i don't know where is C177, but i use to replace DSP Jamicon 220uf supply cap...

That cap is C177 my friend, I thought you know since you want to mod the card?

hehe, i don't remember and bother the code because the card still inside my casing , i just know which cap should be changed and approximate which cap doing what job...

BTW, i just noticed i got 5 pieces of 1000uf 16 Rubycon MBZ and 10 pieces unknown brand 680uf 4v solid cap from my dead Asus P5P800 mobo... Try to search the web now to find out what brand is it...no model code,dark blue casing, same packaging as Sanyo Oscon, only got 'M' character in the square box, i think is Panasonic...

This post has been edited by coolkwc: Jun 4 2008, 01:46 PM

You can use those Rubycon MBZ too, they just below MCZ spec wise (use them on supply caps, but I think it won't work on C177 because the regulator hates low ESR caps, I have some spare MBZ, but I never tried it). I have some Rubycon MCZ before, but I accidentally broke their legs

yap, just find out the unknown brand cap is Panasonic FL series ultra-low ESR solid cap, the "M' in square box certified it...and i swap the Jamicon with it adi AND IT WORKS, hehe, its the time for you and me to proved that actually the regulator loves low ESR caps ....to be honest, NO AUDIBLE IMPROVEMENT ....well actually i expected adi, since this cap only for the DSP supply cap and not the analog signal path cap...my first little mod success adi, now the cap sit beautifully flat and i will continue once i get my 22uf 20v sanyo Oscon...

This post has been edited by coolkwc: Jun 4 2008, 03:26 PM

The opamp will give the biggest improvement of all, 2nd is the decoupling caps. The DSP is only for longer lifespan since the Jamicon crap is prone to leaking and burst

I suggest you check the voltage on the places you want to change the caps, buy the one that have the closest one to the nominal voltage, going too high is not advisable, since it will makes the spec worse because you don't use at their rated voltage

yap, i check adi, the coupling cap voltage is 2v only...the ori wincap couling cap is 22uf 16v, and sanyo oscon only got 22uf 20v....for the DSP supply cap the voltage only about 1.2v, so my 680uf 4v is more than enough adi...

EDIT: thats why i suggest that using Panasonic blackgate 2200uf in Head-fi actually is overkill...

This post has been edited by coolkwc: Jun 4 2008, 03:32 PM

Good that you done your homework enjoy your card, I enjoyed mine, and I changed another two caps that I missed before

P.S: Blackgate isn't from Panasonic, they from Rubycon

hehe, here is the voltage of all caps...

http://img135.imageshack.us/my.php?image=x...voltagesgl3.jpg

EDIT: OMG, just test the RMAA, all 3 distortion and intermodulation test went down 10% after i only change the DSP supply cap, unbelievable...

EDIT2: well, i have addicted on modding so i take out the card once again and do "second phase" modding ...i desolder the Rubycon MBZ 1000uf 10v from still working MX440 GC and put into the C46 opamp supply cap....OMG, this time i really hear the different when i plug the earphone and set it to max bass + max volume...the image the of bass still there and the sound only suffer minor distortion even on those setting compare with unmodded...huge different man... BTW, i think i will change that cap to another later because the cap is too 'fat' and actually the cap already 5-6 year...

This post has been edited by coolkwc: Jun 4 2008, 06:43 PM

I changed all my decoupling caps from 16v to 35v, is it bad ?

Wait till you swap the opamp

Well, i take out my card again for just half an hour , being poisoned so severely, i start my "third phrase" modding ...this time i changed C16, C107, C91, C119 DAC supply cap to 3XRubycon MBZ 1000uf 10v and 1XPanasonic FL 680uf 4v solid cap...as before, the midrange more pronounced(maybe ) and no distortion on high volume+max bass....well i had finish all my caps, no more modding until July...

I think not. Just keep it

You mean, third phase Well congrats on the mod. I hope you have as much fun as mine Never in my life I heard such precise, spacious and detail that it gives from all these mod, its like I totally change my entire setup instead of just the soundcard

Oh, don't forget to post some pic of your card, I bet it looks better than mine

Addicted to soldering now, anymore suggestion regarding the SC? Anything else to be modded ?

There are lot more caps to change, on DAC power section, opamp +5V and -5V supply and if you do recording, the ADC and line-in caps too

Some of the caps are 10uF, i wonder if i could change it to 33uF ?

Don't worry about it. I even use as high as 1000uF on some places. Most of them are from 300-700uF

my friend, need to make some request to you, can you stated which caps you replaced and what is the new caps value?

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Added on June 5, 2008, 9:18 pmi addicted too, the smell of the melted solder and flux were so

This post has been edited by coolkwc: Jun 5 2008, 09:22 PM

I guess i will short the cap soon and increase the value of the cap i feel like swapping it

Here's the value and its places:

C177 - 3900uF 6.3V
C107 - 1000uF 6.3V
C108 - 330uF 16V
C56 - 470uF 16V
C16 - 510uF 4V
C43 - 330uF 16V
C75 - 470uF 16V
C74 - 181uF 16V
C72 & C46 - 470uF 6.3V
C91 & C119 - 470uF 6.3V
C172 - 100uF 16V

All in all, I replaced 13 caps, removed two caps plus short 4 on decoupling

I have a question here regarding my X-Fi. Why i'm having problem with inter-channel leakage during RMAA adjusting level?