Exemplar Denon 2900. WOW Need owner advice.


I am the very happy owner of a Exemplar Denon 2900. What an incredible player. For you other Exemplar owners:

Two questions.

1. Do you leave the unit in "Standby" mode or do a hard shutdown with the main power button? Anyone know what John Tucker recommends? My concern of course is heat and shortened tube life if left in standby.

2. Do you utilize the "pure direct" mode- shutting off video functions? Is it worth it to do so? (My Stereo rig is completely seperate from any video display...to use "Pure Direct" I'll have to drag a monitor in and temporarily connect the Exemplar 2900 to it to shut the video functions off.)

I emailed John Tucker with these questions,but I think he's working 28 hours a day building units- I have'nt heard back from him.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Dan
danlib1
The Exemplar Mod is a complete multichannel mod, with a 2 channel tube stage. I cannot really comment on the 5 channel difference, cause I never used the 2900 with multi-channel. I can say the 3910 is GREAT with multi-channel, and the video blows the 2900 away. Johns mods, with his custom clock, power supply, new caps, ect really gets this player SMOKIN. I love the sound I am experiencing.
711smilin, since the Denon 2900 is no longer available, it had to happen that John moved to modifying something else and the 3910 was a likely culprit, but than for taking the plunge.

I decided to bite the bullet and will be getting mine next week.
Gentlemen:

I've been lurking on this thread since the original post. I've owned John Tucker's modified Denon 2900 for sometime now (I have one of the first Siltech units he made). This is the most musical piece of digital gear I have ever heard. I dumped my Audiomeca Enkiathus DAC and I've never looked back. My only disappointment with the unit is that annoying crackling noise that appears if you jump between tracks on the SACD layer but according to John that seems to be typical of most SACD units regardless of manufacturer. Other than that it was hard for me to imagine that there is much room for improvement.

Of course the phone call came from John with the results of his 3910 modification and he was extremely excited. Visions of my bank balance looking like a moon crater danced in my head but I figured onward and upward.

I was planning on having John make a balanced version of the 3910 and moving the 2900 into my secondary system. I discussed this at length with him. It seems as though the DAC in the 3910 is balanced so it is a matter of fitting the power supply in the chassis or possibly going to an external power supply. He seemed to think it is extremely likely it can be done so perhaps if enough people request it he might explore it as an option.

After giving it some consideration and research I think (for me) the move is to skip a generation and see what Mr. Tucker will be able to create with the imminent release of Denon's 5910 unit. I'm envisioning a 2 chassis balanced 5910. I believe John when he tells me the 3910 is an improvement over the 2900 but I also believe that when the time comes John's modified 5910 will be a monster.

And so my wait begins...

Ken Golden
Lasercd,
Yes, I think the 5910 will be the one to wait on. I think it will be the final link of video/audio nirvana. Why limit ourselves with the 3910? I think a balanced version will be what we are all waiting for....