Opamps and Modding thread.

That makes sense.

I like the idea of a little discrete output stage too.

Can you hear a difference between Opamps? I would've thought most would be so good that they wouldn't really change anything?

 

How well does it sound when compared to the AD797? without the opamps installed.

 

My AD797 are not there yet. No opamps sound definitely better than LM4562, TLE2082 or TLE2142. I can’t say for sure, but I think TLE2082 and TLE2142 sound different from LM4562, at least I’ve noticed more details with them.

 

Did you have to put any thing in the slot when you went opamp-less? or just left it open. because I may also try this. until I get some better opamps.

 

You need to bridge plug 3 and 5. Just use some thin copper wire, thick stuff won’t fit in the plug.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDIP

You’ll need an external amplifier, unless you have a highly efficient headphone because the Prelude will become insanely quiet. For me, without an amplifier but with an opamp 50% was really loud, now without an opamp even 100% is quiet.

 

Just swapped X-Fi Prelude's stock opamp for 2 x OPA637AP Burr Browns - these are DIP versions of the chips sold on the Auzen web site. Also purchased a suitable adaptor. Sound is beautiful.... and all purchased for less than half the price as on the Auzentech web site!

 

I got my AD797s today. They don’t sound bad, but they don’t stand a chance against no opamp. Therefore, I’m using them in my amplifier now.

 

I have a question for Rob and others, can I use my Santa Cruz in collaboration with my X-Meridian in any way? Like having two sound cards working together...

 

@Satan, Sure you can use both in the same system. Actually you can use many soundcard in the same system. This will just give you more input and outputs, if you have a use for that. You can also use one card for one purpose and one for another...etc.
If you remember a few of us awhile back developed the Velbac application so we could have EAX 1,2,3,4,5 and OpenAL hardware accelerated and have the sound quality of the X-Meridian 7.1. That was really the first Preludes in a way but we used dual cards. Now you can pick up cheap X-Music for about $40 and use them as a hardware DSP for better sounding cards like the X-Meridian 7.1.

 

They don't conflict with each other? If that's possible, I could search for my plug-in onboard solution to get a "louder" microphone...

 

Sometimes they might it depends but usually NO. you can enable your onboard and use that for your microphone. Just set the Windows audio control panel to record from the onboard and playback to the Prelude 7.1. Very simple....

 

I guess I'll give it a try then. At least a better solution then using my 200$ headphone amp just to power the microphone (that was another idea, well...).

 

So would my X-Meridian (and moreso my ears) find any way to benefit from this spare Santa Cruz?

 

I've mod my Audiotrak Prodigy HD2 with a 100nF metallized polypropylene caps on output coupling capacitor, using solid polymer capacitor on the opamp supply capacitor and using 3x LME49720 opamp. But because my speaker sound is too forward, actually it makes the sounds worse, as everything is 'in my face' experience

I found a new mods on X-Fi Prelude. Try to run the card without any opamp at all! I heard that it sounds better that way

 

Not really. The XM is far beyond the Santa Cruz. You could use it for inputs or perhaps to drive another set of speakers in another room.

 

Heh I was getting ready to order some Free samples opamps from national til they changed it where you need a coprate email to get free shipping. I was gonna order some LM4562 i think it was i forgot. The ones that was already |- | =/ .

 

Do the usual software volume controls continue to operate normally when the opamp stages are bypassed?


michael

 

Yes.

 

Nice! I might try the b-Enspirer mod.

Thanks.


michael

 

Trouble is when you remove the opamps you remove th final amplification and signal conditioning stage so you remove all the gain the opamps supplies and possibly introduce phase issue into your sound. -think about running your speakers wired backwards, that is out of phase. I would also think it would knock your SNR ratio out making the signal to noise ratio much less, meaning you get MUCH more noise for the small amount of signal. To each their own but in my opinion definitely NOT a good idea. Your removing the "preamp" stage from the card so your next stage has to do more work amplifying the smaller signal, again more noise because of the smaller signal and again knocks the SNR out for that poweramp also..