Upgrade McCormack or...

Congrats @cheeg!  Could you share what upgrades were done (or if they’re listed somewhere already), the cost, and what improvements you experienced?  I’m leaning heavily toward doing the upgrades myself and would be very interested in your thoughts.  Thanks!

 Thanks @soix!  Patrick and I eventuality decided that the best package for my system and budget was: Gold Special upgrade, IXYS bridge rectifiers, Jupiter bypass complement (capacitors), Gravity Base Junior upgrade and Furutech Orange input fuse. I don’t want to get into the cost, but suffice to say I thought it was very fair considering how much work went into it. The most obvious improvements are noise and clarity — the phrase you often hear about a”veil being lifted” describes it well. When I’m listening to a well recorded guitar or piano piece, it’s as though the instrument is in the room with me. Soundstage is excellent too, although it was excellent before. Hope that helps — good luck with your upgrade!

@cheeg 

When I’m listening to a well recorded guitar or piano piece, it’s as though the instrument is in the room with me. Soundstage is excellent too, although it was excellent before.

I am glad you are so happy with your new/upgraded amplifier. I hear the same things with my new SMc monoblocks.  I had a chance to run them a little harder for the first time this past weekend and they are even better than what I heard in my initial impressions.  They are tonally neutral, neither thin nor thick, yet have outstanding body and tonal saturation.  They do dynamics similar to what was said about the DNA-500 - an iron fist in a velvet glove.  If it is on the recording, it is just there in my room, no matter how loud or soft, fast or slow, and displaying the proper attack and decay.  They do this in an almost understated way because the sound is so natural.  The amps seem to be a perfect match for my somewhat inefficient speakers. 

@mitch2 Glad you're enjoying your upgraded Ultra-G DNA-1 monoblocks -- at one point in this thread, you said you'd get back when you had a chance to compare them with your Clayton M300 monos; how did that turn out?

I never heard of Clayton before. I, too, would be interested in the comparison.
B