Paradisea DAC

Quiet Earth · « **Reply #600 on:** 15 Feb 2008, 11:10 pm »

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POST DELETED TO AVOID CONFUSION

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Quiet Earth · « **Reply #601 on:** 16 Feb 2008, 09:28 pm »

I deleted my previous post because I realized that my speculation about C24 and C25 was incorrect. Those caps do not appear to be coupling caps. They look like they might be part of a feedback circuit for the opamp. I would not want anyone to mess around with that, thinking that I knew what I was talking about. So, I just deleted the entire post. My apologies for any confusion.

I don't have a schematic, but I think I will be able to figure all of this out next week.
More later, (maybe

)
QE

Les Lammers · « **Reply #602 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 03:11 pm »

Cable has always driven me a bit nuts. I never tried Toslink before but read a few internet posts about glass fibers. So I bought one of these on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/3-3-ft-GLASS-TOSLINK-DIGITAL-OPTICAL-CABLE-Premium_W0QQitemZ270212610454QQihZ017QQcategoryZ14965QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I am using it with the Paradisea+ DAC and it is every bit as good and maybe better than the Stereovox HDVX. For $26 delivered I give it a big

No affiliation with the seller it was just the cheapest price I could find it for. It is also sold on Agon but is $11 or so more.

rajacat · « **Reply #603 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 03:38 pm »

Quote from: Les Lammers on 21 Feb 2008, 03:11 pm

Cable has always driven me a bit nuts. I never tried Toslink before but read a few internet posts about glass fibers. So I bought one of these on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/3-3-ft-GLASS-TOSLINK-DIGITAL-OPTICAL-CABLE-Premium_W0QQitemZ270212610454QQihZ017QQcategoryZ14965QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I am using it with the Paradisea+ DAC and it is every bit as good and maybe better than the Stereovox HDVX. For $26 delivered I give it a big

No affiliation with the seller it was just the cheapest price I could find it for. It is also sold on Agon but is $11 or so more.

Thanks, I've been interested in upgrading my digital cable. I'm now using an inexpensive Blue Jeans Belden 1695A coax cable and have been on the lookout for cost effective upgrades with the Stereovox HDVX high on my list.

-Roy

t-head · « **Reply #604 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 04:34 pm »

Hope this is not too off topic...

I recently hooked up a Trends Audio UD 10 between my laptop and Paradisea+ using the coax input of the Paradisea+. Before I had used the USB input directly from laptop. The sound was immediately louder, and to my taste fuller, richer and better...anyone else had a similar experience? My Paradisea+ is stock, using a TungSol 2C51.

t

Les Lammers · « **Reply #605 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 06:26 pm »

T-Head,

Thanks for the info. If you are going to keep the Paradisea, upgrading the coupling caps will take it to the next level. I used OIMP V caps
but you may prefer something else.

t-head · « **Reply #606 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 06:38 pm »

Les,

I have been reading this thread with interest and learning to solder...upgrades in caps, etc are not far behind...the improvement from using the coax input instead of the USB is stimulating interest in mods. Would you recommend output cap switch as first mod?

t

Les Lammers · « **Reply #607 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 07:18 pm »

*I* think so because of the ease of the mod and the great sonic improvement. The mod takes 15 minutes and is not difficult at all. I am also going to try Herbie's Audio Lab Tenderfeet under the DAC and will post my subjective findings..

emac · « **Reply #608 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 07:55 pm »

I agree. Changing the caps produces a nice change overall. However, a bigger change would come from changing the opamp. I changed the one in my USB+ Constantine to an OPA2107, and it was a big difference. The image really moved forward and was more enjoyable.

I have Herbies Tenderfeet under my Constantine. The difference is there, but it's subtle. Slight improvement in detail, not huge. There are other changes you can do that offer bigger changes than the Tenderfeet.

Les Lammers · « **Reply #609 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 07:58 pm »

The OP Amp in the Paradisea is socketed. How do you know which one to choose and where do you get them? This is new to me.

emac · « **Reply #610 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 08:06 pm »

Quote from: Les Lammers on 21 Feb 2008, 07:58 pm

The OP Amp in the Paradisea is socketed. How do you know which one to choose and where do you get them? This is new to me.

There's a nice description of changing the opamp and which one to choose earlier in this thread. Somewhere between page 10 and 20 if memory serves. But, basically, you would desolder the old SOIC opamp and put another one in. If you're really feeling inspired, you could put in an adapter, which would allow you to change out opamps to your liking. In retrospect, this would have been a better option for me, but hindsight is 20:20.

Les Lammers · « **Reply #611 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 08:55 pm »

Quote from: rajacat on 21 Feb 2008, 03:38 pm

Quote from: Les Lammers on 21 Feb 2008, 03:11 pm
Cable has always driven me a bit nuts. I never tried Toslink before but read a few internet posts about glass fibers. So I bought one of these on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/3-3-ft-GLASS-TOSLINK-DIGITAL-OPTICAL-CABLE-Premium_W0QQitemZ270212610454QQihZ017QQcategoryZ14965QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I am using it with the Paradisea+ DAC and it is every bit as good and maybe better than the Stereovox HDVX. For $26 delivered I give it a big

No affiliation with the seller it was just the cheapest price I could find it for. It is also sold on Agon but is $11 or so more.

Thanks, I've been interested in upgrading my digital cable. I'm now using an inexpensive Blue Jeans Belden 1695A coax cable and have been on the lookout for cost effective upgrades with the Stereovox HDVX high on my list.

