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"I for one would be most interested in knowing from people who have had experience with the TacT DSPs and digital amps. Who will take the baton?"
Guido- suggest you start a new thread on this subject, and visit the TacT users groups on Yahoo.
Hauoli Makahiki Hou |
Ignoring all the hubris, my Exemplar/Denon 3910 now has reached 240 hours of breakin and is still improving. It is pretty extraordinary even now, however. |
The original question was what are good universal players in the $2k to $5k range. I too am interested in this. Any truth that the Marantz 9500 and Onkyo 1000 are worthy of consideration?
How about the McCormick or McIntosh (@ $3.5k and $4k I believe.) What else is coming down the pike? |
I have every reason to believe that the Exemplar/Denon 3910 at $4950 is the best within this range. I will give a full review when its breakin stabilizes and Christmas and my grand children are out of the house. |
TBG: please share with us what finally tilted the balance for you in favor of the single-box single-tube APL3910, rather than the twin-box twin-tube ModWright 999ES. |
Oops, TBG, I goofed again, you wrote Exemplar and I read APL. Sorry for that, My question stands though modified: how did you choose Exemplar over APL and ModWright? |
Long ago I got John's first Denon 2900 mod. I have been through four versions of it including one that caused me to sell my Allen Wright Level 4 moded Sony 3000. I knew that John was going to have to replace the 2900 as the base as it was no longer available. When he told me that to his great surprise the mods on the 3910 were substantially superior to the moded 2900, I ordered one.
I heard both Dan Wright's and Alex's early mods and was not impressed. I am sure the current mods are good, but I personal doubt they equal the Exemplar mods. I guess I will never know really, but I expect Exemplar will get another rave review from 6Moons. I am certainly impressed with 240 hours on it. |
Tbg - When you get the time to do your review of the Exemplar 3910, I would love to read how it specifically improves upon John's 2900. Thanks. - Jfz |
Tbg,
As you know I am nutz on this audio journey for the best digital. I have owned the Exemplar 2900, 3910, APL SACD 1000, 3910, plus a plethora of other fine machines. I, in fact have compared the 2 3910's side by side in my system, AVGURU'S system, and at quintessence audio. IMHO, the APL 3910 is without a doubt, the BEST digital I have heard to date. Bar none. If you would like to hear it, I invite you to my home, or maybe I can come by yours. I really think you would understand what I am hearing, when you directly compare, in your system. I agree that the Exemplar is an Excellent unit, John is a genious. The price of $4950 is a downright steal, comparing with retail units. BUT, for the same money, or close, the APL takes digital to another level. I, unlike you, have never sold any lines. I have also ordered the Modwright 3910, which I will receive following the CES show. I am impartial completely. I only write from my own experiences, in what I hear, and experience. Please do not make rash statements as you are doing with the Exemplar, until you actually hear the other units side by side. The Exemplar is wonderful, IMHO the APL is leaps ahead of it.
I also am still waiting for my Exemplar Exception II, with siltech, and remote volume control. I am fair to all manufacturers, and just report my true experience. I look forward to meeting you Tbg.
Best |
Maybe the Exemplar sounded better to TBG because he has a different system, and values different musical presentations? I'd be curious to hear the differences in presentations between the Exemplar, the Modwright and the APL. Each of these units have been proclaimed "the best" by different audiences, and it leaves me wondering HOW DO THEY DIFFER IN PRESENTATION/SOUND? |
Dennis, you bring up a very good point.
Once you reach certain rather exalted levels, personal preference also plays a significant role.
From my personal discussions with AVGURU and JAYCTOY it would appear that they perceive the sound of the ModWright Sony 9000 [not the latest moded 999ES model) to be slightly lusher, open, detailed, and with an even larger sound stage than APL. My two friends found the ModWright even more of their liking than the APL 3910--prior to the 3910's reclocking mod.
As I understand, conversly 711SMILIN finds the Modwright to have even too large of a soundstage, perhaps resembling that of a church, and the sound print to be slightly euphonic. |
"The price of $4950 is a downright steal, comparing with retail units."
If you have $4950. to spend and your primary focus is optimizing Redbook playback here's an alternate approach(all prices are retail):
Stello CDT-200 transport - $1195.
