More tips from the cheap seats
Posted by: Andrew L. Weekes on 17 October 2002
This will be of interest to anyone with a CD3.5 / CD5 and an external PSU.
I've decided to get rid of the Flatcap 2, since I no longer use it, but am presently using the black SNAIC that came with it, in conjunction with a SNAPS supply.
Faced with the choice of spending over 50 quid on a new one to ship with the FC2, I wondered whether there were any other options that were cheaper.
The CD3.5 or CD5 only utilise the SNAIC to provide DC power to the analogue output stages of the players, and hence only 3 cores are needed. A quick experiment with an old grey SNAIC (with new connectors) and a SNAIC copy revealed the black SNAIC was much better.
The SNAIC cables, as pointed out by JV himself, are a compromise - for audio signals one generally wants low capacitance cable, for power one wants low impedance. Whilst not mutually exclusive properties, the physics and physical dimensions of the interconnect place constraints that require compromise.
What was needed then was a flexible low impedance cable, with untinned copper cores - a quick rummage through the ALW 'offcuts and bin-ends' box found some nice flexible 15A mains cable, with exactly the number of cores required.
15 minutes later and the innards of two 5pin DIN's had been hastily soldered to it, providing the 2x24V and 0V connections.
My goal was to achieve the same level of performance, but the signififcantly lower impedance of the cable makes a big difference and it sounds much better than a black SNAIC. The improvement in bass extension, punch and resolution is impressive for the 15 minutes of my time it took to make.
Whilst this is only applicable to these players (or possibly ONE of the SNAICS in a dual hicapped 82) it's worth a go for anyone competent enough to try it. I'd rate the difference as great as adding a better PSU to the player when used in conjunction with my exceptionally high performance SNAPS supplies.
The usual warnings apply - do it at your own risk etc, etc...
Enjoy,
Andy.
I've decided to get rid of the Flatcap 2, since I no longer use it, but am presently using the black SNAIC that came with it, in conjunction with a SNAPS supply.
Faced with the choice of spending over 50 quid on a new one to ship with the FC2, I wondered whether there were any other options that were cheaper.
The CD3.5 or CD5 only utilise the SNAIC to provide DC power to the analogue output stages of the players, and hence only 3 cores are needed. A quick experiment with an old grey SNAIC (with new connectors) and a SNAIC copy revealed the black SNAIC was much better.
The SNAIC cables, as pointed out by JV himself, are a compromise - for audio signals one generally wants low capacitance cable, for power one wants low impedance. Whilst not mutually exclusive properties, the physics and physical dimensions of the interconnect place constraints that require compromise.
What was needed then was a flexible low impedance cable, with untinned copper cores - a quick rummage through the ALW 'offcuts and bin-ends' box found some nice flexible 15A mains cable, with exactly the number of cores required.
15 minutes later and the innards of two 5pin DIN's had been hastily soldered to it, providing the 2x24V and 0V connections.
My goal was to achieve the same level of performance, but the signififcantly lower impedance of the cable makes a big difference and it sounds much better than a black SNAIC. The improvement in bass extension, punch and resolution is impressive for the 15 minutes of my time it took to make.
Whilst this is only applicable to these players (or possibly ONE of the SNAICS in a dual hicapped 82) it's worth a go for anyone competent enough to try it. I'd rate the difference as great as adding a better PSU to the player when used in conjunction with my exceptionally high performance SNAPS supplies.
The usual warnings apply - do it at your own risk etc, etc...
Enjoy,
Andy.
Nothing new to you, since you're experiencing the subject matter first hand 
A.
A.