For mod details: See the first post.
Let me just say right out front that I have not been able to do a direct comparison with any other "hi end" source.
Well, the 5900 is burned in and blooming. It blossomed last night (while the wife's away the audiophile will play.)
I'm a 55-year-old truck driver with a BBA and a history of Rock & Roll. In the late 60's early 70's I was an FM DJ at a progressive rock station "Album Oriented Rock" (meaning we played the long version of "Light my Fire.)
I had two decent systems back then. One featured Dalquist DQ 10's with an active crossover and separate power amp for the DQ 1W subwoofer,and a Harman Kardon linear tracking turntable. The other featured Magnapan MGIIb's bi-amped, an AR tube pre-amp, Linn LP 12 turntable with a Dynavecter Ruby Cantilever MC cartriage.
I was without a system until my divorce about eight years ago. It built up gradually to what it is today, a close to state of the art budget (within reason) home theater system. I have B&W matrix 805's front with matching center, all three have Bybee Slipstream Quantum Purifiers on the + post of each driver. Mirage MC 3's surrounds, Mirage 190is rears, and Paradigm Servo-15 subwoofer. My receiver is a Denon AVR5800 upgraded and I have an X-Can v2 (modded) with Seinheiser HD600 headphones and Stefan AudioArt wire. My 5 channel interconnects are JPS labs ultraconductors. My stereo interconnects are JPS Labs Superconductor FX, with Audience AU24's connecting the headphone amp. My power conditioner is a Monster Power HTS3500 mkII with Auricap mod at the mains. I have VH audio power cords throughout with the exception of the Denon DVD5900 which has a JPS labs digital power cord. Speaker wire is DIY dual run from "Secrets of Home Theater" website.
I will limit this review to redbook CD,s, played on 7 channel stereo, through JPS labs Superconductor FX interconnects. The musicality of the Modwright DVD5900 is nothing short of stunning. I listen primarily to jazz and classical music these days with a smattering of classic rock. I started listening to some familiar reference stuff like "Mellisa Walker: May I Feel," a lot less grainy in the vocals. Milt Jackon's "Memories of Thelonious Sphere Monk" came alive like never before; Lots of black, much more attack on the bass and drums but with an overall mellowness that was not there before. The best of both worlds: Dynamics and Smoothness. That’s a difficult feat, but the Modwright does it effortlessly.
Ok, that all happened in the "burn in" phase. Last night I had the music machine to myself, so it was time to "Kick out the Jams ****** ******'s". There are some CD's I just didn't play because of "poor sound quality" on CD. I remember how wonderful they were on LP way back when. I decided to try one of these previously unlistenable CD's "The Yes Album" by "The Yes." You could have flown a 747 into my mouth! Yowzer! I have seen "The Yes" live twice. The Modwright experience took me back to "being there" only better. I got to choose the perfect volume. I had the best seat in the house, a smoke free environment. I was THERE folks. I distinctly heard every note from Tony Kaye's organ, Steve Howe's guitar, Bill Bruford's drums, John Anderson's vocals are always superb, and this was unlistenable on the stock player! Separation. Detail. Musicality. It sprung to life like one of those time lapse photography gardens you see on TV. So this is the flashback thing I heard so much about in the 60's. Thanks Dan.