Oppo Sonica Tube Mod – Update!

March 7, 2017

OK guys, I have the bread-boarded circuit playing in the music room now!  I am running it direct to the amp to make sure that it is quiet and I am very pleased!

I have it designed with 6922 tubes at the moment.  The 5687 is also a great tube, but I think that with the SABRE DAC, the 6922 may be the better choice.  There is also the possibility of using the 6SN7 again, but I have to see how it works with this fully differential, transformer coupled circuit.

The Sonica is TRULY the modern day replacement for the Slim Devices (Logitech) Transporter.  Ethernet, WiFi, Blue Tooth, Apple Airplay, USB (thumb drive or computer/server), RCA, toslink digital inputs. It even has analog inputs, which are then converted to digital and decoded in order to allow for volume control.  This makes sense if this is your primary source and you have one other analog source that you also want to run. Otherwise, you could have a myriad of different digital sources connected to different inputs also.

For Example:

  • Analog tuner or other analog device into analog inputs.  The signal will be converted to digital and then decoded, but it will all pass through the DAC and tube analog stage.
  • Main music server connected via USB, ethernet or WiFi.
  • Music from your phone via blue tooth.
  • Music from a Sonos unit into the Coax or toslink digital inputs.
  • CD’s played from a CD/DVD player as a transport into Coax or toslink digital inputs.
  • Music from Mac computer via Airplay.


Pricing is expected to be in line with our other mods, starting at $2500 (mod only) for full tube mod with external PS 9.0 (tube rectified but not regulated – sounds best for this model) supply and Truth umbilical.  Audio Magic Pulse Gen and Bybee rails will be evaluated also.

The tube circuit is fully differential, end to end, Lundahl transformer coupled in and out.  Passive I-V, no op-amps, zero negative feedback. Fully balanced and Single Ended (RCA) outs. Like our other mods, because of the transformer coupling, it will work well with RCA OR XLR, but not both at the same time.  I may add a toggle for selecting RCA or XLR, not sure yet.

I am very excited!  This mod takes full advantage of the newest SABRE DAC chip and its full resolution and low noise floor.

More to come!

Expect to see the Sonica DAC at Axpona!

Thanks,

Dan

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