Imagine a chef shows up at your place and makes the offer—I have a special sauce that, when added to your favorite dish, will make it taste better. Would you thank or curse her?
That is one question questioners of the ModWright Analog Bridge may ask themselves, more or less, because it made two of the three systems I used it in sound more to my liking while not changing the basic character of either. Kinda cool, no?
The purpose of the Analog Bridge, is to add the strengths and positive attributes of tubes to any system, without the bandwidth limitation, noise and added distortion that many associate with tube electronics.
That’s ModWright’s elevator pitch and it gets to the heart of the matter and the Analog Bridge is meant to sit in between digital or analog source(s) and a preamp, between preamp and amp, between source and amp, or between passive attenuator and amp. But there are more details, flavors if you will, to the fuller story. A front panel mounted toggle switch allows you to choose between the top-mounted JJ 6922’s or JJ 6SN7s, each adding their own particular spice to the sonic mix. You’ll also see the tippy top of a Sovtek 5AR4 sitting dead center that provides rectification, turning the incoming AC to DC before sending power further down the circuit. The Analog Bridge has a low < 20 ohm output impedance, which means it should mate to any downstream connected device, pre-, integrated, or power amp, without issue.
The Analog Bridge comes with two sets of RCA inputs and Outputs, allowing it to be used in two different systems. You can also opt to add a pair of XLR ins and outs, which are transformer coupled using four Lundahl transformers. Thus one reason for the additional cost. Flipping the rear panel toggle switch to the “XLR” position overrides the front panel “Input” switch and effectively makes the Bridge a one input/output device.
Tube lovers already know that swapping any of these tubes can offer further tweaking to taste. Way back in the day, I owned a few preamplifiers and amplifiers that used 6SN7s and I can say with certainty based on experience this is absolutely the case. Again, we’re not talking about changing the overall sonic character of a given component, rather shifting emphasis to different aspects of the reproduced music signal. And I want to stress “music signal” because looking at the effect of different tubes using test tones is like trying different spices on cardboard.
Here’s ModWright on the rectifier options:
The rectifier tube can be changed to 5AR4, GZ34, 5R4GY, 274B, 5U4, 5U4G, 5U4GB, 5V4, 5V4G, 5V4GB. Virtually any rectifier tube can be used, provided it is pin compatible with those listed.
All rectifier tubes sound different. Some have tighter bass, others more bloom, some are warmer while others are faster.
Of course truth seekers, those forlorn souls who demand measured assurance that they own The Best are already squirming in their seats over the notion that difference is OK. Let’s all take a deep breath, or better yet let’s do our circular breathing, relax and accept difference as a necessary ingredient in hifi, as it is in life, because no two rooms, systems, or people are the same. Vive la différence!
The first system to get a dose of the Analog Bridge was the recently reviewed Sonnet Digital Audio stack, a perfect solid state candidate, paired with the review Perlisten S5t speakers (more info). I inserted the Bridge in between the Sonnet Pasithea DAC, that also functions as preamp, and the Sonnet Kratos mono amplifiers using a pair of AudioQuest Thunderbird XLR cables, part of their Mythical Creatures series of cables, with everything plugged into the AQ Niagara 3000 power conditioner.
The change imparted on the sound of this system by the Analog Bridge was, most noticeably, a matter of saturation where the unique voice of the instruments, sounds, and vocals sounded more ripe, more timbrally rich. Or to put it another way, music sounded as if its harmonic content was turned up a notch which, to my ears and tastes, made for a more emotionally engaging experience.
“Moebius” from Kelly Lee Owens features some big, bouncy bass which offered a nice view onto the differences between the different sonic character imparted by the 6SN7s versus the 6922s, where the former made this bass sound bigger and fatter, a bit more diffuse, while the 6922s tightened that bass up a tad along with the rest of the full sonic picture. Stepping back from bass focus, the 6SN7s also made music sound more spacious, as if more atmosphere was inserted into the mix. My preference, throughout the review period, leaned very much toward the 6SN7s and I’m a set it and forget it kinda guy but I imagine some owners will enjoy the option of altering the sonic character of their system with the flick of a switch as often as their ears desire.
To my way of listening, the idea of keeping these sonic differences in mind, consciously, when listening to music as in—”I think this track would be better with the 6922s!”—would serve as a distraction from the important business of connecting to our music as the end game of hifi. While I understand the appeal of settings, whether that be in the form of DSP equalization options, subwoofer level, or old fashioned tone controls, my thinking suggests danger lurks here in the form of being more involved in the sound of the music than the music itself. /sermon.
