Sony SCD-1:Is it time to tweak or upgrade to new?

Richard Kern of Audiomod e:mail at RKern70055@aol.com or by phone at (503)659-6599 or (503)490-860

Kern has new tricks up his sleeve, which he, at least, feels put him solidly in the Meitner ballpark. Maybe it's just one new trick, the transformer mod.

Jadem6, at $10k it's competition would be Meitner's SACD DAC. Read the following RE: PFO's David Robinson (Mr. "I don't Drive Stock") who switched from a hot-rodded SCD-1 to the stock Meitner.

http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/dvda/messages/7909.html
http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/hirez/messages/128800.html
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue6/stock.htm

I would like to upgrade my sony scd c555es. Please tell me how to contact Richard Kern, Modwright, or anyone else that can help me. How much would a major Mod cost? My higest goal is to greatly improve my redbook cd play back. I am trying to avoid spending $2000 on a highend cd player. Thank you for any help.

I have had a SCD-777 mod'ed by Modwright. The full fledged mod with tubes. The player is quite a different piece. Large improvements throughout, most noticeably in lower grain and hardness. Nice delineation, yet musical. I have not heard the ultra high-cost players, but this modded Sony has bettered my previous digital, CEC/Audio Note.

As a sidenote, my Sony also had problems reading certain cds. Both SACD and redbook. Prior to the upgrade, Dan of Modwright had the unit repaired under warranty, by Sony. Loading still takes time...could clean an album and stylus in less time, but it always gains tracking.

I agree with all of the above although I have the SCD-777ES SACD/CD player. My concern has always been getting back my investment after the mods. I have heard a few of the modded 777s and they sound much better than the stock. I recently compared a bunch of DACs (don't improve SACD though) and each of the ones I auditioned bettered the stock redbook playback of the stock Sony. With so many very good used DACs on the market that my also be an option. If your CDP is still under waranty, you may want to send it back to Sony for a check up before it runs out.

Happy Listening.

I wrote a three part review after Ken worked on mine. You may want to read it, it should explain what to expect. As for a new machine, I do not think you'll find anything as good for the same cost you'll have into the SCD-1 and the mod. I think at even $10,000 you will find it hard to match your machine once it's been modified.

I had a lower level Sony SACD player modded by Richard Kern a couple years ago. As we live in the same city, I was able to see his setup. He was running a modded SCD-1. He told me that in his system, the modded SCD-1 was the best sound he had heard, better than his Wadia 860 which he then sold.

If you are going to hang onto it for quite sometime I would mod the Sony. Yes, new chipsets have come out since but, with the upgrades you can extend the "life" of the Sony. I would use both Kern and ModWright as they both have some mods the other doesn't. The mods do make a difference!

I've thoroughly enjoyed mine for the last few years. I do believe that Sony made a pretty good flagship product in the SCD-1.

I read somewhere just a short time ago, that Sony could not build another SCD-1-type model in a cost effective manner and that they believed the SCD-1 was built primarily to really bolster the inquiries into the SACD format and to the consumer know how serious Sony was taking the new format. The new Sony models seem to confirm that statement.

If I were to have it mod'ed, I'd probably look first for a Richard Kern mod. His mods seem to be the most talked about regarding the SCD-1.

I may have the Kern mod done one day, but I'm certainly in no rush to do so.

-IMO