Back in town and had a Creek waiting 4 me!

[BennyBoy]

When I got home today there was a Creek OBH-11 on the doorstep.

Hooked it up and almost gaged on its medeocore sound quality. I opened it up to find a cruddy little Op-Amp being used for the output. I knew it was time to brake out the soldering iron! I went thru my box of Op-amps and found my last LC Audio(AD825) op-amp. Next off to radio shack for a socket(just incase the AD825 did not sound good in this design). Put the socket in, than the AD825 and dug up a computer grade regulated 24volt 5 amp supply and went to it.

It sounds incredibility rich open and smooth with much deeper bass and without any of the grain It had just 90 mins prior. Not bad for $75.

http://static.flickr.com/46/134461580_90065400da_o.jpg


Ben.

 

[BennyBoy]

I just thought I'd add that changing this creek is highly recomended! as the change has transformed it into a totaly different beast.

If you can plug in a soldering iron? you can do this. The IC socket part# 276-1995 can be had for $.69 from radioshack and there lots of room to work on the creek board.

 

[fiery]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BennyBoy When I got home today there was a Creek OBH-11 on the doorstep.

Wish I came home to that, or even one on my neighbours doorstep! * jokes *

Cool that you are not afraid to get in there and have a go! How does it compare to other amps you have heard?

 

[BennyBoy]

It's hard to say because I'm somewhat new to Headphone amps.

I have done a lot of Op-amp switching with cd players and D2A converters.
I find it kinda funny that HiFi makers seem to choose a critical part of the design to save $.50 and put $.10 op-amps in the analog path. They will pay thousands of dollars for an ad in a HiFi mag when the money would be better spent in higher grade parts and word of mouth would get them known for better sound.

This Creek has a Motorola op-amp that was down right nasty sounding! The
AD825's in there now have transformed this Creek to a whole new level!

So all I can compare it to is its stock sound before the change and my PA2V2,
It sound better than both of those. The big question now is, do I change the caps and go to 1% metal film? I know the Op-amp made a hugh difference and caps and resistors wont be on the same degree of change.