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In Reply to: You should know this. In the current series ... posted by Dave Pogue on February 21, 2007 at 04:57:46:
Dave, I did a bit of digging and here is the long answer...but some background: I've been off two weeks already with a pinch nerve.
(It has resulted in severe left shoulder/upper arm/elbow/finger pain&numbness(I think I know how painful pregnancy can be) but things are just now started to get on the mend..you can still surf using your right hand only but I can now type about 20 minute spurts with my left hand.)So I, too, definitely have two much time on my hand. I copied the table, below big white space, from the toshiba owner's manual site. I know that the SD9200 was a statement product that came out in 2001 that was Class A rated by stereophile (June 2001). From this brief and the review notes that stated the use of "polypropylene coupling caps"...it was an all out assault from Toshiba and indicates the engineers involved were also audiophiles. The technological benefits filtered down to the succeeding generations but the raved 3950 came out in 2004 gauging from Asylum posts. Because I have too much time and am suffering from severe cabin fever I found this Japanese Toshiba site listing all major product developments. Given that these announcements are one year ahead of the year model, you can see the following:
- 2001: 9500 series (Japan) -> 9200 (U.S.) top of line
- 2002: 1900 series (Japan) -> ??? (U.S)
- 2003: 200 series (Japan) -> ??? (U.S.)
- 2004: 250 series (Japan) -> 3950 (U.S.) entry
- 2005: __________________ -> 3980 (U.S.) entry
- 2006: __________________ -> 3990 (U.S.) entry
- 2007: __________________ -> 4000 (U.S.) entry
It seems to make sense that there was no 3970 model as that would have
been done in year 2004 but I think what happen is that a foreign version with more widespread was repackage/cost reduced as the 3960.
The identity of the 2002/2003 model (two year update schedule, then?) would make sense to be 3900 through some formula matrixing 1900/200 codes to the U.S....could it be as easy as adding 2000 to 1900? The equivalent year model for Britain have an even more arcane mapping that would require me to have a relapse on my shoulder recovery to get into!I definitely have too much time. In the meantime,Dave,"why don't you pick up the SD-4000 and report back here to become an Asylum Legend ?"
P.S. The SD-3990 is seriously good stuff...try one by itself thru the internal DAC on your Gallos....beats the pants off of the 3950/3960 units (even modifed ones). I'm impressed by the evolving Toshiba sound.:)
Follow Ups:
... at Best Buy, while out replenishing the family vodka supply. Man, is this thing tiny. Weighs less than 4 pounds, doesn't even have the depth of the 3990 and generally looks like a toy. When queried, the Best Buy guy couldn't find any except the display sample, or even the box for that one, so my temptation was fleeting and minimal. I think I'll let someone else play early adopter on this baby.Thanks for the research, though. Last time I had a pinched nerve the only real relief came from a visit to a chiropractor, my first. Hope you're feeling better soon.
I guess one way to keep the price down is to make them smaller. Here is some data:
- 2004 SD-3950 is 8.5 inches deep
- 2006 SD-3990 is 8.0 inches deep
- PC based LG DVD-ROM is 6.75 inches deep
- Laptop Dell removable DVD-DROM is 5.5 inches
The 1/2 inch reduction may not seem like a lot but I use 3 roller underneath, arranged in a triangular pattern, to suspend the transport off the bottom of the DVD player. Since the bottom has "rough" spots (ie. not flat) the result is:
- single front ball in offset by 2 inches from the front of the unit
- two back balls are offset by 1.5 inches from back of unit
This leaves only about 4.5 inches (=8-1.5-2)of ball separation to prevent the unit on the 3990 from tipping...anymore and daily mishaps are a reality.If the bottom is flat and I can maintain an offset of 1.5 inches from each of the edges, the minimum I could accept is about 7.5 inches or a depth reduction of 1/2 inch from the current 3990 model.
Time to let someone else be the guineau pig and to maybe consider purchase those 3990 units that are sure to be cleared out in the next couple of months.
nt
I haven't been following the sound of the Toshiba players but was the recent 3990 (and maybe the new 4000) a giant killer?
Differences in digital are there, but in my opeinion tend to be smaller than differences in other types of equipment - preamps, amps, speakers of course.
Thanks,
Bill
Ohhhh.... Noooooooooooo!Sorry couldn't resist, "Mr BIll" :)
Too early to comment about the SD-4000 as it just came out. Here's something for you to catch up on the SD-3990.
The most important amplification stages are the early ones in a chain of amplification. The gain stage preceding you pre-amp is that in the DVD player driving the analog RCA outs. The unit in the Toshiba is simply elegant and removes a layer of distortion caused by the use of electrolytic couplings caps found in the majority of voltage gain stages...it does not have ANY! .
I will only say it is one of Toshiba's finest entry level units and I guess some might call it slayer of giants.
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