Sony SCD777ES tweaking

[Filterlab]

Hehe...

Piero, è proprio bello lui, da vero?

Now don't start going all Scotch on us!

[Historicus]

A real Armani man!

But how to insert pictures here?

I posted one with the link to the URL but nothing appears in my message?





Anyway I hope to receive Marco's answer on the german AAA-Forum it would be impossible to post so many off topics without getting banned, killed and soaped!

[Filterlab]

What image are you trying to display?

[Historicus]

a photo that I shot that is on flickr of an armani man in India

[Filterlab]

Weird one that, it won't display using the conventional tags for some reason, maybe there's a hotlink prohibitor on it. Even on Photobucket it wouldn't host in GIF format, I had to do a screen grab and save then upload to show it. I've hosted it for you anyway:

[Audiocom AV]

Anyway, I have read that Marco tweaked his Sony X-777ES by the english company Audiocom that offers various upgrades with different prices. I would be interested in what you have done.
In Italy there is a company Audiocom owned by engineer Alberto Ingoglia that offers this upgrade to this player - in his opinion one of the best together with the SCD 1ES - but he suggested not to change the original clock because it is very good and the improvement by the change isn't so sure. On the other hand the output state final of the player. Here in italian what he offers: "

Hello,

I am Mark Bartlett from Audiocom International (UK). The Sony SCD-777ES & Sony CDP-x777ES as you may be aware are very differently designed players. In my opinion, the x-777ES is far better engineered to play CD but the digital & analogue circuits have many weaknesses which we overcome with our modifications. The x-777ES uses a pair of the CXD2552Q DAC’s, with an active op-amp analogue stage (I/V, filter & buffer stages). A top feature with the x-777ES is the discrete regulation used for the digital & analogue circuits; most CD players even expensive ones use the 78xx & LM317 variety. The older DAC’s like the 2552 had poorer Power Supply Rejection Ratio (PSRR) around -60 to -70db compared to a modern DAC which can achieve -100db, so the low noise regulation enables the player to produce a more ‘analogue’ sound with less grain, compression than is generally heard from CD players. The clock in the x-77ES is a Pierce oscillator based on a 74HCU04 with a quartz crystal strapped across the input/output of one of the logic gates. Contrary to advise you have been given, this type of clock is not very good; it is jittery and has high phase noise, and the additional logic gates make this type of oscillator noisy. We replace this with Superclock 4-S which has very low jitter, fast rise time and high PSRR; and makes a significant improvement to sound quality. The CDX2552 DAC’s require current-to-voltage converters (I/V), this translates the current output from the DAC to voltage and is done actively with a pair of op-amps (AD712), we have found the LM4562 to give the optimum results for active I/V stages. Similarly, we have research the best solution for replacing the active filter & buffer stages; servo control, digital & analogue decoupling, input bypassing, etc. I also highly recommend the Bybee Quantum Purifiers which we use in our upgrades for AC, DC supplies & signal applications. With the Bybee Purifiers the audible gains are never a law of diminishing returns but rather continuous performance increases because although they work exceptionally well singularly or in pairs, when you use several you get a larger ‘collective’ affect. We can complete upgrades as I have listed here for GBP 530.00 inclusive with more comprehensive upgrades at a higher premium of GBP 800 – 900. The Sony CDP-x777ES once modified by Audiocom is capable of delivery a compelling musical, engaging sound, highly resolute, dynamic and free of the typical digital bugbears that distant it from a good vinyl source. If you have any questions please ask.

Best Regards,
Mark Bartlett

[Historicus]

I've hosted it for you anyway:

Yes, you're right I had an Ad remover software installed that censored even my posting. Anyway this picture, taken in India, remembers me such an Armani man from whom I spoke about before.


Mark (from Audiocom) thanks for your answer! I made a big confusion between the Sony models.
I own only the 35kg heavy SACD SCD-777ES and the upgrade by the italians was referred only to this player and not (Marco's) CDP-x777ES, so can I ask you now if you have any upgrade for this model and, above all, if it is worth to upgrade it?
Regards, Piero

[Audiocom AV]

Mark (from Audiocom) thanks for your answer! I made a big confusion between the Sony models.
I own only the 35kg heavy SACD SCD-777ES and the upgrade by the italians was referred only to this player and not (Marco's) CDP-x777ES, so can I ask you now if you have any upgrade for this model and, above all, if it is worth to upgrade it?
Regards, Piero

Hello Piero

OK, for the Sony SCD-777ES please take a look at available upgrade options from our website;
http://www.audiocom-uk.com/mod_inner.asp?id=33

We have been upgrading the Sony SCD-1 & SCD-777ES since 1999/2000 and our latest modifications give the very best sound. The principle ideas behind the SCD-777ES are lowering jitter by upgraded the factory clock, adding a dedicated clock power supply, replacing multiple 78xx/79xx regulators on the audio board, upgrading I/V & filter op-amps, bypassing & decoupling capacitor upgrades, installing Bybee Quantum Purifiers. The level-2 upgrade gives the optimum balance between cost and performance, the high level-3 is worth the additional investment if you want to hear Sony’s Flagship SACD player deliver its best.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask.

Best Regards,
Mark Bartlett

[Historicus]

Grazie Mark sounds good. I found an elder review of your superclock on the italian web magazine TNT. http://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/sclock_e.html
May I ask if you upgrade even the output stage of this player on level 2 that is one of his known weakness?

Is it, at last, possible to add a firewire exit to this player that could be recognized from some software, so it could be possible to play wav files? At the Roman High End this year I saw the Jakob Ludvig DAC that converted from cd or a MAC through a firewire port. Sound was excellent from both sources (the Spectral SDR4000Pro against the WAV File). After the use of their audio software the wav file sounded even better) Cost today of this DAC 30.000 Eur (!!!), the Spectral cost a little less .... but in about 5 years it will cost less then 1000 Eur because it's the future of hi-fi market. http://www.tangerinetech.net/

Saluti Piero

PS Marco and your comments after upgrading your player. I would know your opinion referred to the analogue part of your equipement. Can the cd anyway compete with them?

[Audiocom AV]

Hello Piero

The TNT review was of the orginal Superclock version 1, the Superclock is now on version 4, Superclock 4-S; 4 generations of continued research & design. We do upgrade the analogue output stage, the current-to-voltage converters & filter active stages are upgraded; I also reccomend a pair of Bybee Slipstream purifiers for the +/- analogue supplies, this is in additional to the level-2 priced adding an extra GBP 141.00 to the price. The analogue output stage is a weak area in the 777ES but far less an offender than the clock oscillator and 7807/7907 which supply the DAC’s.

We do not have Firewire upgrades available for CD players.

Best Regards,
Mark Bartlett