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Substantial System Improvements

I have lately changed some things that, cumulatively, has rewarded me with the best possible sound I could hope for, in my modest, though extensive system. The improvements are related to modifications in my speaker crossovers, and in my Digital system.

I recently exchanged a 27ohm resistor in the HF, to 47ohm. Encouraged by that improvement, I changed a .68mh inductor for the originally indicated .82mh inductor. (Crossover design was donated  to me through a friend of Dr. Arthur Loesch).

I don't know what the issue was back then, but the system sounded a bit bright, and harsh. I recently got the idea of changing those parts back to the original values to see how the system would sound. I am greatly relieved that now, I find my entire system has improved to the point where the speakers can be run as they should have been long ago.

The other change was to simply buy a used Benchmark DAC 1 PRE.  I find it to be the answer I was looking for, to get my digital front end to sound the way I thought it should. I've never enjoyed my system to this degree before, to say I am happy would be quite an understatement.

This shows that those of us with limited budgets can have great sounding systems. Sometimes it just takes a few decades to get there.

Thank for reading this, regards, and enjoy,
Dan 
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millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Long as you're comfortable operating a soldering iron, if you're looking for another really affordable mod try swapping out the rectifier diodes in whatever you have. Easy to spot, easy to swap, spend just a few bucks hear improvement you would not have thought possible.

Upgrading diodes like this was my first electrical mod done on my Aronov amp many years ago. Also happens to be the most recent electrical mod done on the Active Shielding power supplies for my Synergistic CTS speaker cables. In between there was a CD/DVD player and who knows what else. Works like a charm.
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islandmandan OP
1,260 posts
 
Millercarbon, although I've built tube preamps, class d amps (all from kits), my crossovers, changed power supplies in my phono pre, the one time I involved myself in working on the internals in a power amp, ie, the capacitors in an Adcom five-channel amp, I almost fried the drivers on my custom Tannoy HPD's. I've learned to recognize my limitations, and work within them.

New woofers and tweeters for Tannoys have skyrocketed in price over the years, and it's worse yet for me, since my woofer cones on my 12" HPD's have been converted from foam surrounds to "Hard Edge" (as in the current Prestige line of speakers), making them even more expensive to replace them. 

So yeah, I've learned to try not to f---k myself up doing stuff I have no business doing. I do wish I had immersed myself in learning all about electronics from a young age, but my first love was music. Much of my life was also spent building my own home, after clearing the land myself, installing my septec system, building a pole barn building, etc; etc. So DIY is in my blood, deep diving into electronics though, is my not bailiwick.  

Best regards,
Dan
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