I have often been asked by customers whether a modded DVDP can sound as good as a stand-a-lone CDP which they have.  My answer is a definite yes. Why?  Because it is the electronics and engineering inside your player that makes music, not the marketing.

Electronics against electronics, some DVD players packs better electronics than stand-a-lone CDPs.  It is often the implementation that let the DVDP down in a shootout.  Let me explain it in greater detail below:

 Some Facts

Given the economies of scale between mass-consumer manufacturers like Philips/Sony/Pioneer/Denon that produces tens of thousands of DVD players per month vs specialized hifi manufacturers that are happy to hit 5Kpcs a year, the cost to produce a disc spinner between the two are extremely different.

For example, let us consider an Audio DAC IC.  The specialize Hifi guy might be getting it at $10/pc for 5Kpcs a year.  The kind of price Philips pay for the same IC?  Less than $2.50/pc!!  And that is less than ¼ of the price the specialist Hifi Guys pay!!

Also, given that the mass-consumer guys enjoys volume of sales and greater distribution channels, they are able to make do with a lower percentage profit per player than a specialized HiFi manufacturer.

The net result is that, dollar for dollar, the core electronics, the heart of a disc spinner, of a mass consumer manufacturer absolutely beats that of a specialist HiFi manufacturer

 Some Problems

Unfortunately, good core electronics alone does not ultimately translate to good sound.  The implementation and engineering aspect is also very important.

Mass Consumer manufacturers usually has 2 points to meet when they produce a particular DVDP.  First is measurable performance, which is largely determined by the core chipsets.  Next is building the DVDP to a particular price point, which means that some corners have to be cut in areas that does not affect measurable performance.  Corners which are cut usually includes:

1.       Using a low cost noisy switch-mode power supply to run the analog sections.  Linear power supplies are heavy and expensive to implement for the mass-consumer guys.  As a result you only get to see linear power supplies in top of the line mass consumer players like : Yamaha DVP2300, Denon A11, A1 and DVD5910, not mention the likes of specialist Hifi.  With my installation, this critical upgrade will be available to you at a fraction of the price of the above players !

2.       Using a high quality low jitter clock.  Even though a low jitter clock brings about measurable audio and video performance, their high cost prohibits everyone (specialist hifi and mass consumer guys alike) from using them freely.  As a result, you only get to see mentioned of a low jitter clock in the flagship players of a mass consumer manufacturer.

3.       Using peripheral components like caps, resistors and opamps, which just manage to pass the required technical specification of the player designed in mind.

Of the above, some gives measurable improvements, in which case the specs of the player designed would be loosen to accommodate the drop in performance by using the lower spec part, (after all, the specs of a player is defined by them ;) not you ), some do not, but we all know that the above aspects are crucial for the best audio and video performance possible.

And this area is where the specialist hifi manufacturers exploits and improves their player upon to make their offerings sound nicer than the mass consumer guys.  Tuning by ear and a total disregard of the measurable performance also gives an advantage, as there is more free-play and less red-tape in component choices and circuits used.  I have seen offerings from specialist hifi manufacturers that measures horrible and yet sounds very decent.  This is a luxury not available for the mass consumer manufacturers.

 Some Remedies

Armed with the above insight, what would the smart consumer (you ) do to capitalize on the situation?

The most obvious thing to do is to get a DVDP from the mass consumer manufacturer to take advantage of their extremely value for money core electronics used.  Mod the player by using top of the line materials which are even better than what the specialist hifi manufacturer uses to improve upon the other aspects of the DVDP crucial for audio and video (which gets deliberately neglected by the mass consumer manufacturer for cost and product range justification reasons).  Modding of the player electronically ensures that whatever money you pay goes to upgrading the electronics that makes the music and not to the marketing.

Such will ensure that you will ultimately get a player that in all aspects is really value for money.

 Some Modder

At Effective Audio, we pride ourselves by the services and value we create for the customer.  Below are some of the points which we believe really gives us an edge:  

Total Transparency  You really know what you will be getting for your mods, as we disclose what we have done to your player in our player’s archives. You will know what you are getting for your money.  No mumbo jumbo snake oil stuffs from us.

