The following is a message that I received from Audiogon member (millercarbon) aka Chuck about his thoughts & impressions of my V2 modified SR MPC
Michael,
Got home last night eager to unpack and have a listen. Running out of quality conditioned outlets I decided to just plug them into the wall. Which is a really crappy outlet, barely holds a grip, not even on the dedicated line. Plugged em in but didn't connect yet. Turned my amp on to warm up a few minutes. Usually hit all the wires with anti-static spray then run a demagnetizer over them and finally the record just before each side. Well I have noticed this removes a layer of grain and grunge. Anyway, skipped that. Went straight to Nancy Bryan, but just for a minute, just to get my bearings.
Then without even pausing I got up and swapped the leads. Immediately noticed somewhat greater depth and a bit more presence but not much else. Well, I mean come on, its only a few minutes out of the box. I have for more than 20 years now enjoyed listening to the fascinating changes things go through as they settle in. So here we go...
Within a few minutes the sound was a lot fuller and smoother and present. By the end of the first side it was already far beyond anything I'd ever heard from the CTS with Galileo MPC. Even before the side was over I was all "are you kidding me?" enough to get up and swap back to the Galileo. Because it seemed incredible to be so much better so soon. But with the Galileo the sound was so flat and dull and unconvincing I could only take it for a few seconds. Back to the mod. Ahh! That's the ticket!
With CTS it is impossible to say what it does best, bass, imaging, etc. Its all fantastic. With this its much easier. Your modded MPC unveils an incredible wealth of inner detail, the most subtle shadings, dynamically and tonally, that really lets the music breathe. I mean it just brings it to life.
Listening to Holly Cole "Temptation" I was repeatedly blown away by the vibrato and tremolo. What a voice. But before, compared to this it was like she was singing monotone. Now she is right there and full of emotion. Just crazy amazing. Plus there is a real presence, and not the hyped etched exaggerated leading edge BS that so many call detail but the real thing, smooth and natural yet palpably present. Kind of thing most people hear and say wow good speakers. Nah, same speakers.
Another thing that hit me, this is exactly like what I heard the first time when I swapped out the diodes in my old Aronov integrated. Same across the board improvement in reducing noise and grunge, revealing dynamic detail free of grain, greater depth and layering, everything top to bottom just so much more effortlessly there.
And this is with less than an hour- and plugged into an ordinary crap wall outlet!
Good work, Michael!
Chuck