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REVIEW: Vacuum State Electronics SCD-1 Level 5 SACD Player (Modded)

68.50.47.213


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Model: SCD-1 Level 5
Category: SACD Player (Modded)
Suggested Retail Price: approx. $450
Description: VSE Level 5 modification to the Sony SCD-1, for details see the VSE web site
Manufacturer URL: Vacuum State Electronics
Manufacturer URL: Vacuum State Electronics

Review by SWG ( A ) on September 04, 2005 at 19:09:15
IP Address: 68.50.47.213
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for the SCD-1 Level 5


Bill Thalman at Music Technologies, VSE's east coast U.S. dealer, performed the VSE Level 5 update to my SCD-1 and returned the unit to me in the middle of July, 2005. Prior to this, he upgraded my stock SCD-1 to the VSE Level 4 modification which I've been happily living with since early spring 2004. I heard about the Level 5 upgrade here on Audio Asylum, and called Bill to inquire about it before he had the components to upgrade my unit. In explaining the modifications, he felt the modifications would be an improvement over the Level 4, but would not represent as much of a gain in audio reproduction as the level 4 modification was over the stock Sony SCD-1. He was "half right". The level 4 modifications primarily corrected problems with the sound of the stock unit, removing glare and reducing noise, while providing far superior micro and macro dynamics and much improved vocal and instrumental timbres. The transformation was indeed revelatory and remarkable. It provided much greater musical satisfaction with SACD and red book CDs alike.

The Level 5 modification builds on this foundation to correct some problems of "omission". it presents a wider and deeper soundstage, removing another veil between the listener and the music. Acoustic instruments now possess more body, and take their places in the stereo sound field with more depth and with more space around them. Vocals are more life-like, with again, more air and space around them, with reduced sibelence, when they are naturally recorded, that is, with a minimum of vocal processing effects introduced in the studio. The Level 5 modifications allow one to hear more deeply into a recording, to hear the ambient environment, or conversely, artificial ambience, that a recording presents. Tactile sounds such as the bowing of violins or the plucking of acoustic guitar strings are rendered with remarkable palpability, which is striking on the best recordings, but audible on almost all recordings I've auditioned. In fact, the most pleasant surprise about this modification is that it adds life and interest to every recording I've listened to with it. This does not mean that it makes all these recordings sound great; often a recording's distortion, clumsy studio work or mastering "tricks" are revealed to a greater extent than was audible before. However, they appear with no added harshness or glare. They are more identifiable and as such, they are somehow easier for the brain to sort out and therefore they don't seem to get in the way of enjoying the music as much as they used to.

In fact it is this ability to hear more deeply into a recording which adds so much to the musical enjoyment. All of the presented sound seems clearer, cleaner, quieter, more focused and vivid than before. Allen Wright's description of the improved clock as being comparable to shooting at a target on firm ground as compared to on a bouncing motorboat is perhaps overstating it a bit, but I certainly feel the Level 5 modification is like photographing a scene with a good camera and lens on a tripod, as compared to taking a snapshot of the same scene with a pocket camera while walking by.


Product Weakness: As with all the VSE mods, the output level of the SCd-1 is reduced as compared to the stock unit, making level matching with other playback components a bit of a nuisance.
Product Strengths: Palpable three-dimensional presentation of instruments and vocals with excellent inner-detail and clarity with no added harshness or glare.and


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Carver (Phoenix Gold) ZR-1600 modified by Eighth Nerve
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Conrad-Johnson Premier 18LS
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Sony SCd-1 with VSE Level 5 modification, Sony PCM-2600 DAT recorder, marantz CDR-630, Magnum-Dynalab tuner, Tivo DVR
Speakers: VMPS RM-40s with FST tweeter and TRT capacitor upgrades
Cables/Interconnects: Bolder Cables Nitro, Audience Conductor, VH Labs Flavor 2 and Flavor 4 power cords
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Classical: RCA Living Stereo SACDs; popular: Van Morrison's
Room Size (LxWxH): x approx. 18 feet x 8 feet
Room Comments/Treatments: Room is irregularly shaped, and my primary listening position is almost
Time Period/Length of Audition: Just over six weeks
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Vacuum State Electronics SCD-1 Level 5 SACD Player (Modded) - SWG 19:09:15 09/4/05 ( 1)