[mraudio]

Did Grover allow you to trade-in/trade-up your SX series for the new ZX series?  If so, how much?  I have the SX interconnects and find them to be one of the best buys in high end audio.  Simply amazing sounding.

[dminches]

Is the only difference between the SX and the ZX the connector?

[rlmacklin]

Yes, I got my full set of Grover Zx interconnects as upgrades to the older Sx.
I believe the dielectric has changed as well as the connectors.
Call or e-mail Grover re pricing re upgrades:

       Email:             groverhuffman@hotmail.com
       Snail mail:        Grover Huffman, P.O. Box 4734, West Hills, CA. 91308 USA.
       phone number: (818) 887-7310                                             

The sonic results of the IC change from Grover Sx to Grover Zx make me feel I am much closer to experiencing the full potential of the ModWright Oppo 95 and ModWright LS 100 in my system.  I consider the difference to be a substantial upgrade.

I am enjoying the Sophia Electric 6SN7s in both the ModWright LS 100 and ModWright Oppo 95. 
I have yet to try the Psvane CV-181Ts in place of the Sophia Electric 6SN7s in the ModWright Oppo 95, but I did say I would run that comparison, so hopefully soon...

[mraudio]

I just talked to Grover yesterday.  If you have the SX series, the only difference are the new RCA connectors that are Rhodium plated pure copper.  He claims it makes a major improvement.  If you have the SC or older series, the cable itself is different also.  He quoted me $75 trade-in/trade-up from the SX series, (which is what I have).

I'm still deciding if I am going to send mine in.  I have 5 pairs of cables.  I did order a new ZX series RCA digitial cable for my new Olive 04HD to my Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC.

[mikeg1]

Ern Dog and all,
just an update
The Sophia Electric 6SN7s I am using with the ModWright tube modded Oppo 95 have seen moderate use over the month or so I have had the unit.
However I changed out all the ICs in my 5.0 system a week or more ago from Grover Huffman Sx to Grover's latest Zx interconnects which use new "Genesis" RCA terminations (from Taiwan) with rhodium over pure copper and they are extremely clean/clear, but are still breaking in.  Once fully stabilized, these should allow hearing differences between the Sophia Electric 6SN7s and
Psvane CV-181Ts even better.
I am also auditioning/breaking in a new Grover power cord (currently on the Modwright LS 100 preamp).

Hello rlmacklin,

Any updates on the Psvane CV-181Ts versus the Sophia Electric 6SN7s in the Oppo 95?  My MWI Tube Mod Oppo 95 arrives this week.
Thanks

[rlmacklin]

mikeg1,

sorry but I didn't see your post until just now.

I had some problems with my ModWright Oppo 95 after a public beta firmware upgrade from a CD provided by Oppo.  See below.

I have not tried the CV181-Ts vs. the Sophia 6SN7s but your e-mail reminds me I had committed to do that...  Thanks.

rlmacklin

******************************************************
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1311806&page=287

my post (#8606)

 05-02-12, 01:15 PM    #8606   |  Link 
rlmacklin
New Member
 

Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 10  severe SACD audio distortion after public beta fw install

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

jac23 and all,

I had severe audio distortion problems (particularly noted with all types of SACDS) with my ModWright Oppo 95, immediately after February 2012 install of public beta firmware --- from a CD provided by Oppo.
Upgrading to the following March official release firmware, again from a CD provided by Oppo - while I was on the phone with Oppo tech (Dougin or Duggan) - gave same results.
I noted the former option to ouput FL/FR signals of multi-channel through the stereo DAC and stereo outputs no longer showed on audio processing screen of setup.
Also I noted "HDMI B" showed on player display at all times.

We determined that somehow my player had loaded the firmware subversion for the model 93 player. The Oppo tech implied my player must be a BDP-93 or have a 93 main board instead of a 95. I protested that ModWright does not even modify Oppo 93s and I had complete trust in Dan Wright's integrity and repeated my unit was a demo unit purchased from ModWright and sent direct to mje from RMAF Denver.
The Oppo tech insisted I would have to ship the player, including the ModWright external power supply for the tube mods and the tubes, to Oppo.
I countered that I would ship only the player to ModWright, as they would be better able to disassemble their mods and they could send the player's main board on to Oppo to get "flashed" as the Oppo tech said would probably have to be done.


I got my player back on Monday and all is well now...

******************************************************

below is an e-mail concerning this which I sent to Dan Wright on April 5



From:
Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2012 11:17

To: Dan Wright (modwright@yahoo.com)

Subject: my ModWright Oppo 95



Dan,



John Garrett left me a voice mail yesterday afternoon 4/4/12 ~ 4:32 EDT /1:32 PDT

detailing his findings re my ModWright Oppo 95. They coincide with what I was experiencing as problems

and reporting to Oppo. John may have found even more that I didn’t have the time to completely scope out/delineate.

I certainly have never opened the chassis since receipt from your contractor who shipped on from RMAF Denver.

