I can't tell you if exemplar is THE answer, I can say it is very good, and mine will hit my office in the am. with the siltech wiring. I also am waiting for Alex paychev to finish putting his new chip in my SACD 1000. Both units sound wonderful...And soon I will be able to compare. John is also sending me his new Pre-amp to check out. I have a feeling I will love it. |
WAH wah wah, recieved the Exemplar yesterday and It was not working....off back to John for repair....waiting SUCKS. |
John is great to work with, as far as timeframe, I cannot comment. I helped to sell a few extra, plus i am buying his pre-amp, so maybe I got a little ahead of myself. John is busy, don't call just once and wait, call again, and again..you will talk to him...the not talking is the REAL issue here IMO. |
Man oh man, this audio game is a real headtrip, I am still waiting, not only for the exemplar, but for the new dac chip from apl too, than wouldn't you lmow it, denon comes out with the 3910 which plays HDCD too...yeah, what mindgames we play on ourselves here in the audio search. I guess I will just have to be patient, which, is not one of my bets virtues. I have 10 different sets of tubes to roll with the exemplar, and will be AB'ing with the APL...fun will come soon. At a $$$, just hope it's worth the $$$ and the wait. In time I will see, Or hear... |
Jean, I will let you know soon, but I will not have Alexes new denon, just the SACD 1000 with his new DAC chip/volume control. Alex says the denon bests the SACD 1000, but is mor expensive too, he really replaces most all internal, Alex says. Time will tell, he is sending his new denons to the show in Colorado next month. I will have both, hopefully, in my system next week, I also just recieved Johns pre-amp today, so tonight I will play with that. |
Alex Paychev, and Dan Wright are already modding the 3910, so I really do not believe John will have any problem whatsoever in using his mods. Alex says his modded denons best his SACD 1000 which is a GREAT player. Dan says, IHO the 5900 is his best. I best John will have a field day with this new player. I just hope the HDCD/SACD/DVD-A sounds as good as his Redbook enhancements(hopefully better, much better) |
Tvad, I have talked to Alex, Dan, and John about the 3910, Alex is the only guy who actually has modded both the 2900 and the 3910/he said sonicly on his machines, which he says is like a custom paychev special/no longer denon, they sound the same. The real difference is the HDCD capability and higher grade video/but with alex'x mod they are ONLY 2 channel. |
Streetdaddy, did you pay him up front?
Yes the denon has never not played a disk for me, yet. |
Tvad, join the ImnutzImsickIwannadabest club. Dan is modding his first 3910 as we speak.....AND technology will always be changing...so, will it be better? Only your Ears in Your system can make that decision. wink wink John is still waiting for his, as far as sonic differences for the 2900 vs 3910, I do not believe there will be any. |
I should have the Exemplar tomorrow, It better be Great cause I have some competition, I also recieved my newly modded SACD 1000 with Alex's new DAC/volume control...sounds
pretty frikin good(Biggersoundstage/betterimaging/tighter,more controlled bass/sweeter high end). Needs some time to burn in, but, I am looking forward to my own shootout with these 2 premium players. More to come..... |
Tbg, what is this AudioTop contact treatment? And please do explain the improvement, along with explaining why the Exemplar sounds only pretty good at first, than bad, than great. I really do not understand. |
I just recieved the exemplar, I am going home to check it out...ttyl |
Right now I have the APL modded SACD 1000 AND the exemplar, as of today the APL wins. I am sure Dans mods are excellent too. All will depend on YOUR EARS,not a reviewers. Plus you need to listen to your own music(tastes, likes)with all ancillary equipment...amps/speakers/wire/room. I understand my Exemplar is not broken in yet, but Tbg, do not make unwarranted claims, ie:the exemplar is best. I understand you have had other highend players in you system. I have them currently together, a/b'ing thru Johns pre-amp. I can only say what I hear. IMHO I cannot pass judgement yet. In time I will, and I also will have DAN do a mod for me too. BTW if any of you guys want the denon 3910 I have a GREAT source for it, as all three guys will be modding this player. This is a favor AND a great deal. |
Well, I cannot tell you much yet, as the Exemplar is still burning in. I will say so far I like the APL better as far as the soundstage, musicality(the ability to draw me in), magic midrange(could be WE 300B's/Cardinal X1's), and the seeming hang time of guitar. Now I must say I listen mainly to older Rock/Jazz/Blues....not much classical. The Exemplar seems a bit more extended so far(But I am having Alex build me a 3910 also)the bass is a bit better on the Exemplar. I really cannot give my exact opinion at this time also cause my ear is clogged, and music in general just does not sound right. I will tell you after about 200 hours of burnin the exemplar is picking itself up. Now, for me, I need 2 players, 1 with video for HT/SS and 1 for 2 channel/Tubes, and so far I am not unhappy with either one, but, because of my obsession I will keep on trucking to search for the best under 10K used. |
Tbg, I have made no claims. My APL is fully broken in, The Exemplar has had about 24 hours of break in, certainly not enough to pass any judgement. When I had the exemplar from Ric in my system, comparing to the APL(before the new chip/volume control mod)I had felt the exemplar bested the APL in redbook/and the APL won with SACD, for me in my system. Upon my decision, I paid John to build me the Exemplar with the latest siltech upgrade cause I loved the sound, also I intended to use the exemplar in both my HT/and 2 channel, along with either the APL/or Dan wright.
Upon seeing the 3910, with the higher grade video, and the HDCD capability I have decided that when I break these units in, I will most probably sell one or both and upgrade to the 3910's. I am an audionut, yes I am.
I believe each modder has their own ditinct sonic signature of which there will NEVER be an unequivocable best unit. This is a result of each individual having their own sonic signiture to their own liking. As far as I can tell so far, they are all GREAT. I just dunno where this journey will lead to, do you? I am glad you have found your audio nirvana with the Exemplar, at least you can be set for a while now. Just wait till you here the NEW denons(3910)after they mod them....I know for myself I have the full remaster collection of the Grateful Dead, BUT they only sound GREAT in HDCD, and right now, my denon 2900, nor my sacd 1000 with play SACD/whats a man to do? |
The Exemplar is finally burned in for redbook, and is now really strutting its stuff. For redbook, the Exemplar bests the APL for sounstage, Clarity, imaging, and in palying all qualities of cd's. There is a natural smoothness to the exemplar that just sounds right to me. On well recorded cd's, the exemplar just does it better than any other player I have had in my system. SACD so far is another issue, while so far it is real good, the APL seems to put a quality on DSD that is so close to vinyl/tape
it is scary.
A+ rating for Exemplar on Redbbok
SACD may need to burn in those 250 hours too, so thats what I am doing now. More to come....Redbook is AWESOMEon the Exemplar.
Tbg, I do not understand this 250 hour thing, but you are right, so far, that after the burn in, this unit really sings. |
Hip hip hooray, my 3910 should me done next week, I miss my 2900 already, at least the new owner loves it too. Tvad, nice job making $$$ trading up from the Electro's, huh? Tbg, I don't get it, but you have good suggestions on your tweaks. I also am having john put the siltech and remote in my pre-amp too....I am almost there. |
