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My improved Oppo 105
As I can see, there is not possible anymore to edit this my first post, as the text length it were limited to only few lines. I do not know so far, the reason of such issue. If one may have questions about my mods, then please ask in your posts here.
Edits: 06/14/16 06/14/16 06/14/16 06/14/16 06/14/16 06/14/16 06/15/16Follow Ups:
You cannot post things about what you sell here. This is a commercial free zone. Otherwise I would post about my Oppo mods, etc.
Yes, I see... Agree.
At least, I did not refereed at all here to buy/selling approach. My intention so far is to present my solutions to some problems into this field of audio hardware. If you may do the same, I suppose it is not something to be blamed... But who knows how the peoples/readers may see or think about such.
However, I think it is only fortunate to be known about many and different solutions to similar problems.
If the interested peoples do not see/know about solutions, they can not know it may exist at all... So, not progress is possible... Well, my thoughts.
To minimise the eventual commercial aspect in the background of this thread, I may invite you, as an valuable expert into this field, to have your insights about what is presented here.
If your goal is mainly to share your ideas, I support you. And even if you want in the long run to make some money, I still support your posting here, if you would make your post more comprehensible by making it simpler. For example, tell us about ONE of the many different things you seem to have done, only in much more detail with the reasons and your thinking behind that particular modification. But what you've posted here does come across mostly as an advertisement for your skills, because it is so broadly presented.
because it is. The only thing missing is, seemingly, the price.
External LPM
Hi
How do you suggest to I write this post to not sounds like an ad?
How do I show what I do, how I do it or done it, so to not shows/sounds like ads?
Do you think I will get a millionaire by posting here posts which may sounds like ads for what I do?
Are you hunting ads on this forum, or are you interest more in the subjects inside the posts posted here?
Regards...
I guess if you tell us what, how and why you implemented such a thing and it is not so much obfuscation so that it is valuable knowledge for the rest of us, I am OK with that. I like modding.
Which of your mods do you think represent the biggest gain for the least effort/expense and why? Powering the USB port seems like an easy thing to do for a mod'er. Is that like a no-brainer, obvious first step??
Well, I did explained it previously here in a part, why I did/do use a such powering method for the digital stage of this player.
A SMPS it is cheaper, very convenient for a designer to use it in a whatsoever system, but in audio systems it just sucks. Unfortunately this type of power is today used in almost all the audio devices out there on market. Especially consumer market.
There is a huge benefit to power a digital stage from a linear power supply/source. The improvements for the resulting signals out of that system are obvious, and immediate.
My LPM is not a sophisticated device, but a very simple one. At least this it was my intention, to simplify at max the whole approach. The components in today technology it do the job just excellent.
So, I putted together in my own design these components, to get it at work for my purpose: to power (as a primary PSU) the digital stage of this Oppo player. Then I developed the concept, improve it, so at now it looks as you can see in the attached pictures. The last improvement is the use of double layers caps as filtering caps. These double layers caps are very small but capable to store enormous amount of energy. Is exactly one it need to have in a power supply. Even more these double layers caps are able to respond at the instant power needed by the powered device, much better and much faster than a good battery it can do.
So, the final result is just excellent: by simple means, one achieve a quite high level of performances from a such power supply. I have a max residual ripple on 1µV for a max load (in this case 5v/5A), and not whatsoever HF noises, as an SMPS it exhibit plenty of it (usually for a good quality SMPS is more than 100mV on a extremely large spectre).
I have to precise that here is not about a very performant and ultra low noise power supply, to be used on very sensitive stages in a system or another. Here is about a main/primary power supply, to provide power (in this case) to a digital stage. For a such task there is not the most important to have a ripple of 1µV on its output. I focused on this aspect to show what performances one can achieve. the most important in such case is to not have at all HF noises induced into the digital system and in its processing of datas. The same important is to have a very fast instant response for the energy needs of that powered device.
At least, using a such linear PSU to power the digital stage in this Oppo device, it improve a lot the quality of both picture and sound, at the device outputs.
Indeed, this "mod", replacing the original SMPS with a linear PSU (this LPM), is the first modding step one should take to improve his own device. And such approach may of course not apply only for Oppo players...
Powering the USB port from a different power supply, it may bring some benefits or improvements, but what happen with the HF noises coming from the system through that USB port (data lines), because in the another end (or in its beginning - PSU), that system it have a SMPS? Much noise into a digital device (processing machine) it disturb a lot the processing itself, causing distortion of the original informations, inducing errors, which it have to be always corrected, and so altering of the final signals...
The original power system for an USB port it include also a protection circuit for overloads, shorting and so on. Such protection it should be in place however...
Providing linear power from a primary power source for the targeted whole system is a solution which it may solve lot of problems at once, improving the overall performance of that powered so device, including an eventual USB port of it...
Well, this subject it may be enough vaste to be covered only in few line here and now...
About the "fanny yellow thing", I`m not quite sure about what you refer to... Please precise.
