[Dark Helmet]

Just got 2 new walnuts that I ordered about 3 weeks ago and they are the ones with the hold switch.  This is where it gets interesting.  Mine has a serial number, also the volume taper is smooth and this is significantly louder than the original one I got

, and no noise when swapping to different opamps.  Gonna leave it alone for a few days and see what I think, it sounds fantastic as is.  

 

[silverfishla]

  Just got 2 new walnuts that I ordered about 3 weeks ago and they are the ones with the hold switch.  This is where it gets interesting.  Mine has a serial number, also the volume taper is smooth and this is significantly louder than the original one I got

, and no noise when swapping to different opamps.  Gonna leave it alone for a few days and see what I think, it sounds fantastic as is.  

May I ask what store that you bought yours from?

 

[Dark Helmet]

 
May I ask what store that you bought yours from?

AisLu Hifi Store

 

[silverfishla]

Me too, so hopefully I've got a chance.

AisLu Hifi Store

 

[groucho69]

Welcome to the latest installment of Dark Helmet and the Holy Grail 
 

 

[Dark Helmet]

Not sure what the two new ones mean, but they sound far better than the first one I got.  I am guessing the first one I got was a bad one.

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

Would love to hear from T.R.A.N.C.E. and Vapman about the change.

 
There was a period of time of about a month or so when the walnut factory switched to soldered SOIC8 opamp (OPA2604), but recently they have switched back to socketed DIP8 opamp due to feedback.
 
As has been mentioned there has been a few changes in the pcb, the extra usb port simply allows to load songs directly to the walnuts sd card, the new jacks are less secure and more prone to stress failure, but they are otherwise better quality jacks, gold plated with better contact prong design, the through hole rectifier diode has been removed and replaced with a smd voltage regulation. No significant changes really. I hear Nick says the pcb is wider, that''s good to hear, the old walnuts pcb wouldn't properly fit in the rails and would be lopsided in the case half the time.

 

[Dark Helmet]

   
There was a period of time of about a month or so when the walnut factory switched to soldered SOIC8 opamp (OPA2604), but recently they have switched back to socketed DIP8 opamp due to feedback.
 
As has been mentioned there has been a few changes in the pcb, the extra usb port simply allows to load songs directly to the walnuts sd card, the new jacks are less secure and more prone to stress failure, but they are otherwise better quality jacks, gold plated with better contact prong design. The through hole diode has been removed and replaced with a smd voltage regulation.

Should I assume that I have the new version of the DIP8 socketed Nut?

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

  Should I assume that I have the new version of the DIP8 socketed Nut?

 
You said yours have the hold switch, so that is the old version, the new ones have the changes I mentioned before.

 

[DBaldock9]

There was a period of time of about a month or so when the walnut factory switched to soldered SOIC8 opamp (OPA2604), but recently they have switched back to socketed DIP8 opamp due to feedback.

As has been mentioned there has been a few changes in the pcb, the extra usb port simply allows to load songs directly to the walnuts sd card, the new jacks are less secure and more prone to stress failure, but they are otherwise better quality jacks, gold plated with better contact prong design, the through hole rectifier diode has been removed and replaced with a smd voltage regulation. No significant changes really. I hear Nick says the pcb is wider, that''s good to hear, the old walnuts pcb wouldn't properly fit in the rails and would be lopsided in the case half the time.

Is it still limited to a 32GB SD card?

 

[nick n]

  Just got 2 new walnuts that I ordered about 3 weeks ago and they are the ones with the hold switch.  This is where it gets interesting.  Mine has a serial number, also the volume taper is smooth and this is significantly louder than the original one I got

, and no noise when swapping to different opamps.  Gonna leave it alone for a few days and see what I think, it sounds fantastic as is.  

^ on that note above, I noticed that with the non-socketed ones I just got, they are clean ( no noise ) on the volume pot all the way down to nothing.
There was zero opamp noise as well.
 Very nice.
Very little pop upon first insertion, then turning it on after it had just been shut off from a small trial, there was very little pop  when turning it on right away again.
 
Now that it has sat over night I'll have to see again.
 
 
As far as the soldered-on opamp, I find the signature of the thing to be not in your face, but also not distant either.
 
Details are there though not as much in your face as the stock 5532 from before.
 Top end so far seems like it has nothing approaching sibilant at all.
I'd GENERALLY say that it is what some might call laid back, though I don't want to give the impression that "laid back" means lacking details or overly warmed out.
Perhaps more natural a sound vs the 5532 is a better way to put it. That may correspond to a less abruptly exciting sound to some people.
Though anyone who has swapped the same opamp into their socketed versions could you please post up and compare to what I hear.
 
I'm quite happy with these. 1688's should be here soon will solder one in and see how they compare. Supposed to be good stuff.

 

[bzfrank]

The OPA2604 never rocked my boat, too much roll off and too boring signature for my taste. Its a pretty easy to use op amp in a cmoy however.

 

[heraleks]

nick n, please see marking of R7 and R8 in your newest Walnut. I'm not sure but it seems there is 120 Ohms. This is a fragment of a photo of the renewed Walnut from taobao. Also R18 200kOhms not 240.

 

[heraleks]

Is it still limited to a 32GB SD card?

It's official support. But Walnut may read cards more capacity. On player.ru was info about 64-128Gb.

 

[DBaldock9]

It's official support. But Walnut may read cards more capacity. On player.ru was info about 64-128Gb.

Thanks!  I was wondering what size card to order for my Walnut, which should be arriving before too long.