jim williams/audio upgrades

[pucho812]

Anyone have an opinion on this guy and his work?  I am curious what the brain trust thinks. 

 

[JohnRoberts]

Ok not the Jim Williams who used to write design articles RIP, but the Jim Williams still alive and hot rodding other people's designs.

Live Jim is a little fringe for his use of extreme premium components, but he is not lunatic fringe (balancing on one leg during full moons), there is some method to his madness.

I expect his mod's sound very good.  I doubt I would spend as much money as he does on parts, but that is kind of what he is selling so dig it.  8)

JR

 

[Bowie]

My interaction with him has only been on forums but I have a number of customers who own Jim Williams modified gear and every one of them has spoken very highly of Jim's work.  Keep in mind that he is of the "straight wire" belief (nothing sounds better than a straight wire/fewer components).  I once saw him post something on GS recommending that the best thing you could do with an LA-2A is to take out the UTCs and put in some Jensens.  For someone like me, who intentionally sources certain components for their coloration and desire my recordings to be "bigger/better than real life", I reel in horror at some of the things Jim says.  However, by all accounts, he does fantastic work and I think you'd be happy with it if you're looking for a cleaner/more accurate sound.

 

[pucho812]

Hmmmmmm o.k. I have experienced different in conversations with people.  I have heard mixed reviews mostly nothing good concerning a post modded sound.  I would suspect it's because most people  expect color vs no color. I have seen a some mods where chips were replaced  and installed in the circuit was pdip to sonic converter pcb with a socic chip installed. Then a heat sink on the chip for heat that by all accounts is glued on. I know of no glue that is good for heat dissipation so I dunno...

 

[Bowie]

Hmmmmmm o.k. I have experienced different in conversations with people.  I have heard mixed reviews mostly n0othing good concerning a post modded sound.  I would suspect it's because most people  expect color vs no color. I have seen a some mods where chips were replaced  and installed in the circuit was pdip to sonic converters with a socic chip instead. Then a heat sink on the chip for heat that by all accounts is glued on. I no of know glue that is good for heat dissipation so I dunno...

One man's clarity is another man's harshness and "smooth" to some is "muddy" to others so I can see some people not caring for the sound.  That's the way the game goes and as someone who deals in parts, I know  that struggle all too well.

  Surprised to hear about sloppy work though.  That's something I've never heard associated with him.

 

[dandeurloo]

I have had a number of things modded by JW.  Most of the mods have been better, if not a lot better.  I have had a few come back really not so great.  The things that I didn't love I would not blame him for at all.  Its just how we hear things.

I have learned that you go to JW for "CLEAN".  Don't send him a 1176 or a LA 2A or a Neve pre.  Send him a Soundcraft Delta, some sort of DAC that needs to be clean or a different nice design that could be updated and cleaned up. 

I hated my distressors.  They added a little 70's distortion box sound to everything that I don't appreciate.  They didn't have a great vibe/tone like a LA 2A or 1176.  I was so ready to dump them but I really liked the flexibility of the comp.  I reluctantly sent it to JW and now I really like them.  Actually, now they are the best Mandolin compressor ever!  I sent him my 2nd one after I spent some time comparing them. 

His DBX 160 mods are really nice.  I had him mod a DBX 128 and I thought it was 50/50.  It was a lot less noisy but it lost some vibe.  So, I would maybe not send him "Vintage DBX" but the none VU versions he is great with along with the 651's and 661's.

Send him stuff that is in his wheel house, clean. 

 

[JohnRoberts]

Hmmmmmm o.k. I have experienced different in conversations with people.  I have heard mixed reviews mostly n0othing good concerning a post modded sound.  I would suspect it's because most people  expect color vs no color. I have seen a some mods where chips were replaced  and installed in the circuit was pdip to sonic converters with a socic chip instead. Then a heat sink on the chip for heat that by all accounts is glued on. I no of know glue that is good for heat dissipation so I dunno...

There are thermal glues used to "glue" small heat sinks to chips. Even Elmers glue has lower thermal resistance than air, but proper thermal glue is just fine.

Since I'm a "straight wire with gain" kind of guy I have no philosophical differences with JW. If anything we differ by degrees about necessary passband bandwidths, and subtle stuff like that... Agreed he may not be the guy for the coloration du jour,,,  (neither am I).  ;D

JR

 

[pucho812]

There are thermal glues used to "glue" small heat sinks to chips. Even Elmers glue has lower thermal resistance than air, but proper thermal glue is just fine.



JR

I only knew of thermal paste and was unaware of actual thermal glue.  thanks 8)

 

[PRR]

As said, any glue is better than air. Which is what you have if you don't have a heatsink. 

Thermal Epoxy is a Thing, and very big in some fields.

I have used Crazy Glue for 486 CPU sinks. (Doesn't last.)

I just got one of AMD's latest lo-price CPUs and am not liking the force-clips. AFAICT, the CPU runs so cool that a bent-up can lid and some alligator clips would suffice.

I'm curious what hi-class audio application needs a glued-on heatsink (not looking at 3-watt PDIP speaker chips); but I prolly couldn't afford it anyway. Hmmmm- aren't many Class D chips in SMD and probably using glue-sink when needed?

 

[JohnRoberts]

As said, any glue is better than air. Which is what you have if you don't have a heatsink. 

