[Ric Schultz]

This machine rocks!  Pioneer got so many things right with this new relatively inexpensive (around $400 delivered) universal player: They are using mostly low impedance Rubycons caps in the power supplies along with audio Elna caps, separate power supply feeds just for the analog DACs and output stages, very short digital signal path, latest generation current out Burr-Brown DACs, "audio pure" button that shuts off all video, digital outs, tos-link connector supply and all display leds and display, dual layer bottom chassis so the bottom of unit is smooth for adding feet, latest video upsampling to 1080P with really good picture, etc.

The Pioneer sounds good stock with an error on the warm and slightly mushy bass side.  Not quite as detailed as a stock Oppo but I could tell this thing would rock with mods.  And indeed it does.  Because so much is done right I knew that if I just substituted my discrete all fet class A current to voltage stage for the entire 2 channel output stages that I could sell a product that could be unbeatable at its price range and have the possibilities for taking it to the max.  I put the discrete stage in a few days ago with a couple of other small mods and the player was transformed.  The player literally sounded 2 db louder after this mod.  All insturments were larger with much more separation of the instruments, clarity, naturalness, dynamics, depth, air around instruments, ambience....well everything is WAY better.  This is the advantage of this player over the Oppo.  The Oppo has a voltage out 6 channel DAC chip from Crystal that has a built in op amp and requires an additional second op amp stage to boost the voltage to the normal 2 volts.  The Pioneer has much higher speced 2 channel DAC with current outputs and with my discrete output stage has no opamps in the signal path whatsoever.  My custom output stage is one of the purest ways to run a current out DAC that I have ever seen/or heard.  Some mod companies would just change the op amp in the current to voltage stage and either change some of the other parts or add an expensive transformer on the output.  These kinds of mods are very sonically compromised and cost as much if not way more.  My custom hand made discrete all fet output stage is $200 installed.  Just doing this mod alone will give you machine that is really musical and detailed.

Next up was to try the Superclock 4 in it.  Just did that last night......Wow! the detail is through the roof.  The bass is now super tight and all instruments on the most complex music are way cleaner.  I can hear small details that were being glossed over before.  Superclock 4 installed is $350.

Next up will be a completely linear power supply for the DAC power and the output stage.  This will have completely discrete low impedance, low noise, wide band regulators (not cheap).  This hand wired power supply with toroidal power transformer, exotic soft recovery diodes, Blackgates, Rubycons, etc. will be around $4-500 installed.  But right now, this Pioneer with just the discrete output stage and the Superclock is the best thing I have heard in quite some time (better than any mod to the Oppo or Denon players).  The Pioneer DV-79AVi can sound as good with all three levels of mods, but not with just the two above mods (that is because the stock power supplies are better done in the Pioneer 58).

There can be more done, but my sense is that these three mods above will make this unit as good or better than anything under $3000.....Actually I would like to see how it performs against the $6000 Ayre or $5000 Esoterics......I think it will be in that kind of league.

I have always liked the Pioneer Universal players and this one is the cream of the cream.  And the price is right!  The Pioneer players have always been really reliable too.  Ayre, McCormack, Goldmund, etc. use the Pioneer transport.  This machine looks slick (gloss black front) and the remote is nice too.  Looks like I found my new reference digital to analog source......so nice that it can also play all 24/96 DVDs, 24/192 DVD-As, SACDs and movies.......way to go Pioneer!

[glrtrgi]

Does this machine have the Legato Link technology? Does Pioneer produce machines with this...I remember the old PD-65 Elite player had this and I always admired its sound.

[guest1632]

This machine rocks!  Pioneer got so many things right with this new relatively inexpensive (around $400 delivered) universal player: They are using mostly low impedance Rubycons caps in the power supplies along with audio Elna caps, separate power supply feeds just for the analog DACs and output stages, very short digital signal path, latest generation current out Burr-Brown DACs, "audio pure" button that shuts off all video, digital outs, tos-link connector supply and all display leds and display, dual layer bottom chassis so the bottom of unit is smooth for adding feet, latest video upsampling to 1080P with really good picture, etc.

