External DAC for Sony SCD-777ES

Dcaudio

The super clock and superclock power supply are separate mods and depending on your skills can be done by you. I had a local modder RAM (reference audio mods) East install both the clock and power supply in my scd-1(did it free). The superclock will improve both redbook and sacd performance. This is the single most important mod you can do and will exceed the performance gain that the resistor and the cap upgrade made by a large margin. If you only did one mod to yout player the superclock would be it. I can understand now why you said your TT outperformed your 777es. Forget the DAC and get the clock installed. I can not believe Kern would do the resistor and cap upgrade and not the clock knowing full well the improvement the clock makes.

Audiomod know offers the reference clock which is claimed to be a large improvement over the superclock 4. It is very expensive at 795 versus 295 but as I understand is a big improvement over the sc4.

Chuck

I thought about the advice overnight.
1. Investing more into vinyl is an answer, but not the one for me. I am trying to get the CDs and SACDs I have sound better.
2. Superclock 4 sounds interesting. Gets the board into an existing unit. Improved both SACD and CD. However, it does not add any resale value to the player. As I looked at the web there appears to be several mfg of similar boards - LC Audio, Dexa etc.
3. External DAC. Ack!, PS Audio, Bel Canto, Benchmark, Theta. Better second hand value than 2. Only improves CD playback.
4. Buy a dedicated CD player. Basically only use the Sony for SACD. This is an interesting answer. However, I am concerned that $ 1,500 used will get me a CD player that beats the Sony. Remember the Sony is not bad. I am just looking to improve it.
Still thinking.

Dcaudio

This person has an auction running for a new 45mhz SC4 for the sony player; no affiliation. Also has a used power supply for sale although this is not required for the clock.

Yup it is always a crap shoot but the clock is the only thing that gives you what you seek for the money. Because as it stands your Sony is not even close to how good it can be.

http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/auc.pl?dgtlplay&1198980877

Chuck

I have an SCD-1 (balanced version of 777ES) with SC4 and many other mods, which I have compared directly to my stock Theta Gen Va DAC throughout the development process. RBCD on the SCD-1 surpassed the Gen Va at an early stage in the mod process.

I think it would have been unusual for Kern to have modded an SCD-1/777ES without installing some kind of aftermarket clock. I've had three iterations of Audiocom Superclocks in the SCD-1 up to the SC4. The SC4 is a big improvement over earlier Audiocom clocks, which in their day were themselves considered by several pro modders as the best available.

There are lots of things you can do make the 777ES near SOTA, but if resale value is a big consideration you might do better elsewhere.