Technical Expertise  Due to my experience in this industry  I am able to mod most players under the sun effectively and efficiently.  Not only that, I create value for customers by way of :-

• Installation of linear power supplies to complement the switch mod power supplies used by most DVD players.  I know not of any other commercial modders that does this, primarily because it is expensive, and dangerous to implement if done in the wrong way.

• Design and manufacture of low jitter Effective Audio clock modules of my own design. I am primarily not satisfied with the cost of most clock modules in the market no matter how good they are.  It really does not make economical sense to install a clock that is much more expensive than the player’s basic cost.  Rather then lament about it and depriving my customers of this very important upgrade, I design my own clock modules using the proven XO oscillators from Tentlabs, using custom transformers and SMD parts.  The result is a great value for money clock module that performs better than some clock modules on the market at a fraction of the price.  I know not of another commercial modder that does such value creations for their customers. 

 Some Player

There are some players out there that are absolute gems and are really very very good after mods, as well as being reliable to last a long time too after mods .  Below are my recommendations for modding.  

If you are having these players and is thinking of “upgrading” for better audio and video, DON”T.  Instead spend on modding these equipments and you will not regret .

I do have most of these available for home loans for your comparisons so as to help you get a better picture how the modded player will sound and see after the mods .  Contact me to arrange for a home loan Also check out what i have done so far in terms of modding.

-------- Pioneer -------- 

Pioneer 655   A gem of a player.  Virtually same audio chipset as the Pioneer 755ai.  Same top end DAC and SACD decoder, as well as the same MPEG decoder.  For audio, just that it uses lower grade caps and opamps.  The board is the same as the 755ai.   Only problem is that the small space makes installing linear power supply very difficult (but still possible).  Should be able to find used ones in the market for around S$200~300

Pioneer 755ai   An improvement on the 655, with the IEEE1394 audio digital output for SACD and DVD, as well as an Motorola DSP I think to implement the legato link audio post-processing.  Also has very good mechanical chasis, which is very rigid.  Has better peripheral parts like opamps and capacitors than the 655, but the same DAC and SACD decoder.  Internal space is bigger, so the installation of a linear power supply is easy .  Should be able to find used ones for S$450~550

Pioneer 667A   Very interesting player and adsolute bargain.  Uses the same grade ST MPEG decoder and the same Philips Furore2 SACD decoder as the Philips 963sa.  Has a top grade burr-brown DAC too.  Target of repackaged mods by Hifi Companies like Trichord and Ayre.  Only problem is that internally it is very small, so the installing of the linear power supply has to be external.  Can be found S$200~300 used.

Pioneer 969   Pioneer’s flagship player.  Top end DAC, excellent MPEG and SACD decoder. Excellent PCB (multilayer for the audio, better then the single later for the Pioneer 655/755 and the double layer for the 667A.  Still will be able to benefit from a clock installation for both video and audio improvements, as well as linear power supply installations.  (Ever wonder why denon A11 and DVD5910 is so much better?  Linear Power Supply for Audio and Video Sections is their secret!!)

-------- Philips -------- 

Philips 963sa   What can I say?  I am part of the design team for this player .  Probably the best bargain in hifi.  I myself have modded around 100sets worldwide.  Top end AD1955 dac that is able to be piggybacked ( I pioneered this for this player .), CD upsampling to 192Khz, ample space for modding, great video, what else do you need?  Can be found used S$450~550.

-------- Denon --------

Denon 2900  Very good DVD drive and mechanical constructions.  Denon probably has the best mechanical constructions around.  Absolutely bomb proof and set the standard at the price range.  With top-end DAC and SACD decoder.  Can be found S$500~600 used.

Denon 3910   This player, not the Denon 2910, is the successor to the above player.  Features an even better drive and PCB, it improves upon the Denon 2900 is subtle yet correct way J  Same top end DAC and SACD decoder and excellent video boards.

Denon A11   Denon’s Previous flagship.  With linear power supply for both audio and video that is the fundamental for this player’s excellent audio and visual performance.  The Denon 3910 is actually based heavily on this player.  Flagship class construction and parts used.

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