2. amps-preamps
  3. 149054-2693

I Recapped my Conrad Johnson PFR. Wow! Some of the best $$$ I've spent

Wow! What a thrill. I've had this preamp for about 15 Yrs and it has always been a good performer. But I can't remember it sounding any better than it does now. The tech used the best Nichicon resistors available. Now I'm considering hhaving my CDP recapped and maybe the speaker crossovers too. That should make nearly a new sounding system. So it cost me a little less than $200 to get the caps replaced and the solder joints inspected and fixed on the PFR. I assume this is a good use of funds  And its sure cheaper than buying that tube preamp that I've been looking at for quite some time. But even though my system sounds very good, I keep looking at the tube preamps for some reason. Hmmm
artemus_5
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
10,217 posts
 
Ask any tube amp designer/maker about any of his products which have been damaged by well-meaning modifiers who didn’t understand why certain parts were used in his product, and who replaced parts chosen for a specific reason with inappropriate parts. A boutique part may have electrical characteristics (unknown to modifiers) which makes it unsuitable for use in a certain circuit. I have heard horror stories told by a few of them, including Bill Johnson, Frank Van Alstine, and Roger Modjeski.
noromance's avatar
noromance
10,158 posts
 
@bdp24 No doubt some truth in what you say. However, manufacturers must bear some responsibility for being cheap and using inexpensive components. 
zavato's avatar
zavato
1,414 posts
 
Sometimes a more expensive part is a better part. At other times a more expensive part is just a more expensive part. 
artemus_5's avatar
artemus_5 OP
1,995 posts
 
@bdp24    In my case I wasn't try to modify but  trying to save a good sounding preamp which has run its lifetime on the caps. My tech (Bill Watkins jr) just uses these caps because they are good...at least that's my understanding.
Still, I understand your concern. I suspect design concept is probably a balancing act as much as anything. Symmetry comes to mind...just like putting together a good sounding system. Mfgs do it in the micro. We do it in the macro. I have my systems synergy worked out after years of effort. I thought I was going to have to replace the PFR because it is old (Still may have to do so). So its nice to keep that symmetry...even though that tube preamp looks awful tempting......
erik_squires
16,737 posts
 
From what I've read, the OP had his power supply caps replaced. Interesting he's not the only one who has done this with 1980s/1990s equipment and heard an improvement.


Electrolytic caps are much better now than they were then, with lower inductance and ESR not to mention they are often physically smaller.  Using underrated high temp caps you can extend the life of the replacement by decades.


Of all the cap mods, this one is probably the easiest and safest, since no parts are in the audio signal path.
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