# Modding the Sony SCD-CE595



## mrdon

This is a work in progress. Keep checking in for more updates. 

*"Auricap Tweak"* - This tweak provides tighter bass, less hash, really smooooths the music out. This is done by installing TWO .47 uF/600V Auricaps in parallel, with the red leads to the hot terminal and the black leads to the neutral terminal on top of the transformer pcb. *This is at your own risk* as Aurciaps are not safety rated. Nevertheless, this tweak has be performed by many with great results, with no disasters reported. Other brands of .47 uF/600V film caps can be used of course. They can be cheaper in price but they will not provide the same results as Auricaps IMHO. 






*"Swenson Mod"* - This modification removes the stock tizziness as compared to the stock opamp output stage. This can be done as the BB DSD 1751 is an output voltage DAC. This mod is performed by locating IC200 and carefully soldering one end of a film cap to pin 9 (Left channel) and another end of a film cap to pin 10 (right channel). The other ends are soldered directly to higher-quality chassis mounted female RCA's with the ground connected to the ground of the stock pcb mounted RCA's. What brand of film cap to use is up to you. Auricaps seem to be the preferred film caps of audiophiles these days but you can just as well use Solen's or Claritycaps. One thing is for sure. The leads of the film caps must be solid core wire and not stranded, because performing this mod is will be like trying to solder a rat tail on a flea. What size (uf/v) do you use? Voltage is minimal at this point in the circuit, so 100V and below will be fine. However, some premium caps come in much higher ranges. they will work but they will be very large. how about uf? Well, John Swenson (the originator of this mod) says "if you are feeding a preamp with a 50k input impedance a 0.47uf cap works well. If you are feeding a 10k preamp use a 4uf cap. For in-between input impedances choose a cap somewhere between 4 and 0.47." (BTW, The caps in the picture are Illinois MPW 4.7uf/100V are just temporary. B/c of their uf size, they are a little bass heavy, so the 1uf Auricaps are on order.)





*The other two-channel output stage mod* - If soldering a rat tail on a flea is not for you, then you can replace you can replace IC400 located on the bottom of the pcb with the SOIC opamp of your choice. Be very careful with removal of the stock opamp or you will end up doing the Swenson Mod anyway.

 Here's how head-fi member JunctionFET describes the exercise. 





> The opamps are located on the underside of the board. This mod is a bit tricky because you cannot actually remove the board from the player completely--you will be tethered by one set of wires that cannot be conveniently unplugged like the other connectors. It is not too big a deal though.
> 
> Once the board has been flipped over and is in a steady position, you can remove the opamp by very carefully clipping the tiny leads on the chip--there are 8 small leads in all. Be sure you have each one cut, then use some needle-nose pliers to remove the chip. If you have not cut through each lead completely, removing the chip may also lift or break a land.
> 
> ...








 The 47uf/25V output SMD 'lytics should also be replaced. For two-channel these are numbers C406 and C506. They can be replaced with higher quality, better sounding 'lytics such as Black Gates, Panasonic FC, Elna Cerafine or Nichicon Muse KZ. (Note: Because this unit tends to be more on the bright side of neutral, I would suggest a warmer sounding 'lytic like Elna Cerafine or Nichicon Muse KZ.) To replace them, I offer you again fellow head-fi member JunctionFET's method.





> The output capacitors are easy to remove. We found it was easiest (and safest) to just pull the caps out of their leads/bases first. The surface mount caps they used are pretty cheesy, and the leads pull out really easily it seems. Once that is done, you can trim the leads back with the cutters and remove the bases. Some solder-wick can be used to carefully extract the remaining lead material from the pads on the board
> 
> Your new through-hole caps can be tack-soldered to the pads. Make sure you get the polarity right of course (negative side towards the output jacks). Trim the leads on the new caps so that they are not too long, but long enough that you can work beneath the caps with your iron. Bend the ends of the leads at a 90 degree angle to mimic a surface-mount lead. Melt a little solder on the lead ends and the pads. Line the cap up where it will go and one at a time use the iron to melt and flow the solder from each lead to each corresponding pad. Once the solder hardens, look over your work carefully to make sure it is stable and there are no solder bridges. Don't physically disturb the new caps too much because they will exert leverage on the board lands and could fatigue them.


 *Other PCB components* - Unfortunately, the board is primarily populated with surface mount caps, resistors, and diodes. IMHO, they are not worth messing with. But there are a small amount of through hole 'lytics that can be replaced with higher quality 'lytics (I used Nichicon MUSE KZ and FX.) I wish the capacitance could be increased by 100% on C-921 and C-931 and 20% on the others (ala Bob McNiece's "Tweaks for Geeks"), but the room on the pcb is very tight, and upgrading using stock sizes is really pushing it. BTW, here's the location and sizes needed.





> C-971 47uF/63V
> C-931 10,000uF/16V
> C-921 10,000uF/10V
> C-954 470uF/10V
> ...


Remember, when ordering the uF (capacitance) remains the same but the V (voltage) can go higher, not too much higher b/c of the space issue.

 NOTE: The solder used by Sony is tough stuff. In order to remove the 'lytics you need a really hot iron and some soderwick. Also, be careful as you can easily remove a solder pad while doing it. 






 More Later! Stay Tuned!


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## mrdon

Update: I fired up my CE595 this morning. The only mods I have done to it so far are the "Auricap Mod" and a temporary "Swenson Mod." (I performed the latter not necessarily b/c I like what it did to my Samsung HD-841 but because of an unforeseen accident which occurred while removing the stock soic opamp #1. All I can say is it involved a slip of the needle nose pliers and ripped off a couple pcb tracks.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Take my word for it - be very, very careful if you perform modifications to this machine. The PCB is on the cheap side.) 

 I ran it through my Morgan Jones Headamp (with Mullard 6x4 rectification and JJ6922's output tubes) and listened to it briefly through my HD-600's with HD-650 cable. The software used was my reference SACD - Diana Krall's beautifully recorded and mastered "Love Scenes." 

