Mojo,

In response to your request of the original links that were "broken," the links are below.

http://www.stereodaves.com/modifications.php

the review
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_14_2/hk-3480-receiver-daves-5-2007-part-1.html



In response to the gentleman who did the blind listening tests between speakers powered by a Sony Boombox and a Denon receiver, we have a few comments. Besides the already addressed comments on the speakers that were used, on the possible deficient speakers used in the "experiment;" we think that in a strange way your "experiment" only buttresses our point about stock units, particularly mid-fi mass market audio equipment. The Denon receiver should obviously be better than your Sony boombox, but even if your speakers aren't of the highest audiophile grade, you should be able to hear the difference. So factoring out the quality of your speakers, if there is no difference heard between the Sony boombox and your Denon receiver, to us, this only shows the lack of quality sound performance in the Denon stock receiver, which in our experience is often the case with unmodified stock units, particularly those of mid-fi mass market units, due to economic decisions made the in manufacturing of the components to keep the prices affordable. Our experience with more recent Denon stock components has been disappointing. To our ears, they sound thin and muddy. We have modified Denon's before and they do improve. We do prefer modifying Harman Kardon receivers because of the amount of improvement heard and the simplicity of the machine. More complex is not always better.

Rick and Sean