FS Marantz CD63 MKII- serious modifications

[UV101]

Ok so a couple of times a year, I build a modified 63 or 67 to assist with my obsession building and modifying HiFi. Right now, I'm mid way through building ANTs Kora phono stage and I need funds to pay for the premium parts I need furnish the board Alex kindly sold me. To that end, I have spent a few evenings turning another CD63 into a giant killer!! :stalks:( I also fancy a mike bearing for me Techie!!!!)

I've done well over 10 of these now and they are getting pretty neat!
I use Rubycon low impedance low esr caps on analogue rails, Nichicon Solid polymer (extremely low ESR) on digital rails and a mix of panasonic TSUP and FC as smoothers (reservoir) caps before the regulators. These are what I have chosen after many hours trying different types. These represent great value for money and excellent sonic characteristics. I usually fit my own regs and clocks but in this one I've used up some prototype bits to keep the cost down.

Its a basic CD63 but its a MKII which means its actually an SE (has the SE cross brace) but without the additional baseplate (don't worry about this because the bitument damping more than makes up for the baseplate!) In fact the difference between it an the KI are the transformer is better in the KI, it has a copper plated chassis and it has a badge!:rolleyes:

Extensive Modifications

Audio PSU and output stage
Replace pre reg reservoir caps with oversize Panasonic TSUP 6800uF (2)(increase) (Int/ext remote switch removed to allow space for fitment)
Replace post reg caps with Rubycon ZLH 470uF low impedance (2)
Replace opamp caps with Rubycon ZLH 470uF (4)
Modify filter characteristics to Bessel filter with 470pF styrene caps (2)
replace opamps with Nat Semi LM47920NA on gold rolled pin sockets to enable opamp rolling if required (2)
Bypass HDAM and remove HDAM connectivity to PSU
Disconnect headphones circuit including PSU

Servo and 5v PSU
Replace pre +5v reservoir cap with Panasonic TSUP 22,000uF (1)
Replace post +5 regulator cap with Rubycon ZL 1800uF (1)
Replace unregulated -10v rail reservoir cap with Panasonic FC2200uF (1)
Replace all driver IC rails caps with Rubycon ZLH 470uF (6)
Replace servo rail and vref caps with Nichicon Solid polymer 330uF (3)

RF amp
Replace cap with Nichicon Solid polymer 330uF (1)

HF amp
Replace PSU cap with Nichicon Solid polymer 330uF (1)
HF toward decoder Replace ceramic cap with styrene 2200pF (1)

Decoder
Replace PSU cap with Nichicon Solid polymer 330uF (2)

DAC
Replace Digital PSU cap with Nichicon Solid polymer 330uF (2)
Replace Analogue PSU cap with Rubycon ZLH 470uF (2)
Separate analogue PSU and regulate with MIC5219 ultra low noise regulator
Separate analogue PSU and regulate with MIC5219 ultra low noise regulator
*these are prototype and built on vero. The soldering is untidy and the SMT regs are glued to the vero.

Clock
The clock in this player is a hybrid
The oscillator is a Trichord low phase noise high quality oscillator.
The regulator for the oscillator is an Audiocom super reg 2
There is a clock divider to enable direct high quality clock to be fed to both the DAC and Servo directly. The circuit incorporates inductor PSU separation to reject noise between the oscillator and divider chip and local Nichicon solid polymer PSU caps (2)

Other
Microprocessor on separate std regulator (to stop its noise polluting the rest of the player)
Headphones circuit disconnected from audio lines and PSU
Laser and spindle motor replaced (single assembly)
Mains replaced with IEC socket to allow use with better mains cable is required.
Although not fitted yet, the case will be treated with bitumen damping once soak test is completed.

What can you expect? well its well known these player mod very well. The mods here should give you clearer better defined and accurate mids and tops and the bloated ploddy bass should be much tighter and controlled. Overall it should sound more accurate balanced and together.....blah blah blah I could just go on but I'd rather you just tried it if you fancy the sound of it!!;)

I'm looking for £250 plus £15 insured p&P and it will be ready for despatch after the weekend. I will offer a 3 month guarantee although in the unlikely event of an issue, I'll obviously sort (within reason) after that time. I'll also offer a no quibble 14 day period. If you don't like it, send it back for a refund (less the postage!!!)

Just testing the water to see if there is any interest before it hits ebay!:cool:

Photo's from my phone at the moment and the cross brace hasn't been refitted. I'll update pics when I take the decent ones.....

