I'm sorry ZG, but tonight, I'm cleaning out my closet...

Folks,

Free after Eminem

I'm sorry ZG.
I never meant to hurt you.
I never meant to make you cry,
But tonight, I'm cleaning out my closet.

I no longer post to debates, prior to putting stuff on e-gay, maybe someone here is interested....

Over the years loads of stuff has accumulated, which simply cannot be acoomodated any longer....

Virtually all gear is DIY/Modded.

I catalogue it from the Sources onwards and will be listing in this thread....

Ciao T

 

Sources - CD-Player

CD-Player - Pioneer DV-505



Review of the original unmodded machine here:

Homecinemachoice review

Yup, you are dead right, a Pioneer DVD Player as CD Player.

It still plays DVD's but it is modified to an extreme degree and aimed squarely at playing Audio CD's.

There are a few very unique things about the 505 player as well, which distinguished it from about all other players on the market. First, it treats the CD when played as DATA disk, not as audio disk, just the way it does with the DVD of course. This means the disk is read asyncronous and multiple reads will be attempted on error.

As a downside, as the Player uses a visible RED light laser, not an INFRARED laser, like all CD-Players (and all DVD-Players with a second laserhead for CD-Replay) it does not recognise ANY CD-R's, however certain types of CD-RW (grey playing surface) work just fine.

Secondly, this player had the last generation of Pioneers own "Legato Link" DAC (later Pioneer DVD and CD players use a rebadged ulra-cheap Burr-Brown Chip that is notionally 96KHz or 192KHz "24Bit", yet analogue performance is poor enough to disqualify it for CD replay), this limits it of DVD-Audio to 48KHz/20Bit but places the DAC in effect level with the Tom Evans Eikos CD-Player, the transport side by virtue of it's asyncronous operation is superior to the Eikos's stable platter syncronous one, IMHO.

All the above reasons made me select the player as modification platform.

The following modifications I am sure of having been applied:

1) Bottom of Player reinforced using solid wood panels (Spruce or Pine, cannot remember)

2) All circuit boards extensively C37 laquered (see my comments on C37 here: the Freakazoid Tweekaloid Strikes again)

3) All electrolytic capacitors in the Digital and Video sections are Sanyo Os-Con. The Switched Mode supply has been given additional filtering and bypassing for much lower noise, all electrolytic capacitors had their plastic sleeving removed as described here:

http://db.audioasylum.com/scripts/t.pl?f=tweaks&m=85194

This approach is also applied by 47 Labs and is part of the general "C37 Tuning" approach (see Audioconsulting.ch for more, this also includes using uncoated silver wire). Below is a rather even more "C37" tweaks CD player by the guys from Audio Consulting.



Further tuning is distinctly leftfield and includes chinese chass pieces and crystal points, works though.

4) An Audiocom Superclock has been fitted for the 44.1KHz replay clock.



This is one of the best clocks at any price (the 48/96KHz replay clock is unmodified making this less of an ideal transport for DVD-A/DAD high resolution Disks despite offering a 96KHz/24Bit digitaloutput). Current version is Superclock 3, I would reckon the original version as likely at least as good, if not better.

This is the original, schock full of Black Gate Nx-HiQ capacitors (Digital Supplies are about the only place where Black Gates really shine and Nx-HiQ are about as good as it gets), C37 lacquered, capacitor sleeves removed (as per 3). Wiring is solid, uncoated silver.

5) LC Audio "Zap-Filter 2" discrete, zero feedback analog stage has been fitted.



This analog stage is one of the best "off the shelf" upgrades (certainly miles past op-amp swapping, removing muting transistors etc.), applied in the DV-505 it takes the balanced output from the DAC and offers both SE (RCA) Outputs and Balanced (XLR) outputs all direct coupled with no coupling capacitors between DAC and outputs, the lowpass filtering is done using Silver Mica .

As the original powersupply was too large to fit I made my own using an E/I transformer, rather than torroid (better in this application). The PCB's are again laquered with C37, audio wiring is silver in PTFE IIRC, decent grades of connectors fitted, nothing silly though. Uisng the balanced output is highly recommended.

6) Final Labs Daruma 3 "rolerball" isolation feet included (I found these to work best):



Sonically this is a most excellent player if you value natural, realistic and fatigue free reproduction with killer dynamics and a good dose of PRAT. It has remained my own preference for many years outpointing many rather expensive options.

Well, the original player was £ 450, the added tweaks where at least the same in amounts (probably more) and I do not think you would find many people who would even attempt such a complete tuning. Definitly one of a kind, wolf in sheeps clothing.

I'd say make an offer over £ 200.

Ciao T

 

Preamplification

Folks,

Little needs to be said, Music First Audio - Passive Magnetic Preamplifier, new £ 1,600. This is a latest generation unit, well run in (by me). I'd say £ 700.

This one has golden knobs....



Ciao T

 

Speakers - strictly DIY

Folks,

One pair of Woolworth Breadboxes (nice, minimonitor sized solid wood enclosures) reinforced and converted into Speakers, fitted with a single DIYHiFisupply Neophone Full Range Driver and a Foster Supertweeter Ribbon. Surprisingly capable in dynamic terms, includes reasonable Alphason Speaker Stands as well.



Some info on the main drivers here:

http://www.diyhifisupply.com/diyhs_speaker.htm

I'd take £ 120 for them to mainly cover material costs.

Ciao T

 

mmm nice CD player For £200 an absolute bargain!

So are you keeping the AMR system?

