This review is for a Mapleshade modded deck. Go to the Mapleshade website to get specific info on the tweaks they do to this already decent budget player. I decided to retire my 5 year old $150 Sony dvd player from audio only duties in my recently upgraded modest tube amp based system. The deck actually is quite passable for what it is and I still use it for dvds. My amp easily could have done justice with a 2k plus deck, but
my ears prefer vinyl so my budget was set at 1500 max. Since there are way too many choices, I decided this deck was the way to go since it had a 30 day guarantee. I used their ribbon interconnects to hook this up to my amp . The deck w/cables were dropped on my doorstep for under 1100! It has met my expectations based on the description of this deck. Nice mids and highs with that "air" without the overly precise, cold tone I hear in lots
of high end decks. Bass is tight and overall, deck is very musical. The stock feet are replaced w/huge brass ones
and with the strange looking power cable, it looks like an exotic pricey uber deck. I have the silver finish model and it matches nicely with my 550 tuner. Coincidentally, it also matches well with my silver faced amp.
Their is a filter that is switchable, but I really couldn't notice any difference. I am sure there are plenty of decks much nicer than this-I really wanted a tube deck, but didn't want to fork out the cash. All things considered, it plays beautiful music, looks great and the price was right. Its a keeper! I don't want to sound
like a commercial for Mapleshade, but I think their take and theories on audio stuff is worth a look. Some of it seems questionable, but the deck delivers!