scd 777es sacd sony mod worth it?

I know about this suggestibility thing. I am too long in this game not to have fallen into this trap and hence tried to learn a few lessons from it. I think I can (almost)trust my ears. I've made very careful notes about the music listened to with the 777 in its original state after about 350 hours of being broken in. I think I have a sufficient number of parameters to listen to, when it comes back. Just to put your minds a bit at ease: I've spent a large sum of money to have my Goldmund table and arm modified, so that, amongst other things, I can change VTA from the listening positionand finally get the bass rendering, soundstage, silence etc.etc.. the way I wanted it. After having spent the equivalent of about 1500 bucks, I gave it all back for redesign, because the sound seemed somewhat pinched and the voicing of the table had shifted up in emphasis. (bearing and the tip of the plinth were of a material (special ceramic) which was not suitable. I WANTED it to sound better, because it had cost me lots and would cost me more, if not satisfied, but those damned ears, with their absolute pitch ( a curse, not a blessing by the way ) just would not be cheated. Still, you can never be sure of course. Our capacity for selfdeslusion is not to be underestimated. At any rate, I'll try to be careful. By the way I just had a mail from Richard and got the same news as Mes did. So I'll have to settle down for a long wait. Cheers to all!

You boys happy with your stock units or living in fear of the "placebo effect", that's cool by me. No need to justify why you would not attempt said mod on this or any other unit. Your life, your gear, do what you like, no skin off my arse. The stock units are very good, no argument from me. My posts re this matter are an attempt to inform those who have or are considering this process, not to convince anybody it should be done or needs to be done. As far as the assertion re the lack of reference point in the comparison of stock vs. modified unit, I amazingly thought of that beforehand. I have a stock 777 and SCD-1 on hand, each of which had nearly identical sonic signitures to my stock 777. I think I'll actually A/B them when is all said and done. In fact, when I do, I'm swearing off sugar pills for the duration of the audition period. I'd be happy to share my findings to those of you interested, and am interested in what fellow mod-aholics find when you get your units back. Respectfully, Mes

Actually, Mes, I pretty much did that before I decided to go with the mod. After breaking in the Sony, I felt that, while it was very good, I wasn't getting quite the resolution and life I got from my admittedly more expensive Forsell/Audio Logic combo. So I ran the Sony with Redbook CDs both as a player and as a transport through the Audio Logic DAC, using the same interconnects, and came to the conclusion that there was an improvement to be had, probably minor in overall objective terms but major from my subjective point of view. Originally I had wanted Jerry to rig me up a DSD digital out so I could run the Sony's DSD signal through my DAC (the Audio Logic can theoretically decode a DSD signal); he wasn't willing to do that until a standard industry interface was established, but he did offer me the option of his outboard analog stage, which in my typical impatience I took and have been happy with ever since. So I was fortunate to have a pretty good idea of what the modified unit would sound like. If I hadn't, I might have hesitated, at least till I could have heard a modified unit, but the mod I've got convinces me that, as good as the stock units are, there are improvements that can be made if you want them. Whether they're worth the cost is your call, obviously. Just my two cents...

Mes, have you got your unit back already?

No Detlof, I'm in interminable wait mode. It's been "2 weeks" for the last 6. I'm hoping this week. New problems seem to come out of the void each week. When I get it I'll burn it in and A/B it with a couple of stock units I have access to, and let you know what my humble opinion is, if anyones interested. I really think it has significant potential, and possibly worth the wait. We'll see. The critical factor in my mind is that anyone can plop new parts in a given component, it's voicing it that is paramount. Given mines the first they've done, those that follow, such as yours, may actually have a better shot at the target having benefitted from the trails and tribulations of the harbinger unit.Mark