[John Casler]

Oops. sorry John, maybe I've made a mistake.. but I was looking at the very first post of this thread where you showed a picture of a black Opus.. there's a big black knob on the right hand side.

Well, maybe as you suggested, the reason why Opus sounded so good is because it doesn't have a volume control.

May I know what preamp are you using right now?


rgds
barry

Hi Barry,

I use both the Bryston BP26DA and the Stan Warren Designed SUPERPHON Revelation III (which is currently hooked up)

I have been importing CD's all day, and just took a few minutes to listen to an old favorite:

Alan Parson's Project - Pyramid.

SO I listened to the Sound playing it on the CDRom - Yessss.... it sounded absolutely fabulous.

Then on the HD, and all I can say is WOW! (again)

The detail, soundstage and imagery is scary good.

[MauiMods]

Barry, the reason why it does not have a volume control is because the DAC in the AC97 chip is bypassed. The AC97 is a multifunction chip that contains a volume controlled DAC, Mic, headphone out, an ADC and such....  The reason it sounds so good, we can thank Jeff at Resolution audio DAC section that is used. In the quality of his DAC section, using a DAC controlled volume control, can compromise the sound quality. Jeff’s DAC card if far superior to any AC97 chip as used in the lower priced olive units.

[jhm731]

On the other hand, if SPIDF output and ADC is most important, the lower priced units Produces a better SPIDF output and ADC than the Opus. But then, we give up the awesome linear power supply that is used in the Opus for a SMPS. Of course battery power can resolve the SMPS issues, but Battery supplies come with their own issues. An outboard linear would be the best solution for the Musica and Symphony. But then we lose the quietness of the Opus, something we all want. My take personally, still searching for the full enchilada... that you can have, and eat. But I have not given up with the Opus just yet, and still working on a solution for it.

Didn't realize the Musica had an SMPS. The similar price Cambridge Azur 640H Music Server has
a linear PSU, maybe that's the ticket for the "full enchilada."

[Vinnie R.]

On the other hand, if SPIDF output and ADC is most important, the lower priced units Produces a better SPIDF output and ADC than the Opus. But then, we give up the awesome linear power supply that is used in the Opus for a SMPS. Of course battery power can resolve the SMPS issues, but Battery supplies come with their own issues. An outboard linear would be the best solution for the Musica and Symphony. But then we lose the quietness of the Opus, something we all want. My take personally, still searching for the full enchilada... that you can have, and eat. But I have not given up with the Opus just yet, and still working on a solution for it.

Didn't realize the Musica had an SMPS. The similar price Cambridge Azur 640H Music Server has
a linear PSU, maybe that's the ticket for the "full enchilada."

Hi jhm731,

The stock Symphony and Musica use a linear regulated power supply section for the analog output section (op amp stage).  The rest is a toroid transformer feeding a SMPS section for 5V and 3.3V.

If the RA dac in the Opus taps off of the AC97's SPDIF output, does it make sense to instead use a very high quality external dac with a Symphony/Musica's spdif output since they are going the Spdif route inside of the Opus 
IMHO, the beauty of using a digital player's internal dac is that there is no need to have the digital data converted to SPDIF and back again for another dac chip.  In theory, this approach isn't ideal, but if the Opus does sound very good, who cares right? 

[jhm731]

On the other hand, if SPIDF output and ADC is most important, the lower priced units Produces a better SPIDF output and ADC than the Opus. But then, we give up the awesome linear power supply that is used in the Opus for a SMPS. Of course battery power can resolve the SMPS issues, but Battery supplies come with their own issues. An outboard linear would be the best solution for the Musica and Symphony. But then we lose the quietness of the Opus, something we all want. My take personally, still searching for the full enchilada... that you can have, and eat. But I have not given up with the Opus just yet, and still working on a solution for it.

Didn't realize the Musica had an SMPS. The similar price Cambridge Azur 640H Music Server has
a linear PSU, maybe that's the ticket for the "full enchilada."

Hi jhm731,

The stock Symphony and Musica use a linear regulated power supply section for the analog output section (op amp stage).  The rest is a toroid transformer feeding a SMPS section for 5V and 3.3V.

If the RA dac in the Opus taps off of the AC97's SPDIF output, does it make sense to instead use a very high quality external dac with a Symphony/Musica's spdif output since they are going the Spdif route inside of the Opus 
IMHO, the beauty of using a digital player's internal dac is that there is no need to have the digital data converted to SPDIF and back again for another dac chip.  In theory, this approach isn't ideal, but if the Opus does sound very good, who cares right? 

Vinnie,

I'll leave it to you and MauiMods to figure out the config on the Opus RA DAC. I don't need the DAC, that's why MauiMods' comments about the lower priced units producing a better SPIDF output caught my eye.  IMO, Olive is missing the boat, by not offering digital out only versions, like the Nova Physics Group Memory Player.

Thanks for the info on the Symphony and Musica PSUs, that's easy to fix.

Like I said, I'm still interested in how the similar priced Cambridge Azur 640H Music Server compares to the Olives.

[MauiMods]

Vin,
Do you like the AC97 DAC PeRfoRmAnCe?

[Vinnie R.]

Vin,
Do you like the AC97 DAC PeRfoRmAnCe?

