I have a fully Alta Vista Audio modified SA5000 (well... two actually). I can't say what a bargain is in this hobby, but I can say that the first SA5000 that I had modified by Mike was a revelation in my system. I had previously owned, auditioned, or listened to many preamps that were in the same price range as the modifications I had done. None of them were able to make my system sound inviting, exciting, and alive like the modded SA5000 did. I had purchased a second all-stock SA5000 for use in my second system. After spending some time with the modified unit, I become so taken by it's sound that I sent my other one to Mike for mods. Expensive, yes, but after I heard what the first one could do, I just had to add that same quality to my other system.
The best service that Mike provides, in my opinion, is the ability to customize to the customer's needs. Within reason, you can have anything you can imagine done. I ended up doing some non-standard stuff to my phono stages and power supplies that I feel payed huge dividends in the sound of my vinyl.
I recently took one of these to a friends house who has an amazing system and a couple of very capable high-end preamps. The sound of the Counterpoint's phono section simply couldn't be compared to the other units. An A/B comparison was absolutely pointless. As soon as the needle hit the vinyl the Counterpoint stayed on for the rest of the day. In fact, I ended up leaving it there while I had some work done on my second system. Needless to say, the Counterpoint is still the preferred preamp in that system. The owner later told me that he and several visitors clearly preferred the sound of the Counterpoint's line stage to his long term reference preamp.
Remember when you get a component modified that your money is all going towards components and not towards the chassis, knobs, etc. When you look at the total cost of a new product, it makes sense that a good chunk of that cost has to go into the sheet metal.
Good luck with your decision. if you'd like, email me for details. I am always happy to talk audio!
The best service that Mike provides, in my opinion, is the ability to customize to the customer's needs. Within reason, you can have anything you can imagine done. I ended up doing some non-standard stuff to my phono stages and power supplies that I feel payed huge dividends in the sound of my vinyl.
I recently took one of these to a friends house who has an amazing system and a couple of very capable high-end preamps. The sound of the Counterpoint's phono section simply couldn't be compared to the other units. An A/B comparison was absolutely pointless. As soon as the needle hit the vinyl the Counterpoint stayed on for the rest of the day. In fact, I ended up leaving it there while I had some work done on my second system. Needless to say, the Counterpoint is still the preferred preamp in that system. The owner later told me that he and several visitors clearly preferred the sound of the Counterpoint's line stage to his long term reference preamp.
Remember when you get a component modified that your money is all going towards components and not towards the chassis, knobs, etc. When you look at the total cost of a new product, it makes sense that a good chunk of that cost has to go into the sheet metal.
Good luck with your decision. if you'd like, email me for details. I am always happy to talk audio!