 Of course, the mods and the machine are not broken in yet, but if my aural memory serves me correctly in comparison to a stock CE595, the two mods make the bass tighter, the highs much, much smoother, and the midrange gorgeously gorgeous. At the price of some micro detail (very minor), the stock "tizziness" is gone completely and the machine has become much more pleasant and less fatiguing. 

 Today, I hope to replace some of the 'lytics. I'll report back later today or tomorrow. Cheers!


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## JWFokker

This is great because I'm about to buy a CE595. How would one go about replacing the stock opamp though?


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## Davesrose

Based on the thread so far, it looks like replacing the opamps on this one tiny board is very very difficult. Probably why some modding companies won't touch the 595. With my limited soldering skills, looks like the auricap tweak is the main one I'll be doing!!!!

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *JWFokker* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This is great because I'm about to buy a CE595. How would one go about replacing the stock opamp though?_


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## joe_cool

Getting workable access to the chip leads is not always easy. You may have to disassemble the chassis and remove cable connectors to get the board out if the chips are facing the chassis bottom.

 Most consumer PC boards are only good for 1 rework, or maybe 2 reworks if you use a temp-controlled iron. Some jobs are easier than others.

 See my NX Black Gates and AD8620 on Revo 7.1:


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## mrdon

I finished the Swenson Mod by grinding the leads down to a pin, tinning them and soldering them to Pins 9 and 10 on IC200 (DSD 1751). Good grief!! I think I am going blind!!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	












 I also finished upgrading the stock 'lytic caps with Nichicon Muse. As you can tell from the picture, there is not much room on that board, so I had to literally squeeze the new 'lytics in. When I was finished, I secured everything with hot glue. 





 With the new 'lytics, the background is much, much darker. The micro details have returned but unlike the stock player there is so much more warmth (which I think is due to the Swenson Mod). The soundstage is very wide. You can hear the slap and pluck of strings. Vocals are very pleasing. The Bass is tight and deep. IMHO, this is a vast improvement over what I heard right out of the box. The new components are still breaking in so things may improve in the next few weeks or so.

 I have another CE-595 on the way. It should be here tomorrow. I think I will approach this one a little differently. I will upgrade the 'lytics, upgrade the clock 





, 

 and replace the stock opamp and output capacitors. I will attach pics and results when I am done in a week or two. 

 Happy modding!


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## mrdon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *JWFokker* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This is great because I'm about to buy a CE595. How would one go about replacing the stock opamp though?_

 

Stay Tuned! It's coming.


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## clarke68

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mrdon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I finished the Swenson Mod_

 

Did you notice a loss in gain from the Swenson Mod? Some people who performed it on the Toshiba units (when the mod was first invented) reported the output was down as much as a 12db.

 Kinda makes sense...even though the DAC has voltage output, I doubt it was ever intended to drive a preamp directly.


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mrdon* 
_The 4.7uf/25V output SMD 'lytics should also be replaced. For two-channel these are numbers C406 and C506._

 

Those are actually 47uf caps. Also, each output cap has a 0.1uF bypass (C405 & 505 that, if memory serves, are on the bottom of the board). Do you think those should be replaced as well, or just removed?


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## mrdon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *clarke68* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Did you notice a loss in gain from the Swenson Mod? Some people who performed it on the Toshiba units (when the mod was first invented) reported the output was down as much as a 12db.

 Kinda makes sense...even though the DAC has voltage output, I doubt it was ever intended to drive a preamp directly._

 

There is a slight difference. Instead of the volume knob being at 9o'clock it's at 11 o'clock. How many db that is I don't know but it sounds really musical bypassing the opamp stage. 


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *clarke68* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Those are actually 47uf caps. Also, each output cap has a 0.1uF bypass (C405 & 505 that, if memory serves, are on the bottom of the board). Do you think those should be replaced as well, or just removed?_

 

Yup, you are right. They are 47uf/25V caps. BTW, I wouldn't worry about the .1uf caps. Too small to matter.


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## mrdon

I received my 2nd CE-595 today and I went to work this evening on the opamp stage. *I can't stress how fragile the leads on this pcb are and how nasty Sony's solder is.* You must be very, very careful not to lift the leads with force or too much heat. Case in point - me. I've been doing this modding thing for a couple of years now and tonight I even managed to rip a lead off as I was extracting one of the 47uf/25V coupling caps. With that, the opamp stage in machine #2 is dead. *Therefore I give a warning...If you are a modding newbie, I wouldn't recommend modding this machine.* Start with something else with a better pcb. 

 Nevertheless before my accident with the needlenose pliers I did get to roll in a three opamps. Using a Dip-8 to soic adapter I stuck in an opa2604, AD843's on a browndog, and an AD8066. 

 First of all, AD8066's do not work in the circuit - distortion all the way. Do not use. 

 Secondly, the opamps are located on the bottom of the board, so there is not much room for Dip-8 adapters and such unless you cut a hole in the bottom for the opamp to stick through, so anyone who is thinking of opa627's will have to get out your saw or be creative. 

 Rolling results- The 2604 sounded a bit muddy, but I really liked the AD843's with this machine. Too bad that lead lifted. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 After tonight, I really think the Swenson mod is actually easier unless someone could come up with a solution to the opamp room issue.


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## JWFokker

The clock upgrade sounds promising. Looking forward to the next installment.


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## mrdon

Here's some pics from the completed mods on my first CE-595. I replaced the 4.7uF/100V Illinois MWR's used in my Swenson mod test with 1uF/200 Auricaps and attached them to two Cardas chassis mount female RCA's. Everything is hot glued in place. Boy, once those Auricaps burned in the sound is gorgeous. I can't believe this is a $60 CD/SACD player with $35 in parts. 









