Esoteric DV-50: Any cdp's Significantly better?

AVGURU- As much as I think of myself as uncompromising (my friends and family too), I now realize you and folks like 711smilin are more so. In a strange way it is comforting for me to know this.

Before I bought the DV-50S, I was looking for the perfect one box solution for audio AND video within my budget. I found great video for relatively cheap in the Integra DPS 10.5, but the audio...a real let down.

It was then that I realized that audio has much more of a priority to me than video. Even when enjoying a movie, the audio from the DV-50S, the Meridian G98, and the Lexicon RT-10 was hugely more involving than the Integra DPS 10.5 or the Denon 3910 (in stock form).

Now when it comes to all the different formats, I am still trying multi-channel material, but 2-channel always seems to be the bread-and-butter of my listening. Even DVD-A and SACD in two channel.

Now my efforts have turned towards my room, and proper acoustic treatment.

So now, instead of sidetracking this thread anymore, I will sit back and continue to read about your exploits, and enjoy my own system with whatever peace of mind I can hold on to. It is certainly better reading than any rag I could pick up at B&N.

Thanks again guys. Keep up the good work…and the fun.

Dave

Mgottlieb,I would admit, Iam not expert like you, I dont
go to Carnegie Hall, I do go to Ravinia Festival to hear
Live Music.If you are asking me, If Iam in the recording
studio and tell you every instrument that were used, The
answer is no,but I know how to read the label, what were
the instrument used on the CD.My church they do live
recording,I am present when they did that, we use the same
instrument,and this is my reference CD, to find out if the
GEAR or cdp is adding something.When the system is sweetening things up, ITS not good,because its not natural,
they are cables that does that. I am totally aware about
that,Lastly, Do you have any problem that Mod cdp can
compete with high price gear like your Esoteric?

MGottlieb,

Jactoy's last point is quite interesting and one I never thought to ask you myself. As the one person on this thread who has the best digital equipment on the market today...X01 as a transport and for SACD's, Meitner's top of the line DAC, DV 50 for DVD-A only and a serious turntable rig, obviously you have invested a lot of money and time choosing your equipment.

What are your thoughts on our findings that the modded players are not only competitive but in some cases can even exceed the performance of your gear? Have you listened to any of these modded players (or others) that we've demoed? Are you of the belief that they can in fact outperform your gear? Or is buying one of these units as a replacement for your digital separates not a viable option? If not, please explain why?

What aspects of your digital set-up (what sonic characteristics) are you so enamored with that you couldn't possibly think of replacng it with the modded units?

Sorry, MGottlieb but you know I have to ask you the tough questions. You basically have a set-up that offers the best of the digital world. You are the resident digital guru!

AVGURU

Aldavis, just when I thought the duststorm was starting to settle, you bring news of upcoming new Esoteric products. What else is known about UX-3 and X-03? Will redbook/SACD performance be less, comparable, or better than UX-1 and X-01? Perhaps these should be the machines for our brave modifiers to consider reworking. Guido

Jayctoy, I will give you my impressions of your Modwright Sony DVD9000ES. The sounstage was huge, wide, deep, almost holgraphic. The background had a white noise, not blackness. The midrange was accentuated, bloomy, almost as if there was an eq being used. The seperation of the instrumentation was exagerated, and the bass was a bit boomy, not as tight, as real. The voices were almost hauntingly echoed, and very beautiful. This to me is some of the finest DIGITAL I have ever experienced. Accurate?
No way in hell. Great sounding, Absolutely. When I was sitting in my listening position I was amazed at the musical presentation being presented. IMHO I could not live with this type of machine for exclisive 2 channel listening. I was getting fatigued, and confused. This was more romantic, lush, bloomy, exagerated reality. Fun, yes. Sometimes for 2-channel, definately. For me, I am really now trying to make up my mind between the Exemplar, and the Modwright. This would be for HT. The more I think about the experience of your Modwright in my home, with my speakers, the more I think about the potential of using my 5 cornwalls, and my B4-plus/Crown K2 with a soundstage this big, this romantic.

Wow, this may be just the Perfect unit for HT, I can just Imagine the VOICE in the Matrx thru this type of player. OMFG, It would almost be a religios experience. I agree with you, when you said, at my house that the system sounded so good, you could just lay down and go to heaven here. But, to me, this is not accurate. This is romantic. I feel to be accurate, I need a black Background, Voices that sound like live voices, instruments that are not exagerated, but played as it is recorded.

I really believe you that in a church setting, with the acoustics you get in church, like a choir singing. Yes, this is what I heard too. On my upstairs sony receiver, I have a eq function called hall that is similar, certainly not as seductive as the modwright, but I think you get my meaning. I believe the newer Modwrights have a bit blacker backgrounds than yours, and are MUSICAL as all get out. I am really wanting to talk to Dan about the 3910 he is working on right now. He posted, it should be done in a couple of weeks.

I have more decisions to make now. Which unit to buy for my SS/HT rack...the fun continues.

Jayctoy, this is my EXPERIENCE and MHO of your unit in my home, with my ears. I love it, I love the sound, but, it is too much for my 2 channel pleasure. The newer mods I look forward to buying, trying, and who knows.

I had intended to pull the trigger today on the Exemplar for my HT, But, IMHO it is so close to the APL, I do not know if I would enjoy it as much for HT/5 channel.

The saga continues