Mine keeps getting better!
I met Paul and Brian (TRL) at an "audio party" at the late Terry Cain's speaker factory in Walla Walla. It was my first time to attend such an event, but I went there in search of knowledge. I had just built my first pair of speakers, and learned that there was a lot more to know than I had imagined. I left there overwhelmed by new ideas. Paul had "bent" my mind the most, and I was skeptical. He spoke of a customer of his, who had replaced an MBL transport and Audio Logic 24MXL, worth $22k with a TRL modded Sony 775. Paul said I could buy a Sony 595, and it could be made to sound better than that Sony 775. A TRL modded Sony 2000 would be even better.
I had never had any great CD player, and when a good friend loaned me a Rega Planet, with the option to buy it from him, it blew away my $50 Toshiba DVD/CD player. I shared my excitment with 6moons audio reviewer, Stephaen Harrell, whom I had also met at Terry Cain's, and who had recomended the TRL's mods. Stephaen offered to let me compare his TRL modded Sony DVP-NS900V player to the Rega Planet. Stephaen's reference CD player was, and is still another TRL modded Sony. I did compare the two players in my own system for several days. I ended up returning the Rega Planet to my friend, and buying the TRL modded Sony from Stephaen. Although I had several days to compare, the choice was easy. I was smitten by the wonderful mid-range of the TRL modded Sony 900. I did mention to Stephaen that I thought the Rega did do some things better, even though choosing the TRL/Sony above it, was not hard to decide.
I got an unsolicited email from Paul. He told me that the unit I had purchased, had been number 25 for them. TRL had done some 300 since then, and had discovered ways to make them sound better. Paul exteneded me an invitation to have them do some more modding on it, with no charge. What did I have to loose? I drove to the TRL shop to pick up my Sony DVP-NS900V with its second round of mods. Paul and Brian handed it to me with big smiles. All my skepticism fadded when I got home and fired it up in my system. I had been careful not to make any other changes in my system, and the improvment was HUGE! There was way more bass. The treble was more extended. Resolution was increased. I could understand the words to songs like never before. The mid-range was just as wonderful as before, even better. I thought it was good enough that I would never buy another player, even if a got into a much better financial situation.
A couple years ago, we had another audio party, and Brian informed me that they have another worthwhile mod, converting to battery power. It has taken me up until about a month ago to get the mod.
I did compare my player to a couple others, but not since this very last (TRL) mod, which I will get to in a moment. I could mention hear, than I never heard the Sony before it got its very first mod.
I spent several hours by myself, comparing my player to a Cary 303. I thought the Cary was better at first. The Cary had tighter bass, more dynamics, more (but IMHO NOT better) mid-range, and more extended treble. I was surprised that the TRL Sony did have MORE bass. In the end, I would have liked for all that bass to be a little more tight, but I was still GLAD that the TRL/Sony was mine, and not the Cary. I just found the TRL/Sony to pull me into the music more.
I had a similar experience when I took my TRL/Sony over to my brother's house, and compared it to his Krell KPS 20i. The TRL/Sony had a lot more bass, but not as tight. The Krell was a little more extended in the treble. My brother was happy that his was the Krell. I was still happy that mine was the TRL/Sony, for the same reasons as before. I thought I did not care about the extended treble. I knew about the battery mod, and hoped that someday when I got it, that it would tighten the bass. Kind of like comparing tubes to transistors, I thought the TRL/Sony kept winning in the mid-range.
Finally, I got my player to Paul for its third time. In the meantime, I looked for Paul on the internet. I had been to his web-site a few times, but I think the pictures are to small to show off his work all that well. I want to list a few sites that I think may show off his work better.
This site has pictures of some of Paul's amps.
http://ranger.uta.edu/~iahmand/music.html
More pictures of Paul's amps.
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue3/maroom.htm
The Audio Brain Bank, which lists Richard Sequerra, Christopher Moon, Albert Von Schweikert, Michael Leader, and of course, Paul Weitzel.
I got my player back about a month ago. Paul informed me that in April, he discovered a way make a linear power supply that will work about as well as the battey, without having to have two chassis. I was hoping that the bass would be "fixed". It is in spades. There is tons, but it is punchy and very tuneful, not boomy or loose at all. I got a lot more than I expected, however. I would have to say that this time, it is like a new animal! I never thought cymbols would sound so real and "in the room" as they do now. The player is so dynamic now, that I can't imagine a player being better, but I will have to compare it with something else to know. I have a lot more resolution than before. Everything is better, and it continues to improve.
Like Brian Kyle suggested, a person can get a TRL modded Sony DVP-NS900V SACD/CDP for less than $1500. I like mine, and I don't plan to get anything different. I do not mean to offend anyone in mentioning the players I have compared my evolving player to. I would have posted this sooner if I had been able to drag myself away from the thing. I hate to do anything else other than listen to good music whenever I do have any free time.
I am another satisfied customer. This last round has made by far the biggest difference! My only complaint now, is that I have not gotten nearly enough sleep since I got my player back this last time.
