• 2 x Burr-Brown OPA-627 op amps on a custom module for a special vertical daughter board adaptor for the world's best audio op amp!
• 1 x Acme Audio cryo silver IEC AC inlet replacing the cheap stock connector
• 2 feet of DH Labs 23awg Revelation series pure 99.999% Silver solid core input signal wire, with Teflon tape-wrap dielectric
• 1 pair of premium Vampire direct gold plated over copper body RCA female jacks (L&R input)
• 4 x EAR large sorbothane isolation feet
• 14 x Black-Gate N and C-Series electrolytic capacitors for various input, output and PS locations.
• 2 x Rel-Cap TFT Teflon Film & Tin Foil coupling caps that bypass two polystyrene film and tin foil feedback capacitors
• 6 xJapanese Riken ½ watt precision 1% carbon film resistors are added to the signal path
• 1 sheet of SoundCoat chassis damping material cut and applied where applicable to damp the chassis
• 10 feet WBT 4% silver solder used throughout
• 8.5 hours labor
• 90 day warranty on new receivers, one year on all mod work

• One Ultra-Premium dual surface mount Analog Devices op amp, the AD862 replaces the cheap JRC part which is 1/20th its price.
• Two BlackGate C-grade output coupling capacitors
• One BlackGate standard-grade capacitor in the power supply
• Four 1% Polystyrene film and foil capacitors in the analog filter stage
• Two Riken Ohm½ and one watt 1% carbon comp resistors with gold-plated leads in signal path.
• Four Telefunken Fred-style soft recover diodes & one International Rectifier Hexfred ultra-fast soft recovery diode in the power supply
• One pair of premium machined Vampire "direct gold over copper body" Teflon insulated RCA female output jacks to replace the cheap stamped jack module in the stocker
• Install four small EAR brand compliant Sorbothane isolation feet with new mounting hardware
• Two sheets of Soundcoat chassis damping material cut & applied internally where applicable control chassis resonances
• Four lengths of DH Labs 99.999% pure solid-core long-grained silver output signal wires, with foamed Teflon tape wrap dielectric
• WBT high silver content (4%) solder is used throughout the mod 4.5 hours of labor
  

Our Level-2 mod covers upgrading of all critical signal path components in the analog audio path, from a pair of analog inputs (DVD in), to the main left and right channel pre-ou's. We also upgrade the front left and right speaker outputs as well as critical parts in the power amplifier.

The following details our very comprehensive Level 2-mod ($1,400 + shipping retrofit, $1,990 + shipping new):

• We upgrade the hypercritical input buffer op amps (2 duals). These replace the cheap, stock surface-mount parts (currently about $1 parts from Burr-Brown) with the very best op amps made for audio, also by Burr-Brown. We take their OPA-627-AUs and mount them to special smt-to-smt vertical adapters These are 50 times more expensive than the stock part. These parts dramatically enhance both the unit's technical and subjective audio performance. This upgrade alone is analogous to going from a 4 cylinder to a V12 twin-turboe engine!
• The 20 most critical signal resistors are changed to precision 1% Japanese-made Riekn Ohm Carbon comp types with gold-plated copper leads. These replace the cheap magnetic Asian-sourced metal-film stock resistors.
• All critical caps are changed to the best film and electrolytic types. We use 6 x REL-Cap Teflon TFT-Exotica bypasses. These are paralleled with 6 BlackGate N-Series coupling caps. These replace the cheapest quality generic electrolytic caps in the stock unit. This bypass coupling cap hybrid gives us the best of all worlds, bass and dynamics provided by a quality high value electrolytic with the speed, delicacy and high frequency sparkle achieved by adding a Teflon bypass cap.
• Precision 1% polystyrene film and tin foil caps (14) are added throughout, replacing cheap tantalum caps in the stock unit.
• Power supply capacitors have been upgraded with 12 BlackGate N, NX and STD series electrolytic caps. These replace the cheap ceramic and generic electrolytics.
• The analog audio signal currently flows through a minuscule tin/lead plated copper PCB trace. Our mod installs four leads of pure 99.999% 23-awg solid-core silver DH Labs wire with foamed Teflon tape-wrap insulated. This is the very best.
• The input RCA jacks (1 pr.) are changed from the cheap stamped metal (nickel-plated brass) and plastic types to precious machined Vampire RCA jacks. This jack uses a base material of OFC-Copper 3.5 times more conductive than brass,and directly gold-plated with no intermediate nickel. Nickel is magnetic,and not desirable.
• Chassis resonances are dampened with 2 sheets of SoundCoat(1sq. ft.) and external vibrations have been isolated via 4 large compliant EAR Sorbothane isolation feet.
• 9.We upgrade the AC input connector to a premium type Acme Audio that is silver-plated, cryogenically treated and offers a more robust connection to a mating AC power cord.
• We used WBT 4% silver solder throughout.
• The mod takes upwards of 9 hours to complete.
  

Part A. The new PCX-designed fully differentially balanced tube output buffer stage is installed, with concurrent output via both RCA and XLRsand its very own dedicated power supply PCB and toroidal power transformer - there are 3 modules in all. Info on the tube stage is as follows:

1. Two tube capacitor-coupled circuit, which can use a variety of tubes including 6DJ8s, 6922s, 7308s or any of their derivatives (The mod ships with Electro-Harmonix EH-6922s). It can also be used with the Russian super tube, the 6H30, made famous by both BAT and then ARC.

