+ Reply to Thread
Page 13 of 21 FirstFirst ... 31112131415 ... LastLast
Results 121 to 130 of 202

Thread: Hey....guess what I’m about to do? [Major Oppo mods]

  1. #121
    Join Date: May 2011

    Location: Glasgow

    Posts: 7,718
    I'm Brian.

    Default

    Nice work mate . Looks like I'm going to have to pay you another visit
    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

  2. #122
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,656
    I'm Gary.

    Default

    So,
    I’ve lived with the Oppo for a few days after its latest bout of surgery and can comment on the mod.
    Top level, best digital Ive heard in my system by quite a ways, perhaps by opening up more of my Dacs potential using the i2s input?

    From first switch on it DID sound a bit digital and ‘shiny’ for a few days...oh, thats a bit of a let down.
    Left music playing and was all over the place the first few days but with some time on it seems to have smoothed out and opened up. Very detailed and crisp sound but musical and very not ‘digital’. Soundstage is massive!
    The Oppo doesn’t decode MQA and cant play DSD over the network only via USB, but hey...who cares, can always play those from the Dacs network card, just switch inputs.

    Biggest improvement I think is playing back CDs, they sound quite different from how Ive heard them before.
    Easy to forget the hifi stuff and just drift off into the music, love it.
    Looking forward to trying SACD as the Oppo will feed the DSD layer to the dac, should be interesting.

    Another cool thing the Oppo does is it has a “PureAudio” mode, which switches off the display and all the video playback circutry, kinda like a source direct feature to maximise audio quality.
    It works well, and it improves things again, but I do miss the display when playing back CDs though, ah well.

    Connecting the Oppo with the supplied HDMI 18GB cable, and it sounds great.
    Tried a few different HDMI’s I had kicking around, and there are distinct differences depending on the cable used, more so I’d say than interconnects weirdly.
    Interestingly the Monoprice one with the Redmere chip doesn’t work at all here.

    So...the quality (and length?) of cable really matters here it seems?
    The Oppo cable Im using is six foot long, probably not ideal for i2s.
    Worth “going large” with this one I think, will do some rummaging about online for this.

    But yeah,
    A very worthwhile mod, digitals stepped up in a big way and whilst Im not comparing it to the six grand PS Audio i2s disc transport, it DOES use the same Oppo disk mechanism and with the linear PSU, disc stabiliser and other mods I’ve done, the Oppo sure makes for a good digital transport.
    The bonus being of course I can now play my Roon/Tidal/Spotify music library (and CDs...never thought I’d go back to those!) through a far better digital connection and make better use if my Dac, the PS Audio transport doesn't.

    Just need to get that HDMI cable sorted...
    Last edited by Gazjam; 18-08-2018 at 16:30.
    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

  3. #123
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,656
    I'm Gary.

    Default

    Well...THOUGHT I was done.

    till I read up on on femto clocks...
    Theres two clocks on the Oppo, the main system clock that runs at 27mhz and another on the Dac board that runs at 100mhz.

    Not concerned about the dac clock as I run the Oppo into an external dac through it’s i2s connection, but found out the main system clock can be upgraded.
    The high end guys like DCS, MSB and the like invest heavily in clock accuracy...so I’ll take the lead from them.
    From everything I’ve read, I’m expecting this upgrade to improve everything, significantly, including video.

    Oppomod to the rescue again, every upgrade I’ve done from him has significantly improved the player and importantly unlike other online companies (with multi tier ‘signature’ editions of upgrade packages and all that marketing BS) is cost effective.
    He does a replacement femto clock upgrade board to the 203 which improves everything downstream, the idea being a more accurate clock the less jitter and better digital sound.
    In my experience its Jitter that gives digital its unnatural sounding top end, and if you can fix that...great.

    Some numbers, and simplifying a bit:
    the stock Oppo has a clock “jitter tolerance” of 300 PPM.
    (the number is a measure of deviation from the base frequency, the closer and lower the number the better - and closer to the original sound)

    A scope trace from Oppomod, the sine wave should be square but its being affected by jitter.


    A similar scope trace after the upgraded femto clock is fitted.
    Jitter wise the upgrade clock board measures better than the stock Oppo clock...300PPM and now 0.01 PPM.

    i.e. virtually no jitter.


    Some surface mount soldering required, and beyond my abilities so packing main board up and sending it off to Oppomod to fit.
    Pics and some thoughts when it comes back.

