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The volume control is definitely usable in Pure Audio. I could have sworn I read somewhere that using it (including most of the way down) would not degrade the sound. Does anyone know for certain?
We are designing an upgrade board that will allow as many as three digital inputs to be added to existing ModWright Modified players, tube or SS, thus allowing the ModWright player to act as both player and DAC.Digital inputs will include SPDIF (RCA and/or BNC) and AES/EBU (XLR) inputs, USB not included. The decision to not incorporate USB was based on the fact that to do so would compromise THIS design. You can easily use a variety of external USB/RCA converters, such as those from M2Tech, that allow for up to 24/192 hi-rez data.Design Scope and details below:Design scope has been finalized and expanded. Digital input design shall include custom vcxo control algorithm, data buffeting and other circuits to achieve less than ~20ps jitter levels. This is the proprietary design of Alex Dondysh, digital engineer (former owner of 3Dimension Audio).this appraoch was chosen over merely using a standard digital input receiver with internal PLL circuit, typically producing jitter levels on the order of 200ps or more! It DOES add cost to the design, but I feel the performance MORE than justifies the end cost.This is not to be confused with the master clock, internal to the player. The purpose of this clocking/buffering circuitry is to minimize jitter of external digital data, feeding the player's own DAC. This is to maximize performance of the modified player as a DAC for external digital source. In this configuration, the circuit consists of our ultra-low jitter digital input circuitry to the player's own DACs and output to ModWright's own analog stage design.Oppo BDP-83SE and Sony XA-5400ES units will be the first units available for this upgrade.SPDIF (RCA), BNC and AES/EBU (XLR) inputs may be provided. Multiple digital inputs will be switchable via mechanical switch on back of player. Toggle switch on rear of player will toggle unit from player to DAC
The digital input will accept up to 24/192 samples. It will accept 16/44, 24/48, 24/96 and 24/192 if available. It will not upsample but will re-clock and buffer the data for ULTRA-LOW jitter.
The mod is in final testing and programming stage for the Sony XA-5400ES. At this point, the digital input mod for the Oppo 95 is on hold until we have the Sony digital input mod finalized.The Oppo WILL accept USB music input from external USB hard drive or USB stick or other storage media. At this point, it will not allow direct connection to the Touch via RCA (SPDIF).
Agreed and appreciated. We are completing the first digital input mods for the XA-5400ES and while it has been difficult and taken longer than expected, the results are promising!This is also 90% of a DAC, that we will be offering in the future as a standalone product.RE the Oppo, I agree, if Oppo has provided THIS much flexibility already, it doesn't seem difficult to incorporate the rest of the functionality into a future firmware upgrade.
Our first intent, was to use our digital input receiver, to accept XLR (AES/EBU) and Spdif (RCA) inputs and have them feed the internal Sony DAC. Well, this took over a year and in the end, I have ONE working prototype, but it is VERY twitchy and I decided to 'punt' on that approach in favor of a more attractive approach!The problem was the interface and communication with the Sony firmware. We decided it would make more sense for our digital input receiver to just have IT'S OWN DAC. We chose the PCM1794, which is much better DAC than the Sony uses. There is zero oversampling, but there is re-clocking and data buffering.This combination formed a complete DAC that is SO GOOD that we are also using it to add a DAC to our LS 100 and KWI 200 SS integrated amp. I have the first Sony prepped and ready for install of this new DAC/Receiver board for testing, today.I have also been working with installing it in the Oppo 95, but bizarre grounding schemes in the Oppo have made this VERY challenging. I am not expecting such problems with the Sony. I know that the input receiver works in my one prototype.More to follow as I install the first Dig. Input mod in the Sony XA-5400ES.
The truth is, it takes TIME to do proper design, and rushing a product out before it is ready is NO recipe for success!As a result, I have 'hunkered down' in my 'lab' and worked hard to finalize the following designs:Digital input mods: Oppo BDP-95 and Sony XA-5400ES.First of all, the digital input mods for the Oppo and Sony have been in the works for A LONG time and proved to be a MUCH bigger task that initially anticipated. We changed tack late last year, after realizing that it was not feasible to simply integrate our digital input receiver board into the Sony and Oppo. As a result, we added our own DAC to the receiver, such that the digital input includes our own DAC, completely separate from and BETTER than the players own DAC, but feeding the same tube analog stage as part of our mods.The Oppo is still giving me fits, but I AM making progress. Specifically, it sounds great, but there are grounding issues that are not acceptable to me and I continue to analyze and approach this from different angles.We have prototype installations of the full DAC and its own separate power supply, including USB input (24/192 asynch') in both the LS 100 and KWI 200. We showed these prototypes at CES and they sounded very good, but were still not ready for final release.What I am trying to say is that while there have been delays, ModWright is moving forward with many new products. Please simply understand that quality and excellence takes time!
Well, I have actually found the solution for the Integrated and Sunday's late night efforts proved fruitful with my LS 100 proto. I believe that I found the necessary grounding sequence to eliminate the noise artifacts. When I left last night, the HF artifacts were gone and it was sounding VERY GOOD!I am hoping that what I learned last night will shed light on the digital input issues for the mods.The standalone DAC will follow the finalization of the DAC in our integrated and LS, as well as dig. Inputs for our mods. If grounding is the key, as it appears to be, then the isolation scheme that I had planned for the design may not be necessary. I will begin by prototyping the standalone, while I am working through these things.
Not really sure if the intent is to bust my chops or simply point out the difficulty inherent in some designs and resulting delays.I have tried to communicate progress along the way. I have faced a NUMBER of setbacks and this has been one of the most difficult designs I have had to work through. It has changed direction a couple of times and now we are on the final track and I hope VERY close to having ALL resolved.I can only say that I am human and work very hard to produce the BEST products that we can. I won't release a product or mod that I am not pleased with.Thanks,Dan W.
Dan, I don't think it was to bust your chops at all. I think it was to summarize your progress so someone interested could read it all at once.
No. no, & no!!!The point was/is too catch "everyone" up w/what's going on.I know you know what you posted B4; not everyone else may have realizED all that info was spread out over three threads!That's all (I don't have a life/therefore I have the time).
It's just your username When you post stuff someone is thinking it is coming from that guy Nutbuster.
