DV-50s vs Krell SACD Standard vs Denon 3910 mod

Dennis, you bring up a very good point.
Once you reach certain rather exalted levels, personal preference also plays a significant role.
From my personal discussions with AVGURU and JAYCTOY it would appear that they perceive the sound of the ModWright Sony 9000 [not the latest moded 999ES model) to be slightly lusher, open, detailed, and with an even larger sound stage than APL. My two friends found the ModWright even more of their liking than the APL 3910--prior to the 3910's reclocking mod.
As I understand, conversly 711SMILIN finds the Modwright to have even too large of a soundstage, perhaps resembling that of a church, and the sound print to be slightly euphonic.

"The price of $4950 is a downright steal, comparing with retail units."

If you have $4950. to spend and your primary focus is optimizing Redbook playback here's an alternate approach(all prices are retail):

Stello CDT-200 transport - $1195.
(www.aprilmusic.com)
TacT S2150 power dac(150w @ 8 ohms/300w @ 4 ohms)- $2990.
If you have analog sources add- $490. for the ADC card
(www.tactaudio.com)
Audience Au24 AES/EBU digital cable - .5m- $330.
(www.audience-av.com)

No mods required, just add speakers and sc cables.

Since you’ll no long need a preamp and amp, you can sell all that gear and buy fancy power cords,a power conditioner and lots of music,. Efficiency is 90% with the TacT, so you'll also save money on your electric bill.

Mele Kalikimaka & Hauoli Makahiki Hou

Guys, I think it is unrealistic to try to follow the course that Steve is following, nor do I think that I or anyone can generalize from his or other shootouts. At CES, I will hopefully hear Alex's 3910. There is a very remote possibility that it will so impress me that I will try to get one to actually compare with John's.

I have known John for many years and do really wish well for him, but I have an understanding with him that I tell him exactly what I think, which includes my telling him that I prefer the H-Cat linestage to his and earlier that Allen's Level 4 were better than his second version of the 2900.

I post here only because others have asked me to do so. I have always sought the best sound I can afford within reason, but I am not about to always try every unit available to pick the best. I did this once on interconnect and another time on ac filters. Even for me this judgment was good for only about six months and was too much a pain in the ass. For others I urge readers to be aware that they might because of tastes and systems come to a different conclusion as others and I have realitive to the use of the 6829 or 7062 pinch waists in the Exemplar/Denons.

After Christmas I will have time to write up my impressions of the Exemplar 3910 versus the Exemplar 2900.

TBG, We are all on the same quest. Your individualistic approach and Steve Milin's collegial one are clearly different, but equally valid in themselves, and valuable to many of us.
As you appear to be a resident of the Lone Star State, I am not surprised by your inborn reluctance in relying on the opinions of an external collegiality.
I am looking forward to your Exemplar review. I am likely to make my eventual final decision based on a synthesis of my own judgement and ears and those of a few respected fellow audiofools, including some of the members of this and the excellent DV50 Chicago shootout thread.

Dennis_the_menace wrote:

Maybe the Exemplar sounded better to TBG because he has a different system, and values different musical presentations?

Bingo. That's for sure.