2. Parts quality: 5uf Auricap output coupling caps with Rel-Cap TFT Teflon bypasses; premium Azuma gold-plated ceramic PCB tube sockets; Riekn Ohm precision carbon comp resistors; AudioNote tantalum resistors; Cardas PCB-mount RCA jacks; Neutrik gold-plated XLR connectors.

3. Multiple fully regulated power supplies, all on their own distinct power supply PCB, featuring BlackGate electrolytic caps in critical locations and International Rectifier Hexfred ultra-fast soft recovery diodes.

4. Custom made 200% duty cycle, low noise, low stray field toroidal power transformer.

(Note: This vacuum tube-based output buffer stage can be installed into any playerR which has physical space for all 3 component parts. Although it was designed to be used with DAC chips which have differential output per channel, we can also install it into units which have traditional single-ended outputs.)

Part B. Our Level-2 mod is performed on the first two (of three, the 3rd is replaced by the tube output stage) stages of the Denon's overall analog output stage: the I-V (current-to-voltage) stage, the analog filter stage plus the associated Denon power Supply, which supplies these two stages.

• We upgrade the hyper-critical I-V and analog filter op amps, replacing the cheap stock surface mount parts (currently about 50 cents each from JRC) with the very best dual op amps offered by Burr-Brown, the OPA-627-AUs, mounted to special smt-to-smt vertical adapters (which are 50 times more expensive than the stock part). These parts dramatically enhance both the unit's technical and subjective audio performance. The 5910 Ultimate still uses 4 pcs. (not 6, as used in the Level 2) of these dual op-amp upgrade modules (2 were not needed as we now have the tube output buffer stage). For comparison purposes, op-amps of this quality are usually found in 2-channel products retailing for $5,000 - $10,000.
  

This upgrade alone is analogous to upgrading from a 4 cylinder to a V12 twin-turbo!

• The output signal currently exits these stages via a minuscule tin/lead plated printed circuit board (PCB) trace. However, in our mod, we use both shielded interconnect and hook-up wire which contains 99.999% pure, long-grain 23-awg solid-core silver DH Labs wire w/foamed Teflon wrap insulated (the very best).
• The critical signal resistors (22 in all) are changed to precision Japanese made Riken Ohm Carbon Comp types with gold-plated copper leads. These replace the cheap magnetic, China-sourced metal-film resistors.
• All critical caps are changed to the best Film and Electrolytic types
  • Five BlackGate FK and N Series caps replace the cheapest quality generic electrolytic caps in the stock unit.
  • Eighteen precision 1% polystyrene film and tin foil caps are installed in the analog filter stage, replacing the cheap tantalum caps in the stock unit.
• The power supply has been upgraded with eleven BlackGate FK, NX, STD series electrolytic caps. These replace the cheap ceramic and/or generic electrolytics currently employed. All critical analog supply diodes (currently generic quality) have been replaced with ultra-fast soft-recovery Fred type diodes. We use eight Vishay-Telefunken and nine International Rectifier Hecfreds Lastly, we install a pair of Bybee slipstream quantum purifiers after the AC inlet.
  

Part C. A new state-of-the-art "reference quality" master clock module,and associated power supply is installed.

• The Ultimate Mod incorporates the LC Audio X03 master clock module, featuring over 93 discrete parts (many surface mount), on a multi-layer PCB This new state of the art clock replaces a single cheap VCXO chip.
• As well, we install a custom designed dedicated power supply for this module. The result is state-of-the-art jitter performance which improves the sonic performance of both the 2-channel analog output,and digital SPDIF output! The clock makes all 6 channels of the unit perform better.
  

Part D. Chassis upgrades are performed to add necessary ventilation, damp chassis resonances, isolate the unit from external and internal vibrations and shield from both RFI and EMI.

• The chassis resonance' have been dampened with 2 sheets of SoundCoat.
• External vibrations have been isolated via four large compliant EAR Sorbothane feet.
• ERS EMI/RFI cloth is attached to critical locations to suppress stray EMI & RFI fields within the unit.
• Numerous ventilation holes are punched into the chassis and top cover to provide adequate airflow for the tubes, additional power transformer and additional power supply regulators for the new tube stage. These vent holes are then covered with an expanded aluminum mesh for safety purposes.
• We install a new male IEC inlet, from Acme Audio that is both silver-plated and cryogenically treated.
• Lastly, we used WBT 4% "lead free" Silver Solder throughout.

1. The DACs in the Denon (Burr-Brown PCM1792s) as well as in many other of today's top players utilize DAC chips which offer a push-pull output per channel, in essence a differentially balanced design. However, virtually all manufacturers sum this balanced design via cheap op amps to return it to single-ended later in the circuit. This dramatically compromises the potential of the unit. To take advantage of a balanced DAC, you need a fully balanced output stage to follow it. This is what the Ultimate Mod is all abou - to truly optimize the performance of today's best S.O.T.A. digital chips.

2. We can only accomplish so much via a pure "parts replacement" mod. To go even further, we must start with a clean sheet of paper and offer an output stage with the parts quality and topology worthy of a reference quality unit. This, in our view, can only be achieved with a vacuum tube output stage.

