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Rega Apollo or Sony c555es or Sony ns9100es... - Page 4

post #46 of 65
5/20/07 at 12:50am
great buys with the 9100ES. I would do the same as well if I am 90 minutes away from Matt. The DVP-N9000ES is a videophile machine as well as audiophile.
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post #47 of 65
7/22/07 at 11:35am
Thread Starter 
Just a quick update and comment.

After all the research and thought that went into the purchase of the SACDmods Sony dvp 9100es it turns out that the Zapfilters were out of stock at PartsConnexion!

Supposedly they are in this past week and maybe, just maybe, I'll be getting the SACDmods player soon. The best laid plans of mice and men...

On top of that, I ended up figuring, well with such a good source, maybe I should invest in a good SS amp, which I've been thinking about for a good while now. After all I shouldn't shortchange such a good source.

Sooo... now I've got a balanced beta22 being built, as well.

My $700-800 budget for a source upgrade has somehow found Barry Bonds' supplier and morphed into a $3,000 journey into the headfi black hole where wallets disappear.

And where purchased equipment takes an inordinately long time to appear...

Thanks, headfi...
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post #48 of 65
7/22/07 at 12:34pm
Purk
Can you comment on the sound of some of the older Sony CD players such as those in the 707 and XA7 vintage?
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post #49 of 65
7/22/07 at 7:29pm
I've got a NS9100ES with full SACD mods (I think it is the first one with the Blackgate caps). It's a great souce with the only limitations being the Zap Filter. This week my Apache will get here and I can finally do some proper A/B comparison against the Meridian 508.24. The worst part of the Sony project was waiting for Matt to finish it! I hope that you enjoy your source! Oh, I should have a balanced B22 at the house this weekend and will let you know MHO how it sounds with the Sony.
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post #50 of 65
7/22/07 at 7:47pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnsonad View Post
... Oh, I should have a balanced B22 at the house this weekend and will let you know MHO how it sounds with the Sony.
Now THAT I would be interested in!
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post #51 of 65
7/23/07 at 1:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by markl View Post
The sacdmods 555ES is really hard to beat for the money. Performs at the $4K CDP range. With the zapfilter installed, the ouput really kicks, excellent bass extesnion and great PRAT. Errs on the richer, fuller side of tonal pallette, rather than the dry, thin side. Sounds like its right up your alley.
problem would be to find a replacement laserunit. I was interested in an older sony cdp 777es and found out that worldwide there are no laserunits for sale! This player cannot be repaired if the laser is burned out or needs repairs. It might be the same thing for the cdp 555 es. Sony only hold stock for about 5 years for original parts!

Alot of other players still have suffient parts for sale.

As far as i know, alot of sony scd 777es owners are looking for laserunits. You simply can't get em, so beware before you buy older cdplayers, check first if there's still enough components for sale for repair!
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post #52 of 65
7/25/07 at 12:54am
rega is really musical. rega.
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post #53 of 65
7/25/07 at 12:56pm
Thread Starter 
Last night I drove down to Cambridge, Ohio to pick up my SACDmods NS9100ES from Matt Anker.

Nice kid, going into his last year at OSU, studying EE, trying to get his 5 year degree program done in 4 years. Good for him.

He gave me a mini tour of his electrostatic speaker setup. Wow! Go to SACDmods.com for details. I'll just say his electrostatic speakers were hand built by him and they are simply amazing.

I spent this morning listening through my Mad Ear+ Purist HD amd Demom D2000's and after about an hour of a bit of upper mid range harshness the 9100 started to come into its own.

I'm not going to gush as the first week or 2 is always placebo, but I will say at this point I'm impressed. No make that really impressed.

I think we've got a bit of synergy here, between amp and source and phones. Can't imagine how much better this source can be when my balanced Beta22 gets here in about 2 weeks.

Then we'll be balanced from source through amp through phones. The plot thickens.

More to come.
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post #54 of 65
7/26/07 at 1:41pm
Congrats on the newly modded source. I'm sure it's terrific.

I've been trying to decide what mods to do on my Denon 3910. Matthew modded a Sony player (NS755) for me several years ago, the results of which pleased me a lot. He provides a great value for your dollar.

However, I also had terrific results with Modwright's work on another Sony player (999ES), including a tubed analog output stage with dedicated power supply & such. The best source I've owned to date.

So my dilemma is basically deciding between what I want, and what I can afford. Modwright's Denon package is considerably more expensive than their 999ES mods, and much more expensive (and extensive) than SACDmods'.

