modifiying your dvd player?

[se7en]

anyone ever tried this? someone i know showed me some websites where you send your dvd player to them and they replace all sorts of pieces with better ones like ( better burr brown, cap, wires, etc.....). you can also get those amp tubes for your dvd player. i never even knew there was such a thing for the dvd player. they don't change every player but better mid priced ones.

 

[Doug917]

I have seen these websites and they seem to usually charge around $500 to do about any modification. With the street price of a Denon DVD-2910 at ~$600 I wouldn't even think about the mods.

 

[mtrycrafts]

anyone ever tried this? someone i know showed me some websites where you send your dvd player to them and they replace all sorts of pieces with better ones like ( better burr brown, cap, wires, etc.....). you can also get those amp tubes for your dvd player. i never even knew there was such a thing for the dvd player. they don't change every player but better mid priced ones.

Waste of good money. But, gullible audiophiles go ape over it.
I wonder if they have data to show an improvement that can be audible for the better???

 

[Rob Babcock]

I have a Pioneer DVD player that was modded by Dan Wright of Modwright. It has the Level I Transport mod package plus a Bybee on the digital output. Additionally the power receptacle was modded to accept an IEC power cord. I bought it already modded, so I have no idea what it was like before, nor can I say whether or not it sounds better. It is nice to be able to use any IEC cord, since they're cheap and come in many lengths.

There's a lot of companies that exist just to mod gear, from CD & DVD players to amps and speakers, if someone builds it someone else is modding it. Often the mod packages can cost several times the price of the stock unit.

 

[guess88]

i'm not sure how audibly better it works in dvd and cd players, but i knew a few people who modded amps and there was a definate improvement. That's a whole other issue electronically though. I could theoretically think there'd be an improvement in replacing something like d/a converter or maybe a better cd lense. Don't know what a better power supply who do for a cd/dvd player however.

 

[se7en]

hey they have a review of modding on 3910 from underwoodhifi. thats one of the sites i was looking at.

 

[gene]

For the record let me state that we don't endorse people sending their stock players in for aftermarket modifications as it will more than likely void the manufacturers warranty. Beware of this and make sure you are certain the modder will stand behind their work, warranty it, and resolve any reliability problems that may occur during the warranty period.

 

[mtrycrafts]

plus a Bybee on the digital output.

Lots of discussion of that tweak.

 

[mtrycrafts]

hey they have a review of modding on 3910 from underwoodhifi. thats one of the sites i was looking at.

But I wonder if that review includes a DBT listeing with an unmodded unit? If not, it really is just one man's biased opinion

 

[mtrycrafts]

i'm but i knew a few people who modded amps and there was a definate improvement.

How was this established, I wonder? Any measurements made before and after? How as the listeing evaluated?
But then, a mod can make things worse, who knows?

 

[guess88]

How was this established, I wonder? Any measurements made before and after? How as the listeing evaluated?
But then, a mod can make things worse, who knows?

these were car amps and it was mainly upgrading the power supplies and and transisters i believe. Basically, bumping it from a 200rms amp to a 400rms amp.. stuff like that.. They're some people i know in the car audio circuit who compete and do some electrical engineering work.

 

[MDS]

How was this established, I wonder? Any measurements made before and after? How as the listeing evaluated?
But then, a mod can make things worse, who knows?

Now Mtrycrafts you know that mods, esoteric power cables and interconnects, and 'tweaks' never make the sound worse. They always IMPROVE the sound.

 

[guess88]

it depends... some mainly do it for more wattage for SPL applications. One guy i know refurbishes amps.. mostly i think ZED designed and Nak amps, and the other used to build and took part in designing amps for Phoenix Gold.

 

[mtrycrafts]

these were car amps and it was mainly upgrading the power supplies and and transisters i believe. Basically, bumping it from a 200rms amp to a 400rms amp.. stuff like that.. They're some people i know in the car audio circuit who compete and do some electrical engineering work.

Thanks. That can be worthwhile for driving subs
It adds 3dB to it.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Now Mtrycrafts you know that mods, esoteric power cables and interconnects, and 'tweaks' never make the sound worse. They always IMPROVE the sound.

What was I thinking of of course why would anyone modify to get worse results

 

[se7en]

im curious mtrycrafts, have you listen to one of these modified recievers? im not saying that they work but im curious if you have listened to them or heard somewhere or article saying there full of shi$

 

[mtrycrafts]

im curious mtrycrafts, have you listen to one of these modified recievers? im not saying that they work but im curious if you have listened to them or heard somewhere or article saying there full of shi$

If I would listen, it be under DBT conditions for comparisons, you know.
It certainly can sound different due to a degradation of the design. But then, why would anyone modify it to degrade the unit. And, modern components are pretty well transparent:

"Topological Analysis of Consumer Audio Electronics: Another Approach to Show that Modern Audio Electronics are Acoustically Transparent", Rich, David and Aczel, Peter, 99 AES Convention, 1995, Print #4053.

So, in the end, it is fruitless to listen and to waste time and $$$ on mods. If those people were so hot, I am sure they would be designing for the makers?
I hope this helps your curiosity

By the way, have you compared mods to the original component, under DBT? How are they?

 

[guess88]

see.. the thing here is.. i'm never really against modding, as long as the person know what they're doing. companies use some cheap parts in order to cut costs. it's never really that a company doesn't know how to make a good design, but it's a business, and often many parts get cheaped out on. still with disc players though.. don't know what good upgrading the power supply would do. There is a thing with some car audio units where it needs it's own dedicated hot wire straight from the battery or else the system has a disc tracking problem. But home audio... really shouldn't be an issue at all.

 

[se7en]

i have never modded my dvd player before, i just hearded from a friend thats all and it sounded interesting. im assuming that you have never heard modded versions before. didnt they have a review or something on them on audioholics. when new models come dont they use better this and better that like dac, burr browns. im curious why wouldnt replacing one of those pieces with a better version not make your player better.

 

[guess88]

different model players use different circuit boards, dac's, and chipsets which can make a substantial difference, but the only mods i've seen for dvd players were all power supply related. I didn't pay great attention to it though, and haven't heard them, so i can't really comment if they made a difference or not.