Ordered my DIO.. what next?

JasonB · « **on:** 19 Mar 2003, 03:57 am »

I just ordered my DIO today from Erik at full compass, excellent customer service by the way. I am now starting on my way to put together my first real 2 channel set up considering what I am now using is a little dated (70's sanyo amp and akai speakers).

I do have a Panasonic RV30 and I've got some questions I hope to have answered. First I plan to have Wayne mod my DIO at some point and I'd like to know what's my best route for a transport. The Panasonic has an optical out so should I just add a Monarchy DIP and then to the dio or would the 249 dollars be better spent buying a used Sony S7000 or 7700, maybe a cheap Pioneer and attempt some mods myself? I don't want to go overboard on the source and have little left for other components.

I might add that I have set a budget of about 3000 canadian for the whole system, with components added over time. For speakers I'm thinking of Totem Mite's but an integrated amp I can't decide on. I have no problem with buying used, I would prefer solid state with the ability to drive the Totems (87db/W/m). I've been looking at Roksan, Creek, Arcam, Rega (the Mira seems to have received favourable reviews) and any others. Do you guys have any personal recommendations?

Cables I'm not gonna worry about right now, there's time for that.
I might as well add my musical tastes are pretty varied, Jazz, Acid Jazz, Blues, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Metal, Hip Hop, almost everything and I'm trying to bring myself back to classical (mostly violin and piano concertos that I grew up listening to as a kid learning to play)

Thanks for your help.

duff138 · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 Mar 2003, 12:41 pm »

a pioneer dvd player can be had for under $100. They make decent transports. I would think about getting Wayne's digital cable, it's highly recommended.

Jay S · « **Reply #2 on:** 19 Mar 2003, 01:17 pm »

If you can do mods yourself, do a search for an article that Dan Wright wrote on modifying Pioneer dvd players. I think the website was something like www.themorgue.com.

doug s. · « **Reply #3 on:** 19 Mar 2003, 01:26 pm »

jason,

get one of these for the opti-to-rca conwersion:

http://www.rdlnet.com/fpspr1.htm

erik will sell ya one for ~$90. much better than the monarchy thing - i bought a gw-labs dsp from audio adwisor, which i returned, in favor of this. why is the rdl better? cuz it's at least as good as the gw-labs w/o using the upsampling, & the upsampling made it unlistenable... if ya have a great dac - which the modded di/o is - then upsampling will not necessarily be an improvement.

then look for an aiwa xc-37m cd transport - fantastic, & will cost ~$100 used. they're no longer awailable new, but they sometimes show up nos on ebay, still ~$100.

if ya can diy, go here to mod yer di/o:
http://home.ca.inter.net/~cfraser/DIOFAQ.htm

wayne certainly does a great yob, but where do ya tink he found out about how to do it?

hth,

doug s.

jcoat007 · « **Reply #4 on:** 19 Mar 2003, 02:20 pm »

Here is a used pair of Totem Mite-T's for sale:

http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cl.pl?spkrmoni&1053224125&2&3&4&

Wayne1 · « **Reply #5 on:** 19 Mar 2003, 02:24 pm »

For a transport I would suggest a dedicated CD transport and to stay away from combo DVD/CD players or changers. There have been problems with some combo units with sync issues and any changer has more mechanical parts to go wrong.

Some people are happy with with what they have and good for them. I happen to prefer the sound I get from using a CAL Delta. You should always try to keep the digital signal path as short as possible. Having two cables does not accomplish this.

While Mr. Fraser's website is a great resource for the DIY type, the mods I offer go beyond what he talks about. The current version of the MENSA has been compared to $3,000.00 SACD/CD players and $1,800.00 DACs and has been found to be better sounding in the listeners' opinions.

