[alanchanxd]

  can you link how to make a LOD with a cap?

I haven't got time to do it yet but here are good tutorials:

https://web.archive.org/web/20120502144546/http://pinouts.ru/PortableDevices/ipod.shtml

http://www.head-fi.org/t/460010/diymod-lod-caps <- polarity of the caps

http://www.head-fi.org/a/diy-lod-full-step-by-step-do-it-yourself-guide-with-pictures <- full tutorial

 

[RavenII]

Hello all,
 
I had a few questions regarding the 5.5 Video...this thread is SO huge that it's difficult to find the answers, and most of the pictures are gone....

1. Is the 5.5 still worth getting and modding at the ~$30-$50 that they're now going for? I was planning on Rockboxing, dropping a CF to SD card in it, and doing the diyMod to it...or should is there a better option now (I mean, clearly there's better options, but in terms of price and mod-ability)?
 
2. Is the diyMod worth doing (these days)?
 
3. If the mod is done, can you still use the iPod with regular docks/cables (for line out)?
     A. If the caps are installed in the iPod....there's no need for caps in a Line out dock adapter....is there? (sorry for the newbie question)
 
4. Are you basically just bypassing the SMD caps in the iPod for the Black something or another caps that everyone rants and raves about?
 
5. Can you use the diyMod to improve the headphone out, and if no...is there a different way?
 
6. Anything else that should be known about the 5.5/diyMod? opinions?
 
Thanks in advance!
 
I hope others can benefit from the answers as well...take care everyone.

 

[yacobx]

  Hello all,
 
I had a few questions regarding the 5.5 Video...this thread is SO huge that it's difficult to find the answers, and most of the pictures are gone....

1. Is the 5.5 still worth getting and modding at the ~$30-$50 that they're now going for? I was planning on Rockboxing, dropping a CF to SD card in it, and doing the diyMod to it...or should is there a better option now (I mean, clearly there's better options, but in terms of price and mod-ability)?
 
2. Is the diyMod worth doing (these days)?
 
3. If the mod is done, can you still use the iPod with regular docks/cables (for line out)?
     A. If the caps are installed in the iPod....there's no need for caps in a Line out dock adapter....is there? (sorry for the newbie question)
 
4. Are you basically just bypassing the SMD caps in the iPod for the Black something or another caps that everyone rants and raves about?
 
5. Can you use the diyMod to improve the headphone out, and if no...is there a different way?
 
6. Anything else that should be known about the 5.5/diyMod? opinions?
 
Thanks in advance!
 
I hope others can benefit from the answers as well...take care everyone.

Have the fun is researching this stuff. Its absolutely worth doing the mod. you will have alot of fun. But if you want the easy road there are alot of other dacs that are cheap and good. the point of this thread is people like modding and making is special to them. the sky is the limit on what you want to do. I really enjoyed building my 5.5g and now im building a ipod mini 2g for the fun of it.

 

[RavenII]

  Have the fun is researching this stuff. Its absolutely worth doing the mod. you will have alot of fun. But if you want the easy road there are alot of other dacs that are cheap and good. the point of this thread is people like modding and making is special to them. the sky is the limit on what you want to do. I really enjoyed building my 5.5g and now im building a ipod mini 2g for the fun of it.

 
Thanks for the response!

I agree, it is half the fun, but it's also difficult when a lot of the ground work in the beginning is not accessible due to time. I never liked taking the easy road to be honest, I just like hacking things...

I'm heavily into high end mobile audio...I have an E39 BMW with a pretty high end audio system in it, a friend of mine knows that I'm into music/audio and hacking and told me about this whole iPod thing (modding/etc.) and now I'm hooked! haha. This seems to be a nice community with a TON of information...which is good...(or bad if your wallet isn't that fat).
 
But as far as question 3. goes...
 

 3. If the mod is done, can you still use the iPod with regular docks/cables (for line out)?      A. If the caps are installed in the iPod....there's no need for caps in a Line out dock adapter....is there? (sorry for the newbie question)

I'm assuming that as long as the caps are installed IN the iPod...you should still be able to use it with any dock? and question 5.
 

5. Can you use the diyMod to improve the headphone out, and if no...is there a different way?

 
Is no?
 
Thanks again for your reply. Take care.

 

[DMinor]

Working on these diymods has been the most rewarding experience for me in terms of the amount of fun and gain in audio quality. Just keep in mind the audio results are the synergies from trial and error, depending on the following parameters ......
 
1. Type of diymods (the traditional method, aka imod vs. direct out mod)
2. Quality of the soldered joints and type of wires used for diymod
3. Type of caps or totally free of caps
4. LOD cable 
5. External amp design (capped or capless)
6. Phones
 
There is a whole pipeline which will determine the end results. When you try enough and hit the jackpot, the results can be massive improvements from any stock ipods . 

 

[rrg123]

I'm also interested in the LOD with caps.
Any details on it yet.
 
I've done monster caps for fun attached to outside of the Ipod just to experiment and see what the difference was.
 
I did drill 4 holes in the an old case to see if I could do it.
 
The sound was as others described, bigger sound stage, 3D sound etc.
 
That ipod has the biggest 47uf internal connected, stapped outside caps ever.
 
Yes it's just fun.

 

[Danthuyer]

I'm finally getting around to doing this mod after collecting the pieces over years of procrastination....
 
