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Cheap Sony SACD players: best STOCK/MODified

Ok guys,

someone MIGHT pry my Rega Planet out of my (still living) hands IF I can get a consensus on which of these Sony SACD players to purchase and possibly to MOD later.

There's all this hubbub (bub) on AA re: the 333es being an older version of the sacd converter, and the 222es and even the 775 (less than $200 now) being better.

There's the 222es, 333es, 555es, 500v, 775, 9000v, 9000es

I'm looking for a player at $800 total cost.

SO, that leaves a modded 333es, modded 555es, totally modded 775 or 500v, and basically a stock 9000v and stock 9000es.

I just want 2 channel cd/sacd, and dvd only for audio purposes, and only if the player is better anyway (even if it didn't have dvd capabilities).

What up?? Modwright isn't doing mods on the cheaper players any more, Tweakaudio may be (haven't heard back just yet).

Let the knowledge flow!
gthirteen
gthirteen OP
355 posts
 
Yes, I know the 777es and the 9000es are tops, but I need to know about MODified cheaper players, and how they stack up. Keep the info coming!!
trich727
67 posts
 
G13,
Wow, you can take a Sony 333ES, have it modified, and even with shipping costs it will sound almost as good as the stock 9000ES for only $200.00 more than the 9000!
rgd
656 posts
 
Trich727 - I've heard a stock 9000ES and while I'd give it a the edge in stock form vs my previous stock 333ES, after the 333ES was modded it seriously trounced the stock 9000ES. Now modded vs modded may be an entirely different story...
soix
9,569 posts
 
For anyone who may not have seen it--Ric Schultz at EVS(www.tweakaudio.com) has done a nice little overview of what's possible with various CD, SACD, and Universal players. Go into the "What's New" section and work your way to the "Players" section, which is where he lists various players he is or is considering working on and their mod potential. It's pretty subjective and involves mostly educated guesses at this point, but I found some interesting bits of information in there, and Ric is a no BS guy who really knows his stuff. His discussion of his different levels of mods is also fairly interesting and insightful as to why some modders may be better than others. For what it's worth...

Tim
gthirteen OP
355 posts
 
Trich,

was that sarcasm??

Soix, yes, that is teh website that gave me the most info, unfortunately, I'v enever spoken to him, I emailed a few days back and havent heard anything yet.

I'd sure love to know if the NEWER designed chips (in the 222es and 555es) sound better in 2 channel (yes, even though these are multichannel machines) than the 333es.

THere's also the 9000v and the 500v which are CHEAP.

Basically, I need to talk to Ric...
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