 I am waiting for my parts to arrive in order to mod my second CE-595. A little different this time. I'll be using Auricaps to perform the Auricap tweak, I'll do a complete clock replacement with separate power supply, and use (2) 10,000uF Nichicon Great Supply caps instead of the Nichicon FG's (green ones in pic). If I'm industrious, I may also dampen the chassis with Mortite rope caulk. I'll check back next week with an update.


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## vapman

OMG BUMPAGE

 I'm thinking about doing the Auricap Tweak. I'll probably attempty the Swenson Tweak at one point or another, but what does the clock upgrade do?


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## clarke68

*Clarity Caps are on sale at diycable.com!*

 .47uF SA series (their top of the line) are just $1.75 each. .47uF PX series (their next-to-top of the line) are just $0.75 each!

 I just picked up 4 of the SA series, enough to do the Swenson mod _and_ the Auricap tweak (except I'll have to change the name), for $12 shipped.


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## vapman

ooh, thanks for the heads-up!


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## johnmatrix

I just got my ce595 in and have a few questions. 

 If I want to simply replace the opamp for 2 channel, don't I simply need to remove only IC 400?

 Does anyone have cap recommendations?

 Where are the two output caps roughly located? I could not find them in the picture.

 How hot does the iron have to be? I have a temp controlled one and wondering if the solder really required that much of a deviation.


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## clarke68

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnmatrix* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_If I want to simply replace the opamp for 2 channel, don't I simply need to remove only IC 400?_

 

Yes, however considering the size of IC400, the close proximity of a bunch of other surface mount components, and the fragility of the leads on the board, doing so is not exactly simple. The photo in this thread makes the opamps look like DIP packages, but in reality they're about 5mm long. However, it may be easy for you, I just don't have any experience or proper tools for dealing with SMD. 

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnmatrix* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where are the two output caps roughly located? I could not find them in the picture._

 

The opamps are on the bottom of the board, the output caps are on the top. In the 2nd picture from the top of this thread (the photo of the Swenson mod), you can see one of the output caps between the two yellow out-of-focus caps in the foreground...it says "D4 47 25V" on it.


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## johnmatrix

Does anyone know where a service manual can be located? I wanted to find the diode bridge and replace them with FRED. I found two sets of four diodes on the bottom of the board by the power in connector and I wanted to know the specs for these as they seem to be the diode bridge. I also wanted to know the regulator chips number to see if a replacement for that would be worth it as well.


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## clarke68

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnmatrix* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Does anyone know where a service manual can be located?_

 

Get it from Sony. Call 1-800-488-SONY and navigate the menus to the place where you can order parts. It's about $15.

 Let us know what you find out about the diodes!


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## johnmatrix

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *clarke68* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Get it from Sony. Call 1-800-488-SONY and navigate the menus to the place where you can order parts. It's about $15.

 Let us know what you find out about the diodes!_

 

I found the service manual on-line. I still had to pay for it, but I got it faster. The diodes involved in the PS are D921-924, D931-934, D936, D937, D960-961. They all function as rectifiers and are rated for 1A/400V. The problem in replacing them is their size and their number. I can't find FREDs in SOD-106 size. If anyone has any suggestions, I am all ears. 

 Another possibilty is to upgrade the regulators, there is only a total of four and they will be easier to physically replace and hopefully source parts for. The regulators are IC703, IC920, IC950, and IC985.


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## mrdon

That's lot of SMD diodes to replace. Plus with the fragility of the pcb and the high potential for pad ripping incidents, unless you are really, really careful, I would focus on other power supply upgrade that use hole components. These are much easier to remove and replace with higher quality 'lytics and they will improve the sound dramatically.


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## Filburt

Heh, modding PCDPs must have affected my tolerance dramatically. I looked at those op-amps and thought to myself "wow, that's not so bad. I could swap those out in no time". LOL, oh well.


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## johnmatrix

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mrdon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That's lot of SMD diodes to repla
	
	




		Code:
	

ce. Plus with the fragility of the pcb and the high potential for pad ripping incidents, unless you are really, really careful, I would focus on other power supply upgrade that use hole components. These are much easier to remove and replace with higher quality 'lytics and they will improve the sound dramatically.[/i]
 [/td] [/tr] [/table]
 

I would have to agree with the assessment on the diodes. However, further research into the regulators holds some promise. Only two of the regulators really matter. IC950(part # BA50BC0FPE2) which provides +5V for digital and IC985(BA12FP-E2) which powers the 12V rail. I am still trying to locate possible replacements.

_


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## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnmatrix* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I found the service manual on-line. I still had to pay for it, but I got it faster. The diodes involved in the PS are D921-924, D931-934, D936, D937, D960-961. They all function as rectifiers and are rated for 1A/400V. The problem in replacing them is their size and their number. I can't find FREDs in SOD-106 size. If anyone has any suggestions, I am all ears. 

 Another possibilty is to upgrade the regulators, there is only a total of four and they will be easier to physically replace and hopefully source parts for. The regulators are IC703, IC920, IC950, and IC985._

 

I'd look at Schottky rectifiers instead of FREDs for something like this if you decide to proceed. I use 11DQ10 and 31DQ10 thru hole parts and these work great for CD players/preamps, etc. Something along the lines of RB050L-40TE25CT-ND from Digikey might do the trick. These are 40V/3A rated.


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## mrdon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnmatrix* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I found the service manual on-line._

 

Can you tell us what the readings at the opamps voltage rails are? This may help determine what replacements will work best for those who wish to replace them. As I said in a previous post, I think our choices will be slim as there is not much room for adapters and I believe our SOIC choices are slim.


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## clarke68

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mrdon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I think our choices will be slim as there is not much room for adapters and I believe our SOIC choices are slim._

 

Couldn't a new output stage be built? Take the same two leads off IC200 that you take for the Swenson mod, pull some power from somewhere (5v?) and run a lead back to ground.

 Wouldn't have to be anything fancy...just an LM4562, some Black Gate output caps and whatever other passive components you need to complete an output stage...run it directly to the RCA jacks. You could use through-hole parts of much higher quality than stock, and it would bypass Sony's muting circuit.