Thanks for looking

*EDIT Just noticed I described all the analogue caps as Rubycon 470uF ZLH in the description. They are in fact all ZLG which are even lower impedance than ZLH which is more desirable. Also tidied up some spelling

http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/cd63mkii/85257681-250F-4A50-8E84-9595FFA6C031-5721-00000216E7BCE3EE.jpg

http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/cd63mkii/D642B2CA-9AC2-4FFA-AA3B-B37163034BB1-5721-00000216D52DA1D3.jpg

http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/cd63mkii/2C11BA9D-200E-4DF7-A2C5-C572C78CFBCF-5721-00000216C4C2C4E4.jpg

http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/cd63mkii/FD7A10A1-3E3E-486B-8E47-CDD253A76804-5721-00000216CA6873CC.jpg

http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/cd63mkii/69F40DB4-E21E-4100-B20A-F44D6E7B4AFB-5721-00000216EC8FCA48.jpg

http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/cd63mkii/2ABA38B0-1738-4EE5-84C5-0DB59667B68B-5721-00000216F1F56D93.jpg

http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/cd63mkii/E26F4771-E36F-47FB-981E-3461D84973D2-5721-0000021700D22844.jpg

[bronzeage]

Hi Ian

I am very interested in buying, don't put it on the bay !

[Barry]

What make are those electrolytic capacitors with the red flash on the top and marked "FP"?

[HoraceW]

They look very much like Nichicon FPCAP's. Conductive polymer types. Sanyo make some nice ones too.

Hugh

[UV101]

Hi Ian

I am very interested in buying, don't put it on the bay !

Its wouldn't be going on before next week now in any case. I'll get it finished with the damping and all back together and get a couple of better pics up. PM me if you are interested ;)


What make are those electrolytic capacitors with the red flash on the top and marked "FP"?

Hi Barry, they are 330uF/6.3v Nichicon NS solid polymer

http://docs-europe.electrocomponents.com/webdocs/0ebd/0900766b80ebdd03.pdf

They are excellent value for money and awesome on digital rails.



They look very much like Nichicon FPCAP's. Conductive polymer types. Sanyo make some nice ones too.

Hugh

Yep indeed. I like to use the Oscon SEPC where budget permits. The Nichicons are about as good on paper but are about 30% of the price ;)

[Barry]

Thanks Ian. :)

[UV101]

OK so Ive finished off the player this afternoon and it will run on soak test over the weekend.

I've added the damping and changed the display from green to blue as I think it looks way cooler!!!

There are a few scratches on the lid which are visible on close inspection and have been touched up. There is also a scratch above the Marantz badge in the top of the front panel which I've included before and after touch up pics. Condition is about 9/10 (conservative on my part) . Display has good uniform brightness. It will be dimmer than standard due to the blue filter. I can remove this if you prefer.

Bronzeage I've sent you a PM and an email ;)

Bitumen damping applied to the base and sides
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/cd63mkii/E9194A44-DC86-47DD-A6EE-2278D95B7598-6722-0000029B0B6C4CEE.jpg

Main board refitted
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/cd63mkii/B76E39E8-E233-4056-83A8-6AD3A9D064FB-6722-0000029B11885359.jpg

Transport refitted
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/cd63mkii/A506042B-0F36-4996-8E44-1D25F79A0A48-6722-0000029B16272D90.jpg

MKII and SE Crossbrace fitted
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/cd63mkii/917C272E-E888-4AB1-AA31-80727EDDBD0C-6722-0000029B1C0BEA03.jpg

Lid damping applied
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/cd63mkii/AD6B9388-6A9D-4F05-8A9B-5712C843D855-6722-0000029B21064790.jpg

Better pics showing the condition of the case
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/cd63mkii/IMG_6965.jpg

http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/cd63mkii/IMG_6964.jpg

Touched up scratch
Before and after
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/cd63mkii/IMG_6966.jpg

http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/cd63mkii/IMG_6967.jpg

Blue display
http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/cd63mkii/IMG_6969.jpg

http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/cd63mkii/IMG_6970.jpg

[UV101]

Now SOLD to Bronzeage! :)

Thanks. I'll keep it running over the weekend and get is sent Monday so should be with you Tuesday.

:cool:

[Xapito]

Hi

If not a secret, how do you add the blue filter?

[Puffin]

I modded a 63 recently picked up at Tonbridge Audiojumble for £20 (it looked like it had been kicked around a football pitch!) After some wet and dry and a re-spray it looks pretty good.

I have done many of the mods in the Diyaudio 1800 page thread, and also as listed on the Acoustica site, PS caps, by-pass HDAM's, tantalums on the pins of the DAC chip, 5v regulators all over the place, grounded the crystal (no clock mod), disconnected HPhone socket etc, added a JLH ripple eater to the separate 12v feed for the 5v regs, bitumen sheets all over it:D Sockets for the op-amps and GD Audio discrete (Earth) op-amps

I never even listened to it before I ripped it apart. Sounds pretty good to me.

[UV101]

These players have massive potential


Just spent several hours listening to this one and this player is bloody awesome!!! Details, resolution,weight, accuracy........

I'd be happy to keep it........

I'm really loathed to package it!!!

[UV101]

Hi

If not a secret, how do you add the blue filter?

No secret....,.,,,,..........just a blue filter ;)

[Xapito]

Yeah :eyebrows: but you insert between the screen and the led pcb? ;)

[UV101]

Lol yes!

Taped onto the vfd ;)

Doesn't effect audio performance but looks good!!!!

[Xapito]

Doesn't effect audio performance:lol: Bonkers!

