Modifications? That: I've no idea if it did any good. But I've kept it anyway.

[Lordgumboot]

So, if you're obsessed with getting great sound out of your gear, and sometimes money doesn't allow endless upgrades in equipment, there always seems to be a man who knows a fella who tried a thing who said they heard it "once" and it improved the sound of that system by a Thousand percent.
So you try it, and well you know, You do have ears, but you don't have an oscilloscope, and you think you heard a difference in the evening, although sometimes in the morning it sounds the same as your memory of how it sounded before.
It did take some effort to do, and it definitely didn't make it sound worse, and it will take the same effort to undo.
So...you kept it.
Exhibit #1: Heat shrunk arm tube. Also with silicon tube lining
Can't be arsed to remove it, although I really wish I could A/B the Present and Past.
What's yours?
Also, regrets, and total wins are fun.

 

[tuga]

I've owned a modded Rotel RQ-970BX phono preamp in the past and still own but no longer use a modded Pioneer PD-91 CD player.
The mods consisted in improments to the signal path – grounding, power supply, output stage – and the results were a significant increase in clarity.

I've listened to a quite a few moded CD players, DACs and amplifiers and can attest to the virtues of expert modding.

All commercial equipment can have its performance improved, no matter how expensive=luxurious.

 

[Lordgumboot]

All commercial equipment can have its performance improved, no matter how expensive

I agree, from replacing a few pertinent caps to pulling the guts out of a machine, etc, a lot of electronic improvements do indeed make an appreciable difference.
I was just wondering about those things one does where the "improvement" seems to be entirely subjective.
I find a lot of the vibration/isolation techniques to be an improvement that can be measured in microns, if at all. But I still try them out anyway.
I was wondering about the personal mods ones that one spends time on that seem at the end of the day to have made no real discernable difference, but that one never bothers to reverse and just keeps.
I rewired my arm with silver litz and bypassed the PCB straight into the amp, lined the wand with silicon tube, and heat shrunk it.
When I tested it with a floor drop it didn't bounce, it just stuck to the tiles. This is going to be amazing I thought.
Well, I'm blowed if the improvement was good enough for me to be bowled over. I'm also blowed if I'm going to take it all out again

 

[JANDL100]

I've got various sound altering panels and foam things scattered about the room.
Yeah, I kind of thought they made an improvement at the time. But I just can't be bothered to take them out and do the whole AB comparison thing to check. So they stay and I can pretend I've got my room treated.

The one exception to this laissez-faire attitude is the GIK panel on the wall behind each speaker. When my omni speakers were new I could hear that they were now screwing up the sound. Previous speakers, yup, comfort zone, no desire to fiddle with them. But I somehow heard straight away with my MBL speakers that the panels were messing things up. Down they came and, yup, down they stayed. Really weird.
So, I guess the moral here is follow your instincts and your gut feeling.

 

[JANDL100]

And, about 35 or so years ago I bought a used Threshold power amp. American muscle with a good rep. It sounded great. I really liked it.

After a month or two a friend in the Hifi trade popped in and being the curious kind, popped the lid for a peek inside.
Whoa, he said, someone has been in here and totally f*ed up the wiring. I'll get it sorted for you.
Meh, totally screwed up the sound, it never sounded anywhere near as good again.

 

[I.D.S.]

I agree, from replacing a few pertinent caps to pulling the guts out of a machine, etc, a lot of electronic improvements do indeed make an appreciable difference.
I was just wondering about those things one does where the "improvement" seems to be entirely subjective.
I find a lot of the vibration/isolation techniques to be an improvement that can be measured in microns, if at all. But I still try them out anyway.
I was wondering about the personal mods ones that one spends time on that seem at the end of the day to have made no real discernable difference, but that one never bothers to reverse and just keeps.
I rewired my arm with silver litz and bypassed the PCB straight into the amp, lined the wand with silicon tube, and heat shrunk it.
When I tested it with a floor drop it didn't bounce, it just stuck to the tiles. This is going to be amazing I thought.
Well, I'm blowed if the improvement was good enough for me to be bowled over. I'm also blowed if I'm going to take it all out again

I have presently 2 Technics turntables,my much 'hot rodded' and a recently acquired stock. There is a discernible difference between the two and how they present the music. The original was bought as a project so i never heard stock and the second a fixer upper,to be sold on. Some of the mods are i feel to allow other mods to perform their intended purpose, kind of sum of it's parts kind of deal.

 

[Lordgumboot]

I have presently 2 Technics turntables,my much 'hot rodded'

What work have you done to 'hot rod' it?

 

[I.D.S.]

What work have you done to 'hot rod' it?

Time Step off board ps (earth in correct position,stop/start button retained),Jelco 750d arm + Ammonite Audio large base and armboard,upgraded arm cable and weight,Mike New bearing,pitch slider disconnected,Isonoe feet,platter copper topped (oem damping removed and replaced),topped off with a record weight. It looks a bit scruffy and the lid is battered but it is 30yrs old and it gives my mildly breathed on Gyrodeck a run for its money

 

[Lordgumboot]

Time Step off board ps (earth in correct position,stop/start button retained),Jelco 750d arm + Ammonite Audio large base and armboard,upgraded arm cable and weight,Mike New bearing,pitch slider disconnected,Isonoe feet,platter copper topped (oem damping removed and replaced),topped off with a record weight. It looks a bit scruffy and the lid is battered but it is 30yrs old and it gives my mildly breathed on Gyrodeck a run for its money

Sounds like a proper job. Love it. Do you think it's possible to add your description to this page?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_...us was the mythical Greek,then be a new ship?