Old CD player / Sony XB 940

[Searcher]

I have to share with you an odd experience.


My system consists of tube equipment: Copland Ct 301 MKII pre and Copland CTA 501 triode power amp,
Dunlavy Aletha (Athena) speakers, Sony XB 940 SACD.

The problem is that the overall sound from my system seemed to be too bright with lacking bass and resulting in a rather high level of listening fatigue.

I have been exploring what kind of mods I could do on my SACD player.
LC audio seems to have the answer, but now I´m concerned that the result of a 200-400 euro investment on the old player might get even more on the bright side and further increase the listening fatigue. And what about the lacking bass? Would these mods help on that issue at all?

Now here comes the odd thing;
I connected my old Marantz CD 75 MKII player and voila!!

The bass was just right, tight and firm and I found myself tapping my feet from the first few notes that came out of the speakers !!
Listening fatigue?? Gone with the wind !! Instead of turning gradually the level down I was turning the level up as I kept listening to my CD:s.

I still have my record player and some 300 records and this experience with the old Marantz was very close to listening to vinyl.

I think this Marantz is using only 16 bit technology, but I remember it was advertised at that time to have been developed strongly leaning on listening.

Anybody out there got the same experience??

Regards Peter

[Searcher]

Could this be the explanation why I prefer the sound of my old Marantz over Sony XB 940

Read the design philosophy of the Audionote DAC at
http://www.audionote.co.uk/

Regards Peter

[Pan]

Hi Peter!

I also have a 940 and when I bought it I couldn´t listen to it. I did not find it harsh or so but dull, "grey", flat and grainy. I did the LClock XO2 and Zapfilter2 mod and it did the trick really transforming it into high end standard. I´ve had it for a couple of years now.

/Peter

[jean-paul]

Originally posted by Pan
Hi Peter!

I also have a 940 and when I bought it I couldn´t listen to it. I did not find it harsh or so but dull, "grey", flat and grainy. I did the LClock XO2 and Zapfilter2 mod and it did the trick really transforming it into high end standard. I´ve had it for a couple of years now.

/Peter

Now please compare it to an old Marantz like the one Peter described.

Even better, compare it to a modded old Marantz type like Peter described


You will not believe what sonical progress has been made in the past 20 years

[Pan]

I upgraded a CD63KI-SE with the same parts and the Sony is better than the Marantz. I have no clue though what differences there are between these two Marantz machines.

Have you listened to a fully upgraded 940, ES777 or SCD-1 Jean Paul?

/Peter

[jean-paul]

I know the 940 very well ( modded a few ), my Marantz CD 65 takes it for lunch with normal cd's. We were speaking of OLD Marantz 16 bit cdplayers. CD63 is not really old. And it is 1 bit.

[Pan]

"CD63 is not really old."

Ah common 10 years is old for any digital device

"I know the 940 very well ( modded a few ),"

What mods did you do? (not trying to be a pain in the behind, I´m seriously interested)

/Peter

[jean-paul]

Somehow I think you are not that seriously interested looking at the tone of your post.

Anyway, the 940 is not really interesting ( not playing CDR is a serious handicap ). It can be after pumping much money in upgrades as clocks, Allen Wright boards etc, too much money in relation to the players quality if you ask me. I prefer the oldies as mentioned for cd playback. Cheaper and more natural. But I have to add I do not want to invest in SACD too.

If I were Peter I would invest some money on improving the CD 75.

[Pan]

"Somehow I think you are not that seriously interested looking at the tone of your post."

Que? I added that I was seriously interested because I am seriously interested.. I don´t know where my tone was off to you. I added that part so you would not misunderstand anything but still you need to have an attitude yourself? I did incorporate a smily to make sure the message was a light one... guess I need to go practice English and/or my social skills.

"Anyway, the 940 is not really interesting"

Of course it is, it´s cheap and it´s a hell of a machine. I can understand if it´s not interesting to you, but IMO it´s wrong to say it´s not interesting in absolute terms since it´s so good and have such potential. I modded both the CD63 and 940 with LClock XO2 with dedicated PS and Zapfilter2 with dedicated PS and both became totally new beasts with the Sony better of the two. The SACD is a nice bonus IMO.

"( not playing CDR is a serious handicap )."

A personal preference that I can understand but it´s no big deal to me since hardly no one i know buy CD´s I like and would want to copy.

"It can be after pumping much money in upgrades as clocks, Allen Wright boards etc, too much money in relation to the players quality if you ask me."

But how can you say that.. did you do the full clock mod and new analog board and know what that would actually bring? Or do you assume the player to be "bad" based on your mods? (which you never answered what it was in the first place)

The LClock XO3 and Zapfilter cost about 380€ and IMO that is not much for an upgrade kit that turns a budget player into a top notch one. Think it was D.Robinsson who tested a VSE modded Sony and felt it was the first player he heard that was up there with the Meitner... for what it´s worth.

I also have multibit DAC, a good one I´d say with BB1702K, PMD100, AD811/BUF634 beefy PS and all but the Sony is better.

/Peter

[jean-paul]

If you feel spending 380 € is "not much for an upgrade kit that turns a budget player into a top notch one" we simply have other levels of what we refer to as "not much". I meant "not interesting" in the sense of an original new 940 ( that costs 200 € here ) and the relationship with the 380 €.

One can buy about 10 old Marantz cdplayers for that money that all sound very well on standard 16 bit material......

Anyway, it's nice to see you like your 940. I do not feel the urge to react to your assumptions on my possible assumptions nor to elaborate on the mods I did on the thing. Just be happy.



BTW if you click on the Quote box and then Post Reply it is easier to quote the post you want to react to. You can edit the line if you wish too to make things more to the point.