Audio Research Ref: CD8

Nice pix of the inside of the player. But I'm compelled to say that I am a bit underwhelmed at the layout of the PCB inside the CD8. I know that sound is the ultimate goal and I don't mean to dis your nice player. It's just that the tube analog section doesn't seem isolated from both the PS sections or digital sections. Is the analog section that robust? And the position of the large rectifier tube seems a bit odd. I wonder how the wires are routed underneath the PCB- going all the way across the PCB from the 120VAC Tranformer to the rectifier tube. I have and appreciate my ARC gear so don't take me as being mean spirited. Others with more electronics knowledge than me may have some ideas for some quick and easy tweaks for your player.

Anyone cares to post images of his upgraded CD-7 ? I wonder how the managed to fit the 5881 tube inside the CD-7, which has a bit different PCB layout.

hello Tonywinsc , let us make one thing clear , the big tube is NOT a rectifier tube and also the 6h30 tube in the powersupply . The are used as stabilisation . From 120V AC transformer current is rectified by solid rectifiers . So there will be no long wires under the board. Same as the upgrade of the CD7 .

But I'm compelled to say that I am a bit underwhelmed at the layout of the PCB inside the CD8. I know that sound is the ultimate goal and I don't mean to dis your nice player. It's just that the tube analog section doesn't seem isolated from both the PS sections or digital sections.

The DAC chip is not a problem. In most players it is placed very close to the analog stage. The "dirty part" is the display, transport and its servo board, and those are situated as far as possible from the analog section for an integrated player. 6550 tube, as noted before, in not a rectifier tube. ARC had to stuff a lot of parts inside the box, and taking that into consideration, they did a remarkable job.

Then why the bank of electrolytic capacitors next to the big tube?