XS Xclusive: Xtreme Mod in Progress: Auzen X-Meridian Total Recap:

[drizzt5]

Great job bro.

[dean0]

Pics of my Prelude, inspired by this thread
-Recapped with pana fm's / blackgate nx's
- x2 opa637

This is one sweet sounding card, nothing like stock, i reccomend this mod to anyone who owns this card, takes it to a whole new level





this card is feeding my newly built jaycar scha headphone amp





My small collection collection of headphone amps


DT770, recabled and gel pads

[s0lid]

Hmm seems interesting, just interested how much did you pay for your opamps + adapters.

[dean0]

Hmm seems interesting, just interested how much did you pay for your opamps + adapters.

Adapter= $4.95
http://cimarrontechnology.com/audioupgradeadapters.aspx

opa637 x2= £19 each
http://search.digikey.com/scripts/Dk...me=OPA637BP-ND

the cap mods can be done for very cheap using Panasonic fm's instead of blackgates, and will still sound alot better than stock

[TiN_]

Adding that long wires just makes mod useless, because of added inductance. Did you tested this?

[dcvolt]

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OPAMP 627
yep he did't use black gates
sounds much better than stock but not as good as a highend CD PLAYER far from that in fact

[dcvolt]

[IMG][/IMG]

In the tower bottom slot
you can see the power supply next to the hard drives

[Fixt00l]

I am delighted to see so many technically high grade in this thread-may I gently ask for some advice? I know the Meridian is CMI8778, the same as the Asus Xonar D2X, which costs a fortune.The Asus has four Burr Brown PCM1796 DAC's, my other choice is the regular Auzentech Xplosion, based on CMI 8770.Here, the Xonar is $ 200, and the other one is $ 100...

[vampalan]

OPAMP 627
yep he did't use black gates
sounds much better than stock but not as good as a highend CD PLAYER far from that in fact

In the tower bottom slot
you can see the power supply next to the hard drives

OMFG! That is a seriously nice upgrade!

[WeStSiDePLaYa]

Deano, the decoupling caps dont need that much capacitance at all. you are probably hurting the performance of the card. especially with those insanely long leads, those are like antennas picking up the crazy amounts of interference inside a computer case. ive found film and polymer caps give better measurable results, as well as subjective.

[aidynphoenix]

hey everybody this is my first post, im new to the forum. and i am very impressed with your mods..
i have 2 soundcards i would like to mod myself.. i know how to recap and am very handy with a iron..

i have a soundblaster Audigy2 ZS thats my main and best soundcard..
and a soundblaster live CT4760 that i would like to do also as practice..
should i start a thread about it? hoping to find some friendly advice and guidance as a learn how this is done.

[oohms]

You can replace the opamps for the channels that you use, and/or you can re-cap it

Re-capping is the easiest 'mod' to do, but is usually a last resort/minimal improvement mod, if you aren't going to do any bigger mods

[aidynphoenix]

well i want to start with the CT4760 soundcard first. for practice.. there are 2 outputs, a mic, and a input.. i think i am seeing 4opamps. 2 of them are matching, im thinking those are the output amps? (5216 98e)??
and i am seeing 5 caps that are larger then the rest. is there usually just one filter cap??
should i be doing this here? or should i start a new thread?
thanks
~john

[Boogerlad]

OPAMP 627
yep he did't use black gates
sounds much better than stock but not as good as a highend CD PLAYER far from that in fact

I always thought that new solid caps> than black gates.

[NapalmV5]

black gates >>>>>>> solid caps

@aidynphoenix caps are just as crucial as the other components

ya you should start a new thread here this thread is pretty much dead and youd get better help in a thread of your own.. i havent been using a sound card since nvidia gtx480

instead of wasting your time and money on sound card/s like the idiot i was.. id suggest do that on a proper dac