effective_audio 0 Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 Dear all, I provide upgrade/Mods services to all types of digital sources, like CD/SACD/BD Players, as well as DAC, and most recently, music servers. Scope of work includes typically: Power Supplies : Installation of low noise FRED diodes / higher grade capacitors, as well as Low noise Ultima / burson Voltage Regulators. The main purpose here is to reduce the system noise. Digital : Installation of Low jitter ultima clocks and burson clocks. Analog : Changing of better quality opamps, or the Burson Class A discrete Opamps, as well as circuit modifications to get the sound you need for your system. Other special requirements, like customed built low-noise linear power supplies etc. Please see my website for more details : www.effectiveaudiomod.com I have done upgrades to ALL Cambrigde Audio Players new and old. Here are Some Samples: D500 CD Player CA640CV1 CD Player CA640CV2 CD Player CA740C (sample 1) CD Player CA740C (sample 2) CD Player CA840C CD Player DAC Magic James www.effectiveaudiomod.com tel : nine694 nine704 email : sales@effectiveaudiomod.com Link to post Share on other sites
effective_audio 0 Posted June 7, 2010 Author Share Posted June 7, 2010 Customers Reviews / Testimonials: --------------------------- Hi James, Here is my brief feedback after 1 week of the modification of Cambridge Audio Azur 640C V1. Prior to the modification, I have quite a few negative comments on the stock player:- 1) Although it is a relatively smooth player, I find that the player is relatively weak in terms of PRAT. It is difficult to get the feet tapping. 2) There is a tendency for the mid high to high frequency to be hard sounding at higher listening levels. 3) Soundstage is rather compressed. It is pretty hard to get the spaces for the individual instruments and vocals. 4) Dynamics are prettly limited too. Overall a forgiving and very smooth sounding player and at times too boring to listen to. After the modification with the burson clock and changes to the critical capacitors/opamp, the following are the improvements:- 1) Generally all aspects of the audio spectrum is improved. My first comment was wow! 2) The smoothness of the player has not changed but PRAT has improved quite a bit and now on certain pieces of music, the feet taps uncontrollably. I would say it is close to analog but not there yet.(What would you expect from a budget player?) 3) The hardness to the mid high to high frequency has almost disappear, however on certain recordings, probably those not so good ones, it still happens at the highest dynamic point. I suspect it could be my humble electronics/ speakers that may be causing the problem. Time to upgrade? 4) Soundstage has open up quite a fair bit, there are plenty of spaces between the instruments now and you could here each of the spaces within the instruments and how much reverb is being used on the instruments/ vocals. The width, depth and height of the soundstage has also improved. The vocalist now stands taller and the instruments are spread wider and deeper in the soundstage. 5) The dynamics has also improved quite a fair bit, when playing a very well recorded piano piece at high volumes, you could very well hear the big contrast between the softest and loudest passage. The soundstage didn’t collapse even at the highest passage. 6) The transparency of the sound has also improved by quite a fair bit, you could hear more of the inner details in the highs, mids and even the mid lows(my bookshelf speakers doesn’t go low). Now you can hear more clearly the plucking of the double bass, the clearing of the saliva on the lips of the singer and also the decay of the instruments and vocals. 7) The overall musicality of the player has also improved. From a boring player, it now becomes a player that has the ability to draw you into music and forget about the hardware. Overall it is well worth the cost even though it is more than half the player cost. I would not say it could beat stock player worth a few thousand dollars but changing from a pretty boring player to a player that has musicality, transparency and dynamics. I think James had done a good job. Jon, on his Cambridge Audio 640CV1 CD Player After Modifications. ---------------------------------------------------- Received my Effective Audio James modded Cambridge CD740c yesterday. The CDP overall become very clean & smooth, darkness, fullness body, bigger headroom. tip top layering & separation. it doesn't sound warm but neutral. Recommended mod if you have 740c. Stanley, on his Cambridge Audio 740C CD Player after modifications. --------------------------------------------- Got my CDP modded by James of http://www.effectiveaudiomod.com/ back this afternoon. It took three days coz he burned it in and tested it before sending it back to me. The first thing that hit me when I played the CDP was how smooth everything was; the highs, the mids, even the bass...all sounded smooth with no harshness at all; tested the Eagles' "Get Over It" from Hell Freezes Over album, which tend to sound a bit harsh on many system...well, listened to this track a couple of times, and no harshness was detected at all. The second thing that I noticed right away was everything seems to sound bigger. So the verdict: this is certainly a bang-for-the-buck mod from just the initial improvements that I detected Earnest, on his Cambridge Audio 740C CD Player after modifications. ------------------------------------------------- James. After the mod every aspect of the player has improved. The PRAT is very good now. There is also much more details. The slight hardness of the sound in the original player is now gone. Thank you very much! Richard’s feedback on his upgrade Cambridge Audio C640 V2 ---------------------------------------------------- James Link to post Share on other sites
effective_audio 0 Posted December 8, 2010 Author Share Posted December 8, 2010 More Cambridge Audio Players Done. Link to post Share on other sites
