[philodox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spirou38 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Has anyone considered a digital AES/EBU modification on that player?

Well, it has a really nice DAC in it, so I think your money is better spent upgrading the output stage in the player. Clock upgrades would be the next step, I think, though the clock that comes in it stock is pretty decent.

 

[spirou38]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, it has a really nice DAC in it, so I think your money is better spent upgrading the output stage in the player. Clock upgrades would be the next step, I think, though the clock that comes in it stock is pretty decent.

Hi Philodox,

I choosed that player to use it just as a transport . I don't need of the analog output stage : In fact, I will use the E5 on my secondary Hi-Fi with a full digital American Tact M2150 amplifier. The digital signal goes straight in the amp for amplification, there is no internal analog conversion. On that amp, there are 4 digital coaxial inputs, 1 AES/EBU input ( it's why I would like to add an AES/EBU digital output to my E5 ), 2 analog inputs and 1 analog balanced input for my EMT 930 turntable. The analog inputs are converted into digital for digital amplifying.

Of course, another mofication will be to upgrade the E5 clock But that upgrade is more complicated than usual clock mods because I want the E5 clock be synchronised with the one of the digital Tact M2150 amp

Pascal

 

[philodox]

I don't know anything about the Tact M2150, but if you are just using it as a transport you are missing out on a lot of the value this player offers. I wonder if there are any other cd players that should be considered in that price bracket when using it for the transport alone?

 

[spirou38]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't know anything about the Tact M2150, but if you are just using it as a transport you are missing out on a lot of the value this player offers. I wonder if there are any other cd players that should be considered in that price bracket when using it for the transport alone?

I think that for that price it is almost impossible to find a cd transport

Before any mofication, the clock seems to be nice, so the digital signal shouldn't have too much jitter

And if the result is not good when using as a transport, it could eventually be used on my bedroom system that has not yet TACT digital amp

 

[DigiPete]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox /img/forum/go_quote.gif Clock upgrades would be the next step, I think, though the clock that comes in it stock is pretty decent.

The stock clock is little better than the typical junk in most sources, but can be improved quite a bit using a dedicated low jitter clock.

I know I heard a definite improvement when I switched out the one in the E5 I used to own.

 

[13D3Mullard]

My Esound came in today. 5 days of running in at Cattylink, 2 days DHL express shipment HongKong - Belgium.
If you buy locally, it mostly takes longer to get your stuff! Great job Cattylink.

"Due to the extra ordinary sizing of the transformer it took me 2 hours to solve the problem. I isolated the whole Transformer support block. Now the transformer does not touch the chassis anymore. The metal support plate is now hanging in rubber rings and the transformer itself is pulled to the support plate by a silent block instead of the M5 bold.
On demand I can post some pictures of my modification, if there is interest to see it. This forum seems to have storage available for fotos, so that won't be a problem."

I would be interested in these photos. Have they been put on the pages here? I have not yet received my Esound5, but I would like to be prepared for this problem
Regards

 

[13D3Mullard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ynot /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hello All, Has anyone found the E5 sound to be a bit lean and/or bright - when used with the silver raincoat power cord provided. So far, I have found this to be the case, although the soundstage and detail are both very, very good. Perhaps I haven't given the unit and the cord enough time to burn in? I tried a Cardas Golden Reference power cord and the sound definitely has more body and is less bright...at least to my ears. Does anyone know anything about the composition of the silver raincoat power cord? Are we talking about copper wire with silver plating? Is there a sheild or any type of filtering in this cord? Thoughts?

I am about to buy the Esound5 from a person who has this problem. I also know a Korean audiophile who says he has the same problem. I am told the player is very transparent with good high and bass spread but poor mid-range. Reading these messages, it seems many people have the same problem, but some appear to think it can be solved by a better choice of mains cable, others by having a warm amp.
Is there now a general opinion about the best mains cable?

