[chgolatin2]

I normally don't advertise for anybody or put the word out however, Mitch Singerman who works for Affordable Audio, probably owns it as well is one heck of a modifier, he has taken all of my electronics to a whole new level.  My Jolida 1000RC, FX10 wow, I don't know how he does it but whatever he's doing is magic!  Very happy and definitely "NOT" overly priced or advertised~!  Level 2 mods $850 and Jolida FX10 Mods $150  AWESOME SERVICE and very, very affordable!

[Mariusz]

I like smart mods.
Love cheap mods.
Hate mods that cost more then modified product itself.
There are very few moders out there and even fewer with down to Earth prices and knowledge to perform those modifications. 
Glad to hear that you found someone you trust and value their work.

[Frihed91]

The mods I have done myself have all "worked" in one way or another.  This has involved changing parts only (wire, capacitors, chokes, power and output transformers, parts of rectifiers). I haven't tried any other kind of mod.

To replace a $100 output transformer with a $400 output transformer (once you know it will work)  takes an hour or so + $800 for two.  To replace a $2 coupling cap with an $80 coupling cap (once you know it will work) takes a half hour for 4 + $320.  To bypass an existing cap.....and so on.

The hard part is knowing what to replace that will make the biggest difference.  Some mfrs will help; some will not.

[chgolatin2]

Your statement is very true, some "so called high end modifiers" charge you an arm and a leg to do some simple modifications, they put some snake oil into their claims to exaggerate their mods, others do the work because they love to do it and do it well and professionally and very cheaply with excellent parts. 

Some people "believe or buy into" the snake oil theory, others like myself choose to believe otherwise.  You can make a well made decently price product sound like a high end product without sacrificing high end dollars, others who have the cash seem not to care because they believe that they are getting the best for their money.  Spending more money doesn't mean that you are getting the best, simply they are charging you the premium price just because they are allowed to... 

I like smart mods.
Love cheap mods.
Hate mods that cost more then modified product itself.
There are very few moders out there and even fewer with down to Earth prices and knowledge to perform those modifications. 
Glad to hear that you found someone you trust and value their work.

[lcrim]

chgolatin2:
If you want to praise the work of someone, that's fine, if you had stopped there. 
The need to accuse other modders of selling the inevitable, meaningless "snake oil" is not.  Take it easy. 

[Eric]

Every thing has an effect. The question is does it have the effect that one desires?

[JoshK]

I like smart mods.
Love cheap mods.
Hate mods that cost more then modified product itself.
There are very few moders out there and even fewer with down to Earth prices and knowledge to perform those modifications. 
Glad to hear that you found someone you trust and value their work.

That requires understanding of the weaknesses of the circuit.  Not all modders possess such understanding IMNHO.

[satfrat]

That requires understanding of the weaknesses of the circuit.  Not all modders possess such understanding IMNHO.

That unfortunately is all too true Josh. I have personally learned that the hard way from a mod of a brand new subwoofer amp that caused it to become both unlistenable and created feedback into my processor that afffected my other loudspeakers. Even thou the modder wouldn't accept responsiblity for this (the brand new amp HAD to be defective), he agreed to restore the amp back to it's original condition. He's had this brand new subwoofer amp for 19 months now and I continue to wait for him to "find the time to get to it." 
 
While I still fully believe in component mods, it only takes 1 experience like mine to bring my guard up on the subject, especially when I thought I knew this guy fairly well and had previously done thousands of dollars worth of business with him. But I've learned that you just can't take it for granted that an untested mod will both work and the modder has your best interest a heart. It's always about the money 1st and foremost,,,,,, 
 
Cheers,
Robin

[TONEPUB]

Excellent point Robin!

So often the modders try to make it look like the greedy OEM's are making profit at the expense of good sound.  I've talked to enough of the modders and any of them that are actually earning a living work on close to the same multipliers that high end mfrs. do.

So if a mod costs $500, you can bet there's an hour (maybe two) worth of bench time and 75 bucks worth of parts, probably not much more.  Don't kid yourself, everyone has to eat and they can't if they give it away.

[satfrat]

Excellent point Robin!

So often the modders try to make it look like the greedy OEM's are making profit at the expense of good sound.  I've talked to enough of the modders and any of them that are actually earning a living work on close to the same multipliers that high end mfrs. do.

So if a mod costs $500, you can bet there's an hour (maybe two) worth of bench time and 75 bucks worth of parts, probably not much more.  Don't kid yourself, everyone has to eat and they can't if they give it away.

