removing the opas from cd player output stage - any damage occurring ?

[boodi]

I've tried removing the bb opa 2604 from my shanling s100 mkII output stage .
Sound is less refined , but also less colour and more speed .

Tried it 1 min. though since I don't know if this can or not damage the player , then re-inserted the opa

thanks for help .

 

[flecom]

so wait, you removed it and still got sound?

 

[boodi]

exactly

 

[boodi]

should i worry about it ?

 

[Garbz]

well it depends what the opamp does.

There's often 3 stages on the output of commercial cdplayers.
1. I/V stage. Often an opamp which is important. This converts the current output of the DAC to a voltage for your amp. This stage can also be replaced by passive components so it may not be the opamp you removed. (some dacs are voltage out eliminating this stage entirely)
2. Digital Filter. Usually a set or resistors and caps as part of the I/V stage and directly after it to remove digital noise from the opamp output.
3. Preamp and buffer. This is likely what you removed. Without the preamp and buffer the cdplayer should sound really anemic, poor bass and unatticulate. It's like trying to sit an exam right after giving blood.

I doubt you could damage your cdplayer but removing the opamp without changing some fundemental designs on the output stage is defnitily not audibly superior.

 

[boodi]

the output stage I removed , the double opas on browndog adaptor
still don't have clear if I can remove it safely and sound .

 

[ryanjun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boodi the output stage I removed , the double opas on browndog adaptor still don't have clear if I can remove it safely and sound .

looks like u removed opamps for low pass filter..

 

[boodi]

back on topic : am I damaging the cdplayer doing this ?

 

[peranders]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boodi Sound is less refined , but also less colour and more speed .

Excuse me, but what is "speed" in the sound?

 

[boodi]

mmm .. do you mind searching with the "search" button a bit , or open another thread about this ?
[size=xx-small]
.. the fact is that I'm trying desperately to understand if I can/cannot removing some opas from my cdp here . .. talking about speed , as balance , as other characters of sound & of equipments is long story quite everywhere around here .. [/size]

 

[Garbz]

by speed i'm sure he means the atticulation and timing.

Anyway back to the player. Thoes opamps looks like the buffering stage on the output. BUT they are fed from a differential input. So they convert the +ve and -ve to a single ended signal. The low pass filter is just before them (the caps). You can remove them without damage. However it would be detrimental to the sound.

You could always replace it with 2x opa627 on browndogs or AD8620s on adapters.

 

[ryanjun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boodi back on topic : am I damaging the cdplayer doing this ?

if it was an opamp 4 filtering, i don't think so. a low pass filter just blocks unnecessary high frequency signals and w/o it signal would just bypass thru loop resistors of the filter opamp to unbalanced output. that will cost some sound quality tho.

 

[blomquist]

opamps were part of an inverting filter system so you still get sound 'cause the signal chain doesn't get interrupted looks like this: in-R-|-R-out|
o p a m p

 

[ryanjun]

oh i see
the four of them right before ones he removed are filter AND gainstage and those he removed are working as buffers..

then it won't destroy ur system for pretty sure, however sonically speaking i would recommend u trying other ops rather than leaving nothing there.

 

[boodi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryanjun oh i see the four of them he removed

I removed 1 opa in output stage not 4 , you see 2 on browndog adaptor because i swapped the original 2604 with a 2x627 on browndog.