 Doesn't seem like it would be too hard to build, but I couldn't design it.


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## johnmatrix

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mrdon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Can you tell us what the readings at the opamps voltage rails are? This may help determine what replacements will work best for those who wish to replace them. As I said in a previous post, I think our choices will be slim as there is not much room for adapters and I believe our SOIC choices are slim._

 

It looks like the rails are ground and 12V in the diagram.

 Edit: I am looking to replace the 10 mF caps in the PS and I am looking for a good source for Nichicon great supply caps.


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## johnmatrix

Does anyone know the proper soldering temp to use for this board or the wattage of their irons? I am having trouble getting the solder to melt and flow into my wick using my hakko 936 station.

 Edit: I eventually just turned my hakko all the way up to 900 F and used a solder sucker. I did manage to lift half of some pads, but fortunately it not affect the board. Now all caps but the two 10 mF ones are replaced with elna cerafine and burning in now.


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## johnmatrix

I managed to replace the pos opa with 2 827s soldered to a browndog. I had to attach wires to the soic leads and then attach them to the adaptor in order to use the adaptor. The resulting sound is stunning and much cleaner than the player with all the caps replaced.

 However, the gain as previously reported dropped very low. When I looked at the output, I had only 1.2 Vrms coming from the player. So I took a look at the schematic of the output stage and found resistor 411 and 409 also 511 and 509 formed voltage dividers, I jumped R411 and R511 to boost the output voltage. Jumping the resistors lowered the Vrms to 0.8, so I will go to rat shack tomorrow and see if they have some resistors. Hopefully this will let me change the opa and allow me to reraise the gain to get it to the proper voltage.


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## colonelkernel8

I have a CDP-CE595, is it identical to this unit? I would love to upgrade it.


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## johnmatrix

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *colonelkernel8* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I have a CDP-CE595, is it identical to this unit? I would love to upgrade it._

 

No it is not the same unit. The unit we are discussing is SCD-CE595.


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## colonelkernel8

I got it. The SCD has SACD right?


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## wax4213

Correct.


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## mrdon

Sounds like you are making great progress! Can you share some pics of your handiwork? 

 Also, did you replace the stock opamps with opa627 or opa827?

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnmatrix* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I managed to replace the pos opa with 2 827s soldered to a browndog. I had to attach wires to the soic leads and then attach them to the adaptor in order to use the adaptor. The resulting sound is stunning and much cleaner than the player with all the caps replaced.

 However, the gain as previously reported dropped very low. When I looked at the output, I had only 1.2 Vrms coming from the player. So I took a look at the schematic of the output stage and found resistor 411 and 409 also 511 and 509 formed voltage dividers, I jumped R411 and R511 to boost the output voltage. Jumping the resistors lowered the Vrms to 0.8, so I will go to rat shack tomorrow and see if they have some resistors. Hopefully this will let me change the opa and allow me to reraise the gain to get it to the proper voltage._


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## johnmatrix

I replaced the stock pos opa with 827s. I highly recommend bypassing or replacing the stock opa. I will post pictures of my 'handiwork' when I get home. It is definately rough; I lifted two opa leads and had to trace the circuit to find the next connection point. I would not recommend this player for complete newbies; I had had an electronics course and lab which helped me immensely.

 When I replace R411 and R511 with higher voltage resistors, the output voltage increased! I boosted the output voltage to 1.7 Vrms with a 220 ohm resistor from 1.2 Vrms with 100 ohm. I left the player's output intentionally low because my headphone setup has such high gain. If you want the normal output(2 Vrms), make the resistors higher. Another alternative to raising the resistance at R411 and R511 is lowering it at R509 and R409. So it seems you can replace the opa, you will just have to change the voltage divider before the output to boost the output voltage.


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## JWFokker

So any new developments on the modding front?


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## johnmatrix

I have finally finished modding my CE595. In summary, I replaced all but the two 10 mF caps with elna cerafines and the two 10 mF caps with nichicon muse caps. I also replaced the opa with 827s which dramatically lowered the gain on the player. This was actually a desirable affect for my system as I moved from listening at 8 o'clock to 12 or 1 o'clock on my behringer. I also replaced R411 and R511 with larger value resistors to boost the gain. Replacing them boosted the output voltage however, I don't think the gain changed in the circuit. Overall changing the opa is not worth it. Just bypass and be done with it. There is a lot of hassle and it lowers the gain by a lot and unless you are good, a lead will be lifted. In my case, I ended up lifting 4, not in the desoldering process, but in trying to solder the new leads on. It was a pita to trace the circuit to find where to solder the leads and I could not have done that without the service manual. 

 The player post modification is a lot more laid back, the background is blacker, and there is more detail than before. My player is not burned in currently and I will listen to it some more to see how impressions change over time. I know the output caps supposedly take 100 hrs before they settle.


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## johnmatrix

Well I have some wonderful news, after all my mods to the analog section, the optics gave out. Initially, the player would stop in mid song and not play and now all I get is a table of contents error with no disk read. I have called Sony tech support and followed all their advice without any change in player. Does anyone have any suggestions? I can't send it back because of the mods to the player, so I think I am SOL right now. 

 I am currently using my denon 2900 for a dvd player. I am thinking that I may buy an oppo 970hd and re use the 2900 for my audio needs. Does anyone have any comments on oppo 970 vs 2900 as a dvd player?


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## mrdon

My second CE595 malfunctioned so I am offering all the parts for *SOLD* here.


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## mrdon

Guys and gals my second unit went to the Spare parts bin after it malfunctioned. I think it was the front channel DAC chip after an accident I had doing the Swenson mod. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It lived for about two hours and during that time I have to say that the replacement clock made a huge difference. If my aural memory serves me, the soundstage improved dramatically. If you go that route, be careful, the stock crystal is very difficult to desolder. I ripped off two PCB tracks doing it, but luckily was able to repair them with Crazy Glue and solder. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Also, if you are doing the Auricap Tweak, use Auricaps. They made a huge and I mean huge difference over the ClarityCaps in the same location. In fact, I removed the ClairtyCaps from my first unit and replace them with the Auricaps from the now dead second unit. 

