• 2 sheets of SoundCoat chassis damping material cut & applied where applicable
• 2 feet of DH Labs 23 awg 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
• 4 Riken precision carbon film ½ watt signal resistors, 1%, with gold-plated leads
• 2 Black-Gate C-Series electrolytic capacitors (signal coupling)
• 2 Rel-Cap TFT teflon film and tin foil input coupling (to amp stage) bypass caps
• 2 dual BurrBrown OPA-627 op amp modules (on DIP daughter boards). These are the world's best audio op amps!
• 4 Vishay Telefunken ultra-fast soft recovery diodes
• 4 EAR large sorbothane isolation feet
• 10 feet WBT Solder used throughout
• 4.5 hours labor

Sonic improvements of the mini modification:
We improve the midrange and make the unit sound more liquid and warmer. This was a major design goal of the mod and we think that we have accomplished the task. The stock unit is good while the modified unit clearly better in the midrange.
Imaging is more focused while the soundstage is both deeper and wider.
The amp is quieter, silences are blacker to resolve more low-level detail, ambiance and three-dimensionality.
Transparency is dramatically improved. You get a cleaner look into the musical soundstage.
Dynamics are improved. Its like the amp gains more power. The stock unit is rated at 50 watts. The modified unit seems to play like a bigger amp.

Bass response is improved. Mid-bass slam is much improved.
Treble detail is improved and now keeps up with far more expensive amps.

• One pair of premium Vampire “direct gold plated over copper body” RCA female jacks to replace the cheap stamped nickel jacks of the stock unit.
• 4 Riken precision Carbon Film ½ watt 1% signal path resistors,
• 2 Black Gate C-Series electrolytic coupling capacitors
• 2 Rel-Cap TFT Teflon Film and Tin Foil input coupling bypass caps for the amp stage.
• 2 dual SMT-style Analog Devices OPA-8066 op amps (on DIP daughter boards).This is a substantial upgrade over the stock opamps.
• 4 Vishay-Telefunken ultra-fast soft recovery diodes.
• 1 sheet of Soundcoat chassis damping material cut and applied where applicable.
• 2feet of DH Labs 23 gauge “Revelation series” pure 99.999% silver solid core input signal wire with Teflon tape-wrap dielectric.
• 10 feet WBT Solder used throughout.
• 3.5 hours labor.

• We install two BlackGate output coupling capacitors
• 4 x 1% polystyrene film and foil capacitors are added in the analog filter stage
• 6 x Riken Ohm ½ and one watt signal path 1% gold-plated leads carbon comp resistors are added in the signal path
• 4 x IR Hexfred ultra-fast soft recovery diodes are installed in the power supply
• 1 pair of premium machined Vampire direct gold-plated-over-copper-body Teflon-insulated RCA female jacks replace the cheap stamped jack modules
• We install four small EAR brand Sorbothane isolation feet with new mounting hardware.
• 2 sheets of SoundCoat chassis damping material are cut & applied where applicable to control chassis resonances
• We add 4 x 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 used throughout
• 3 hours labor
• The 12-month Music Hall factory warranty is good on our modified players
  

Options:

• Add 4 mirror imaged Burr Brown OPA-627 opamps to replace the inexpensive 2604 opamps in the stock machine - $120
• Add an LC Audio clock and dedicated power supply to run it - $380
  

Our Music Hall CD-25.2 transport mod is superb and as good as any transports that we know of at under $5k.

The basic $600 player is in an all metal chassis and uses the Philips VAM transport. Once modified, the finished transport will easily compete with any transport we know of under $5k.

The following details our Transport Mod [$850 + frt retrofit, $1,280 + frt preinstalled]:

• One premium machined Vampire direct gold plated over copper body Teflon insulated RCA female jack on the digital output replace the cheap stamped jack module on the stock player.
• 1 x Dexa Technologies 16.9344 Meg D-Clock master clock added for world-class jitter performance
• We install 4 small EAR brand Sorbothane isolation feet with new mounting hardware
• 1 sheet of Soundcoat chassis damping material is cut and applied where applicable, to control chassis resonances.
• 2 pieces of DH Labs 99.999% pure solid-core long-grained silver output signal wires, with foamed Teflon tape wrap dielectric
• 4 Black-Gate STD, N and NX series electrolytic capacitors
• 1 sheet of ERS suppression paper is added to suppress EMI and RFI.
• 4 x Riken Ohm ½ watt "signal path" 1% carbon comp. resistors (gold-plated leads)
• 4 IR Hexfred ultra-fast soft recovery diodes are installed in the power supply
• WBT high silver content (4%) solder used throughout
• 4 hours labor

The finished player outputs an ultra clean jitter free signal to go to your DAC. You can spend more for cosmetics but get little in the way of enhanced performance.