Hearing this, I am expecting to have to use a separate DAC. I was thinking of going for the passive transformer output RAKK DAC. Have any of you had experience with this? The other solution might be 1) tweaking the PSU: schottky diodes, better PSU caps, 2) adding an off board PSU for the analogue part. 3) improving the opamps, or replacing them with a transformer output. 4) covering certain components with grounded copper foil.
Have any of you tried any of these.
Regards

 

[philodox]

The silver raincoat power cord is copper stranded wire... just like nearly every other power cord out there. I doubt that is where your brightness is coming from.

What interconnects are you using? The silver raincoat IC's are pretty bright in my experience, so if you are using those you may want to change them...

 

[guzziguy]

My main setup is an E5 -> PPX3 Slam -> Headphiled K340. I notice no problem in the mid range at all. In fact, I'm a mid range fanatic and find this setup to be extremely satisfying.

 

[13D3Mullard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jefemeister /img/forum/go_quote.gif Man, so many problems we're all having with this player. I'd like to sell mine and move on but I don't think anyone would buy it at this point, and even if someone did I'd be worried it would break on them. Even my silver raincoat power cord broke the other day. The wires just slipped right out of the plug housing. And before Arthur chimes in with how to fix it...I shouldn't have to.

I am about to buy one of these second hand, now I am hesitating. It sounds as though you are all having serious problems. I am beginning to think this is why I am being offered one. I was told it was because, the seller feels the mid range is too cold. I thought I could use the Esound as a transport, but if they are all now beginning to fail, this is hardly a good idea.
I really would like to hear your thoughts. Should I carry on and buy one?
Regards

 

[fran]

I have one tha tI bought 2ndhand about 7 months ago, and haven't experienced any problems with it. However, on advice from another owner I leave mine powered on all the time. This makes quite a difference to the sound and I suspect would help quite a bit with the leanness you are talking about. Takes about a day for it to go back to sounding "full" again after its been off for a while. A good powercord also will make a difference.

Could some other owners comment on whether they leave theirs powered on all the time, sound differences when they do/don't etc?

Fran

 

[DigiPete]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 13D3Mullard /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am about to buy one of these second hand, now I am hesitating. It sounds as though you are all having serious problems. I am beginning to think this is why I am being offered one. I was told it was because, the seller feels the mid range is too cold. I thought I could use the Esound as a transport, but if they are all now beginning to fail, this is hardly a good idea. I really would like to hear your thoughts. Should I carry on and buy one? Regards

Most threads are predominated by people reporting problems/issues, but usually there is a silent majority out there whose units work perfectly and are very happy with them. Some early E5's had problems with the optical reader, due to damage from shipping, but that was remedied with better designed vibration absorbers being installled at the factory.

 

[drarthurwells]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 13D3Mullard /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am about to buy one of these second hand, now I am hesitating. It sounds as though you are all having serious problems. I am beginning to think this is why I am being offered one. I was told it was because, the seller feels the mid range is too cold. I thought I could use the Esound as a transport, but if they are all now beginning to fail, this is hardly a good idea. I really would like to hear your thoughts. Should I carry on and buy one? Regards

I have a standing offer to fix any E5 free of labor charge (Cattylink sends me free parts for units under waranty).

I have not had to fix one or supply parts now for over three months - the E5 is totally 100 per cent reliable.

The last one that seemed to be bad turned out to be a cable problem (not a cattylink cable) and not an E5 problem.

 

[fran]

Hey Dr,

have you any ideas on this "leaving it powered on all the time" thing?

Fran

 

[spirou38]

Quote:

Originally Posted by drarthurwells /img/forum/go_quote.gif The last one that seemed to be bad turned out to be a cable problem (not a cattylink cable) and not an E5 problem.

Yes Doctor, it was mine.

Sorry everybody, I forgot posting the problem after solving it.

And in fact it was neither a Cattylink nor a E5 problem.

When powering on the E5, it was impossible to open the disk tray

so, impossible to read a cd ; everything seemed ok except the blue screen of the E5 that was not very bright

. After having moved it in another place to check it with an oscilloscope it worked fine ! Back to it's original place, it didn't worked. The only difference was to power cable. So I changed the power cord and then it worked great

! What was wrong in the power cord ? I don't know

, I didn't measured the DC resistance of the cable because I was so happy that I immediatly throwed it in the dustbin

.