[LCMusicLover]

I listened for a few hours last night -- about 50 hours of burn-in on the caps.

The word which bubbles to the top is 'incisive'.

I primarily listened to Auteur, Ether 2 and HEKse. For comparison I listened to the same chain (NUC PC ==> SU-1 ==> A2 Gumby ==> Hattor mini passive pre ==> amps ==> cans) feeding the LP and my DSHA 3F. All analog connections are balanced and the Singxer feeds the Gumby via SP/DIF coax. 3F currently has Amorphous core transformers and I rolled some NOS Siemens E188CCs into the LP.

Amazingly, with the caps mod my LP and 3F are very close. So much that I believe the differences produced by transformer and tube swaps over-shadow the differences between the amps. Prior to the caps mod the 3F stood above the LP primarily because of greater energy/liveliness. That difference is literally gone. Personally, I never heard the distortion others have written about, or maybe my brain just called it 'tubiness'. I suppose the LP is marginally 'less tuby' now, although I never thought it was very tuby to begin with. I'll roll my Bugle Boys in tonight and listen again -- LP sounded the tubiest with them of all the tubes I have.

So what most of you will want to know is:

'Just how much of an improvement does the mod make?' and 'Is it worth the money and invalidating your warranty?'

Sorry, can't definitively answer either question. I will say that I'm glad I did it, but I really liked my LP before the mod, so ...

I guess it could all be 'placebo effect'. Without having modded and un-modded side-by-side all I can do is compare my memory to the current reality, and we all know how unreliable auditory memory can be.

I'll see if there's more to say at the weekend, by which point I'll have 100 hours of burn-in on the caps.

 

[Wes S]

I listened for a few hours last night -- about 50 hours of burn-in on the caps.

The word which bubbles to the top is 'incisive'.

I primarily listened to Auteur, Ether 2 and HEKse. For comparison I listened to the same chain (NUC PC ==> SU-1 ==> A2 Gumby ==> Hattor mini passive pre ==> amps ==> cans) feeding the LP and my DSHA 3F. All analog connections are balanced and the Singxer feeds the Gumby via SP/DIF coax. 3F currently has Amorphous core transformers and I rolled some NOS Siemens E188CCs into the LP.

Amazingly, with the caps mod my LP and 3F are very close. So much that I believe the differences produced by transformer and tube swaps over-shadow the differences between the amps. Prior to the caps mod the 3F stood above the LP primarily because of greater energy/liveliness. That difference is literally gone. Personally, I never heard the distortion others have written about, or maybe my brain just called it 'tubiness'. I suppose the LP is marginally 'less tuby' now, although I never thought it was very tuby to begin with. I'll roll my Bugle Boys in tonight and listen again -- LP sounded the tubiest with them of all the tubes I have.

So what most of you will want to know is:

'Just how much of an improvement does the mod make?' and 'Is it worth the money and invalidating your warranty?'

Sorry, can't definitively answer either question. I will say that I'm glad I did it, but I really liked my LP before the mod, so ...

I guess it could all be 'placebo effect'. Without having modded and un-modded side-by-side all I can do is compare my memory to the current reality, and we all know how unreliable auditory memory can be.

I'll see if there's more to say at the weekend, by which point I'll have 100 hours of burn-in on the caps.

Good stuff! With all that said, what I am gathering is that with the cap mod, the LP can now hang with a $2000 world class amp. That's enough proof for me, that the cap mod is legit.

 

[Sandifop]

I listened for a few hours last night -- about 50 hours of burn-in on the caps.

The word which bubbles to the top is 'incisive'.

I primarily listened to Auteur, Ether 2 and HEKse. For comparison I listened to the same chain (NUC PC ==> SU-1 ==> A2 Gumby ==> Hattor mini passive pre ==> amps ==> cans) feeding the LP and my DSHA 3F. All analog connections are balanced and the Singxer feeds the Gumby via SP/DIF coax. 3F currently has Amorphous core transformers and I rolled some NOS Siemens E188CCs into the LP.

Amazingly, with the caps mod my LP and 3F are very close. So much that I believe the differences produced by transformer and tube swaps over-shadow the differences between the amps. Prior to the caps mod the 3F stood above the LP primarily because of greater energy/liveliness. That difference is literally gone. Personally, I never heard the distortion others have written about, or maybe my brain just called it 'tubiness'. I suppose the LP is marginally 'less tuby' now, although I never thought it was very tuby to begin with. I'll roll my Bugle Boys in tonight and listen again -- LP sounded the tubiest with them of all the tubes I have.

So what most of you will want to know is:

'Just how much of an improvement does the mod make?' and 'Is it worth the money and invalidating your warranty?'

Sorry, can't definitively answer either question. I will say that I'm glad I did it, but I really liked my LP before the mod, so ...

