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Is Exemplar the answer?

I'm looking for the best red book source I can find at around $5000 or under. I came very close to buying an Esoteric DV50, but reconsidered after hearing about John Tucker's Exemplar Audio mod of the Denon 2900. Have you heard this player, and how would you compare it to the best red book sources you have heard. It's fine to have a player that will play every format known to man, and having a universal player is a nice bonus, but my cd collection is almost all red book, and I want to get the most from the titles I currently have.

Thanks
84audio
yada
158 posts
 
I noticed that many modded players output higher than the stock player. Why is that?
jsala
99 posts
 
Any update on the Exemplar 2900 vs APL 1000?
711smilin
513 posts
 
Well, I cannot tell you much yet, as the Exemplar is still burning in. I will say so far I like the APL better as far as the soundstage, musicality(the ability to draw me in), magic midrange(could be WE 300B's/Cardinal X1's), and the seeming hang time of guitar. Now I must say I listen mainly to older Rock/Jazz/Blues....not much classical. The Exemplar seems a bit more extended so far(But I am having Alex build me a 3910 also)the bass is a bit better on the Exemplar. I really cannot give my exact opinion at this time also cause my ear is clogged, and music in general just does not sound right. I will tell you after about 200 hours of burnin the exemplar is picking itself up. Now, for me, I need 2 players, 1 with video for HT/SS and 1 for 2 channel/Tubes, and so far I am not unhappy with either one, but, because of my obsession I will keep on trucking to search for the best under 10K used.
711smilin
513 posts
 
The Exemplar is finally burned in for redbook, and is now really strutting its stuff. For redbook, the Exemplar bests the APL for sounstage, Clarity, imaging, and in palying all qualities of cd's. There is a natural smoothness to the exemplar that just sounds right to me. On well recorded cd's, the exemplar just does it better than any other player I have had in my system. SACD so far is another issue, while so far it is real good, the APL seems to put a quality on DSD that is so close to vinyl/tape
it is scary.

A+ rating for Exemplar on Redbbok

SACD may need to burn in those 250 hours too, so thats what I am doing now. More to come....Redbook is AWESOMEon the Exemplar.

Tbg, I do not understand this 250 hour thing, but you are right, so far, that after the burn in, this unit really sings.
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