[Natsuiro]

I just got my toshiba modded by trevornetwork and it's amazing. Before I never thought the toshiba sounded very good.. I was very disappointed with it's sound. But now it's really great. But i'm just missing the noise filter cap and the "big" one.

Does anyone know if it's possible to put a new transformer onto the power supply pcb board? I think that would be very cool!

 

[pburke]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Natsuiro I just got my toshiba modded by trevornetwork and it's amazing. Before I never thought the toshiba sounded very good.. I was very disappointed with it's sound. But now it's really great. But i'm just missing the noise filter cap and the "big" one. Does anyone know if it's possible to put a new transformer onto the power supply pcb board? I think that would be very cool!

pointless mod in that switching supply. What would be more effective and easier to do is to build separate supplies for some of the key voltages that drive the chips and the transport. Battery supplies may even be more economical and quieter if built properly.

Peter

 

[jboehle]

Well you guys are just evil. I found the 3950 in stock at TechDepot.com last night and ordered one, it shipped out today. Now off to figure out what parts I need to order for the mods!

I found Vinnie's page here:
http://home.nc.rr.com/keihin/toshiba3950/vinniemods.htm

And Swenson's page here:
http://johnswenson1.home.comcast.net...3960_mods.html

Which Vinnie mods do I do to the audio output board if I am going to do the Swenson mods instead?

Are there any other sites on modding this player, with alternate/better procedures or parts lists?

-Jason

 

[pburke]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jboehle Which Vinnie mods do I do to the audio output board if I am going to do the Swenson mods instead? Are there any other sites on modding this player, with alternate/better procedures or parts lists? -Jason

Vinnie and Swenson mods usually go together if you want to use the player's analog outs.

I have tracked all my own mods, which are somewhat more extensive than both of these, except I never touched the analog outputs (opamps, etc) since I use the player as a transport. However, I also modded the capacitors for the component video output, which quite dramatically improved the picture quality from DVDs.

Let me know if you want to see my parts list. I'm still messing around with it so the list isn't final

Peter

 

[sammy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pburke However, I also modded the capacitors for the component video output, which quite dramatically improved the picture quality from DVDs. Let me know if you want to see my parts list. I'm still messing around with it so the list isn't final Peter

Peter,

I would be very interested in your parts list (and any pictures you might have of your mod). I too have a 3950 that I would like to mod, and I use it for both CD audio and DVD playback, so improvements to the picture quality as well as the audio would be worth the extra parts and effort.

BTW...have any of you noticed (at least on a stock Tosh 3950) quite a bit of background noise on the analog outs? For instance, I can turn my amp all the way up and I clearly hear a combination of a 60 Hz hum/buzz and a high pitched whine. Does it with everything disconnected from the 3950 except the analog cables, and goes away when disconnected from the amp (plus it is not on any of my other sources). Maybe the Vinnie/Swenson mods will get rid of it (hopefully)?

Thanks!
Sammy

 

[drewd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammy BTW...have any of you noticed (at least on a stock Tosh 3950) quite a bit of background noise on the analog outs? For instance, I can turn my amp all the way up and I clearly hear a combination of a 60 Hz hum/buzz and a high pitched whine. Does it with everything disconnected from the 3950 except the analog cables, and goes away when disconnected from the amp (plus it is not on any of my other sources). Maybe the Vinnie/Swenson mods will get rid of it (hopefully)?

I wasn't really smart and didn't listen to mine before I modded it, but it is absolutely dead silent now. And I'll put in my usual plug for the Pioneer DV-563A as a contender for the Toshiba crown, but with SACD and DVD-A as well!

-Drew

 

[jboehle]

Ordered parts today. I have a 3960 in hand and a 3950 on the way. I am going to do one Vinnie-style and one Vinnie PSU mods w/ Swenson output. Digi-Key was out of the PSU filter cap that Vinnie specifies, so I got the 220uF 200V instead. Ordered double of everything else, including some of the heatsinks, RFI ferrite clamp-ons, and ceramic fuses talked about earlier in this thread. From Parts Connexion I got both silver mica and polystrene 300pF caps, .47uF Auricaps for Swenson mods. Also got some very nice Vampire CM2F RCA jacks, they are direct gold-plated copper. Expensive I know, but what the hell, right!? Also ordered some E-A-R Foculpods for feet for the two players from PC. Plan on stopping by Home Depot on my way home tonight to pick up some adhesive-backed tiles and rope caulk, I will probably do the damping on the 3960 this weekend.

Hoping to get both of them done by Oct. 9th when we are having a meet in Lawrence, KS, where I live.

I'll be sure to report back with lots of pics and impressions!

-Jason

 

[dcrane]

I'd be interested in doing some improvements to the video as well. pburke, please post what parts you changed. My 3960 is on the way and I have the parts already. Going to do Vinnie's mods with 2 OPA627 on a browndog.

 

[pburke]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammy Peter, I would be very interested in your parts list (and any pictures you might have of your mod). I too have a 3950 that I would like to mod, and I use it for both CD audio and DVD playback, so improvements to the picture quality as well as the audio would be worth the extra parts and effort. BTW...have any of you noticed (at least on a stock Tosh 3950) quite a bit of background noise on the analog outs? For instance, I can turn my amp all the way up and I clearly hear a combination of a 60 Hz hum/buzz and a high pitched whine. Does it with everything disconnected from the 3950 except the analog cables, and goes away when disconnected from the amp (plus it is not on any of my other sources). Maybe the Vinnie/Swenson mods will get rid of it (hopefully)? Thanks! Sammy

parts list and pix are collected here and most of the parts should be on there. I think the Wima bypass caps are not listed - the majority is 50V rated MKP10s at 0.022uF, while in the PSU there are a few 2000V rated 0.01 uF MKP10s.

http://didnt.doit.wisc.edu/audio/toshiba

not up to date, but close. I'm probably going to finish the project in October (external power supply, new chassis, install 4amp schottkys because all the 1amp schottkys blow up, etc)


can't tell you much about the analog outs, since I didn't mess with that beyond some caps changes so the DVDs sound ok on my other system. For the audio system, I use a separate DAC.

Peter

 

[sammy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pburke parts list and pix are collected here and most of the parts should be on there. I think the Wima bypass caps are not listed - the majority is 50V rated MKP10s at 0.022uF, while in the PSU there are a few 2000V rated 0.01 uF MKP10s. http://didnt.doit.wisc.edu/audio/toshiba Peter

Thanks Peter! I can't wait to get started on this project.

Sammy

 

[dcrane]

Just soldered my OPA627's on the browndog adapter for my Toshiba 3960. Man, I've got to get a magnifier lamp or something! I needed a break just after doing that.

 

[dcrane]

ah...crap. I lifted up a pad on the opamp. Now what do i do? It was the upper right one, I think it's V-.

Actually, it's 3 pads gone. I guess I'm screwed now.

 

[rsaavedra]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcrane ah...crap. I lifted up a pad on the opamp. Now what do i do?

Oh man sorry to hear that. Really not sure if it's recoverable in any way, I've only read lifting a pad is what everyone dreads the most when doing anything with SMD components.

 

[dcrane]

Well, I'm going to see if I can pick up a replacement board or just another player. Ebay, here I come! If any one has any other ideas.....

 

[Wooderson]

Dcrane, sounds like you should just go with the swenson mods on that player now since you don't need the opamp for them.

For what it's worth... I've done both the vinnie mods (with the browndog and 627's) and then the Swenson mods on mine. My personal opinion is that I like the Vinnie/browndog mod just slightly better than the swenson... but it's a very slight preference indeed. So slight in fact, that I'm leaving mine in the "Swenson" mod mode.