Due primarily to size constraints, the Ultimate Mod is performed on the front 2 channels only. We can perform our solid state Level-2 mod on any of the remaining 4 channels. The mod was designed to optimize critical stereo reproduction. It works on all sources, whether the source material is Redbook CD, SACD, DVD-A or any other format! All formats are equally improved. To reiterate, the same circuitry handles all formats so the mod won't improve one format more than the other. They all are greatly improved!

The mod was conceived and conceptually designed by Chris Johnson, founder and former president of Sonic Frontiers. He was joined by both Glenn Dolick and Zdenko Zivkovic (both former "senior" SFI design team members) in the actual execution, PCB design and electromechanical interfacing of this concept into the 5910.

The finished product is the best sounding player we have ever offered. It will quite comfortably compete with any player made regardless of price!

Our Level-1 mod ($990 + shipping retrofit, $3,790 + shipping for new machines) is the most cost-effective way to make the DVD-5910 a good bit sonically better than the stock unit and at a very reasonable cost. The mod is performed on the front left and right channels only, for critical stereo reproduction, whether the source material is Redbook, SACD, DVD-A or any other format. All formats are equally improved since the dominant portion of the mod is to the analog output stage. The signal for all of these formats goes through the very same digital chip sets and analog output stage, both. To reiterate, all the same circuitry, handles all formats, thus the mod won't improve one format more than the other, they all are greatly improved!

• 1We upgrade the hypercritical I-V analog filter and output buff op amps, replacing the cheap stock surface-mount parts (currently, about 50 cents eac, from JRC) with either the very best dual op amps offered by Analog Devices, or Burr-Brown OPA-627-AUs, mounted to special smt-to-smt vertical adapters (both of which are 30 to 50 times more expensive than the stock part). These parts dramatically enhance both the unit's technical and subjective audio performance. The 3910 Level 1 Mod uses 4 of these dual op amp upgrade modules. For comparison purposes, op amps of this quality are usually found in 2-channel products retailing for $5000 to $10,000+! This upgrade alone is analogous to going from 4 cylinder to a V12 twin-turbo car engine!
• The most critical caps are changed to the best Film and Electrolytic types....2 REL-Cap Teflon TFT-Exotica bypass, 2 paralleled BlackGate FK-Series coupling caps, replacing the cheapest quality generic electrolytic caps in the stock unit. This bypassed coupling cap hybrid provides us the best of all worlds - bass and dynamics provided by a quality high value electrolytic; and the high frequency sparkle and air achieved by adding a Teflon bypass cap!
• The output RCA jacks (1 pr.) are changed from the cheap stamped metal (nickel-plated brass) and plastic types to precious machined Vampire RCA jacks, using a base material of OFC-Copper (3.5 times more conductive than brass) and direct gold-plated. No intermediate nickel plating (which is magnetic and not desirable at all).
• The output signal currently exits via a minuscule tin/lead plated PCB trace. However, in our mod, we instead use 4 leads of pure 99.999% 23-awg solid-core silver DH Labs wire with foamed Teflon tape-wrap insulated (the very best).
• Chassis resonances have been dampened with SoundCoat (2 sheets - 1sq. ft.)
• External vibrations have been isolated via 4 large compliant EAR Sorbothane feet.
• We used WBT 4% silver solder throughout...and the mod takes upwards of 9 hours to complete.
  

A-la-carte options:

• To perform an equivalent quality center (3rd) channel mod, which adds $600 retail.
• To add an upgraded Master Reference Clock from either LC Audio or AudioCom (giving the unit state-of-the-art jitter performance, which benefits both the digital and analog outputs). This adds another $480 installed (Clock, Power Supply and Install Labor).
• To add a pair of Bybee "Slipstream" Quantum Purifiers to the power supply (just after the AC line input). Thi s adds $195/pr. installed.

The following details the Level-2 mod ($2,400 + shipping 2-channel retrofit; $2,990 + shipping 3-channel retrofit; $4,990/5,590 for new fully warrantied machines respectively):

