Alert, Warning, and Caution about Modified Components


This information has previously been provided to the group under a previous, pre-existing  thread and is beyond dispute, argumentation, or refutation however the thread was deleted because of improper, abusive, antagonistic behavior by one of the participants which while it was a correct, justified, and measured response by the moderators it had the unfortunate, unintended, unnecessary consequence, result, and effect of removing this information that will be of value to some although of course many of the knowledgeable experts here will already know this.

There are some dealers who sell new equipment that they have modified, altered, or customized by some method, fashion, or design and I am not talking hear about professionals who are often degreed engineers who are fully educated, skilled, and qualified to make such alterations to components intended for use in a Music Reproduction System. I am talking about dealers some of which are actually "part time" as can be shown by they're store hours and these retailers, merchandisers, and salesman do not have the prerequisite qualifications to perform this type of work. Without expressing any opinion, judgement, or assessment of these "modifications" I offer to the group these agreed upon details of which those considering such action should be consciuous:

1.) Any modification of an electrical component carries with it a potential hazard of fire and/or electrical shock and as such can be lethal and this risk should be considered against the potential value of any "improvement" promised as a result of the modification.

2.) Any modification is certain to render invalid, void, and unenforceable any manufacturer's guarantee, warrantee, promise, or assurance regarding safety, reliability, and performance of the equipment subjected to the alteration. 

3.) Because of as stated in item 2 above, the manufacturer of such modified equipment is certain to decline, refuse, and reject any request to service, repair, or even inspect such a unit that has been altered contrary to or in in conflict or defiance of it's original design.

4.) Because the altered unit is now something unique unto itself and familiar only with the person who did the modification it is likely if not certain that no one will be willing to service or repair the unit other than the modifyer himself which as we know may be fully unqualified to perform any such work.

5.) You should also be cynical, suspicous and doubtful of anyone who asserts, insists, or represents in any way that his modified component is superior in performance, specification, or result from a factory original unit which has been fully tested and verified before even entering into production.


I will add to these facts that those who are unqualified to make such expensive modifications refuse to provide specific information, detail, and explanation of the work that they perform while those who are expert, qualified, and capable to do such work will explain the exact work that they perform.

This thread is limited, restricted, and reserved for discussion of equipment component modification and off topic response will be reported to the appropriate Audiogon authorities for deletion.
clearthink
Component mods are one of the easiest, and certainly most cost-effective, things you can do in all of audio. In most cases its as simple as looking inside, writing down the values printed on the sides of the caps, buying some better ones and soldering them in. 

My first mod was to replace the diodes in my Aronov with some $8 Hexfreds. For $8 the improvement from a blacker background, more liquid midrange and treble, and reduction in grain and glare, was more like $800.

Some people of course are scared to death of electricity. Those people probably should not be modding. At least not until they learn better. Some people of course are frightened of risks of all sorts. People afraid of losing warranty coverage probably should not be modding. At least not until they learn better. Probably also there are people who can't hear the difference well enough to evaluate, or they just for whatever reason think everything should be left stock, the manufacturer knows better, etc. Probably those people should not be modding. At least not until they learn better.

However, with understanding all of that, I fail to see why anyone wanting to mod needs anyone else's approval, authority, or certification. Or why anyone buying a modded component has anything to complain about, as long as the fact it has been modded was disclosed up front.

So, is that it? Were you deceived?
millercarbon "So, is that it? Were you deceived?"

Nothing could be further from the truth the person promoting, advocating, and touting his "modifications" was of an expensive, high-end, audiophile grade music server and it was evident, apparent, and obvious that this person wholly lacked the skills, qualifications, and expertise to perform the "upgrades" and that in fact his entire approach to audio was completely flawed, incomplete, and incompetent not withstanding of claims that he deals only in "facts" and that is all I will say about this person for fear of this thread also being deleted.
I cut my nose on a CD 5 days ago...

I was trying to read the control markings on the top of my Sharp SD-EX111 mini system (my good eye was less than an inch from the top) and I pushed "eject" not noticing that a CD had been loaded.

The CD (top loaded vertically) ejected and cut the end of my nose.

The Sharp unit is completely stock with the exception of an aftermarket (IEC) power cord.

Be careful out there.

DeKay


Well, you knew it was Sharp!

clearthink writes:
millercarbon "So, is that it? Were you deceived?"

Nothing could be further from the truth the person promoting, advocating, and touting his "modifications" was of an expensive, high-end, audiophile grade music server and it was evident, apparent, and obvious that this person wholly lacked the skills, qualifications, and expertise to perform the "upgrades" and that in fact his entire approach to audio was completely flawed, incomplete, and incompetent not withstanding of claims that he deals only in "facts" and that is all I will say about this person for fear of this thread also being deleted.


So, was there anything wrong with the unit? Are you having any problems with it? Any problems related to the mods? At all?
millercarbon "So, was there anything wrong with the unit?"

I know longer do business with the person in question who I will not identify by name here because he has threatened and stalked me here on the forum as has been alerted to the Audiogon authorities and his modifications are something I would never seriously consider, contemplate, or recommend he does not deal with science, truth or "facts" not withstanding his repeated claims, pronouncements, and representations.