The charge has never been the issue with me,,, so long as I'm getting what I paid for. With mods, that's not always a given. And when a mod goes wrong from the mailbox, it can be your problem, not theirs. I'm not making a blanket statement here by any means, but mods aren't always for the best and they can infact be bad from the get go. Folks need to know this before sinking $100's-$1000's of dollars in untested mods and they need to know that the mod will stand behind his work. That is not always a given,,, unfortunately. In fact you usually lose any warranty coverage. The internet can be a very easy means of losing money and it's happened right here on AC to AC members! 
 
Cheers,
Robin

[chgolatin2]

I didn't mention anybody in particular, please re-read my statement which is all factual and not an opinion.  Thanks

chgolatin2:
If you want to praise the work of someone, that's fine, if you had stopped there. 
The need to accuse other modders of selling the inevitable, meaningless "snake oil" is not.  Take it easy.

[chgolatin2]

I also wanted to point out that some "modders" tend to make a tube integrated amp, or tube amp sound almost like a Solid State amp, some mods are taken into the extreme where the sweetness of the amp is somehow lost.  I have experience that myself however, I have found someone that I can trust and I know he has a good heart and its not after the $$$ however, he does have to make a living without  breaking your wallet 

[lcrim]

Yes mods do work and sometimes they don't.  When they do work it is valuable to hear about it.  When or if they don't work this is not the place to fight those battles.  I do appreciate that no names were mentioned but this topic can be and has been a mine field.
The fact that this hobby is to a large extent concerned w/ hardware and the costs thereof should caution all to research thoroughly how they invest that shrinking disposable income.  For very obvious reasons I am cautious about permitting negative comments about an experience you may have had.
Maybe there should be such a place for that to help protect others but like I said this ain't it.

[macrojack]

I hate to repeat myself but here goes. Modify means change. It is unwise to assume that it means improve. This may happen and it may not. Like anything else, it is a gamble.

You might also try to keep in mind that even if the majority of us feel that a particular mod is an improvement, it may not suit your taste. And taste is the watchword here. We all experience things differently. Try to picture a thread arguing about the appropriate amount of salt to put in your soup. And arguments supported by analysis and measurements and testimonials and anecdotal personal experience. And the use of modified salt or salt substitute, etc., etc., etc.

Ultimately, I would hope, you season to your own taste.

Also good to realize that mods don't usually increase resale value. On the contrary, they generally disqualify a used product for me.

Oh, and by the way, the biggest variable in any system is your hearing. You perceive things differently from one time to the next. Most of the opinions I read concerning audio seem to emanate from the presumption that our hearing and interpretation are the fixed end of the equation when, in fact, they are the least consistent element in the chain.

[TheChairGuy]

Personally, I have not equated good value to various modders work, by and large.

But, the concept of 'value' is so individualized....no one can make a blanket statement about the effectiveness of modding.

Robert/chgolatin2...if you're pleased with the resultant sound and you found the price fair...then it was good work indeed

John

[pjchappy]

Let's keep things on topic.  Also, please refrain from criticizing a Facilitator for their moderation of a Circle.  It is the Facilitator's call to determine what is and what is not on topic, etc.

Thanks,


Paul

[Ericus Rex]

I agree with Macrojack about everything he's said.  If you feel the need to modify something in your system then perhaps you should look into a different component altogether.  I also do not buy anything used that has been modified and have not modified a single component in my system.  But I am glad that your experience worked out for the better in your system.

I hate to repeat myself but here goes. Modify means change. It is unwise to assume that it means improve. This may happen and it may not. Like anything else, it is a gamble.

You might also try to keep in mind that even if the majority of us feel that a particular mod is an improvement, it may not suit your taste. And taste is the watchword here. We all experience things differently. Try to picture a thread arguing about the appropriate amount of salt to put in your soup. And arguments supported by analysis and measurements and testimonials and anecdotal personal experience. And the use of modified salt or salt substitute, etc., etc., etc.

Ultimately, I would hope, you season to your own taste.

Also good to realize that mods don't usually increase resale value. On the contrary, they generally disqualify a used product for me.

Oh, and by the way, the biggest variable in any system is your hearing. You perceive things differently from one time to the next. Most of the opinions I read concerning audio seem to emanate from the presumption that our hearing and interpretation are the fixed end of the equation when, in fact, they are the least consistent element in the chain.

[face]

To discount modified gear as a whole is silly.  I've modified 30+ pairs of speakers and a few misc. amps and preamps.  Modded gear can be a great value.  For example, my Mapletree Line 2A was modified with upgraded pots, caps, and resistors.  To purchase a preamp with parts of the same quality and that sounds as good would cost much more than what I have into it.