Sonics of tube modifications from Modwright

Chazzbo: This dealer is not a brick and mortar where I could simply take my player to his store and A/B against some of his players. I met him online through Audiogon. When I listed my equipment, his opinion of Modwrights is that they lack transparency. It was the first time I'd seen that description of their house sound. This dealer said, and I quote, "I am not a big fan of the Modwright tubed stage.. it looses too much info/transparency, its punchy and somewhat musical, but blurs the info somewhat and slows it down... some like that.. I feel it sounds additive.. almost like an old loudness control..." This dealer has been promoting that the Cary 306 SACD would be more to my liking based on my sonic preferences, but I'm sticking with the 999ES.

This dealer said, and I quote, "I am not a big fan of the Modwright tubed stage.. it looses too much info/transparency, its punchy and somewhat musical, but blurs the info somewhat and slows it down... some like that.. I feel it sounds additive.. almost like an old loudness control..."

I wonder how much listening this dealer has done, and in what context. Were these impressions from lingering for a few cuts in a room at CES, or have they listened to the player at length? Regardless, there is very clearly a conflict of interest in asking someone who is in the business of trying to sell a competing unit.

I have a 9000ES Modwright that has everything BUT the tube mods (no external power either). I would call it extremely fast and, as Mr. Tennis observed generally, hyper-detailed. I can't comment on the Signature Truth mod, which is a different output stage. Mine is SS with Bybees. I would not have described the output as colored, nor having a tube-warmth, as Tvad observes of his player. I would describe the sound as fast, articulate and crystal clear. It can be very revealing of flawed recordings, and in that way is a bit of a detriment, as I find them more annoying to listen to than on my previous front end (Muse). But then I do enjoy the better recordings even more as it becomes more revealing of nuance and details which I enjoy in those cases. I do think I'll have Dan add the tube and external power mod eventually. I recall a thread on AudioAsylum that was by someone else in Seattle who described a demonstration in which Dan brought along a couple of players with different stages of modification to an audio-club meeting. I think there was also a member of the club who had a player with some stage of his mods. The observation the poster was making was that Dan could clearly demonstrate the differences in the various levels of modification to the small gathering of audiophiles, where the majority agreed that the progression was definitely in an upward trend and worth the investment. Do a search over on AudioAsylum and you may find that thread - I would but don't have time at the moment. If no one's found it by the next time I check in, I'll look for it if I have time then. I'm pretty sure it was on the Asylum, but it could have been here too.

Marco

my experiences at ces tell me today's products are designed to be neutral. very rarely do you find a "warm" sounding component.

resolution sells. coloration is criticized, especially veiling and masking "information".

i'm surprised at how many audiophiles use the term "warm" and "rich" to describe the sound of components when such characterizations are what manufacturers are trying to avoid.

Foster 9
I also have a Modwright Sony 999ES with Signature Truth mods and I don't hear a lack of transparency that is espoused by your dealer.Jax2,I think pointed to the dealer as having a "conflict of interest" in which I believe Jax2 is correct in his assessment which I also agree upon. This unit has surpassed my highest expectations. I don't have the "tubed" power supply as of yet but plan to contact Dan in a few weeks to get one.Let your own ears decide not someone who has other motives with regard to steering you to another product.

Chuckie