[Dimitri]

In the Shanling T200 thread, Tom Hankins complimented the modwright/Sony 999es. Interested, I read robert H. Levi's review. A quote from it:

"As now configured, the ModWright/Sony not only tops all other digital reproduction I've heard to date, but all analog reproduction as well. No phono cartridge I am familiar with reaches the sublime levels of this player. Nothing does."

How credible is this review? I've been considering a source upgrade for a while now, hoping to find something great for about $1000. But I'd gladly save a few more months for the "best player ever"! I'm excited to hear the comments of some experienced audiophiles...

Thanks,

Dimitri

 

[tom hankins]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dimitri In the Shanling T200 thread, Tom Hankins complimented the modwright/Sony 999es. Interested, I read robert H. Levi's review. A quote from it: "As now configured, the ModWright/Sony not only tops all other digital reproduction I've heard to date, but all analog reproduction as well. No phono cartridge I am familiar with reaches the sublime levels of this player. Nothing does." How credible is this review? I've been considering a source upgrade for a while now, hoping to find something great for about $1000. But I'd gladly save a few more months for the "best player ever"! I'm excited to hear the comments of some experienced audiophiles... Thanks, Dimitri

I'm not saying its the best player ever. But it is as good or better than the Audio Research CD3 MKII, Cary 306/200, Musical Fidelity DAC21 (trivista) with redbook (personally I think better) and better than any of them playing sacd. It will blow away, using redbook, the Meridian 508.24, rega Jupiter, or any other player in that price range. Right now they are on audiogon in the Sony section for 1999.00 OBO direct from Modwright with all the mods on a new 999ES. The soundstage through speakers is great! As good as I've heard using any source. I have heard nothing in the $2K range new or used that can compete with this player in redbook. Add in sacd playback that is two notches above that and you have a big time source. (plus its pretty)

 

[Welly Wu]

I wonder how good a ModWright LLC Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi or Denon DVD 5900 is.

 

[OneMalt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom hankins Audio Research CD3 MKII

Sorry to wander off topic but comparisons aside, what are your impressions of this CDP? I've always been a bit facinated by Audio Research's top offerings but don't find too listener findings written about this beast. TIA.

 

[Zanth]

This does speak highly of the player but I have to wonder what this guy has heard and moreover...what his tastes are. To say it is the best ever...one better have heard it all

 

[tom hankins]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneMalt Sorry to wander off topic but comparisons aside, what are your impressions of this CDP? I've always been a bit facinated by Audio Research's top offerings but don't find too listener findings written about this beast. TIA.

I think the AR CD3MKII is a very, very good CDP. It has always been one of my favorites. I get to spend alot of time listening to one. In a head to head comparison though it is not as smooth, has less bass impact, and offers up less detail than the modified Sony.(sound stage is not as big or focused either) Unfortunatly my Cary 306/200 also came up short in all these areas too. All my opinions of 999ESmods are done using the players with the same music and switching back and forth with the preamp so they are playing at the same time. The gains were set so volume was the same or at least unnoticable to me and my friends. We got to compare vinyl and several digital sources against each other along with sacd playback. This player is able to play music with such a level of refinement and detail while at the same time is sooooo smooth. It is close to my Audio Aero Capitole MKII in both these areas($9K) It surpasses the AA Capitole in bass detail and impact. The player is not only smooth, but has big balls. The tubes used were the stock TungSols from modwright. The player also has the solid silver cable running to the power supply. Even though it has no balanced outputs I still want to build a system around this player for the sacd.

 

[Welly Wu]

Damn! Now I DO WONDER exactly how good a ModWright LLC Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi, Denon DVD 2900 / 5900 really sound with all of the tricked out mods!

 

[Dimitri]

Levi's review was the most all-around positive write-up on any audio product I've seen published. I hope its not hype, as I am beginning to feel that a state-of-the-art source component is actually within my (albeit still quite stretched) budget. Welly, I have been reading about your pioneer and following your mod thread--looking forward to hearing about it. Tom, thanks for your impressions on the 999es--very helpful and encouraging!

 

[smokey]

I've got a ModWright XA777ES with the "Full Truth" mods. Outboard power supply, tube section, etc. I haven't heard everything, but it blows away my Cary 306/200 in Redbook, let alone SACD.

Unfortunately it makes a little noise in one channel that needs to be fixed, and I just can't get off my lazy behind to send it in for repairs. That and it isn't balanced, and therefore dosn't work without adaptors with my newfound love, the modded Blockhead.

 

[darkclouds]

Quote:

Originally Posted by smokey I've got a ModWright XA777ES with the "Full Truth" mods. Outboard power supply, tube section, etc. I haven't heard everything, but it blows away my Cary 306/200 in Redbook, let alone SACD. Unfortunately it makes a little noise in one channel that needs to be fixed, and I just can't get off my lazy behind to send it in for repairs. That and it isn't balanced, and therefore dosn't work without adaptors with my newfound love, the modded Blockhead.