It looks like a fan spinning...
Indeed, a yellow thing there in my first picture it is a spinning fan. This is quite obvious, and very easy to recognise it. At least it should`t be necessary to ask about what that it can be...
Well, I can also understand the real meaning of the question about the "funny yellow thing"... One intended so to point on a thing which it may not be there... or it is quite strange that it is there...
It is a fan (forced ventilation) incompatible with an audio/video device? I do not think so at all.
Lowering the working temperature for a system like this, it have important impact over the performances of the whole device. Especially the video processing system is enough disturbed by a high working temperature... This assertion it can be very easy demonstrated by everyone: just cool down your device, and you will see what happen (how it works) at once.
How the Oppo designers did in the 95 model, implementing a very small fan directly on the back side of the chassis, it was a very unfortunate approach. All of the vibrations from the small spinning fan it was transmitted to the chassis, and very audible from many meters/yards far from the device. No any speed control for that fan, no any damping against vibrations, while a so small fan ventilation efficiency it was very near zero. Over all these design issues, I have to mention one more: the extremely small area for the fresh air admission from outside. The overall result, that fan approach it produced a lot of audible noise, it was fully inefficient, and it not worked at all to lower the inside temperature. Pure and simple stupidity!
As you can see in my picture above, the fan approach is completely different: the fan does not have any contact with the external environment around the enclosure. So, no any of its mechanical/audible noises it come out through the surrounded air. The mounting of the fan it actually eliminate any vibration to be transmuted through the chassis. There is not ever possible to hear the very low noise of that fan from the outside of the closed enclosure. More, the fan it is powered by a adjustable low noise regulator, so its speed it can be adjusted to minimise even more its audible noise. The fan itself it is also tweaked to eliminate its own electrical noises to get into the power system. And the most important: this fan as it is mounted, it move the air inside the enclosure in a very precise direction, take it in cool air from outside through the upper/lower perforations in the right side of the enclosure, then exhausting the hot air (last high temperature element is the LPM heatsink) through the upper perforations of the cover. The precisely directed inside airflow it eliminate so the heat from the main processor too, as the heat from the analogue power stage (stereo board) of the device. This ventilation approach is very efficient, for a very low airflow speed. For sure and guaranteed the best ventilation approach for a such device.
It is an original Oppo player out there which it works at the room temperature? Anser is NO. My modified device it work at the room temperature (inside its enclosure), even though it have inside a heat dissipating device as the LPM it is...
Here is my last version LPM adapted to Oppo 101 model (with on board power module for audio stage)...
Powering a digital system using a linear PSU is not something new, and maybe it was the first way to do it, before the SMPS use it took over such approach. A SMPS it have its advantages, as low costs, high efficiency, no heat dissipation, good control and regulation. It have also a big problem, especially when to use it in an audio related device: the SMPS output a quite high level HF/EMF noises. As I could see myself, there is not possible to get completely rid of these noises, and their levels are (at least in my opinion) unacceptable for a hifi device environment.
Well, the noise problem of an SMPS it should not matter so much when about to power a digital system, as a such system it is noisy by itself/definition. Complex switching processes, at huge speed in such circuitry, it generate lot of HF noises, which it goes into the power system and it propagate everywhere. I had myself this point of view about using a SMPS for a digital system, until I experimented myself with a linear PSU to power a digital stage. First I used a linear PSU to power my own Agilent scope, and then for the Oppo players. The result it was very obvious: dramatic improvements for the quality of the processing, and at least for the final outputted signals.
These improvements were also noticed by others who experimented in the same field. So the conclusion here it may be clear enough: for best results when using a digital system, is to power it from a very quiet PSU, as a linear one.
The negative side of using a linear PSU is its quite low efficiency and important heat dissipation. I appreciate that these negative sides are to deal well enough with, when to power these Oppo players. If for the 105/105D models there is quite easy to deal with the heat dissipation, as these models are better designed to exhaust the inside developed heat, for the 95 model it is very difficult to accept even more heat inside. That old version main processor it dissipate enough much heat by itself. So, in my opinion, an external PSU it was the only solution for a 95 model.
Event thought I customised the R core transformer for the lowest heat dissipation on regulators, the heat it still be a problem. I appreciate as a good solution a forced ventilation approach in case of the 105 model. A very low air movement inside the enclosure is enough to establish a airflow which it exhaust the whole inside heat through the existing perforations. To generate a so low power airflow, the fan is spin it at a low speed. This it minimise the vibrations level, and therefore the fan become completely inaudible from outside the enclosure...
My new version LPM. Double layers filtering capacitors, with a total capacity of 2F for both main DC power rails.
This version is designed to dissipate through the device chassis, but the active ventilation it still be recommended for Oppo 105/105D players.
This version it fit now for all Oppo models, including 101 and 95 ones.
nt
To show something like I did here, propagating informations, it mean indeed to share ideas, realisations, to inform, to make known about.
To advertise it mean to explicit encourage people to buy something or another, for a explicit declared profit/commercial purpose.