I have a CD67 MK2 SE which it's PCB is quite similar, will try some mods later on, but now I'll stop with the OT, thanks!

[bronzeage]

Hi Ian

It's too late, you can't keep it now. It's mine, all mine !
Bwahaha !

Um, I think he excitement is getting to me.

[UV101]

Lol!!! Was pretty impressed. It's surprising how good these sound when they have been tweaked! And........there's plenty more you could do with it!!! descrete output stage, better transformer(s), more regs!!!! Hehehehe

It's all packaged up now waiting for UPS to arrive. I'll mail you the tracking details over to you but it should be delivered tomorrow :D



:lol: Bonkers!

I have a CD67 MK2 SE which it's PCB is quite similar, will try some mods later on, but now I'll stop with the OT, thanks!

Yep, different servo section. These also mod very well. This is one I did and sold last year. Similar to this one but was taken a bit further. Audiocom clock PSU driving one of my own clocks and 10 or so of my regs in there 2. All those regs went in as phase 2. The guy was very happy so it sent it back for more :D

http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/Trunky1812/Marantz%20CD67%20OSE%20MKII/Phase%202%20mods/IMG_6861.jpg

[bronzeage]

More ? There is more ? Nuts.

Well, I will have to have that more at some point, once my wallet has recovered.
In about six months I will need another CD player for a different room - it sure would be nice to have a nos TDA1541 based one, hehe.

[UV101]

There's always more :D

Nah! Not NOS!

Put a decent reg on the filter chip and leave it in. Another one of my favourites :D got a couple of 1541 dacs I built and the Philips CD960 which virtually a marantz cd94 mki.

You can do quite a bit with the clocking. Plus you want at least 7 low noise regs! 3 on the dac, 2 on the IV, and 1 each on the receiver and filter then you're really singing.

There a few older pics of mine attached to my profile on here

[bronzeage]

You have exposed my complete lack of any idea of what I am talking about - all I ever see about TDA1541 is NOS, NOS, NOS.:doh:

A year ago I had never even heard of a dac chip. Suddenly, I am thrust into a world of capacitors, clocks and power supplies.

It's great fun to learn about these things, though my understanding of what they all do, well lets just say I am electrically engineering challenged.

As long as they all sound good when put together, I don't mind.:D

[bronzeage]

Well, the player is now in my possession, very quickly despatched to me by Ian.

It was in lovely condition, and felt pretty weighty - the damping I guess.

Tray movement was slick as you like, so on with the music.

I dug out the nastiest, hashiest recordings I could find. I wasn't expecting them to sound great, but I was pleasantly suprised - a lot of hash and nastiness was either filtered out or just the good bits made better perhaps. Some tracks I could not bear to listen to got a full play through.

So result #1 there

Next, I dug out some recordings I knew had particular properties - deep bass, stereo effects, vocals deep in the mix etc.

Everything sounded as good, if not better, as I could ever remember it, and that old chestnut 'details I hadn't heard before' was more about how I heard the details, as opposed to whether they where there or not.

I kind of stopped thinking about technicalites in many ways, as everything just sound 'right'.

Then I figured it would be good to compare with my other bits and bobs, so sent the digital out to a DAC quite popular on these parts.

Ulp - no contest, Marantz thumped it good and proper. Bit of a man vs boy contest, but I guess the DAC was designed more for computer output.

So next, my former favourite, a Technics SL-P477 (or something like that).

The first track was one that I had yet to hear on the Marantz, and my first reaction was, hey this Technics is sounding better.

But then I quickly switched over to the Marantz and my jaw hit the floor - this was a league above. The clarity of the vocals was immense, the midrange detail much better defined, and a really rich and defined bass. I could make out words that were a bit of a jumble before, but without the artificial and glassy nature of other players that play the 'resolution' card

I have to add that using a good (MCRUS No 5) power chord improved matters quite a bit, but that applied to both CD players. I used the same interconnects to keep everything fair.

So overall, so far, I could not be happier. If there are improvement beyond this, well happy days.

Ian is also a top chap to deal with, and I offer him my congratulations on a job well done !

Now back to the music ...:dance:

[UV101]

Nice one and thanks for the really positive comments! If you ever want more doing........lol

These players really do mod well if you do stuff in the right order and can be taken to quite an extreme if you have the desire.
I guess you'll be keeping it then?!?!?!:scratch:

:cool::lol:

[bronzeage]

Yes, short of it mechanically failing, this is a keeper. I played some film scores later in the evening, very, very impressive. Scale, power, clarity, blah de blah.

I'll be in touch once my funds build back up to explore further mods :eyebrows:

[UV101]

Pretty much any mechanical failure can be repaired on these!!

I have at least 2 spare complete mechs. Any issue is normally totally resolved buy a strip clean and re-grease along with a new drive belt. The Laser mech may still even be in use today (I know its used in a Musical fidlelity player about 4 years ago) and comes complete with the spindle and tracking motor. There is nothing that can be forced!!

Its easily removable too! 3 screws, 3 cables and drawer front off and the complete mech is out!! :-)