I guess it could all be 'placebo effect'. Without having modded and un-modded side-by-side all I can do is compare my memory to the current reality, and we all know how unreliable auditory memory can be.

I'll see if there's more to say at the weekend, by which point I'll have 100 hours of burn-in on the caps.

My E2s are back from DCA with new drivers. I have not achieved the magic 100-hours of burn in but I am not finding the distortion I mentioned in my impression of the Ether 2 driven by the LP. However, I committed the cardinal error (not THAT Cardinal error) of changing two variables at the same time. (Caps and drivers) I’ll never know which contributed to the distortion.

So now I have impressions up in the forum that may or may not stand, but cast shade on what I believe are two fine products.

Crikey.

 

[Sandifop]

My E2s are back from DCA with new drivers. I have not achieved the magic 100-hours of burn in but I am not finding the distortion I mentioned in my impression of the Ether 2 driven by the LP. However, I committed the cardinal error (not THAT Cardinal error) of changing two variables at the same time. (Caps and drivers) I’ll never know which contributed to the distortion.

So now I have impressions up in the forum that may or may not stand, but cast shade on what I believe are two fine products.

Crikey.

Hard lesson: keep my big mouth shut.

 

[sunni]

Sorry, a noob's got finger-itchy now. I'm not in US so I think I can only do it myself. So... From my observation, it's like replacing all of the three big caps with even bigger ones and the medium one in the middle? Maybe not too hard for a noob like me?

 

[Guidostrunk]

Send @ksorota a pm. He can give you the details.

Sorry, a noob's got finger-itchy now. I'm not in US so I think I can only do it myself. So... From my observation, it's like replacing all of the three big caps with even bigger ones and the medium one in the middle? Maybe not too hard for a noob like me?

 

[ksorota]

I tried really hard last night, for a long time to convince myself that I liked the GSX-mini more than the LP-mod but in the end I had to concede.

To be more specific, for pure enjoyment of sound, realism and emotion, the LP-mod was easily on top. To make an analogy... the mini is like eating a freshly made banana split; each of the ingredients is layered beautifully, the ice cream is firm, the whipped cream is fluffy giving smoke support to the crushed up nuts and jimmies! Such a wonderful, inviting dessert you cannot wait to grab a spoon and dive into. The LP-mod is that same banana split 5-minutes later when all the ingredients are melted and melding together into the sumptuous, melty, creamy, decadent soup of flavor. You can still pick out the components of the b.s., but they are all blended into a perfect cocktail of flavor! The mini is more like if you kept all those ingredients in their original forms... still delicious but not quite as satisfying.

Another thought i had was that the mini is like being on the mixing board at a concert while the LP-mod is like being centrally located on the floor in front of the band, jumping with the crowd. Think live 311/incubus/coldplay/Tori Amos/The Verve!

Listening to music was more engaging emotionally and actually created a physical sensation of joy. I’m trying to find reasons to keep the mini... it’s nicer looking, has better volume control and a gain switch! The LP is the kind of the hill currently in my home, where it’s going to stay.

Tidal>bifrost mb unison> amp > HD600


The build on Daft Punks contact is amazing through the LP-mod, euphoric even!

1 month old Satin red GSX -mini listed for sale and no longer feeling sad about it.

 

[Sandifop]

I tried really hard last night, for a long time to convince myself that I liked the GSX-mini more than the LP-mod but in the end I had to concede.

To be more specific, for pure enjoyment of sound, realism and emotion, the LP-mod was easily on top. To make an analogy... the mini is like eating a freshly made banana split; each of the ingredients is layered beautifully, the ice cream is firm, the whipped cream is fluffy giving smoke support to the crushed up nuts and jimmies! Such a wonderful, inviting dessert you cannot wait to grab a spoon and dive into. The LP-mod is that same banana split 5-minutes later when all the ingredients are melted and melding together into the sumptuous, melty, creamy, decadent soup of flavor. You can still pick out the components of the b.s., but they are all blended into a perfect cocktail of flavor! The mini is more like if you kept all those ingredients in their original forms... still delicious but not quite as satisfying.

Another thought i had was that the mini is like being on the mixing board at a concert while the LP-mod is like being centrally located on the floor in front of the band, jumping with the crowd. Think live 311/incubus/coldplay/Tori Amos/The Verve!

Listening to music was more engaging emotionally and actually created a physical sensation of joy. I’m trying to find reasons to keep the mini... it’s nicer looking, has better volume control and a gain switch! The LP is the kind of the hill currently in my home, where it’s going to stay.

Tidal>bifrost mb unison> amp

The build on Daft Punks contact is amazing through the LP-mod, euphoric even!

1 month old Satin red GSX -mini listed for sale and no longer feeling sad about it.

Whoa. You know the LP is tube, right? That’s high praise from a SS guy.

