The true experimental tweak thread

[Cornan]

GirlsGirlsGirls. Here is a band that is close to my heart. I would love to see them live.

 

CocoRosie - Tales of a GrassWidow

https://tidal.com/album/20265227

 

 

 

[tapatrick]

On 10/25/2017 at 6:29 PM, TubeMan said:

today I replaced the incoming ceramic 47uf capacitors with a 1000uf ELNA Silmic on LT3045 1Ah,
and suddenly all dynamics were there, more 3d, more organic sound, better bass, more details
definitely sounds better,

 

 

Hi @TubeMan What value cap would you use to replace the ceramic 47uf input cap on the LT3045 500ma version?

[Forehaven]

I had a similar question, any suggestions for cap replacement on a Teradak DW30?

[tapatrick]

54 minutes ago, Forehaven said:

I had a similar question, any suggestions for cap replacement on a Teradak DW30?

Hi @Forehaven I used Nichicon UHWs to mod my Teradak with good results.

 

Also just been working on finalising my USB/Aqvox switch chain today, putting it all in aluminium boxes with 3M and Stillpoint EMI sheets. Almost there, just need to drill one end of the main box for the cables to go in. Some pics to show progress.

 

I tried swopping out the input ceramic caps with Elnas as mentioned by @TubeMan & @sandyk. Yes can definitely confirm they make a very nice improvement even before burn in. Smoother in upper treble especially voices and more definition in bass, overall like adding cream to the mix (in a good way..:). Thanks Guys for the tips..

 

Also have removed grounding from switch and BlueWave board and works better for some reason... More to explore there.

 

[Solid-State]

2 hours ago, Forehaven said:

I had a similar question, any suggestions for cap replacement on a Teradak DW30?

Fore smooth and natural sound ELNA Silmic
Fore a little more digital sound Nichicon FG,
For the best of the best Mundorf MLytic
but remember they take 50-100h to burn in

[Forehaven]

1.  Holy Shit!  LOL!! What's happened to us guys?? hehe  #sosimilar

 

2.  Thanks for the cap advice....which leads me to,  I've done a decent job making those LT3045s and soldering cables.  Hence my curiosity to explore if I can expand my skills starting with this.  Honestly, I have the equipment and have watched youtube vid's of changing capacitors.  Should I make this my first attempt?

[Solid-State]

and remember,
higher voltage rating better quality,

even for low voltage application

[Cornan]

2 hours ago, tapatrick said:

Hi @Forehaven I used Nichicon UHWs to mod my Teradak with good results.

 

Also just been working on finalising my USB/Aqvox switch chain today, putting it all in aluminium boxes with 3M and Stillpoint EMI sheets. Almost there, just need to drill one end of the main box for the cables to go in. Some pics to show progress.

 

I tried swopping out the input ceramic caps with Elnas as mentioned by @TubeMan & @sandyk. Yes can definitely confirm they make a very nice improvement even before burn in. Smoother in upper treble especially voices and more definition in bass, overall like adding cream to the mix (in a good way..:). Thanks Guys for the tips..

 

Also have removed grounding from switch and BlueWave board and works better for some reason... More to explore there.

 

 

Nice Patrick! ?

My BluWave have been sent out now and should arrive next week. I have removed the DC- output grounding of the Gophert powering my ISO Regen. It actually sounds better without it. Maybe something with GI and DC- output grounding that does'nt go well together? ?

[sandyk]

1 hour ago, Forehaven said:

Honestly, I have the equipment and have watched youtube vid's of changing capacitors.  Should I make this my first attempt?

 

Ideally, you should practice on a circuit board from a dead electronic device first if you are able to.

Experienced DIYers are likely to have Solderwick and perhaps a solder sucker to help with component removal without damaging the PCB.

[Forehaven]

I have and use wick pretty well.  I don't have a practice board, but it's a good thought

[sandyk]

Just now, Forehaven said:

I have and use wick pretty well.  I don't have a practice board, but it's a good thought

 

 I have found with most brands of "solderwick" that it also helps to have a Flux Pen, and add a few drops to the solderwick immediately before use.

[Forehaven]

I've never tried prewetting the wick with flux.  Sounds logical...Thanks Sandyk

 

Btw, the DW30's dc umbilical looks not bad incl. the connectors.  Are you guys using this or changing it over to the Canare star quad?  Could reuse connectors.

[sandyk]

4 hours ago, tapatrick said:

I tried swopping out the input ceramic caps with Elnas as mentioned by @TubeMan & @sandyk. Yes can definitely confirm they make a very nice improvement even before burn in. Smoother in upper treble especially voices and more definition in bass, overall like adding cream to the mix (in a good way..:). Thanks Guys for the tips..

 

Has anybody tried soldering  something like a 100nF MKT capacitor under the new Elnas etc.  ?

The capacitors you are using may result in an increase in Impedance at very high frequencies, which is not what the I.C. designer intended, and why they used a ceramic capacitor there.

[tapatrick]

2 hours ago, Cornan said:

 

Nice Patrick! ?

My BluWave have been sent out now and should arrive next week. I have removed the DC- output grounding of the Gophert powering my ISO Regen. It actually sounds better without it. Maybe something with GI and DC- output grounding that does'nt go well together? ?

Thanks Micael   SQ is superb, best ever, thats why I'm putting it all in a box. Now that I've removed the Aqvox switch and BlueWave grounding it sounds cleaner. I've gone back and forth with this and I still find grounding a bit of a mystery. The WaveIO which I had before the BlueWave needed grounding to work but the BlueWave doesn't.

 

Tubelovers tip of adding the Elna caps is highly recommended too...

