dorkwad,
That's really interesting. Thanks for the share. I have had great results with Starsound products, and I have a dual mono integrated with two toroidal transformers. I will definitely consider doing this.
Has anyone tried the Star Sound trans mod with their TRL DUDE preamp?
This mod takes about 15-30 minutes to do counting taking out and replacing all the screws. It results in considerably better sound in all ways with NO drawbacks. There are 2 small transformers in the DUDE with the customary bolt down the middle that keeps all thing tight. First, you have to order six .2AP.7 Audio Points from Star Sound Technologies. You will use 3 each under each trans. These are very flat Audio Points maybe twice as thick as a nickel and the same width as the nickel.
The procedure after removing the top from the DUDE is to loosen the bolt through the trans, remove the nut, and lift off the trans. There is a rubber gasket under the trans that needs to be removed. Replace the trans onto the bolt again, screw the nut back on, but loosely. While lifting the trans up about 1/2" off the bottom plate, slide the 3 APs under the fat portion of the trans so that they form a triangle by their position. The APs need to be point down with the flat side facing the trans. Try to not have the points in too far or out too far--keep them in the fat part of the donut (trans). Carefully screw down the nut to secure the trans firmly. If it has a second nut, screw it down tight, also. If your unit is like mine, do the same procedure to the second one. Replace the top plate.
What you will hear is much better clarity, startling dynamics, less electronic artifacts, etc. If you can also secure the middle front and rear of the bottom panel by using an L-shaped angle screwed in to both the bottom and the rear/front panels at the correct level to keep the panels straight across, you will get even more benefit in sound quality. This procedure to secure the middle of the bottom panels is a time consuming project. It took me several (4-5) hours to get completed. When done, it made the DUDE really awesome and rock solid everywhere!
These 2 project will cost about $110 and some effort, but it will be a bigger difference than going from stock fuses on a component to Synergistic Research Blue fuses. Having just done that with 3 other components, I know the degree of improvement they cause. I would say that each of the 2 procedures discussed will provide at least the difference of changing from stock to Blue fuses each.
If you're already satisfied with your DUDE, fine, but you don't know what you're missing.
The procedure after removing the top from the DUDE is to loosen the bolt through the trans, remove the nut, and lift off the trans. There is a rubber gasket under the trans that needs to be removed. Replace the trans onto the bolt again, screw the nut back on, but loosely. While lifting the trans up about 1/2" off the bottom plate, slide the 3 APs under the fat portion of the trans so that they form a triangle by their position. The APs need to be point down with the flat side facing the trans. Try to not have the points in too far or out too far--keep them in the fat part of the donut (trans). Carefully screw down the nut to secure the trans firmly. If it has a second nut, screw it down tight, also. If your unit is like mine, do the same procedure to the second one. Replace the top plate.
What you will hear is much better clarity, startling dynamics, less electronic artifacts, etc. If you can also secure the middle front and rear of the bottom panel by using an L-shaped angle screwed in to both the bottom and the rear/front panels at the correct level to keep the panels straight across, you will get even more benefit in sound quality. This procedure to secure the middle of the bottom panels is a time consuming project. It took me several (4-5) hours to get completed. When done, it made the DUDE really awesome and rock solid everywhere!
These 2 project will cost about $110 and some effort, but it will be a bigger difference than going from stock fuses on a component to Synergistic Research Blue fuses. Having just done that with 3 other components, I know the degree of improvement they cause. I would say that each of the 2 procedures discussed will provide at least the difference of changing from stock to Blue fuses each.
If you're already satisfied with your DUDE, fine, but you don't know what you're missing.
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