CD-PRO2M Builder's questions and comments

ks-JPN · « **Reply #120 on:** 3 Mar 2005, 05:25 pm »

Hello Group.
I am DIY audio lover in Japan.
This thread is very useful for me because several days ago I bought the DIYZONE Cd-Pro2 kit from ken at ebay. I am waiting for the DIYZONE CD-PRO2 to be sent early.
By the way, I made the another CD transport that used CD-PRO2 PCB kit(without chassis) released limitedly in Japan. I used the exterior of SONY CDP-X3000 as a chassis.

http://homepage2.nifty.com/zephyrus/CD-PRO2/DSCN5034.JPG">
http://homepage2.nifty.com/zephyrus/CD-PRO2/CD-PRO2M.html">http://homepage2.nifty.com/zephyrus/CD-PRO2/CD-PRO2M.htm

I think this transport is beautiful, but the DIYZONE kit is more beautiful and great.
After the CD-PRO2 kit of DIYZONE arrives, I'll compare the DIYZONE CD-PRO2 and the CD-PRO2 in SONY chassis .
Thanks.

JM · « **Reply #121 on:** 3 Mar 2005, 07:23 pm »

ks-JPN, the kit looks nice in the CDP-X3000 case.

Yesterday evening I worked on my kit and system a bit and here are some of my preliminary conclusions:
1- Reversing the polarity of the speakers (and sub) to compensate for the CD-PRO2M DAC did improve the sound significantly. The tonal balance didn't change much, but there was much better coherency in the sound stage. Lower mids and bass were more solid. That might also be due to the fact that my speaker crossovers have to break in again...
2- I replaced the 4 LM317 positive regulators in the +5V and +9V PS's with the LT1085CT and that was a big improvement. More significant than upgrading the op-amps. Now the sound is really smooth and analog like. There's almost no mechanical signature anymore. The parts still need to be broken in... I should be replacing the negative regulators in the display PS soon.
3- During my tests yesterday, I found out that my DVD player was inducing noise and hum in my system. I'll add an isolation transformer between the DVD and pre for now. But I think I'll have to revise the ground scheme in my NOH passive pre.
The CD-PRO kit is completely silent when idle.
4- I still want to play with the connection from the PS's to main ground (earth). There are 2 other methods that seem interesting: using 2 reversed diodes in series with the ground connection; or using a 50 ohm resistor in series with a 0.01uF cap in series with the ground connection.

bsyyu1 · « **Reply #122 on:** 4 Mar 2005, 12:48 am »

Hi Jm

your post is interesting.
particular interest in your post of grounding issue.
please keep me in post of your progress on the grounding isse
thanks

tianguis · « **Reply #123 on:** 4 Mar 2005, 01:05 am »

Julien:
Is there any particular reason you chose the LT1085CT? There seem to be a fair number of the variants of the 1083 among which to choose.
I use balanced power and haven't experienced any grounding issues. Sounds better, too.

Regards,
Larry Welsh

JM · « **Reply #124 on:** 4 Mar 2005, 03:50 am »

Quote from: tianguis

Julien:
Is there any particular reason you chose the LT1085CT? There seem to be a fair number of the variants of the 1083 among which to choose.
I use balanced power and haven't experienced any grounding issues. Sounds better, too.

Regards,
Larry Welsh

Hi Larry
I just chose these because someone had used them already with good results. Their numbers are pretty good too.
I'm also powering the cd-pro with balanced power, through a Transcendent Sound Power Supply. But that doesn't necessarily solve ground loops.
Now that I found the main source of noise in my system, I'll ground it directly and see if I still have a ground problem.
Today I just tried a Analog Devices AD817 op-amp in the power supplies and I think I prefer it to the OPA627. To me, it sounds more open and transparent.

westiebj · « **Reply #125 on:** 4 Mar 2005, 11:52 am »

Quote from: ken_diyzone.net

Hi Josh,

They are for the Blue LEDs. Take power from the 5V board, and use 1K for resistor value, reduce by 20% if you think the LED is too bright, and vise versa.

They fit on the inner tray that I mailed out to you yesterday.

........

Regards,
Ken

Hi all

Sorry if this is a bit of a dumb question but I'm not too good with this. What power rating should be used for the resistors ? Is .125W OK ?
I'm planning to use 20mA diodes. ( Luminous intensity, typ:1200mcd , viewing:30° )

Also, I agree blue looks very nice, but would say green be more suitable. I ask because I remember years ago people using green marker pens on CD's supposedly to help reading the disk ( something to do with the wavelength of the laser ? )

Thanks for any help

Regards

gordf · « **Reply #126 on:** 4 Mar 2005, 04:13 pm »

never seen one in action...not sure either what it is supposed to do.

