Click title to read one, or click date to read all below it.
12-21-11
Why not ask dan wright what he thinks. i'm sure he could exp ... Zmanastronomy
12-21-11
And then - post the comments here - other inquiring minds wo ... Erikt
12-21-11
Not sure if you've seen this thread or not, but it is a 7 pa ... Erndog
12-23-11
Thanks erndog for the thread. dan likes oppo 95. better bas ... Sstalwar
12-28-11
People with extended listening impressions of both units see ... Anonymoustao
12-29-11: Rfogel8
I guess I might as well jump in here. I've owned the Modwright/Sony for about a year now. Brand new out of the box, I thought Dan's 5400 sounded absolutely wonderful and I was pretty sure it would be a keeper.
After about 100 hours of break-in, I swapped out the stock tubes for NOS and added Dan's "Truth Umbilical"(who comes up with these names?). No big surprise, improvements across the board. Now a year later, I've purchased a new Oppo 95 intending to send it to Dan for the same mods.
The modded Oppo will be used in an AV system but I'm looking forward to doing a side by side comparison with my modded Sony which resides in my main system.
Like the Sony, the Oppo offers balanced/XLR outputs making for an ideal connection to my fully balanced Atma-Sphere MP-1 Mk3 preamp and MA-1 Mk3 mono's.
My good buddy, known as JWM on the 'Gon, also bought a Modwright/Sony 5400 same time I did and was impressed enough to jump on Dan's modded Oppo 95, used at this year's Rocky Mountain Audio Fest; he beat me to it!
We both attended the show and had ample opportunity to hear an unmodded Oppo, the tube modded Oppo, and the tube modded 5400.
The unmodded Oppo 95, which I've been living with for a few weeks now, is a really nice sounding player and given the choice, I'd take it over an unmodified Sony any day. Every Sony ES player I've heard(more than a few) come off sounding rather boring.
On the other hand, the Modwright/Sony is a totally different animal. Dan pretty much guts it, adds his own components and separate tube power supply and you end up with a player that competes with those selling in the $10-15k price range; No Lie!
The tube modded Oppo 95, as a reviewer might say, "is cut from the same cloth" as the modded Sony. There's definitely a family resemblance and it definitely kills the stock unit.
Compared to the stock unit, the modded Oppo is more open, spacious, transparent, dynamic, extended at the frequency extremes, and more power and weight to the music. It also sounds smoother and more refined yet it's very revealing of little details and nuances. This may sound like blather but there are many posts here on the 'Gon and also on A-Asylum making similar observations about Modwright's modified players.
As for the differences between the modified Sony and modified Oppo 95, everyone in Dan's room agreed, they sounded very similar but the Oppo sounded noticeably fuller and warmer. In an already warm tube system, this might be too much of a good thing. If you're running solid state, it might be the way to go.
To my ears, the Sony sounded a bit cleaner and more revealing. As mentioned, I've been living with one for almost a year and I'd say it leans towards the warmer side of neutral and sounds very smooth, refined, and with a natural ease to the music. Not at all like digital.
On the other hand, JWM, who's been living with both modified players(Sony 5400 & Oppo 95), has been thinking he might slightly prefer the Oppo over the Sony. He's running about $50k worth of VAC tube gear and I'd say he prefers a somewhat warmer presentation than I do.
Well, it's getting late and I've blathered on long enough. Hope some of this is helpful to somebody.
Later
Rfogel8 (Threads | Answers | This Thread)
12-29-11
Ask, and you shall receive! thanks, rfogel8! would you p ... Anonymoustao
12-29-11
Now that was really helpful. thanks rfogel8. i hope both sho ... Sstalwar
12-29-11
Like rfogel8 says both the sony and oppo are great and their ... Jwm
12-29-11
Jwm, you are the one who is per anonymoustao words ". ... Sstalwar
12-30-11
The sony has a slight edge in detail, not much though. the o ... Jwm
12-30-11
I highly recommend trying audio magic liquid air umbilical c ... Wig
12-31-11
Yo, jwm and i spent a few hours at his house last night goin ... Rfogel8
12-31-11
Thanks rfogel8. really helpful. which one out of the two giv ... Sstalwar
12-31-11
The oppo definitely gives a warmer, fuller presentation. bey ... Rfogel8
01-01-12
One question for both jmw and rfogel8. i apologize if i jus ... Anonymoustao
01-01-12
Yes both redbook and sacd were tested. the redbook sounds al ... Jwm
01-01-12
I`m very familiar with both of these modified players.i`ve h ... Charles1dad
01-01-12
Wonder if anyone had a chance to compare them to e.a.r. acut ... Branislav
01-02-12
Thanks charles1dad. another question for charles1dad , jwm ... Sstalwar
01-02-12
Sstalwar, i`m not aware of any fan noise and sitting usually ... Charles1dad
01-02-12
Hey charles, hope you had a great holiday! charlesdad, jwm ... Rfogel8
01-02-12
Bob, thanks, and happy new year to you and your family. Charles1dad
01-03-12
Looks like oppo fan noise is not audible on most bdp 95 play ... Sstalwar
01-04-12
Sorry about the link above. it did not come right... here it ... Sstalwar
01-10-12
Jwm, what tubes are you rolling in the mw oppo and sony? i' ... Knghifi
01-10-12
Knghiifi, have you tried any sylvanias 6sn7w or 6sn7 gta? i ... Wig
01-11-12
I really like the sylvania's in the oppo 95. the 6sn7 sylvan ... Jwm
01-11-12
Wig, i tried sylvania bad boys and it was too sweet for my t ... Knghifi
01-11-12
Jwm and i did some tube rolling with his mw oppo 95 a few da ... Rfogel8
01-13-12
Guys, thanks for the info! Wig
01-11-12
I'll make this simple...the denon dcd a100 is one of the fin ... Dave_b
01-12-12
Rfogel8, if you like the tung-sol rp, i think you will like ... Knghifi
01-13-12
Hi, daveb, is it your point that the denon dcd a100 is equal ... Charles1dad
01-13-12
I don't mean to come across as rude, but i don't really see ... Anonymoustao
01-13-12
Anonymoustao .. you are right on! please keep this thread ... Sstalwar
01-14-12
Anonymoustao is absolutely right about dave_b's comments. ev ... Rfogel8
01-14-12
I have a mw transporter and i think the analog section is pr ... Knghifi
01-15-12
I have the modded one by dan and love it Ehoehn
01-14-12
Not better, but a really great bargain and built like a bric ... Dave_b
01-15-12
"i'll make this simple...the denon dcd a100 is one of t ... Anonymoustao
01-15-12
I have dan's mw 5400 and love it, chose it over my rega apol ... Wig
01-15-12
Wig, any reason you are considering bybee rail over audio m ... Sstalwar
01-15-12
Sstalwar, from what i'm hearing, they both are good but i'm ... Wig
01-15-12
Your welcome anonumephisto:o) Dave_b
01-19-12
Had the opportuniy to borrow a pair of broken in cv181 and d ... Wig
01-19-12
Wig, i find the exact opposite with the cv181. that's synerg ... Zmanastronomy
01-19-12
Wig and zmanastronomy, is cv181 interchangeable with 6sn7 i ... Sstalwar
01-19-12
Tube rolling question! does anyone know the family of analog ... Sstalwar
01-19-12
Wig, i also find your results exact opposite with the cv181. ... Knghifi
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