Modded Squeezebox 2 rev1

Wayne1 · « **on:** 18 Aug 2005, 04:59 pm »

With some new information coming from the Slimdevices CEO, I believe it is possible to run the unit from a single 5 volt supply and not have to use the internal switcher OR a second outboard 12 volt supply.

mgalusha dropped off his SB2 yesterday. I will be implementing this mod on his. We should be able to report on improvements within a few days.

I am also being sent some Sonicap Platinums to use as a bypass caps on the Sonicaps after the DAC. I think the addition of the Teflon caps will add a little air to the sound of the unit. If we find these to be beneficial, I will add these as an extra cost option.

If the internal power supply changes work out, they will be part of the "Basic" mod at no extra cost.

Wayne1 · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 Aug 2005, 12:11 am »

Initial surgery went well

It is posible to run the DAC entirely from a linear supply.

There are now no switchers going to the DAC.

This will clean up the sound a bit on both analog and digital outputs.

mgalusha · « **Reply #2 on:** 19 Aug 2005, 03:22 am »

Glad to hear the patient lived through the first surgery.

Wayne1 · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 Aug 2005, 12:03 am »

I just finished up Mike's SB2

Very Nice!!

I have made quite a few changes.

The voltages to the DAC are now coming straight from the Linear PS. No switching voltages are anywhere near it. The 14V feed from the switcher is now disconnected.

I removed the headphone op-amp and removed the power from the audio op-amp.

I changed some of the values of the power supply caps I used.

The modded SB2 has an even quiter background than before.

Mike dropped over a pair of Sonicap Platinums to bypass the main Sonicaps. The sound seems to have move depth to it.

Now this is my first reaction after powering it up. I am sure Mike will have some more comment to add after he listens to it for a few days.

BTW, if anyone buys the first modded SB2 I did for Tirade, I will update to the new rev (without Sonicap Platinums) at no charge.

mgalusha · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 Aug 2005, 02:35 pm »

I was able to spend a little time listening to the new SB2 last night and it was sounding very good but I know it's going to need some hours for the new caps to break in before it really comes on song.

I put a couple of 10K resistors across the outputs last night and queued up a couple of weeks worth of music with the volume all the way up and will let it play continuously for a while unless I'm home to listen to it.

As much as I love the teflon Sonicap Platinums, they do take some time to settle in. I suspect it will sound better every day for the next week or so.

I'll post more impressions once it's had a few days to settle in.

Mike

mgalusha · « **Reply #5 on:** 26 Aug 2005, 02:10 am »

Well the SB2 has had a few days to settle in and it's sounding very good. I finally had some time last night to listen for a few hours and I'm very happy with how the SB2 is sounding. Very dynamic, full bodied and rich. Hmm, sounds like a coffee commercial. Of course what I mean is that wooden instruments have a nice full wooden sound.

After reading Wayne's post about some additional power supply changes he wants to make I'll have to give him a call and see what the schedule is. I can say that I'm quite happy with my hot rodded SB2 thus far and if it can be made even better then I'm all for it.

DSK · « **Reply #6 on:** 26 Aug 2005, 02:27 am »

Hi Mike,

Congrats on your modded SB2 ...sounds like there hasn't been too much blood at the bleeding edge on this occasion.

Out of interest, what was your previous source and what do you feel are the comparative strengths and weaknesses of the modded SB2?

Cheers,
Darren.

mgalusha · « **Reply #7 on:** 26 Aug 2005, 03:01 am »

Hello Darren,

My other sources are a much modified Denon 2900 (Parts Express/Underwood HI-FI mods plus a few others) and a Teres with a Scheu/Benz cart. My preamp is a homebrew using a 6SN7 for gain with some 6AH4 cathode followers. It sounds very similar to a friends deHavilland UltraVerve and I've been extremely happy with it.

When Wayne brought his first modded SB2 over it was very impressive, especially when connected directly to the amps with nothing except for some short cables to muck up the sound.

When I picked mine up the other night it was good but somewhat on the bright side. It's been my experience that teflon caps can take some time to settle in and I fully expected it to improve. It's been playing music for the past 4 days and when I connected it back to the system last night and this evening it was sounding much better. Some folks don't subscribe to break in and say it's a matter of the listener becoming accoustomed. In this case I haven't been listening to it and become accoustomed. I believe that it's improved markedly over the course of the last 4 days. 'Course I could be imagining it but in either case, I'm qutie happy with the performance at the moment.