• We upgrade the hypercritical I-V, analog filter and output buffer op amps, replacing the cheap stock surface- mount parts (currently, about 50 cents each from JRC) with either the very best dual op amps offered by Analog Devices or Burr-Brown OPA-627-AUs, mounted to special smt-to-smt vertical adapters (both of which are 30 to 50 times more expensive than the stock part). These parts dramatically enhance both the unit's technical and subjective audio performance. The 3910 Level-2 Mod uses 4 of these dual op amp upgrade modules. For comparison purposes, op amps of this quality are usually found in 2-channel products retailing for $5000 to $10,000+! This upgrade alone is analogous going from a 4 cylinder to a V12 twin-turbo car engine!
• The output stage is now biased into Class A to provide added tonal purity and effortlessness of presentation.
• We add an upgraded Master Reference Clock from LC Audio, giving the unit state-of-the-art jitter performance, which benefits both the digital and analog outputs. We also build and install a dedicated power supply to run the clock.
• The power supply and digital stages have been upgraded with 17 BlackGate FK, NX and STD series electrolytic caps. These replace the cheap ceramic and generic electrolytics. All critical analog supply diodes, currently generic quality, have been replaced with ultra-fast soft-recovery Fred type diodes. We use 9 Vishay-Telefunken and 9 nternational Rectifier Hexfreds.
• The critical signal resistors (22 in all) are changed to precision Japanese made Riken Ohm Carbon comp types with gold-plated copper leads (replacing cheap magnetic China-sourced metal-film resistors).
• All critical caps changed to the best film and electrolytic types, Rel-Cap Teflon TFT-Exotica. These bypass the new Auricap metallized polypropylene coupling caps + paralleled BlackGate FK-Series coupling caps. These replace the cheapest quality generic electrolytic caps in the stock unit. This double-bypassed coupling cap hybrid gives us the best of all worlds - bass and dynamics provided by a quality high value electrolytic and the tonal purity of a world-class film cap while at the same time giving us the speed, delicacy and high frequency sparkle achieved by adding a Teflon bypass cap!
• 18 precision 1% polystyrene film and tin foil caps are used in the analog filter. These replace the cheap tantalum caps in the stock unit.
• We add a pair of Bybee "Slipstream" Quantum Purifiers to the power supply just after the AC line input.
• The output RCA jacks (1 pr.) are changed from the cheap stamped metal (nickel-plated brass) and plastic types to precious machined Vampire RCA jacks, using a base material of OFC-Copper (3.5 times more conductive than brass), and direct gold-plated with no intermediate nickel (which is magnetic, and not desirable at all).
• The output signal currently exits via a minuscule tin/lead plated PCB trace. However, in our mod, we use 4 leads of pure 99.999% 23-awg solid-core silver DH Labs wire with foamed Teflon tape-wrap insulated (the very best).
• The chassis resonances have been dampened with SoundCoat (2 sheets - 1sq. ft.) and external vibrations have been isolated via (4) large compliant EAR Sorbothane feet.
• We used WBT 4% silver solder throughout.
• The mod takes upwards of 12 hours to complete.
  

The upgrade mod and custom tube stage installation takes upwards of 15 hours to complete. This includes unpacking, disassembly, chassis remanufacturing, PCB module assembly, component part upgrading, reassembly, testing and repacking.

Options: To perform a center channel Level-2 mod adds $600, to perform a Level-2 upgrade mod on all 4 additional channels (3 thru 6) bundles forr $1900.

Our brand-new Ultimate modification, first offered on the Denon DVD-3910
Our fully balanced Ultimate tube output stage for the Denon DVD-3910 has been in development for one year. We decided to pursue it because the DACs in the Denon as well as in many other players are internally fully balanced. However, virtually all manufacturers take these balanced DAC and run them through cheap opamps to convert them to single-ended. This drastically compromises the performance potential. To take advantage of a balanced DAC, a fully balanced output stage is required to follow it. This is what the Ultimate mod is about: to truly optimize the performance of today's best state-of-the-art converters.

The Denon DVD-3910 Ultimate mod [$2,790 retrofit + freight, $3,990 new unit +freight] breaks down into 4 parts:

• Part A: The new PCX-designed fully differential/balanced tube output buffer stage is installed, offering concurrent output via both RCAs and XLRs and its very own dedicated power supply pcb,and toroidal power transformer - three modules in total.
  
  
• The tube output stage contains the following:
• Two-tube capacitor-coupled circuit, which can use a variety of tubes including 6DJ8s, 6922s, 7308s or any of their derivatives. (The mod ships with Electro-Harmonix EH-6922s). It can also be used with the Russian super tube, the 6H30made famous by both BAT and then ARC.
• Parts quality: 5uf Auricap output coupling caps with Rel-Cap TFT Teflon bypasses; premium Azuma gold-plated ceramic pcb tube sockets; Riken precision carbon comp resistors; Audio Note tantalum resistors; Cardas PCB-mount RCA jacks; Neutrik gold-plated XLR connectors
• Multiple fully regulated power supplies all on their own distinct power supply pcb featuring BlackGate electrolytic caps in critical locations and International Rectifier Hexfred ultra-fast soft recovery diodes.
• Custom-made 200% duty cycle, low noise, low stray field toroidal power transformer.
  

This module was conceptually designed by Chris Johnson, Sonic Frontier's founder and former president. The actual circuit design and electromechanical integration was developed by two of SFI's former senior designers,Glenn Dolick and Zdenko Zivkovic.This vacuum tube-based output buffer stage can be installed into any player which has the physical space for all 3 component parts. Although it was designed to be used with DACs with differential output per channel, we can install it into units which have traditional single-ended outputs.

Part B: Our Level-2 mod is added to the first two (the 3rd is replaced by the tube output stage) stages of the Denon's combined analog output stage: the I-V current-to-voltage stage, the analog filter stage and the associated Denon power supply, which supplies these two stages.

