Audio Reviews and Reviewers, Modded Players, and then some :)

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DTB300

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This has been a very good discussion with Tonepub (Jeff), but I thought I should move it from Mitt's thread (moderators - I hope this is ok with you) on vinyl setup. Sorry for the left-turn Mitt.

If I had a large trust fund eating a hole in my pocket, I would have the Bentley that I reviewed three issues ago not an 87 BMW with 200 thousand miles.
Exactly and it was my point for the NAIM - you bought it because you liked it not anything else.

The reason I've done that is because I take my job seriously.
And based on Tone Audio publication history, this is proven with each issue you put out.

We've done more than our share of reviewing gear at all price points. Every single issue of TONE has one highlighted piece of budget gear, every single issue has a piece of cool vintage gear and I even scour EBay and local garage sales to find recievers for forty bucks.
And this is what makes Tone Audio stand out over the other EZines or paper audio magazines out for our reading pleasures.

While I try very hard not to question or attack other reviewers, I felt that the Positive Feedback review of the Modwright player was flawed with the statement that it sounds as good as other ten thousand dollar players. If you'll notice, Robert Levi had no ten thousand dollar players to compare the Modwright player to when he wrote that review.
But his updated review stated:

"after a few days of running in, I can clearly and unequivocally report that the ModWright Sony 9100ES, plus new tube power supply, has reached an exalted level in ultra high value and performance compared to anything I've heard under $15,000! for CD/SACD reproduction."

Now to be fair here, he does not list the players at this point of the article. But then he comes back and states:

"The ModWright Sony with all-tube mods sounds like a juicy Grado Reference Cartridge combined with the speed and snap of a ZYX Airy 3. Increase the signal to noise ratio 50dBs or so and you get the idea! Just a tad short sonically of the resolution and dynamic slam of the Metronome for $22k [though the ModWright is more involving] and a smidge less musical than the $5600 E.A.R. Acute running straight into the power amps [used through a preamp there is no significant difference]."

Now this becomes VERY confusing. First he starts with $15k, then it is better is some aspects to a $22k player, but then it is not as good as $5600 player???

Steve Hoffman reviews the 9100 in Tone Audio, states what other components he is using, but never states other players, except the Modwright Denon 3910 as a comparison. But and at the end of the review he says:

"In conclusion, this is a world-class digital playback machine, able to hold its own with players costing considerably more."

I am a great fan of and really respect Steve Hoffman engineered sources. I visit and read posts on his forum and enjoy the education and banter at that site. But to be fair again, what is "considerably more"? $50, $100, $1000, $5000, $10,000? But the over all review makes you think it might be worth checking out and make your own opinion about it.

BIG PROBLEM WITH MODDED EQUIPMENT: Where do you audition such a player? And if you do not know someone with a player would you drop $2k - $4k on it without ever hearing it????? Scary.

Who is right with their OPINIONs on the Modwright? To me, NONE as it is just an opinion on a piece of equipment. It is a starting point for us buyers not the golden word.

If you sat down and listened to the Modwright on my reference system side by side with either of these five figure players, with EVERYTHING else being the same (power cords, interconnects and software), switching back and forth between input one and two, the difference would be readily apparent.
For the price difference of < $3k and 5 figures, I would EXPECT there to be a difference and it be readily apparent, it is just how much better is it and is it worth it? You can state your opinion, other reviewers can state their opinion, blah, blah, blah, but it is really up to us, the end user to make the final decision on worth and price.

But to also agree with your point, a publication like Tone Audio does their best to help education the buyer based on experience over time and components. Otherwise why are they in business?

But as much as so many of you would like us to find giant killer products, it's irresponsible writing for us to constantly make comments about how the inexpensive stuff outperforms the best stuff the industry has to offer when it doesn't.
And I am complete agreement here, and I really HOPE you and your magazine NEVER goes down that path. Be honest and straightforward with your reviews/opinions otherwise what good is your publication over public forum postings by end users?

I still prefer the Ayre player over the Modwright player for three thousand dollars. I think it sounds more tonally correct than the Modwright. That's my opinion and you can take it or leave it. I went to 70 live performances last year, amplified and acoustic. I listen to live music at musicians houses all the time. You can either take my advice or ignore it, it's up to you.
Advice? No, for me it is just another opinion on how a component sounds. I respect Tone Audio at this point in time just as I did Stereophile long ago :). Again I hope Tone stays the path of a great product for the audio community.

I also really respect Charles and his company along with the many satisfied customers they have. The continued growth of his company and products, shows he has to be doing something right. But it does not mean I have to like his products no matter what anyone else says.

So what if your new kid on the block preamp sounds 5 percent better than a CJ, BAT, ARC or McIntosh if the new kid isn't in business three years from now? Same thing with a heavily modded piece. That's your call to make, but the more modded stuff I've seen, the more discouraged I am with it.
Some will buy it some will not. There is really no way to determine if a company will continue to survive or not no matter how large or small they are or how long they have been around. As every one on this forum we all hope ML stays around for a long time, but you just never know what will happen, even with the new owners. If we could only predict such things one could only imagine..... :eek:

That's why I publish a hifi magazine.
And for me, I am glad Tone is around for reading.

Either you find value in what we have to say or you don't.
How true.
 
This has been a very good discussion with Tonepub (Jeff), but I thought I should move it from Mitt's thread (moderators - I hope this is ok with you) on vinyl setup. Sorry for the left-turn Mitt.

Nothing to be sorry about, it's a very worthy topic for discussion.
 

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