 

Subwoofer - DIY

Folks,

A nice Subwoofer of the unusual kind.



This uses a pair of Pro-Audio 12" woofers in a sealed box (appx. 15" cube) in a "force cancelling" arrangement plus a Thomessen 250W active Subwoofer Amplifier Module with very good adjustablility. This uses some passive equalisation applied on the speaker level inputs to get a flat LF to "very low".



This overall makes the subwoofer more suited as low bass fill in to high efficieny/full range systems to fill in the bass as opposed to generated home theater boom.

Will work rather well with the Breadbox speakers above, also a good option for Lowthers and the like, small sealed box loaded Tannoys and so on.

The silver paint on the box is a little tatty on top (the wife kept putting flowers on it). A can of paint from B&Q, some old papers and masking tape can fix that, or put some more flowers....

Edit, forgot price, I would think £ 150 will cover parts and such.

Ciao T

 

Hi,

Absolutely. It is certainly the best I had in my place over the years, well, it darn well ought to be, for the kind of money we are asking!

Ciao T

 

Mains Conditioner

Folks,

This one is very rarely seen in the UK, a Steinmusik mains conditioner for source components. This uses several transformers and shunt filtering, german schuko output, I will also include one of stein musiks best mains cables with Schuko and IEC plugs.

IEC in, Schuko out and front mounted mains switch. Maximum load 30..50VA, this device filters noise already well in the audioband just above the mains frequency.

Principle schematic:



Filter curve (note the filter cuts in at around 200Hz!!!):



The internal look like this:


Relatively small box (but heavy) stainless steel and black acrylic.

I cannot find a picture now.

The original cost of cable and conditioner was well > £ 600, I'd say best offer over £ 150, by all means borrow it for a trial, must be heard to be appreciated.

Ciao T

 

Having heard these at Thorsten's, I have to say they are a stonking bargain at the asking price.

 

Hi Markus,

Thanks for the endorsement, I'd love to keep all this "krempel" but I rencently heard my wife muttering things about knifes and balls when I offered a "no" to the demand to get rid of some of the stuff....

Ciao T

 

Amplifiers - Shaling SP-80 Valve Monoblocks

Folks,

These are a pair of Shanling SP-80 UK Valve Push-Pull monoblocks, early (stainless steel) generation, new price £ 2,000.



These had only as much work done as I consider ESSENTIAL (cobblers Kids), that means they had their output stage triode connected and the Solid State Preamp stage is removed (these amplifiers are really crippled by that shitty thing), so no volume control on board.

Modded like that they sound rather good, no, not 300B SE Amplifier levels of sound quality, but in return you get 25 - 30W of triode power per channel which will drive most speakers well enough. Damping factor, due to the triode mode is much improved over the originals, also the somewhat strident upper midrange character of the original pentode output stage is removed.

I can perform some other upgrades if desired (coupling capacitors especially are probably worth doing, also upgraded valves).

I'd say something around £ 1K, we'll talk about what exact package of extra mods, valves and so on makes sense.

Ciao T

 

Folks,

going, once, twice, trice, gone to the gentleman wearing the faded blues.

Ciao T

 

it's sad that you have to sell your kit because your missis says so...

says me who still hasn't told my missis about my new speakers....and too scared to...

 

very reasonable prices Thorsten.

Personally, I hope someone buys the amps, sub, speakers and CD player altogether as a package.

It looks a lot for about £1,500.

 

Hi,

> it's sad that you have to sell your kit because your missis
> says so...

It's not only the Missus. You have no idea how the house looks like. And the new gear is now in place at home and it is so much more chic and user friendly with little or no downmarking in sound quality (the reverse in fact), I cannot see myself going back.



I'll still be keeping the big acrylic dipole speakers and a new 300B (Plus) SE Amplifier is being slowly build and I have several generations of AMR CD Player Prototypes at hand for a second system, ONCE I can find myself a larger place with a seperate room....

Ciao T

 

Hi,

I just need some "beer money".... :beer:

Certainly Speakers and Sub make a nice package. With theCD Player they might make an excellent packange with that inexpensive chinese EL34 Push-Pull Amp that floats around (forgot the exact model, seen it as Audio Academy and Dynavox).

Some form of preamp is certainly needed with the Shanling Amplifiers (the Glasshouse passive may be an option that keeps it affordable), I COULD put the solid state preamp boards back, but that really does not sound all that good in the end....

Ciao T

 

very impressive setup there - I was only referring to your quote above... "I rencently heard my wife muttering things about knifes and balls when I offered a "no" to the demand to get rid of some of the stuff...."

ho hum...I'm just gonna go home with the new speakers tonight anyway...she won't say that much expcept maybe 'they look nice...'

 

Hi,

Thanks. We try.

Try sneaking them in when she does not look, put them in place and when she notices just say sweetly "but Hon, we had these for ages.".... I am sure every now and then you notice shoes and dresses or jewlery of hers that she had "for ages".... :JPS:

But still, my wife HAS been complaining how there is no space in the house with all sorts of boxes everywhere. Some are outstanding work, others is my old stuff. I have at the moment enough gear for maybe two or three secondary systems (on top of my bedroom system) and at least three main systems!

And my "second system" kind of stuff tends to be for many people "first system" stuff. So some stuff has to go.

Ciao T

 

actually - I done that with my last cd upgrade - upgraded a nad cdp (from c521bee to c542) with no difference except for the diplay being a bit brighter... not sure if it'll work with the speakers tho... besides - she'll be in the house when I get home...

 

Does the Pioneer have component outputs?