Dowser
Learning to bodge again..
What is better than one TDA1541A DAC chip? Four, of course
Many years ago I stupidly sold a CA C/P 75 pre/power combo before moving to Australia from England. I'd got it free after a huge burn up on one channel, many hours later of breaking away burnt PCB and rebuilding with hard wires, I had the first first real hifi I had heard (I had a Nad 3130 before that). I just assumed anything half decent above the quality of the Nad would sound similar...how wrong was I
A few years after arriving in Oz, and becoming aware the combo was special, I have had my eyes open for a replcement combo from Stan Curtis, just to see if it lived up to the hype I personally placed on them. I also heard a two box Cambridge Audio CD player while in Oz (1995 to 1998), no idea of CD1 or CD2, but it sounded fantastic.
Upon my return to CH in early 1999 I started a search for a CD3 (later one box player reputed with better reliability) - it finally came to fruition last week I bought a faulty one off a local auction site for far more than I should have (CHF 215) - it had a faulty display and only digital out worked.
Checking rails, all was OK, putting a scope on output, all was OK - so I connected it up - worked for 5 mins and analogue out started breaking up and then disappeared. I stripped all connectors out to check components on board for anything obvious. Put it all back together and it has been playing nicely for over an hour now
Initially pretty messy in the treble region, but has improved considerably since. The whole player (from 1998 or 1999 I guess) needs a proper service, loads of electrolytics and tants should be changed. Followed by a Flea and all the normal TDA mods...times four
However, first I'd like to sort the display - it is numerical LED based and is flickering constantly, showing the correct track number every 3-8 seconds briefly before reverting to flickering. Pause and Repeat buttons also do not light their associated LED on front panel (pause works, have not tested repeat yet). Anyone come across similar? I will strip off the front panel later and replace all electrolytics, it must be isolated to the display/control circuitry somehow?
Anyhoo - photos - upright boards hold the TDA1541As;
The PCB at bottom right of this photo does not appear on any google image searches I perform - anyone seen it before? Somewhat dodgliy wired in, I wonder if it is aftermarket?
Strange add-on PCB, and 4 lovely TDA1541A boards closer;
With a decent CDM1 mech too
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Thanks, Richard
Many years ago I stupidly sold a CA C/P 75 pre/power combo before moving to Australia from England. I'd got it free after a huge burn up on one channel, many hours later of breaking away burnt PCB and rebuilding with hard wires, I had the first first real hifi I had heard (I had a Nad 3130 before that). I just assumed anything half decent above the quality of the Nad would sound similar...how wrong was I
A few years after arriving in Oz, and becoming aware the combo was special, I have had my eyes open for a replcement combo from Stan Curtis, just to see if it lived up to the hype I personally placed on them. I also heard a two box Cambridge Audio CD player while in Oz (1995 to 1998), no idea of CD1 or CD2, but it sounded fantastic.
Upon my return to CH in early 1999 I started a search for a CD3 (later one box player reputed with better reliability) - it finally came to fruition last week I bought a faulty one off a local auction site for far more than I should have (CHF 215) - it had a faulty display and only digital out worked.
Checking rails, all was OK, putting a scope on output, all was OK - so I connected it up - worked for 5 mins and analogue out started breaking up and then disappeared. I stripped all connectors out to check components on board for anything obvious. Put it all back together and it has been playing nicely for over an hour now
Initially pretty messy in the treble region, but has improved considerably since. The whole player (from 1998 or 1999 I guess) needs a proper service, loads of electrolytics and tants should be changed. Followed by a Flea and all the normal TDA mods...times four
However, first I'd like to sort the display - it is numerical LED based and is flickering constantly, showing the correct track number every 3-8 seconds briefly before reverting to flickering. Pause and Repeat buttons also do not light their associated LED on front panel (pause works, have not tested repeat yet). Anyone come across similar? I will strip off the front panel later and replace all electrolytics, it must be isolated to the display/control circuitry somehow?
Anyhoo - photos - upright boards hold the TDA1541As;
The PCB at bottom right of this photo does not appear on any google image searches I perform - anyone seen it before? Somewhat dodgliy wired in, I wonder if it is aftermarket?
Strange add-on PCB, and 4 lovely TDA1541A boards closer;
With a decent CDM1 mech too
Thanks, Richard