[Iron_Dreamer]

How long are you talking about? HD280 long?

 

[Wodgy]

People say 200 hours, but that's a little extreme to me. I'd give them at least 10 hours of playback. I will say that quality capacitors of all types take a long time to burn in. Raw electrolytics tend to sound either bright and thin or bassy and gritty until they burn in. Film caps generally just sound bright and bass-shy until they're burned in.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Makes sense. I figured it would be something reasonable like that. My Equinox cable sounded much better after a night of burning in while I slept.

 

[Edwood]

Does the RME need to have an active load(headphone amp on and volume jacked up) on the analog output to burn in? or can you just run foobar 24/7 for awhile with the headphone amp connected, but turned off?

-Ed

 

[Edwood]

Quote:

Originally posted by Iron_Dreamer Well, I'll see about ordering those caps tomorrow, maybe we could make a day out of it, you bring your computer, and we can compare head-to-head to see just how much (if any) difference it makes. I should have my Zu Mobius AKG cable by this weekend as well

Sounds good to me. Schedule permitting, of course.

I've got alot of toys you'll like using. Well except my POS soldering iron. Well, I have been looking for an excuse to get a better one.

Do you have experience with soldering and desoldering components on a PCB, Peter?

-Ed

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Not exactly, but a few experiences here and there, I've done more with cables. I just figured that I couldn't be that difficult, so I might as well give it a try. As long as my hand desn't slip, or leave something too hot, it should be gravy.

 

[Wodgy]

Quote:

Originally posted by Edwood Does the RME need to have an active load(headphone amp on and volume jacked up) on the analog output to burn in? or can you just run foobar 24/7 for awhile with the headphone amp connected, but turned off? -Ed

I'd just leave the headphone amp connected. Turned off should be fine, since the input potentiometer would send some current to ground anyway. The thing to avoid is just having the card's output being a wire that's open (with no load or path to ground), since then no current flows.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Or you could just hook up a pair of worthless closed cans, assuming you hacve some, as I do (Aiwa X222)

 

[Glassman]

njm4580 is the one used on all Terratecs and on Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1, it's very slow and old opamp, it has good noise figures though.. you can try OPA2134, OPA2107, AD826 or AD8620 istead.. also look for caps in the signal way and replace/ommit them, 'coz they're not needed, they only limits DC presented on the output and even without them it should be a few milivolts, which is okay.. the best cap is no cap

btw. could you post detailed photo of the card's output section?

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally posted by Glassman njm4580 is the one used on all Terratecs and on Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1, it's very slow and old opamp, it has good noise figures though.. you can try OPA2134, OPA2107, AD826 or AD8620 istead.. also look for caps in the signal way and replace/ommit them, 'coz they're not needed, they only limits DC presented on the output and even without them it should be a few milivolts, which is okay.. the best cap is no cap btw. could you post detailed photo of the card's output section?

So the opamps you listed would be compatible with the existing one? Hmm, that option still really intrigues me, even if it would be a bit of a challenge.

I know this is the PST model, but all the parts we are talking about are the same, so no worries. I got this pic froom an older RME thread. The lowermost jack is the analog output, the opamp is the second chip behind it.

 

[Ozric]

Quote:

Originally posted by Iron_Dreamer I should have my Zu Mobius AKG cable by this weekend as well

Damn, that was a fast upgrade from the Equinox! Looks like you're definitely heading down the slippery slope of upgradeitis

BTW, I'm expecting my AKG K240S phones to arrive soon. Interested in parting with your Equinox cable

? I'd like to do a head-to-head comparison with your 271s, too.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally posted by Ozric Damn, that was a fast upgrade from the Equinox! Looks like you're definitely heading down the slippery slope of upgradeitis BTW, I'm expecting my AKG K240S phones to arrive soon. Interested in parting with your Equinox cable ? I'd like to do a head-to-head comparison with your 271s, too.

Well, not really, since the price worked out to be about the same, and I can return which ever cable I like less, so it's not really a big deal. I jsut figured I'd get the right cable, if I am going to have one. Have fun with those K240, after all they are the "Groovalizers." Drop me a PM if you'd like to get together and do some comparisons. I still have a few weeks before I'd need to send the Equinox back to Todd, which is what I'm guessing will end up being the case, base on how much I liked the Zu HD600 cable.

 

[Ozric]

Quote:

Originally posted by Iron_Dreamer Well, not really, since the price worked out to be about the same, and I can return which ever cable I like less, so it's not really a big deal. I jsut figured I'd get the right cable, if I am going to have one. Have fun with those K240, after all they are the "Groovalizers." Drop me a PM if you'd like to get together and do some comparisons. I still have a few weeks before I'd need to send the Equinox back to Todd, which is what I'm guessing will end up being the case, base on how much I liked the Zu HD600 cable.

Oh, I see. I didn't realize you were going to compare the two and send one back. Yeah, I'm looking forward to the AKGs; found them at a great price, too. I'm also getting a new PIMETA built.

I'll definitely let you know about meeting up. Might have some time next week...

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Turns out I misread the cap values (I was wonderin why none of the ones I found had the right specs), they are actually 50V 22uF, which makes more sense. I had though there were decimals in between becuase the numbers were spaced so far apart, so I went back and re-checked today.

 

[Edwood]

The OP amp and caps seem far enough away from the main processor chip. Gonna need a finer tip though.

Do you have plans to swap out the chip too?

-Ed