I picked up a 4960 a month or so ago from Vanns for $99 w/ free shipping, However, I returned it. While it did sound good, I really think that it is a pos. I do not expect much from a budget player; just that it will play back the discs I put in it. I am burning mostly dvd-a now and the buffer issue was just too much for me to deal with (dropouts between tracks). I picked up a Pioneer 578a for $150 from CC (a little more that I wanted to spend) but it really seems to be a better machine. It has played everything I have thrown at it with no probs at all. Not sure if it sounds as good as the 4960; it is good for SACD and cd/dvd-a are going coax-out so that is not an issue. I liked the remote a bit more and the build quality seemed higher. Not sure about mods but for the time being (who knows what formats are coming) it has been an ideal solution.