-Roy

I just received an Advantage digital cable from http://www.chimeralabs.com/ and out of the box it is head and shoulders better than the Stereovox HDVX. I will post again after it settles in..about 100 hours. Dennis seems to be passionate about what he does. He even has a DIY recipe on his site and offers a 30 day MBG on his cables. The Toslink is going into retirement.

It was good but this is MUCH better. Very detailed, no grit no grain.

t-head · « **Reply #612 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 09:14 pm »

Opamps...

My Paradisea+ seems to have a dip socket installed with a LM 4562 (if my eyes are reading the chip right

). What would be a superior choice? Coupling caps are 2.0uf from MHDT.

Using a Pulsar IC with Eichmanns from VH Audio...

emac · « **Reply #613 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 09:22 pm »

Quote from: t-head on 21 Feb 2008, 09:14 pm

Opamps...

My Paradisea+ seems to have a dip socket installed with a LM 4562 (if my eyes are reading the chip right ). What would be a superior choice? Coupling caps are 2.0uf from MHDT.

Using a Pulsar IC with Eichmanns from VH Audio...

The Paradisea+ seems to use the best opamp out of all of the MHDT Labs DACs with the LM4562. But since it's already in a DIP socket, all you would have to do is take out the opamp and put in a new one. There are a lot of choices out there for good opamps, and they each have a different sound. So, you can roll opamps to tailor the sound of the Paradisea to your liking.

The other thing you can do, and I've done with very good success, is to decouple the opamp. That's also posted on in this thread by Legarum and he put in helpful pics. It would be especially helpful with the higher speed LM4562, which can oscillate.

As for which cap would be better, there are a lot of choices, some of them costing over $100. So, it depends on what your budget is.

t-head · « **Reply #614 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 09:33 pm »

emac,

Thanks. That is what I thought, that I already have a good opamp. As for caps, I just included the values as the latest model of Paradisea+ has the larger caps as well as the socket and LM4562 installed. I am leaning towards the V caps but I will read a bit more. Mentioned so far in this thread are BlackGates, Obligatos, V Caps, Radio Shacks (?) and AudioNotes and probably others...so many choices...so little money...I'll look up the other mod mentioned (decoupling), thanks.

t

rajacat · « **Reply #615 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 09:36 pm »

Quote from: emac on 21 Feb 2008, 09:22 pm

Quote from: t-head on 21 Feb 2008, 09:14 pm
Opamps...

My Paradisea+ seems to have a dip socket installed with a LM 4562 (if my eyes are reading the chip right ). What would be a superior choice? Coupling caps are 2.0uf from MHDT.

Using a Pulsar IC with Eichmanns from VH Audio...

The Paradisea+ seems to use the best opamp out of all of the MHDT Labs DACs with the LM4562. But since it's already in a DIP socket, all you would have to do is take out the opamp and put in a new one. There are a lot of choices out there for good opamps, and they each have a different sound. So, you can roll opamps to tailor the sound of the Paradisea to your liking.

The other thing you can do, and I've done with very good success, is to decouple the opamp. That's also posted on in this thread by Legarum and he put in helpful pics. It would be especially helpful with the higher speed LM4562, which can oscillate.

As for which cap would be better, there are a lot of choices, some of them costing over $100. So, it depends on what your budget is.

When you decouple the opamp does that mean that it is totally out of the circuit? If it is, does that mean that the output gain (?) is decreased and then you would need to use ,perhaps, a preamp to increase the gain for the amp depending on what your amp requires?

Thanks,

Roy

emac · « **Reply #616 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 09:40 pm »

Quote from: rajacat on 21 Feb 2008, 09:36 pm

When you decouple the opamp does that mean that it is totally out of the circuit? If it is, does that mean that the output gain (?) is decreased and then you would need to use ,perhaps, a preamp to increase the gain for the amp depending on what your amp requires?

Thanks,

Roy

I'm not knowledgeable enough to be able to explain it so anyone can understand. The following site: http://tangentsoft.net/audio/ does a good job of explaining the hows and whys of working with opamps when you look at the links for the opamp section of the page.

emac · « **Reply #617 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 09:46 pm »

Quote from: t-head on 21 Feb 2008, 09:33 pm

emac,

Thanks. That is what I thought, that I already have a good opamp. As for caps, I just included the values as the latest model of Paradisea+ has the larger caps as well as the socket and LM4562 installed. I am leaning towards the V caps but I will read a bit more. Mentioned so far in this thread are BlackGates, Obligatos, V Caps, Radio Shacks (?) and AudioNotes and probably others...so many choices...so little money...I'll look up the other mod mentioned (decoupling), thanks.

t

Yeah, I'm the weird one who's using the Radio Shack caps. They seem at least comparable to the Clarity Cap SAs that I put in my amp, if not a bit better tonally. I'll probably try some others at some point. The Vishay MKT 1822, Obligattos, and Epcos ones are on my list since they won't break the bank.

Black Gates are electolytics, so you wouldn't need them for the output caps. If you wanted to swap out the electrolytic caps and put in Black Gates, that would also help.

t-head · « **Reply #618 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 10:06 pm »

emac,

I don't think I used 'weird'

...in fact some other thread mentioned using the Radio Shacks and was impressed with the price/sound quality ratio...V Caps are $100+shipping for 2...yikes...where do you get Obligattos?

t

Les Lammers · « **Reply #619 on:** 22 Feb 2008, 12:10 am »

T-Head,

You can get Obligottos from http://www.diyhifisupply.com/. *I* like the OIMP V caps and believe they were worth the $$$. Audio Note copper foil in oil were my go to caps but these were actually cheaper and smaller physically. Cheap when compared to IC's etc. It is tough to recommend capacitors because we all have different systems and sonic preferences. If you change caps you may find that you will prefer a different tube in the DAC too.

Les