[cmarti]

  Any idea when wellcore will be back from cny?
 
Also when looking at faulty ipods on ebay and the like what's to look for for use with the cf mod?  I've seen a couple with "won't go past the apple sad face" icon and wondered if that was ok for this sort of thing?  I've also seen one where it's just been the hard drive removed for some reason and wondered if that would be ok?
 
Failing that I may just rockbox my near mint 2nd gen mini that I picked up for for £20 or so and use that.  Though I won't get album art obviously.
 
Thanks

Their business is open, I used Alibaba's chat feature last night and talked with them.  Sad face generally means that the iPod's hard drive is bad so it should be safe to buy those. 

 

[davidcotton]

  Their business is open, I used Alibaba's chat feature last night and talked with them.  Sad face generally means that the iPod's hard drive is bad so it should be safe to buy those. 

Thanks, any ideas if/ when delivery is back to normal?

 

[cmarti]

Thanks, any ideas if/ when delivery is back to normal?

I was told that tomorrow Monday.

 

[davidcotton]

Thanks again!

 

[dr408517]

I been modding a little while, and I wondered if anyone has run into these issues at the 256gb level:
 
1.  Mod of 5.5 with SuperTalent DuraDrive ZT2 - new board purchased from idemigods. iTunes load of 29K songs in first playlist executes with no problem with about 160gb. Load of next playlist with 16K (for total of 195gb) ends with iPod reporting no songs. File folders on iPod have successfully loaded all 46K songs.
 
2. Mod of 6 or 7 with Tarkan+256 Lexar SDXC frequently stops with Error 69. Eventually freezes system and must be restored.
 
Anybody know what is going on here?
 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I noticed there's been some back an forth about SSD upgrades in 6+7s, mSATA upgrades, etc. Having tested numerous combinations, I can say the following with certainty:
 
1. Thin iPod 6s and 7s can be upgraded to 128gb SSD with Kingspec KSD-ZF18.6-XXXMS without hassle. It will not work in 5 or 5.5. The SuperTalent DD ZT2 works in 5 series but does not work in 7; I have not (yet) gotten a 256gb (S)SD upgrade to work in 7 (see above). Crucial mSATAs do not work in 6 or 7.  I am very interested in the Wellcore CF+Tarkan testing, and even more interested in the new Lexcor 512gb CF+Tarkan combo.   
 
2. mSATA iPods using Crucial 256 and 480gb cards are entirely too unstable and generate too much heat to be practical. I've built 2 using a 5 and a 5.5.  On load of more than 5K songs at a time, the heat is too much and can burn the mSATA-to-zif adapter and ribbon cable enough to render them unusable. 
 
3. Toshiba HDD is by far the most stable 240gb upgrade for 5/5.5 + 7. Placed in a 6, it will reformat the drive to 120gb.

 

[DMinor]

With my 256GB CF mod, I don't have problem to load it full. But I use Rockbox only. The problem you reported is not new for Apple's OF as I recall reading similar report from others in the past.
 
You have confirmed again the heat & stability issue with the mSATA's, which can be written off in my opinion.
 
The best you can get at this point is a 256GB CF mod rockboxed.

 

[headphonetica]

So strange results here. Did some RMAA testing on various portables I have access to. My old Android phone basically tied with the Nano for response curve. Mini g2 and 5.5 G both have rolled off bass (Mini worse than 5.5 G). My present Android had a wacky curve. The 7G is basically similar or slightly worse than the 5.5 G from everything I've read, so right now my options are looking like doing the 5.5 G mod or getting a micro usb mSD card reader for my old phone. One nice thing about that route is that it has a user-replaceable battery. One negative thing about that route is the 64gb limitation.
 
Edit: I should note this is only in reference to using the headphone out with load, not from the dock port.

 

[dr408517]

The CF 256gb+Tarkan is my next test. But the 512gb...ahh...that is the goal.

 

[shim]

my iPod Video with 32gb Transcend CF along velcro'd with Fiio E6 + L9.. I've had this for awhile and can't seem to quit it!  Haven't tried rockbox yet..maybe when I'm bored
 
  

 

[zzffnn]

To be curious, I am listening to a stock 5.5g using my Heir 4.Ai and I am unable to detect the noise. Not sure if this is due to my hearing or my iem's not sensitive enough. All I hear is a quite background when no music is presented. Not sure if that noise is due to HDD as mine has been converted to a SDXC card.

