APL Denon 3910

[tkam]

My apl denon 3910 arrived today, early impressions are extremely positive, it might be the best digital I've heard.

I've attached some pics, including some internal shots. Some of the pcb and parts added are mounted in what I'd call a questionable fashion using some sort of epoxy looking material.

It does sound really fantastic though.

[PFKMan23]

YAY TKAM!!!!

[spritzer]

Crap build quality but great sound.

[n_maher]

Congrats! I'd put the cover back on, forget how it looks on the inside and just enjoy it.

[postjack]

Congrats! I'd put the cover back on, forget how it looks on the inside and just enjoy it.

x2, grats tkam!

[jinp6301]

Wow, that looks fugly inside, but who cares as long as it doesnt break right?

Congrats!

[tkam]

Congrats! I'd put the cover back on, forget how it looks on the inside and just enjoy it.

Enjoying it is certainly the plan but you know me I just had to take a peak .

[CD44hi]

congrats!!

I've been away, and may have missed it if you mentioned, but, is this for your speaker rig or your stax rig?

[spritzer]

Enjoying it is certainly the plan but you know me I just had to take a peak .

It's a good idea to open up a new piece of gear just to make sure everything is ok.

[boomana]

Congrats and enjoy! Will you be bringing it to the DC meet?

[tkam]

Absolutely

[morphsci]

Very nice and now I have another reason to try and make the DC meet.

[Augsburger]

It's a good idea to open up a new piece of gear just to make sure everything is OK.

Very good idea, especially with modded gear. I had a modded DAC in my system for one year before I finally got the guts to open it up to see if I could find the cause for the lousy sound. What a surprise, expensive caps and mods paid for were not done and the mods that were done looked like a cross eyed monkey performed them. Unfortunately this was not a case of looks bad sounds sweet.

Oh, and a big congrats!

[Iron_Dreamer]

I honestly can't believe how shoddy the inside looks. I mean, sure it's not a $30k player (the only other APL guts I've seen), but that just looks like a hack job. Glad it sounds good, I'm nor surprised that it might be the "best digital" you're heard.

[spritzer]

Very good idea, especially with modded gear. I had a modded DAC in my system for one year before I finally got the guts to open it up to see if I could find the cause for the lousy sound. What a surprise, expensive caps and mods paid for were not done and the mods that were done looked like a cross eyed monkey performed them. Unfortunately this was not a case of looks bad sounds sweet.

Oh, and a big congrats!

This is the ugly flip side of this hobby. There are some companies claiming superior performance with their mods yet they won't disclose what the hell they did. It's also pretty limited what can be accomplished simply by swapping out parts.

I honestly can't believe how shoddy the inside looks. I mean, sure it's not a $30k player (the only other APL guts I've seen), but that just looks like a hack job. Glad it sounds good, I'm nor surprised that it might be the "best digital" you're heard.

There are some parts of the work which are well thought out but others where it makes no sense at all but the later 32bit mod is better executed. APL also needs to get their act together and improve the fit an finish of the units as a simple blanking plate on the back would cost 10$ max and make mods look professional.

[Salt Peanuts]

Congrats on the new source, Todd!

[tyrion]

Todd, enjoy the sound. Those insides are scary looking.

[DigiPete]

Cool... looks like a completely redesigned unit, with little left of the Denon circuitry still in operation.

Some pretty big ass transformers in the output stage:o

[Dusty Chalk]

This thread is useless without more listening impressions!

Uh...after you've had a chance to listen to it more, of course.

Please, and thank you.

[Augsburger]

This is the ugly flip side of this hobby. There are some companies claiming superior performance with their mods yet they won't disclose what the hell they did. It's also pretty limited what can be accomplished simply by swapping out parts.

Yes, a hard and expensive lesson learned, hopefully not to be repeated. The problem with most mods is that generally the reviews come from either shills for the modder or the audio mags and websites. The audio industry reviews not surprisingly are always glowing praise. So with new products, there has to be an early adoptor who takes a big risk on an unknown hoping to discover the deal of the decade. I think I got luck with my transformer coupled Trafomatic and lost big time with my modded Dac Ah.

I can accept the internal unprofessional fit and finish issues if the sound is exceptional. Oh, any listening impressions yet?

[spritzer]

One question for Todd, do the channel buttons on the Sony remote allow you to change tracks? Mine didn't while in RCVR mode so I configured the DVD mode to work on the player and it works great. Only thing missing is the repeat function.

Yes, a hard and expensive lesson learned, hopefully not to be repeated. The problem with most mods is that generally the reviews come from either shills for the modder or the audio mags and websites. The audio industry reviews not surprisingly are always glowing praise. So with new products, there has to be an early adoptor who takes a big risk on an unknown hoping to discover the deal of the decade. I think I got luck with my transformer coupled Trafomatic and lost big time with my modded Dac Ah.

I can accept the internal unprofessional fit and finish issues if the sound is exceptional. Oh, any listening impressions yet?

There is a lot of BS out there but I think you made a wise choice with the Trafomatic. It was on my short list but the B22 won due to the ample power on tap.

As for reviews they are worthless now as the experience level of the reviewers continues to plummet and it all sounds great, even a stock Sony PS1...

[tkam]

One question for Todd, do the channel buttons on the Sony remote allow you to change tracks? Mine didn't while in RCVR mode so I configured the DVD mode to work on the player and it works great. Only thing missing is the repeat function.

When the Sony remote is in RCVR mode it's only controlling the apl electronics, the DVD mode should have been programmed already to control the denon's basic playback functions. Thats how my remote is at least.

[Augsburger]

There is a lot of BS out there but I think you made a wise choice with the Trafomatic. It was on my short list but the B22 won due to the ample power on tap.

As for reviews they are worthless now as the experience level of the reviewers continues to plummet and it all sounds great, even a stock Sony PS1...

If i hadn't stumbled upon the Trafomatic, I would have ordered a B22. I keep a running total of all media equipment reviews and the ratio issomething like 97% positive reviews on equipment, speakers, amps, preamps and cdps. that includes the infamous Sony PS1.

[PFKMan23]

I'd wait until Todd listens on his real system.

[spritzer]

When the Sony remote is in RCVR mode it's only controlling the apl electronics, the DVD mode should have been programmed already to control the denon's basic playback functions. Thats how my remote is at least.

Ahhh ok. Mine wasn't like that but a quick google search turned up the instructions manual for the Sony.

If i hadn't stumbled upon the Trafomatic, I would have ordered a B22. I keep a running total of all media equipment reviews and the ratio issomething like 97% positive reviews on equipment, speakers, amps, preamps and cdps. that includes the infamous Sony PS1.

It seems to me that HFN is the only mag handing out real reviews these days. Something like 6moons and the other online mags are just acting as a showcase for gear.

Now I do like the PS1 for the essentially free CDP it is but claiming it is a giant killer shows an utter lack of experience. I guess these are the same people that liked those horrible MF tube buffers...