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

Since 711smilin has the Exemplar/Denon 3910 which much impressed him, was it included in the shootout? If not, I think you guys missed an opportunity to hear the best universal player.

I am mildly interested in shootouts, but think systems can greatly affect preferences. For example, an unduly bright system may sound better with a rolled off player. Better than a year ago, many of us heard a shootout at the VSAC show in Silverdale. The Exemplar 2900, Alex's Phillips SACD1000, Dan Wright's Sony, and Allen Wright's Sony 3000 with Level 4 mods were included. The room was terrible and there were too many humans in the room dampening all dynamics. One could draw no real conclusions for this shootout.
But Alex's unit is of some interest to me, although I already own an Exemplar/Denon 3910 which has only 150 hours on it. It is already clearly superior to the Exemplar/Denon 2900 which in my experience was clearly more open and dynamic than the Teac DV50 and the Teac Esoteric UX-1 without the atomic clock.

Guidocorona, the Exemplar/Denon 3910 is by John Tucker and I know Steve has it also. It is curious thus that it was not included. Might it be better and not used for fear that it would be judged best?

I still question, however, whether there is any transferable benefit to a shootout. I this I concur with Lazarus. But I also realize that regretably most of us lack the opportunity to hear side by side the many unit that might interest us.

Kana813, are these TEAC products imported in to Canada? I long ago got a P1 transport for 110 volts from Canada. Is the G0 the atomic clock that can also be used with the UX-1?

It was in my own system, but the UX-1 had to travel to get here and had only been on an hour.

I think your estimate that most often the better unit will stand forward regardless of the system 8 times in 10 is wildly optimistic, unless we are limiting ourselves to the most revealing systems. Yes, I know everyone thinks his or her system is quite revealing, but we know better.

I am not saying that the UX-1 is a bad unit by any means. I first heard it in the lesser Avantgarde suite on classic Duos. This room sounded far superior to the main room with a lesser player.

The thread on the DV50 is too long to monitor.

I had only about one hour to listen to the Exemplar/Denon 3910 today as a grandson is sleeping in my audio room for Christmas. The unit has now finished 12 continuous days of operation or 288 hours. Last evening an equally brief listen showed it to continue to improve. Today's caused me to be disbelieving. The micro resolution was complete from the lowest frequencies to the highest and dynamics were starling. I rushed through everything that I normally use in tests, such as several cuts of the Bermeister CDII cd. I have heard many very top digital players as well as lp rigs, never with either have I heard what I am hearing. Thank you, Santa.

Ignoring all the hubris, my Exemplar/Denon 3910 now has reached 240 hours of breakin and is still improving. It is pretty extraordinary even now, however.

I have every reason to believe that the Exemplar/Denon 3910 at $4950 is the best within this range. I will give a full review when its breakin stabilizes and Christmas and my grand children are out of the house.

Long ago I got John's first Denon 2900 mod. I have been through four versions of it including one that caused me to sell my Allen Wright Level 4 moded Sony 3000. I knew that John was going to have to replace the 2900 as the base as it was no longer available. When he told me that to his great surprise the mods on the 3910 were substantially superior to the moded 2900, I ordered one.

I heard both Dan Wright's and Alex's early mods and was not impressed. I am sure the current mods are good, but I personal doubt they equal the Exemplar mods. I guess I will never know really, but I expect Exemplar will get another rave review from 6Moons. I am certainly impressed with 240 hours on it.

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.