[robeeert1]

Loserica,
Your Havana looks very nice, congratulations, I like your RCA connectors , Have to purchase these for my DAC.
 
I'm going further in my upgrades. I'm preparing to feed the DACs with separate power, and thinking about  upgrading the clock.
 
 

 

[loserica]

Quote:

Loserica,
Your Havana looks very nice, congratulations, I like your RCA connectors , Have to purchase these for my DAC.
 
I'm going further in my upgrades. I'm preparing to feed the DACs with separate power, and thinking about  upgrading the clock.
 
 

Thank You, Robert!

.. follows about two hundred hours the running (of capacitors).. then I return with impressions. My only regret is that the lack of time, I could not hear Havana in intermediate stages of capacitors replacing, and I cannot tell which is the contribution of each component (electrolytic, film capacitors, bnc conector). But it does not matter so much, the end result is more important.

 

[LionelH2]

I should have the transformer in a week. I need as much detail as possible as far as pin outs, connecting to rear power connector etc. thanks.
 
Quote:

Where did you source the transformer?  Looking forward to see how you install it physically.  Are you planning a separate chassis?
 

 


 

 
 

 

[loserica]

Quote:

Upgrading the Havana is not simple. To achieve maximum sound quality you have to replace several caps the same values but different
manufacturer always checking the sound. Several different tubes, chips. Do not replace all at one move. Everything must match, tube, caps, chips, otherwise the sound may be worse than before upgrade. I was checking sevaral manufacturers products to choose the right ones to achieve the sound I love. Now the Havana is a hi-end DAC.
It's very helpful to have another DAC for comparison
 
Good Luck.

Robert,
Begin to understand litle by little how important is the converter in audio setup. But recognise also: the role of transport is not much inferior, is even very critical for a "NOS"  architecture... It seems, here, every detail counts. I didn't think that by changing capacitors, the sound will change so radically. Yes, "everything must match"! And you must choose good components!
In another train of thoughts, I ask myself if Havana can be a high-end DAC, thinking of stock module. I say this becouse, changing components, leaving aside the technical aspects now, change considerably the sound stamp also. As they afect the sound even from day to day, even we admit that Havana isn't a high-end converter, is not very far! It feels best just listening. Havana is capable of naturalness, refinement, musicality.

One direct and immediately observable benefits of changing capacitors is (I begin to think without doubt that Elna are superior to Nichicon) is spaciousness of the sound, audio layering observable, decay very good, coherent "mix" of instruments and last but not least, the sound transparency!  On the other hand, I feel that voice is renderend much more textured, more natural, more credible! I hear low frequencies that I heavn't heard before, much lower bass, and high frequencies are significantly larger and more refined! I think here is the contribution of Auricap capacitors, also (especially in the midrange playback).

 
Havana before and after:

 

[robeeert1]

Quote:

I should have the transformer in a week. I need as much detail as possible as far as pin outs, connecting to rear power connector etc. thanks.
 


 
 

I'll try to find some time and describe the procedure of switching the transformers this week. (with photos)
 

 

[LionelH2]

Awesome.  Thank you so much.

 
Quote:

I'll try to find some time and describe the procedure of switching the transformers this week. (with photos)
 

 

 

[robeeert1]

The procedure of switching the transformers in the Havana.
 
If you're not sure you can handle this, ask someone experienced to do that for you.
BE CAREFUL, one mistake can damage the Havana.
BE CAREFUL - HIGH VOLTAGE !
 
shorter internal cables - better quality !!!
 
 

 

 

[s1rrah]

Good job on the  transformer mount/install. Looks awesome.

 

[LionelH2]

Robert,
 
Thank you for this excellent write up. I have two questions. I'm not sure about the jumpers, what determines if I have to change it from the original setting?  Also unclear about the L details. Not sure what you are referring to. 
 
Otherwise, looking forward to making this upgrade and hearing the improvement. 
 
Lionel

 

[robeeert1]

Quote:

Robert,
 
Thank you for this excellent write up. I have two questions. I'm not sure about the jumpers, what determines if I have to change it from the original setting?  Also unclear about the L details. Not sure what you are referring to. 
 
Otherwise, looking forward to making this upgrade and hearing the improvement. 
 
Lionel

 
Lionel,

Jumpers are to set the voltage (230V or 115V) on the stock transformer. In the case of R-Core in our circuit they are not needed, (omitted), you can leave them where they are or remove completely. (I suggest to remove).
 
Great sound improvement is obvious.
 
 
 
Set the LIVE line correctly for better sound quality !
 

 
 
 
Check the lines on IEC plug not on connector inside the Havana.
 

 

[LionelH2]

Robert,  
 
Thanks, now I understand. Did you buy the connectors locally or on line?
 
Lionel

 

[robeeert1]

Quote:

Robert,  
 
Thanks, now I understand. Did you buy the connectors locally or on line?
 
