Review: Denon APl 3910 CD Player


Category: Digital

Musical tastes : Patricia Barber , Deep Forest , Sting , Banco de Gaia , Seal , Steely Dan and anything from the FIM label . Recordings I use for testing are Chesky s Ultimate Demonstration Disc , Chesky s Women of Song , Patricia Barbers Modern Cool , Dean Peer s Its All Good , Diana Krall Love Scenes and all Burrmester discs . Most important aspect of sound reproduction to me is transparency , timbral accuracy and soundstaging properties. Turn offs are a bass heavy balance. This unit has been with me for 3 months. It replaced a Bat Vk D5 SE and marantz SA 1 . The sound changed by becoming more focused with a much larger soundstage .The players within a given ensemble seperated dramatically and it was much easier to look into the soundfield and place the space between the instruments. A favorite disc for this test is Deep Forest s "Music Detected". Each track is brilliantly recorded and is a fantastic disc for evaluating spacial characteristics of your speakers and how they react within your system . With the Denon , the sound wrapped around both sides of the room and enveloped me in a faux surround sound enviroment that no other player in my system had done. It was deeper as well as wider than any player I have ever auditioned .The Sacd version of Diana Krall "Love Scenes" is breathtaking in its imaging properties and the Denon was spot on . The acoustical envelope was clearer and more holographic with an extended top octave which added immediacy and air to percussive instruments and cymbols.A good example is Johnny Frigos "I Love Paris ". Stregnths were an obviously huge soundstage and quick midbass percussive attack. The arrangement is fast and taunt and the Denon seemed to place acoustical air around the musicians. It comes alive on the Denon. Lower bass was extended deeper and discs like the DVD-A version of Blue Man Groups " Audio " showcase the stregnths of the Denon by delivering a far superior percussive assault than the Bat , Marantz Sa 1 or the Meridian G 98 . Female vocals became natural and engaging. Rebecca Pidgeon s famous " Spanish Harlem " was so lifelike I felt like it was the first time I had heard the track. Instrumental " character " was better defined as cymbals became more easily deleniated from one another within a given song. Dean Peers " Its All Good" has a wealth of cymbal diversity on it and the decay and individual caracter of the various unique cymbals used are beautifully recreated through Alex Peychevs Denon 3910. I am no relation to nor affiliated to Alex or APl Hi Fi . I have also heard no better player regardless of price.
brainwater

Showing 7 responses by puremusic

Brent, While waiting for my APL 3910 to arrive, I'm trying to come up with a short list of PCs for the APL as a starting point to find an optimal one for my system. In view of your dramatic results with the Elrod EPS sig 2, I'll give it a try. Given your awesome system, the PC which was replaced by the Elrod couldn't be too shabby either. What was it? Any other PCs mate well with the APL in your system? I appreciate your sharing your experience with us. Thank you! John
Amperidian, "...man oh man my wife is going to kill me..." You could make Brainwater and me as your beneficiaries on your life insurance policy. We'll put the money to good use in our audio systems.

On the bottom of the Rollerblock box (under the foam) you should find 3 small stainless steel plates that you can use to give you a hard surface if you want to try the 2+/G3 upside-down.
Brent,

Thank you for your response with the many descriptive characteristics of the various PCs that you have tried, as well as their relative merits in your system. This is very helpful!

My quest for a PC for the APL 3910 was inspired by an experience while auditioning the APL unit at an Audiogon member's home. When he changed to the Virtual Dynamics Nite 2 power cord (from Electraglide Ultra Khan revised), the improvement was pleasantly dramatic: 1) The levels of detail and coherence increased without sounding analytical. 2) The highs and lows had greater extension. 3) It was smoother and more refined without smearing the microdynamics and harmonic bloom. The sound stage was wider and deeper (way deeper). 5) It captured more of the vibrancy of music. 6) The bottom line: There was a significant increase in involvement and enjoyment of the music.

I understand Virtual Dynamics has a PC in their more elite Master Series. I have not run into anyone who has heard it. It would be interesting to compare the Elrod Statement with the VD Master.

At this stage, I would put the VD Night 2, the Elrod EPS sigs and the Xindak at the top of my short list. That is where I will start (and dream about the Statement and the Master). Other PCs that were recommended to me on my thread ("Mating power cords with APL 3910") include Wolf Carbon Source, Foundation Research, Mini Khan Plus, and the VH Aire Sine. I would like to get more feedback on these to determine the ones I should audition.

Once my APL arrives and I settle on a PC for it, I will immediately try to upgrade the power line conditioning and the power cords on my amps (Jadis JA80 monoblock tube amps driving the Wilson Audio Watt/Puppies and the Krell amp driving Wilson's WHOW). Next, the interconnects and the speaker cables. So, I have a long journey ahead. I appreciate very much your help to get me going on my upgrades.

Enjoy the Music,
John
Fplanner2000,

Thank you for your suggestions and observations. Based on your and Brainwater's strong endorsements, I have added Elrod Sig 2 to my short list. The Statement is a bit pricey for me, even on a used market. The Shunyata and Virtual Dynamics cords round out the top of my short list. I'm also tempted to try Xindak and a few other good values recommended to me in this thread in my secondary system after I get a new CD player for it.

Enjoy the Music,
John
Amperidian,

I tried the Elrod Statement II on the APL 3910 (now with the superior AKM DACs) with great success. Adding the Statement to the rest of the system brought about a cummulative improvement. Soundstage, cleanliness, and refinement are now awesome in my all Statement system. The Statement is synergistic with the Sound Application Reference Line Stage AC line conditioner.

I also tried the standard Symposium Rollerblock 2+ (with Grade 10 bearings) as well as the upgrade 2+/G3 (with Grade 3 bearings) under the APL. I settled on the 2+/G3 in the upside-down position (base against the chassis bottom and bearing on platform). The Grade 3 bearing adds a nice element of refinement: silkier highs and improved cleanliness and micro-transients. The platform is the Symposium Ultra. In my system and to my ears, the Ultra is superior to the Bright Star Big Rock, Gingko Cloud 11 and the Aurios PRO under the APL: cleaner, more transparent, better bass (definition and extension)and truer harmonic texture. On my upgrade path, I keep learning the importance of synergy.

Best Regards,
John
Amperidian, The Elrod Statement adds weight, body, bass definition and extention, refinement, dynamics, and a huge soundstage. If you can't find a dealer near you, you can give David Elrod a call.

Prior to the Statements, I used some cords made for me by Jim Aud of Purist Audio Design about 10 years ago. They did not have a name. I tried Virtual Dynamics Night II and Master Series. But in my system and to my ears/tastes, I strongly prefered the Statements.

I am having positive results with Symposium Rollerblocks and platforms under my speakers, amps and CD player. I'm thinking of getting additional Symposium devices for AC conditioners and crossover. What devices did you have good results with for these component?

Did you compare the double stacked 2+/G3 to an upside-down single stack 2+/G3 under your CD player? If so, what were the sonic differences?
Amperidian, I took note of your observation on the comparison between the upside-down and the double-stacked Rollerblocks. I have another set of Rollerblocks, so I tried a double-stacked 2+/G3. In my system, the double-stacked version has greater high-end extension, cleaner and more transparent harmonic texture, and more body. Thanks, your good deed will not go unnoticed by the Muses. Should your wife disapprove of your Statement purchase in an unfortunate way, your good audio deeds will insure that you will ascend directly into Musical Nirvana.