I know Matthew's work is great, and will provide an upgrade. I just don't know if it will be enough. Or will I still be longing for another Dan Wright (or other modder's) masterpiece afterward & should bite the bullet now?
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post #55 of 65
7/26/07 at 3:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jpelg View Post
Congrats on the newly modded source. I'm sure it's terrific.

I've been trying to decide what mods to do on my Denon 3910. Matthew modded a Sony player (NS755) for me several years ago, the results of which pleased me a lot. He provides a great value for your dollar.

However, I also had terrific results with Modwright's work on another Sony player (999ES), including a tubed analog output stage with dedicated power supply & such. The best source I've owned to date.

So my dilemma is basically deciding between what I want, and what I can afford. Modwright's Denon package is considerably more expensive than their 999ES mods, and much more expensive (and extensive) than SACDmods'.

I know Matthew's work is great, and will provide an upgrade. I just don't know if it will be enough. Or will I still be longing for another Dan Wright (or other modder's) masterpiece afterward & should bite the bullet now?
Jpelg,

Go with the Modwright if you can afford it. You can also pick them up used on Audiogon. I saw the modwright 3910 fror around 2K which is a tremendous value and performance in one package. I once owned the statement mods Sony SCD-C555ES and later upgrade to Kern Modded SCD-777ES, and finally upgraded that player to Kern modded/Modwright SCD-777ES w/ a new tube rectified PS. I couldn't be happier. Just like you said, the SACDmods package gives an excellent price to performance ratio. However, the modwright players are just better and more refined. The Kern modded unit are also great but not as good as the modwright. The Kern modded SCD-777ES was in the same level as the Meridian G08. Also, I had the Modwright 999ES on loan 6 months ago and it was really amazing....certainly a good bit better than my SACDmods SCD-C555ES in both sound quality, presentation, and refinement.
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post #56 of 65
7/26/07 at 5:06pm
Heh, heh! Thanks purk. I knew I could count on fellow Head-Fiers to help me spend money I don't have atm.

Truth is, I know how great the Modwright units are. My old modded 999ES was absolutely wonderful, and the first source that really made the AKG K1000's sing. That's what I really want again, this time with a universal player.

I already have a stock Denon. I got it with the intention of modding it eventually. I just didn't realize that Modwright's package for the 3910 is $2500 - ouch! (the basic mod package for the 999ES starts ~$1200+). I'm not clear what the Denon gets for the extra scratch that the Sony's don't. Speaking of tube-rectified power supplies, that's another option too!

Time to start searching underneath the couch pillow cushions...
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post #57 of 65
7/26/07 at 8:13pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jpelg View Post
Heh, heh! Thanks purk. I knew I could count on fellow Head-Fiers to help me spend money I don't have atm. ...

...Time to start searching underneath the couch pillow cushions...
Yeah, at this point methinks you need to go to the top of the heap.

My couch cushions are empty, been there, done that.

I agree, there's no doubt that SACDmods offers great value for the money. But if I'd been down that road as you have (even though not with a top of the line machine) I'd probably go with Purk's suggestion of the Modwright.

Sigh... it never ends. I've already inquired about the tube rectified power supply...

But now I'm off to listen again. One of the great pleasures of upgrading is rediscovering the music we already own. Infinite renewal of where, after all is said and done, most of our money is invested. In the music.
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post #58 of 65
7/26/07 at 8:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tourmaline View Post
problem would be to find a replacement laserunit. I was interested in an older sony cdp 777es and found out that worldwide there are no laserunits for sale! This player cannot be repaired if the laser is burned out or needs repairs. It might be the same thing for the cdp 555 es. Sony only hold stock for about 5 years for original parts!

Alot of other players still have suffient parts for sale.

As far as i know, alot of sony scd 777es owners are looking for laserunits. You simply can't get em, so beware before you buy older cdplayers, check first if there's still enough components for sale for repair!
I had the laser unit replaced in one of my 555ES by United Radio Service in NY. There are definitely laser units available.

http://198.66.219.68/yourservicecenter/contact.shtml
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post #59 of 65
8/21/07 at 5:01pm
would you mind sharing how much that set you back??
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post #60 of 65
8/21/07 at 7:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sacd lover View Post
I had the laser unit replaced in one of my 555ES by United Radio Service in NY. There are definitely laser units available.

http://198.66.219.68/yourservicecenter/contact.shtml
not for the 777es, wich uses another transport, if i am not mistaken! it's an aluminium transport and laser! Sony doesn't make em anymore for a while and sources dried up!

271a is for 555es, the 777es uses a sony kss 281a, if i am not mistaken and is a massive aluminium block with laserunit in it. Ask em for a KSS 281a, you won't get it!
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