Thanks smokey, I was just about to ask how the SCD-1 with the absolute truth mod would fair. I've been thinking about it for some time now, but I'm just not too confident about the idea of "modding" things. More specifically, I'm cautious about the dependablity the unit after the mod. Your comment makes me feel desirous of it and at the same time even more weary of it. LOL

 

[tom hankins]

Quote:

Originally Posted by smokey I've got a ModWright XA777ES with the "Full Truth" mods. Outboard power supply, tube section, etc. I haven't heard everything, but it blows away my Cary 306/200 in Redbook, let alone SACD. Unfortunately it makes a little noise in one channel that needs to be fixed, and I just can't get off my lazy behind to send it in for repairs. That and it isn't balanced, and therefore dosn't work without adaptors with my newfound love, the modded Blockhead.

Dont they come with a guaranty of some sort?

I wish they had the balanced outputs also.

 

[Welly Wu]

ModWright gives out a standard 1 year limited warranty for all of his services and products less shipping fees. I wonder if he'll do extended warranties.

 

[clarke68]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dimitri How credible is this review?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zanth ...I have to wonder what this guy has heard and moreover...what his tastes are. To say it is the best ever...one better have heard it all

I did a little digging through past issues of positive-feedback.com. Levi seems like a reasonable guy...most of his reviews are of phono stages, cables & tweaky things like isolation devices, but here's a few quotes from his reviews of other digital source components:

from Issue 9
"[The Xindak SCD-2]...is THE tubed SACD player of choice. Spend $1695 and use the change for software. It’s more than a grand less than the current Sony ES 777, which has more features, but only marginally better sound."

from Issue 10
"[The Marantz DV8400]s CD and SACD performance are very good, and its DVD-A performance in 24/96 is excellent, but in 24/192 it is near state-of-the-art. Only a dedicated DVD-A machine at triple the cost may—and I mean may—outperform the $1700 Marantz."

from issue 13
"The [$12,000] Gryphon Mikado is a midrange wonder. Its natural textures and control were a joy to hear, as was its lack of digital nasties. Its perspective is a bit distant, its dynamics and bass are not up to the level of its mids, it’s not the most detailed player, nor is it a soundstage champ, and it does not bridge the gap between SACD and CD (no player does), but it gets mighty close to analog in the important mids, making average CDs listenable and great CDs things of beauty."

from issue 14 (same issue as the Sony 999es review):
"The first law of high fidelity is you that never know what you are missing. If I didn't have several digital players on hand, I could probably live with any of them, but I do, so I have preferences. I am surprised and delighted at the trickle-down in digital these days, which yields great sound for less and less money...

...The Denon DVD-2200, the least expensive of the three universal players Denon makes, is very, very good, and a bargain at $600 (discounted for around $450). Here's the scorecard—the 2200 is 75% as detailed as the Marantz DV 8400 universal player ($1800) playing every format. The Marantz is 75% as detailed as the fabled Sony SCD-1 ($5000) on SACD, and about 80% as good as my Theta Gen 5A/Jade combo ($8000) on CD. These generalizations are NOT the whole story, but you get the picture."

 

[dhwilkin]

Quote:

OneMalt said... Sorry to wander off topic but comparisons aside, what are your impressions of this CDP? I've always been a bit facinated by Audio Research's top offerings but don't find too listener findings written about this beast. TIA.

I know this wasn't addressed to me and Tom already gave good impressions, but I haven't posted in awhile, and I have heard the CD3 in question.

Maybe it was lack of system synergy or something, but I wasn't as impressed as I thought I should be by the CD3. It was pretty good at the midrange, very transparent and resolving. Wasn't as impressed w/ the bass (not thin, exactly, but lacked a little impact) or treble (good, but not sweet enough for my taste). This was based on a weekend home audition, compared to what I eventually bought (MF NuVista).

Also, I used to have a Dan Wright-modded MSB DAC. He made that thing sound just as good as players up to $2-3k. I don't doubt his higher-end modded players can compete w/ the big boys. Though, I'd have to hear one myself to agree w/ the "best player ever" title.

 

[smokey]

Mr. Wright has offered to do the fix for free for me, even though I'm not the original customer. (Kelly (of Head-Fi fame) had the unit modded originally.) It is just me being lazy in not getting it sent off so that the fix can be made.

The trouble is a very soft, almost morse-code type sound in the left channel after the unit has been playing music for 40 minutes or so. This is independent of the tubes. At one point Mr. Wright thought it might be related to a resistor being stretched too far. He has absolutely offered to fix it for free.

But make no mistake, the sound it puts out is amazing.