Hi Anthony,

Feeding the AC97 with a dedicated 5V regulator (which is fed from SLA battery power) for the Vcc rail and taking the analog outputs (which are a voltage signal) directly to the RCA jacks via Black Gate non-poloraize NX-Hi-Q caps.....  yes, I like the sound very much.  The resulting sound (once those BG caps burn in) is warm, detailed, spacious, and well balanced.  It isn't analytical and sterile sounding.  It sounds more like what I hear with a good NOS dac powered by SLA battery.  Sure, there are other dac chips out there that boast better specs but that doesn't = making better sounding music  .

Best regards,

Vinnie

 



 

[MauiMods]

Hi Vinny,
Thank you for your reply!
Regarding:
 "Sure, there are other Dac chips out there that boast better specs but that doesn't = making better sounding music" .

Why Did you swap out the DAC in the SB3 to a higher speced DAC of the same kind, when it had only a few extra DB's of S/n  and .001% ish less THD? I could never understand that? How I looked at the original DAC there was many limitations to overcome to able to full extract the performance of the original DAC. Why bother installing a slightly better spec DAC? Did you overcome these limitaitions? Did you find the original Dac was the bottleneck? intrested.....

Anthony

[Vinnie R.]

Hi Vinny,
Thank you for your reply!
Regarding:
 "Sure, there are other Dac chips out there that boast better specs but that doesn't = making better sounding music" .

Why Did you swap out the DAC in the SB3 to a higher speced DAC of the same kind, when it had only a few extra DB's of S/n  and .001% ish less THD? I could never understand that? How I looked at the original DAC there was many limitations to overcome to able to full extract the performance of the original DAC. Why bother installing a slightly better spec DAC? Did you overcome these limitaitions? Did you find the original Dac was the bottleneck? intrested.....

Anthony

Hi Anthony,

I liked the sound of the Burr Brown 1748KE better than the 1748E used in the stock SB.  It was not a HUGE different, but obvious to me and worth persuing so I did it and was happy with the results.  Back when I started modding SBs, someone pointed out the KE version of that dac chip and I was open to trying it out and comparing it to an SB with all other mods that were identical.  The KE sounded better...that is really all there is to it.

WHen I posted:

Sure, there are other Dac chips out there that boast better specs but that doesn't = making better sounding music

I hope you don't think I am saying that dacs with better specs can't be superior sounding....that is not what I mean at all.  What I am saying that there are dac chips out there that may not boast better specs than others, but to me make better sounding music.  For example, quite a few 16-bit NOS dac that I have heard sounded better to me than over/upsampling dacs that had superior specs.  This is just my taste in sound reproduction. 

Getting back to the AD1981B, which is what you orginally asked me about, I am very pleased with its perfomance in the modded Olive. 

Best regards,

Vinnie

[95bcwh]

Anthony,
  Kudos..! Make sure you charge Olive for helping them out!

barry

ATTENTION CURRENT OWNERS OF THE OLIVE OPUS! MAUIMODS  DISCOVERED A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW WITH THE OPUS.
OLIVE did not have an answer to the fix. Mauimods could not except that answer and worked hard, around the clock to find the soulution.
Great news! We found the fix, and shared it with Olive. The units now shipping "should" have the fix included. People who have current units should contact Olive, or they can send the Units to Mauimods for the FREE fix.!

[gostan]

ATTENTION CURRENT OWNERS OF THE OLIVE OPUS! MAUIMODS  DISCOVERED A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW WITH THE OPUS.
OLIVE did not have an answer to the fix. Mauimods could not except that answer and worked hard, around the clock to find the soulution.
Great news! We found the fix, and shared it with Olive. The units now shipping "should" have the fix included. People who have current units should contact Olive, or they can send the Units to Mauimods for the FREE fix.!

Interesting news.  What did you do to fix the fault?

[John Casler]

Don't wish to get mixed up in a "Modder/Dealer" and Manufacturer situation here, so please refrain from posting to this thread regarding this "suggestion" of an issue.

I am not a modder, and do not have test equipment (just ears )

I just spoke with OLIVE regarding this, and they haven't been able to duplicate the problem or recognize it as such.

Their position is that the units "as shipped" meet all specs and performance expectations. 

If you have any questions please call OLIVE.

They pledge to stand behind their product.

And I have to  say it sounds excellent.

[BarrelChief]

Does anyone know if music that is on the hard drive (and set up in play lists etc.) can be streamed out of the Opus's USB ports for use with a USB Dac?

[John Casler]

Does anyone know if music that is on the hard drive (and set up in play lists etc.) can be streamed out of the Opus's USB ports for use with a USB Dac?

I get the impression that the USB is to connect MP3 and I-POD like devices.

[ehart]

The USB ports can be also be used to attach external hard drives for backup and additional storage space.  Like John, I don't have impression that you can use them as "digital out" ports. 

To be sure, I suggest an email or call to Olive.  They usually take about a week to answer emails, but ar helpful.

- Eruc

[draco]

Oh and my friend and fellow VMPS dealer, Wayne at BOLDER has an excellent Mod package for the MUSICA, which has been reported as an excellent sounding package.

He now has the details listed on his site:

http://www.boldercables.com/servlet/Detail?no=380

Thank you for the mention, John.



http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=29216.0

I would like to offer a 20 % discount on the mods to the Musica to the members of the VMPS Group Buy.

Just enter code SA2020 on check-out.

If anyone wishes to be a beta tester for mods to the Opus, please contact me PM or E-mail

John - are you still looking for BETA testers and will the 20% off also apply to Symphony mods? Thanks.

[Wayne1]

The beta tester offer and the 20% discount are over.

The mods have been developed and are offered on the BOLDER Cable website.