Is the Modwright for an Oppo udp205 worth it?

@deanshias
I've owned my 205 for over a year and I cannot tell you how happy I am with my decision. Once you roll the rectifier and output tubes (IMO the stock tubes are syrupy warm and slow) you take your 205 from being a solid but not overly impressive DAC to a world class device

Dan and his staff at Modwright are amazing to work with and they 110% stand behind what they build.

Feel free to message me with any questions.
Good luck!

Hey Dean,
I rolled an early NOS 1950’s brown based GEC U52 in for the rectifier and NOS 1975 Reflektor Silver Shields for the output tubes. The U52 is considered one of the 2 best 5u4g rectifiers ever made and the Reflektors are considered the top 6922 ever. The sound is open, detailed and fast, but very musical. Soundstaging is amazing. Both front to back and left to right. Deep, layered and detailed.

I could also see someone liking 7308 or 6922 NOS Telefunkens which have a warmer sound signature but are a little too slow and thick sounding for my tastes. I tried NOS 69 Tele 6dj8’s and without any hours on them, the Reflektors bettered them in all the areas previously mentioned except in mid range richness but at at the expense of speed and detail. The Tele 7308’s are considered superior to the Tele 6dj8’s though.

Please be sure to post your thoughts on the 205 when it arrives! 👍

@deanshias

Very glad to hear your thoughts on the Modwright Oppo. Bravo!!!

Don’t worry about missing out on the Phillips rectifier. Though I have never heard it if you read 5u4g shootouts it is not even top 10.

If I were looking for a new (not NOS) rectifier, I would try one of the Kron limited editions he makes for the Lampizators. The posts I’ve read about them say very good things.

https://shop.best300b.com/products/kr-5u4g-rk-limited-series

That said I have a U52 and I am very, very happy with it. Though now, they are getting quite hard to find.

Andy is a good guy and stands by what he sells. 👍

Your rubes are going to take a around 200 hours to settle in and start sounding their best. Enjoy! 

@deanshias

I’d say most are around 200 hours. You’ll see changes throughout that initial period. Most of the changes later are usually subtle detail related changes.