Any thoughts on that, Martin? :)
Marco.
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Any thoughts on that, Martin? :)
Marco.
Hi John. I used to find that the Technics amplifiers of the 80s and 90s were also voiced that way ... must have been a 'house sound'.
Anyway, here's two more 'sick' ones, en-route from Martin, for delivery to Stephen's hospital services when I'm up North again next month.
My wife wondered if they were cash registers :D
http://i1233.photobucket.com/albums/...pssypi5yes.jpg
Not one for blowing my own trumpet. My technical knowledge is limited, but I'm not a cretin. And somehow, somehow, I've managed to get four faulty ones working. Whereas, others, with greater technical knowledge than myself, would, I presume, couldn't manage. The laser in the one Martin has was replaced and had to be reset, without a 'scope and test CDs. But, somehow, somehow, I managed to do it, and it was working fine with everything I tried. Looking on-line I have found stories from engineers saying it was difficult to get the 1200 to track. They would get it to track a disc fine, then put on another, and it would skip.
If I wanted to, I could have simply put the power supply/DAC panel from the one I bought from Jerry which TonyC modded, into Martins. He would now have a sound that would be more controlled, a bit more detailed, greater separation or instruments and a greater sense of extreme right and left imagery. A more Radio 3 type sound.
He could have had that. He could have had that. But I was less than convinced after hearing Martin's with it's original panel, after getting it working. The thing that struck me, was the sense of clarity, that was missing with Jerry's panel. It wasn't just the clarity, there seemed a better cohesiveness and a sense of biggness compared to Jerry's, which sounded a bit small and restrained. TonyC re-capped the board using some Os-cons, greater value supply capacitors and additional de-coupling capacitors.
For a good 4 or 5 weeks I tried things and listened to what resulted. This shows some of that:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...64227918f1.jpg
The main supply caps were replaced with Panasonic FC types. The carbon film resistors were replaced with metal film types. The op-amps were replaced with more modern ones. The bridge rectifiers were replaced with ultrafast type diodes. The dacs were screened with lead. The wiring to and from the panel was screened with copper foil. Decoupling capacitors were added.
You might think that all of that would be "for the better". Sadly, sadly, that wasn't the case. Replacing the supply capacitors, and the carbon film resistors on the output panel containing the phono sockets with Panasonic FCs and metal films, did improve overall clarity. But, replacing capacitors elsewhere was less successful. I replaced one set with Panasonic's and another type and the bass texture suffered. So the originals went back in. Changing the original NE 5532 op-amps for LM 4562 ones brought an obvious improvement in dynamics and upper-bass snap - but again at the expense of bass extension and texture. LME 49720HA ones were tried. These are supposed to be top-notch ones. Everything sounded boring as hell, so out they came. Shielding the wires seemed to flatted things and slur transients, so off it came. The carbon film resistors were changed to metal, with mixed results, and then to Takman carbon films, again, with mixed results. At the end of the day, everthing tried had it's own set of compromises, most, anyway. And then there was component burn-in and varying mains quality. One night after trying the 4562 op-amps and some metal film resistors the sense of torque was madness. I stayed up till 2.30 listening. It was like that for a couple of nights, and then disappeared.
At the end of the day, I chose what seemed like the best compromise. To me, at least.
COST. What did it cost Martin? NOTHING. He got one working one for one non-working one. When the Broadcast one gets fixed (if), he'll get it back, although he said I could have his two for getting a working one.
The one he has was totally stripped and cleaned:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...4d7a1dc69d.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6623f5c72c.jpg
I don't think a service engineer would have bothered. The display was disassembled and cleaned to remove the layer of grime on it and the filter on the reverse. The front perspex panel was polished to remove some scratches. Again, not something an engineer would have bothered with. All the tactile switches were replaced, just for the feel in use. The originals feel pretty shagged. Again, I don't think a service engineer would have bothered.
To my mind, (but what do I know?) a discrete output stage would offer the most obvious improvement. And that is why I intend to try a Lampizator stage. That and a valve low jitter clock.
Bring a Sony to the next NEBO, Marco, and I'll bring a Technics as described. Hopefully it will kick the shit out of the Sony. If not, I won't be worried - as I don't have an ego to maintain.
Ask TonyC what can and cannot be done with a 1200. He has more knowledge and experience of it than I have.
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Blow away.. youve done superbly well. Techy master black belt :D
Very interesting indeed, Stephen.
And nice work, if I may say so!!
I must admit that I had hoped TonyC's mods (I hadn't realised they were so extensive!) would blow me away and take it to the sort of sound quality level that Marco is on about.
But no, a definite and hearable improvement - but basically just a bit better all round, iirc, with nothing to go WOW about, even for an over-excitable chappie like me!
Well impressed, Stephen! That's some care and energy to find what worked and what didn't.
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Thanks Stephen, all interesting stuff. The cosmetic condition is amazing, looks and feels brand new.
Did you make any changes to the output level? Seems to be lower than I remember.
I've always fancied one of those players. I think they look great.
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