2. digital
  3. 1301083062

Wyred DAC-2

Subject: Soft Recovery & Super Fast Diodes Modification

First I would like to thank Kyle Takenaga of Reference Audio Mod for all his support on improving my current audio gear. My latest addition to my audio gear is the Wyred DAC-2 that I just recieved yesterday 3/24/11. I pull the cover off to find out what size fuse i need to order a HiFi-Tunning fuse "supreme fast blow F". While I was in this unit i decided to replace the typical run-of-the mill diodes with Soft Recovery/Super Fast Diodes created by Kyle Takenaga.
Probably one of the most cost-effective modifications is to replace these with high performance Ultra Soft-recovery diodes. You'll hear much cleaner highs, increased resolution, more palpable mids, and tighter bass! Absolutely a must for any mod due to its low low costs!
The results is just like all my other audio gear, simply stunning!!
Picture on the latest mod is available upon request.

jagdynamics
jagdynamics OP
28 posts
 
I have just sent off the DAC-2 to Reference Audio Mods for the second and last mod that will be done to this DAC-2.
Listed below will be the mods.

1.Ultraclock by Audio Consulting
2.Audio Consulting copper transformers with custom I/V stage and buffer. This will include transformers, I/V custom opamps assembly, buffer chips, Audio Consulting wire
3.Rubycon caps
4.WBT NextGen RCA's

These mods will make this DAC-2 "world class" and not just a reference level dac. To view these items by Audio Consulting, goto Reference Audio Mods on the bttm of the home page.
cardiackid
63 posts
 
Has anyone followed the modding advice by Jagdynamics and if so, were the results similar?

What is the cost to do the worldclass mod? If the work is sent out to Audio Consulting, will the result be warranted for some reasonable time period.
diamond007's avatar
diamond007
14 posts
 
Jagdynamics, if you or anyone else here would like a few of these "exotic diodes" Soft Recovery/Super Fast Diodes. I made hundreds of these for Reference Audio Mods and sell them for $25 each. He didn't invent them nor did I, I just manufactured them much cleaner. As a 30 year veteran jeweler. I do know how to solder using less solder=better silver contact does sound best.
thanks
timpani
40 posts
 
I'm going a different path. I've modded some of the caps on the dac and analogue pcb's. The stock diodes are already fast diodes and there are snubbers across them to reduce ringing so there should be little to be gained by swapping them out.
The output stage does use a TL072 op-amp which has a jfet input but I'm yet to fully investigate the role that this device plays in the analogue stage. (Note: Good performance can be obtained from this op-amp by bootstrapping the supplies or feeding from a low Z source to mitigate the non linear input capacitance)

I also intend to reduce the earth inductance between the DAC and PSU pcb's which are connected via a long pinned connector strip.

Thus far, upgrading the 10000uF 6.3V caps on the DAC pcb to Cerafine's + adding Wima mkt decoupling caps in the analogue supply has made a substantial improvement. My next mod is to upgrade the 78XX/79XX regulators that feed the analogue stage.
More to discover