With regard to doing the internal CAP version on the gen 5 video .... I have a dozen of the Blackgate caps I bought years ago ..... are these still the preferred cap to use or has another cap taken the flavour ?
 
Also I will be using a FiiO e12 Amp with the unit ... do I need to do anything to that unit ?

 

[yacobx]

  I'm finally getting around to doing this mod after collecting the pieces over years of procrastination....
 
With regard to doing the internal CAP version on the gen 5 video .... I have a dozen of the Blackgate caps I bought years ago ..... are these still the preferred cap to use or has another cap taken the flavour ?
 
Also I will be using a FiiO e12 Amp with the unit ... do I need to do anything to that unit ?

mmmmm i wants some more black gates for.... reasons....
 
I have a redwine 4g. i want do my own diy to my 5.5g. 
 
anyways.... here ya go
 
http://www.ualberta.ca/%7Ejple/diyMod/
 
p.s. your amp is fine as long as you put caps in the iPod. 

 

[yacobx]

  I'm also interested in the LOD with caps.
Any details on it yet.
 
I've done monster caps for fun attached to outside of the Ipod just to experiment and see what the difference was.
 
I did drill 4 holes in the an old case to see if I could do it.
 
The sound was as others described, bigger sound stage, 3D sound etc.
 
That ipod has the biggest 47uf internal connected, stapped outside caps ever.
 
Yes it's just fun.

wait WHAT? that picture is real?????

 

[rrg123]

 
It's the biggest imod in the world.
 
Yes those white caps are real.
Here is a better picture.
They are attached to the inside of the Ipod and I used rubber grommets to keep the wire from being cut.
 
It works great but not practical.
 
I did it as an experiment to see what bigger caps would sound like.
It sounded amazing with a very spacious sound stage. Every instrument sound has a very distinct space almost side by side sound wrapping around your head from ear to ear.  
 
I did blind test by putting this in a cardboard box and having people listen to it over the headphones.
They loved it and then I showed them what I did and they said it was crazy.
 

 
This one below is the final version I ended up selling on ebay. Little smaller caps.
 

enjoy.

 

[UnixFun]

Greetings all.

I've been reading this thread. Made it through 70 or so of the pages and then thought I'd sign up and ask a few questions since it stretches back many years and a lot of the pics have broken links.

I love anything thats DIY. And I'll be doing this on a 5.5 wolfson and I really like the idea of bypassing the internals to get a cleaner single out. Also I plan on playing back mostly flac.

1) if I do the line out mod with caps. It has no effect on the standard headphone out is that correct?

2) I'm looking at getting two of these caps. I saw them recommended somewhere but that might have been 3-4 years ago. http://www.amazon.com/Aluminum-Electrolytic-Capacitors-Leaded-SILMIC/dp/B0137LAT0E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455580951&sr=8-1&keywords=ELNA+Silmic-II+6.3v+47uf+%28x+2%29
Are these still good caps to purchase or should I be looking at something else?

3) what actually needs to be removed? The 2 Z components by the wolfson. And the 4 down by the dock? I see a lot of people doing a lot of different things?

4) If I make a LOD cable. What's the purpose of the resistors?

5) with the line out cap mod can this still be used on an iPod doc with the silver remote?

6) where can one buy small decent priced 30awg solid silver wire?

7) When I'm done I would like to have the dock still usable. To charge / transfer files etc. I'm assuming this is still there. Aka - are there any functionality issues one needs to be aware of?

8) using the line out with caps - I'd like to be able to plug this into various things like an Denon / Onkyo AV receiver. And maybe even run it through my Aune.

9) Is there a good link for a 5.5 how to that someone can link. I can find some older ones like the 4 and different ones for the headphones. But not the line out cap.

I think that's all for now. Thank you for your input it will be much appreciated,

 

[kahei036]

 

Hi,
 
If you are strictly following guides on this thread, and given the job is cleanly done, you won't lose anything. All functions you used to have before the mod will still be there. All you have done is just bypassing some standard components with better ones.
 
ELNA Slimic II has good reputation in signal path coupling, I haven't tried myself yet but I would think they deserve being called "good caps".
Even better if you can get film caps to do such job, however they are much larger in size and you really need to review on your own design.
 
 
Personally with aid in this post I have modded my iPod mini 1st gen. I've replaced the smd cap for headphone out with Panasonic FCs; and bypassed the linout cap / inductors on-board with a straight cable (I do have input cap in my amp to block the DC from WM8731.)
It's been a really good experience for myself.

 

[UnixFun]

Hi,

If you are strictly following guides on this thread, and given the job is cleanly done, you won't lose anything. All functions you used to have before the mod will still be there. All you have done is just bypassing some standard components with better ones.

ELNA Slimic II has good reputation in signal path coupling, I haven't tried myself yet but I would think they deserve being called "good caps".
Even better if you can get film caps to do such job, however they are much larger in size and you really need to review on your own design

Can you point me to some recommended film caps?

 

[junkers]

How can you tell if an amp can handle a 2v DC offset? What should I look for in the spec sheet?

 

[ClieOS]

How can you tell if an amp can handle a 2v DC offset? What should I look for in the spec sheet?

 
An amp with input caps, and I never see any amp manufacturer mentioning whether they use input caps or not.
 
Isn't a 2V DC offset a bit much?