Help adding Vcaps to Jolida JD100 CD player


Hi,

I've soldered and done basic stuff like that, and have a basic understanding of electronics. What I would like to do is to add V-caps to a Jolida JD100 CD player. What would I need to buy, and what would I need to remove/add to do this modification? If someone could post instructions, it would help me, and probably others with this excellent CD player! Thanks.

- Tony
thwang99
Hi,

I currently own Jolida Modified by Parts Connection .. actually not a lot difference between Stock and modified but the tubes and PC changes the sound a lot (for good).

Other point is the previously I tried modifying Samsung DVD player .. initially I thought I did a great job but over the period I realized actually modification made it worst. If you are good at doing DIY and you know what are you doing please go ahead with the modification otherwise I will advice not to do it .. and spend that money on better tubes and PC.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Milind
Hi Tony,

I would very much agree with Milind here...I have compared the Level 1 and 2 Parts Conn Mod side by side with the stock player. Your gaining a little more dynamics with the mod 1 but loosing a fair amount of midrange bloom and texture that makes the stock player so good. With the Level 2 it really makes the player sound more SS in nature, but gives fantastic dynamics on par with some of the really hi end players. You will definately loose the magic mids though.This will be your call suited to taste, so you definately want to hear it before you mod if poss. The addition of V caps only will change your sound for sure. so its up to you.

I would suggest the tube change that you emailed me about( Ei Yogo Gray Plate ECC-83..(.NOT the Elites or non- gray plate tubes)) and a power cord upgrade to something like a Electraglide Mini Khan Plus or Ultra Khan Rev Statement if you can swing it. Good luck! Ken
Thwang99, So your assumption is that the Jolida CDP in stock form is somehow inferior and needs your intervention.

Why change its sound? You haven't even convinced anyone that this is needed, instead it sounds likt all you want to do is justify getting the soldering iron out. Why not then build circuits from scratch and make something original?

Do not mod that great player. You will not improve the performance but just end up altering the sonic character. And I guarantee you will ultimately regret it.

The caps used as stock are very high quality and, hey if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Do some tube rolling and power cord swapping instead, the Eis are a great suggestion by Kehut. Just becuase it can be done and there are those out there selling these mods for exhorbitant prices doesn't mean it should be done.

Jolida makes great stuff as is for excellent prices. And no I do not work for them but just own both a stock JD100 and JD302B intergrated.
Dear Tony: I do severals audio tests with caps: Wima, MIT, Sonicraft, Hovland, Audio Caps, V-caps, etc. and I can tell you that the V-caps have the best music/sound reproduction performance: dead neutral.

Go a head with this mod!!!!!! you will be very satisfied.

+++++ " Do not mod that great player. You will not improve the performance but just end up altering the sonic character. " +++++

This is what Steve told you and I have to ask: why Steve told us that a V-cap can't improve the performance?

Btw, he do other statement: " just end up altering the sonic character " and latter on he write " Do some tube rolling ", and I have to ask again: this tube rolling don't alter the sonic character, too ?.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
Rauliruegas makes good points here. My feeling is that why go to the trouble of semi-permanently altering the sonic character of an optimized component when by swapping user serviceable components one can "tune" the unit without permanent alteration.

One independent variable at a time is how one knows what actually makes a difference.
Dear Steve: +++++ " . My feeling is that why go to the trouble of semi-permanently altering the sonic character of an optimized component .." +++++

That optimized component is optimized at a price range. Jolida can't use V-caps because of the high price of these caps, if they decide to use V-caps they have to do an increment on their retail price, same for tubes or other build parts.

Now, for many years I always was looking for to " take out " the best performance of any audio item I owned. Any time that I swap caps I had a different " sonic character ", like you say, the issue here is to really know when that change is really a better music/sound reproduction performance.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
I'm with Raul, here. That player may be 'optimized', but it's definitely to a price point. I don't know what this Jolida CDP retails for, but including LOTS-better caps could easily increase its retail price by several-hundred dollars.

Capacitors in both coupling and powersupply positions definitely have a sonic character, and all that character is distortion. I've read for decades that caps, of all the 'passive' components--caps, resistors, diodes, inductors--we use, are the most characterful, and that's no compliment.

But this should't be done indiscriminately. Thwang, getting a schematic diagram is the FIRST and very-important step to this process. You'll also be able to identify the resistors in series with the signal that could be replaced and also the decoupling caps that could be upgraded, the first 3 things I consider for replacing. GET THAT schematic! :-)

Of course, you could just trace the analog circuitry and identify the couplers and their load resistors.

BTW, choose caps carefully--this process can be VERY expensive.
.
Replace only the signal path "coupling" capacitors with V-Caps, and I would recommend using oil-caps bypassed with Teflon caps. There are other caps that are better for power delivery and "decoupling", such as Black Gates

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
manufacturer/modder
Dear Tony: I agree with Steve. Btw, the teflon bypass caps can be from V-caps, too.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
Dear Tony: Jeffrey ask you for the schematic diagram. This is all about and I think that Jeffrey can give you the support for to know what caps do you have to change.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
I'm not sure how to find the schematic of the CD player? I'll try and look for it. Thanks!

- Tony
Well, I've bitten the bullet, will be sending the unit to Sound Odyssey to get their cap and V-cap modifications. :)

I'll report back on the changes!

- Tony