4-19-2004: Have done two more small but VERY worthwhile mods to the 963. Can be retrofitted by user in older modified units. Call for details if you own a unit made before now.
8-22-2003: We have just completed another round of tweaking to the 963 and have taken it to another level (really good). We added a $50 cap to the switching supply, changed a bunch of caps, eliminated some caps, damped some more parts and are now making our own handmade litz wire compensation caps for the discrete output stage. Price is now $750.
Summary of current DVD963 mod:
All output stage mods are for the front left and right only. No mods are done on the other channels but they will sound better do to the mods to the switching supply and the transport.
Add grounded IEC and change input filtering on AC supply.
Highly modify existing switching supply including exotic Jensen 4 pole cap and change many diodes to much better sounding soft recovery types, etc.
Add 50 toroidal power transformer (mounted in air on brass bolt) and hand made power supply board with 4 new regulators for new output stage and DAC supply. Exotic parallel diodes and Blackgates in power supplies.
Add super simple proprietary discrete fet output stage (hand made output board) to replace all op amps and stock output stage. Very high bias FETs, Rel-Cap Polystyrene filter caps, handmade litz wire caps (invented here), nude Vishay resistors, Caddock resistors and nude Blackgates used in output stage.
Handmade mute circuit added to stop DC pulses on turn off and turn on.
Tos-link connector disconnected but can be put made to function by user.
Output jacks changed to OFC jacks and grounding redone for better sound.
Constrained layer damping of many, many parts.....very time consuming.
$340 in parts total. At least 8 hours labor.
There is currently no waiting list and turnaround is 2-3 days in house.
Customer comments below picture:
Customer comments:
Email from Ken in Santa Clara 9-18-03
Hi Ric,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you but I have only had a couple of opportunities to really listen to the unit and I also had it on the XLO burn-in track for a few nights (not that it need it to tell!!).
Put simply, I can't remember any time I have been so happy with any other mod I have ever done. It's hard to know where to begin, the improvements are so universal.
Let's start with the bass-seems way deeper, more powerful on sustained notes yet totally defined and free of any boom. Frankly, the Genesis subs and the MG-20s could never be accused of being boomy under any circumstances but the sheer power of the bass is now amazing but in a natural way. Totally freaked out Eric when he came by on Saturday.
The separation around instruments is also way better allowing me to pick up many more instruments in complicated mixes. The attack and decay of instruments is now much more natural especially with bells/cymbals/chimes, etc. At the same time, it is totally not shrill or grainy.
Eric specifically commented about how "black" the background seemed which lends itself well to a major increase in stage depth and resolution.
I can actually enjoy listening to CDs (frankly have listened to only one SACD and don't care) without being constantly reminded that this is plastic sound. Will I be throwing out my turntable? No. Despite any and all the many warts, the vinyl is still ultimately more natural and plus I have tons of LPs that will never be available. But man, this is truly great!
Many thanks!!
Ken
When I emailed Ken on 9-26-03 and asked if I could use his email on my comments page he replied :
Sure! If anything I feel even stronger about it now-have only played one LP since I got the unit and have another friend coming over tomorrow to hear it.
Link to review on Audioasylum 10-10-03