Right. Of all the cost effective big bang for the buck things you can do caps are way up at the top of the list. Super easy too. The values are printed right on them. Anyone can simply look, order, swap. Hardest part is getting them to fit. Better caps almost always are bigger. Aside from that its a simple swap.
Another mind-blowing swap is better diodes. The power supply affects everything. Depending on the quality in there now newer better diodes may be just the thing. I did the ones in my tube amp and was flabbergasted what that $6 bought me!
My Oppo CD/DVD player was modded with all the caps replaced. Several hundred for the mods, more than the player cost, but the results speak for themselves.
This all works because manufacturers have to build to a price point where the cost of every single part gets multiplied many times by the time it reaches retail. Please note: every single part. This includes shipping. Includes the box and all the packaging. Run the numbers, no wonder they are down to pennies for a cap. So you spend dollars, boom, instant massive improvement. Then go look at the prices of the components that use the quality level you put in there. They are $10k and up.
Modders rule! |
Where are the manufacturers' fanboys today? "No you shouldn't even open the cover yourself!" "Only the manufacturer knows what's supposed to be done!" "you are just altering the sound, that's heresy!" |
millercarbon it would seem you are an expert at losing money. Wouldn't you rather buy more music?? I guess not. |
Mijostyn seems you've never gone the mod route, it is hardly losing or wasting money unless you somehow equate greater musical performance and engagement a waste. Better sound promotes more musical purchases, at least in my experience. Well placed mods/upgrades by an experienced tech is some of the smartest spending you can do. |
Replaced the caps in my Arcam Alpha 10 int. amp w/Kendeil's myself. A world of difference! $40. A lot of other little mods which cost very little and greatly improve the sound. Everything has an effect. If you have never done these things, you have no idea how much improvement there is to be made. |
The first mod I did was put a Noble potentiometer in a Superphon preamp, many years ago. Big difference! Been a modder ever since. |
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. |
@bdp24 No doubt some truth in what you say. However, manufacturers must bear some responsibility for being cheap and using inexpensive components.
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Sometimes a more expensive part is a better part. At other times a more expensive part is just a more expensive part. |
@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...... |
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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mijostyn blathers:
millercarbon it would seem you are an expert at losing money. Wouldn't you rather buy more music?? I guess not.
So the subject, which you can scroll up and read the title but I'll save you the effort, is: "I Recapped my Conrad Johnson PFR. Wow! Some of the best $$$ I've spent." Which is pretty much what I said. And pretty much what a lot of others are saying. So gosh it kind of looks like you were so hell-bent on insulting me you unwittingly insulted the OP, and everyone else. And who knows, maybe even your own intelligence. |
Artemis-5: do ‘you (or anyone else for that matter) know of anyone that is doing upgrades on Vintage CJ equipment? I’m more inclined to have a complete overhaul on my PF-R but at the very least would like to have the caps replaced. Thanks.
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@russellrcncom
Conrad Johnson will update any of their older equipment. Also Bill Thalman at Music Direct who used to be one of their engineers is also an excellant source and would probably be a little cheaper.
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Whoops, Bill is at Music Technologies?
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russellrcncom
Consult Bill Thalmann at Music Technologies.
Happy Listening!
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