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Post by PinkFloyd on Jun 24, 2011 22:50:54 GMT
Hi Lloyd,
Glad you like it! Although It's a major improvement over the stock amp, fresh from the box, allow it a couple of months (normal use) to really blossom....
Enjoy the music.
Mike.
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Post by elton on Jun 25, 2011 18:17:38 GMT
Got my modded V-CAN back this morning, and the sound is fantastic! Worlds away from the stock amp, much more detail, space and bass - all the best things. Thanks hugely Mike. On a good day I get through 5 albums on the amp and this will make every one sound much better!  |
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Post by PinkFloyd on Jun 26, 2011 9:15:13 GMT
Got my modded V-CAN back this morning, and the sound is fantastic! Worlds away from the stock amp, much more detail, space and bass - all the best things. Thanks hugely Mike. On a good day I get through 5 albums on the amp and this will make every one sound much better! Hi Elton, Excellent stuff  It sounds good now but will sound even better (more of everything / it will blossom) after 100 - 200 hours. ATB Mike. |
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Post by lloydland on Jul 10, 2011 13:13:59 GMT
Hi Lloyd, Glad you like it! Although It's a major improvement over the stock amp, fresh from the box, allow it a couple of months (normal use) to really blossom.... Enjoy the music. Mike. Got a good 40 hours plus under the belt now. Running the Dacmagic with the Little Pinkie .Absolutely love it now I have to start again and re evaluate 18,000 tracks looking forward to it ! Sounds just like a record now Fab! |
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Post by PinkFloyd on Jul 25, 2011 19:41:57 GMT
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mrarroyo
Been here a while! 
Our man in Miami!
Posts: 1,003
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Post by mrarroyo on Jul 26, 2011 10:56:02 GMT
Hi Mike, the V2 you did for me in 2006 has 1200 FC caps if I recall correctly. would it be worth it to upgrade to the 3300 caps? Thanks.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Jul 26, 2011 21:44:13 GMT
Hi Mike, the V2 you did for me in 2006 has 1200 FC caps if I recall correctly. would it be worth it to upgrade to the 3300 caps? Thanks. Hell, YES! BUT (and it's a BIG but) the 3300uF takes the V2 more into the V3 / V8 sound arena so it's a question of do "you" want to go there? I know that you prefered the V2 over the V3 / V8 and the 1200 FM caps bring the best of the V2 out.... the 3300uF bring about a more neutral presentation which is what the owner of this V2 asked me for (he is using it for mixing) so I did my best to take the V2 to V8 levels of neutrality. If you want to keep that intimate "V2" sound then stick with the 1200uF FM caps...... the 3300uF will refine her and I'm not sure you'd like toning down to neutrality Miguel. James has asked me for a neutral presentation, as he requires that in his application, but I don't think it would be an "upgrade" for you..... you like the "colour" the V2 paints  Mike. |
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mrarroyo
Been here a while!
Our man in Miami!
Posts: 1,003
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Post by mrarroyo on Jul 27, 2011 10:42:21 GMT
Thanks Mike, maybe I should find someone with a V2 that wishes to have the original X-Can V1. Then I could trade with them and have the 2nd V2 fully modded with the 3300 uF. Just saying ...
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Post by pcourtney1 on Jul 27, 2011 12:40:07 GMT
that's what I'm now going to do, send both of my xcanv2's to Mike, I was going to go down the balanced HP amp and phones route, but I'm not going to do that now, I have just modded my AKG K340 cans, all re-cabled etc, and now connecting into the back of my old Sony FH-7 amp (30 true RMS continous watts) via the speaker connectors and the sq of the K340 and the FH-7 is just sublime to my ears, a weird combo but truly satisfying, given that the FH-7 I have is over 25 years old and the 340's are probably over 30 years by now, luckily no sign of the electret speakers giving up the ghost.
now that's out of the way, I want to use one of my v2's for jazz listening, late evening, chilling out, relaxing in my bedroom, and Mike knows how to mod a v2 to really shine in that department :-). I am using an iPod with 80gb of Jazz on it via a FiiO L3 (line out) cable to a stock v2 at the moment, and whilst it sounds pretty good, improvements in sq should be had quite easily I reckon
my other v2 can then be set aside for more analytical use, this is where I would like the more neutral and clinical sound of the v3, but if my v2 can be modded to give me those attributes that would be really nice too !
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2011 13:04:59 GMT
Thanks Mike, maybe I should find someone with a V2 that wishes to have the original X-Can V1. Then I could trade with them and have the 2nd V2 fully modded with the 3300 uF. Just saying ... The modded V8 that Mike did for me with the new power supply is astounding Miguel. Nothing wrong with the V8 sound imo. Not that far removed from modded V2 and has the same slam. Quite different from the original sound of the V8 which was a little thin for my tastes but Mike soon elevated the bass to another level. Just wondering whether there are some second hand V8's going around now the M1 has appeared so you'd have another 'flavour'. V8 is one of my favourites now. Mind you, those V2 pictures look tasty. Ian |
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Post by musicmanic on Jul 29, 2011 17:40:05 GMT
Just plugged in my Modded V2 and wow! What a difference:
Listening through Sony MDR 7506 (first series):
Instruments don't smear and are clearly separated,
Bass very tight and clear
Vocals clear, but most of all
Ambience is much more visible and the soundstage is very well represented.
Everything sounds so well balanced.
Just listened to Rose Royce's "Car wash" and I can now hear foot tapping under the claps at the beginning.
Now I'm gonna gonna listen through the Senheisser 650.
Thanks Mike
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Post by musicmanic on Aug 11, 2011 4:17:00 GMT
Over a week in and the sound is getting better. The sounds of all instruments all across the frequency bandwidth are levelling out and sound very good on the ear.
