Sonic Gear A6 Modify

Last week, I just bought the better quality of the capacitor to modiy my Sonic Gear A6. I bought Nippon Chemi-con KMH 400V 390uF, Nichicon Gold Tune 71V 10,000uF, SONY 71V 10,000uF, Rubycon USG 450V 330uF.

I just swap the 35V 4700uF cap to Nichicon Gold Tune, but you might wonder how to fit in...I connected with the copper wire and solder at PCB. I know it may degrade the quality if connected in this way, but it is no choice, the capacitor is too big.

After changing the Nichicon, then I made change the capacitor which near to the vacuum tube. Actually I wanted to change the Nippon Chemi-con since I get it early than Rubycon. But, I just worry it will explode if I replace with lower voltage compare with original rating. Then I just buy another Rubycon USG 450V 330uF, which is same voltage rating but higher capacity.

When I de-soldered the original capacitor, I notice that only one side is fit when I insert the Rubycon capacitor, the another one need solder with copper wire. I guess if you replace with same capacitor value, it should be fine to replace it. No need connect extra copper wire. The dimesion of the hole is the same.

After some how, I tried to open the speaker box. This time I manage to open it. First, you have to remove the net...then you will see there are some screws there. After removed the screw, you can take out the plastic. But be careful because the plastic migth crack easily.

Once the plastic is removed, you can see the speaker already. There is one crossover inside the speaker box. It is for filter the audio signal to high frequency and low frequency. You can see there are some component such as coil, capacitor and resistor.

Next upgrade is to change the crossover's capacitor. Anyone can share with me what type of capacitor to replace it?

You may see how inside it look like at my previous blog, pls click the link below.

http://sweynt.blogspot.com/2009/06/inside-sonic-gear-a6.html

~Nippon Chemi-con KMH 400V 390uF~

~SONY 71V 10,000uF~

~ Nichicon Gold Tune 71V 12,000uF~

~Rubycon USG 450V 330uF~

~Done~

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陈奕迅 Eason Chan LPCD45

I walked in to one cd-shop at QB, just walking around in the shop. I found out there is LPCD45 from Eason. Usually LPCD only have those old singer like 蔡琴,赵鹏,陈百强,张学友,刘德华...and so on...Then I decided to buy Eason...his song..no bad...especially Lonely Xmas....So..it become my Xmas gift..

~Merry Christmas~

Below is quote from http://www.hugodisc.com/lpcd/introen.asp

What is LPCD?

LPCD is the latest and most advanced technology researched and developed by Mr Aik Yew-Goh, the founder of Hugo Productions.? Mr Aik is a renowned recording producer and musician who spends 35 years in musical experimentations and 20 years in professional music production.? LPCD is developed based on a unique set of digital processing technology which enables listeners to experience the analogue sound of the vinyl LP record from an ordinary CD player.

Chinese version http://www.hugodisc.com/lpcd/intro.asp

雨果创办人、著名录音监制、资深音乐家易有伍先生积35年音乐实践体会和20年录音制作经验研究出来的最新成果。它凭借一整套独特的技术处理，让你能在普通CD机上得到LP密纹唱片的仿真音质感受.

普通发烧友们都认为，和LP比较，CD (普通CD、24KCD、 XRCD、 SACD、 DVD-Audio 等)音色偏紧，令人产生紧张和压抑感（用大音量听尤甚，让人不能长时间集中欣赏音乐与音响），高低频两端延伸有局限，高频生硬，低频缺乏弹性，能量感薄等等。易先生也是LP迷，当然有同感，但他确信只有在反复监听自己的录音产品后才能找到答案，才有绝对的发言权。

现有的CD加工生产线制造出来的CD产品，在把母带加工成CD产品期间，数码格式需转换5-6次：母带－母盘CDR－玻璃模－金属模－压碟－CD。特别是最后两道损耗性工序，对音质影响最为严重。压碟过程同时就是盘片音质不断劣化的过程。这多次的转换对音质的劣化程度，可用简单的计算机烧录试验来说明，把拷贝了5-6次的碟和原CD比较就知道了。发烧友都知道，无论是LP或CD，买头版碟比较靓声，原因就在此。

LPCD45是录音水准顶峰代表的产品，也是CDR母盘规格最高的。消费者要先确认所使用的CD唱机能否播放CDR。

01. K歌之王
02. 十面埋伏
03. 2001太空漫遊
04. 歲月如歌
05. 明年今日
06. 人來人往
07. 低等動物
08. 打回原形
09. Shall We Talk
10. Lonely Christmas
11. 孤獨探戈
12. 幸災樂禍
13. 隨意門
14. 給愛麗斯
15. King Kong
16. 打得火熱
17. 忘記歌詞
18. 單車

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Altec Lansing ATP3 Modify

Yesterday, I open up my Altec Lansing ATP3 again to capture what I have done for my ATP3. In this post, I will share out how I modified my Altec Lansing ATP3. Actually the modification I done last year and now only posted it. Reason being, that time I don't have camera to snap on it.

