[Wes S]

Cool - will be waiting for your opinions once done!

I will post my impressions, for sure. I am pumped to hear the differences!

 

[Wes S]

Hola Folks,

Well, I've had my LP for about 2 months now and absolutely LOVE this amp!
2 weeks ago I didn't love this amp. I thought it was pretty good, but it lacked detail, distorted once you got close or past the 10:30 mark. Imaging was decent but smeared and collapsed with busy music. Soundstage was decent and kinda hinted at a 3D presence. Bass was somewhat muddy with minimal impact. This is all with totl tubes in it.

To rewind a little. I purchased a Gilmore Lite mk2 off the used market about a month ago, and sent it to a fellow headfier on here to have it modded with Elna Silmic ii capacitors. Everyone on that thread was raving about the mod.
Wanted to see if possibly going to solid state would deliver what I was looking for SQ wise. Well it did..... almost. I've always been a tube guy once I got into cans. Tubes just do something that SS can't do. SS fanatics will say " yeah it adds distortion to your music". For me I love that "distortion". The space , the imaging, the added harmonics, the whole sha-bang. Tubes just do it for me Lol.


During the modding process of my GLmk2. A light bulb went on in my head " What if the LP can be modded with the same totl caps?" So.. I asked the headfier that did the GLmk2 if he'd be interested in modding my LP, or if it can even be done. He agreed and off it went to get the cap UPGRADE!

So 6 of the 7 caps in the LP were swapped out for some jumbo Elna Silmic ii caps. The 7th cap didn't need replaced. Got the LP back 12 days ago and wanted to get over the 100 hour mark on the caps before I wrote this review.

First and foremost this is my personal subjective experience with the mod.
Secondly, I can't thank @ksorota enough for modding the LP for me along with my GLmk2.

WOW! Where do I start?.....
From the first song I played to wrapping up my 4 hour session last night. It has been one hell of a jaw dropping rollercoaster ride! To me this amp is at a completely different level of what it once was.

The level of detail and articulation that's produced now is mind boggling. The impact and slam cut right through you.
There's so much more dimensional space and transparency. One of the most airy holographic 3D experiences I've ever heard. Nuances and reverb trails are so easy to hear and distinguish in the imaging now. The imaging has more texture and speed with a bigger 3D presence in the placement around the stage with phenomenal macro and micro dynamics. Much more feel and lifelike glow that breathes, and never gets congested now. Bass weight, extension and slam have increased tremendously with no bloat or mud. Very articulate and accurate presence that I can feel pulsating through my body.
Treble and the midrange have a stunning sense of realism now and blend with precision. You can hear and feel the breath in the vocal now. Before the mod the treble lacked extension and attack which pushed the midrange forward causing a stage collapse. Things just got muddled up especially when I pumped up the volume.
Now the treble attacks with way better extension and clarity never crossing the line of being sibilant or a dry distortion.
The midrange has a more liquid flow with a better transient response. So much more lifelike and haunting sense realism in the music.

Folks, this is not the same amp anymore. Not even close. For me the change is drastic! I was considering parting ways with it prior to the mod. I was bored with it. It had no life to the sound. Lacked PRAT. I just had a hard time grooving with it.

It will be a permanent fixture now! I believe that the LP in this form can easily compete with far more expensive amps.
I took a chance and it paid off immensely! Hopefully others will give it a shot before they decide to sell. You will most likely reconsider lol.

There's one other person that had this mod done. I'm sure he'll chime in at some point with his thoughts on it, and possibly the modder himself.

With all that said. This is a very subjective hobby. These are my impressions and opinions.


Gear used with the LP.

Cans: Focal Clear Pro
Dac: Denafrips Ares

Cheers!

My LP is all packed up, and shipping label is good to go, and payment has been made! I will be reading your post constantly, and anxiously waiting to hear the magic. . .This is such a great forum with great members, and @ksorota is definitely one of them.

 

[Guidostrunk]

It's so baffling bro. I shake my head in disbelief after every song. Been losing lots of sleep as well" one more song , one more song" lol.

My LP is all packed up, and shipping label is good to go, and payment has been made! I will be reading your post constantly, and anxiously waiting to hear the magic. . .This is such a great forum with great members, and @ksorota is definitely one of them.