• We upgrade the hypercritical I-V and analog filter op amps by replacing the cheap stock surface-mount parts (currently about 50 cents each from JRC) with the very best dual op amps offered by Burr-Brown. These OPA-627-AUs are mounted to special smt-to-smt vertical adapters (which are 50 times more expensive than the stock part). These parts dramatically enhance both the unit's technical and subjective audio performance. The 3910 Ultimate mod still uses 4 of these dual op-amp modules (not 6 as used in the Level 2 since two are replaced by the tube output stage). For comparison purposes, op amps of this quality are usually found in 2-channel products retailing for $5,000 to $10,000. This upgrade alone is analogous to replacing a V4 engine with a V12 twin-turbo.
• The output signal currently exits these stages via a minuscule tin/lead plated printed circuit board trace. We replace that withshielded interconnect and hookup wire which contains 99.999% pure, long-grain 23-awg solid-core silver DH Labs wire with the very best foamed Teflon tape-wrap insulation.
• The critical signal path resistors (22 in all) are changed to precision Japanese made Riken Ohm carbon comp types with gold-plated copper leads to eliminate the cheap magnetic China-sourced metal-film resistors.
• All critical caps are changed to the best film and electrolytic types:
  • 5 x BlackGate FK and N Series caps replace the cheapest-qualityelectrolytic caps in the stock unit
  • 14 x precision 1% polystyrene film and tin foil caps are installed in the analog filter stage, replacing the cheap tantalum caps in the stock unit
  • The power supply receives 9 x BlackGate FK, NX andSTD series electrolytic caps. These replace the cheap ceramic and/or generic electrolytics. All critical analog supply diodes (currently generic quality) are upgraded with ultra-fast soft-recovery Fred type diodes. We use 4 x Vishay-Telefunken and 5 x International Rectifier Hexfreds.
    

Part C: We install a new state-of-the-art "reference quality" Master Clock module and associated power supply. The Ultimate Mod incorporates the LC Audio X03 Master Clock module featuring over 93 discrete parts (many surface mounts) on a multilayer pcb. This new state of the art clock replaces a single cheap VCXO chip. We also add a custom-designed dedicated power supply for this module. The result is state-of-the-art jitter performance which improves the sonic performance of both the 2-channel analog output the and digital S/PDIF output! The clock makes all 6 channels of the unit perform better.

Part D: We perform chassis upgrades to add the necessary ventilation, damp chassis resonances, isolate the unit from external and internal vibrations and shield it from both RFI and EMI.

We add 2 sheets of SoundCoat to damp chassis resonance.

External vibrations are isolated via 4 x large compliant EAR Sorbothane feet

ERS EMI/RFI cloth is attached to critical locations to suppress stray EMI &RFI fields within the unit

Numerous ventilation holes are punched into the chassis and top cover to provide adequate airflow for the tubes, additional power transformer and additional power supply regulators for the new tube output stage. These vent holes are then covered with an expanded aluminum mesh for safety reasons.

We used WBT 4% lead-free silver solder throughout

The upgrade mod and custom tube stage installation takes upwards of 14 hours to complete. This includes unpacking, disassembly, chassis remanufacturing, PCB module assembly, component part upgrading, reassembly, testing & repacking.

Options:

Perform a center channel Level-2 mod adds $600

To perform a Level-2 upgrade mod on all 4 additional channels (3 thru 6) adds $1900

To add a pair of Bybee Slipstream Quantum Purifiers to the power supply, just after the AC line input, adds $190/pr installed

Warranty:

Modified units carry a 1-year warranty on all work performed. We also warranty the untouched portions of new units for 90 days for parts & labor.

The following details our Level-1 modification [$650 + freight retrofit, $1290 + freight for new machines, add $450 for center channel - new machines + clock are $1,750 + freight]

• We upgrade the output bugger op amps, replacing the cheap stock surface mount parts (currently about 50 cents each from JRC) with Analog Devices AD8620 (which are 30 times more expensive than the stock part). These parts dramatically enhance both the unit's technical and subjective audio performance. The 2910 Level 1 Mod uses two pieces of these dual op amp upgrade modules. For comparison purposes, op amps of this quality are usually found in 2-channel products retailing for $5K and above! This upgrade alone is analogous to putting a new high performance engine in your car -.from a 4 cylinder to a V8.
• We bias the output stage into Class A to sonically add tonal purity and effortlessness to the presentation.
• The critical signal resistors (10 in all) are changed to precision Japanese Riken Ohm Carbon Comp types with gold-plated copper leads. These replace the cheap magnetic China-sourced metal-film resistors.
• All critical capacitors are changed to the best film and electrolytic types - 2 x Black Gate FK-Series coupling caps replace the cheapest quality generic electrolytic caps of the stock unit.
• 4 x precision 1% polystyrene film and tin foil caps are added to the analog filter. These replace the cheap tantalum caps in the stock unit. We also add two Multicap RTX polystyrene and tin foil caps.
• The power supply and digital stages have been upgraded with 5 x Black Gate FK, NX and STD Series electrolytic caps. These replace the cheap ceramic and generic electrolytics.
• All critical analog power supply diodes, currently generic quality, are replaced with ultra-fast soft-recovery Fred type diodes. In the Level-1, we use 5 xInternational Rectifier Hexfreds.
• Chassis resonances are dampened with two sheets of SoundCoat and external vibrations are isolated via 4 x large compliant EAR Sorbothane feet.
• We use WBT 4% silver solder throughout.
• The mod takes 7.5 hours to complete.

