[Finalrinse]

I received my Redbook Njoe Tjoeb 4000 CDP today from Kevin Deal @ Upscale Audio. First, it came very nicely packed. The CDP sits in the usual Styrofoam in a box, that box sits in its original shipping box, and then that box sits in another larger box surrounded by Styrofoam peanuts, Wow 3 boxes. First thing is to install the CD clamp, then the tubes and tube dampers, remove 3 Op Amps and put in the Upsample board. I also purchased a set of Amperex 7308 tubes but I'm not putting them in until at least two weeks of burn-in. My first impression while using with my Perreaux SXH-1, Senn HD650 and Zu Mobius cables; all I can say right now is; it sounds very smooth and easy to listen to. It seems fuller than what I'm used to, which is my computer transport and Audiophile 24/96. I know it needs a long burn-in, and many hours of listening before any kind of meaningful evaluation can be given. I'm going to sit back and enjoy now. Thanks to all of you for your ideas and knowledge. I just got interested in January, I think I'm hooked!

 

[Finalrinse]

I now have 150 continuous hours on my Njoe Tjoeb 4000. I put the Amperex 7308 NOS 1967 vintage tubes in at 100 hours. I plan on continuing the burn-in for a total of 400 hours. I am hearing my CD's like never before. I wish I had other decks to compare it to but I don't right now. I can try to explain what I hear so far though. To me, all frequencies sound very smooth and natural, with exceptional vocals, clean highs and very good bass extension. The transport is very quiet, overall I'm very pleased. I am now anxious to get home in May so I can hook it to my HiFi system and compare it to my Denon 2200. From what I hear so far, I don't think the Denon will get used for red book any more.

 

[sacd lover]

Thanks for the update. It sounds like you have a good one there. A good source makes music so much more enjoyable.

 

[DeimosHG]

I would love to hear whatever impressions you have on this source. It's on my short-list for medium-term upgrade. Thanks!

 

[ServinginEcuador]

Welcome to Team Source First FinalRinse. If the music starts out better it will end better. If it starts bad, well...you know. Far too many look to their source as the cause of their sonic woes, but it looks like you've found the cure.

Congrats on the new source and newfound enjoyment of music. That's what it's all about: enjoyment of music.

 

[Finalrinse]

Thank you for the replies and comments. I will keep the forum updated with my impressions.

 

[Orpheus]

you know that there was a stereophile review right?--within the last year. if i were you, i'd check out atkinson's measurements. you will find them VERY interesting. you still have time to return it.

(please don't be mad at me... just letting you know.)

 

[Finalrinse]

Yes, I read the Stereophile review before I bought it, but thank you for mentioning it. Actually the review is quite good for its price range. Some of the odysseys in the graphs really don't reflect what is always heard. I am well aware of reading these graphs as this is what I do for a living. I use an Aachen binaural Head model HMS III Digital with ArtemiS V.4.0 software for processing. I measure sound and vibration in prototype vehicles under different road and temperature conditions. Believe me, this deck sounds really good. You shouldn't always make decisions on graphs, one really needs to listen, which I admit, I took a chance, and I was well prepared to return if I didn't like it. So far its a Keeper! Thank you again for the reply, and I would never get mad, its all good information. Here'a a quote from Sereophiles conclusion.

Conclusions
For several months in my reference system, the AH! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 CD player with 24-bit/192kHz TjoUpsampler acquitted itself like a champ. However, listeners with exceptionally reflective rooms and/or etched, analytical systems should be prepared for a fairly extended break-in period, during which the 4000 might sound irritatingly bright. My upsampler-equipped unit took a few hundred hours to break in; thereafter, as it continued to settle in, the brassiness that had characterized its out-of-box sound gradually diminished. (Despite all the extra resolution, some listeners may very well prefer the warmth of the basic unit, sans TjoUpsampler.)

