[Satellite_6]

I bought an M-Stage recently. 
 
The M-Stage manual says "Class A" on it already, so what's the point of the mod? (pardon my ignorance, I don't understand what the biasing is all about)
 
I was planning on modding it but it voids the warranty. . . bummer.

 

[jtam]

Yeah, email me please.
 
Quote:

Hi jtam,
 
U guessed right, i bought from you.
Shall send u an email
well havent soldered anything for years, just worry it may get spoilt if i dig around too much
 


 

 

 

[purrin]

Quote:

I bought an M-Stage recently. 
 
The M-Stage manual says "Class A" on it already, so what's the point of the mod? (pardon my ignorance, I don't understand what the biasing is all about)
 
I was planning on modding it but it voids the warranty. . . bummer.

 
Output stage is Class A, but input/voltage gain stage technically isn't (unless you use an op-amp that is inherently Class A)
 
The biasing is all about making the op-amp work more in single-ended mode (with its own internal transistors) which makes it sound better. The biasing IMO makes the amp sound more authoritative, detailed, and clear.
 
http://tangentsoft.net/audio/opamp-bias.html
 

 
 

 

[DaNuS]

Hello jtam,
 
  I sent an e-mail as well as a PM in regards to a question I had.  I was wondering if either had been received as I am trying to figure out what to do going forward to resolve an issue.  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
 
 

 

[Satellite_6]

Quote:

 
Output stage is Class A, but input/voltage gain stage technically isn't (unless you use an op-amp that is inherently Class A)
 
The biasing is all about making the op-amp work more in single-ended mode (with its own internal transistors) which makes it sound better. The biasing IMO makes the amp sound more authoritative, detailed, and clear.
 
http://tangentsoft.net/audio/opamp-bias.html
 

 
 

Hmmm, I guess I'll give it a try a year from now then. . . . ty
 

 

[Dubwisee57]

My M-Stage is arrived yesterday, no trouble, still on trying it

 

[Emperor Jordan]

Jumped the gun on an m-stage black w/ the opa627 class a biasing mod.  Lookin' forward to it
 
Anyone got a good DAC recommendation to go alongside?

 

[geetarman49]

i have no hesitation in recommending NFB-3 with dir9001 module at the $300 mark, or the slightly better NFB-2 (which is what i'm using) at the $450 level.

 

[reiserFS]

Did anyone change some internals like caps yet or install a discrete OPA? I wonder how much it could improve by doing that..

 

[Emperor Jordan]

Quote:

i have no hesitation in recommending NFB-3 with dir9001 module at the $300 mark, or the slightly better NFB-2 (which is what i'm using) at the $450 level.

Those look really nice, but I'd have to wait a bit before I can afford one lol
My wallet hates me.
 
Quote:

Did anyone change some internals like caps yet or install a discrete OPA? I wonder how much it could improve by doing that..

A while back (like way back) in this thread I think I read somewhere that purrin (I think?) was experimenting with just about modding everything inside from opamp rolling, to opamp rolling with class a biasing to cap removals.  I don't know much about that kind of thing (still new to most of this) but from what I remember he said it made a difference, how much I don't know.  The safest mod is definitely opamp rolling though (IMO).  Nothing that can really go wrong there... unless you like... well... snap a pin off (lol).
 

 

[Sganzerla]

I'm using Earth OPA, they need a very long time to sound the best, if anyone is thinking of using them, please be patient.

 

[clams]

I've used the Moon OPA and am now using the SUN V2 OPA. Both took at least 300 hours to burn in. They both do have greater soundstage than the OPA627 Class A bias mod though. Moon was a bit too smooth for me and I enjoyed the dynamics of the SUN more.

 

[genclaymore]

You try both of them with your AKG K702 Clams?  If so which one sound great on the AKG 702.

 

[Bobcow]

Quote:

Those look really nice, but I'd have to wait a bit before I can afford one lol
My wallet hates me.
 

A while back (like way back) in this thread I think I read somewhere that purrin (I think?) was experimenting with just about modding everything inside from opamp rolling, to opamp rolling with class a biasing to cap removals.  I don't know much about that kind of thing (still new to most of this) but from what I remember he said it made a difference, how much I don't know.  The safest mod is definitely opamp rolling though (IMO).  Nothing that can really go wrong there... unless you like... well... snap a pin off (lol).
 

The wait for an NFB-3 will be worth it though, my NFB-2 sounds great when used with my M-Stage

 

[clams]

Quote:

You try both of them with your AKG K702 Clams?  If so which one sound great on the AKG 702.

I prefer the SUN over the MOON in general. The SUN sounds great with pretty much all genres. It's pretty unforgiving with bad recording with the K702. With poorly mastered music, the Moon may be a better choice.