Thanks, Joe! Glad you have found the time to make the HiFi mod and VTF tweak.
I guess now you see that I was not exaggerating.
It's been almost 2 years now, since I first posted the thread about this HiFi mod. Many people have done it, and all had the same impressions you did. Probably the most "bang for the buck" that you can get with a Rega or OL Silver tonearm.
Most of the users that have tried this have emailed me with flabbergasted and glowing comments about how much transformation is made to the sound.
I would caution, however, that this mod is tuned to perform with low compliance to medium compliance cartridges, and could cause lateral mass/resonance mismatch with Grado or other high compliance cartridges. It is a lateral mass increase, so it has an effect in that area, and is tuned for cartridges from 5cu - 15cu. Higher compliance cartridges have less/or no need for this mod, since their suspensions have less ability to move the standard mass of the arm laterally.
For those with any of the DL103 series, Shelter, Koetsu, Lyra, Benz, Dynavector, Clearaudio, Transfiguration, ZYX, etc, this mod is a big improvement for very low bucks.
Shelters especially, are very VTF sensitive, and dialing them in on-the-fly with Doug's VTF mod is very easy and provides excellent results. With the combo of both of these mods, it will sound like you have a new, very expensive tonearm. No exaggeration.
I guess now you see that I was not exaggerating.
It's been almost 2 years now, since I first posted the thread about this HiFi mod. Many people have done it, and all had the same impressions you did. Probably the most "bang for the buck" that you can get with a Rega or OL Silver tonearm.
Most of the users that have tried this have emailed me with flabbergasted and glowing comments about how much transformation is made to the sound.
I would caution, however, that this mod is tuned to perform with low compliance to medium compliance cartridges, and could cause lateral mass/resonance mismatch with Grado or other high compliance cartridges. It is a lateral mass increase, so it has an effect in that area, and is tuned for cartridges from 5cu - 15cu. Higher compliance cartridges have less/or no need for this mod, since their suspensions have less ability to move the standard mass of the arm laterally.
For those with any of the DL103 series, Shelter, Koetsu, Lyra, Benz, Dynavector, Clearaudio, Transfiguration, ZYX, etc, this mod is a big improvement for very low bucks.
Shelters especially, are very VTF sensitive, and dialing them in on-the-fly with Doug's VTF mod is very easy and provides excellent results. With the combo of both of these mods, it will sound like you have a new, very expensive tonearm. No exaggeration.