Sincerely,
Benjamin Webber
I met Paul and Brian (TRL) at an "audio party" at the late Terry Cain's speaker factory in Walla Walla. It was my first time to attend such an event, but I went there in search of knowledge. I had just built my first pair of speakers, and learned that there was a lot more to know than I had imagined. I left there overwhelmed by new ideas. Paul had "bent" my mind the most, and I was skeptical. He spoke of a customer of his, who had replaced an MBL transport and Audio Logic 24MXL, worth $22k with a TRL modded Sony 775. Paul said I could buy a Sony 595, and it could be made to sound better than that Sony 775. A TRL modded Sony 2000 would be even better.
I had never had any great CD player, and when a good friend loaned me a Rega Planet, with the option to buy it from him, it blew away my $50 Toshiba DVD/CD player. I shared my excitment with 6moons audio reviewer, Stephaen Harrell, whom I had also met at Terry Cain's, and who had recomended the TRL's mods. Stephaen offered to let me compare his TRL modded Sony DVP-NS900V player to the Rega Planet. Stephaen's reference CD player was, and is still another TRL modded Sony. I did compare the two players in my own system for several days. I ended up returning the Rega Planet to my friend, and buying the TRL modded Sony from Stephaen. Although I had several days to compare, the choice was easy. I was smitten by the wonderful mid-range of the TRL modded Sony 900. I did mention to Stephaen that I thought the Rega did do some things better, even though choosing the TRL/Sony above it, was not hard to decide.
I got an unsolicited email from Paul. He told me that the unit I had purchased, had been number 25 for them. TRL had done some 300 since then, and had discovered ways to make them sound better. Paul exteneded me an invitation to have them do some more modding on it, with no charge. What did I have to loose? I drove to the TRL shop to pick up my Sony DVP-NS900V with its second round of mods. Paul and Brian handed it to me with big smiles. All my skepticism fadded when I got home and fired it up in my system. I had been careful not to make any other changes in my system, and the improvment was HUGE! There was way more bass. The treble was more extended. Resolution was increased. I could understand the words to songs like never before. The mid-range was just as wonderful as before, even better. I thought it was good enough that I would never buy another player, even if a got into a much better financial situation.
A couple years ago, we had another audio party, and Brian informed me that they have another worthwhile mod, converting to battery power. It has taken me up until about a month ago to get the mod.
I did compare my player to a couple others, but not since this very last (TRL) mod, which I will get to in a moment. I could mention hear, than I never heard the Sony before it got its very first mod.
I spent several hours by myself, comparing my player to a Cary 303. I thought the Cary was better at first. The Cary had tighter bass, more dynamics, more (but IMHO NOT better) mid-range, and more extended treble. I was surprised that the TRL Sony did have MORE bass. In the end, I would have liked for all that bass to be a little more tight, but I was still GLAD that the TRL/Sony was mine, and not the Cary. I just found the TRL/Sony to pull me into the music more.
I had a similar experience when I took my TRL/Sony over to my brother's house, and compared it to his Krell KPS 20i. The TRL/Sony had a lot more bass, but not as tight. The Krell was a little more extended in the treble. My brother was happy that his was the Krell. I was still happy that mine was the TRL/Sony, for the same reasons as before. I thought I did not care about the extended treble. I knew about the battery mod, and hoped that someday when I got it, that it would tighten the bass. Kind of like comparing tubes to transistors, I thought the TRL/Sony kept winning in the mid-range.
Finally, I got my player to Paul for its third time. In the meantime, I looked for Paul on the internet. I had been to his web-site a few times, but I think the pictures are to small to show off his work all that well. I want to list a few sites that I think may show off his work better.
This site has pictures of some of Paul's amps.
http://ranger.uta.edu/~iahmand/music.html
More pictures of Paul's amps.
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue3/maroom.htm
The Audio Brain Bank, which lists Richard Sequerra, Christopher Moon, Albert Von Schweikert, Michael Leader, and of course, Paul Weitzel.
I got my player back about a month ago. Paul informed me that in April, he discovered a way make a linear power supply that will work about as well as the battey, without having to have two chassis. I was hoping that the bass would be "fixed". It is in spades. There is tons, but it is punchy and very tuneful, not boomy or loose at all. I got a lot more than I expected, however. I would have to say that this time, it is like a new animal! I never thought cymbols would sound so real and "in the room" as they do now. The player is so dynamic now, that I can't imagine a player being better, but I will have to compare it with something else to know. I have a lot more resolution than before. Everything is better, and it continues to improve.
Like Brian Kyle suggested, a person can get a TRL modded Sony DVP-NS900V SACD/CDP for less than $1500. I like mine, and I don't plan to get anything different. I do not mean to offend anyone in mentioning the players I have compared my evolving player to. I would have posted this sooner if I had been able to drag myself away from the thing. I hate to do anything else other than listen to good music whenever I do have any free time.
I am another satisfied customer. This last round has made by far the biggest difference! My only complaint now, is that I have not gotten nearly enough sleep since I got my player back this last time.
Sincerely,
Benjamin Webber