Doug, I appreciate your enthusiasm for the DI/O and your gear but that is only one path. There are many other ways to get to where you want to go.

doug s. · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Mar 2003, 03:23 pm »

hi wayne,

i don't disagree that there are many ways to skin the transport cat. it so happens that the aiwa xc-37m has been favorably compared to multi-kilobuck cd transports. it does not do dvd's, only cd's. i have not even *once* had a sync-lock issue w/this unit. while interface to get from opto to rca is *not* ideal, in this case, the rdl units' rated jitter is <200 ps. also, it allows electrical isolation between the dac/transport, as the optical link isn't electrical. i offered this solution to jason cuz he wants to use his opto-out cdp as a transpot *now*. and, i know the aiwa is a fantastic transport, for future upgrade, w/absolutely *no* sync-lock issues. and, the rdl interface offers a seamless way to get from optical to rca w/no sonic degrdation, for a lot less money than the gw-lab/monarchy stuff.

re: the mensa di/o vs the mod info on craig's site; while i agree there are some differences, ~95% of the stuff is the same. between craigs' site, & the yahoo diomods site referenced there, you will find some stuff that you offer not found, & vice-versa. and, there is supposed to be an alternate op-amp mod that absolutely blows the lt1362-based op amp mod outta the water. of course, my di/o has the lt1362, & i haven't done up another one w/the recommended ina103kp, so this is not 1st-hand info, but heresay..

wayne, while i agree that your di/o is a fantastic piece, & certainly worth every penny, for those that can diy, they can save even more money, & get basically the same animal - a dac that compares w/multi-kilobuck dacs & cdp's. i, for one, wouldn't trade mine for a resolution audio cdp or an electrocompaniet cdp.

ymmv,

doug s.

JasonB · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Mar 2003, 09:06 pm »

Wayne, you've mentioned before your Delta is modded. What changes have been made and did you do them yourself or have someone else dp them. It seems they go for about 300 on audiogon, which looks to be a decent price.

Lost81 · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 Mar 2003, 09:45 pm »

I got myself a CAL Delta and love it too.
Compared to a stock Marantz 63SE, it defines the bass better.
The Marantz 63SE is heavier in bass but less defined.

The CAL Delta was also able to "layer" the different instruments, as opposed to a "flatter" presentation by the Marantz 63SE.
Soundstage is larger and more cavernous with the CAL Delta, and the singer/band/instruments, seem further back, extending beyond the boundaries of the room, while the Marantz 63SE's presentation is more "in your face."

Search the archives, sometime ago, Wayne posted some info on the modifications/upgrades he made.

I opened up the CAL Delta to do this, but the main PCB is under the transport unit. And the screws securing the transport seem to be held down by some sort of locktite material. I need to find out if the transport mechanism is caliberated when secured down. If so, then I am leary of removing it.

On a side note, one of the larger electrolytic caps in the CAL Delta is soldered in a rather interesting matter, with one lead tack-soldered to a diode on the component side. That seems to be quite a feat to replicate.

Cheers,
benny
---
Some more years will pass, and after them will come gloomy solitude; then will come old age trembling on its crutch, and after it misery and desolation. Your fantastic world will grow pale, your dreams will fade and die and will fall like yellow leaves from the trees... (White Nights, Feodor Dostoevsky)

Wayne1 · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 Mar 2003, 10:49 pm »

Benny,

The transport is just screwed in. No calibration required.

I just did the basic mods that should be done to any transport/CD player.

I replaced the rectifier diodes with Harris FREDs. I replaced all of the power supply caps with larger value Panasonic ones. I dampened the transport itself and the case. I replaced the IEC jack with a Furutech and I replaced the digital output jack with a Canare 75 ohm BNC.

I have been thinking about replacing the pulse transformer with a Lundahl one.

I also use a NITRO power cable on it

Lost81 · « **Reply #10 on:** 21 Mar 2003, 08:09 am »

Thanks, Wayne for sharing the valuable information.

Guess I will do that sometime this year...

Nitro Power Cord. Woah!
Me, I am going Volex 19364 sometime & a Schuchter for the power...

Cheers,

benny
---
And you grieve that the momentary beauty has faded so soon never to return, that it flashed upon you so treacherously, so vainly, grieve because you had not even time to love her . . .. (White Nights, Feodor Dostovesky)