[modwright]

Hi guys, the year began a bit rough for me, with the loss of my beloved dog of 12-1/2 years, followed by a nasty bout of influenza that ran through our house and family quickly.  Both of these pretty much took me out of circulation for a couple of weeks, after CES.

Moving forward!

We are still offering mods for the Sony XA-5400ES and now of course offer our own 'Truth' umbilical, of our own design, as an upgrade option for the Sony XA-5400ES mods as well as ANY of our other tube mods!

We are still offering mods for the Oppo BDP-83 and 83SE models.  We are NOT planning to offer mods for the BDP-93, but we ARE planning mods for the BDP-95 and I expect to have a unit here to experiment with very soon!  I have both a SS and tube option in mind for this that are both more sophisticated than what we have previously offered for the BDP-83/83SE.  Both of the options I have in mind will really focus strictly on 2CH playback.

Digital Input Mod:  The design is complete, but we are waiting on PCB's and a custom part that is still about 3-4 weeks out. As a result, I don't expect to have this mod completed before mid March.  It will be offered in two forms.  One option, that WILL work for the Sony XA-5400ES and likely other CD only (non-video players) will act BOTH as Master clock AND digital input board, with < 20 ps Jitter!  The other option will include the same digital input module with the same < 20 ps jitter levels, but this will ONLY effect the units use as a DAC, and will not improve the jitter performance of the unit as a standalone player, because the proprietary clock circuit on the digitial input board is of a different frequency than the CD/DVD/Blue Ray master clocks.

Following this will be our own DAC design that we will first offer for the LS 100 as an upgrde, ideally by Spring 2011.
Following this, we will also offer a standalone DAC based on the same circuitry and with tube output stage.  Inputs will be SPDIF and USB (24/192), at a minimum.

MWI product-wise, the LS 100 and KWA 100SE continue to sell VERY well and will go on tour as soon as we get caught up a bit more on our backorders!

The new KWA 150 'Signature Edition' will be released by the end of this month and will take the sound of our award winning KWA 150 amp to a much higher level.  Changes in current storage via capacitor bank design, changes in the Lundahl input transformer and subsequent design changes to the input circuitry as well as fully-cryo'd premium signal wiring for both input and output stages all complete the upgrade.  Price is approximately 20% higher than stock 2011 price of our KWA 150.  Please ask your dealer for pricing and availability.

The Phono stage for our LS 100 is now shipping and has evolved slightly since the first couple of units were sold - which have also been updated.  It is quieter and more musical than our previous SWP 9.0SE design and is less than 1/4 the cost, when added to the LS 100 as an upgrade.  I am looking into a standlone phono stage (2-box design), based on this same basic circuit, ideally in the < $3K range.

We have other products in the works also, that are still too distant to even discuss.  Suffice to say that we are staying busy.

Thanks for taking time to read this.  I just wanted you all to know why I have been 'off the grid' for the past few weeks.

Take care,

Dan W.

[ted_b]

Dan,
I am so sorry to hear about you losing your pal, your companion of 12 and a half wonderful years!  I feel like we stay in pretty close touch (saw you 2 weeks ago at CES, etc) but never heard about this.  I am very sorry.  We lost our beloved Rubin, a 10 yr old mix and the best friend in the whole world back in March, and am still missing him daily.  Our Duffy, golden mix, keeps us going though.

I am VERY looking forward to being one of your first KWA-150 monoblock Signature upgrade victims!!  As we discussed, I'm ready when you are.   

[dodgealum]

Dan:

I'm really sorry to hear about your dog. I raised my last Golden from a puppy and had her for 16.5 years. She was healthy as hell until the last six months. It took me a long time to get to right in the head after she died. My heart goes out to you and your family. Take good care--staying busy will help and it sounds like you will be so hang in there.

[Ern Dog]

Sorry to hear about your loss Dan.  And glad to hear you and your family are getting better. 

Thanks for the updates.  I'm awaiting the arrival of the new Modwright umbilical and excited to hear how it will sound in my MW Oppo 83.

Best wishes,
Ernie

[Audioclyde]

Dan,

Sorry to hear about the loss of you pal (and the bug that ran thru your household). Our 1 yr old Shitzsu has made us smile thru some tough times this past year.

Do you have any pricing on the DAC board for the LS100 ( which I'm loving BYW), and will the signal from the DAC go thru the pre's tubed output (I assume it has to, but I'm ignorant on thaws things)?

I don't know why as I have 2 really food DACs in the system now, but I'm guessing I will want the DAC card  !

Thanks

Randy

[jackox]

Sorry about the sad news.
Loosing a pet is like loosing a member of the family, I know the feeling too.

Anyway as you say life goes on and good stuff are yet to come!