What it does better than my other digital souce is to sound more like my analog setup. Music just seems to flow from the Teres with an amazing sense of rhythm and the SB2 is closer to that than any other digital source I've owned. A lot of unconscious foot tapping. I keep catching myself bouncing my leg to the music. Always a good sign.

It's quite detailed and seemingly transparent without the harsh and aggressive sound I've heard with most digital sources. Lots of dynamics with subtle nuances and cues audible as well. A very nice sense of depth and space, especially on minimally miked acoustic recordings.

Mike

DSK · « **Reply #8 on:** 26 Aug 2005, 04:02 am »

Many thanks, Mike. I have a spare PC on my home network and can feel myself being inevitably sucked into the void of a modded SB2 front end.
There ....is ....no ....fighting....iiiiiiitt

mgalusha · « **Reply #9 on:** 27 Aug 2005, 06:55 pm »

I've spent most of the morning listening to music via the SB2 and it's sounding mighty good. My pal Jerry was over and brought his Exemplar modded Denon 2900 by for comparison. Playing the SB2 and the Denon through my preamp we found the Denon had more harmonic richness but at the expense of some clarity and transparency compared with the SB2. Both sounded very good but it was no trouble to tell that the Exemplar has a tube output stage. I could happily live with either.

We then went back to connecting the SB2 direct to the amps. Once again the sound was exceptional. Even though the SB2 is not supposed to drop bit when using the digital volume control it sounded better the higher it was turned up. One of the most endearing features of the modded SB2 is the fact that it invites you to crank it up. Any component that makes me want to turn it down is not welcome in my system, no matter what else it may do right. The Bolder modded SB2 is just the opposite. More volume = mo betta.

The thought of further improvements makes me almost giddy. The little SB2 made a convert of Jerry today. Perhaps he'll post his thouhts on how the system sounded. I think he liked it.

Thanks for the nice work Wayne, most appreciated.

Mike

Wayne1 · « **Reply #10 on:** 27 Aug 2005, 07:16 pm »

You are welcome, Mike.

All should remember that Mike's unit has about 125 hours on it. There has been much mention of the Teflon bypass caps taking 400 hours or more to fully break-in.

The power supply contains a brand-new SILVER plated IEC connector and fuse holder. From past experience, I have found that these things take about a month to truly settle in.

I do not think the Bolder Modded SB2 will ever have the coloration of a tubed output stage. If you give it another few weeks of playing, the SB2 should get a bit smoother.

All in all, I think it does say some very good things when a modded product that sells for under $700.00 can go toe to toe with a $4000.00 modded player and not be shown up.

http://www.exemplaraudio.com/D2900.htm

I can't wait to hear what Jerry has to say.

mgalusha · « **Reply #11 on:** 28 Aug 2005, 01:13 am »

Quote from: Wayne1

I can't wait to hear what Jerry has to say.

You might have to wait a few days. He just moved into a new house and I believe he mentioned that he won't have phone or cable until Tuesday.

Mike

Wayne1 · « **Reply #12 on:** 29 Aug 2005, 07:01 pm »

Jerry just called me from his work.

Bottom line: He was VERY impressed with Mike's system AND the modded SB2.

He has ordered one and wants me to mod it

zybar · « **Reply #13 on:** 29 Aug 2005, 07:47 pm »

Kudos to you Wayne!!

See you in a month.

George

Turk · « **Reply #14 on:** 30 Aug 2005, 08:25 pm »

Up and running. So far the best digital I have heard has been the Exemplar Denon 2900, also a 6 Moons award winner. Well, I have now heard better digital redbook, the Bolder SB2.

At Mike's a few days ago, we put the two head to head. The Denon has had a few additonal mods that improve it futher from its original modded state, like better wire and caps.

Running the SB2 into the LNPA 150s direct was a revelation as the Exemplar is very, very good. However,at first, I was impressed but not overly so with the sound of the SB2. Turns out when the volume goes up the music just pours out of the speakers; like Coltrane's "sheets of sound". Don't know why, don't care as I was always asking my friend Mike to turn it up.

