[Swarkybubble]

I have just had a Linn Troika retipped and am very happy with it as it is a perfect marriage with my ittok arm. I was previously using a Denon DL103Pro with a DIY SUT based on some Haufe transformers, which sounded good but not as good as I thought it should due to the not so happy marriage of the 103 with my arm. Anyway, the Troika is revealing its far superior potential much to my delight except in the area of bass slam or snap. So I have decided to try with a Piccolo into my PureSound P10 MM valve phono stage instead of a SUT.
With a view to max bass snap and lowest noise floor , are there any component upgrades that can be recommended from the word go, over and above the standard kit from Digikey ?

[jameshuls]

I think tubesforever is the audionaut in this respect. Look back on his experiments for some wisdom.

[tubesforever]

The Rubicon Black Gate caps I used for the power supply are a great way to nail deep bass lines.  They are so quiet the bass jumps out at you.  Unfortunately they take up a lot of real estate.  I had to stagger mine up and down on the board to make them fit right.

You will find one pair of caps in the direct signal pathway.  I used teflons here.  However a pair of Mundorf Silver in oil would have deeper bass and great mids.

I have to have air up top to be happy with my gear,  so on mine the FT-2 teflons rule the day.  Dang these things are clean and clear. 

In the final analysis, I have all the detail and precision of an SUT but with less sibilance, better bass, and a super quiet noise floor that defies description. 

When I crank things up without a signal, all I hear is tube rush from the Cornet 2.  Thats about the best testimony Jim Hagerman could ever expect to hear about his design.  Every other head amp I know interjects white noise or sizzle and I am including the big guns like the Klynes. 

This is the quietest head amp I have ever heard and Jim Hagerman is a genius!  Don't forget to try some TI shielding across the power supply pieces like I used.  TI shield is amazing stuff for audio projects when it comes to draining emi noise.   Its so good that HP uses it in a great variety of sensative test gear. 

Cheers!