Quote:
Originally Posted by sonda2008 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Hello SebastianL,
Any news from the "war zone"? Probably I'm not the only one who is checking this thread every now and then to see the progress in your LD modification
Best of luck!
sonda2008
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Hold on! I’m still in the progress of modifying my MKIV. But things are definitely going my way.
By now I have more or less followed the suggestions laid out by Pricklely Peete substituting the WIMA MKS4 caps with Jantzen Superior Z-caps. The Jantzens was my own choice though, since I’ve heard a lot of good reports about them. Furthermore they are a Danish product and I bought them in a store just down the road from where I work. Buying them was an easy task. However installing them wasn’t easy at all! There is very little space inside the LD box. Perhaps that’s why they call it LITTLE dot
Subbing the WIMAs with the Jantzens (the first mod I did) made a HUGE difference on the SQ. WOV! The annoying lack of treble (the biggest issue for me) was gone. Now, a lot of clear treble – maybe adding a tad too much emphasis on the high frequencies. But I was so content I was about to stop the modding process. However I had already bought or ordered a lot of other components. Thus, I went on tweaking.
Next step was installing the Russian K42Y-2 .033µF 500V PIOs as coupling caps on the five big electrolytes on the back of the PCB. Also I subbed the two yellow ERO 0,47µF with Russian K42Y-2 0,47µF PIOs. Last step this time was exchanging the output wire w. some expensive AudioNote AN pure silver wire (solid core and very stiff – a bit difficult to work with, but the advantage is that it gets a strong grip on the front lid).
This (so far) last step brought it all back into balance. At this point once more I’m hesistating on continuing the mods because I am SO satisfied with the result: transparence, even balance throughtout the spectre, great stereo perspective, good depth, great dynamics. This is what I expect from a tube amp. I could easily live with this modded amp forever! (considering the money and time spent).
Once I’ve done all of the mods I will elaborate my statements and and draw a final conclusion. So far I’m very happy with the overall sound. Much more refined than the standard MKIV amp I received.
Note that I use Sennheiser HD650 with this amp which is very important to take into consideration when reading this report. The above mods might not suit other headphones at all. Just this weekend I tried a pair of HD800 with my modded MKIV and I preferred my own HD650+MKIV combo. The HD800 sounded much better with some other equipment (a HeadAmp GS-X).
Also to anybody who might want to mess with this amp: heed the warning from Pricklely Peete “the chassis the MK III is shoehorned into is a major PITA to pull the pcb out of and then get it all back in again. You need the patience of a Saint IMO to work on this amp.”!!!
He is so right!! Warning goes for the MKIV as well.
regards, Sebastian (a happy modder)