 I am done with modding the SCD-CE595. If you have the skills and patience, modding the unit can reap great rewards, but to be honest, I do not believe this unit to be a very good candidate for modding. The numerous SMD components, the "tough" solder, and the cheap PCB are the major drawbacks that can leave a DIY'r frustrated and with a non-functioning unit.


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## mrclarkie2

So the auricap and swenson mods are do able for a beginner? I have a steady hand and a jewler's mangifier headset. It looks as if it is worth a try? 
 Thanks for the great thread, it is very interesting to see how these machines work.


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## Gross

With some time and patience, probably. I did these mods for a friend of mine, and like everyone else says, it makes a very nice difference. You have to realize all of these closeup pictures make everything look bigger than it really is. I can guarantee the part you will have problems with is doing the swenson mod and soldering the caps to IC200. I found it worked best to install your new jacks on the chassis and attach the caps to them. Then get the caps in pretty much the spot they are going to wind up before you solder them. Otherwise there is just so little physical contact when you solder it, they break off very easily if the caps move. Also, I found the best way to get a nice lead to solder onto the IC200 is to take a resistor lead and solder it to the cap wire. I should get pictures of the one I did, I thought it turned out very well. 

 I would also have your Hot-Glue gun ready, I felt a lot better after throwing a blob of glue on the IC200/cap connection after I verified everything was working 100%.


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## mrclarkie2

A picture would be a great help thank you for the technical advise hot melt is great stuff.


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## johnmatrix

As someone who modded the unit, the best advice I can give you is buy ChipQik SMD desolder. It is an alloy that lowers the melting temp of the solder when it is melted with the solder on the board. It makes nightmare SMD desoldering a breeze. I did not use it on this unit, but I used it on my denon 2900 to great effect.


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## mrclarkie2

Thanks that looks like a great product, I just ordered it. I will also attach a solid wire lead to the stranded wires from the Auricaps. It make sense. I will let you know how it goes. 

 Does anyone have any experience with the Mundorf caps? They have some very expensive caps and I don't know enough about them. My guess is the Auricaps are fine. The Mundorfs are 2-4 x the $. Teutonic magic?

 Now if I decide to dive in further, replacing he op amps with Burr-Browns would be the next step? (not to get ahead of myself or anything).
 Thanks again for all of the advice.
 John


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## johnmatrix

If you are going to replace the opa, I would recommend the dual opa smd packages only like the 8620, LM4562, and 8599. Don't try to jam two single channels together; the browndog adaptor will not fit. For the Caps, I am sure the auricaps are fine. If you are doing the swenson mod, you are bypassing the opa and will not need to replace the stock ones.


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## Gross

as johnmatrix just said, the swenson mod bypasses the opamps completely, and earlier in this thread it sounded like the conclusion was don't bother swapping the opamps, just do the swenson mod. Also, I am sure the Auricaps will be great, I actually just used Kimber Kaps, and my friend is more than happy. I have to admit, it sounded very good.


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## mrclarkie2

Thanks for the encouragement and advice I will let you know how it goes. It does look like a gnats ...


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## gates_2

i successfully changed the OPA on my ce595 with just plain old snip and pull- i lifted one lead, but was able to repair it relatively easily

 after putting a 4562 in, the sound was literally night-and day different- I was blown away


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## mrclarkie2

Is there a brand on the op amp is it AD? Is this a place for Burr Browns? If you can point me in right direction, Thanks. Also has anyone ever trued one of the cool touch soldering irons, it is like a mini welder.


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## Pacific Microsonics

In all honesty, both mods don't seem too....veritable, but they don't seem to do anything disastrous to the sound. The transformer caps were hard to discern from stock no caps.

 Taking the voltage from the dac to the new jacks with the cap on the other hand, with volume corrected for, did eliminate excess grain- but at a very high cost. What was gained was a seemingly blacker background with more focus at the heart of the midrange, and a slightly more natural bass-mids integration.
 I did not like the slight loss of spacial cues though. The width suffered a bit- what once extended enjoyably past the ears now feel constricted. Nuance and microdetail suffered though not as much by themselves as the impact on soundstage.

 For someone of my tastes the losses outweigh whatever was gained, but since I use the K501/K701 for a majority of my listening, this does not keep me from enjoying the modified source. People who use HD580/600/650 may find the soundstage too much confined for their tastes. I would not recommend this particular mod for grado owners.

 Before settling on the Sprague Vitamin Q's- which are my favorite capacitor, I used .47 Hovland Musicap and Auricaps. I found the Auricap (my third favorite behind the Musicap and Vit Q) had the most potential. I did not want to "waste it" in my opinion on the power transformer because it gave great results with it on the signal bypass. 

 The Auricap did introduce a sense (not actually lower noise) of blacker blacks like the Vit Q did and also hurt the width of the soundstage too. What differed (the Auricap is well burned in from other use) was that the microdetail loss was not as drastic but at the expense of an overall lack of sweetness the Vit Q had over the stock and Auricap version.

 The Hovland Musicap fared a bit better. It was almost exactly like the Auricap's signature- but even less loss of soundstage than both Auricap and Vit Q. They are sweeter than the Auricap but took away too much detail over the whole spectrum. Bass was touter with the Musicap too, but even though it fared better than the Auricap, it did not synergize with the machine's sound enough for me to keep it in.

 I suggest potential modders to try out paper in oil caps in this machine because I feel their flavor fits perfectly. You trade off a bit of soundstage for a more musical midrange, nothing detrimental done to the bass, and highs that are more in line with analog sources 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The amp of choice for this unit for me is the Millet Max.
 Mine is configured with Vit Q, Nichicon Muse ES, and a mix of boutique resistors. The bias is 230mv which is more than double the max suggested but I have adequate cooling for this beast.






