Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Power supply upgrade

With the more detailed information provided by Avii I queried Oppo again. Here is their reply:

We'll try to explain how the player is configured in more detail.

The direct power supply, the board which directly interfaces with the power plug, is a switching power supply. However, the switching portion of this power supply is only connected to the mainboard (digital and video processing board). The AC rail past the fuse is connected to the toroidal power supply. This section is linear as there is no power processing.

The toroidal power supply into a secondary voltage linear power supply designed to always have more voltage in the capacitors than the working voltage of the whole of the player. This power supply is only connected to the analog audio board.


Seems a bit devious to me, especially since I am trying to remove all switching supplies from the system.

So Nick, it looks like you have another customer for a BDP-95 supply.

Hi Nick,

I would be interested in replacing the PS in my G68J.
Would you please pm me cost etc.

Many thanks

Dennis

I did some more checking on the Oppo BDP-95 and talked to someone who professionally modifies Oppos. It turns out the switching supply is heavily integrated into the video/digital circuit and not at all easily replaced with a linear supply and not something he would attempt.

Ayre acoustics does do a complete conversion of the supplies in the BDP-83 in creating their DX-5 (retail $10,000). Here is one of their comments:

The mods we make to the video include replacing the master 27 MHz crystal oscillator, replacing all of the switching supplies with linear ones (a huge task), and reconfiguring the grounds to isolate the video + display from the rest of the audio system (the computer also, if you are using the USB input).

I am not sure what modder in Korea is doing, but there seems to be a lot more to it than meets the eye.

I'll soon find out. My linear supply is now on its way.

There has been some discussion of Oppo mods in this thread on AV Science:

Ayre DX-5

See posts #11, #1019 and #1025 in particular.

"Talk2Me" in #1019 said,

Well, I built a DIY Ayre DX5.. I bought a Oppo 93 and upgraded the switch mode power supply and the tiny power connector to a beefy linear power supply and 3 pin power connector (like the DX5) made by Dr. Jae Lee. I can now use an audio high-end power cable. I am getting great pq and sq results. Some on AV say it makes absolutely no difference, but I think it does.

As you can read he uses Dr Lee's mods previously referred to. If you click on Talk2Me's name at the upper left you can access his Public Profile. You will then see an email from Dr Lee giving cost options on his mod. Talk2Me lives some 500 miles from in California.

Talk2Me sounds like MarinJim on WhatsBestForum. I have high hopes for the linear supply, but I think there's much more to the DX-5 than that. I think its a very convincing product, and I wish Meridian would do something similar. The thread about the DX-5 is one of the most interesting I've ever read; I've got a great deal of time for Charles Hansen. He knows what he's doing, but he's also open-minded (though a bit green about video). I've never heard any manufacturer recommend any mod-men before.

Nick

PS: 50,000 views - wow!

Somewhere here, I don't know where, I quoted the whole post where Hansen explained what he did to make the DX-5. I have a lot of time for him too.

See post #11 in the thread I quoted above, unless you additional information.

That's exactly the one I quoted previously.

Perhaps I'm going a bit over the top, but I've just bought an HDCC-150 supply. This is the largest of the generic linear regulated supplies, and is very rarely available. Presumably, it's also the best, so I'm keen to try it out.

Its natural place is in a 861, but I have a feeling it might be too big, due to the capacitor board. I'll probably have a play with it, and then offer it to someone else for a G68, either as-is, or with mountings & connectors, or fully fitted. It was too good an opportunity to pass by.

Nick

Those PSU look pretty big. I've examined the guts of a G68 and there is a lot of air inside but are you sure this will fit?

I did have a close look at this back in Feb. I don't remember much now, so I use these threads as a sort of scratch-pad to capture what I'm thinking about. There's certainly no restricting the Intellectual Property! I would have taken measurements on the G68 that I was modifying to see if the 150W suppply fitted. I was keen to have the fitting brackets on the outside of the PSU chassis, instead of on the inside, as its SOOOO much easier to fit the supply. The 150W would have to use slimmer right-angle brackets, that's all. The again, I dont' think there would be ay need to lift it up off the floor, either.