Thermal Epoxy is a Thing, and very big in some fields.

I have used Crazy Glue for 486 CPU sinks. (Doesn't last.)

I just got one of AMD's latest lo-price CPUs and am not liking the force-clips. AFAICT, the CPU runs so cool that a bent-up can lid and some alligator clips would suffice.

I'm curious what hi-class audio application needs a glued-on heatsink (not looking at 3-watt PDIP speaker chips); but I prolly couldn't afford it anyway. Hmmmm- aren't many Class D chips in SMD and probably using glue-sink when needed?

I actually use a SMD class D chip in my drum tuner... Tiny sucker with a heat sink pad on the bottom of the chip.

Knowing Jim,  he was probably using a high speed, high current op amp up near it's upper PS rail voltages, Adding a heat sinks seems prudent to keep the chip cool and happy. 

JR

 

[Andy Peters]

I have seen a some mods where chips were replaced  and installed in the circuit was pdip to sonic converter pcb with a socic chip installed. Then a heat sink on the chip for heat that by all accounts is glued on. I know of no glue that is good for heat dissipation so I dunno...

The op-amps he likes come in SMD packages only, so to upgrade a circuit which had a DIP device he uses the interposer boards. Those boards should have enough space for the necessary decoupling caps (required when using high-speed parts).  As for the heat sink, that's been covered. Whether the heat sink is strictly necessary is a matter for analysis but it does no harm.

 

[iomegaman]

Most of the mods of his I have tried I have felt kind of "meh" about mostly modding opamps and decoupling caps etc...I have never heard anything bad about his work he doe for others and he is quite free with his advice so I find that trust-worthy...

I did his mod to my tascam 1/2" 8 track tape machine and promptly undid it...it was the one mod of his that I felt was a little over the top...I DID replace the JRC's with better 5532's etc, but the mod taking out the input tranny and changing the input resistance did not work as advertized...it honestly sounded better in original format...

My point being any piece of gear that suffers from less than righteous design his mods and advice can help, if its' been decently designed the mods are really about flavor and not necessarily upgrade...you might not like what he likes, he seems to like really clean, and for a tape deck thats not exactly possible...

 

[emrr]

He does seem to have a strong combination of real test equipment skills/usage and critical ears/opinions combined with decades of observation.  Hard to fault. 

In the last decade we've swung from a place where his clean approach was still king to a world where that is fully out of fashion.  Fad du jour does not make him wrong. 

Interesting that I've never seen him post here.  Many good reasons for that I guess. 

 

[pucho812]

clean vs color is not a right or wrong just a choice and opinion....

However to quote a friend of mine  he got his start doing guitar amps.  then he did the best thing for guitar amps ever, he stopped. Unfortunately when he stopped he moved onto pro audio.   

 

[Phrazemaster]

I'm sure the very existence of "love/hate" comments towards him means he is doing something impactful and meaningful.

I had a great experience with Jim a few years ago. I had bought a brand new Neumann U87ai mic, naively thinking it would sound like the vintage one I rented (oh how wrong I was!). It sounded very strident and nasally to me, and I was beyond disappointed for that kind of money.

Jim modded it, and it sounded a LOT more open, clear, clean, and pleasant. He basically rescued the mic, which to my ears really was approaching being a doorstop.

I don't know if the capsule itself was at fault - Klaus hints that some of Neumann's capsules in the last few years have been very strident and harsh - but I do know the mic sounded a helluva lot better after Jim worked his magic.

Mike

 

[JohnRoberts]

clean vs color is not a right or wrong just a choice and opinion....
 

I am repeating myself but IMO clean and colored paths (response, distortion, etc)  are not an either or choice but both have their places.

A clean reference path makes sense, while colored effects that can be added or not as needed to taste makes sense.

A reference path that is not linear and flat, is like starting to cook every meal with the pot still dirty from from the last meal.  I like chili but not for every meal.

Of course opinions vary.

JR

 

[pvision]

He does seem to have a strong combination of real test equipment skills/usage and critical ears/opinions combined with decades of observation.  Hard to fault. 

In the last decade we've swung from a place where his clean approach was still king to a world where that is fully out of fashion.  Fad du jour does not make him wrong.

I was thinking a similar thing but you've articulated it better than I could

How many people out there combine electronic skills with critical audio analysis on a professional basis? It's not a long list, I expect

Rupert Neve and George Massenburg spring to mind, though I don't know if Rupert was ever a recording engineer. Add Paul Buff, Bob Orban and Ray Dolby?

Nick Froome

 

[emrr]

to quote a friend of mine  he got his start doing guitar amps.  then he did the best thing for guitar amps ever, he stopped. Unfortunately when he stopped he moved onto pro audio. 

Sounds like the opinion of someone who only appreciates color paths. 

 

[pucho812]

to quote a friend of mine  he got his start doing guitar amps.  then he did the best thing for guitar amps ever, he stopped. Unfortunately when he stopped he moved onto pro audio. 

Sounds like the opinion of someone who only appreciates color paths.

Perhaps, but considering the source it is a judgement I trust. 

 

[okgb]

I'm not one of the brain trusts of course, but from the outside , his standard M.O.  seems to be using  " fast er  "
opamps and  " better " caps .  modding business may be down these days ?  Black Lion  seems to have moved
into actual products from mods [ do they do any anymore ? ]