*REMINDER...MODIFY AT YOUR OWN RISK...

To open the circuit board, you have to remove the screw on bottom of the woofer (picture above). The board is stick on the plastic. Be cafeful when open it up.

This is my DIY cable to replace the stock cable. The material that I get from Jalan Pasar . I bought 2m of Canare cable(L-2T2S) and 2 of Canare 3.5mm jack(F-12).

This is what you can see after open out from the woofer. It sticked on the plastic.Be careful when remove the plastic from the woofer. There are some wires connected.

I changed the output capacitor with Rubycon ZL series.(16V 470uF). I noticed that there is different, the sound is clearer that before, more background sound.

There is one big capacitor which I replaced with BC Component capacitor of the same value &voltage. 25V 10000uF. This capacitor is used for smoothing out the DC after the reactifier circuit. The characteristic of the capacitor is low ESR value and high rippler current. The reason why I changing this is because a clean DC able to produce with clearer sound.

In my ATP3, it initially has 3 Dual Op-amp(ST4885). It was replaced with LM4562. Originally the ST4885 is soldered through the board. You have to de-solder it and adds in the IC socket(8 pins) so that in future if you want replace to the op-amp, you may easily plug and plug.

Besides the op amp, I also changed the capacitors which near the op-amp with Panasonic ECA series.(same value &voltage).

There is another op-amp located near to the power amplifier IC.(TDA7377).


This is the last op-amp you can see from the picture. It also has been replaced with LM4562.

You also see one Quad op-amp(14 pins), I am not sure the exact function of the Quad op-amp, but just replace with LME49740.

In the woofer box, some sponge was inserted to reduce some reflection wave from the wall of speaker.

For woofer speaker, I add on one hand-made coil and one capacitor. The bass become more "solid" and strong.

Finally, the modification is done. I test it....WOW....the sound is impresive....is clearer, separated..warmer....the bass more solid...

*REMINDER...MODIFY AT YOUR OWN RISK...

Added in photo with marking in red box.

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Inside Sonic Gear A6

I opened the Sonic Gear last weekend. In this post you can see what exactly inside in the speaker. We can see the vacuum tube(6N3-T), big capacitors, IC, transformer and some others components.

How to open it?

1st of all, you need to remove all the screw, front and the back. Beofre that, you have to remove the black "mask", then you only can see the screw. After removed the screw, you will see 2 big capacitors 450V 100uF and one vacuum tube.

Next step, you have to remove the screw at the back. Once open it, you can see the 2 capacitor which are 35v 4700uF.

What can modify?

Capacitor

Maybe you can replace those capacitor with higher spec of capacitor. Higher spec does not means higher value. It can be low ESR, higher ripple current, long life, higher temperature, and so on.

Vacuum Tube

I am still new in tube world. I have to do survey on the replacement of 6N3-T. Based on forum, 5670 tube can be used as replacement of 6N3-T. But haven't find out the price of the tube. Hopelly it is not too expensive.

If someone expert in tube, is welcome to sharing your experiences.

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Sonic Gear Apocalpyx A6

Finally I owned a Sonic Gear A6 speaker. Why this speaker so special? Actually this speaker is using vaccum tube which able to produce smooth and distinct audio. I tested with 蔡琴 ~恰似你的温柔....the sound is perfect..more warmer, separated compare with my Altec Lansing ATP3(modify).

Honestly, my ATP3 already modified a lot. Comparing original ATP3, the sound is clearer, the bass more solid..I will create another blog for how to modify ATP3, share out my experience to you all..

Move on to A6, I will open it up and try to modify if can. Don't worry, i will share out how to modify it...but is MOD AT YOUR OWN RISK..

Click to review Altec Lansing ATP3 modification.

http://sweynt.blogspot.com/2009/06/altec-lansing-atp3-modify.html

~ Remote Control~

Body+speaker

Powerfull(Zoom Burst)

~Vacuum Light~

Specification:
Output Power: 2 x 25 Watts RMS
Impedance: 4 Ohms
Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20KHz
Mid Bass Drivers: 2 x 4" Tweeter: 2 x 1.5"
Input Sensitivity: 500mVolt
Earphone Jack: 2 x 3.5mm Stereo Jacks
Remote Control: Bass, Volume, Mute Control

For more information, please visit http://www.sonicgear.com.sg/?id=2&bcid=6&pcid=26&pid=86

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