FW or rockbox- anyway). That is because descent quality of audio codec (TLV320) used, terrible DC blocking SMD capacitors (salute imod! )), limitations in battery voltage an so on..
So I plan to make a circuit board with high end components, balanced schematic, high supply voltages (+/-5v from DC/DC powerful converters working at very high switching frequencies) but want to keep the total power used from the battery as less as it could.
I dislike using multibit DAC schematic: there are Digital Filter - 1 chip, DACs- 2 chip for left and right channels, 2 single or 1 dual OA for i/u conversion, 2 single or 1 dual OA for post-filtering and then 1 dual headphone driver - so much chips isn't it?
Instead of this I plan to use PCM1798. That is a Dual advanced delta-sigma DAC with integral Digital filter almost top of line (pin-to-pin analog with PCM1794 - the flagship from TI) Anyone interested could use PCM1794 instead of PCM1798 but it's power consumption much higher because of higher output currents from DACs (unnecessary feature in my design. DF characteristic is slightly better sough...
That chips sound as good as it possible for high end digital audio. Possibly sound of multibit DAC chips (PCM1702, PCM1704 ) is in kind of more fundamental and full-weighted, but when listen to music in headphones

this nuances are just negligible.

I plan to make the boards as universal as it could: there is a place for SPDIF receiver DIR9001 on it. So any could use this plate as separate DAC-AMP combo with spdif input. Inside of X5 it is connected with processor via I2S bus sough.
Stay tuned!

 

[Anouk]

Interesting! I hope you will get a market for it but tis market is really heating up already and as I said before the x5l is no longer in production I guess the dix experience is useful though and maybe some other experienced diyers will get a kick out of it (qusp for example).
Greetings, Anouk,

 

[Alex_Nsk]

How many X5L users around there?
Just imagine: anyone of them could turn their DAP into the highest league in terms of sound quality.
It's very good step, isn't it?

 

[qusp]

yeah, if one would sell me their I would be already started

not that easy to find thats for sure

 

[anadin]

iAudio 7 is a great sounding little DAP.

It betters the D2+ and S9 in my opinion.