|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
137.161.244.253
In Reply to: Re: First impression of the APL SACD 1000 posted by LA6 on December 29, 2004 at 21:48:15:
Hi Lou,The digital receiver board allows input of a PCM signal up to 24bit/192kHz to the new Crystal CS4398-based DAC board. So the modified SACD 1000 can also serve as a DAC for an external PCM source.
Since the new DAC board also has switchable, non-decimating volume control, conceivably a person with a digital-only front end could use the unit as a DAC, switch between two digital sources, and control volume, thus dispensing with a preamp.
Good vinyl is still my preferred source (though not by as wide a margin as before), so I'll probably not bypass my Steelhead or plug and unplug the SACD 1000 and 'head from my amps on a regular basis, but in the near future I will be trying the Philips directly into the amplifiers to see what kind of difference that makes.
Cost of the modifications -- Alex's "basic" SACD mod consisting of mods to power supplies and transformers, tube output stage, clock circuitry, and basic capacitors; new CS4398 DAC; digital receiver board; and more extensive capacitor replacement -- was on the order of $2500, exclusive of the player, IIRC (I don't have my laptop with our correspondence with me here at work). I had a used stock SACD 1000, bought at the time of the Tweeter's blow-out sale, but as a second or third owner, have no return rights with Philips. Only a bit over $400 for the unit, though.
Since the DAC and receiver boards and many of the parts are "transferrable" to the Denons that APL currently modifies, and I had a dead SACD 1000 on my hands, I decided to go this way. As opposed to Philips' so-called service centers, Alex knows what he is doing and guarantees his repairs and modifications, so I am pretty comfortable having the SACD 1000 in the system.
I had the opportunity for a little more listening last night, and I am even more pleased with the improvements in the SACD 1000 sound. On SACD and redbook, it is by far the best digital playback I've heard.
Best regards,
Follow Ups:
Steve,Thanks for sharing your impressions of the Philips 1000. It seems Alex has the magic touch. Would you say that inspite the Denon 3910 hoopla that this mod for the Philips is the most sensible from a cost point of view. And did I catch what you said that your player was dead and he fixed it with the mods?
I am most impressed that you are using the Steelhead and that the APL 1000 (leaving out the Philips name) is making it a close second. I would love to hear your opinion when you go direct to amp. Please keep us posted and thanks.
Lou
Steve,Just wait for 300 hours of breakin, you will be smilin ear to ear. I shipped my APL 3910 to Alex overnight, so he can use it at the CES show. I wish I kept my 1000. oh well, Alex is worth it.
Thanks for the information. 200-300 hours to really hit the sweet-spot seems to be the concensus.In the several short sessions since getting the player back, I've already noted the player's presentation becoming more coherent. Cold out of the box it was rather "sensational" in a hi-fi sort of way, a bit disjointed with parts of the music seeming more forward, and calling attention to themselves at the expense of the musical whole.
Even with a modest number of hours in play, the APL SACD 1000 now sounds much better balanced and integrated. What's the TAS buzzword? Continuousness. . . right.
As a someone formally trained and still working in the industrial electrical and electronics field (and one who tries to maintain a healthy though not rigid skepticism) I'm not sure what break-in mechanisms I'd postulate, other than capacitor forming effects. Certainly some of this is probably just my own ear/brain system learning to cope with the sheer quantity and quality of sonic data the APL machine is deluging me with. 8^) Regardless, I'm loving what I am hearing every time I sit down to play music. And it seems to get better each time. . .
Great that you are able to help out Alex. I'm sorry I'm going to have to miss CES this year -- I'd like to shake his hand.
Best regards,
becomes so that one can almost walk among the images.
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: