X-CAN v3 :: upgraded at max! a-w-e-s-o-m-e :)

[jlm70]

Thanks, Mike PinkFloyd .
After a couple of days working over it (yes, it was my very first soldering play on a PCB... an audiophile one, too!) I fired again my 2006 X-Can v3 to new life!
Ok, I admit having switched on the Little Pinkie at about a 2 meters distance from the tubes, but... HEY! it worked at first (or it would have exploded, you're thinking... ahah).
For me... looking at those sparkles in the valves, after having changed mostly everything, meant a lot

MODDING LIST:
- Voskhod tubes
- Complete Cap upgrade 2020
- Little Pinkie SE

You can look at the story and all the pictures pre-post within my public Facebook album here

The sound is awesome, but... just started the 100hrs burn-in...

[nando]

Nice work!

[PinkFloyd]

Gianluca,

Superb job my friend, sorry for not replying sooner I have been away on Holiday. I hope that you enjoyed fitting the kit and trust you will enjoy the music for many years to come.

All the best from Scotland.

Mike X

[PinkFloyd]

BTW.... that's one hell of a cool "starter rig"..... feel free to pass it down to me when you decide to upgrade your soldering rig ;-)

Tony Soprano with a soldering iron..... can I sleep safe tonight?

Awsome shit mate..... enjoy!

Mike.

[jlm70]

Ahah... no, no... come on, Tony Soprano no! :-D

I even had to correct an "error", as one hole (of a diode) did lose the copper ring during the "solder pump", but I found the correction... on Youtube (and experienced friend second check): scratching the green paint in a nearby area: it worked well... pheeew

Now - sooner or later - I'll have to change the DAC and - maybe - the headphones.

DAC: I've got in love with what I did read on the RME ADI-2 FS. Anyone here with experience?

HEADPHONES: currently using some "old" AKG K-701 (but still in excellent shape): any advice in the range 400-800€ for our nice'n'modded XCAN v3? Grado SR325e? Others?

[jlm70]

DAC changed: I did replace the PHA with an RME ADI-2 DAC FS...
Boy... it's awesome to the nth power :-)
Well... we all know that with audiophile stuff you never stop to grow (in costs as well;), but this DAC has really given a new life to the X-CANv3.
Consider that with my current AKG Reference K-701 and the "old configuration" (modded XCan + Seiun PHA ESS9018s DAC) I could set the ampli at full power and obtain a good volume (sustainable to my ears, even if I know that I must "save" my listening at lower levels). With the new RME I really CANNOT go over 60% of the XCan power: my phone manage not to distort, but my ears really cannot sustain that volume.
The new DAC has given lots of musical enhancements to my previous, still excellent, listening.
Happy.
If you're heading to a new DAC, give to the RME a try. Probably my best musical purchase ever, after the X-Can mod kit, of course