Anyone modded a Steelhead?

Lacee- I'll be interested to know if using the Lightspeed in lieu of the
volume control on the Steelhead is an improvement. (I'm aware of the
Lightspeed but never used one). Perhaps the difference in sound I
experienced between fixed and variable has to do with how the volume
control is implemented, I don't really know. I did find a considerable
improvement in tube rolling- the Sovteks are pretty sterile sounding; in my
system, i liked the NOS Tele the best, found the Mullard to be too euphonic
and the Siemens to be a bit stark. I also rolled the 7044 tubes. I've had
wonderful experience with the K-S cables, including power cords, though I
know that everyone has their favorite, depending on a variety of factors.
Two other observations: first, doesn't the mono switch still work even if you
are in fixed output mode? (I can't remember); also, my comments re the
sound 'straight in' were going to a pair of Lamm ML 2 SET amps, which are
very musical, with lot's of harmonic texture. So, it isn't just 'adding more
tubes' that makes the difference.

I might be able to shed some light on the Lightspeed question, if only by extrapolation. Like Whart, I prefer the Steelhead into a preamp. Directly into my amps (whether Bryston 28b-SST2 or Reference Line Silver Signature), I found it to be nicely transparent and dynamic but also to collapse the soundstage vertically somewhat and take on a bit of an edge. Running it into a Bent TAP-X passive that uses autoformers, however, all of the transparency and dynamics are retained but the soundstage is expanded to its realistic proportions. It sounds fuller and more natural. The AVC TAP-X has been compared to the Lightspeed sonically, so I'd guess something similar would happen with the latter.

As a linestage, the Steelhead wasn't as threadbare in my system as Whart describes, perhaps because I use a different, fatter-sounding tube compliment: Valvo Red Label 6922, plus Amperex 7119 and GE 7044 in place of the two pairs of stock 5687. The 7044 is richer than any of the 5687 I've tried, and the 7119 is richer still. These work best for me, but I'm using solid state amps. The best sound in my system is into a VAC Phi Beta tube preamp.

Still waiting for the Lightspeed.
I use Amperex Holland factory bugle 6922, and also some nice Seimans gold pin E 88c(6922) for awhile,both have their own characteristics, yet both better than the EH 6922.

I've used the original 7044 and the replacement 5687 from manley, but nothing exotic as yet.

I love the sound of the Steelhead ,but would it not sound even better with caddock resistors and teflon V caps?