These differences between tube choices were both easily heard and not overtly dramatic, and I would say nearly the same thing for the Analog Bridge—my preference with the Sonnet stack/Perlisten S5t system was with the Analog Bridge in the loop, as it were, because it made music that much more engaging, that much more fully blossomed in Barn. Think early Spring versus full bloom for those who live with seasons.
Is there such a thing as too much tube? Next up for the Analog Bridge, using the RCA ins and outs, found it seated in between the review totaldac d1-unity DAC (more info) and my Leben CS600, a tube integrated amplifier, driving the Perlisten S5t. The resident and excellent Auralic AIRES G1.1 Streamer fed the totaldac and once again everything was wired with AudioQuest cables and plugged into the AQ Niagara 3000 power conditioner.
British musical collective SAULT released five free albums last year and I oh-so-happily downloaded the lot. 11 holds many R&B-ish charms mixed with the band’s familiar worldly sounds. Whether using the 6SN7s or 6922s, I found there is, in fact, too much tube as having the Analog Bridge as part of this system made aspects of the music too loose and too fuzzy around the edges for my taste. While I’ll dig into greater detail in my upcoming review, the new totaldac d1-unity is wonderfully vivid and resolving which I put in the plus column of its attributes. With the Analog Bridge in between the d1-unity and the Leben CS600, these positive traits were lessened, diminished, by the same changes that I found preferable when the Bridge sat in with the Sonnet stack. Namely the additional harmonic richness, plump appeal, made the bass in Sault’s 11 too fat, too diffuse and I found that the entire sound image became a bit too woolly according to my engagement factor. Music sounded less immediate, less compelling. As you might expect, the 6922s were a better mate with their tighter than 6SN7 sound, but still too much tube for me.
Next up was a powerhouse of a system featuring the Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC (review), Parasound JC 2 BP Preamplifier, and Parasound JC 5 Stereo Power Amplifier (more info) driving the (mighty) Dynaudio Contour 60i speakers (more info). I’ve been waiting to get in a pair of speakers that will push the Parasound’s power envelope, so to speak, and the Contour 60i are the perfect foil. Inserting the Analog Bridge between the Tambaqui DAC and JC 2 BP Preamp using the balanced connections brought a noticeable increase in saturation, atmosphere—a sense of greater space around the notes—and ease, very much along the lines of what I heard in the Sonnet system. Once again I count these changes brought by the Analog Bridge as positive contributions to my experience with the Mola Mola/Parasound/Dynaudio system because I was drawn deeper into the music, which is the direction I want to be headed.
Producer Tricky’s 2021 album Lonely Guest remains a favorite for its lovely guest appearances by Marta, Joseph Talbot (Idles), and Lee “Scratch” Perry to name a few coupled with Tricky’s signature super rich sound. “Atmosphere” is the title of the Perry track and it is appropriately swampy, Black Ark swampy (mental note: listen to Super Ape), and the Analog Bridge added a touch more…atmosphere, a sense of a more cavernous space, for this beautiful funk to unfold within. I hear these subtle changes as making music more appealing, viscerally, which draws me further into the one-on-one-with-music experience.
I’m reminded of a quote from the wonderful Argentine short-story writer Jorge Luis Borges: “For me, beauty is a physical sensation, something we feel with our whole body. It is not the result of judgement. We do not arrive at it by way of rules. We either feel beauty or we don’t.”
To get back to our food analogy, the ModWright Analog Bridge’s sonic impact on music in the three systems presented here was more of a marinade than a sauce. The positive differences I heard with the Analog Bridge in two of these systems, perhaps unsurprisingly the solid state systems, imbued the sound of music with a sense of greater harmonic richness or more timbral saturation and a greater sense of air around the notes all adding up to a more inviting sound according to my tastes. It’s also worth noting that I used the optional balanced connections in the Analog Bridge and would recommend going that route if your gear offers the option.
While the appeal of every piece of hifi kit comes down to the ear of the beholder, the ModWright Analog Bridge should, to my mind, be experienced in the system and room where it may eventually live as its impact is, by design, system dependent. If you’ve ever found yourself wanting a bit more color, a touch more flavor, a tad more beauty from your hifi, the ModWright Analog Bridge may offer that magical ingredient.
ModWright Analog Bridge
Price: $2900 | +$1000 for the Balanced Option
Company Website: ModWright Instruments
Technical Specifications
Gain: Unity (0dB)
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 150kHz (-1dB)
Distortion: < .005% THD
Output Impedance: < 20 Ohms
Input Impedance: 100k
Standard Unit Weight: 17 lbs.
Balanced Unit Weight Weight: 18 lbs.
Dimensions (W x D x H): 10.5″ x 14.5″ x 3.75″ (not counting height of tubes)
