Mods you describe like replacing caps etc are well beyond my capabilities. Hence my mild intrigue in what a pro-modder might do or propose for the R26.Is this a guess or a real thing? Either way I'm sure you're right it's only a matter of time before Gustard or someone else ups the ante. But there can be some pretty straightforward mods like cap swaps that don't cost all that much. To be honest though I kind of agree, they seem to have used good spec parts all throughout the R26, as opposed to my Chinese tube amp, in which I've replaced every cap, resistor, and pretty much all the wire, not to mention speaker taps and input jacks (oh yeah and the output transformers).
One thing I have considered is swapping out the RCAs and possibly the XLR jacks, which might not give a great ROI but that won't stop me.
From the Aliexpress cables (incl tweaks) thread incl my own experience with the effect of grounding & shielding here's a few straightorward things I might try when I get around to it: Fo.Q vibration damping material on interior circuit boards and/or componentry like transformers, on caps, maybe even the oscillators; copper foil with conductive adhesive on both sides of the divider wall to the power supply section
(and maybe over the top of that section to create a tighter faraday cage) to increase shielding; potentially inserting another shielding divider wall grounded to the chassis between the clock section and the ladder / analogue stage section. And maybe changing the IEC inlet like you did. But my first priority is my new Nilai amp with some obvious upgrades (internal cables, shielding, vibration damping, connectors) and much more interior space in which to play.
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Jolly good when the plastics underneath the sand eventually melts.. "Heey Gustard, uhh, I was wondering about that warranty, puh"