Lionel

Locally in the electronic spare parts shop.

 

[HiFi-Rookie]

@robeert1

Hi, as you can see I'm new here.
I'm following with great interest the modification of your Havana, because also I upgraded my Havana a little.
I'm also using the Bendix 6385 (white boxed) I tried some different output caps. At this moment I only have bypassed the original caps with a Hovland MusiCap 0,047uf (until now is this the best solution)
A Hifi Tuning fuse (gold) didn't work in my system, I lost a lot of detail.
I feel that you've completed the modification now approximately.
Because how you think about power, power cables and your description of the stock Havana is exactly the same I have! Dark sounding, bad soundstage, bad piano etc. etc. that's why I want to give your modification a try.

I have some questions if you don't mind;
What can you say about sound of the modified Havana DAC?
Should I think of a sort of an Audio Note DAC sound, or is the sound totally different?

Because the discussion here on this forum consists of a lot posts, and finally I lost the thread a little, that's why I have some important questions about your final modification.
I saw you changed many original parts as caps, resistors etc.
1. Which brand/type resistors did you use in your modification?
2. Did you change caps for a different/higher value, other than the Silver Mica?
3. Are C5 and C25 still out in your final modification
4. I think I lost something about the Mundorf 0.22; did you use this cap? and where?

 

[niamex]

Quote:

@robeert1

Hi, as you can see I'm new here.
I'm following with great interest the modification of your Havana, because also I upgraded my Havana a little.
I'm also using the Bendix 6385 (white boxed) I tried some different output caps. At this moment I only have bypassed the original caps with a Hovland MusiCap 0,047uf (until now is this the best solution)
A Hifi Tuning fuse (gold) didn't work in my system, I lost a lot of detail.
I feel that you've completed the modification now approximately.
Because how you think about power, power cables and your description of the stock Havana is exactly the same I have! Dark sounding, bad soundstage, bad piano etc. etc. that's why I want to give your modification a try.

I have some questions if you don't mind;
What can you say about sound of the modified Havana DAC?
Should I think of a sort of an Audio Note DAC sound, or is the sound totally different?

Because the discussion here on this forum consists of a lot posts, and finally I lost the thread a little, that's why I have some important questions about your final modification.
I saw you changed many original parts as caps, resistors etc.
1. Which brand/type resistors did you use in your modification?
2. Did you change caps for a different/higher value, other than the Silver Mica?
3. Are C5 and C25 still out in your final modification
4. I think I lost something about the Mundorf 0.22; did you use this cap? and where?

As soon as we work in close cooperation with Robert I will post my modest opinion which is based on my experience -
1. It is so long a story I wouldn't like to go across it again and again - pls read the thread.
2.Resistors shoud be audio note or even better shinkoh - tantalum
3.Yes, depends on your setup - I prefer c15 - 220 uF Elna Silmic II rfs and the output caps Mundorf Silver in Oil 2,7 uF bypassed with NOS Russian Silver mica 0,01 uF
4. C5 and C25 are still there in my case - still replacing and testing different caps but value is always ,47 uF instead of 0,1 / for all the yellow ****s around/
5.About 0,22 uF - the only place is coupling cup after the Siver micas at the input but we have different opinions with Robert - he uses Jupiter and myself a NOS Russian K71 polypropylene military from 1974 - pls note he has expensive non polar BG which I don't - I have there  Nichikon MUSE non polar ones.
 
You haven\t asked anything about the PS but I think you have to start there !
 
That's it for now.
Cheers

 

[HiFi-Rookie]

Quote:

As soon as we work in close cooperation with Robert I will post my modest opinion which is based on my experience -
1. It is so long a story I wouldn't like to go across it again and again - pls read the thread.
2.Resistors shoud be audio note or even better shinkoh - tantalum
3.Yes, depends on your setup - I prefer c15 - 220 uF Elna Silmic II rfs and the output caps Mundorf Silver in Oil 2,7 uF bypassed with NOS Russian Silver mica 0,01 uF
4. C5 and C25 are still there in my case - still replacing and testing different caps but value is always ,47 uF instead of 0,1 / for all the yellow ****s around/
5.About 0,22 uF - the only place is coupling cup after the Siver micas at the input but we have different opinions with Robert - he uses Jupiter and myself a NOS Russian K71 polypropylene military from 1974 - pls note he has expensive non polar BG which I don't - I have there  Nichikon MUSE non polar ones.
 
You haven\t asked anything about the PS but I think you have to start there !
 
That's it for now.
Cheers

Thanks,
No, I have no questions at all about the Power Supply that's very clear to me! (I'm not really a HiFi-Rookie, I only choose that name because I'm a Rookie on this forum

)
 
I only asked some questions because in this whole modify story, caps are changing several times, they go in and out, and at least I missed the final modified configuration a little.