Hard Drive based system

There has been alot of talk in the past on
"Gearslutz" about Masterlink Mods.

One link had this info about the mods being done:

Mine was the first ML Jim mod'd. It was a definite improvement over the stock unit. Specifically, here's what gets done:

- install National LM6172 dual opamps at 3000/us slew rate.

- install larger Rubycon Z series electrolytic caps to extend the low end (and did it ever!!)

- install .01 uf wima poly caps on the input, MIT's on the output.

- increased the power supply bypass caps and installed .1 uf mono ceramic bypasses.

- Bandwidth limiting caps were used on certain stages.

- The opamps used as followers were cut and changed to closed loop buffers.

The converters themselves don't get changed as they're apparently surface mounted to the board and Jim didn't want to risk lifted traces and such. However, the changes he did make do indeed improve the overall sound of the unit - low end is extended noticeably and there's just more overall detail that I can hear.

Joe T.

Just got off the phone with Brian at TRL. He wanted to know if it was okay to disconnect the headphone jack. He said it adds "considerable degredation". Rip it out, I say.

I asked again about adding a digital in. He knew nothing about it. Said he'd ask Paul. It's not looking good : (

Told me it should ship out Monday.

Just spoke to Paul at TRL, they had to wait for some parts, but the Sony will be on it's way back to me today. So I probably won't have it until Monday. I'll let it run for a week or so before I do any critical listening. I'm off of work the following week so I'll be able to play with it for 10 straight days. By the time I have to come back to work, it should have 350-400 hours on it.

I'll post my impressions after the first 100 hours or so and then again after the first of the year. It should be close to burned in by then.

As for the digital input, not going to happen. He said it's very hard to get a player to interface with the outside world, unless it was designed that way from the start.

TRL modded Sony was delivered this morning. I know it needs to burn in for a few hundred hours, but it already sounds a LOT better than it did.

Ecruz,

Keep us posted. During the first 150 hours you'll hear things starting to change, then the next 300 hours you will get a another wave. After that the changes are much more subtle, but noticeable for 500+ hours.

I have mine on my rack now so I can get accustomed to looking at it before I send it off.