The slight advantage in tube harmonics of the Exemplar gave way to the best rhythm and pace I have heard from the Blue heron 2s. I could not believe I was listening to a box that looked like a refugee from an "attention Kmart shoppers" cry to buy.

Two other areas that I have not heard done as well by other digital I have auditioned or owned were the tone of a piano or sax and level of transparency. You have got to hear a piano and a sax on the SB2 to fully appreciate the rightness of the sound. Two little wires going from one box to the amps. By comparison my Ultra Verve, a great preamp, sounded a bit slow and slightly veiled when paired with the Denon. Slightly better with the SB2, but oh my! with the direct input.

Yes, I have ordered a Bolder SB2. I know it is my favorite on redbook at anywhere near the price. I also know I was hearing neither the BH2s or SB2 at their best as both speakers and digital probably needed another 100 to 200 hrs or more.

Stay tuned for thr real shoot out---The SB2 direct vs. the Eurolab, Morch, and Shelter, otherwise know as fine vinyl playback.

Imagine, 3 boxes, a pair of interconnects and a couple of power cords. You got to be kidding!

Now, as a qualifier, please understand I have not heard $10k plus digital. I have heard a lot in the $1.5k to $5k range and it's no contest to these ears. Besides, I don't have that kind of money.

Tirade · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 Aug 2005, 08:41 pm »

Im glad that you pointed out that the SB2 sounded better as the volume went up.

There is actually a reason for this.

The SB2's volume control is purely digital. Essentially it lowers the volume by removing bits from the source and adds them back when raising the volume back up. The bit loss isnt noticeable to most people until its below listenable volume levels, but you are correct when you say that the louder you go the better it sounds.

When using the digital out into an external DAC/preamp it is recommended that you set the digital volume to fixed/max mode so that you can use your int. amp or preamp for volume control w/o any bit loss.

Tim

Wayne1 · « **Reply #16 on:** 30 Aug 2005, 11:00 pm »

Tim and others,

ALL digital volume controls drop bits. That is how they can work. This means that the volume controls in a HT receiver, preamp/processor, TacT digital preamp, etc, all function the same way.

The SB2 is a bit different in that all information is first converted into 24 bit word. This does leave more room for volume steps without causing information loss.

I can say that I hear no compression when listening to the SB2 at a lower volume. I do feel that getting rid of the preamp circuitry, all the mechanical connections involved, the extra cable and connectors more than make up for any possible reduction in resolution.

Tirade · « **Reply #17 on:** 30 Aug 2005, 11:16 pm »

Thanks for the info Wayne. You wouldnt be the first person to state that the volume control of the SB2 is amazing. A lot of people have stated they prefer it to their passive preamp volume controls.

Either way the SB2 is a great piece of equipment and modded its one of the few pieces of equipment that truely is a bargain in a world of overpriced/overhyped equipment.

Its happening slowly but surely already and I expect all the major manufacturers will be using HD based digital transports before long.

Tim

Turk · « **Reply #18 on:** 31 Aug 2005, 05:48 pm »

Perhaps I should have mentioned I listen to my music somewhat louder than most, because of some hearing loss due to shooting, drag racing and corner horns. Nevertheless, the SB2 sounds very good at lower volumes, however, since pace and dynamics are strong points ya got to agree the SB2 shines at club and concert levels.

It's not that there is a sense of compression, there is the sense of real music at higher volumes. After all, even chamber music sounds better at REAL listening levels. This is not a fault of the SB2, I think, as much as it is that all reproduced music will sound better if the equipment is top notch and capable of live levels.

What I worry about is when you turn it up and you run screaming for the volume to turn it down. As Mike said, the SB2 in his system begs you to turn it up and up.

RichardS · « **Reply #19 on:** 31 Aug 2005, 06:54 pm »

FWIW, Tact gear, when using both the preamp and amp, doesn't lose bits as you adjust volume. That's one of it's great strengths. The preamp passes volume attenuation off to the amp/DAC.

The level of playback is controlled by adjusting the voltage of the power supply. To reduce the volume the voltage of the power supply is reduced. This means that the volume control is no longer part of an active circuit.

As a Tact user, I'm really excited about the SB2 mods. I would, natuarally be most interested in using the digital out. I presently use a Genesis Lens and Camelot for jitter reduction, but would like to find away to make these redundant and free up finances from them and the multitude of cables.