The full factory warranty is honored on the modified player

Compare this to any high end transport at any price and you will be amazed

Music Hall CD25.2 CD Player Level-2 mod - $1,350 + shipping ($880 retro-fit)

• We install 8 x BlackGate capacitors. These are two output coupling caps plus six additional 10uf/16V and 220uf/ 16V BlackGate standard-grade capacitors in the power supply and around the Dac.
• We replace the $4 Burr-Brown dual op amps (OPA-2604s) in the I-V section with four $25 Burr-Brown OPA-627 op amps. These are the best made.
• 14 1% polystyrene film and foil capacitors are added in the analog filter and I/V stages.
• 16 x Riken Ohm ½ and one watt signal path 1% gold-plated leads carbon comp resistors are added in the signal path.
• 2 x Rel-Cap Teflon TFT film and foil bypass coupling caps for the main B-G output caps.
• 4 x Telefunken SF4007 utra-fast soft-recovery diodes in other sonically critical power supply positions
• 4 x IR Hexfred ultra-fast soft recovery diodes installed in the power supply
• We add 4 x 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 used throughout
• 5 hours labor
• The 12-month Music Hall factory warranty is good on modified players
  

Options:

• Add an LC Audio clock and dedicated power supply to run it - $380
  

Sonic changes of Level-2 mod
The improvements in the Level-2 mod are much greater than the Level-1. Everything we do in the Level-1 is improved upon in the Level-2. The Level-2 is now on a par with units selling for up to $2,500.

Walter,
I received the CD player on Thursday afternoon. When I saw the box I was worried, because it was smashed a little bit. But, when I got the box open, the CD player was in good shape. I went home that afternoon and played a couple of CDs and was in shock. Everything improved over the stock player I had before: Clarity, midrange and treble smoothness, spatial resolution, bass extension and tautness, soundstage size etc. I'm very happy with this player and will recommend it to my friends.
Thanks,
Edgar L.

TO: Underwoodwally.
As we discussed, I have been listening to the unit that you had modded for me (incl. the opamps) and the difference is night and day. I feel like I went out and bought a whole new cdp. I hear a whole lot more detail in the music while being able to keep the volume lower at the same time. Thanks again,
Jay B.

Wally,
Holy Shit! I was an English/Journalism major and I am at a loss for words. I will write again when I come to my senses. Not feeling too well tonight, may have to take the day off to listen to my new CD collection. I think this is the way my Magneplaners were meant to sound.
Thanks

• We improve the midrange and make the unit more liquid and tube-like. This was a major design goal of the mod and we think that we have accomplished the task. The stock unit is good while the modified unit is great in the midrange.
• Imaging is more focused while the entire soundstage is both deeper and wider.
• The amp is quieter, the silences are blacker, thus resolving more low-level detail with better ambience retrieval and much more three-dimensional renditions.
• Transparency is dramatically improved. You get a cleaner look into the musical soundstage.
• Dynamics and pace are greatly improved. It's like the amp gains more power. The stock unit is rated at 50 watts. The modified unit seems to play like a 100-watt amp.
• Bass extension and mid-bass slam are much improved.
• Treble detail, both micro and macro, is improved and now keeps up with any stock units that we have heard at 2 to 3 times its price.
  
  

With its built-in D/A converter, the Level-2 Mambo is a killer package that will make a wonderful center to any reasonably priced high-end system.

We also have a dedicated mod for the DAC section that runs $450 if done during the amp mod, $550 by itself.