Level-2 mod [$1,090 + freight retrofit, $1,690 + freight for new machines, $2,090 for new machines with upgraded clock]:

• We add the best Burr Brown op amps in place of the Analog Devices AD-8620 used in the Level-1. These four $25/ea. Burr-Brown OPA-627AUs are mounted on special surface mount to surface mount vertical adapters. This upgrade is like adding a V-12 turbo to the unit!
• Two very expensive REL-Cap Teflon TFT-Exotica bypass caps are used to bypass the two paralleled Black Gate FK-Series coupling caps used in the Level-1 mod. This double-bypassed coupling cap hybrid gives us the best of all worlds - bass and dynamics provided by a quality high value electrolytic; and the speed, delicacy and high frequency sparkle achieved by adding a Teflon bypass cap!
• The output RCA jacks (1 pr.) are changed from the cheap stamped metal (nickel-plated brass) and plastic types to precious machined Vampire RCA jacks, using a base material of OFC-Copper (3.5 times more conductive than brass), and direct gold-plated without intermediate nickel plating (which is magnetic and not desirable).
• The output signal currently exits via a minuscule tin/lead plated PCB trace. However, in our mod, we upgrade these to four pieces of pure 99.999% 23-AWG solid-core silver DH Labs wire with foamed Teflon tape-wrap insulated (the very best).
• The Level-1 uses 10 upgraded signal resistors, which are changed to the precision Japanese made Riken Ohm Carbon Comp types with gold-plated copper leads. In the Level-2 we use 20 of these resistors for more clarity and warmth.
• In the Level-2, we use twice as many precision 1% polystyrene film and tin foil caps in the analog filter. We use 8 in the Level-2 versus only 4 in the Level-1.
• We add two more Black Gate capacitors in the power supply and digital stages for a total of 7.
• There are an additional 1.5 hours of labor in the Level-2 for a total of 7.5 hours.

Denon DVD-3910 Level-1 mod - $2,190 + shipping for new modified machines ($1050 retro-fit to your machine, add $600 for center-channel on either new or pre-owned units, add $1,900 for channels 3-6, add $480 for Audiocom Superclock II/LC Audio upgrade when purchased together with the Level-1 mod package, add $180 for a pair of Bybee Slipstream Quantum Purifiers installed in the power supply right behind the AC inlet)

Our Level-1 mod installs:

• We upgrade the hypercritical I-V, analog filter and output buiffer op amps to replace the cheap stock "surface mount" parts (currently about 50 cents each from JRC) with AD8620, the very best dual op amps offered by Analog Devices, mounted to special smt-to-smt vertical adapters (this opamp is 30 times more expensive than the stock part). This part dramatically enhances both the unit's technical and subjective audio performance. The 3910 Level 1 Mod uses 4 of these dual op amp upgrade modules. For comparison purposes, op amps of this quality are usually found in 2-channel products retailing for $3000 to $5,000 USD + ! This upgrade alone is analogous to hotrodding a car from a 4 cylinder to a V8 twin-turbo!
  
• The output stage is biased into Class A. to provide added tonal purity and effortlessness of presentation. This is an improvement over the older 2900/5900 mod.
  
• One pair of output RCA jacks is changed from the cheap stamped nickel-plated brass and plastic types to precious machined Vampire RCA jacks, using a base material of OFC-Copper (3.5 times more conductive than brass) and direct gold plating with no intermediate nickel plating (which is magnetic and not desirable)
  
• The output signal currently exits via a minuscule tin/lead plated PCB trace. Our mod uses 4 legs of pure 99.999% 23-awg solid-core silver DH Labs wire with foamed Teflon tape-wrap dielectric (the very best).
  
• 22 critical signal resistors are changed to precision Japanese-made Riken Ohm Carbon Comp types with gold-plated copper leads (replacing cheap, magnetic, China-sourced metal-film resistors).
  
• All critical caps are replaced with the best Electrolytic types - 2 x Auricap metallized polypropylene coupling caps + 2 x paralleled Black Gate FK-Series coupling caps, eliminating the cheapest-quality generic electrolytic caps in the stock unit. This bypassed coupling cap hybrid gives us the bass and dynamics provided by a "quality" high value electrolytic and the tonal purity of a world-class film cap.
  
• 14 precision 1% polystyrene film and tin foil caps enter the analog filter to replace cheap tantalum caps in the stock unit.
  
• The power supply and digital stages are upgraded with 15 Black Gate FK, NX, STD series electrolytic caps replacing cheap ceramic and/or generic electrolytics and all critical analog supply diodes (currently generic quality) are replaced with ultra-fast soft-recovery Fred type diodes - 4 x Vishay-Telefunken and 5 x) International Rectifier Hexfreds.
  
• The chassis resonances are damped with 2 sheets of 1squ.ft SoundCoat )
  
• External vibrations are isolated via 4 large compliant Ear Sorbothane feet.
  
• We use WBT 4% silver solder throughout.
  
• The mod takes approximately 7 hours to complete.
  

Our Level-2 mod improves the DVD-3910 even further by adding:

• Burr Brown OPA-627 Opamps in custom surface mounting boards to add the best dynamics and midrange performance closest to tube performance. These are the same opamps used in $10,000 machines. They are sonically the best made.
• Two REL-Cap Teflon TFT-Exotica bypass caps. This double-bypassed coupling cap hybrid gives us the best of all worlds - improved bass and dynamics provided by a "quality" high value electrolytic; the tonal purity of a world-class film cap; and the speed, delicacy and high frequency sparkle achieved by adding a Teflon bypass cap!

