| Author |
SONY CDP XA50ES upgrade |
janzi
Rank: Sony Fan
Joined: Sep 02, 2010
Posts: 7
From: EUROPE
 |  Posted: 2010-09-02 08:00
Hi,
I'm owner of the above CDP. More experienced colleagues said that's great player but that it is necessary to replace the existing chips with newer Burr-Brown's.
In the specification of the player there are four op-amps:
OPA2604AP
OPA2132PA
OPA2604AP
OPA2132PA
So, I would like to now if somebody already have done this upgrade and his experience.
Also with which BB chips I should replace the existing ones?
For instance:
- all four with OPA2134
- or OPA2132 with OPA2134 and OPA2604 with OPA2107 ?
- or something else ?
Thanks in advance!
J.
[ This message was edited by: janzi on 2010-09-02 08:01 ]
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RickeyM
Premium Member
Rank: Sony King
Joined: Sep 09, 2004
Posts: 1408
From: Baltimore, Maryland
 | Posted: 2010-09-02 13:49
Op-amps are usually used in pairs. Does this mean your player has 8 Op-amps? Can ypu post a pic of the circuit board of your player?
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janzi
Rank: Sony Fan
Joined: Sep 02, 2010
Posts: 7
From: EUROPE
| Posted: 2010-09-02 23:43
Hi Rickey,
If you look to my post again you'll see i'm talking about four (4) ap-amps; 2 x OPA2132 and 2 x 2604 that I would like to replace with new BB chips.
But which ? What would be the result (sonicaly) !?
That's the question!
Don't have the pictures since I didn't opened it yet! 
Brgds,
J.
[ This message was edited by: janzi on 2010-09-03 00:35 ]
[ This message was edited by: janzi on 2010-09-03 00:45 ]
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RickeyM
Premium Member
Rank: Sony King
Joined: Sep 09, 2004
Posts: 1408
From: Baltimore, Maryland
| Posted: 2010-09-03 09:16
Oops! My bad. It seems your setup is the same as the one in my DVP-S7000. In it, I installed National LM4562's in all for positions.
If I recall the info I came across at the time, the first two Op-amps in the signal path (probably OPA2604AP's in your CDP), were low pass filters for the DAC chip and didn't affect sound quality as much as the second pair. I figured since it wasn't real expensive, I'd replace 'em all and be done with it.
The results I got was a smoother, more spacious sound. A definate improvement. The National Semiconductor LM4562 is rated as a better sounding chip than the OPA2134. I don't know how it stacks up against the OPA2107.
I found this post over at the Audio Asylum,
Tweaks
page where a poster recommends the OPA2107 in the first position amd the LM4562 in the second.
Hope this helps.
-----------------
Graduate of Sony University, class of '94.
Support your local S.P.C.A. Adopt
If older is better, I must be approaching magnificence!
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janzi
Rank: Sony Fan
Joined: Sep 02, 2010
Posts: 7
From: EUROPE
| Posted: 2010-09-03 12:30
Thx Rickey,
Some other guy recomended OPA2111 but it costs app. 20-30 $ each ! Anyway, probably 2134 instead of 2132 and 2107 instead of 2604 seems a good idea to me !
But, I'll have to check if LM4562 is available in Europe !?
Brgds,
J.
[ This message was edited by: janzi on 2010-09-03 12:31 ]
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janzi
Rank: Sony Fan
Joined: Sep 02, 2010
Posts: 7
From: EUROPE
| Posted: 2010-09-03 13:35
Well, LM4562 are available here at app. $ 7.- each.
OPA2107 on the other hand are from app. $ 22.- to $ 33.- almost the same as OPA2111 !?  (
Uh, uh, hard decision !?
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RickeyM
Premium Member
Rank: Sony King
Joined: Sep 09, 2004
Posts: 1408
From: Baltimore, Maryland
| Posted: 2010-09-03 15:01
I wonder why the "OPA's" are so expensive over there? IMO, keep it simple. $28 for four LM4562's sounds like a winner to me. Their sound won't dissapoint.
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janzi
Rank: Sony Fan
Joined: Sep 02, 2010
Posts: 7
From: EUROPE
| Posted: 2010-09-03 15:31
Well not all, OPA2134 for example is $ 4.- each !
I'll have to talk to my colleague who has an idea to install sockets so that the OPAmps can be exchanged easily ?!
Thx Rickey.
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RickeyM
Premium Member
Rank: Sony King
Joined: Sep 09, 2004
Posts: 1408
From: Baltimore, Maryland
| Posted: 2010-09-03 18:36
That's a good idea. Make sure you get the good ones, the ones with the gold-plated contacts.
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janzi
Rank: Sony Fan
Joined: Sep 02, 2010
Posts: 7
From: EUROPE
| Posted: 2010-09-04 03:41
Probably, yes.
Since BB OPA's are highly recommended for my SONY this way I can eventualy compare BB's with LM's !?
Brgds,
J.
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RickeyM
Premium Member
Rank: Sony King
Joined: Sep 09, 2004
Posts: 1408
From: Baltimore, Maryland
| Posted: 2010-09-04 08:15
It may simply come down to personal preference as to which Op-amp you like better. If your XA50ES has a power cord plug that has nickel plated prongs, you should change it to something better. EVERY Sony disc player I've replaces the stock plug on has sounded better for it. Even if it's a plug with just brass or copper contacts. It seems like all the circuitry that Sony packs into these players really benefits from clean, ample voltage
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janzi
Rank: Sony Fan
Joined: Sep 02, 2010
Posts: 7
From: EUROPE
| Posted: 2010-09-04 11:00
Yes, that's true.
Regarding power cord; my XA50ES has a power cord already replaced with Gronenberg Quattro Reference cord. So, that's solved I beleive!  )
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RickeyM
Premium Member
Rank: Sony King
Joined: Sep 09, 2004
Posts: 1408
From: Baltimore, Maryland
| Posted: 2010-09-04 15:39
On 2010-09-04 11:00, janzi wrote: Regarding power cord; my XA50ES has a power cord already replaced with cord. So, that's solved I beleive! )
Quite!
-----------------
Graduate of Sony University, class of '94.
Support your local S.P.C.A. Adopt
If older is better, I must be approaching magnificence!
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