Is there a big difference between the Ah Njoe Tjoeb 99 and 4000? (1 Viewer)

[Bruce Chang]

I found a used Ah Njoe Tjoeb 99 for a pretty good price. I was wondering what the SQ is like between the two. Are they similar or the 4000 is just way better. I already know the stats between the 2, I just want ear conformation.

 

[KeithH]

Bruce, I have never compared the two players, but everything I have read indicates that the Ah! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 is much better than the Ah! Tjoeb '99. A search on the Digital Drive message board on www.audioasylum.com should yield some good information. Also, I want to say that there is at least one web review out there that compares the two players. If I can dig one up, I'll post the link.
You might want to shoot an e-mail message over to Kevin Deal at Upscale Audio (www.upscaleaudio.com). Upscale Audio is the lone US distributor of the Ah! players (are you in the US?), and they sold the '99 before the 4000 came out. Kevin is very helpful and should be able to give you an idea of how the two players compare. Upscale Audio's web site still has some information on the '99, so perhaps some mention of how it compares to the 4000 is provided there as well.
Something to note is that there are a number of modifications available for the 4000 that are available for the '99. Upscale Audio has some exciting mods. available for the 4000, including an upsampling board (24/192) for $299. Also, Dan Wright at www.modwright.com has just started offering significant mods. for the 4000. So, while the 4000 is the better stock player based on everything I have read, it also has further room for improvement not available to the '99. Hope this helps.

 

[KeithH]

Bruce, I was just on Upscale Audio's web site, and links to online reviews of the '99 and 4000 are provided. Perhaps reviews for the 4000 offer a comparison to the '99. As I said, I am quite certain that at least one of those reviews compares the two players.
You might also want to read reviews of the two players on www.audioreview.com . Perhaps some people have compared the '99 and 4000 in reviews of the 4000.

 

[Bruce Chang]

Hey Keith, thanks for your response. Would the music hall cd-25 player be equal to the Ah! 4000? Is the music hall tube? I saw some on audiogon for a good price.

 

[KeithH]

Bruce, I've never used the Music Hall player, but I've read good things about it. It is not a tube player. A comparison of it to the stock Ah! would be interesting, as would comparisons to a modded Ah!.