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Exemplar 3910 any good?


riceboy

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Also, IIRC, jp# has/had one, and boomana has Exemplar 2900. You may want to shoot them a message, too.

JP had an eXemplar 2900. It's mine now. It's by far the best digital front end that I have owned, but I haven't compared it head to head with anything other than my sacdmods E5. The eXemplar wins hands down.

I haven't heard an eXemplar 3910, but like Todd says, I would think that it could only be better than the 2900 because the underlying player is better.

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Hi Everyone. I'm a proud new owner of a Exemplar 3910. Here is what is in the machine just in case the ad is gone:

• Includes Siltech wiring upgrade

• The power supply rectifiers are upgraded

• Several critical caps are replaced with Blackgates

• The AC power input is hardwired with upgraded wire, replacing the 3 mechanical connections in the stock unit

• 5 new independent high performance shunt regulators are added to the unit

• The stock clock is replaced with a TENT ENGINEERING re-clocking circuit powered by one of the new shunt regs

• A new active loaded, shunt regulated tube stage is added along with a new set of high performance stereo outputs

• ALSO includes the critical "post-DAC mods" (Post-digital-to-analog converter).

NOTE: Many Exemplar 3910s do not include this essential upgrade

______________________________________________________________

Thanks for everyone's suggestions and help. Hope you had a good weekend too :)

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Thanks everyone :). I am curious as well to how it is going to sound opposed to my ARC CD-7 that I just sold. I can't wait to hear it. Now I can play some of my SACDs and DVD Audio stuff that has been sitting on the shelf for some time. I had a stock Denon 2900 before so I like to see how the mechanism is on this model as well. I'll keep you all posted.

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Seems like a very solid unit, congrats. I'd like to ask for some short impressions against the 840c once you get it. I'm still in the source-swapping stage for my rig, and if the Opus 21 doesn't work out, it would be nice to know the alternatives.

I will try to answer this a bit since I owned the 840C for about a month. Basically, the Exemplar 2900 just have better tonality with better bass and nicer midrange than the 840c. It is also a good bit more refined over all. I felt that the 840C is very good redbook unit but it slightly harsh around the edge, while the Exemplar is smoother and more fluid. The Denon is also more engaging and more musical than the 840c.

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That's very similar to how I feel about the 840c - very good and a great bargain, but 2 distinct flaws: abundant digital glare which messes up instrument tone, and insufficient weight/fullness in the mids and on down. It's a very capable source, detailed, airy, and spatious, but a little too thin, a bit harsh, and with some metallic/digital quality to the sound. Can't think of anything better for $1k but still has some room to go before it gets to the high end.

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That seems to be the Cambridge Audio "house sound"... a bit bright and hard. I was interested in testing an 840C, but was dissuaded by the owners' impressions and my sales rep.

The 840C is pretty good source for the money and probably the best buy for a new source at that price. I would rate the overall performance to be better than my old SACDmods Sony SCD-C555ES in redbook playback.

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The 840C is pretty good source for the money and probably the best buy for a new source at that price. I would rate the overall performance to be better than my old SACDmods Sony SCD-C555ES in redbook playback.

Anyone with any experience with mods of the 840C? Reference Audio Mods (Reference Audio Mods, cd player mods,audio mods, audio modifications) has some interesting modifications listed for the 840C but I am still a little hesitant to send mine in.

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That seems to be the Cambridge Audio "house sound"... a bit bright and hard. I was interested in testing an 840C, but was dissuaded by the owners' impressions and my sales rep.

I do not find it bright or hard at all, unless the original CD is bright and hard. I do not think it has to do with a forgiving amp as the GS-X is pretty ruthless in showing you the warts on your upstream components.

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Holy crap those mods are expensive! They better do the deal, because the competition in the used market at that pricepoint is fierce!

I agree given the state of the economy. RAM is not a bad modder but their quality of work can be alarming. Ram left a loose screw in my modded SCD-1 that I sent to them. The player kept blowing the fuse luckily I found the problem. Tom Hankin is having a bad luck with them right now with his mod Shanling CD3000 that never seem to work right.

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