2. amps-preamps
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DK Design VS.1 Reference mkII - Optimization

I would like to know what tuning, customizing, hot rodding, tweaking, what ever.. that you owners of DK Design VS-1 MK2 are using to bring out the best in this amp. It seems to be responsive to changes in interconnects, tubes, power & speaker cables, speaker dynamics, etc. most probably to both the positive and negative.

Please share your work. I would like to know what improved it's performance, what caused no real change and what made it sound worse. Thanks in advance!
jomoinc
84audio
175 posts
 
At the risk of beating a dead horse, John Tucker is now a part of DK/LSA Group. John maintains his interest in Exemplar Audio, but they are completely separate companies.

I had a DK MK2, but now have the new statement. If you are considering taking the plunge, do it! It's that good. Rumor has it that DK may offer an upgrade for the MK2 down the road, but I don't know.
jomoinc OP
62 posts
 
I received this email through audiogon recently,

"Jomoinc, My name is Tom Bery, National Sales Manager for The LSA Group. We will be offering an upgrade for the MKII amp to bring it up to the "Signature" status, as much as is possible. We are still working out the details and price. If you are interested I will provide details as they are available. Please contact me directly at tom.berry@thelsagroup.com, or 888-671-8607, if you are interested. Thanks."

Any one else taken the modification plunge? DIY or Vendor?
isslewis
22 posts
 
Try HIFI Tuning Fuses! Four inside you have to replace, I
did and got very good results! You can see more into the
soundstage now. Highs are better also, but this is not the
shot in the arm you maybe looking for. You need good cables
with this amp! The Power cord plays the major role here,and you can't use bright sounding cables at all here. I had planed on getting a new amp up to this point. Not anymore! I'm going to try the fuses with my Black Cube's power supply next. They did great things for my Kora tube DAC.
hiawassee73
1 posts
 
CHANGE THE CAPS WITH HIGH QUALITY LIKE I DID ON MINE I REPLACE THOSE BIG CAPS ON TUBE BOARD WITH NICHICON GOLD SAME VALUE AND AURICAP 3.0 MF IT TRANSFORM IN THE NEXT LEVEL.
isslewis
22 posts
 
I have changed the CAPS in my DK amp also, to Auricaps 3.0!
they sound a hell of a lot better. I my mind the highend
fuses working with the CAP upgrade takes the amp to even
higher level. I don't get the un-even sound anymore. Once
the amp is hot and ready to run, she runs! I have noted that the highs sound a lot better now after the change. They still sound a bit distance. The total job cost me about $100.00. $40.00 for the caps, $60.00 for have them
put on the boards. Beats buying a new amp!
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