Toshiba 3950 [Archive]

bikerboy

03-21-2007, 01:45 PM

Well I am done with the mods on the Toshiba 3950. I saw posts from years ago how madmax and others had modified this DVD player and were impressed. So when I saw one on ebay I thought I would see if I could manage to do some of the same mods. On the power supply I did the Vinnie mods using Reference Audio Mods Rubicon ZA and ZL caps. I first used panasonic fc caps but later after seeing RAM site changed to the Rubycons. They made the top more open. I also used the Jensen 4 pole cap with their custom diode bridge. That was done last and made the bass tighter and the top end smoother and brought out the sustain that was missing. On the audio side I did the Swenson mod and took the signal from the dac straight to a pair of Auricaps. No opamps any more. It has been playing for 3 days straight now. It sounds very nice. Smooth, cymbles are not clangy, very good sustain. Bass is there when it is needed but not boomy. It is very easy to listen to, no fatigue for hours. I'm happy I didn't fry anything and it sounds good. Even my wife thinks it sounds better.

I also used some of RAM silver wire and am impressed. Compared to the Cardas wire it is better in the middle, not as tizzy on the top and not as boomy on the bottom. I had read much about silver being too bright and I can say this wire is not that way. I have used both the 24 and 35 ga. Cant say yet if one is better that the other. Need more listening time.

So far the diy stuff is working for me. Next will be the sda xovers. I got darquenight's compendium and will use it to replace the caps on my sda2. I think I will wait till fall for that. Summer is coming. Peace and hair grease.

Jonesy

03-21-2007, 05:56 PM

Glad to hear the mod worked out. I just found out about this a couple weeks ago. I've had this player sitting in my basement rig (mostly used by the kids for movies and TV) for a few years and had no idea of it's capability. I've been slowly assembling the parts for the vinnie mod and have almost everything I need. I'm just missing the Black gate caps and the Panasonic ECG 150uF 250V (digi-key was out). The Black gates seem hard to find. I guess they're no longer in production. Do you have a more accessible substitute you could suggest?