How does one delete a post?! There doesn’t seem to be an option for the original poster that I can see.
NB - In retrospect I regret my posts in this thread since I fear people will think that that modification is simple, but it is not and there are a number of potential pitfalls that could lead one to ruin their DS, or worse. The stock power supply is very good and just slapping in a separate supply will not improve the sound. I went through several iterations/part-swaps before I was satisfied, and I DO NOT recommend that anyone try it.
Please do not delete posts or their content! This destroy the continuity of the thread. Plus, the posts contain valuable information.
Minimalist’s caution as to playing with the innards of any component, especially one as sophisticated as the DirectStream is well-taken however.
Minimalist, if you would be more comfortable, please just add this caution to your earlier post(s).
Point taken - I’ll put the posts back with an appropriate caveat. I’m of two minds on this because, while in my experience the DS can be taken to a new level with some careful mods of the existing hardware, I’d hate for someone to destroy their DS because I understated the degree of difficulty.
I fully understand your thinking. I hope no one here would think they should just start poking around with powered wires attached to a couple of alligator clips.
I am delighted you have been able to better the sound through your efforts. This is wonderfully cool.
Minimalist, don’t worry, I think no one would repeat this.
For me it’s just interesting, how big is such an improvement, which would possibly cost 50$ parts i.e. compared to a firmware update…
Or when Ted speaks of a decision against a more individual power supply instead of the upgradable of the previous DAC.
Im not after the latest tech or small improvement when I’m generally satisfied. There are many ways to improve sound we can choose of. Several are more important than a modified power supply. But if one has the knowledge, why not.
Minimalist, don’t worry, I think no one would repeat this.
knowledge, why not.
Indeed, thanks. After my initial panic that I’d just convinced someone somewhere to destroy their DS, I realized that anyone who understood what they would need to do from my brief description is undoubtedly qualified to do the mod anyway.
I’m still regularly using electronics tools I bought from Radio Shack over 50 years ago… back when them having your mailing address meant they’d regularly send you catalogs from their parent company: the Tandy Leather Company.
Never had much use for leather working tools, it was just a funny, odd quirk of the old Radio Shack.
I fondly remember Radio Shack as a place that used to re-label decent (for a college student with little money) audio gear as Radio Shack. Got a cranking, 200 wpc Pioneer receiver that was identical to the Pioneer labeled gear, just with a different logo and a whole lot less expensive.
Around 1970 they were the only place I could find a compact cassette recorder with the hot new recording technology: Dolby noise reduction.
Later in that same decade, if you could not afford an $ Apple II $, then the TRS80 was your next best option, for a whole lot less money.
The Shack occupied a unique place. And got a LOT of my business over the years. Will miss them.
I had less luck with that. It was always worth trying, but everywhere I’ve lived, the sliding drawer with parts in bins almost always had an empty bin for the part I needed. The word “almost” before “always” was why it was still worth trying.
And the worst part was when a salesperson would walk up, and ask “Can I help you?” When I would point to the bin and say, “Can you tell me what this is? Not reading the label, but can you tell me what this part is for? Or what it does?”
After a blank look followed by a negative reply, I would always find myself saying, “No. Thanks for asking. I don’t need any help.”
Scolley - re: post 75 - that’s hysterical, did not know Tandy was a leather Co. Around that time was when we all had Frye boots, and thick, wide leather belts with two large rings on the end you would thread the end through. Studly!
Around that time I actually got a leather hole punch with rotating multi-size punch head (it’s around here somewhere) to make new holes in my wide belts as the waistline got wider : )