(www.aprilmusic.com)
TacT S2150 power dac(150w @ 8 ohms/300w @ 4 ohms)- $2990.
If you have analog sources add- $490. for the ADC card
(www.tactaudio.com)
Audience Au24 AES/EBU digital cable - .5m- $330.
(www.audience-av.com)
No mods required, just add speakers and sc cables.
Since youll no long need a preamp and amp, you can sell all that gear and buy fancy power cords,a power conditioner and lots of music,. Efficiency is 90% with the TacT, so you'll also save money on your electric bill.
Mele Kalikimaka & Hauoli Makahiki Hou |
Guys, I think it is unrealistic to try to follow the course that Steve is following, nor do I think that I or anyone can generalize from his or other shootouts. At CES, I will hopefully hear Alex's 3910. There is a very remote possibility that it will so impress me that I will try to get one to actually compare with John's.
I have known John for many years and do really wish well for him, but I have an understanding with him that I tell him exactly what I think, which includes my telling him that I prefer the H-Cat linestage to his and earlier that Allen's Level 4 were better than his second version of the 2900.
I post here only because others have asked me to do so. I have always sought the best sound I can afford within reason, but I am not about to always try every unit available to pick the best. I did this once on interconnect and another time on ac filters. Even for me this judgment was good for only about six months and was too much a pain in the ass. For others I urge readers to be aware that they might because of tastes and systems come to a different conclusion as others and I have realitive to the use of the 6829 or 7062 pinch waists in the Exemplar/Denons.
After Christmas I will have time to write up my impressions of the Exemplar 3910 versus the Exemplar 2900. |
TBG, We are all on the same quest. Your individualistic approach and Steve Milin's collegial one are clearly different, but equally valid in themselves, and valuable to many of us.
As you appear to be a resident of the Lone Star State, I am not surprised by your inborn reluctance in relying on the opinions of an external collegiality.
I am looking forward to your Exemplar review. I am likely to make my eventual final decision based on a synthesis of my own judgement and ears and those of a few respected fellow audiofools, including some of the members of this and the excellent DV50 Chicago shootout thread. |
Dennis_the_menace wrote: Maybe the Exemplar sounded better to TBG because he has a different system, and values different musical presentations? Bingo. That's for sure. |
Kana813, Apologies to you. Now that I see your closing in complete form, it's obvious to me what Mele Kalikimaka & Hauoli Makahiki Hou means. I stupidly thought in a previous post of yours (a different thread, perhaps) that when you wrote "Mele Kalikimaka" you were signing your real name. I feel like such an idiot. (Wiping egg off face) So ... "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" to you too. Regards, |
metralla - don't feel too bad, i thought the same thing for a few days.
glad to know that i'm not alone in my stoopitidy. |
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I wouldn't have known what it meant, except that my wife's brother married a woman who lived in Hawaii for several years. |
I had only about one hour to listen to the Exemplar/Denon 3910 today as a grandson is sleeping in my audio room for Christmas. The unit has now finished 12 continuous days of operation or 288 hours. Last evening an equally brief listen showed it to continue to improve. Today's caused me to be disbelieving. The micro resolution was complete from the lowest frequencies to the highest and dynamics were starling. I rushed through everything that I normally use in tests, such as several cuts of the Bermeister CDII cd. I have heard many very top digital players as well as lp rigs, never with either have I heard what I am hearing. Thank you, Santa. |
Metralla- no need for apologies. Glad to see you haoles discovered the message.
FYI- mele is also the Hawaiian word for music.
Aloha, |
Just got my apl modded 3910 - took awhile, but OUT OF THE BOX with upsampler it sounded better than DV-50s on all media. That is COLD, with 0 hours on the player. I know it hasn't even "opened up" yet - I am hundreds of hours away from that happening and can't wait! This is when I wish days had 36 hours!! |
For anyone interested, Alex Peychev of APL has started his own dedicated discussion forums. You will find several related discussions at:
http://www.aplhifi.com/phpBB/
Both current production and work in progress is discussed. |
Anyone still playing a DV-50s ?
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Yes, I still have my DV-50. Love it and would not upgrade or change it in any way,
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