Modify my scd ce775 or buy external DAC?

the dealer i bought the 775 from has been very nice and is letting me audition some interconnects (they carry Tara Labs) the first ones they gave me are an older model that were supposedly built to smooth out cheaper cd players (Quantum cx is what is printed on them) and they sound nice but are a bit rolled off in the bass- next i'm going to try some Tara Labs RSC Axiom- and we'll see- anyone have any opinions-my brand choices are fairly limited around here.

I think the stock player would benefit from some used MIT 330 cables, which can be had used for around $50 or so. Terminator 2 is ok too. The Micromega dac was Class C in Stereophile's Recommend Components in 1996. Was made in France but is no longer in business (at least in US).

Ihave had the 775 for about 5 months now, and it has been playing almost 24 hours a day since then (so it should be broken in) and I can say that the MIT cables did make it sound much different. I used to run it straight into the DAC on my Sony TAE-1000ESD pre-amp, because it just sounded less digital. I am running a optical cable into a Audio Alchemy DTI jitter box then MIT T3 Digital Coax into the sony. When I added MIT 330 Plus interconnects, the sound really smoothed out. Not so much as with the jitter box, but really close. But it did have much more detail that was getting lost by using the digital out (although the vocals seemed more seperated with the digital). On badly recorded CD's I would switch to the DAC, but on most material would leave it analog. The IC's cost me $50.

Patrick

SACDmods.com claim that the level of their modded 775 is above the 555, which many of their customers have backed up-thanks for your responses, i'd never heard of the Micromega-by the way, i have some old monster cable interconnects, do you think that even the stock player would benefit right away from the MIT cables?

I have a MIT T-2 interconnect for my Sony SCD-670 and its as smooth as can be.

I can't say what the specific benefits of modding the unit would be. If it elevates its performance up to a SCD-555es level, might be worth it. However, before you do anything, suggest you try a "forgiving" interconnect such as MIT if you have not done so already. I have tried an MSB link dac and it is not where I would go if I wanted relief from digital fatigue. The smoothest dac at a cheap price that I have heard is the Micromega. Needs a good transport and cables to sound its best. The Sony you have only has toslink out, so you would need a jitter reduction device to connect by coaxial cable to Micromega.