[phalanger]

Yeah L/R differences probably have to do with a faulty connection, give each solder point a quick once-over, also for the caps.
If all those are checked it might be some burn-in thing though personally even though burnin some caps gives weird issues, I did not get any L/R problems. And I got the most notorious caps: nonpolar blackgates, 5 of them. Temporary problems included extreme initial distortion and even the card failing to start up initially with new caps.

Eventually my XFi looks like this now:

Covered in anti interference plastic.
All the red ones are BG nonpolars. A bunch of spares in the baggie on the background, but Im sure I'll find a use for them soon enough

Very happy with how it turned out despite having some problems along the way.

 

[OverlordXenu]

Would anyone be willing to recap the entire board, and change the opamps (except for the recording one) on my x-fi Platinum and isolate it (or whatever) with the ERS paper and insulation? If so, for how much?

I just don't want to risk my sound card myself. I can solder well...but I would get too nervous and screw up.

 

[cotdt]

Wow phalanger, those Blackgate Nonpolars are either the worst electrolytic capacitors in existance, or the best. hehe

 

[Herbal]

Phal - Why cramp 4 caps in a small space? Could you have not soldered a pair on the back of the board? (ignoring any PCI obstruction issues).

Would look a lot neater....although results would be the same.

 

[kirimaru]

oh sorry i forgot to mention that,if you are going to use static paper on the card ,please put a layer of fome on the card first and then the static paper,bcause one side of static paper is conductive.

 

[robbie]

I've had some serious equipment the latest years, and been thinking of getting a propper source in form of a cd player or some dac for a PC, but THIS thread ... oh cheap bliss. All previous investments now shine like never before.

Big thumbs up for this guide !!! I only changed the opamp, but what a difference...

 

[fat pat]

ive got an extreme music, sometimes i just use my headphones right out the back of the card, with no intermediate amp. othertimes i uses a panasonic shelf system as an amp and run my headphones from that. will this mod still work well with both(more concerned about cans straight out the back of the card)

 

[soloz2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fat pat /img/forum/go_quote.gif ive got an extreme music, sometimes i just use my headphones right out the back of the card, with no intermediate amp. othertimes i uses a panasonic shelf system as an amp and run my headphones from that. will this mod still work well with both(more concerned about cans straight out the back of the card)

yep! I wouldn't short the coupling caps though. replace them with higher grade caps instead

 

[ROBSCIX]

Anyway you look at it. Capacitors used to block DC will degrade the sound quality. It doesn't matter what quality of cap you use it will still hurt your sound quality. Another reason bypassing these caps is no big deal is because most inputs will have their own set of caps on the inputs especially with higher quality gear. They are redundant on the card and are there as a just in case measure. The LM4562's help with any DC voltage on the outputs aswell. If you don't want to bypass them then the only other option is to use better caps. They all degrade your signal when used in this manner.

 

[DSlayerZX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by phalanger /img/forum/go_quote.gif Eventually my XFi looks like this now: Covered in anti interference plastic. All the red ones are BG nonpolars. A bunch of spares in the baggie on the background, but Im sure I'll find a use for them soon enough Very happy with how it turned out despite having some problems along the way.

nice caps even though they do look kind of... weird

Common, burn them in already and tell us about your new mod

 

[cmos.gr]

This is ok ?

CapXon 3300μF 16v

 

[soloz2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmos.gr /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is ok ? CapXon 3300μF 16v

I'd personally go for a smaller cap of higher grade

 

[cmos.gr]

Well thats a prob cause this is the only one I can find...

You mean I may have a prob or its just not the best for this work we want ?

 

[soloz2]

well it depends on the specs of the cap... which I don't know. And since you didn't give a series I assume you don't know either.

 

[cmos.gr]

We will know for sure in 1 week or more

Maybe sub woofers will explode or X-Fi lol