JM · « **Reply #127 on:** 4 Mar 2005, 04:15 pm »

Quote from: westiebj

Hi all

Sorry if this is a bit of a dumb question but I'm not too good with this. What power rating should be used for the resistors ? Is .125W OK ?
I'm planning to use 20mA diodes. ( Luminous intensity, typ:1200mcd , viewing:30° )

Also, I agree blue looks very nice, but would say green be more suitable. I ask because I remember years ago people using green marker pens on CD's supposedly to help reading the disk ( something to do with the wavelength of the laser ? )

Thanks for any help

Regards

To be safe, I'd use a 2W resistor or higher. I used a 5W wirewound that I happen to have in my parts bin.
Regarding the light, It's difficult to tell. The opposite of pure red is a mixture of pure blue and pure green which makes a green that looks a little darker than the one in the Audioprism pen. But the trick is to find a LED with that tone, so I guess pure green or pure blue should have the same effect.
That's an interesting question. When I find a moment, I want to try with green as well...

ks-JPN · « **Reply #128 on:** 4 Mar 2005, 06:49 pm »

Quote from: westiebj

Hi all

Sorry if this is a bit of a dumb question but I'm not too good with this. What power rating should be used for the resistors ? Is .125W OK ?
I'm planning to use 20mA diodes. ( Luminous intensity, typ:1200mcd , viewing:30° )

Also, I agree blue looks very nice, but would say green be more suitable. I ask because I remember years ago people using green marker pens on CD's supposedly to help reading the disk ( something to do with the wavelength of the laser ? )

Thanks for any help

Regards

5V / 1k ohm = .005A
.005A X 5V = .025W
.025W X 3(Safe factor) = .075W
.125W > .075W
It's OK!

Hi Ken , Do you ship kit to me already ?
_________________
ks-JPN

ken_diyzone.net · « **Reply #129 on:** 5 Mar 2005, 02:37 am »

Hi Ks-Jpn,

Having some issues getting the kits out the door in taiwan. If I can't reslove by this weekend, I'll send your kit from US via airmail at no extra charge.

Again, very sorry for the delay.

Regards,
Ken

NoobyBaboo · « **Reply #130 on:** 5 Mar 2005, 02:24 pm »

JustaNote:

Whem mounting the CDPro2M module onto the support pillars, and in the course of setting the fixing screws, my intent was that the set screw would interfere with the head of the transport "footers" in the event of upset(during building, handling, shipping, whatever). Thus the set screw would need to be set just far enough in to have the desired interference in case of upset, but should not be so far in as to contact the footer shaft and prevent foating of the suspended transport.

While I could accomplish both, what I found was that the transport instead did not float because the the head of the footer was up too high and rested on the set screw from the bottom side. Thus, while the transport seemed to be freely suspended when pushing down, it was in fact not floating because the springs were pushing the footer head up against the set screw.

The fix was to do a few cycles of compessing the springsto flat. This seems to result in less than a mm of topside clearance, which should be enough for the normal acoustic amplitude of the suspension in service. Check to see that the transport remains level to the chassis bottom, some springs needed more work than others.

NoobyBaboo · « **Reply #131 on:** 5 Mar 2005, 02:32 pm »

JustaNote:

Maybe I missed it mentioned elsewhere, but when one receives the upgrade CD clamp, they need to remove the ring magnet from inside the OEM (plastic body) clamp and install it into the machined groove of the upgrade clamp. I used contact cement in the bottom of the groove to attach it. The ring magnet is held in the OEM plastic clamp by fingernail type tabs.

JoshK · « **Reply #132 on:** 5 Mar 2005, 09:22 pm »

Quick question

I didn't see any instructions for the trans or cap upgrades. It looks like the transformers just go into T301 & T302 with first removing the jumpers but which caps need to be replaced for the cap upgrade?

tianguis · « **Reply #133 on:** 5 Mar 2005, 10:13 pm »

Josh:
The pulse x-frmrs are installed as you note, with the square and rounded corners aligned with the printing on the board. The two caps replace C301 and C304 on the digital output board.

Regards,
Larry Welsh

westiebj · « **Reply #134 on:** 6 Mar 2005, 05:08 pm »

Hi all

Just to let you all know I've just finished building my CD-PRO2M and after spending this morning checking all the wiring etc I finally bit the bullet and powered it up per the instructions in the manual and ....

It worked faultlessly, first time !!

No one is more surprised as me. I am well impressed with this kit.

I've only checked it using toslink out so far but everything is doing what it should, and it doesn't sound half bad either.

I had to do a lot of mods to the kit to reposition the display and move the drive forward and will post my notes and pictures soon but thought I'd let everyone know my success (due to the help here on the forum and the excellent instructions)

Cheers

westiebj

ken_diyzone.net · « **Reply #135 on:** 7 Mar 2005, 12:00 pm »

Hi westiebj,

Good work, everything work at first try!! Please do post pictures on how you moved the VFD forward, there are a couple of builders of CD-PRO2M kit are doing the same.

Steve had put together this additinonal information sheet, don't know if you noticed.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=17287

Thanks
Ken

ken_diyzone.net · « **Reply #136 on:** 7 Mar 2005, 12:02 pm »

Hi Josh,

The bigger caps are for the two 9V PS boards.

Thanks
Ken

JoshK · « **Reply #137 on:** 7 Mar 2005, 02:59 pm »

I was successful in moving the display board forward, along with the transport and detection module. I sawed off the excess lenght on the buttons and retapped the holes (off center) using my drill press. It was time consuming but not difficult. Unfortunately my dog broke my digital camera so I can't post the pictures.

The drill press ($75 from Grizzly.com) comes in extremely handy for modifying or customizing cases. I am really glad I bought it, have used it countless times in the last two years. Trying to drill the holes with a drill is much more challenging.

bambadoo · « **Reply #138 on:** 7 Mar 2005, 09:11 pm »

Regarding op-amps. I haven't done much research regarding this kit, but does anyone know if a AD797 can be used?
I have a couple laying that aren't in use. Just a thought.

And I have done the upgrades now. They seem to work.
Best Regards

NoobyBaboo · « **Reply #139 on:** 8 Mar 2005, 03:36 am »

Use this to help figure it out:

http://www.alldatasheet.com/