[cynan]

Thanks for replying to my post.

I ended up being impatient and I got out the multimeter. A quick continuity test seemed to indicate that a larger resistor (D2?) directly beside C177 was in circuit with both of pads on C177, so I just soldered the power capacitor to the contacts on the resistor.

The card seems to work... Would it work if I soldered the cap to the wrong circuit? (

really showing my ignorance here)

I am, however, getting a bit of noise and the right channel is cutting in and out. This did not happen after I replaced the OpAmp (sounded perfect then). Could this be a function of a bad connection on the decoupling caps for the opAmp? (seems likely, as issue only occurs on line out connected to the opAmp/decoupling caps I replaced..)

 

[hans030390]

How much do the different opamps change the frequency response? The stock X-Fi Titanium drops off around 40Hz more than some Auzen and Asus cards. I'm just wondering if these mods will give it a better linear response in that regard. Or is this something only seen in much nicer cards?

 

[Spacehead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hans030390 /img/forum/go_quote.gif How much do the different opamps change the frequency response? The stock X-Fi Titanium drops off around 40Hz more than some Auzen and Asus cards. I'm just wondering if these mods will give it a better linear response in that regard. Or is this something only seen in much nicer cards?

http://i41.tinypic.com/sg7o9e.jpg
not much at all.

most difference in frequency response comes from filter that is usually after dac.
on X-FI the filter limits the highest freq and lowest freq
DAC is decoupled to op amp filtering circuit by 22 uF capacitors

Either shorting them out or replacing with 33 uF capacitors frequency response can be extended a little.

My freq response is "shorted" , straight wire from dac to op amp filtering circuit.

AD8066 has lowest freq response of op amps that I have tried.
this picture is OK except the higher frequency response is ruined because of driver problems I had.
http://i41.tinypic.com/1zmfnmb.jpg

 

[Spacehead]

OK my RMAA graphs indicated high ripple in 50 Hz and it's harmonics. I wanted to reduce that somehow. Larger capacitors didn't help. So I thought about replacing the lousy 78M05 with proper decoupled LM317T. I set the output voltage to 4.75V with two resistors and added Cadj and Cout capacitors. Cadj is styroflex, 39 nF. Cout is 180 uF Sanyo OSCON 16V.
I measured ripple with my cheap multimeter, it was 0.1 VAC with OSCON as Cout.
I was happy with that performance.
The 78M05 was quite easy to remove, but I almost slipped it to op amp filtering circuit!!
I used same technique as with op amp removal, solder on both sides and alternating touches with iron until it starts to slide, then take it with tweezers.

I wired my LM317T breadboard in place. I didn't use heatsink as shouldn't the current be quite low. or... if 100 mA is drawn and voltage drop is about 7V, then 0.7W is dissipated. That should be manageable without heatsink. I thought about increasing the voltage to 7V, but then I remembered that DAC is supplied by the same regulator and it can take 6V max. So cannot increase headroom, or if dac is supplied with another regulator

I think the sound improved a bit. Test results indicate that I indeed got some dirt on op amp filtering circuit:
http://i43.tinypic.com/2jc9h8w.jpg

The soundstage is wider and quite a bit more accurate now. I am glad that I am getting that THD down a little at a time.

I never thought how obsessed can one get on the AUDIO SOURCE. Source must be absolutely best for good enjoyment of music.

I think I have to think something else in place of that OSCON, it feels somehow unrealistic, very soft. Maybe Panasonic FC 100 uF. With 0.1 uF cheap mylar capacitor ripple was 9.7 VAC.

 

[hans030390]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spacehead /img/forum/go_quote.gif http://i41.tinypic.com/sg7o9e.jpg AD8066 has lowest freq response of op amps that I have tried. this picture is OK except the higher frequency response is ruined because of driver problems I had. http://i41.tinypic.com/1zmfnmb.jpg

So, why did you choose to not use the AD8066 as your opamp? How does it compare to the LM4562?

And shorting specific capacitors will help with the frequency response? Can you tell which ones I'd need to short based on this image?

 

[Spacehead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hans030390 /img/forum/go_quote.gif So, why did you choose to not use the AD8066 as your opamp? How does it compare to the LM4562? And shorting specific capacitors will help with the frequency response? Can you tell which ones I'd need to short based on this image?

I don't now have any AD8066s free. It is very nice sounding op amp too. I think I could try it, but I have only one left and it is soldered on my X-FI on non-used soic pads. I have been keeping it as a backup op amp.

If you want to truly extend your bass response you should do your own filtering circuit and take the signal straight from dac.

It isn't very hard. Like building a CMOY.

 

[LDme]

guys - pls help - noone havn't answer me

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f46/ho...ml#post6469378

can i remove JRC4556A @ i\O console amp (external elite pro console) & what opamp do you recomend to replace it. tnx

 

[LDme]

guys - pls help - noone havn't answer me

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f46/ho...ml#post6469378

can i remove JRC4556A @ i\O console amp (external elite pro console) & what opamp do you recomend to replace it. tnx

 

[LDme]

nobody didn't answer to my q

"this post"

pls someone tell me, can i replace JRC4556A in external elite pro console to some better opamp?

 

[Mad Max]

You guys short the output caps which are there to filter out DC, but if you were to bypass them with, let's say, polypropylene caps instead?

 

[Apocalypsee]

 
Quote:

Quote:

Originally Posted by hans030390 /img/forum/go_quote.gif So, why did you choose to not use the AD8066 as your opamp? How does it compare to the LM4562? And shorting specific capacitors will help with the frequency response? Can you tell which ones I'd need to short based on this image?

I don't now have any AD8066s free. It is very nice sounding op amp too. I think I could try it, but I have only one left and it is soldered on my X-FI on non-used soic pads. I have been keeping it as a backup op amp.

If you want to truly extend your bass response you should do your own filtering circuit and take the signal straight from dac.

It isn't very hard. Like building a CMOY.

Are you sure the caps labelled C101 is the right one? I believe its the C80 (the one underneath the third rightmost caps before C101) is the right caps to short


 
Quote:

guys - pls help - noone havn't answer me

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f46/ho...ml#post6469378

can i remove JRC4556A @ i\O console amp (external elite pro console) & what opamp do you recomend to replace it. tnx

Yes of course, change to any sort of opamp you could find here, it should work since it have the same layout
 

 

[Andry]

Hey guys. Firstly let me congrat you all X-Fi modders for contributing on this so-long thread about the X-Fi's.
 
I want to mod my X-Fi Fatal1ty sound card and the only caps that I found here in my country ( Romania ) for replacing the four 22uF caps for each op-amp are Rubycon 10v 22uF and Elna Tonerex 47uF 16v .
 
 
Is it safe to replace those 4 caps ( shown here as "Short these" http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/3631/slabeledpl3.jpg ) with the 47uF Elna Tonerex caps ( audio-grade as far as I know ) or i should go with those 22uF Rubycon caps ( they are power caps, not audio grade ).
 
Thanks in advance!

 

[Bad_dude]

I have 3 modded Xtreme Music card, any one interested in buying.  I went overboard with the mods.  Each card has all 4 Op-Amps replaced with LM4562MA, front channels and surround channels. The power filter cap is replaced with Nichicon Muse KZ 1000uF/50V.

 

[Mad Max]

Not overboard enough.

 

[pterodactilo]

I'm interested in modding a creative x-fi surround 5.1 USB version, can I use the same opamps , capacitors and such than the ones cited in this thread or they won't work with this model?. Also , does anyone know which DAC this card has? I 've got a photo of the board but there are two DACs: CS5355 and CS4361. Are these any good to attemp a mod?