[individual6891]

I bought this CD Player in January for £85 as ex-display stock from my local RicherSounds. Quite a good deal I thought. Marantz have an OSE version of this player (Special Edition) for £200 which is basically this CD player kitted out in boutique components.

Well, I finally got around to modifying this little beast with my own collection. Hardest component to source? The service manual! ... but so glad I did, contains the schematics and component layouts and even chip datasheets - very useful.

[size=medium]Before Modifications-[/size] this is how the CD player comes stock.

(Click images for larger image)


Large Layout.


Component Side - Rear.


Component Side - Side view.


Component Side - Top Layout.

...As you can see, pretty much littered with generic capacitors.

[size=medium]After Modifications-[/size]



First thing I did was replace the smoothing capacitors from the power supply transformers. There are 3 in total; one for +12V, one for -12V required by the final low pass filter stage and one for the +8v/+5V/+3.3V required by the digital sections.
Original components = Generic 3300uF/25V types
Replacements = Panasonic FC 3300uF/35V.
Originally I wanted to fit 2x1800uF/35vs for each capacitor, but really couldn't find the space for them.

Second set of capacitors are bypass capacitors after the +12v/-12v regulators.
Original components = Generic 100uF/16V types
Replacements = ELNA Starget 2200uF/16V
These can't fit vertically without having leads extending very high off the board, so I just mounted them sideways. An 2200uF Starget was also placed before the +5v regulator.

Third set of capacitors replaced were the bypass capacitors for the digital power lines, +vcc, +3.3v etc. The dac also has a separate regulator for it's own +5v supply and these were also bypassed.
Original Components = Generic, between 47uF-100uF/16v
Replacements = Sanyo OSCONS between 100uF-330uF/10v



Fourth Set of capacitors replaced were the coupling capacitors, between the DAC and low pass filter op amps and also after the op amps.
Original Components = Generic, 10uF/16v
Replacements = ELNA Starget 10uF/25v
Will use some audio-grade polypropylene foil types (8uF) once they arrive tomorrow for the opamp output stage. Will keep the stargets in the dac output stage. The polypropylenes cost £5.00 each, so replacing 6 would be way to overkill/expensive. (If anyone has any 10uF N series caps for sale, give us a pm!!)



Fifth Set of capacitors replaced are the bypass caps for the low pass filter stage opamps.
Original Components = Generic 47uF/16V
Replacements = Panasonic FC 100uF/16V

DAC (CS4392) capacitors. I next worked on the capactors surrounding the DAC. There were two capacitors that Marantz use for the CMOUT and Filter stage with wrong values according to the chip's datasheet - in fact, they appear to be the wrong way round, 1uF and 10uF as opposed to 10uF and 1uF respectively. Replaced these with OSCONS, and also the bypass caps for the DAC's two power supply lines were replaced with 100uF OSCONS. A 10uF Tantalum was soldered as close as possible to the chip's +VA line on the underside acting as a bypass cap. The lead length on the cap is about 2mm!

Other capacitors replaced - Power supplies leading the transport were beefed up and replaced with Panasonic FC 330uF/100uF. Power supply lines for the hex invertors were replaced with OSCONS. Power supply supply lines for the DSP were replaced with FCs.



Two 0.47uF polypropylene foil caps (500VAC rating) were connected across the live and neutral lines of the mains supply.



0.022uF Wima MKS4 capacitors were soldered on the underside of the board in parallel with every electrolytic capacitor acting as power supply bypass.



Power supply bridge recitifier diodes were replaced with ultra fast types and paralleled with 100pF Wima FKP polypropylene caps. Original Diodes = 1N4002, replacements = UF4002

Biggest change was replacing the standard NJM2086 opamp with AD8620. The circuit has two NJM2086 dual opamp chips acting as a low pass filter after the DAC stage, so it requires two AD8620s. The supply is +12v/-12v which is just under the AD8620's max voltage of +13v/-13v.

Non electronical mods include lining the entire enclosure in Akasa Pax-Mate acoustic dampening material to reduce mechnical noise and also hopefully to stabilise the transport.






How does it all sound? The player sounds a lot more clear than before, though only subtly. There is more clarity on the high ends - and bass has more punch. Also there's less background "white noise". All these changes are very very very subtle though. Mechanical noise of the actualy transport has been reduced considerably. The sound proofing used here is the stuff designed to sound proof music production computers, so it's pretty good stuff and cheap (£20 for a pack with enough material for 2 cdplayers!).