 I used three recordings for the impressions-

 Beethoven's 9th Symphony (SACD)
 Herbert von Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic
 DG 471 640-2





 Beethoven's 5th/7th (SACD)
 Carlos Kleiber/Vienna Philharmonic
 DG 471 630-2





 The Politics of Dancing (CD 2)
 2001, Paul van Dyk
 Ministry of Sound





 Yep. A great "toy" rig for me to play with at night while reading. For ~150 + cost of parts + a little sweat, squinting, and soldering- you get loads of modding fun and sound that doesn't suck


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## BIG POPPA

I have one on the way. What about V-Caps in this thing? Just a crazy question for a tweak?


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## Pacific Microsonics

If you will be spending that amount of money, I suggest replacing the opamp or investing in other sources. I thought about giving Mundorf Silver and Oil caps a try but based on what I hear so far, they are better used in other equipment. 

 If the active stage (opamp) in the player is not for you, then vibration dampening will probably be your best bet on taking this thing anywhere beyond the Musicap/Auricap/other caps because these are already very expensive and resolving capacitors.

 My main use of this unit is still for occasional sacd playback and most of the time, as a transport. Optical only isn't too bad for me because it feeds into my Audio Alchemy DTI v2.0 digital processor for killing the jitter


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## BIG POPPA

To me this is a toy to play with. Just trying to have some fun with it. This is not going to be my main source. I may just use this at meets. Want to have fun with some crazy esoteric parts. If it sounds great at the end of tweaking, BONUS!


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## Pacific Microsonics

That's why my caps still have long ugly winding leads- I may one day retrieve the beloved Vit Q's for other things.


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## GZeus

Thanks for a great thread. I ordered a refrub from Sony just for the modding fun and practice. This does look like a bit of a challenge but I'm looking forward to it.


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## Ash

Challenging for sure!
 I havent done this level of modding before...
 I wonder what would be the simplest of all these mods?


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## AudioCats

does any of you guys ever regret modding, or even buying the CE595?


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## Pacific Microsonics

No. It makes a great transport, the remote is nice, the stock sound is (in my tastes) very good, and the Swenson mod (even though it's not wholly my cup of tea) is probably a nice DIY exercise with a noticeable impact on sound (probably detrimental from an engineering standpoint).

 The unit is great for "rolling" capacitors, but otherwise the stock unit is a steal at the new/used prices. I have not spent a better 150 dollars on a source before. The next best deal would be the Philips mini system with large high quality speakers with ribbon tweeter, and an integrated tube preamp / class D amp with dvd player.

 I saw your posts audiocats, and I believe this unit will be a great toy for you 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 You can always reverse the swenson and the auricap mods. The build quality is great, and even though mostly plastic- is very robust feeling. I would try more vibration dampening if that's your thing.


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## Pacific Microsonics

If you add extra rca jacks and connect the capacitor to the jacks, then the mod is reversible, and if your amp has two inputs you can a/b the differences.

 A very knowledgeable friend of mine showed me the flaws of these mods. The gist of it was, to forget the Auricap tweak (my impressions agree because I could discern no difference after a/b testing with two and then four caps in parallel on the transformer pcb). He suggested a better method over the Swenson mod by de-soldering the coupling caps following the dac and then soldering the replacement film caps(the Auricaps that would have been used for the transformer pcb) from the positive hole to the new rca jacks.

 This method is much more sound because it ACTUALLY bypasses the active opamp stage, because if you think about it, the Swenson mod takes the voltage from the dac yet the dac is still connected to the active stage on the pcb. By intercepting the signal at the coupling cap on the pcb after the dac, you are actually disconnecting the dac output from the rest of the electronics and then the path to the rca jacks will be the only connection.


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## AudioCats

I already have a modded X555ES (single) and a modded C601ES (changer), and I don't have any SACD to use.... I really don't need another changer.

 The reason I asked was because after I modded the C601, I still found myself not using it at all. I always just turn on the X555. In the C601, I installed better output caps, upgrade some digital power supply caps, installed Dip-8 socket, upgraded all the opamps, and put in independant dual regulated voltage supply so the analog power is completely seperate from the digital power (two extra transformers, 7812/7912, two seperate rectifiers, caps, etc). The independent analog power made the single most noticable difference, a lot more than rolling the opamp. But after all these improvements, it is still nowhere close to the X555..... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Not all the works yield worthwhile rewards.


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## Pacific Microsonics

The reason the results were not "and upgrade" was because the mods are a bit flawed. The auricap in transformer pcb tweak is truly a "tweakers tweak" because the "power filtering" isn't really done at this stage and it is very possible the auricap tweak actually worsens things.

 Secondly, unless you disconnect the dac from the active stage it is still doing all sorts of things to the signal going to the new rca jacks. I will attempt to remove the coupling caps after the dac and then do a direct connection that actually bypasses the whole analog circuit and see how the results fare, but I don't have my hopes up because if the voltage out of the dac was sufficient to drive preamps then what is the point of Sony including the analog stage? Because technically this whole deal is shaky at best(as with most "audiophile mods.")

 Oh well. I had my fun. I'll take one extra step with this unit and if that doesn't give better results then we can all celebrate knowing Sony did something right at such an affordable price-point, and the owners of this good machine can bask in the comfort of a well designed disc changer


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## BIG POPPA

Really, the Sony changer is sleeper of the moment, of the posts I have been reading? I may just install an IEC port and the extra RCA connectors with the Auricap mod. HMMM, I may have to buy 2 for 60 bucks a piece. This is a hell of a thread.


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## Gross

I did what you just said for a buddy. The Auricap mod, the Swenson mod, and installed an IEC jack. He was very pleased with the results. Where have you found them for 60 a peice?


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## BIG POPPA

How much was all the mods?