A good news is your perspective on the BDP95, I too do not care much on the BDP93.
The BDP93 as it is should do the trick and is not advanced enough in design to become a true hifi player.
On the other hand the BDP95 plays in a different league and will be more profitable for upgrades.
Also to match "our" very special BDP83SE it will take a big deal of work, but I am sure you will make a BDP95 Dan Special even better!

As a request I'd like to get the best of the player on the balanced output, digital improvements as I will use it in bitstream too and any other little fancy tweaks you'd have in mind.
I might not go for a prototype experiment this time as I think I'll buy the player in France and send it to you later (custom wise more efficiant and it will come with the MRMZ mod done as it is mendatory for me).
Anyway I am very excited about what to come at Modwright !

Another request though ... if and when you'll get into a new amp design (lets say a 2x300w or more) please try to keep it in the size of the KWA150 ... much bigger won't go in my rack, silly but true.

Next is personnal :
Next time for wine, I'll get some that is already matured, maybe some from my own stock 

[stedge]

I am sorry about your dog, Dan.

I also want to chime in here that I am excited to have just ordered the LS100 and KWA100SE (I am currently using Harbeths).  Not sure when they will arrive, but looking forward to receiving them.  The DAC is of interest to me, so will keep my eyes open for that.

Eric

[modwright]

Hi guys and thank you for your kind words.  I don't feel that the forum is a place to whine about my personal issues and losses, but I wanted to explain why I had been 'off the grid' for a time.  Again I thank you!

RE the Oppo 95, I have one here that I am evaluating.

First of all, it is VERY TIGHT inside, so I am not sure that a tube mod will be an option.

However, it is EXCEPTIONALLY well made and IS at an entirely different level than the 83/83SE and 93.  It has existing balanced circuitry, a linear, regulated analog power supply, extensive internal shielding and a more rigid and hefty chassis.

I am initially going to look at improving upon the existing design, by focusing on the stock linear power supply, analog stage and digital out circuitry, to improve the unit as both transport and player.  Mods will be available for MCH and 2CH only.

I expect the mod will involve some re-engineering of the existing circuit with improved parts and some simplification of existing analog circuitry to greatly improve the sound!

Thanks!

Dan

[DigiPete]

If the LS100 phono stage or a derivative of it could be retrofitted into the LS36.5 DM, since there is a big hole in the main box, that would be the cat's meow. 

[klao]

RE the Oppo 95, I have one here that I am evaluating.

Looks like the 95 performs quite nicely technically: 

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/universal-players/1048-oppo-bdp-93-and-bdp-95-universal-3d-blu-ray-players-part-1-audio-performance.html?start=3

Sorry about your dog, Dan.   

[modwright]

Hi and thanks for the suggestions. I am considering offering a version of our LS 100 phono stage with Lundahl step-up transformers for low output MC carts and greater flexibility overall.  We can fit the unit inside the box of course, no problem.  We do however, need to machine RCA holes in the back chassis and either an external toggle on the back for switching between MC and MM or an internal dip switch.  The cart. loadings would also have to be via internal dip switch.

The Oppo 95 is a very solid looking and sounding piece and I am working on a mod for it.  Due to its VERY full internals, my options are somewhat limited, but I will see what we can do.  A lot of the work has been done for us already, with the internal shielding, more rigid chassis and, more importantly, the linear regulated audio power supply.

More on mods options for this soon!

Thanks,

Dan

[Audioclyde]

Dan,

Any updates on the DAC card for the LS100, and idea of cost?

Thnx,

Randy

[modwright]

Cost for upgrade is to be ~ $995.  SPDIF and USB 24/192 asynch inputs.

It will be another 6-8 weeks at this point.

Thanks,

Dan

[Audioclyde]

Cost for upgrade is to be ~ $995.  SPDIF and USB 24/192 asynch inputs.

It will be another 6-8 weeks at this point.

Thanks,

Dan

Great  !  Probably a dumb question, but I assume the output of the DAC will go through the LS 100's tube stage?

Thanks,

Randy

[modwright]

You bet, the output of the DAC WILL go through the preamp stage AS the analog stage.  One of the beauties of this approach is of course, less cabling, one less gainstage, and short signal paths!

I am excited about the new DAC design and will post when it is ready.  The phono upgrade is already available and has worked out well, after a couple of early revisions in the RIAA filter network.

Thanks,

Dan

[Audioclyde]

Just eagerly waiting for any news on the DAC board for the LS100!

At Axpona yesterday and heard some great DACs; wondering if you've settled on a chip yet (ESS or maybe Wolfson)?

Best,

Randy

[modwright]

Hi, still working on the DAC board for the LS 100.  DAC will not likely be ESS or Wolfson however.

Clocking will be proprietary, buffered and processor controlled for extremely low jitter.

USB input is the current delay - trying to decide best route to TRUE 24/192 USB input.

Thanks,

Dan