The Pioneer sounds good stock with an error on the warm and slightly mushy bass side.  Not quite as detailed as a stock Oppo but I could tell this thing would rock with mods.  And indeed it does.  Because so much is done right I knew that if I just substituted my discrete all fet class A current to voltage stage for the entire 2 channel output stages that I could sell a product that could be unbeatable at its price range and have the possibilities for taking it to the max.  I put the discrete stage in a few days ago with a couple of other small mods and the player was transformed.  The player literally sounded 2 db louder after this mod.  All insturments were larger with much more separation of the instruments, clarity, naturalness, dynamics, depth, air around instruments, ambience....well everything is WAY better.  This is the advantage of this player over the Oppo.  The Oppo has a voltage out 6 channel DAC chip from Crystal that has a built in op amp and requires an additional second op amp stage to boost the voltage to the normal 2 volts.  The Pioneer has much higher speced 2 channel DAC with current outputs and with my discrete output stage has no opamps in the signal path whatsoever.  My custom output stage is one of the purest ways to run a current out DAC that I have ever seen/or heard.  Some mod companies would just change the op amp in the current to voltage stage and either change some of the other parts or add an expensive transformer on the output.  These kinds of mods are very sonically compromised and cost as much if not way more.  My custom hand made discrete all fet output stage is $200 installed.  Just doing this mod alone will give you machine that is really musical and detailed.

Next up was to try the Superclock 4 in it.  Just did that last night......Wow! the detail is through the roof.  The bass is now super tight and all instruments on the most complex music are way cleaner.  I can hear small details that were being glossed over before.  Superclock 4 installed is $350.

Next up will be a completely linear power supply for the DAC power and the output stage.  This will have completely discrete low impedance, low noise, wide band regulators (not cheap).  This hand wired power supply with toroidal power transformer, exotic soft recovery diodes, Blackgates, Rubycons, etc. will be around $4-500 installed.  But right now, this Pioneer with just the discrete output stage and the Superclock is the best thing I have heard in quite some time (better than any mod to the Oppo or Denon players).  The Pioneer DV-79AVi can sound as good with all three levels of mods, but not with just the two above mods (that is because the stock power supplies are better done in the Pioneer 58).

There can be more done, but my sense is that these three mods above will make this unit as good or better than anything under $3000.....Actually I would like to see how it performs against the $6000 Ayre or $5000 Esoterics......I think it will be in that kind of league.

I have always liked the Pioneer Universal players and this one is the cream of the cream.  And the price is right!  The Pioneer players have always been really reliable too.  Ayre, McCormack, Goldmund, etc. use the Pioneer transport.  This machine looks slick (gloss black front) and the remote is nice too.  Looks like I found my new reference digital to analog source......so nice that it can also play all 24/96 DVDs, 24/192 DVD-As, SACDs and movies.......way to go Pioneer!

Hi Rick,

Did you ever give some thought as to making your FET current to voltage output stage a regular line stage? Would be interested.

Ray

[jasonc]

Hi Ric,
Do you think the 58 stock stomps the 79 stock for audio or is the improvement marginal?
Jason

[Ric Schultz]

No Legato link in the 58.  However, the PD-D6-J (2 channel SACD/CD player only......$500 list) does have the Legato link chip in it that can be switched in or out with the remote.  I have two of these machines here now and will see if they can sound as good or better than the 58 with the same level of mods.....should be really close with the possible advantage of the Legato link and mono DACs in the D6 and possible advantage of the 58 with newer better speced Burr-Brown DAC chip.  Obvious advantage of the 58 is that it can play movies real good and can do DVD/24/96 and DVD-A/24/192 and surround sound.  The D6 is not very pretty....and no double layer chassis on the bottom like the 58. 

Flash!  just now looked more closely at the D79 I have here and it has Legato Link Pro and High bit options....both can be turned off and on using the menus (needing TV hooked up).  So for all those that "need" Legato Link.....there you go....two great choices....the DV-79AVi and the D6.  The DV-79AVi is being hugely discounted now....its list is $1000 and I just saw $560 delivered.  It is heavier and slicker and has a sweeter smoother drawer than the 58......also has a linear R-core transformer built in so any serious power supply mods can be slightly discounted.  However, does not upsample video to 1080P.....only 1080i.

Yes, have thought of trying the fet stage as a line stage and will probably try it as part of the all out mods on the Behringer xover.  Might make a preamp with it, as well.

The stock 58 sounds a little cleaner than the stock 79 with noticeably better though not great bass.  The differences disappear when modded.  Marginal but definitely preferable.  Would not want a stock 79.....nor any stock machine....he..he.