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## Gross

I dont remember, since I had most of the stuff already from past tweaks. But they have everything at partsexpress.com


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## BIG POPPA

Sony refurb from SCD-CE595 | REFURBISHED - Super Audio CD Player | Sony | SonyStyle USA


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## AudioCats

wow, sony shipps for free? Now that is impressive.....


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## BIG POPPA

Kevin,now you know why I had a ton of questions when you came by! It was a cheap toy to start out with.


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## Gross

Thanks Big Poppa!


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## BIG POPPA

Gross anything I can do for the Head-fi adventure for others. There has been a lot of help for me. I just try to pass on the favor.


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## tomb

Well, after seeing Pacific Microsonics' Millett MAX that he was pairing with this thing, I had to give it a try.

 $57.21 with free shipping and the discount code, it arrived on my front porch today after ordering it on Tuesday! That's hard to beat for anyone, much less a giant like Sony.

 The first thing I noticed was how dadgum big this thing is! I've had an early 5-disc Technics carousel changer that's been in my stereo system for years, but I probably haven't taken it out of the entertainment center since I put it in there in about 1988? Even so, I don't think it's as big as this thing.

 Anyway, everything works great and the operation is flawless. After playing it for several hours, some of the tizziness seems to have smoothed out. I don't have any SACD's, but it seems to beat the quality of any portable CD player except perhaps an old Sony D-model I have (but the D-model is very light on bass). It's certainly better than several Phillips DVP units I've tried lately, despite some great claims about those things.

 However, my biggest question was how it stacked up to an Alien DAC: it doesn't. The Alien is more open and more detailed with better dynamics - pretty much better in every way, IMHO.

 I'll get an SACD at some point and also perhaps try either the Swenson mod with some VitQ's or change the front channel opamp. For the time being, though, I'd say that if you're a DIY-er, $50 spent on building an Alien DAC will give you better sound. Of course, that doesn't include the cost of a disk drive, PC, etc. So, if you are in the market for CD player, it's hard to beat this one at this price.


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## Pacific Microsonics

Hi tomb! great to see you here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Since you are most likely much more adept at diy than me, I would encourage you to do the swenson with new rca jacks, but instead of the "regular method" which is not optimal, try taking out the coupling caps right after the dac so the analog stage is totally disconnected from the dac.

 Then also change the opamps to something better. If you run a wire from the dac pins to a switch and switch between the capacitor to rca jacks and the analog stage with upgraded opamps, you can a/b the results in their best. 

 Kind of like this:

 Stock:
 DAC------(stock coupling caps)------(analog stage)

 Mod:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ------caps to rca(swenson)
 DAC------(switch) <
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ------analog stage(better coupling caps & upgraded opamps)

 I still think the absolute best option would be to replace the stock coupling caps with nice ones, AND keep the analog stage with new opamps. Those are the main bottlenecks, and by doing that instead of totally getting rid of the analog stage would be the most constructive mod suite.


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## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pacific Microsonics* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi tomb! great to see you here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Since you are most likely much more adept at diy than me, I would encourage you to do the swenson with new rca jacks, but instead of the "regular method" which is not optimal, try taking out the coupling caps right after the dac so the analog stage is totally disconnected from the dac.

 Then also change the opamps to something better. If you run a wire from the dac pins to a switch and switch between the capacitor to rca jacks and the analog stage with upgraded opamps, you can a/b the results in their best. 

 Kind of like this:

 Stock:
 DAC------(stock coupling caps)------(analog stage)

 Mod:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ------caps to rca(swenson)
 DAC------(switch) <
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ------analog stage(better coupling caps & upgraded opamps)

 I still think the absolute best option would be to replace the stock coupling caps with nice ones, AND keep the analog stage with new opamps. Those are the main bottlenecks, and by doing that instead of totally getting rid of the analog stage would be the most constructive mod suite._

 

Thanks for the suggestions!

 Yep, actually I thought about doing the last mod, instead. I've got some spare opamps and SMD with SOIC-8 is not too bad. I haven't opened it up, yet, and I've read that the Sony solder is a real bear, so we'll see. The stock sound continues to improve, but it's not in the category of what I'd call useable, yet. I had hoped to use these to audition MAXes at headphone meets. Good sources are always in short supply at meets, it seems.

 What opamps did you use? Seems retrofit opamps people use in upgrading tuners are the OPA604 and OPA2132/4. I was wondering how an AD8620 might work out.


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## Gross

My SCD-CE595 arrived today, so the tweaking begins. I went ahead and bought the service manual for this guy so if anyone wants the service manual/schematics, let me know, I will email it to ya.


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## Gross

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pacific Microsonics* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The reason the results were not "and upgrade" was because the mods are a bit flawed. The auricap in transformer pcb tweak is truly a "tweakers tweak" because the "power filtering" isn't really done at this stage and it is very possible the auricap tweak actually worsens things._

 

I agree, It seems like a somewhat odd place to add some caps, perhaps we will find a location that works better. That or an enhanced power supply for the DAC/output section.


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## AudioCats

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gross* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_enhanced power supply for the DAC/output section._

 

such as a couple of NimH battery boxes and an extra charging circuitry..... ;D


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## Gross

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *AudioCats* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_such as a couple of NimH battery boxes and an extra charging circuitry..... ;D_

 


 I love it!


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## AudioCats

cheap 2200mAH Nimh cells can be found here, and I bet the pure battery power for DAC/output stage will sound better than any AC power mod.

 The real question is whether we can find a good spot(s) to cut off the on-board power trace so the battery power can take over......


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## AudioCats

for even higher surge current capability, the NiCd's can be used. Using Nicd's will also allow a simple-er charging circuit since they are more robust and can handle quite some over-charging.


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## Gross

Yeah, looking at the schematic real quick, the same 3.3v and 5v regs power the motors and actuators as the dacs and opamps. Not a surprise, but just making sure.


