External DAC for Sony SCD-777ES

Dcaudio

This person has an auction running for a new 45mhz SC4 for the sony player; no affiliation. Also has a used power supply for sale although this is not required for the clock.

Yup it is always a crap shoot but the clock is the only thing that gives you what you seek for the money. Because as it stands your Sony is not even close to how good it can be.

http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/auc.pl?dgtlplay&1198980877

Chuck

I have an SCD-1 (balanced version of 777ES) with SC4 and many other mods, which I have compared directly to my stock Theta Gen Va DAC throughout the development process. RBCD on the SCD-1 surpassed the Gen Va at an early stage in the mod process.

I think it would have been unusual for Kern to have modded an SCD-1/777ES without installing some kind of aftermarket clock. I've had three iterations of Audiocom Superclocks in the SCD-1 up to the SC4. The SC4 is a big improvement over earlier Audiocom clocks, which in their day were themselves considered by several pro modders as the best available.

There are lots of things you can do make the 777ES near SOTA, but if resale value is a big consideration you might do better elsewhere.

Musicslug gave you excellent advice but you haven't seemed to acknowledge it.
If you consider spending $1500 try a used or 'demo' MIT Oracle AC2 power cord on your Sony. The refreshed sound will probably 'blow you away'. You have a great cd player; this level of conditioning & isolation will release 'most' of its potential. And the cord will be with you a very long time.
Please advise if you do try it. PS. you can't just use a cheap isolation transformer for the isolation; they are far too noisy. Have you tried any conditioning on the Sony?

I am using the stock power cable from Sony. I recently bought a PS Audio Power Plant. It made a very nice improvement on the CD player. I have not tried to use a high end power cord. I may want to try that.

Sounds as the combo may be Super clock and a new Powercable.
Thanks.

Dcaudio,

A new power cord is nice, but if you want to take the unit much further, the next step after the SC4 would be to replace the stock 4-pin rectifier bridges on the Power Board with discrete Schottky diodes. If you don't have the capability yourself, then Reference Audio Mods does it. With this mod there is improvement in all areas, but particularly in bass control & dynamics.