Other owners of the 5.5g (5.g) may chip in.

^ It is very difficult to hear the mild noise with music on in my case (it does NOT bother me). You would need very quiet classical/instrumental music to notice a slight hint of the noise. I do hear it clearly when music is paused. For most people it should NOT be a problem.

If I calculated it correctly, given the same signal, Westone ES3X will be 3db louder than Heir 4.ai, which may produce an audible difference.

I am not sure hard drive is the source of the noise. I had a CF before in the same 5.5G and heard the same noise. At the time, I thought the noise was caused by defective hardwares, but later realized that such noise is not unusual with 5.5G after some (re)search (probably caused by 5.5G's not-so-low HO output impedance).

YMMV.

 

[DMinor]

  So strange results here. Did some RMAA testing on various portables I have access to. My old Android phone basically tied with the Nano for response curve. Mini g2 and 5.5 G both have rolled off bass (Mini worse than 5.5 G). My present Android had a wacky curve. The 7G is basically similar or slightly worse than the 5.5 G from everything I've read, so right now my options are looking like doing the 5.5 G mod or getting a micro usb mSD card reader for my old phone. One nice thing about that route is that it has a user-replaceable battery. One negative thing about that route is the 64gb limitation.
 
Edit: I should note this is only in reference to using the headphone out with load, not from the dock port.

 
The bass roll off of the stock 5.5g has been well reported, and using the LOD will get rid of that. If you want the cleanest LO, then those LOD pins need to be lifted off board and bridged to the dac directly.
 

The CF 256gb+Tarkan is my next test. But the 512gb...ahh...that is the goal.

 
I will never try a 512GB CF at Lexar's price, as much as I wish to have one in my collection.
 

  my iPod Video with 32gb Transcend CF along velcro'd with Fiio E6 + L9.. I've had this for awhile and can't seem to quit it!  Haven't tried rockbox yet..maybe when I'm bored
 
 

You definitely should try the Rockbox and it takes only a couple of minutes to do it. Even after the RB is installed, you can still use the Apple OF if you want. So there is nothing to lose.
 
But, that 32GB will be gone quickly for lossless files.

 

[dr408517]

Yes, the price for the 512gb CF is too much at $1500 (pre-sale).  But I am old enough to remember 64K being "too expensive" at nearly $3000 in 1983. I've dropped the $$ for a 256gb SSD, a 256gb and a 480gb mSATA, a 128gb sd and a 256gb SD all in the name of getting to that solid state iPod with the maximum memory.  Yes, I am either crazy or OCD. But even if I finally get the 512gb CF iPod - I will probably still yearn for the 1T. I accept that I am totally nuts. 

 

[DMinor]

  Yes, the price for the 512gb CF is too much at $1500 (pre-sale).  But I am old enough to remember 64K being "too expensive" at nearly $3000 in 1983. I've dropped the $$ for a 256gb SSD, a 256gb and a 480gb mSATA, a 128gb sd and a 256gb SD all in the name of getting to that solid state iPod with the maximum memory.  Yes, I am either crazy or OCD. But even if I finally get the 512gb CF iPod - I will probably still yearn for the 1T. I accept that I am totally nuts. 

 
Yeah we are now spoiled and become greedy. But I will settle with a 512GB CF Rockboxed. Hey you are not the only one who is nuts.
 
BTW, how's your 256gb SD (with Tarkan)?

 

[dr408517]

Still working on it. I tried to load 35K at once, and got the -69 error. I reformated the card using the HP tool, and I have loaded 13K songs on it as on about an hour ago. I am alternating the SSD 256gb ST test, the mSATA 480gb test and the Lexar SD 256gb test with about 1000 songs at a time.  Right now the SuperTalent is stuck on the Apple logo at 20K songs.

 

[dr408517]

 
On the Lexar 256gb SD and the mSATA I am at 13832 songs. The SuperTalent just crashed; showing Apple for 20 min. I disconnected the power and awaiting a restore.