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## AudioCats

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gross* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ the same 3.3v and 5v regs power the motors and actuators as the dacs and opamps._

 

if it is too hard to find the spot to seperate drive/digital/analog power, just cut off the traces at (dac and opamp) chips' power leads, and run wires directly from batteries to the chips, like a "star" power distribution if you will.


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## Pacific Microsonics

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *AudioCats* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_if it is too hard to find the spot to seperate drive/digital/analog power, just cut off the traces at (dac and opamp) chips' power leads, and run wires directly from batteries to the chips, like a "star" power distribution if you will. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *AudioCats* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_such as a couple of NimH battery boxes and an extra charging circuitry..... ;D_

 

NOW we're talkin 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's a sad thing I let go of my baby stax because of the stubborn headband long ago, otherwise I would'a done some real work on that thing too  I see your baby energizer's gone through a real metamorphosis


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## Pacific Microsonics

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gross* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yeah, looking at the schematic real quick, the same 3.3v and 5v regs power the motors and actuators as the dacs and opamps. Not a surprise, but just making sure._

 






 Li-ion batteries could be a possibility for their small size and low impedance. I'm thinking cannibalize a few cheap ebay cell phone batteries for this. A proper charger will be the hard part :\


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## AudioCats

Actually Li-ion charging is easy, there is no need to fill it to 100% capacity in a hurry, so we can just set a voltage cut off @ 4v, and charge the cells at a small current. Li-ion doesn't like over-charg and over drain ( a protection board wil solve the problem), other than that they are easy to handle.
 The real problem with Li-ion is the voltage changes too much. Full charge @ 4.2v and fully drained @ 2.5v, that is 1.7v change or a 40% drop from the full charge. Also the 2.5v is lower than the needed 3.3v. 

 I wouldn't want to add regulators (which reduces the surge response) to battery packs.

 Now if NimH, or better yet, Nicd is used, then 3 cells will give 4v at full charge and still have 3.6v at fully depletion, there is no need for regulation, probably work well enough for 3.3v points. for 5v points, 4 NiCd cells should work well.
 since the CDP is stationary, you can add a simple fix voltage circuit to always fill packs to approx 80% of full capacity, I would use LM317's to keep the NiCd cell at 1.3~1.32v (so 4v for 3x pack, and 5.2v for 4x pack), add current limitor to make sure the cahrging current never exceed 0.2C even when the cells are fully depleted.

 It is actually easier than it looks, but is there enough room inside the case?


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## AudioCats

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pacific Microsonics* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's a sad thing I let go of my baby stax because of the stubborn headband long ago_

 

That was long ago, right? which means it is about time to get another set, right?
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 who needs 001 headbands anyway, they degrade the sound quite a bit. It is now the ear mold era, the custom ear mold route is the only way to go


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## Marsfrogie

Tagging along......


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## Brian Beck

I've had a 595 for a couple of years, and I recently bought two more 595 refurbs to hack on. I just ordered a paper service manual from Sony which may take a couple weeks, but I would like to get started sooner. Can anyone post an image of the schematic, only in the vicinity of the DAC and output filter? Or a free source of the PDF version?

 I generally prefer a current-output DAC since I can then avoid the internal opamp-itis by using an all-tube I/V converter circuit that I designed. So...I may consider making a separate DAC box with an different DSD DAC chip, with cleaned-up clock, and glorious triodes. Digital and clock interfaces only, and a separate PS. Might share if it works well and if anyone's interested.


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## Brian Beck

OK, I received the service manual from Sony pretty quickly, and I'll post what I had requested earlier, in case others want to see the DAC and output stage schematic.


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## jfgte8296

Hey guys, I performed the power supply tweak this weekend using Xicon Metalized Poly caps and noticed the improvement right away. I figured I’d be safe and use something fire and heat rated. I also performed the Swenson mod however I accidently used the polystyrene capacitors I had ordered to adjust my phono input on my pre-amp. They are 47pF 600V Polystyrene caps and I soldered them between 9/10 on IC200 directly to the stock RCA jacks. My pre-amp presents a 50K ohm input impedance. The sound is amazing for both SACD and RB CD but I have a question. If the range recommended is .47uF to 47uF is there any thing wrong with leaving these 47pF caps in place? Am I losing something or did I just luck out? Also these leads were much easier to solder onto the chip that those I see in the pictures at the beginning of this thread and I don’t have to worry about them moving around or being hot glued in place since they are so small.


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## cantskienuf

It looks to me like the opamps in the output section have a DMP-8 footprint. Has anybody confirmed that an Analog Devices SOIC-8 narrow footprint device will fit these pads? I think I'd like to try the AD8620 in those positions, replace the electrolytic coupling caps with Blackgates and remove those ceramic coupling bypass caps.


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## Marsfrogie

An easier way to perform the swenson mod is to remove C502 and C402 and solder your capacitor leads directly to the inside facing pads. Works great. You can also rip off the opamp from the back to make sure there is no interference.


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## rjsilva

If anyone is still interested in this, I recently bought a used SCD-CE595 and came across this thread. The simplest (and cheapest!) way to significantly alter the sound is by replacing the op amps. Some posters on this thread caution against this, but after I experimented and wrecked two of the three op amp solder pads I devised a method that yields a high probability of success.
   
  Firstly, solder all four pins on each side to each other (with a sort of solder "blob"). Then, suck up as much solder as you can. Follow this with an incredibly careful solder removal job with a solder wick, to get as much solder as possible off from the pins. When you can distinctly see the pins of the op amp, you're ready to continue.
   
  Then, with your soldering iron tip, touch one of the end pins with the intention of lifting the pin with the soldering iron tip. When you see the solder melt (there will still be some left), carefully, carefully, pull the pin up with the tip of your soldering iron. Obviously the smaller the tip the easier. Proceed to the next pin.
   
  Once you have lifted all eight pins, then you just need to pull the op amp off. It is glued down.
   
  Hope this helps someone! The default op amps aren't actually that bad, but there are significantly better ones and this is a cheap and effective way to improve the sound.


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