"I like the sound overall and would be a bit cautious about a modification that might change its character drastically."
^^^ That's exactly the context for my post, and I appreciate your clear articulation of it. Dry, lean, and harsh ... would be a big step backward for me. I've mostly read positive things about Mundorfs, but I've also heard some negative comments. Thank you for your response!
Cary SLP98L upgrades--yea or nay?
I like this venerable (and recently discontinued?) pre-amp and don't have any plans to swap it out any time soon. As I plan to keep it, I'm curious whether folks think that the Cary upgrade is worth it, and I'd appreciate any advice from those who have done it. (I know the F1 mods were popular.) Specifically:
-- They offer Mundorf MCap SUPREME EVO SilverGold Capacitors. Two versions, one with oil (+$20). I've read mostly good things about these. Do I want them--and do I want oil?
--Hexfred rectifiers. I've read a couple mixed things about these. Are they an improvement?
--Kimber Kable ($150/input; I'd only do one input). Okay--I like Kimber Kable ... but will I hear any difference?
I'm sure there are other/better preamps out there, but I like this little guy and I'm not looking for recommendations or esoteric mods. If these upgrades are ... really upgrades, it's a modest investment and I'd be interested in hearing the difference. I'm also interested in trying out some different tubes, but I'll save that question for another day...
Thanks!
Showing 4 responses by northman
Thank you both for your thoughtful, helpful answers. I haven’t done tube rolling in years (ie decades) but I’m looking forward to having a go. @larryi , everything you say makes sense. Since there seems to be near-universal enthusiasm about the F1 upgrades, I was hoping that I’d find a similar no-brainer response about the Mundorfs. Still, I’m pretty sure I’ll go ahead with it and hope for the best, though starting with tubes is a fun and immediate prospect. @decooney , thank you. I've read some of your posts on tube rolling with the SLP 98 and they're a great help! |
A quick thank you to @decooney, @harpo75, and @dogearedaudio. I appreciate the wisdom. It helps me to think through things. I'm going to do the upgrade *and* tube rolling. Or vice versa.... |