Just for starters, everyone using one of these players should have the filter switch in the back set to position 3 ( 50 KHz ). This extends the extreme top end performance of this unit as there is a measurable slope above 10 KHz if running in filter 1 or 2 ( 40 KHz ) mode. You should also be running the left and right outputs from the top row of the multi-channel jacks, NOT the "standard" left and right stereo output jacks. Using what one would normally think of as being the "normal 2 channel jacks" introduces increased high frequency filtering into the circuit. This eats up the top octave of treble and minimize what "air" the 1000 is capable of. As such, avoid those jacks for anything but a feed into your TV set, etc... Just doing those two things and putting a decent power cord onto the unit lets it perform reasonably well.
Don't get me wrong as i'm not saying that this is an "end all" piece in terms of the search for digital performance goes. Not by any means. As compared to an MSB though, this unit kills the MSB on extreme bottom end oomph and definition, has a far more liquid sounding midrange with greater body and warmth and lacks the upper mid / lower treble glare that i've noticed on most stock DAC II's and III's. The high end is not as pronounced on the SACD 1000 as it is on the MSB, but i think the 1000 sounds a little more natural and not quite as brittle as the MSB does way up top.
With some modifications done to the existing circuitry, i have no doubt in my mind that this unit could be quite good. When my brother first listened to it, he asked if i was running an external DAC. I responded that i was running the player by itself in stock form. I then asked him why he wanted to know and his response was that the naturalness of presentation and ability to retrieve detail with no lack of grain or glare was quite good, especially for a brand new player with very limited time on it. As such, he had initially thought i was running a DAC. Needless to say, he was pretty impressed with how this thing sounded.
I'm currently using Magnan IV interconnects ( haven't swapped them out yet ) to feed the signal from the 1000 to my Pre / Pro. I just switched from a TG Audio HSRi Generation II power cord to a CVH model ( Version II i think ) to see how that works out. I'll use that one for a while and then i'm going to try a cheaper Cardas power cord that i have just to see how that does a little later. I've also taken the factory feet off and am using three Mod Squad Soft Shoes for footers. I'm going to try this out, then try some Tiptoes and then try a combo of Soft Shoes and Tiptoes.
Other than that, keep in mind that these units are NOT grounded via the the three pin IEC jack. While it does accept a standard power cord, there is no internal grounding to the plug on the chassis. If you want to ground this unit, you have to ground the chassis. This is mentioned in the manual. As i mentioned above, READ YOUR MANUAL if you want to know how to obtain good results from this unit. Sean
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Don't get me wrong as i'm not saying that this is an "end all" piece in terms of the search for digital performance goes. Not by any means. As compared to an MSB though, this unit kills the MSB on extreme bottom end oomph and definition, has a far more liquid sounding midrange with greater body and warmth and lacks the upper mid / lower treble glare that i've noticed on most stock DAC II's and III's. The high end is not as pronounced on the SACD 1000 as it is on the MSB, but i think the 1000 sounds a little more natural and not quite as brittle as the MSB does way up top.
With some modifications done to the existing circuitry, i have no doubt in my mind that this unit could be quite good. When my brother first listened to it, he asked if i was running an external DAC. I responded that i was running the player by itself in stock form. I then asked him why he wanted to know and his response was that the naturalness of presentation and ability to retrieve detail with no lack of grain or glare was quite good, especially for a brand new player with very limited time on it. As such, he had initially thought i was running a DAC. Needless to say, he was pretty impressed with how this thing sounded.
I'm currently using Magnan IV interconnects ( haven't swapped them out yet ) to feed the signal from the 1000 to my Pre / Pro. I just switched from a TG Audio HSRi Generation II power cord to a CVH model ( Version II i think ) to see how that works out. I'll use that one for a while and then i'm going to try a cheaper Cardas power cord that i have just to see how that does a little later. I've also taken the factory feet off and am using three Mod Squad Soft Shoes for footers. I'm going to try this out, then try some Tiptoes and then try a combo of Soft Shoes and Tiptoes.
Other than that, keep in mind that these units are NOT grounded via the the three pin IEC jack. While it does accept a standard power cord, there is no internal grounding to the plug on the chassis. If you want to ground this unit, you have to ground the chassis. This is mentioned in the manual. As i mentioned above, READ YOUR MANUAL if you want to know how to obtain good results from this unit. Sean
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