[AudioCats]

I guess using PS1 as a CDP is old news, but I just got mine 1001 and here are the planned mods:
*pipe out audio signal directly from the DAC, and try boutique caps (Auri, VitQ 96P, and FT-3 teflon) in the signal path.
*external linear power supply for main power.
*independent analog power supply route, I will use NiCd battery power for the analog stage of the DAC chip.
*A functional control key pad so it actually looks like a CDP control (actually a re-cased controller).
*If the result is good enough, I might mount the transport to a thick chopping block and recase the circuitry..... but before that can happen it will have to beat my modified X555ES CDP.

Most of the above had been done by various DIY'ers, with the possible exception of an independent pure DC supply for the analog stage. I have already prepared the pins, it was kind of tricky, I actually had to perform the pin lifting and soldering under a 10x microscope (and the magnification helped a lot).

Pix will follow in the next a few weeks. If you have done mods to your PS1 please chip in and tell us what mod works best and what doesn't.

 

[jonnywolfet]

i have bypassed all components after the dac with a high pass filter using black gate NxHiQ 47uf caps and 2200ohm resistors (for a -3db at around 3htz). this did wonders for removing 'smear' and with rock, metal and electronica it sounds better.
i also added mass to the casing with copper and blu tack, re-cased the power supply (to go all linear at a later date) and added a remote control to the inside of the case. i did a first coat of black paint to it last night, second coat will be done later today.
eventually i want to re-case the whole thing inside a heavier/sturdier enclosure, and implement some sort of vibration control.


i love modding this thing, its nice not to have to worry about the financial implications of ruining it!

 

[AudioCats]

how did you add the remote? per Mike F's site? or did you came up with a different style?


Anyway, here is the status of my 1001 project:

Power supply board, before:
--

power supply board, after:
--

I will put reservoir caps and 4x sub-C Ni-Cd battery on it. Barely enough space, actually.

 

[AudioCats]

The extreme mod is still..... in (stopped) progress. But I did manage to do a standard mod like what everybody else has done, by simply upgrading the output signal caps. This will serve as a base line for comparision once the extreme mod unit is (ever) completed.

Pretty basic stuff, tap out the signal and pipe it to the fancy'er signal caps ( I use VitQ 196P and Russian teflon), then from the caps directly to the RCA jack. add a pair of 100k metal film between the signal and GND of the output jack. I also changed the C407 (power supply cap for the DAC) to Nichicon Ncap 470uf (extra low ESP).

There is barely enough room in the case to fit these signal caps.

Impressions (comparing to a stock SPCH-1001):
--components in the signal chain: 26awg silver/teflon IC ->modded SRM-1 (SIO output caps, 600V bias) -> recabled ESP950.

The base-line mod sounds more detailed, no doubt about it, sharper sound with a slightly wider stage. The stock PS-1001 has a "rounder", more meaty sound. During the first 10 minutes of comparison, my thought was although the base-line modded one has more details and such, the stock 1001 is just pleasant to listen to. Then 30 more minutes went by and the muddy-ness of the stock 1001 became more and more annoying, I started to really appreciate the clear-ness the base-line mod brought.

The base-line modded unit continued to improve in the next 2 hours (at least that was how I felt). The sound got a bit finer and stage got a little wider. It might have something to do with capacitor burn-in: the Russian teflon I installed already had about 200 hr on them, so the extra 2 hr should not do anything. The 196P VitQ's on the other hand were brand new, so there could very well be a difference between 0 and 2 hours. I will let the unit run for a few days and listen to it again.

 

[AudioCats]

by the way, is there a key combination that sets the "repeat"?

 

[ivanrocks321]

I was wondering what this mod to PS1 does? Im new, please forgive my lack of experience. It looks interesting and i have an old ps1 and its not doing much these days, might want to try this mod whatever it is.

 

[powertoold]

Hey Audiocats, with the way you've wired up your caps, wouldn't the signal bypass the bottom cap and only go through the top cap to the RCA jacks? I don't know much about electronics; I'm just assuming it takes the path of least resistance.

 

[AudioCats]

they are in parallel, not series (the pictures don't have enough resolution to show)...

 

[AndreyS]

Hello folks!

These mods are very impressive! I have one specific one on my mind, though...

Now, I don't know if it is even possible or, if it is possible, if it is practical.

Here it goes:

Is it possible to create a SPDIF input to the PlayStation's DAC to use the PlayStation as a DAC?
 
Thanks in advance!
AndreyS

 

[AudioCats]

 
 
Anyway, the extreme mod on PS-1 has been done.
 
1)signals tapped directly at the output pins of the DAC, piped out (raw, with the DC component) via 24awg HGA silver-teflon wires. DC blocking is done outside, either by using film caps, or using the uPA (as a pre-amp/volume control).
2)external linear-regulated power supply, power is sent into the ps-1 via a 5-pin DIN cable.
3)5V NiMh battery power pack in the PS-1 case, to power just the DAC chip.
 
Mod-(1) and (3) gave obvious improvements, mod-(2)... not so much. Maybe it is because I already have pure battery power in Mod-(3) so the linear supply is only powering the digital and transport section.
 
I did try a few things to the transport mechanism, the difference is not obvious, so I left the transport secitn alone.
 
The result: very fine sound, easy to listen to. However, when comparing to my modded Sony X555ES (opamp, output cap), the extreme-modded PS-1 is only about "as good", not "better". The X555ES is more involving, the PS-1 images better. with so much mods involved I was expecting the PS-1-extreme would at least beat the X555ES.  All in all, the final result is more or less a disappointment to me.
 
Time to try something "superior from ground up". Maybe a Bufflo-III.
 

 

[AudioCats]

How about using the PS-1001 as CD transport.....
 
Playstation-1 as CD transport (SPDIF output)