Ayre C5xe or APL 3910 ?

Khrys, no offence taken! When you were around Zlatni Piasatsi (golden sands), Nesebar, Slanchev Briag (sunny beach), Albena?...tell me more. I've never had the time to go back and enjoy all that for the last 12 years - been too busy staying in existence. :-) My brother was there few months ago and said it's to die for. He said the East Coast looks like small Las Vegas. Well, may be some day I will be able to visit.

I'd understand your concerns about "modded" units, but you are in the same gamble with "un-modded" products too. For example, I have a friend who bought a Plasma TV from the CES two years ago. The TV is dead and the company is non-existent. He has to trash it because there is not even a Service Manual for it. Big companies like Marantz, Musical Fidelity, Krell, EMM Labs were telling their customers "NO CAN DO" because Philips left them "dead in the watter" with their first generation SACD transport as found in SACD1000. Hey, SALEEN started as a modder before introducing that $220K car with the Brit V8 they have. :-) Want more? :-)

One thing I agree - the 6.7L V12 BRABUS is OUT OF THIS WORLD, but I'd still go for MTM Audi S8. :-) The rumor is that the new S8 will come with twin turbo 6L Lambourgini engine that is almost 700hp. They were trying to put it in the new RS6 but it didn't fit. :-(

I wish you were close by so you can test drive the "Denon". :-)

Best!

Alex, I was in Zlatni Piasaci (that's how they spelled it) first in 1986 when they took our passports and would not let westerners wear bathing suits! I went back this summer and though allowed, chose not to wear anything revealing. The people were, as before, beautiful and gracious. One of my favorite CDs is "The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voice" which captures the amazing tonality of your native culture. As for automobiles I lust for the BMW M5. The others seem too tricked out, not for real drivers. But I would love to hear your product based on your obvious good taste and good nature. But your electronics will have to stand on there own. I understand you may be a new father. My congratulations to you whatever.

Interesting thread. Keis I didn´t know, that Boulder builds CDP´s ;)? Compared to the BAT and the Krell (which serious music lover listens with Krell??) the Boulder 1012 pre-amp with dac (you probably mean this unit) is in another stratosphere when connected to an adequate drive like Metronome or Esoteric.
Tvad: I havent compared the 3910 modded Denon to C-5xe but I for sure know at least three one box players that easily outperform the modded Denon: my Audio Aero Capitole MK II with mods, the Wadia 861 SE with GNSC Statement modes (light years away) and the Esoteric UX-1. There might be many others out there (Spectral, dcs, Goldmund, Metronome, Bladelious Gondul, etc, etc.) So its always very dangerous to say how good sth. is when you haven´t listend to the rest... But I agree with you the Denon is very hard to beat for the money although the looks, the build quality and the ergonomics are crap..
But I´ve heard some roomors that JRDG will release a matching multiformat player to their amps..

"I havent compared the 3910 modded Denon to C-5xe but I for sure know at least three one box players that easily outperform the modded Denon: my Audio Aero Capitole MK II with mods, the Wadia 861 SE with GNSC Statement modes (light years away) and the Esoteric UX-1. There might be many others out there (Spectral, dcs, Goldmund, Metronome, Bladelious Gondul, etc, etc.) So its always very dangerous to say how good sth. is when you haven´t listend to the rest."

so you're saying that you haven't compared the player in question, but you will give your opinion, while at the same time you'll caution tvad about doing the same? personally, i've heard the Audio Aero Capitole MK II, Wadia 861 SE and the Esoteric UX-1 in the same system and to my ears none of them came close to what APL 3910 could do. the other players are asthetically pleasing, but i want lifelike music from my system. ymmv.

What might have been the JRDG digital player was being designed as a side project by Rich Maez, who recently left JRDG for Boulder. That's my understanding anyway.