AC POWER
Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
AMPS
Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
SPEAKERS
Wharfedale Evo 4.4
DAC
PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
TURNTABLE
Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
PHONOSTAGE
Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
DIGITAL
OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
MUSIC PLAYBACK
Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
Ipad Roon Remote.
Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
SPEAKER CABLES
Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
INTERCONNECTS
All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables
Location: Chelmsford, Essex
Posts: 433
I'm Gareth.
Nope, nothing. But all is not as hopeless as I’d originally feared.
If you look at the underside of the spinner (the surface that touches a disc) there are three small circular pads, presumably to provide friction against a disc or prevent scratching. Now these three pads are not stuck on equidistant to each other nor are they the same thickness. This surprised me as Oppomod.com claims this stabiliser is the result of a precise piece of CNC engineering and then someone randomly sticks crappy pads over it , upsetting the overall balance.
Removed all three pads and now the drive runs silently. And placing my iPhone 8+ running the Seismometer 6 app on top of the drive detects no vibration whatsoever. It ain’t scientific, but it does detect vibrations when opening and closing the drawer. Didn’t conduct a before-and-after test, but I’m now satisfied it’s doing what it claims to do.
Also did you know the drive is mounted on a spring-mounted chassis? Took the opportunity to level the drive using a bubble spirit level.
And for anyone interested, my 205 mods comprise of:
Oppomod.com SE Linear PSU with SR Quantum Black 2A slow-blo fuse
Furutech R IEC inlet with Mundorf wiring
Aluminium BD-ROM stabiliser
8-pin digital board silver plated power cable
SoundCare SuperSpikes feet
Soundeck DF Black Square damping feet
Has it made a difference? Still testing...
Spring loaded chassis....hmnn.
Knew it had, but assumed it was level, will get the bubble level out this weekend.
Have to say picture and audio improved with the stabiliser, but noticed slightly more noise than I’m used to when 4k discs first initialise?
My pads looked as though they were equidistant, but if it measures vibration free without them (and fixed your noise problem) then I might remove mine.
The Superspikes feet...which ones have you got, thread size...etc.
Ive stuck rubber feet from my old Rega Planar 2 under it, wonder if I can do better.
Thanks Gareth.
AC POWER
Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
AMPS
Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
SPEAKERS
Wharfedale Evo 4.4
DAC
PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
TURNTABLE
Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
PHONOSTAGE
Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
DIGITAL
OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
MUSIC PLAYBACK
Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
Ipad Roon Remote.
Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
SPEAKER CABLES
Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
INTERCONNECTS
All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables
Location: Chelmsford, Essex
Posts: 433
I'm Gareth.
Remove the pads in a way that you can reattach them if necessary.
As for the Superspike feet, these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/323132979520
But the price has nearly doubled from the £40 I paid to £75!
Edit: Should have said I needed to re-level the drive as I’d raised it to remove and install the 8-pin digital board power cable.
Read up on those feet Gareth, get good reviews.
Might take a punt on a set.
Never had to touch the spring screws on my drive, but wont do any harm to take a bubble level to it to be sure its 100% level.
The 3 pads just look like regular small self adhesive pads, hace a bag of similar ones I think.
Will run a few 4k disks through the 203 and see if any noise is annoying enough to take them off as you did.
Thought I was done modding my Oppo, but a thing I’ve had my eye on for a while has finally became available.
Next up...from Oppomod who built the linear psu...a PS Audio compatible i2s output board.
http://pcaudio.tistory.com/
This is big...really big.
My PS Audio Dac has i2s inputs, primarily for their Sacd Transport which is unique as it passes SACD to their dac DIGITALLY via i2s.
http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/fir...yer-transport/
i2s is my Dacs best input and by all accounts the best sounding way to connect digital gear.
So the board unlocks that potential and effectivly does the same as what the PS Audio transport (at Six grand) does.
Interestingly - the PS Audio transport uses the Oppos disc transport, so similar again.
Might have a play with SACDs again...
Also,
IN ADDITION TO what the PS Audio transport does, the Oppo can act as a Roon Endpoint so with this board my Hires files, SACD Dsd rips and MQA from Tidal will be fed to my Directstream Dac over i2s.
From there everythings converted to 20x DSD, the FPGA does all the digital filtering magic, then the musics output as double data rate DSD through a passive transformer coupled output.
The combo of the modded Oppo and Dac will be a fantastic digital hub and SACD transport...just with the addition of this board.
Digital done?
Wow...colour me impressed with Oppomod.
Pics up when its getting done next payday.
Last edited by Gazjam; 12-05-2018 at 11:17.
AC POWER
Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
AMPS
Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
SPEAKERS
Wharfedale Evo 4.4
DAC
PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
TURNTABLE
Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
PHONOSTAGE
Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
DIGITAL
OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
MUSIC PLAYBACK
Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
Ipad Roon Remote.
Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
SPEAKER CABLES
Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
INTERCONNECTS
All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables
Location: Chelmsford, Essex
Posts: 433
I'm Gareth.
Your enthusiasm is addictive, love it!
Have to agree the Oppo is just so versatile and your modded 203 + Directsteam DAC combo is going to be hard to beat. Looking forward to reading the next chapter of your Oppo journey.
Edit: I may look at doing the 205 DAC mod, but will probably wait for the warranty to expire as everything done to date is reversible.
http://www.oppomod.com/pdf/oppo-205-...it-upgrade.pdf
Hah ! He only does these mods when the '' gets out '' for the weekend Gareth
Seriously though , I've heard Gary's system with the PS Audio DAC and OPPO player in use and it does sound a bit special .
Last time I was over we watched the first 15 minutes of Dunkirk and I must say the picture on his big Sony screen was stunning . SQ is top notch too
Regards
Brian
Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment . (Rumi )
Korus Computer Audio music server
JustBoom DAC . HRT Musicstreamer 2
Amplifier : Sony TA FB740R
Speakers : Tannoy 637
Interconnects : MS Audio / Klotz MC5000 .
Speaker cables : Western Electric 16AG
Aboot time fer a board meeting methinks.
“Music has always been a matter of energy to me, a question of fuel. Sentimental people call it inspiration, but what they really mean is fuel. I have always needed fuel. I am a serious consumer. On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio”
Hunter S Thompson
Last edited by Gazjam; 12-05-2018 at 11:03.
AC POWER
Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
AMPS
Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
SPEAKERS
Wharfedale Evo 4.4
DAC
PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
TURNTABLE
Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
PHONOSTAGE
Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
DIGITAL
OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
MUSIC PLAYBACK
Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
Ipad Roon Remote.
Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
SPEAKER CABLES
Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
INTERCONNECTS
All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables
Update:
i2s output board on its way from Hong Kong.
Plan is to use the Oppo as a Roon endpoint, now outputting i2s directly to the dac.
Apparently that is its best sounding input and will enable me to output SACD digitally as native DSD to the Dac,
Hoping for a bump in sound quality with both movies and music.
Pics to follow when I'm fitting it.
After that...think the Oppo's done.
AC POWER
Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
AMPS
Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
SPEAKERS
Wharfedale Evo 4.4
DAC
PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
TURNTABLE
Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
PHONOSTAGE
Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
DIGITAL
OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
MUSIC PLAYBACK
Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
Ipad Roon Remote.
Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
SPEAKER CABLES
Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
INTERCONNECTS
All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables