Who has a Toshiba 3950 or 3960?

madmax · August 2004

Here it is in the case.

dorokusai · August 2004

Thank goodness you had pants on

madmax · August 2004

Luckily I had just put them back on after listening to Scotts unit. I feel, well, so satisfied after listening to these things.

madmax

scottvamp · August 2004

So how's my unit sounding??? Compared to previous mods - Burn in going well!!!

madmax · August 2004

All is great! I've been burning it in for almost 3 days and tonite I've watched 3 movies on it and done some A-B comparisons with my reference deck. The sound is in every way equal to my Theta. I like to make sure all is going to last for awhile as well. Like all the other 3960's this one messes up every now and then. For example, if you set it to repeat and leave if for 24 hours you normally end up with "err" or "E55" on the display. This is normal both before and after the mods. The sound is awesome and the pic looks like it should! At first I had a problem that the sound was not what I expected. I quickly found that the dynamic range limiter was on. I just like to make sure all is right before shipping out because obviously the warranty won't cover anything after the mods. My plan is to package it up and mail out Friday morning assuming it doesn't act abnormally. I think you will be VERY pleased! Please email me with your address again.
Thanks!
madmax

scottvamp · August 2004

Cool - can't wait to hear it!!!:)

Oldwriter · August 2004

Madmax et al - I read with great interest your accounts of "modding" the Toshiba 3950-60 DVD decks - and I hope you can answer a couple of my questions, please!
First - I am "not" an electronics expert. I don't "tweak" anything except the tone controls (grin) With that in mind - please explain to me how you can take what appears to be an el-cheapo player and turn it into, well, a Denon or Marantz? I'm serious here, not challenging you - really asking for help.
I've got (bad choice!) a new JVC XV-N55SL DVD/CD player that I'd love to take an axe to - it is shrill, shallow and generally awful. Am waiting for something new and wonderful - maybe Denon 2910 or even Samsung 941 - to come along with SACD capability.
Sigh - will you be "modding" any of the new SACD players - and if so, which ones? Heck - at this point I'd get a 3960 if it had SACD capability! Thanks for helping an ole scribe understand.
Respectfully, Larry R.

ezc · August 2004

Damm thats some dampening madmax! Does the unit sound better with the drive fully dampened? I have dampened my drive but not fully like yours. I have no dampening on the tray, just on the top & supports. The drive must have gotten more quiet. Great job! The yellow tack looks cool! Scottvamp is going to have one killer player!

madmax · August 2004

About the damping, I'm not sure because it hasn't burned in yet. (on mine). I did quite a bit on SV's unit and am happy with the quietness of the drive. I think the key is to provide enough to keep resonances away. I just went nuts on mine to see what the effect is. (pure silliness and a lack of anything better to do) More is not necessarily better.

The 3960 is just a very special unit. It is cheap and all but everything just works together to give a very good sound. All the planets must have been in alignment when the engineer picked his component placement and such. I too have a JVC. Mine was $400+ a few years ago and is shrill and nasty sounding. I guess you get a lemon every now and then. I've been considering playing with the pioneer 563 (I think) but have not commited the $150 base price yet.
madmax

Oldwriter · August 2004

. . .what you could do with one of the new Samsung 941s, or even a Denon 2910 - both to come out the end of September. If what you say is applicable to a "low-end" unit such as the Toshiba, think of what you could do with a "mid-level" unit!
But perhaps your mods wouldn't make that much difference in a higher-end player?
I'll be purchasing a new SACD/DVD player - probably in October, so will be interested to see if you chaps determine that there are new hurdles for you to conquer with the latest generation of players. Will Toshiba have a successor to the 3960?
Thanks - LR

dcarlson · August 2004

So, how does the 2 channel analog DVD playback stack up?

madmax · August 2004

It is normally slightly lower volume than CD's. It is very easy to listen to all day long. Some of my favorite scenes are from DrumLine. When the band walks out onto the field and starts playing you would swear you were there! Very smooth and airy yet the trumpets cruise right through in a lifelike manor. At the same time the Rambo movies sound very exciting. This has really got me convinced on having a 2 channel HT.
madmax

dcarlson · August 2004

I'm still debating whether I'm going to abandon my HT and go strictly 2 channel. The 2ch DVD playback intrigues me with the Toshiba. I've been watching all of my music DVD's in 2 channel because it's just so much better that way.

I'm gonna have to watch a couple movies this weekend to see where I stand with the HT.

rlightfoot · September 2004

I didn't get around to being able to any mods. It up and died on me on the 91st day of ownership...how convenient. Best Buy would not work with me at all...horrible customer service to the point of almost rude. I have cut my BB card into a thousand pieces. No more Toshibas. No more Best Buy.:mad:

madmax · September 2004

Take it back and tell them you want to speak to the manager. Any employee who doesn't give you a few days after the warranty expires is full of crap. The company wants your future business. Whoever you talked to doesn't understand that. If the manager cannot satisfy you ask him who to write to at corporate headquarters about the problem. Don't take that crap! I know for a fact that most places will give you up to two weeks.
madmax

Who has a Toshiba 3950 or 3960?

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