 

[Wes S]

It's so baffling bro. I shake my head in disbelief after every song. Been losing lots of sleep as well" one more song , one more song" lol.

Oh man! I cant freaking wait!

 

[sahmen]

It's so baffling bro. I shake my head in disbelief after every song. Been losing lots of sleep as well" one more song , one more song" lol.

Encouraging to hear... But if you're not getting any sleep, then one reason might be that the extra detail retrieval and dynamism that come with the mod, do not produce any excess of treble aggressiveness, brightness, harshness, or fatigue... If this is correct let me know....I need this confirmed before I can take the jump... Thanks

 

[Guidostrunk]

No aggression at all. It's amazing how it can extend to the very edge without any glare, dryness, or sibilance during big dynamic swings. In comparison the stock LP was quite boring.

Encouraging to hear... But if you're not getting any sleep, then one reason might be that the extra detail retrieval and dynamism that come with the mod, do not produce any excess of treble aggressiveness, brightness, harshness, or fatigue... If this is correct let me know....I need this confirmed before I can take the jump... Thanks

 

[TK16]

I may interested, need to think about it. Seems all who did the mod are extremely happy. The amp is solid, been running adapter tubes 95 % of the time. Probably thousands of hours. I prefer running the MJ2 as an amp over the LP. Been running the MJ2 as a preamp with the LP for about a year.

 

[Wes S]

I may interested, need to think about it. Seems all who did the mod are extremely happy. The amp is solid, been running adapter tubes 95 % of the time. Probably thousands of hours. I prefer running the MJ2 as an amp over the LP. Been running the MJ2 as a preamp with the LP for about a year.

Everyone is doing man, go for it! I love the LP as is, so any improvement on the already killer sound, is gonna be awesome to hear.

 

[Noobzilla]

Thanks for the reviews on the modded LP! I have been shopping around for a balanced amp to go with my RME ADI-2 and Meze Empyrean. I have been eyeing the LP since it is not super expensive compared to other potential upgrades, it is small, and tubes can be replaced.

@Slim1970 I see you have the modded LP connected to your Hugo 2. If you ever decide to test it with the ADI-2, please let me know!

I am using Elna Silmic II caps, but if someone wanted another brand (nichigon, rubycon, etc.) I could change those out as well.

Are Elna Silmic II caps the best caps? How is the LP voided? Can't the original capacitors be solder back in there for warranty return in case it breaks?

 

[nwavesailor]

Everyone is doing man, go for it!

This sounds like something my mother would say when I was young "If Wes S jumped off a bridge would you?"

I ordered the 6 caps (Silmic and Audio note) and with my desoldering station I will do this mod. I took the LP apart last night and it will be a pretty straight forward cap swap for me with the right tools.

 

[nwavesailor]

Are Elna Silmic II caps the best caps? How is the LP voided? Can't the original capacitors be solder back in there for warranty return in case it breaks?

Yes, you could carefully swap the old caps back in the LP.

 

[ksorota]

Are Elna Silmic II caps the best caps? How is the LP voided? Can't the original capacitors be solder back in there for warranty return in case it breaks?
[/QUOTE]

On the basic principle of Ethics...by opening the LP up you are foregoing the warranty. (CYA out of the way)

Yes, the og caps could always be swapped back in to bring the unit back to stock. Their are no warranty tags/stickers damaged during the opening process (or anywhere at all) so not sure how anyone would actually know

I really like the Elna's, but if you had a preference I could use those as well. The Nichigon and Rubycons are supposed to be pretty good. There are other obsure caps out their, but they get expensive fast.

Keith

 

[Guidostrunk]

Thought you guys might like to read this comparison between caps.
http://tech.juaneda.com/en/articles/electrolyticcapacitors.html

 

[Noobzilla]

Hmmmm now I wonder if the LP can be modded so the capacitors are not soldered into the board. Instead, solder something that would allow capacitor hot swapping.

edit: like how we can swap out the tubes

 

[nwavesailor]

Noobzilla, this is an inexpensive mod and the Elna are very good caps. Keith is right, look at what some exotic caps cost and you could spend a few hundred dollars just for those 6 alone.