i know there are 3 diff. mods oades does for the sbm-1.  the complete line stage rebuild is the one i want....people also call it the 24 bit mod right?

btw is $500 a pretty good price for a mod sbm-1 in good condition?

thanks,
justin

thanks brian!  +t

isn't it really a 20bit mod?  i thought i read that a while ago on the oade board?

I've bounced around in the Oade forum to try to find a definitive answer, to no avail.  Confusing discussions around whether the stock SBM-1 uses:

• a 20-bit converter and utilizes super bit mapping quanization to achieve 24-bit quality before dithering down to 16-bits, or
  
• a 24-bit converter which utilizes super bit mapping quantization to achieve 20-bit quality while/after dithering down to 16-bits
  
  Doug doesn't mention modifying the converter chip in his description of the mod, nor have I seen it mentioned *anywhere*.  As such, I assume Doug doesn't appear to modify the ADC chip.  If he does, his description of the mod is incomplete:
  
  "The fourth [mod] is a complete line stage rebuild which dramatically improves the sense of depth and detail in the SBM-1."
  
  As I understand it, this is strictly an analog upgrade to improve the analog signal being delivered to the chip prior to A > D conversion.  Hence, the description "24-bit mod" IMO is misleading/incorrect b/c regardless of which situation applies above, the ADC itself - and therefore the bit-depth of the device - is NOT modified.
  
  At least that's my understanding.

Quote from: Jason B on February 04, 2004, 09:25:21 PM
My Oade Brothers reciept says:

"SBM LINE UPGRADE"

On the side of the box that I have for a line stage rebuild it has an oade sticker that says:

ADC-24 SBM-Line
24 Bit ADC with SBM procession
Performance enhanced a/d converter



--hoyt

here is a picture of the label

QuoteAs I understand it, this is strictly an analog upgrade to improve the analog signal being delivered to the chip prior to A > D conversion.  Hence, the description "24-bit mod" IMO is misleading/incorrect b/c regardless of which situation applies above, the ADC itself - and therefore the bit-depth of the device - is NOT modified.

That is the way i understood it as well. line in mod means just that, a line in mod......which is analog. no manipulation to the adc.

Quoteisn't it really a 20bit mod?  i thought i read that a while ago on the oade board?

the stock sbm is 20 bit so i know it isn't modded to 20.

Snagged from the oade archives...


This was how the Sony technical support rep I just got off the phone
with explains the SBM A/D used in all their products carrying that
identifier in simple terms. This is using simplified explanations,
so computer geeks, please overlook the obvious generalizations.

" The SBM initially quantitizes the analog signal into 24bit data and
then through a noise shaping filter which is the core of the SBM
process. First it analyzes the entire waveform and identifies bytes
of noise information it finds in the audible bandwidth that it
captures until it reaches 4 bits worth of this information. This 4
bits of information is then cut out completely. The remaining 20
bits of data are then reintegrated, or dithered, into the 16 bit
word length."

This is the effective sound of 20 bit quality claimed
that most people are
speaking of when they say that the SBM is 20 bit. The line stage
upgrade that Doug does is mostly to improve the analog line stage
before it hits the A/D.