Hi-Rez Highway: REVIEW: Vacuum State Electronics Level 5 SACD Player (Modded) by Joel

Model:	Level 5
Category:	SACD Player (Modded)
Suggested Retail Price:	$450 +/-
Description:	Level 5 Modification to Sony SCD-XB940QS
Manufacturer URL:	Vacuum State Electronics
Manufacturer URL:	Vacuum State Electronics

Review by Joel_Waterman ( A ) on September 02, 2005 at 18:22:03
IP Address: 69.237.209.64

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for the Level 5

Pure VSE
Level 5 got rid of the stock analog and digital outs, leaving only the stock optical and VSE outs in place. I do not mind and this is very specific to the XB940 as it apparently solves some issues with ground loops in the system. All the other technical details about Level 5 you can find on Allen's website.
Vacuumstate has become really popular. I fondly remember those early days when Dr. Philosophy and I had to wait 6 months for our players.....and they were all personally assembled by the Master himself. Alas, a time gone by. They seem to be churning them out on time and in large numbers these days, and on three continents.
Recently I was invited for a 'factory tour' of VSE's West Coast Agent's new premises somewhere in between San Jose and Oakland, California. The building was huge! SA-CD must be taking off I thought. Strange though. Such a niche format. Surely not. So, what is Warren Gregoire &Co doing in that place? Has VSE found a way to mass-produce tubes on an industrial scale? Or is it that when they talk about Differential amps, they actually mean they produce drive trains and transmissions for sports cars? I mean, there seems to be a link between Steve Rochlin and the DPA 300B Power Amps. And Steve likes Ferrari's..... Soooo .... maybe VSE is into the custom automotive tuning business ? I mean, how else to explain that huge building? I was not allowed to visit large areas of it either. This only enhanced my suspicion that not everything was what it seemed. Also, the visitor parking was always full. Strange vans were driving in an out almost constantly. Even on a Sunday. And that strong coffee smell. Weird. Anyway, over to the business at hand. Reviewing the latest Level 5 modifications to my Sony XB-940QS :-)

What did Level 5 do?
Let me summarize my upgrade story by taking you through each level and adding a short conclusion before I dive a little deeper into Level 5.
Level 1: Night and Day difference with stock, Transparent Liquidity
Level 2: The Hash is Gone
Level 4: Increased transparency further
Level 5: Probably as important a step up as the original Level 1 - fuller, more 3D, livelier
It's always a challenge to have a break between mods, in my case 2 weeks. Can you hear the difference ? And if there is, is it 'real'? But I have been tuned in to the weaknesses of my pre-level 5 system and I was looking for some very specific changes. I am writing this review after roughly 45 hours of burn-in on the new Level 5, expertly installed by Warren.
When I first listened I chose an Oscar Peterson disc. I am very familiar with the MPS series and piano was an area that needed much sonic improvement. Unbeknownst to me the disc played the CD layer. It sounded better than I can remember it sounding on SACD ! More body, less tinkly with a good sense of the physical instrument that was producing the notes. I then turned to the Dire Straits: wow. Can't remember writing 'wow' in my original listening notes - I checked my review on sa-cd.net. The thunder on BIA and the intro on MFN were BIG and BOLD. Never heard my system soundstage like this before on these tracks. On Pat Barber's tune "Touch of Trash" (on RBCD) I noticed much better resolution and the almost complete disappearance of sibilance. Best I heard that track in my system. "Black Magic Woman" was simply amazing with percussion sounding natural, lively and as distinct entities. I also played the JSACD of Miles Davis, My Funny Valentine. It was uncanny how Miles Davis' trumpet hung in the air between my speakers. That was at a new quality plateau for sure. It also meant I would have added a full star in the sonics department in my original review (4/03) on SA-CD.net had I listened to it with Level 5.
Overall, Level 5 brought increased space, clarity, and I deem it a major step forward in naturalness of tone. The full picture of rise and decay of notes in a 3D space (you can hear around the instruments as it were) was much improved and therefore I think that it is fair to say that Level 5 is probably as important a step up as the original Level 1 improved the stock player.
My upgrade saga:
- My original (stock) Sony XB940QS review:
http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/hirez/messages/45358.html
- My first impressions on the modified XB940:
http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/hirez/messages/66221.html
- Level 1 Review
http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.pl?forum=hirez&n=67001&review=1
- Level 2 Review
http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.pl?forum=hirez&n=135664&review=1
- Level 4 Review
http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=hirez&n=156182&highlight=vse+joel_waterman&r=&session=
PS: the 2/3rd intro paragraph are a joke and the picture obviously manipulated, though it is the actual building where Warren has his office Suite....I know most of you probably gathered that......just making sure....

Product Weakness: None
Product Strengths: Added clarity, natural tone and 3D soundstaging

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	See Inmate Systems
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	See Inmate Systems
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	See Inmate Systems
Speakers:	See Inmate Systems
Cables/Interconnects:	See Inmate Systems
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	See review
Room Size (LxWxH):	x x x x x
Room Comments/Treatments:	See Inmate Systems
Time Period/Length of Audition:	See review
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	See Inmate Systems
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition):	See Inmate Systems

Product Weakness:	None
Product Strengths:	Added clarity, natural tone and 3D soundstaging