alex
i have already e mailed you regarding purchase of the 3910 with full mods. Will you be able to do it in 240volt, or should I purchase the unit in the uk and send it to you?
I have always added the Musical fidelity X10d buffer which always added an organic warmth to the sound, improved low level detail and improved the three dimentional imaging.(this was in my audiocom modded sony scd 777es) So it is not suprizing that the tube mods are so successful.Indeed I have also used with 100% success every time the Monarchy DIP 24/96, which always added better tonality (microdynamic functionality)hence the more lifelike sound. I have used it between various transports and dacs with the same success. With the use of both the dip and x10D I wonder if these set ups match your single modded unit? Of course I have used better tubes,caps and my own filtered high VA ac input) in the X10D than the stock one.
Putting copper around the transport always improved the warmth and tonality of the sound and I have since discovered that this was done in the Marantz SA1. However, I have always found that full encapsulation or shielding of the unit lead to too much softness and loss of transparency. Nonetheless the same feat could be managed by simply wrapping copper (pure) around the interconecting or power cables. Again the amount of revolutions were consistent in the degree of warth added to the sound. The magic number was usually five turns before the sound stopped changing or became overly soft. Please note that these are not earthed. It is obviously an electromagnetic effect. Ultimately the design circuitry is the essential sound you will have but by judicious use of copper as described above you can TOTALLY change the sound of the unit. If you then decide to use silver coated copper you will extract more detail from the unit more transparency and insight but less warmth. The same also happens if you use 0.14 mm wire as oppossed to .5mm. So when one describes the teac as being 'lean' 'forward' 'musical'etc can be readily and easily changed to the opposite spectrum as described above. All those guys on this forum compare this to that but in reality there are dramatic effects that can be made by simply manipulating the transport surround or indeed the power and interconnect cables(or indeed adding the x10d buffer, which i know you will not like hearing) Ultimately the important factor of the unit (assumming it extracts near maximal detail) is what amount of changes the unit can support whilst inproving before the sound falls apart and you have not quite reached audio nirvana. Now that would be interesting in a unit such as the Teac DV50.
However, as i said the circuitry which extracts the maximum potential from the unit is what matters most and I am sure that you have this in your mods, by simplifying circuitry etc.
I look forward to doing business with you VERY SOON, or I may have to jump over to the cheaper exemplar.
regards Luke