    What sparked off all these mods was finding out a lot of uber high end digital transports, like my Dacs matching transport from PS Audio, and looking even highter the MSB Reference Transport (STARTING at $18500!!) were based on a stock Oppo transport.
    Found out I could improve at a comparativly sensible price all the stock Oppos bits that mattered and thought yup, thats the road to go down.

    Biggest punt for me yet, cross your fingers everything goes as planned!
    Last edited by Gazjam; 25-08-2018 at 18:45.
    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

  4. #124
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

    Posts: 99,005
    I'm Grant.

    Default

    sounds like a plan
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work
    .... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
    FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -

    Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?

    “Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".

    “You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”

    "You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”

    “There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”


    ***SMILE, BE HAPPY***

  5. #125
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,656
    I'm Gary.

    Default

    Been looking on the DCS website at their high end digital kit?
    Some specs:

    DCS Vivaldi CD/SACD Transport - £28,000
    https://www.dcsltd.co.uk/products/vi...acd-transport/
    Clock accuracy: Better than +/- 10ppm

    DCS Vivaldi Master Clock - £11,300
    https://www.dcsltd.co.uk/products/vi.../specification
    Clock accuracy: Better than +/- 1ppm when shipped. Typically +/- 0.1 when shipped and stabilised

    Oppomod OCXO module - £325+ shipping
    http://www.oppomod.com/
    Clock accuracy: 0.01ppm


    Crikey!

    I know theres a zillion factors to digital playback, but clock accuracy of your transport is a big one, and given the linear power supply and other mods I’ve done as well the fact the Oppo's feeding a good Dac...I reckon digital's sorted.


    Last edited by Gazjam; 25-08-2018 at 20:25.
    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

  6. #126
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,656
    I'm Gary.

    Default

    Bit of a twist in the story here...

    Turns out the linear PSU I ordered didn't have the additional 4.5V feed from the Toroid I needed to power the OCXO upgraded clock board.
    Contacted MR Lee at Oppomod, and he offered to send out a new replacement linear PSU with the additional 4.5V feed AS WELL AS the new Femto clock board...without batting an eyelash he offered me a replacement PSU.

    That speaks volumes to me, the man stands behind his work, and having his linear PSU can attest to the quality of it.

    While he's sending out a new linear PSU for me, I'm asking him to fit a circuit breaker rather than a fuse holder to the LPS, can use the SR Blue fuse elsewhere in my system.
    Circuit breaker Vs. fuse holder...improvement you think?

    Pics (as usual) when it all arrives, I'm getting Tirna Electronics here in Scotland (They of Beresford Mods here on AOS years back) to do the surface mount stuff I cant do.
    Jimmy Dripps at Tirna did some sterling work for us 7510/7520 Beresford Dac modders back in the day and electronics wise if there's anything I'm not qualified to do its Tirna time.

    An 0.01PPM vs 300ppm accurate clock upgrade should be a doozy...think I'm done after this.
    (Trying not to think about Stillpoints though..)
    Last edited by Gazjam; 31-08-2018 at 16:40.
    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

  7. #127
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,656
    I'm Gary.

    Default

    crikey...

    10,000 views!
    Last edited by Gazjam; 04-09-2018 at 12:37.
    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

  8. #128
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,656
    I'm Gary.

    Default

    Posties been..


    OCXO clock upgrade board arrived from Oppomod.


    Along with the replacement linear power supply with circuit breaker (not fuse) and extra wiring for powering the Clock board.
    Comparison of old and new


    Interestingly a small redesign(?) with beefier rated caps used.


    Improved sound with new supply, how much down to different caps, how much to removing the fuse and fitting the circuit breaker can't tell.
    Doesn't matter really, even though you can tell the power supply needs to run in it sounds better and more to come.
    Biggest difference I notice is in video quality, which has taken another step up.
    All good.

    Just the upgraded clock to fit now, wont be doing the work myself but taking it all down to Tirna Electronics here in Scotland, who did a lot of upgrade work for Beresford dac owners back in the day.
    Getting there.
    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

  9. #129
    Join Date: Mar 2008

    Location: Galashiels

    Posts: 13,669
    I'm inthescottishmafia.

    Default

    Look forward to hearing this sometime mate, you’ve really gone the extra mile.
    “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

  10. #130
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,656
    I'm Gary.

    Default

    Just putting the final pieces in place Ali, then I'll have the troops over again.
    Been a while mate, too long.
    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

+ Reply to Thread
Page 13 of 21 FirstFirst ... 31112131415 ... LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •