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McCormack Amp Upgrades

Looking for comments on McCormack amp upgrades, either done by McCormack or other modifiers. I'm getting a DNA-1 shortly (stock) and am looking for a cost effective upgrade. SMc offers silver, gold, and platinum upgrades. Would appreciate any comments regarding upgrades they got and the difference in sound. Spending as much (or more) on upgrades as the amp cost is significant, and when you look at the total investment you could move up to a more expensive/newer amp. Hope to hear a noticeable difference when spending $900 or more on upgrades. You can reach a point of diminishing returns when spending this much or more on upgrades, as you sit in your chair and try to convince yourself that you are hearing something better. What have you tried or heard? Do you think it is worth spending $900 to $2000+ in upgrades for this amp? Or should I use for a while, then move up to a stock DNA-225 or something else like a Pass Labs X150 or X250? Speakers are VS-4.5. Thanks for your comments and opinions.
tube540

Showing 5 responses by audphile1

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audphile1
4,323 posts
 
enjoy it for a while, then move up to another amp. Another way of trying out an upgraded McCormack amp is to find one used. You rarely recover even 1/2 of the money spent on upgrades when you sell the amp. See if you can find a used upgraded DNA1 or DNA-225. Once in a while they would pop up. This would be the more economical and rational way to go about it.

I moved from SMc Gold + upgraded DNA-225 to Pass Labs X250.5 and glad I did. Pass Labs amp is in another league.
I've seen "my" upgraded 225 on audiogon few times already. It's fun to watch it move around.
audphile1's avatar
audphile1
4,323 posts
 
A great example of the improvements that I can give is on Dave Brubecks "Time Out", while Dave is playing the piano, as the hammer is striking the strings, with the stock equipment it sounds as if there is a layers of felt on the hammers and with each upgrade a layer of that felt is removed, making the notes sound more real and less like a reproduction.

That's an interesting claim.
Because the piano hammers do have a layer of felt. If the upgraded amps "removed" this layer of felt, this would make the stock amps more accurate now, wouldn't it.

This is precisely the reason I sold the modded SMc amp. It was not natural sounding, was colored, inacurate and caused listener fatigue. The big improvement over the stock amp was the improved soundstage size. Tonality was not as accurate as it was with the stock amplifier.
audphile1's avatar
audphile1
4,323 posts
 
Tube540, if you are planning on doing a full-blown upgrade to the DNA-1, then it will probably total you to about the cost of a used DNA-500, in which case I suggest you opt for the 500. If you want to do the minimalist revision, it's up to you. But spending over $2000 + shipping back and forth on this amplifier makes very little sense to me.
Again, it is completely up to you to decide. but if I were you, I'd jump on the used modded amp if it comes up here(they do, just keep your eyes open), or a used DNA-500. To me this is a much smarter purchase.

But, who can tell you how to spend your money?
audphile1's avatar
audphile1
4,323 posts
 
Tube540, just a suggestion....McCormack amplifiers sound best when they're left "on" 24/7. Or at least warmed up for a day before listening. I noticed this with all the McCormack amps I had(DNA-0.5Deluxe, DNA-125, DNA-225).
audphile1's avatar
audphile1
4,323 posts
 
Ig316b, it's alright. I cought some sarcasm in your post but nothing that had ruined my weekend.
:)
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