Caiman Mods

[chrism]

Thanks Stan,

I have the AD826 in at the moment and the mod appears to make the sound a little more dramatic i.e. very quite to loud bits just leap out at you!

It certainly is not a backward step but the Caiman sounds so good anyway it is not easy to identify actual improvements.

Regards

Chris

[StanleyB]

As I mentioned . Increased dynamic range.
The extra detail is noticeable on headphones as well. I discovered an extra instrument on a Roberta Flack track that I thought I knew very well. I had to remove the mods and then put them back just to make sure I was not imagining things.

[leo]

Is that true even where leakage is critical?

I should have said usually rather than always

[MartinT]

I've just tried the AD826 op-amps in place of the LM4562s in my modded Caiman. I'm reaching for a word to describe them: lush? Rich? Certainly there is no loss of detail but it's presented in a very rich and enveloping soundstage. The bass is truly subterranean and it wasn't lacking before.

Is this what others have found with these op-amps?

[Covenant]

Martin, I just think the AD826 has got the balance right; I have no wish to change op-amps since fitting a pair of these. Well not until something better comes along... The soundstage thing got me as well.

[Gazjam]

I've just tried the AD826 op-amps in place of the LM4562s in my modded Caiman. I'm reaching for a word to describe them: lush? Rich? Certainly there is no loss of detail but it's presented in a very rich and enveloping soundstage. The bass is truly subterranean and it wasn't lacking before.

Is this what others have found with these op-amps?

Hi Martin.
I've used the 826 for a while now...and I like them better than the usual suspects because they make the Dac sound more like a good record player..maybe its that rich enveloping soundstage you talk of?...but whatever it is to me its the "opposite" of digital and the closest to that feeling of involvement I got from my record player back in the day...

Was it the BB 2132 you swapped from?
Been thinking of trying opamp swapping again soon once I've given the new mods a week or so to "heat up"

[MartinT]

Was it the BB 2132 you swapped from?

No, the original LM4562. I haven't tried any others on the basis that I enjoy listening to it performing optimally rather than cooling it down and putting new components in that need more running in!

I'm going to give these AD826 a lot of time to settle into their stride and will report back. By the way, the SuperTeddy 16V PSU is really doing its thing, fantastic low noise and 'blackness' forming the structure of the music.

[chrism]

Hi Martin,

If you like the LM4562 you will like the LME49720HA. This was the best that I had tried. I have the AD826 in now and really like it but yes the bass is boardering too heavy although tunefull.

The wire mod that Stan suggested helps with the AD826 though (adds a bit more control to the bass).

Regards

Chris

[StanleyB]

One of the mods that I haven't been able to yet publish is the passive mod. The main reason for that is that I was waiting for a couple of 47uF Rubycon caps from someone. The 2nd reason is that I have to double check it on my integrated amp since it has been a while since I last tried it. My amp is in storage right now whilst the builders expand my workshop/lab. But hopefully I can show the mod off in July.

[Carson]

One of the mods that I haven't been able to yet publish is the passive mod. The main reason for that is that I was waiting for a couple of 47uF Rubycon caps from someone. The 2nd reason is that I have to double check it on my integrated amp since it has been a while since I last tried it. My amp is in storage right now whilst the builders expand my workshop/lab. But hopefully I can show the mod off in July.

Ha ha, that reminds me. Did you get the caps ok then?