HiFi/Stereo - Sony SACD Mods
Warren Gregoire and Associates LLC
FOR THE DISCRIMINATING AUDIO ENTHUSIAST
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Sony SACD Modifications.
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SONY SUPER AUDIO CD PLAYER
ULTIMATE UPGRADE SERVICE
(or "We have heard the future of high fidelity
music reproduction, and it is here today!")

Modification of the popular Sony SACD players for improvement of their already very good musical sound quality has become a booming cottage industry. Small wonder, because these upgrades generally offer extremely significant, cost effective benefits that most listeners can readily discern and appreciate.

Typical changes include substituting a low-jitter clock module for the cheap crystal used by the manufacturer, sometimes accompanied by new power supply circuits for the clock, and often substitution of higher quality resistors, capacitors and connectors, in the signal path.

Good, although the preceding steps are, our esteemed associate Allen Wright of Vacuum State GmbH, Inc. was convinced that more was needed to completely unlock the enormous potential of this new ultra high resolution Sony/Phillips Direct Stream Digital (DSD)/Super Audio (SACD) format.

Allen went to work on the problem and quickly learned that when the high frequency response was allowed to continue to 100kHz (instead of Sony's conservative 60kHz), things came alive with more air and space around the instruments and voices.

And then, perhaps even more important, is the removal of the opamps, which the other mods leave unchanged. The typical Sony player includes four (yes, 4!) opamps per channel, each with a copious amount of transient intermodulation distortion, "covered up" by lots of time-smearing negative feedback, in the analog signal path. These constitute Sony's filter/buffer stage. This function is essential in a SACD player, but can be performed just as effectively without resorting to sound-quality degrading opamps.

A completely new high frequency filter/buffer amp, attenuates the unwanted ultrasonic noise from the DSD/SACD process, so that downstream amplifier stages will avoid being "confused" by these signal processing artifacts.

Replacing the opamps and their mass of associated capacitors and resistors entirely, this brand new Vacuum State single stage, filter/buffer amplifier is designed around low noise audio specific discrete bipolar devices, with all components, active and passive, carefully selected for top sound quality.

Instead of "robbing" supply voltage for the new output stage from the player, Allen has provided a state-of-the-art, toroidal transformer, analog (non-switching) power supply, complete with Schottky diodes, filter capacitors and his signature SuperReg current source/shunt regulator. He even provides a separate current source and shunt regulator for Vacuum State's new low jitter clock oscillator module.

All of this new circuitry is provided on a single circuit board which is installed by a highly skilled technician into existing free space inside the subject Sony SACD player. The signal to the upgrade module is taken from the Sony board before the DAC. No changes are made to the Sony analog audio section - it is simply not used.

Now additional developments by Allen Wright have been included in the standard package. They consist of a group of exotic high quality capacitors added to the Sony digital circuits, replacement of JFET's with NPN transistors and elimination of all negative feedback in the audio band. The parts are costly, and very high skill is required for installation. These new Level 1 through 4 enhancements are now included at the standard price. The benefit to the reproduced sound is dramatic!

Vacuum State Level 5 is now available, as an optional enhancement. It focuses exclusively on the critical master clock oscillator function. As part of Level 1 through 4 standard mod, a supberb, low jitter clock oscillator module from Tent engineering has been provisioned. However, it was mounted remotely on the Vacuum State output amplifier circuit board, and derived its DC supply voltage from the 12-volt rail of the subject player.

Allen Wright was curious to know what might happen if the clock module was placed within a few millimeters of the Sony's clock port, and fed with a state-of-the-art, ultra low noise voltage regulator circuit. He designed an ingenious circuit that then was offered to Warren Gregoire, and other installing agents, around the world, for a beta test. Warren and the other agents were ecstatic with the results. A few lucky clients purchased this UNL-1 arrangement (informally referred to as Level 4.5). Feedback has been very gratifying.

But, Allen still had "one more clock trick up his sleeve." If providing cleaner power to the clock made this much difference, in the context of the other Vacuum State mods, why not try the ultimate power supply solution. Allen specifiied a completely separate power transformer, rectifier bridge and filter capacitors to provide the DC input to the ultra low noise regulator. Many who have heard the results have been astounded at the sweeping improvement of all aspects of the reproduced sound. Allen has officially released the combination of the ultra low noise clock regulator, with its own AC power source as the long anticipated Level 5. It is offered now as a relatively inexpensive optional add-on to the standard Level 1 through 4 Vacuum State mod.

We are not aware of any other modification which is as extensive or as sonically effective as he combination of all five Vacuum State mods.

The sound? We thought we had "died and gone to Hi-Fi heaven." We consider it to at least equal, the most costly analog front ends. And we seriously doubt that many people have analog equipment that sounds as good as Vacuum State modified Sony SACD players.

We are sufficiently confident that you will be satisfied with this stellar sounding mod, that we will perform the service almost entirely at our risk. After having listened to your modified player for up to 30 days, if you should prefer to have the mod reversed, simply return the player to us. We shall then remove the new parts and restore the player to its original configuration and refund the full parts and labor purchase price, except the shipping and handling charge.

The mod only is applicable to the original, now manufacture discontinued USA marketed Sony SACD players- SCD-C333ES, DVP-S9000ES, SCD-777ES, SCD-1 models.