Can't wait to try it with little pinkie v3i.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Oct 1, 2011 20:59:35 GMT
01st October - Derek Relph's X-10 V3 I have fitted my latest "kit" to Derek's X-10 V3 which is designed to give the absolute best SQ.... I hope that Derek will contribute his impressions to this thread after he has lived with the V3 for a few days / weeks. I have been experimenting with the "house sound" of different capacitors again and the latest incarnation of the X-10 V3 kit majors on "bypassing" a few different brands of carefully selected electrolytic caps with film caps to obtain a "signature" that I feel will blow the minds of V3 owners . Replaced all the stock Jamicon caps with a mixture of the following: NOS roederstein (Gold), Panasonic FC, Panasonic NHG, ELNA RE3.... all bypassed with WIMA film caps. Coupling caps are Nichicon MUSE. The ELNA RE3 are hard to obtain now (in the UK) and are very close to the Cerafine in house signature.... They are very low ESR (typically 0.02R)  The bypassing with WIMA film caps really does give the X-10 V3 a "third" dimension IMO.... bags more detail and lots more information coming through.... macro detail and subtle nuances also more noticeable. (IMO)  As well as the caps I fitted UF diodes and a brand new pair of JAN 6112 valves.... fitted a damper onto each of the valves...... and some heatsinks as the transistors were "literally" about to part company with the PCB..... the heat had caused the traces to part company with the PCB..... I reinforced the pads / traces and it's now as solid as a rock, the heatsinks will also prevent this from happening again in future..... More pics:        |
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Post by djrel on Oct 17, 2011 21:05:34 GMT
Mike
I've been enjoying the 'latest kit', which you fitted at very reasonable cost to my X10 V3, for ten days now - the result is breathtaking. The soundstage has expanded in spades, there's more detail and presence and the bass is rock solid. Barb Junger's 'Walking in the Sun CD sounds amazing- I really am astonished. How do you do it?
Derek
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Post by PinkFloyd on Oct 17, 2011 22:09:57 GMT
Mike I've been enjoying the 'latest kit', which you fitted at very reasonable cost to my X10 V3, for ten days now - the result is breathtaking. The soundstage has expanded in spades, there's more detail and presence and the bass is rock solid. Barb Junger's 'Walking in the Sun CD sounds amazing- I really am astonished. How do you do it? Derek Hi Derek, Glad you like it.... a choice selection of caps in the relevant "places" plus a bit of bypassing here and there plus many years of trial and error.... I could just say I sprinkled some magic dust on it but that's sooooo 80's |
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Post by bertiewooster on Oct 27, 2011 11:39:56 GMT
I've waited a few months before posting because I probably don't listen for as many hours per week as everyone else. Mike very kindly sold me a modded X Can V2 in the summer. At the time I was using a Matrix M-Stage as my main amp, coupled to a Matrix Mini-I DAC and an Arcam Alpha 7SE cd player as my source. My headphones are Sennheiser HD 600s. I then added the Little Pinkie power supply a couple of months later. Well, the M-Stage amp has been sold because the X Can is noticeably better with the HD 600. The sound is powerful, intimate and very engaging. I think most of this is due to the nature of the HD 600 - I love this headphone! But the X Can/Little Pinkie combo has really let the headphones 'breathe' better and the sound quality is great. It's very rich, smooth and something you can enjoy for hours at a time without really having to think that you're listening with headphones...if you know what I mean. I'll be taking delivery of a pair of LCD2 orthodynamic headphones soon so I'll be interested to see how they sound with the X Can V2 Thanks to Mike for all his hard work and great expertise, and also to Miguel for suggesting the X Can and Rock Grotto. |
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Post by PinkFloyd on Nov 6, 2011 22:39:20 GMT
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Post by PinkFloyd on Nov 13, 2011 20:45:30 GMT
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Post by PinkFloyd on Nov 20, 2011 21:22:57 GMT
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Post by billyray on Jan 28, 2012 15:51:54 GMT
My X-Cans on it's way to Scotland ;D
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Post by PinkFloyd on Feb 6, 2012 21:06:40 GMT
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Post by billyray on Feb 13, 2012 16:38:30 GMT
Ahem  I think that's my X-Cans... Well serial number matches anyway ;D . Listening to it now. I'm really pleased with the sound using my AKG K701. Have been a little disappointed with the 701s with GS Solo. With new valves and Pink Floyd's recap, the X-Cans fed from my Gyrodec is getting closer to what I am looking for overall. Thanks Mike, for the significant improvement |
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Post by billyray on Feb 15, 2012 23:38:21 GMT
Update - I've just posted on Cyrus Unofficial
"Just been comparing my Matrix M Stage with the newly rejuvenated X-Cans. Much to my surprise, with AKG K701 H/P I much prefer the X-Cans. I mean, I'm getting real bass, but also hearing cymbals as they should be. Grinding guitars sounding dirty, the full deal."[/b]
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Post by PinkFloyd on Aug 5, 2012 21:40:25 GMT
05th August 2012 - Mel Marshall's X-CANS (V1) 1500uF Panasonic FC across the PSU board, 1uF WIMA, UF4007 ultrafast diodes, Samwha VA 100uF (135C), 6N23P-EB valves, ceramic sockets, Purple LED, ALPS pot, new knob, Jalco head socket, new quad socket, Nichicon MUSE no polar caps, OSCON caps PLUS a sprinkling of Pink dust              |
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Post by PinkFloyd on Mar 10, 2013 20:52:36 GMT
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It sounds good now but will sound even better (more of everything / it will blossom) after 100 - 200 hours.