The 2-channel Level-2 mod is $2,450 for new modified machines and $1250 retrofit.

"All I can say is this is the best SACD and DVD-A reproduction I have heard in my room. It is so good that I have brought my Walker Proscenium turntable ($30,000) with Kondo IO-J cartridge and wire ($15,000) for updating, asking Lloyd Walker to take his time as I am happy with pure digital for the first time. That, my friends, is how good this unit is. So far this unit is lining up as my product of the year."

Dr. Bill Gaw, Enjoy The Music.com (for full review of modified DVD-2900, click here)

Our standard Level-1 mod is performed on the front left/right channels only to augment critical stereo reproduction for RedBook CD, DVD-A and SACD playback All formats are equally effected since the dominant portion of the mod is to the analog output stage. However, we can install this mod for 3 or even all 5.1 channels if requested.

Our Level-1 2-channel mod installs:

• We upgrade the critical I-V and output buffer op amps, replacing the 50 cents/ea. stock parts with the best dual op amps Analog Devices chips which are 50 times more expensive than the stock parts, to dramatically enhance both the unit's technical and subjective audio performance.The 5900 Level-1 Mod uses 4 Analog Devices AD8620.
• The output RCA jacks are changed from the cheap stamped metal and plastic types to precious machined Vampire terminals, using an OFC copper base (3.5 times more conductive than brass) with direct gold plating to avoid any intermediate nickel.
• The output signal exits not via a miniscule tin/lead plated PCB trace, but via 4 discrete flying leads of pure 99.99% 23-gauge solid-core silver DH Labs Teflon-insulated wire.
• 22 critical signal resistors are changed to precision Japanese-made Riken Ohm Carbon-comp types with gold-plated copper leads to replace the cheap, magnetic Taiwanese stock resistors.
• All critical caps are changed to the best film and electrolytic types: 2 Rel-Cap Teflon bypasses for 4 Black Gate FK series coupling caps and 22 polystyrene units in the analog filter.
• The chassis resonances have been dampened with 1 sq.ft of SoundCoat and external vibrations are isolated by 4 large compliant EAR Sorbothane feet.
• The power supply is upgraded with 15 Black Gate FK, NX and STD series electrolytic caps and all critical analog supply diodes (currently generic quality) are replaced with 4 ultra-fast soft-recovery Fred-type Telefunken diodes and 8 IR Hexfreds.
• We use WBT 4% silver solder throughout.
• The mod takes 8 hours of intensive labor to complete and carries a 90-day warranty.

Sonic benefits of our Level-1 mod:

• Bass slam and extension are dramatically improved, with fuller weight and authority in the critical mid-bass region. It now competes with much more expensive players in this important area.
• The unit is quieter, the blacks are blacker to resolving more low level detail and ambience retrieval.
• It is smoother, with a more liquid midrange.The solid state glare has been replaced by a more neutral presentation.
• The unit is more dynamic, with both macro and micro dynamic contrasts improved. There is much more air in the presentation.Transparency is improved and one can now look farther into the soundstage.

Sonic benefits of our Level-1 mod:

Finally, a great sounding multi-channel all format-player for audiophiles is available. The Denon DVD-2900 starts life as a CD Redbook/SACD/DVD-Audio multi-player that is an exceptional progressive scan video player and uses some of the best Burr Brown 1790-series digital parts for audio. The analog-stage, however, is a major disappointment. The results are a great video player that is mediocre on audio. Our new Level-1 mod transforms this player on either 2 (L/R) or 3 channels (L/C/R) to a level that any audiophile would be proud to use as the centerpiece of a very expensive audio system. The finished product easily outperforms Denon own DVD- 9000 as an audio player for far less money.

For critical stereo reproduction, the basic Level-1 mod is performed on the front left/right channels only to significantly improve performance whether the source is Redbook CD, DVD-AUDIO, SACD or any other format! All formats are equally effected since the dominant portion of the mod addresses the analog output stage. Upon request, we can add a specific center channel mod and dramatically upgrade it as well for those wanting exceptional multi-channel performance.

The sonic transformation is amazing. This player is now much smoother, with a far more liquid midrange, the solid state glare replaced with a neutral presentation that isn't tubes but much closer to what a tube player can offer. This alone makes the mod well worth the price. But there's more.

The unit's noise floor is lower, the black of silences is blacker to resolve more low level detail and ambience retrieval. The unit is more dynamic, micro dynamic contrasts much improved. Highs seem to go on forever and there is much more air in the presentation. Transparency is improved and you can now look farther into the soundstage. Images are sized better and more focused. Stage width and depth improve. Bass slam and extension are dramatically improved, with fuller weight and new authority in the critical mid-bass region. The DVD 2900 now competes with much more expensive players in this important area.

Sonic benefits of the upgraded digital clock:

The upgraded clock dramatically lowers jitter in the digital section of the unit. The sonic benefits are more low level resolution and inner detail, with a more defined soundstage and greater image width. With the clock, the DVD-2900 is an amazing machine that competes with Hi-End machines selling for three times its price. Our first customer with the Superclock felt that it handily outperformed his $5000.00 Sony SCD-1!