And everything worked fine including the official release Oppo 95 firmware upgrades (from CDs provided by Oppo!)

which allowed selection of FL/FR multi-channel signals from SACDS, Blu-Rays, etc to go through “stereo DAC” and its processing chain and also selection of XLR terminals polarity.

As best I could determine all the problems started after doing a public beta firmware upgrade (again from CD provided by Oppo!)

John noticed something regarding HDMI B showing on display even after doing “Reset Factory Defaults.”

I had noticed that as well and commented on it in a second or third phone call with “Duggan” at Oppo.

This was after installing the official release firmware upgrade (following the public beta firmware) again from CD provided by Oppo. my conversation with “Duggan” walking him through the setup options showing on TV screen

We discovered the firmware SubVersion showing was for the Oppo 93, which was when “Duggan” started

questioning that the player or board was a 93 and not a 95 and our communication went downhill.

I told him I had complete trust in ModWright’s integrity and brought up that everything had worked fine after the earlier official release Oppo 95 firmware upgrades which first allowed selection of FL/FR multi-channel signals from SACDS, Blu-Rays, etc to go through “stereo DAC” and its processing chain and also selection of XLR terminals polarity

I suggested they provide a firmware CD with just the firmware components (main, MCU or sub version, and loader) for the Oppo 95

and with no firmware components for the 93 (or 83 or anything other than 95) and what they burned and sent me was a CD with only 95 subversion /MCU firmware. When that one said “No Firmware Upgrade found” and I called and asked them to send a CD with exactly what I had requested, Duggan got his back up and said “We are not sending you another CD!” and “You will have to send us your player and the power supply and the tubes.” I countered would Oppo work with you if I sent the player to ModWright as you/your techs know how to disassemble your mods properly and Oppo may not.


I hope that John can write his findings up and send them along with the main board to Oppo

(maybe even specifically to the attention of “Duggan”?!?).



At any rate it is good to get my player to ModWright, diagnosed by John Garrett (and confirming the problems I was experiencing) and hopefully things moving to get it “flashed:” or whatever and returned to full functionality.

I am enjoying music through my ModWright Oppo 83 SE for the interim.

Thanks,

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Last edited by rlmacklin; 05-02-12 at 01:17 PM.. Reason: clarification 
     

[dminches]

Wow.  That sounds like the problem from hell.

Did they figure out what went wrong?

[rlmacklin]

Yes it could have been called "the problem from hell."

No explanation from Dougin/Duggan of Oppo - only that no one else has report this situation so it must be a "one off" glitch.

"Flashing" the main board at Oppo and reinstalling it in my unit at ModWright, with ModWright reconnecting their mods has everything working well on return to me.  It had the March firmware upgrade installed.

I upgraded the firmware to the April 23 official release from a CD burned for me by Oppo with only the specific-to-BDP-95 firmware with no problems.


**********************************************************
from my later AVS forum posts:


 05-05-12, 08:29 PM    #8624   |  Link 
rlmacklin
New Member
 

Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 10   

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by dmusoke 
rlmaclin:

How do you like the modwirght mods compared to the stock 95? I am interested in his sonics ans was curious if the difference between his players and the stock is a wow kind of difference.

David

David,

My Modwright Oppo 95 was fully modded per my specifications (2-channel tube mods to FL/FR channels, solid state mods to all other channels, Bybee rail mods on each ESS 9018 Sabre DAC, Modwright Truth umbilical option on external power supply for the tube mod, and an Oyaide R IEC power inlet), but after burn in was used as a demo at the Rocky Mountain Audio Festival in Denver last fall before it was shipped to me, so I have not heard a stock Oppo 95.
[ I received a 25-30% discount on the mods pricing by virtue of pre-purchasing a demo unit.
Dan Wright/ModWright was very recently announcing/offering some new demo units for an upcoming California audio show through AudioCircle ModWright forum.]

I can tell you I am absolutely engaged with the music coming out of my 95 playing all modes.
The sonics are to my ears a significant step up from my Modwright Oppo 83SE with solid state mods on all channels.

Sorry I can not provide the comparison you seek.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last edited by rlmacklin; 05-05-12 at 08:32 PM.. Reason: clarification re current/recent demo units 
     


 05-06-12, 07:32 PM    #8630   |  Link   
rlmacklin
New Member
 

Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 10  Quote:
Originally Posted by dmusoke 
Thanks you rl for your observations on your modded 95. Any problems with FW updates on this mod or the modded 83SE you had?

See my post #8606 this thread re FW problem.

I have my 95 back from ModWright since last Monday and all seems to be fine now - they had to disassemle their mods and send main board to Oppo
to "flash" it. It returned with the March FW version.

I called Oppo to have them send me a CD of latest April 23 official release FW,
but to consist of only FW files for main version subversion (MCU) and loader for Oppo 95 player and no files for 93 or 83 on the disc.
I think you will understand that request after reading post #8606...