While I've heard CD players with smoother, more relaxed top ends, I wouldn't characterize the 4000's sound as bright, but...brilliant. Likewise, I've heard digital playback systems with punchier low ends. But the glory of the AH! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 is its detailed and richly layered midrange. Visitors to my den of iniquity were invariably surprised when I pointed out that a $1000 CD player was functioning as the digital epicenter of a no-compromise sound system. I've heard CD players that had better rhythm and pacing, more midrange liquidity and transparency, greater depth of field, and finer resolution. But I can't recall hearing a more musically involving, fulsomely detailed, three-dimensional presentation from any other CD player at such a modest price as the AH! Njoe Tjoeb 4000.

 

[jpelg]

Quote:

[size=xx-small]I've heard CD players that had better rhythm and pacing, more midrange liquidity and transparency, greater depth of field, and finer resolution. But I can't recall hearing a more musically involving, fulsomely detailed, three-dimensional presentation from any other CD player at such a modest price as the AH! Njoe Tjoeb 4000.[/size]

I have that issue of Stereophile, and even after reading this excerpt here, I think that this has to be the most ambiguous statement I've ever read. Not that it (what Stereophile has to say, that is) really matters. I am glad you are enjoying your player. It's an interesting mod, and something I'd love to hear some time.

Did you try the player without the upsampler board first? The review doesn't really talk about the player sans upsampling. Upscale says basically it has a warmer sound without the board - something I think I'd prefer.

 

[Orpheus]

but the question is, can a CD player with such SUCKY measurements actual "perform" well? in other words, it is clear that the CD player does embark it's "personality" and is far from neutral or accurate. that i think is a true statement, as even though people argue that there are aspects of audio not measurable, i think the data speaks for itself--the CD player IS NOT accurate. so, if it sounds good to you, what does that say about audiophileness in general?

(again, not to make anyone upset.... this is merely my argument [i am excusing myself everytime now cause some people here don't understand that arguments are not personal])

 

[usc goose]

Quote:

Originally posted by Orpheus the CD player IS NOT accurate. so, if it sounds good to you, what does that say about audiophileness in general?

what the hell does accuracy have to do with enjoying music?

 

[Finalrinse]

Yes I agree about the statement from Stereophile, but just thought it was in order to include it in the last post as statement that it was not a bad review just because the graphs show some strange findings, nothing more nothing less. Yes I have the Upsampler board installed. To me this deck has a warmer sound than any deck I have heard to date. At some point after at least 400 hours I plan on taking the Upsample board out, put the Op-Amps back in and have a listen. This is one of the beauties of this deck, between the available Op-Amps, Upsampler and wide choice of tubes you can tweak it to your liking. I am not trying to sell the idea that this is the greatest deck around, it is not I'm sure. I'm just trying to let others on the forum know how it sounds to me. This is not my first CDP and it most certainly won't be my last. I like to build and tweak electronic equipment, and thought this would be a fun CDP to have. And hey, this is a great forum with great people. I enjoy reading, posting, discussions and debates. It's all a wealth of good knowledge and fun.

 

[Orpheus]

Quote:

what the hell does accuracy have to do with enjoying music?

it doesn't, not necessarily. but the goal of building a CD player is to recreate the data on the CD accurately. same with Amps--the perfect amplifier would amplify the signal 100% accurately without any change to its quality. .....and with measurements like that, i think it's clear the CD player is far from accurate, no matter how it subjectively sounds.

but anyway.... it's okay. just want to point out that the performance of this piece is questionable.

 

[usc goose]

cool, just making sure we're on the same page.

since i went all tubes for my speaker rig i'm sure my THD has got to be at a few percent. but the set up just sounds so sweet.

to me anyways...

(also for me, the perfect setup would not reproduce the signal with 100% accuracy. it would reproduce the signal in the way that sounds best to me, while cleaning my room and making me a sandwich...

mmmm.... sandwich....)

ok, last final tomorrow for physiology. time to go practice glomerular filtration and hemodynamic equations...

 

[elambo]

Actually, it's not so important that any one playback component be 100% acurate. It's much more important that the owner/listener enjoy the sound. If that means a less-than-perfect presentation (as in the case of the 4000 we're talking about) then who cares about specs? The analog sound has been hot for a long time in the recording business. That "analog" sound is full of distortion and inacuracies and people still love it.

Some of my least favorite equip. is the same stuff that has the best specs.

It's so sad to see an artform like music turned into a clinical scientific experiment.