[tapatrick]

1 hour ago, Forehaven said:

I've never tried prewetting the wick with flux.  Sounds logical...Thanks Sandyk

 

Btw, the DW30's dc umbilical looks not bad incl. the connectors.  Are you guys using this or changing it over to the Canare star quad?  Could reuse connectors.

Yes its good to have sucker, flux etc but I didn't need to use them when adding the Elna caps. I added a dot of solder on the pads when I removed the 47uf ceramic tantalum as they are very small, then bedded the Elna legs which I tinned into the added spots of solder. It is fairly easy but always be careful not to over heat board or touch any other components.

 

I replaced the supplied cables with Ghent audio ones, these can be ordered in any way you need from Ghent, Y cables,  GX12 etc.. They are very good.

[tapatrick]

34 minutes ago, sandyk said:

 

Has anybody tried soldering  something like a 100nF MKT capacitor under the new Elnas etc.  ?

The capacitors you are using may result in an increase in Impedance at very high frequencies, which is not what the I.C. designer intended, and why they used a ceramic capacitor there.

I did wonder about the extra impedance but haven't added anything else with the caps, will be listening carefully over next few days/weeks.. so far no probs

[sandyk]

15 minutes ago, tapatrick said:

added a dot of solder on the pads when I removed the 47uf ceramic tantalum as they are very small, then bedded the Elna legs which I tinned into the added spots of solder.

 

Given that the pads are so small, and very easily damaged, or come right off, it would also be a good idea to use a few dabs of hot melt glue etc. at the base of the much larger capacitors.

 Many manufacturers do this with larger sized electrolytic capacitors.

[sandyk]

17 minutes ago, tapatrick said:

I did wonder about the extra impedance but haven't added anything else with the caps, will be listening carefully over next few days/weeks.. so far no probs

 

I am not talking about problems, I am suggesting that they may even add a little more "air" or space between instruments etc. without unbalancing the overall tonal qualities. You have already further improved the low end .

[MikeyFresh]

Has anyone tried either chassis or signal grounds attached to a metal equipment rack?

 

I have a Symposium rack that has grounding points pre drilled at the rear of each shelf, but I've never actually tried them.

 

 

I'm thinking of either a chassis or signal ground from the preamp as a good place to start?

[Cornan]

24 minutes ago, tapatrick said:

Thanks Micael   SQ is superb, best ever, thats why I'm putting it all in a box. Now that I've removed the Aqvox switch and BlueWave grounding it sounds cleaner. I've gone back and forth with this and I still find grounding a bit of a mystery. The WaveIO which I had before the BlueWave needed grounding to work but the BlueWave doesn't.

 

Tubelovers tip of adding the Elna caps is highly recommended too...

 

Great to hear Patrick! ?

Grounding is a difficult beast to tame. Unfortunately there is no other way to perfect it than to experiment. Definately the Aqvox sounds way better grounded to my Entreq Minimus in my setup. I have both the GND screw plus DC- output grounding. I will not ground the BluWave based on what happened with the IR.

 

I am currently discussing shunt regulators with ATL. I will order one for the AQVOX and one for ISO Regen with Kelvin output wires and plugs to compare with the LT3045s. If the LT3045s wins that battle I might try the ELNA caps as well.

[Cornan]

6 minutes ago, MikeyFresh said:

Has anyone tried either chassis or signal grounds attached to a metal equipment rack?

 

I have a Symposium rack that has grounding points pre drilled at the rear of each shelf, but I've never actually tried them.

 

 

I'm thinking of either a chassis or signal ground from the preamp as a good place to start?

 

I think those grounding screws on the equipment rack should be connected to a ground receptacle to reduce statics/EMI/RFI of the equipment stand. Not to be used as a grounding point for other devices. It can definately improve SQ.

Entreq have equipment stands that should be grounded to their grounding boxes for this purpose.

[sandyk]

24 minutes ago, Cornan said:

am currently discussing shunt regulators with ATL. I will order one for the AQVOX and one for ISO Regen with Kelvin output wires and plugs to compare with the LT3045s

 

The Uptone Audio JS-2 Power Supply and Linear Fan Controller kit also provided optional Kelvin Sensing.

 Not many PSUs do use Kelvin Sensing though, although some voltage regulators are designed to also use Kelvin Sensing at the end of their DC output cable.

[MikeyFresh]

16 minutes ago, Cornan said:

 

I think those grounding screws on the equipment rack should be connected to a ground receptacle to reduce statics/EMI/RFI of the equipment stand. Not to be used as a grounding point for other devices. It can definately improve SQ.

Entreq have equipment stands that should be grounded to their grounding boxes for this purpose.

 

Thank you, this is a good excuse to make another of the JSGT cables, but for the equipment rack instead of a SMPS!

[Cornan]

6 minutes ago, sandyk said:

 

The Uptone Audio JS-2 Power Supply and Linear Fan Controller kit also provided optional Kelvin Sensing.

 Not many PSUs do use Kelvin Sensing though, although some voltage regulators are designed to also use Kelvin Sensing at the end of their DC output cable.

 

ATL is very handy for special projects. He is the one suggesting Kelvin connectors. I did'nt know much about them, but after some research I most definately want them with the shunt regulators which will be fitted in an aluminium box with 15cm output Kelvin cable.

[Cornan]

2 minutes ago, MikeyFresh said:

 

Thank you, this is a good excuse to make another of the JSGT cables, but for the equipment rack instead of a SMPS!

 

Go for it! Your very good at doing those JSGT cables as well I must say. ? Great pictures as well BTW. Like a pro! ?