Audiophiles are so fickle and impatient! We think that a stock $800 list thing can sound like the best in the world, and then when we find out it is not we immediately dump it! There is a revolution going on.....but to think that a stock Sony with ordinary power supplies, ordinary construction, ordinary parts, too long a signal path on the output, ordinary clocks, etc. can be the magic silver bullet that makes us grin continuously forever is expecting way, way too much.........modified.....well that is an ...
Ric - glad to see that you hopped in the discussion, and just previous to reading your message I was going to inquire to the public if (1) anyone has opened this units up (and if they could take pictures and (2) has anyone considered modifying these units?
I had the same assumption that they are filled with cheap parts, and that maybe through some modifications, even some basic parts swapping vs. trying to eliminate odd design decisions, that subtle improvements could exist. My primary concern and assumption is that most of the units seem to be relatively slim-line designs, and that if you're including so much in one little box, that there's probably little room to work with. But seeing the amount of changes and swapping that people have done with units like the ART DI/O, I have to assume that hope is not lost.
Being that people seem pretty amazed and what they get out of these little boxes, but thats obviously not without criticism, I have to wonder what can be done with them from a modification perspective. They seem like they would be a great target for an 'average' number of modifications as they have a low cost of entry, and if there was a 'bang for the buck' set of modifications, that it could provide improvement, and still function as a great value. Say you spend $450 on an integrated CD/DVD/SACD/Amplfier/Preamplifier box. Say you put in $500 and it does provide decent improvement. You're still under $1k.
Complete assumptions, but I'm wondering if the clock can be swapped out for great benefit, especially if these units are digital to the end... I obviously have no idea on the possibility of this, as well as digital/jitter related tests/specifications on these. And I have to wonder about power supply related stuff, part because of the digital amplifier, and also because if its integrated, I'm guessing that everything is shared, and that final output is beyond mediocre. I'm guessing what makes the unit special at its price level, is the core, and that everything around it holds it back -- not that it is a giant killer, but that it plus some mods could provide a tremendous value.
Few boxes from 'audiophile' brands can't meet that modified bang-for-the-buck price target with combo CD/IntegratedAmp boxes out the door. When I say that, I'm thinking of the all-in-one units form Classe' and Linn as example. If solid improvements can be had, a modder with a staff would have a field day, both for people simplying systems, building 2nd systems for HT, or for people looking to hop into something beyond the bottom of the barrel, but at a price limit...
Still love the Acoustic Reality EAR2 I have and have been impressed with most digital amplifiers out there. Glad to see it more and more in the consumer market, and hope to see both some more cheap 'amplifier only' digital setups in the pro and consumer market, as well as people taking 'integrated' units much, much further. This obviously will happen do to power consumption, size, simplicity, and performance. Even eliminating performance, the benefits are huge from a manufacturer's standpoint, which get passed down to the consumer, even when they're not thinking too much about performance...and a price point. That always benefits the public...
I try and keep up with this thread, but time doesn't always permit, so if any of these opinions have been covered 10x already, my apologies....