Glad you enjoy it, and thank you for building mine.

 

[Zachik]

I tried really hard last night, for a long time to convince myself that I liked the GSX-mini more than the LP-mod but in the end I had to concede.

To be more specific, for pure enjoyment of sound, realism and emotion, the LP-mod was easily on top. To make an analogy... the mini is like eating a freshly made banana split; each of the ingredients is layered beautifully, the ice cream is firm, the whipped cream is fluffy giving smoke support to the crushed up nuts and jimmies! Such a wonderful, inviting dessert you cannot wait to grab a spoon and dive into. The LP-mod is that same banana split 5-minutes later when all the ingredients are melted and melding together into the sumptuous, melty, creamy, decadent soup of flavor. You can still pick out the components of the b.s., but they are all blended into a perfect cocktail of flavor! The mini is more like if you kept all those ingredients in their original forms... still delicious but not quite as satisfying.

Another thought i had was that the mini is like being on the mixing board at a concert while the LP-mod is like being centrally located on the floor in front of the band, jumping with the crowd. Think live 311/incubus/coldplay/Tori Amos/The Verve!

Listening to music was more engaging emotionally and actually created a physical sensation of joy. I’m trying to find reasons to keep the mini... it’s nicer looking, has better volume control and a gain switch! The LP is the kind of the hill currently in my home, where it’s going to stay.

Tidal>bifrost mb unison> amp > HD600


The build on Daft Punks contact is amazing through the LP-mod, euphoric even!

1 month old Satin red GSX -mini listed for sale and no longer feeling sad about it.

Did you try upgrading the caps on the GSX-mini??
Just wondering what that might do for its sound...

 

[ksorota]

Did you try upgrading the caps on the GSX-mini??
Just wondering what that might do for its sound...

Yes. The GLMK2 is a great amp made even better by the upgraded caps. I am looking forward to the new power supply for it. Having the GLMK2 makes giving up the mini all the easier. Comparing SE to SE on the two headamp amps Is surprisingly close, Especially for casual listening.

 

[Guidostrunk]

Would be crazy to cap mod an already expensive amp to maybe beat out a modded LP. Lol

Did you try upgrading the caps on the GSX-mini??
Just wondering what that might do for its sound...

 

[Zachik]

Would be crazy to cap mod an already expensive amp to maybe beat out a modded LP. Lol

Well, depending on how big the improvement is - it might beat a $4K amps...

 

[ksorota]

Well, depending on how big the improvement is - it might beat a $4K amps...

Hmmm didn’t realize you meant mini for some reason. I wouldnt dare try it at this point. Perhaps it would change the signature. If no one wants to take it off my hands then maybe!?

 

[Wes S]

My new caps are burned in and I can only echo what others have said.

The tone and timbre are perfection, as in you are there, and the sound stage opened up and got a lot more 3D. With the bigger more 3D like stage and pitch black background, I can see deeper into the recording and every instrument has it's own space, and this makes it much easier to pick up on the little nuances I have never heard or noticed before. I really can't imagine it sounding any better, and I definitely have no desire to upgrade.

 

[Wes S]

I tried really hard last night, for a long time to convince myself that I liked the GSX-mini more than the LP-mod but in the end I had to concede.

To be more specific, for pure enjoyment of sound, realism and emotion, the LP-mod was easily on top. To make an analogy... the mini is like eating a freshly made banana split; each of the ingredients is layered beautifully, the ice cream is firm, the whipped cream is fluffy giving smoke support to the crushed up nuts and jimmies! Such a wonderful, inviting dessert you cannot wait to grab a spoon and dive into. The LP-mod is that same banana split 5-minutes later when all the ingredients are melted and melding together into the sumptuous, melty, creamy, decadent soup of flavor. You can still pick out the components of the b.s., but they are all blended into a perfect cocktail of flavor! The mini is more like if you kept all those ingredients in their original forms... still delicious but not quite as satisfying.

Another thought i had was that the mini is like being on the mixing board at a concert while the LP-mod is like being centrally located on the floor in front of the band, jumping with the crowd. Think live 311/incubus/coldplay/Tori Amos/The Verve!

Listening to music was more engaging emotionally and actually created a physical sensation of joy. I’m trying to find reasons to keep the mini... it’s nicer looking, has better volume control and a gain switch! The LP is the kind of the hill currently in my home, where it’s going to stay.

Tidal>bifrost mb unison> amp > HD600


The build on Daft Punks contact is amazing through the LP-mod, euphoric even!

1 month old Satin red GSX -mini listed for sale and no longer feeling sad about it.

Wow! That speaks volumes, that you have your mini listed for sale! I know how famous that amp is.

PS. I have been to a 311 show, so know what you mean about the jumping up and down for 2 hours straight (the entire crowd).