• We replace the current $2.50 Burr-Brown 2604 dual op amps in the preamp section with two adapter PCBs allowing the use of the worlds finest op amp, the Burr-Brown OPA-627 single surface-mount. These boards sell for $70.00 each if purchased separately.
• Two REL-CAP Teflon TFT bypass caps for amp section's input coupling cap.
• Two .22uf Auricap metalized polypropylene power supply bypass caps
• Twelve BlackGate FK, C and STD grade electrolytic caps (world's finest) for both the amps power supply and feedback loop in critical coupling cap positions.
• 46 Japanese RIKEN ½ and 1 watt signal path carbon composition resistors with gold-plated leads
• Three feet of DH LABS Revelation series pure 99.999% silver solid core input signal wire with Teflon tape-wrap dielectric (replacing internal connectorized interconnect between preamp/DAC and power amp)
• One pair of premium Vampire direct -old-plated-over-copper body RCA female jacks (plus, elimination of internal RCA plugs/sockets between preamp/DAC section and power amp)
• Four WBT 0763 single output binding posts
• Four International Rectifier Hexfred ultra-fast soft recovery diodes
• Four EAR large Sorbothane isolation feet
• Two sheets of SoundCoat chassis damping material cut & applied where applicable
• TRT WonderSolder is used throughout
• 10 hours labor
  

The 12-month Music Hall factory warranty is honored on these modified amps.

• Replaces current Burr-Brown 2604 dual op amps in I-V and output buffer stage of DAC with three Adapter PCBs allowing the use of the world's finest op amp, the Burr-Brown OPA627, a single surface mount op amp (two to an adapter).
• Six Polystyrene film and tin foil caps for DAC section's analog reconstruction filter
• Two BlackGate C grade electrolytic caps in the critical DAC section's output coupling cap positions
• Sixteen Japanese RIKEN ½ and 1 watt signal path carbon composition resistors with gold-plated leads
• TRT WonderSolder used throughout
• 2 hours labor
  

Fully modified Mambos (amp, preamp and DAC sections) run $2640.00 + freight. They are extraordinary and a superb value.

• two sheets of Soundcoat inside the chassis
• 4 EAR compliant Sorbothane isolation footers
• 1 pair of Vampire OFC copper body, gold-plated RCA jacks
• 2' of DH LABS pure silver, Teflon dielectric output wire
• 10 x Japanese Riken Ohm 0.5-watt Carbon resistors with gold-plated leads in signal path
• 8 x Black Gate Standard N- and C-grade electrolytic capacitors around the coupling caps and power supply
• 2 x Multicap PPMFX-grade, metallized polypropylene capacitors in the signal path
• 8 x SF4007 Vishay-Telefunken diodes added to bias supply
• 2 x OPA-2134 to replace the stock OPA-2604.
• TRT Wonder silver solder throughout.

The 12-month Music Hall factory warranty is honored on these modified players. Click here for stock specs. Click here for reviews.

Music Hall MMF-CD25 Level-1+ mod - $530 retro-fit + shipping

Our Level-1+ mod adds

• custom OPA-627 adaptor boards to replace the Level 1 OPA-2134.

To upgrade a Level-1 to a Level-1+ requires a pair of custom OPA-627 adaptor boards ($170 + $10 labor).

Music Hall MMF-CD25 LC Audio clock upgrade: Add $480 including the required power supply to run the clock

Our Level-1 mod installs

• Power Supply: 8 Ultra-fast, soft recovery Hexfred International Rectifier and Fred Vishay-Telefunken diodes.
  
• 8 BlackGate FK and N Series electrolytic capacitors.
  
• 3 Auricap Metallized polypropylene power supply bypass capacitors.
  
  
• Solid-State Stage:18 Riken Ohm Japanese 0.5-watt Carbon Comp signal path resistors with gold-plated leads
  
• 4 BlackGate FK Series electrolytic output coupling capacitors
  
• 2 .022uf 200V Rel-Cap Teflon output coupling bypass caps
  
• 10 Rel-Cap RTE 2% radial-lead polystyrene signal caps (square case, epoxy encapsulated)
  
• 2 custom-made adaptor PC boards for 'ultra high performance' Burr-Brown OPA627 op amps as the main output buffers.
  
• DH Labs 99.99% pure silver Teflon tape wrap (Air Matrix style) jacketed solid-core output wire
  
  
• Miscellaneous: 2 sheets of SoundCoat dampening material are applied to the internal chassis
  
• WBT 4% silver-content solder for all parts upgrades
  
• 4 EAR compliant sorbothane feet
  
• 5 hours labor