I can not see that my texts here sounds like: "this is the best ever product on market. Buy it, because only so you will get happy!
If one present here a new way to connect the speakers in between, then it mean that one intend to sell its approach, or it mean that somebody share his idea and findings to others?
It looks to me like less are interested in the subject of this thread, asking about, or wanting to know more details, but mostly react about the existing of a such information, like here...
Lew provided constructive criticism, not an accusation. If there is something questionable about a post, it's natural for readers to point out things that bothers their sense of fair play. Read Lew's message again, and you might approach your next post with a more conversational structure that may come across better in the forum. Folks are always interested in a project like yours, but it's often just a matter of how information is presented in a forum that may seem off-putting, not the technical details of a project. I'm sorry you were offended, and look forward to seeing more of your projects shared in AA.
You did this? Or paid to have it done?
Or are promoting these mods as a business?
I did and I can do this. I would like here to show to others that it is possible so.
How does it sound? What's improved, what's changed, what's the most noticeable improvement?
Well, the most spectacular improvements are for the audio section of the player. In addition, the picture is improved a lot. The picture it get more contrast, less (and well noticeable) noises (as much "cleaner" picture), increasing of the fine details, as tonal levels. The black level is also improved (but it depend on the used monitor type). I haven`t tested it yet on 4k...
I initiated this improvement process (for few years ago) as I was not satisfied at all with the muffed sound out of the original device, even though the most of the Oppo owners appreciate the player as it is. For me it was just not enough, especially on sound side, also knowing it have inside the most advanced DAC chip on marked. I bought it actually the first Oppo player (95), because of the ESS9018 chip inside.
To describe the sound improvements is not easy, but there is here not only about "better bass", or "rich treble". The improvement is quite difficult to admit that is so as it is... comparing with an original player. There is another and very real sound scene (it depend of course on the records quality). I noticed at once on the original device about the sound scene, that it was divided in three quite distinct parts/sections/areas on almost every record I`ve played back: left side, with the sound coming right from the speaker, the right side, with a similar directed sound, and the rest of the sound components concentrated in a middle point (on the speakers line). I just knew that such spatial distribution of the sound components is not right. After these mods were in place, the sound stage is very different: the sounds does not come any more from the speaker's placement, but are perceived as been into the room, all around the speaker's physical position. The sound components are not any more concentrated on three points in space, and on the same line, but in a 3D placement, with depth, back and front, and in between the speakers position and the centre. Just distributed all around into the space, as it was at the record session (if the record is of a high enough quality or the sound it was well engineered). The bass it come exactly from where the instrument is placed in space, and is not any more diffuse, coming from everywhere as for an unimproved device. The low-end spectre it is as low frequency as it is difficult some times to hear it. However, it is felt very well, with the whole body, as it should be actually, from a big drum or a very low bass instrument. Sometimes (it depend on records) one feel the vibrations, before realising there is a sound which it generate it. Impressive!
The high end of spectre is very detailed and extremely precise distributed in space. One can perceive the different positions in space of very close cymbals hit it by the percussionist. A drum solo is just impressive to experience it/listen it. For the first time (after so many years of listening it), I realised on this modded device, how in fact the Tangerine dream records it (should) sounds. Just amazing movements of the sounds in space all around, from front to back, and in space as the producers intended it.
Well, all these it have to be experienced to realise what this is all about.
The first and very important step for improving radically this player, is the replacement of the original SMPS (switching mode power supply for its digital stage), with a linear one. Then is about improving the power system of the DAC chip, the post DAC analogue processing stage, the clock system (powered by battery in my mod), and some other small but important improvements.
The clue with this Oppo player itself is not the device`s design, as this it suffer for many imperfections and faults, but the use (at least for the sound stage of it) of the most advanced DAC device on marked today. After one it correct the design faults, and improve what is to be improved, then this device it become in fact a very high end audio (and video too) piece...
This is about the entire clue with this product: the active component basement is good, and it can be improved, for spectacular results...
Is a service manual available for the Oppo products or have you a schematic? I wouldn't be able to even envision what could be done without a schematic.
Unfortunately there is not available any detailed service manual or schematic. In my case, I had to do everything by myself, examining the boards, circuits, traces... and of course, knowing how the things it works, should work, testing it, correcting the faults, and so on. Quite an work, I can only say... And most surprisingly, I did not burnt it anything...
OK thanks, that's what I expected. I have the Oppo BDP 95 with the Modwright tube output stage. Right now it is working well and sounds great, but I am a tinkerer so I'm thinking about future upgrades and the linear power supply sounds pretty much within my capabilities.
Indeed, a such moded player it need a linear PSU for the digital board too. I have a external version for my LPM, which it was designed especially for 95 model, as this one do not allow heat dissipation inside its enclosure.
Please PM me if such it could fit for your needs. If you may have enough technical skills, you may be able to install it by yourself...
External LPM - Oppo 95
Why not just buy a separate DAC?
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