[Reactcore]

Yes, I can absolutely recommend the cap replacement. I did use these 1000µF/25V Nichicon caps for my Dave: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/nichicon/UHV1E102MPD/2598254

They are a bit longer (higher) than the original caps but lead spacing and diameter matches perfectly.

Happy modding!

Hm i looked for those and saw theyre eol
Nice Digikey has them still

I guess ill order, can also replace the 3 aside the molex with these

Did you notice bass improvement? And in which area?

 

[AudioDrag]

Hm i looked for those and saw theyre eol
Nice Digikey has them still

I guess ill order, can also replace the 3 aside the molex with these

Did you notice bass improvement? And in which area?

Yes, I've replaced all caps. 5V supply, 15V (pre regulator) and 12V (after regulator).

At the time when I did this mod, my Dave did drive my SAM Alnico Omega speakers directly. Soundstage is great in this configuration but you don't get any sub bass from these single driver speakers. So I can't comment on sub bass improvements. But the soundstage did become bigger and more stable and instrument separation got better.

Dave's potential is great and these mods do prove it.

 

[Somatic]

Damn it guys, stop making your Dave all pimped out! haha

I am not well versed in EE and soldering so I don't want this to be my first big project haha

 

[Reactcore]

Damn it guys, stop making your Dave all pimped out! haha

I am not well versed in EE and soldering so I don't want this to be my first big project haha

all for the ultimate sound experience till giving shivers and tears

 

[Reactcore]

So last mod is just placed..
Exchanging Dave's standard 470uf caps for 1000uf with lower ESR.. also the 3 aside the psu molex connector and the master clock supply..

Thanks @AudioDrag for pointing me to these

With a desoldering iron its easier

Old (front) vs new (back row)

The increased hight is no problem

Just listening.. initial impression..
Fuller sound! Bass is now equally extending to (ultra)sub and mid..

Texture and material made of eg. guitar strings or the skin on drums is even better hearable.

Next to TT2 Dave now sounds equally full and meaty but with all Dave's wonderful transparency and depth preserved.. Just juicy..

Lol lots of A-B'ing to do now..

 

[Reactcore]

The rule is to always be honest.. even if its a negative post..

After listening for a time i decided to place back the 4 original 470uF caps after the regulators, the other 4 left in.

Although it made a fuller sound and the midrange benefitted alot by giving more textures and body to instruments.. it weirdly took some transparency in the highs away compared to original.

Its curious how the amp section can be so influenced by little changes in its power feed

The first orange cap mod definately stays in giving mighty low end and overall energy.

Now im thinking if i should experiment with other brand/type caps behind the regulators..
If i do ill post about it

 

[TheAttorney]

The rule is to always be honest.. even if its a negative post..

The first orange cap mod definately stays in giving mighty low end and overall energy.
Now im thinking if i should experiment with other brand/type caps behind the regulators..
If i do ill post about it

Honesty is always the best policy.

Regarding the original mod: As the ground end is physically connected, there are only 2 joints that need to be soldered.
Which leads me to think of soldering some form of short-wire-with-mini-socket at those joints, so that the new caps could easily be removed and replaced without soldering.

If ever I'm brave enough to try this mod, I'd definitely want to compare your chosen caps with, say, the Audio Note ones.

 

[Reactcore]

Regarding the original mod: As the ground end is physically connected, there are only 2 joints that need to be soldered.

like cap rolling a Dave
The original mod is the one that stayed in.

Im talking about the 4 original caps on the PCB.. ive been looking to those Audionotes.. but i cant find the measurements... but they seem to be bigger in diameter as shown on @Triode User cap board and cant be dropped in as they wont fit

 

[TheAttorney]

Im talking about the 4 original caps on the PCB.. ive been looking to those Audionotes.. but i cant find the measurements... but they seem to be bigger in diameter as shown on

I'm talking about cap-rolling the original 4 orange caps that, as far as I can tell, require just 2 solder joints and no replacement of existing caps. I could just about manage that.

All the on-board cap replacements are above my amateur-grade soldering skills, so I know I'd make a hash of it,

 

[Reactcore]

I'm talking about cap-rolling the original 4 orange caps

Are you on stock Dave? No external PSU?

The caps can also be simply added over the molex plug perhaps on a adapter PCB aside the original SMPS.. it should give a good upgrade already compared to stock

 

[TheAttorney]

Are you on stock Dave? No external PSU?

The caps can also be simply added over the molex plug perhaps on a adapter PCB aside the original SMPS.. it should give a good upgrade already compared to stock

Okay, I'll have a look at that option, although I had the impression that the 4 orange caps at the output end would give a bigger SQ boost - i.e. broadly equivalent to replacing the SMPS with a Farad 3.

I have a stock DAVE, and there are quite a few choices now, including an Arc6 DC4 should I want to really splash out. Choice is good in one way, but bad for indecision.
All this hinges on whether I keep the DAVE, and that hinges on how good the upcoming Grimm MU2 all-in-one-box solution will be compared to my current MU1 server to stock DAVE.

 

[Reactcore]

Okay, I'll have a look at that option, although I had the impression that the 4 orange caps at the output end would give a bigger SQ boost - i.e. broadly equivalent to replacing the SMPS with a Farad 3.

A external PSU like Farad and SJ, even with cap boards, add their 'voltage stabilizing' also at the molex plug pins. So yep adding the orange caps there makes a similar method.

Straight on the regulator inputs bypasses the molex and PCB track resistance.

But at least no soldering on Dave is required with a adapter solution.

 

[Jawed]

The long wires that are seen with your capacitor mods can cause RF noise problems, can't they?

 

[Reactcore]

The long wires that are seen with your capacitor mods can cause RF noise problems, can't they?

Wires? My caps are soldered straight on the regulators inside Dave's shielded casing..

 

[Jawed]

Wires? My caps are soldered straight on the regulators inside Dave's shielded casing..

The metal that connects them is quite long, which makes for good aerials. That's my understanding.