effective_audio 0 Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share Posted November 21, 2011 Reviews from Customer: Customer Jess’s feedback: Hi James, just played the upgraded CDP and it sounds like a $2k+ unit!! My friends and I are very impressed with the overall music presentation. The music now is more pleasing to listen to! Tried rock, pop, Jazz, Vocal, Disco…the player now becomes a very good all rounder now!! Thank you very much!! On Jess’s Cambridge Audio 640C V2 ---------------- Customer Mr Leong’s feedback: Thankyou for modifying my CD player! I alwasy thought my weak link in my audio system is using a Home Theatre system Pre and Power amp for listening to CD Audio. (In fact, for CD Audio Playback, the Pre amp is just a bypass, it should go directly to the Power amp.) Ha, now that you have modified the CD player... it is so obvious that the CD player was indeed the weakest link... Now, the CD Audio sound sooooo goooood! Your modification is just amazing! Never expect the jump in audio quality is so great! Leong. Mr Leong, on his upgraded Cambridge audio 740C ------------------ Customer Kelvin’s Feedback: I just hooked up the 840C; Very Good! Immediately it gives better sound-staging and decay to notes. It is nice and smooth! Thanks!! Kelvin on his Cambridge Audio 840C. ------------------ Customer’s TC’s feedback Dear James, My 740C is much smoother and relaxed with the Bursons opamps. Last time I was always listening to details. Now I listen to the music itself. I dare say it’s a MUST for all Cambridge Audio players. People keep complaining it’s (un-modded) bright, lean and digital. With the Burson opamps, no more such problems. TC, on his Burson Opamp Modded 740C ------------------------------- Hi James, Just heard the upgraded Cambridge Audio 640C V2 last night. Generally there is more depth and body to the music. More details and better separation. I am happy with the mod. Thanks a lot! Customer on his modded 640C V2. ------------------------------ Link to post Share on other sites
effective_audio 0 Posted December 9, 2011 Author Share Posted December 9, 2011 Have done some 740Cs during the promotion. Thanks for all customers who responded! Here is one recent customer review: --------------------------- Hi James, Before the mod, everything sounds volume-tric, meaning I am not listening to music but sounds. By the 3rd or 4th track (Cai Qin or Eagles), I am already asleep because of the fatigue, trying to hear the music or even make sense of it. It sound so harsh and unforgiving to my ears. I was thinking of halting this hifi hobby and move on to iphone and headphone. However, I came across James thread in xtremeplace and read deeply about it in www.effectiveaudiomod.com and decide to give a go. After a few days, I got the 740C back and after hooking it up, no more ear or hear fatigue. There is the music, the chords, the instruments, the stage, the separation, the vocal, the bass and everything. There is no more loudness even though I crank up volume but really music, music and music. Now, I finish listening to 2 CDs (Cai Qin and Eagles) with ears open and eyes close, savouring it. Kudos to you, James. It is effective and it works. Like what you said, it is day and night. I have this 740 for 2 years now and only get the true experience only now Peter, on his 740C -------------------------------------------- Have modded more than 100 cambridge audio players/DAC over the years I fully understand their design philosophy and architecture. There are insights and circuit changes that I do, besides component changes, that truly bring them up to their fullest potential. James www.effectiveaudiomod.com email:sales@effectiveaudiomod.com tel : nine694 nine704 Link to post Share on other sites
effective_audio 0 Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 More Great Reviews: Burson Clock on 650C. Reviews: ------------------------------ Hi James, The CD Player sounds different. The instruments sounded more lively and vocals are more natural. The overall soundstage is MUCH better. Thanks! Customer, on his Burson clock installed 650C ------------------------------ Hi James, I have listened to the modified 740C. It is more natural, less bright and more detailed than before. Thanks for the mods! Customer, on his 740C with Ultima Clock package, opamps / diodes / caps changes and circuit modifications. ----------------------------- James. Initial feedback is good. Listened to "September" on the Daughtry album and the first thing that I said was WOW! Listened to the same song 3 times last Monday before sending my cdp over for you to mod and I still remember how it sounded before and how it sounded after your mod. Details on both vocals and on the instruments specially the acoustic guitar really came out. Not so savvy on audio terms but I think WOW says it all.... :) Will certainly consider the additional mod next time. Noel, on his 740C upgraded with Ultima Clock + Dedicated Power supply. ------------------------------------------------ Dear james, I am SHOCKED! You have transformedmy 840C to the big League!! Super black background, much higher resolution and inner details! And with HUGE soundstage too! I am enjoying my music so much more now! Incredible mod, well worth it. Thanks! Customer, on his 840C upgraded with Ultima clock package, diodes/opamps/capacitors changes and circuit modifications. -------------------------------------------- Let me unleash the potential of your cambridge Audio players! DON'T MISS! Burson Clock Promotion (Best Value for Money, best for 540/640/650C/DAC) http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=106334.msg740482#msg740482 EA Ultima Clock + Dedicated Power Supply Promotion (Best Ultimate Performance! For DAC/740C and 840C): http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=91967.msg735660#msg735660 So do contact me to upgrade your digital source. Thanks for reading! I concentrate on Digital sources and here are some examples: Esoteric SACD Players/DACs : http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=105525.msg735654#msg735654 Marantz Players : http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=87601.msg620224#msg620224 Cambridge Audio Players / DAC : http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=77592.msg566565#msg566565 Highend CD/SACD Players : http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=91967.msg647997#msg647997 DAC : http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=97613.0 check my website for more details : www.effectiveaudiomod.com Cheers. James www.effectiveaudiomod.com email:sales@effectiveaudiomod.com tel : nine694 nine704 Link to post Share on other sites
effective_audio 0 Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 upz for awareness... Link to post Share on other sites
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