I do quite a lot of DIY, sabai. All my electronics, my turntable, cables, and I also modify speakers and tonearm. It's very satisfying. My Koetsu alone is unmodified.
I don't pretend to have the best circuit topology (although it's pretty good), but it is the best in terms of components; and more importantly, it's best in terms of what I want to do. I build in the controls that I want, like variable RIAA compensation. I also build in the opportunity to test components in my system, which leads to objective results following blind testing.
Just about any DIY project is worth the trouble if you stick to the physics. That's important, or you can spend big bucks on what amounts to a tone control, or worse, just placebo effect.
The physics says capacitors and resistors and transistor and tubes. And clean, low ripple power supply. And connectors with good metallurgy. And clean records. And room treatment, which I forgot the last time I talked about this, ditto resonance control for turntables.
Plus, site-specific problems which need fixing. If you live near a railroad line, you need to control vibration with suspension on your turntable. If you live near a telecom farm, you need to control RF.
If you build it, you will use it (probably). I've done it since grad school, and now I'm retired. What's changed is the sophistication of the devices, but not the fun.
I don't pretend to have the best circuit topology (although it's pretty good), but it is the best in terms of components; and more importantly, it's best in terms of what I want to do. I build in the controls that I want, like variable RIAA compensation. I also build in the opportunity to test components in my system, which leads to objective results following blind testing.
Just about any DIY project is worth the trouble if you stick to the physics. That's important, or you can spend big bucks on what amounts to a tone control, or worse, just placebo effect.
The physics says capacitors and resistors and transistor and tubes. And clean, low ripple power supply. And connectors with good metallurgy. And clean records. And room treatment, which I forgot the last time I talked about this, ditto resonance control for turntables.
Plus, site-specific problems which need fixing. If you live near a railroad line, you need to control vibration with suspension on your turntable. If you live near a telecom farm, you need to control RF.
If you build it, you will use it (probably). I've done it since grad school, and now I'm retired. What's changed is the sophistication of the devices, but not the fun.