The Denon DVD-2900 retro-fitted Level-1 mod carries a 90-day parts & labor warranty. The same warranty applies to the mod on new machines purchased from us.

Denon DVD-2900 Level-1 mod - $1,790 + shipping for new modified machines ($900 retro-fit to your machine, add $450 for center-channel on either new or pre-owned units, add $480 for Audiocom Superclock II/LC Audio upgrade when purchased together with the Level-1 mod package)

Our Level-1 mod installs:

• We upgrade the critical I/V conversion and output buffer op amps, replacing the stock parts (about 50 cents each) with the best single and dual op amps available (Burr-Brown OPA-627's, requiring a dual DIP to single SMT adaptor pcb - and SMT packaged-only Analog Devices AD8620) which are 50 to 100 times as expensive as the stock parts. These upgrades dramatically enhance both the unit's technical and subjective audio performance. Our mod uses 2 of our custom Analog Devices AD8620 and 2 of our custom Burr-Brown OPA627 adapter pcb's.
  
• The main output RCA jack pair is changed from the cheap stamped metal and plastic types to precious machined Vampire RCA jacks, using a base material of OFC-Copper (3.5 times more conductive than brass), and direct gold plating without any intermediate nickel.
  
• The output signal exits not via a miniscule tin/lead plated pcb trace, but by pure 99.99% 23 awg solid-core silver DH Labs wire with Teflon insulation.
  
• 22 critical signal-path resistors are upgraded to precision Japanese-made Riken Ohm Carbon Comp types with gold-plated copper leads to replace cheap magnetic Taiwanese units.
  
• All critical caps are upgraded to the best film and electrolytic types - 2 Rel-Cap Teflon bypass caps; 4 BlackGate KF Series coupling caps; and 10 polystyrene analog filter caps.
  
• Chassis resonances are dampened with 1 sq.ft of SoundCoat and external vibrations have been isolated via four compliant EAR Sorbothane feet.
  
• The power supply is upgraded with 6 BlackGate FK and NX series electrolytic caps and all critical analog supply diodes (generic stock quality) are replaced with ultra-fast soft-recovery Fred type diodes (1 Telefunken and 5 IR Hexfreds).
  
• We use WBT 4% silver solder for all parts replacements.
  
• The mod takes upwards of 6.5 hours to complete and carries a 90-day warranty.

The optional Superclock kit upgrade installs:

• Our custom designed and dedicated power supply and Audiocom's Superclock II/LC Audio clock kit
  

Sonic benefits of our Level-1 mod:

Bass slam and extension are dramatically improved, with fuller weight and authority in the critical mid-bass region. It now competes with much more expensive players in this important area.

The unit is quieter, the blacks are blacker to resolving more low level detail and ambience retrieval.

It is smoother, with a more liquid midrange.The solid state glare has been replaced by a more neutral presentation.

The unit is more dynamic, with both macro and micro dynamic contrasts improved. There is much more air in the presentation.Transparency is improved and one can now look farther into the soundstage.

We provide a 90-day parts & labor warranty on all new modified units and on our work on after-market mods.

Denon DVD-2200 Level-1 mod - $1,250/1,595 for 2/3-channel upgrades + shipping for new modified machines ($750/1,125 retro-fit to your machine, , add $480 for Audiocom or LC-Audio Superclock with dedicated custom power supply upgrade when purchased together with the Level-1 mod package)

Unless by request, the Level-1 mod is performend on the front left/right channels (truly dedicated videophiles can add the center channel for the above 3-channel rate) to benefit 2-channel music in Redbook CD, DVD-Audio or SACD playback. All formats are equally improved since the dominant portion of the mod is to the analog output stage.

Our Level-1 mod installs:

• We upgrade the critical I-V and output buffer op amps by replacing the stock parts (currently, about 50 cent/ea.) with the best dual SMT-packaged Analog Devices AD8620 op amps on the market today, retailing for almost 50 times that of the stock parts. These parts dramatically enhance both the unit's technical and subjective audio performance. Installation of the two AD8620s requires a thru-hole DIP adaptor PCB in one location.
• The output RCA jack pair is changed from the cheap stamped metal and plastic types to precious machined Vampire RCA jacks, using a base material of OFC-Copper (3.5 times more conductive than brass), and direct gold-plating without any intermediate nickel plating.
• The output signal exits not via the stock miniscule tin/lead plated pcb trace, but by pure 99.99% 23-AWG solid-core silver DH LABS wire with foamed teflon "tape-wrap" dielectric.
• The 16 most critical signal resistors are changed to precision 1% Japanese made Riken Ohm carbon-Composite types with gold-plated copper leads. These replace the cheap, magnetic stock Taiwanese resistors.
• All critical capacitors are changed to the best film and electrolytic types - 4 x Black Gate FK-Series output coupling caps and 6 x polystyrene film and foil caps in the analog filter.
• Chassis resonances are dampened with 2 x 1sqt. Soundcoat sheets and external vibrations aren isolated via 4 x compliant EAR Sorbothane feet.
• All five critical analog power supply diodes (currently cheap generic quality) have been replaced with ultra-fast soft-recovery IR Hexfred type diodes
• We use WBT 4% silver solder throughout.
• The mod takes upwards of 4.5 hours of skilled labor to complete and carries a 90-day warranty.