Note: This is an ongoing mod, so I doubt the mods mentioned here are the final mods that are to occur in this fantastically cheap CDPlayer... So stay tuned

 

[av98m2]

Nice work! I've always felt we see way too many diy/modded amps and not enough cd player mods over here. I've got a heavily butchered Rotel RCD-991 myself.

 

[individual6891]

Latest update:

Finally my output capacitors arrived..



A Polypropylene foil 8uF "Audio Grade" by LCR to replace the Elna Starget 10uF I originally had in there. Thing's huge and had to mount off board.

 

[farl]

excellent job! I want also to modify my cd5400, where can I get a circuit diagram.

 

[Glod]

Impressive to a layman as me.

I have what I think is a close predecessor, the CD6000OSE. It too was very popular in Europe, at least in the UK and Scandinavia I believe. Really a cracking player at the time in that price bracket I remember. But quite soon the 6000KI (Ken Ishiwata) was launched for about 50% higher price.

The upgrades was the usual KI stuff like a larger, toroidal, power supply, mains capacitors, better coupling caps, dampened and additionally shielded chassis. I think some of internals were also additionally screened with copper plates. Ring a bell?

I really liked, and still do, the 6000OSE. It has a completely un-offensive character. Certainly a player to audition for those sceptical to digital sources: It is really a charmer, but perhaps not to everyone’s taste in that it has a LP like character with an organic expression, full-bodied, very good soundstage, a composed attitude, detail but with a warm tone. Dynamics could have had better precision and I would have liked the bass to be more controlled. I tried to tame the bass with different IC’s, like the Kimber PBJ and a low end Oelbach, but I never got what I was looking for.

A lot of words said. What would you think? What would be a good operation to address the a bit bloomy bass?

 

[individual6891]

http://www.sivolobov.ru/audio/scheme...ntz/cd5400.rar

45MB Service Manual. You need winrar though.

Good Luck!

 

[individual6891]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glod I really liked, and still do, the 6000OSE. It has a completely un-offensive character. Certainly a player to audition for those sceptical to digital sources: It is really a charmer, but perhaps not to everyone’s taste in that it has a LP like character with an organic expression, full-bodied, very good soundstage, a composed attitude, detail but with a warm tone. Dynamics could have had better precision and I would have liked the bass to be more controlled. I tried to tame the bass with different IC’s, like the Kimber PBJ and a low end Oelbach, but I never got what I was looking for. A lot of words said. What would you think? What would be a good operation to address the a bit bloomy bass?

The CD6000 uses NJM2114D (similar, but better specced to the NJM5532) opamps on its line outputs. You could try replacing it with the AD8620 opamp which will add a bit more brightness to the soundstage. What is interesting is that after the opamp stage, the OSE version has a "HDAM" pcb, which as far as I know is a discrete buffer stage.

The CD6000 uses NJM4556AD on the headphone outputs and you could replace this also with an AD8620. But to be honest, the headphone circuit in the CD6000 is no more than a very basic cmoy. In fact on my CD5400 I have disconnected to headphone circuitry altogether to reduce the unnecessary load.

You could try removing the output transistors component labelled: 7215/7216/7217/7218/7219/7220/7221/7222 for the lineout circuitry.
and 7233/7234/7231/7232 for the headphone circuit.

Those two cables you mentioned won't do anything to reduce boomy base, they are both OFC. You'll want to find a cable with silver plated copper or pure silver core if you want a brighter sound.

Both of them are headphone cables though, which makes me wonder - are you using the CD6000 to drive headphones directly?

I'd recommend you get a headphone amp (loads to choose from here!) connected between your CD player's lineout and headphones. The CD6000 has an excellent line output stage, and shouldn't be wasted! What headphones are you running, sounds like sennheiser to me? The second thing i'd think about is to go for silver interconnects all round.. between the lineout->headamp (RCA-RCA) and headamp->phones.

 

[Glod]

Thank you for your elaborate in-put. Actually I'm pretty set and content with my current equipment (see my profile).

The CD6000OSE has been collecting dust for some time now and has only served to burn in other equipment the last years. But I am focusing at my secondary system at the moment and the good old Marantz could fit in quite well I think, perhaps especially with the tweeks you suggest.

I agree with you that the headphone-out of the 6000OSE is, well, not good to say the least.

The cables I mentioned might have head-phone equivalents, but these were, are, interconnects. If you ask me the Kimber PBJ is a very good IC in it's price range. The only real negative trait being a limited bass response. The lowest bass is there, but severely cut. Some people have described it as focused and tight: IMHO it is simply cut. As to the Oehlbach NF2, it is a silver-plated copper cable. To me it had a supricesingly "nice" upper-mids and high's, but ultimately it lacked a 3D soundstage, and the bass - well again - it wasn't there: No extention. Typical to silver I have understood. These cables controlled the bass, all right, but too much and eventually changed the balance in general of the reproduction.

