philips sacd 1000 as a redbook player

After 96 hours of burn in my Tweeters $399 special is really performing well. The SCAD CDs are very nice to listen to. Very dark background but I like that. Seems fine on the high and low end although I run a sub with my 2 channel tube set up (run a parellel feed directly out of the 4 ohm taps into the high inputs of the sub and match the bottom end of my speakers to the top end of the sub as best as possible frequency and level wise)so low end weakness would not be a factor for me as it may be for others. As far as redbook CD player, I am pleasently suprised. I run a Ah! Tjoeb with upsampler and Amperex tubes and love that player. The Phillips is VERY close in resolution soundtage and dynamics although the Ah! is warmer (which is how I prefer things with redbook CDs). Very happy so far. Hope another 100 hours of burn in will really do the trick.

BTW: The 1000 is a lousy DVD player. My $200 Toshiba with progressive scan blows the Phillips away. Also, the 2 channel outs on the Toshiba do a decent job on DVD audio into my amp whereas the Phillips two channel outs are NOT meant for high def audio (read the manual). The Phillip's on-screen displays are just awful and about 3 years behind the times. This is DEFINITELY a music player and NOT a movie player. Phillips rightly marketed this as a music player first and foremost although at its original street price of about $1000 that should not have been the case.

As an aside to the post from infinity_audio, I have compared a stock MSB 3 using a Sony 779 ES transport (one of the last battleship-like transports Sony made before SACD)to a Linn Genki and it was neck and neck, so perhaps this is the general price range of CDP to compare this dac? Equipment was Bryston 3BST/BP25>N805>Kimber. The MSB also greatly improves the CD section of a Linn Classik. It's nice to have a one box player, however for the price of a MSB on the used market you can't go wrong with even adding it to a basic DVD player for decent redbook sound at a fraction of the cost of a comparable CDP. I'm waiting for a price drop on the current 777ES before I sell my MSB.

Against my modded 333ES (a "Kerned" Level 1 mod + Superclock) both the redbook and SACD sections are better presented on the Sony - with the SACD section being closer between the two units. While its not too fair a comparison as the Philips has just 20 hours on it and the Sony is well run in I find the bass on the Philips a little loose and the soundstage farther back than the 333ES offers - kind of like I'm sitting in the 10th row with the 333ES and the 20th row with the Philips. Perhaps this will change with more time on the SACD 1000...

I had hoped that the stock Philips might "out do" the Sony but the Sony's mods have proven, at least at this juncture, too much for the Philips. Now I am considering having the Philips modded (by whom is not set at this time as each modder would appear to offer their own interpretation of how this unit should be tweaked) and will continue to play the Philips to see how things better with more time.

As my Philips may just be the only unit within Canada I don't think I'd have many problems re-selling (without a loss) if I decide that is the path to take...

i agree qith Rgd because i realized the same sonic problem... it's terrible that many many says how good it gets dah dah dah .... i ran it it for 500 hrs and yes, it got a lot beeter, but it sounds NO WHERE near any 1K+ player. The soundstage is SUPER FORWARD, still... bass is lose, and from low to upper mid-range, it's blurry and has no focus at all... Hi, it opened up but still not yet airy. I will keep it for SACD and DVD, since SACD is still like a clawing baby I will NOT invest further most on any better SACD unit.

oh... also ... a lot of the others are suggesting mods... mod this and mod that, NOT EVERYONE like to get their unit mod. Also, it voids the warranty and lower resale value. Spending $500 on this unit, and another $800 to mod it? You gotta be kidding me! I might as well get a Sony 777 or a Marantz SA-14!