Owners of current Sony models ask us why we don't have mods for their newer players. The newer players generally have multichannel capability, but are sold at similar prices. All those extra channels cost extra money, so money must be taken out of the designs, somewhere. "Somewhere" likely includes "everywhere," particularly the transport mechanism. Also the new players feature a "larger scale of circuit integration" (meaning that more circuitry is placed on a single IC).-great for reducing Sony's manufacturing cost, but providing no opportunity for a Vacuum State mod to access raw DSD before undesirable processing by the Sony DAC.

But the Vacuum State "modifyable" discontinued Sony players are plentiful on the "used" market, as consumers rush to replace them with the "dumbed-down," new multichannel models. The most popular and cost effective model (DVP-S9000ES) is readily available for around $500. on http://www.audiogon.com and http://www.ebay.com If you are looking tor ultimates, try the SCD-1 at around $2,500. or SCD-777ES, about $1,300. These machines all have 5-year warranties in the U.S. Market, and were discontinued around 2002 to 2003. This implies Sony should have parts availability for many years to come. Don't be left out. Get your player quickly and easily on the used market before the supply is exhausted.

Redbook CD (RBCD) reproduction also in enhanced greatly by the Vacuum State mods. Listeners have commented that redbook, through the mod, sounds as good, or almost as good as SACD, without the mod. It is common for mod buyers to sell their expensive redbook DAC's, afterwards. This stellar RBCD performance is due to Sony's VC24 chip architecture, used only in these original players. The VC24 IC actually converts the redbook PCM to a DSD-like digital format, without any digital to analog conversion. Then the Vacuum State output amplifier/filter simply removes the spectrum higher than 100kHz, to eliminate the radio frequency digital noise. This is the only way we know of that RBCD can be listened to without using any form of traditional DAC. After hearing redbook this way, for the first time, many people cannot believe SACD could be better (But, if available, the SACD usually is better!).

The price of the mod, including all parts and labor, less shipping and handling charges, is typically $1,195. This reflects the standard Level 1 through 4 mods described above, and, new ultra-thin copper foil internal wiring. Level 5 optional add-on price is $300., with initial installation, $400. as a subsequent addition. Level 4.5 (ULN-1) to level 5 upgrade is available for $200. True dual differential balanced output is also available, call for details and pricing. Shipping charges are quoted individually, as rates vary with model, packaging, distance and carrier. Our limited warranty on the modification ONLY, is 5 years, parts and labor. Please be aware that Sony Corporation may take the position that this modification has completely voided their warranty, but in most cases, it is possible for us to remove the mod, temporarily, while the machine goes to Sony for free warranty service. Also note that we are not a Sony repair facility, and may or may not be able to perform repairs to a malfunctioning player. Our work on the Sony SACD player is confined mostly to installing (and repairing, if needed) the VSEI modification.

Level 5+ is now generally available and in stock. It applies only to the Sony SCD-1 and SCD-777ES, and it enhances only SACD and not Redbook CD (But, WOW, what an enhancement!).

Allen Wright has discovered that a much more pristine DSD signal is available in these big players, at an earlier point in the signal path than that which is used by all previous Vacuum State mods. No decoded Redbook signal appears at this point, so to preserve Redbook reproduction, the pickup point must be switched back and forth, depending upon whether an SACD or RBCD disk is being played. Allen's team has developed an ingenious switching circuit that takes information from the digital display board to switch back and forth, automatically. This costs an additional $300. when provided concurrent with a new mod, or $400., as a subsequent installation.

Find out what the reviewers are saying about level 5+:

http://www.dagogo.com/SonySCD777VSEI.html

We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover telephone orders.

More highly detailed information on this modification program, with photo images, is available on the Vacuum State Website. If you don't already have it, you will need free Adobe Acrobat Reader software to view these high definition PDF files. Here is a link to Adobe's Website, for a free download:

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html

If you already have the PDF Acrobat Reader software, go here to view the VSEI site:

http://www.vacuumstate.com/son-kits.htm

Please call us at 1-800-634-0094 with any questions you may have regarding these Sony SACD player modifications.

Free In-Home Demonstrations Available

If you live in, or near the San Francisco Bay Area and own one of the Sony SACD players listed above, you may be eligible for a free, no obligation, in-home demonstration of one of our Vacuum State modified players, in your system. Call us at 1-800-634-0094 for details.

30-Day Money Back Guarantee

In the unlikely event that you should not be fully satisfied with the Vacuum State modification, you may return the unit to us for removal and restoration of the player to the original stock configuration. Under these circumstances, we shall grant a refund of the purchase price, less shipping charges, during the first 30 days.

Five Year Limited Warranty for
Vacuum State Modification to
Sony SACD Players

Warren Gregoire and Associates LLC is pleased to offer a five year warranty which protects the purchaser in the event of a failure of the Vacuum State modification components caused by a manufacturing or installation defect.






Thank you for visiting us at Rocky Mountain Audiofest, in Denver, Colorado during October 2004. It was a pleasure to meet so many true enthusiasts! Be sure to join us at the next Rocky Mountain Audiofest, in Denver, Colorado, September 30 through October 2, 2005. For show details click here. http://www.audiofest.net

QUESTIONS? CALL NOW TOLL-FREE 1-800-634-0094

Specifications, prices and availability subject to change without notice.
Copyright 2006 Warren Gregoire and Associates LLC
All Rights Reserved.