I also tried a Nordost Red Dawn and it was a wonderful cable. In a completely different league: The positioning of the performers in the soundstage was very, very good in comparison to the Kimber and Oehlbach. But guess what? No bass. I hadn't expected that of such a relatively high-end IC.

I am not a bass head. I only listen to classical and some jazz, but I need the bass to have a first class extension and control and unforced character. It is all so important for the soundstage and the perception of "presence"; being in the concert hall. In the Van den Hul First Ultimate (1st gen.) I have found that cable. The VdH D-102 mkIII has that too, but is much more up front and with less depth in the soundstage.

To the tweek suggestion. What do you mean with “You could try removing the output transistors component labelled: 7215/7216/7217/7218/7219/7220/7221/7222 for the lineout circuitry.and 7233/7234/7231/7232 for the headphone circuit.” Please have mercy on a complete noob in circuitry lay-outs

: Can I just remove them?!

The opamps, are they on sockets, just to be pulled out with a pair of pliers?

 

[individual6891]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glod The cables I mentioned might have head-phone equivalents, but these were, are, interconnects. If you ask me the Kimber PBJ is a very good IC in it's price range. The only real negative trait being a limited bass response. The lowest bass is there, but severely cut. Some people have described it as focused and tight: IMHO it is simply cut. As to the Oehlbach NF2, it is a silver-plated copper cable. To me it had a supricesingly "nice" upper-mids and high's, but ultimately it lacked a 3D soundstage, and the bass - well again - it wasn't there: No extention. Typical to silver I have understood. These cables controlled the bass, all right, but too much and eventually changed the balance in general of the reproduction.

Ahh, you mentioned the oehlbach and just jumped to the HD580/600/650 cable they have!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glod To the tweek suggestion. What do you mean with “You could try removing the output transistors component labelled: 7215/7216/7217/7218/7219/7220/7221/7222 for the lineout circuitry.and 7233/7234/7231/7232 for the headphone circuit.” Please have mercy on a complete noob in circuitry lay-outs : Can I just remove them?! The opamps, are they on sockets, just to be pulled out with a pair of pliers?

The muting transistors can be removed, those are the component labels on the circuit board. Removing them can have significant improvements

The opamps would require removal by desoldering though unfortunately. If you're not confident with touching surface mount devices, then just leave it for now. However, I think the muting transistors have long enough leads to be snipped off using cutters.

 

[Glod]

Great tips you have there. One day I will certainly open it up and heat up the iron.

Speaking of modified Marantz CDP's, I suppose you've heard of the "AH!" tweaks? If not, you have some interesting reading tonight I think

http://www.hifi-notes.com/ah1-en.htm

 

[individual6891]

I think I have seen it before, but unfortunately relates more to the older marantz cd players. Still, an interesting read I must agree.

 

[Glod]

Yes, however, they claim their modifications are yielding such positive effects the original design plays a minor role.

I don't know, I havn't auditioned one, but they seem to get pretty decent attention the world over. Here at at Head-Fi too.


I can't help liking these kind of initiatives. I think they have looked at the 6000 series as well. I just can't find it with a short google.

 

[kangtao]

The link for service manual is no longer available. Could anyone please tell me where I can download a service manual for this CD5400?

Thanks.

 

[zanash]

I've now done two cd 5001 playes for people......

The best mod bang for buck as they say was to replace all the rectifier diodes and fit 11DQ10's .....

the psu caps were all swapped for appropriate value panna fc's.

bracing the flimsy case will also reap huge rewards.

By removing the nasty rca pcb sockets and rewiring with bulkhead mounted rca sockets and then hard wiring the ground to the ground plane with silver...this cleaned the sound up considerably.

Throw away the nasty electrolitic dc blocking caps and fit stacked film caps ie 10 1uf 63v wimas ....or fit a pair of huge paper in oil 2uf 400v caps straight to the sockets [with a 100k vishay res from signal to ground] get the signal off the nasty copper tracks.

These provides a fast lush clean sweet liquid sound .... and a bass that just jaw dropping.

Comparing cdp's the heavily modded cd5001 came very close to a standard Quad 99 cdp. Not bad for a play costing £100

 

[willywong]

hi,can u send me the pic of modify marantz cd5400, cos i wanna mod my cdp 5400