Originally Posted by Scanfiend
Though the time I spent listening was admittedly short, one thing was quickly apparent. The MkD5000 sounded NOTHING like the stock. In fact, it has totally changed the sonic characteristics of the Denon D5000. This was definitely no minor tweak.
Compared to the stock D5000, the MD5000 was considerably brighter sounding. Bass, as one might imagine, was extremely tight, with strong impact, detail and great extension. If MarkL wanted to damp “unwanted” vibrations, he succeeded brilliantly. The sound, however, does hit you like a hammer blow, and there was very little “give” to the music. Everything was somewhat hard-edged, and there was an almost clinical, defined separation of frequencies. To my ears, soundstage was wide but lacked depth in comparison with the stock D5000. The mids were more forward and can be quite prominent in vocal pieces. Surprisingly, the treble was uncomfortably shrill, harsh and brittle sounding, leading to excessive sibilance on certain songs. Sarah Brightman’s vocals, for example, was a bit uncomfortable to listen to. It did not compare favourably with the light, buttery smooth and delicate treble of the stock D5000. The treble could conceivably mellow over further burn-in – I have no idea how many hours the MkD5000 had on the odometer Grin
What about the bass of a stock D5000 when compared to the MkD5000? After all, modifying the bass response was the primary purpose of the mod. You can read all the reviews and impressions you want, but nothing really beats a hands-on comparison to put abstract words and descriptions into actual experience.
As I have mentioned earlier, the MkD5000’s bass was extremely taut and controlled. The stock D5000’s bass in comparison was slightly more diffused, arguably less controlled, and in MarkL’s own words tend to bleed and blend into the lower mids. But the overall effect was very smooth and musical. It warmed out the vocals ever so slightly and never hits you in the face quite like the MkD5000. The bass was certainly there, but it was never “overwhelming”. To my ears, the stock D5000 revealed subtle nuances in the bass compared to the rather clinical presentation of the MkD5000.
In many ways, I was struck by the analogy of digital video tape vs. analogue film when comparing the MkD5000 to the stock Denon D5000. Like digital video, the MkD5000 brought unrivalled sharpness, resolution and contrast to the music. However, the film grain and the slight imperfections of the stock D5000 gave it a certain charm. Sure, it lacked the laser-etched crispness of the MkD5000, but it resulted in a more “real” and musically engaging sound. To my ears anyway.
The sonic signature of the MkD5000 literally grabs you by your lapels and demands your full attention while you’re listening to the music. And in truth, it can be hard to relax with your brain working overtime to process all the details pumping into your ears Grin With my D5000, I just submerge myself into the music. Ah, audio bliss.
As with most things audio, it all boils down to personal preference and the type of music you listen to. Do you prefer the clinical, slightly aggressive sound of the MkD5000 or the relatively laid back sound signature of the D5000?
No prizes for guessing which I preferred Grin
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