On the issue of modifying gear...
i used to shy shy away from it for many common reasons. Once I did a couple of more significant DIY builds, I learned so much about manufacturers’ choices. It’s really rare that they use as good of stuff throughout the whole build even in what I consider expensive or regarded products.
For example, my Primaluna integrated has only two nice but not top end Mundorf caps hooked to the preamp tubes. But the rest of the product is laden with Duroch caps that I think are SCR caps rebadged. I’m not going to say SCR caps are junk yet better caps throughout has the real potential to affect sound in a detectable way than does the use of crazy expensive cords or cables. I know that firsthand at least to my ears.
Putting the the issue of resale aside, I would have spent another $300 on caps if I were making the Primaluna myself. I may also have paid more for them on new purchase as an option. This is not a big deal. It is worth noting.
I bet bet many of the golden ears out there who spend real money on cabling or tubes could appreciate the addition of a Jupiter cap or great Mundorf just as they can hear a $600 power cord, which I sometimes can and sometimes can not justify even if I can.
I highly recommend to folks buying an Elekit amp to build. It’s like painting by number and when you do it you can try your hand at easily swapping caps or buying better resistors. You don’t need much skill. Just a soldering iron and watch YouTube instructional videos if you want to know how to solder. I’d bet money that many people would find that a $600 kit amp sounds better than some stuff costing thousands.
i used to shy shy away from it for many common reasons. Once I did a couple of more significant DIY builds, I learned so much about manufacturers’ choices. It’s really rare that they use as good of stuff throughout the whole build even in what I consider expensive or regarded products.
For example, my Primaluna integrated has only two nice but not top end Mundorf caps hooked to the preamp tubes. But the rest of the product is laden with Duroch caps that I think are SCR caps rebadged. I’m not going to say SCR caps are junk yet better caps throughout has the real potential to affect sound in a detectable way than does the use of crazy expensive cords or cables. I know that firsthand at least to my ears.
Putting the the issue of resale aside, I would have spent another $300 on caps if I were making the Primaluna myself. I may also have paid more for them on new purchase as an option. This is not a big deal. It is worth noting.
I bet bet many of the golden ears out there who spend real money on cabling or tubes could appreciate the addition of a Jupiter cap or great Mundorf just as they can hear a $600 power cord, which I sometimes can and sometimes can not justify even if I can.
I highly recommend to folks buying an Elekit amp to build. It’s like painting by number and when you do it you can try your hand at easily swapping caps or buying better resistors. You don’t need much skill. Just a soldering iron and watch YouTube instructional videos if you want to know how to solder. I’d bet money that many people would find that a $600 kit amp sounds better than some stuff costing thousands.