Universal Players vs. Dedicated CD/SACD Players


Greetings all. I'm curious what other's experiences are listening to Universal Players vs. "dedicated" cd/sacd players. I have an Oppo BDP95 based on the reviews and convenience of the "one-box" solution. However, I've been wondering if I'm missing some audio performance this way. I'm more into sound than video BTW. I have an audiophile friend who says he doesn't like audio and video in the same box. I've entertained thoughts of purchasing a dedicated audio cd/sacd player. Your input is appreciated.

128x128beernut
Jafant:

The mods were done by an Oregon-based company called Jena Labs. You may have heard of their cables. My player was done a long time ago, and a lot has happened in the interim, so I've forgotten a lot of the details of the mod, unfortunately. But I remember she cleared the signal path of a bunch of crap and did a lot of damping, among other things. She left the Marantz HDAM output stage in place, because she really likes that particular design. Some other modders strip it out and replace it with something fancier. 

The result was really eye-opening. After many comparisons over the years, I think it can hang with some of the big boys. It's pretty good, IMHO.

Sorry I couldn't provide more technical info on the mods. The 'ol noggin' ain't what it used to be!
Many Thanks! lynott-

I am in the market for a SACD spinner. I have heard several Esoteric players. I really liked what I heard in the Esoteric. Additionally, I have an interest in Marantz, especially any special edition or limited edition, by Ken Ishiwata (KI).