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In Reply to: RE: REVIEW: Vacuum State Electronics DVP-9000ES Level 7 SACD Player (Modded) posted by Rob F on January 15, 2009 at 18:38:35
Hi Rob.
How is Kiwiland? Thanks Mark for the email. I think there are still some details to be worked out, the final format(s) and presentation, but again will let team leader Allen do that. Right now I suspect he is on a flight from Singapore to Zurich, as I type this, and soon home. He will, I am sure, make his presence felt here after a bit of a rest.
I can say this much, much of the "road testing" has been done down here in Australia, and some players also sent to New Zealand, over the last six months. Not just to first generation Sony SACD players, but also other players from different brands, from Samsung to Harman Kardon, Oppo and Marantz plus more. The working title for the development has been "Terra Firma" - that the ultimate jitter control requires ultimate stability. There has now been more than thirty player that Terra Firma has been installed into. Bill Thalmann is also doing some initial 1st G Sony players now. TT in KL has done Mark's. So things are starting to happen. But I always let it be known that this was not official Level 7 yet and that Allen would be the one to decide and when to announce it.
It seems that came via Mark's player been done by TT in KL. Not the way I had suspected it would happen. Mark, you have captured the essentials very well in your REVIEW, your descriptions are spot on. Thank you very much. I can now be the one to announce I have the first Level 7+ player, SCD-555ES. Finally! :-)
Been in contact with Bill T recently and looking seriously at Sony's new surprise packet, SCD-XA5400ES. No, not compatible with 1st G players and thus the upgrade path will be very different. We have also developed a very novel high performance I/V Converter (something we have wanted to have up our sleeve for a long time), also been extensively road tested Down Under and is now a mature 'product' and sonically up to standards as confirmed by what effectively has become our beta testers. This is a no negative feedback solution, NO opamps! And Terra Firma. Also, this will have full 2V RMS outputs unlike -11dB we've been used to. Some will like that, others not be bothered one way or the other. The upgrade to the 5400ES will be like the Harman Kardon HD-970 (now obsolete) Terra Firma , ten were done down here. One went to Richard Wong, President of the Audiophile Society of NSW (ASoN - of which I am a member). He also has a Linn CD12 with the most recent spec (know the price he paid?). I asked him in lieu of he now owns the Terra Firma HK, how did the Linn fit in? His answer was succinct, "it doesn't."
Clearly, when this 'Level 7' is applied to OTHER players, it cannot be called such, but the name I hope will stick is "Terra Firma." This will enhance a lot of other players suitable out there. The scope is HUGE!
Joe R.
Follow Ups:
Hi Joe,
I've been following the Terra Firma since I first learned of it in a browse of your site several months ago. I also passed some emails with Allen about Terra Firma 2-3 months ago as well. My hope is that Terra Firma will be available as a standalone product for diy install at some point.
Fascinating product this Terra Firma!
Steve
> my hope is that Terra Firma will be available as a standalone product for diy install at some point. <
The Terra Firma clock is a stand alone product that is intended to improve the quality of any player it is used with, not just Vacuum State Upgraded SONY players.
To use a Terra Firma "UberClock" with your player, either you, or a tech, will need to install a BNC 75 ohm connector on the rear panel and run a coax cable from this BMC socket to the point on the player's pcb where it's clock signal is currently generated.
This should be a simple task and take at a maximum, one hour of the tech's time.
Then the UberClock is simply attached to this new BNC socket, powered from your line voltage, and presto, your player will have the new clock signal with all of it's advantages.
Mark rather beat me to the gun, he was posting his review while I was on the flight back home, and after a 12 hour sleep I am now just surfacing.
More info on our website this week, including photos etc.- but there is nothing there just yet.
Regards, Allen (Vacuum State)
"To use a Terra Firma "UberClock" with your player, either you, or a tech, will need to install a BNC 75 ohm connector on the rear panel and run a coax cable from this BMC socket to the point on the player's pcb where it's clock signal is currently generated."
Alan:
Since the Marantz SA-7S1 already has a BNC Master Clock input (see link below), can you confirm that the Terra Firma "UberClock" can be used with it without modification? Also, any hints as to the price of the Terra Firma (in USD)? Thank you.
Gerry
> ince the Marantz SA-7S1 already has a BNC Master Clock input (see link below), can you confirm that the Terra Firma "UberClock" can be used with it without modification? Also, any hints as to the price of the Terra Firma (in USD)? Thank you. <
As I answered to someone else, that input is for a low frequency "word clock" and no matter what Marantz write in their user manual, I do not believe it will make a significant IMPROVEMENT to the sound in the way that a superior "bit clock" running at the prime high frequency "bit clock" frequency will do, such as our "UberClock".
Marantz say different word clocks will make tonal differences, but to that I say, so what?
I work to provide major sonic improvement, not minor tonal changes.
We expect to sell the UberClock for around $1750, but that is our Swiss price converted to $US and does not include US taxes, shipping etc etc etc. Please contact your closest Vacuum State agent for a accurate US pricing.
Regards, Allen (Vacuum State)
OK Allen, I get it now, thank you. Well, if nothing else, it would seem like that BNC connector could be disconnected from whatever Marantz was using it for and be used for your Terra Firma "UberClock". This would make the mod/installation of your external clock even more simple, yes?
Gerry
> t would seem like that BNC connector could be disconnected from whatever Marantz was using it for and be used for your Terra Firma "UberClock". This would make the mod/installation of your external clock even more simple, yes? <
Yes, would save having to drill an extra hole in the back panel, which can be a bitch of a job sometimes.
And if you were to sell the Marantz, it could be easily rewired.
REgards, Allen (Vacuum State)
How does the VSEI TMS-1 compare to the Level 7?
I can't tell you, because I don't have my TMS yet.
It's being developed by our digital associate, and 1/ he recently got a job that takes him 60-80 hours a week, and 2/ he keeps updating/improveing it.
I expect/hope/pray to have my TMS demonstrater mid Febuary, then I can report. But they are very differnt machines, Level 7 applies to Upgraded SACD/CD players, the Vacuum State TMS (True Music Server) is a hard disc music server using non oversampling technology and will be available with solid state or tube output stages. It is planned that it hadles hi-rez PCM formats, but at this time, not DSD/SACD.
Regards, Allen (Vacuum State)
Further, the TMS will of course have a full house Terra Firma UberClock installed.
Regards, Allen (Vacuum State)
Welcome back Allen (nt)
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