Downgrading Help

SACD-1000 mod options.

Kyle at Reference Audio Mods (www.referenceaudiomods.com) -- will do your typical parts replacement (Audiocom Superclock, Blackgates, etc). Own one of these units -- excellent. For more money than you're looking to spend, he'll also replace the entire output stage with silver wired 1:2 Audio Consulting transformers, heavily modify the power supply and other options.

Second option is around you budget -- talk to Dan Wright at www.modwright.com, he has just finished a modification for the SACD-1000 that includes a tube output stage, parts replacement, and many other options. This would fit your budget and bring a bit more magic to the player. A DACT volume control can also be integrated directly within the unit to replace a preamplifier as an option too. If you can deal without a remote control for volume, this will bring you closer to the Wadia philosophy if you don't have additional sources.

CJR.. can you tell me what improvements the mods made?

I'm at home, listening to the Wadia, and quickly switched back to the Philips (Which has been playing for the last 24 hours on repeat)... ugh, still no comparison. The Philips sounds, relatively, so lifeless.

this is all kind of funny to me, because I started my search for a digital player with the BAT VKD5-SE, which I still own, and when I first got that player, I thought, "What is the BIG DEAL??"...

Now, the BAT also sounds GREAT, as does the Wadia, and the Philips is almost intolerable.

One thing I have learned is that digital is really sensitive to warming up, and breaking in. We'll see, this may be a case of judging the player too early.

Dennis,

My 1000 will be in at the end of the week, I'm curious to see how it compares to my Theta DaViD/Classe Dac-1 combo. Heck I paid more for the Digital cable than I did for the Philips player.

What I really want to see is how the SACD's in the Philips player stack up to redbook on my other front end. If they sound as good I'll be impressed. Maybe when my SACD collection gets up around 100 I could dump the digital front end in my bedroom, maybe not.

I still have my H/T system to play redbook if I went that route. We'll see, I'll post after I've had a few weeks to check things out.

Say does the philips play DTS CD's? I read an article that said no, HUMMM.... thats odd.

Do some mods to the philips.

Dennis,
Why not just keep the BAT for redbook, the Phillips for SACD, and sell the Wadia?