Whats the deal with modified gear?

[tjohnston]

I've come across a few websites that offered gear modification service. I also found a few people that clamed to be able to turn cheap art preamps and compressors into amazing pieces of equipment. What really got my attention was the idea that the NTK could be modified and upgraded with a different tube. Anyone else come across this?

 

[manning1]

happens all the time

you can upgrade mixers with newop amps and transistors and capacitors and people are upgrading the under 100 dollar tube preamps with different tubes - yes. all the time. but its best if you dont know electronics to not work on anything with big voltages or over a few milliamps in current draw. get a qualified tech to do it for your own safety.

 

[Recording Engineer]

Yeah man. Jim Williams of Audio Upgrades in Van Nays, CA is great for such a thing!!!

Let me put it this way:

I bought a used Aphex 622 gate for pretty cheap and had it modded by Audio Upgrades. I now have the fastest and most unabtrusive gate I've ever used for a VERY nice price... About $200 less than a new Drawmer DS201.

One day I'll be sending most of my effects units to Audio Upgrades.

Heck, buy a used AKG 414 B/ULS on eBay and get the Audio Upgrades mod and all of a sudden, the not all that good 414 B/ULS becomes one of the best mics out there under $1k and your total is significantly lower than $1k!... Damn... Now I got myself drooling over one of these... Hmm... What mic(s) should I sell so I can grab on...

Anyway, hopefully, maybe, you get the picture.