companies that modify equipment...opinions

I would respectfully disagree with Ptmconsulting. There is only one type of mod, and that is where the actual circuit paramaters are altered. Substituting a different quality part of the same value is referred to as an upgrade, not a mod. Although many of the modders take liberties by calling upgrades mods. Confusion in the service of marketing.

There is yet a third category of work, restorations. With a restoration NOS parts are used to replace worn or out-of-spec parts, the idea being not to make the piece sound better, but to return it to its original sound.

Nothing wrong with any of them in my book, the problem with all but restorations being that many products are voiced, and this will change the voicing of the product. You may like it better, and you may like it worse. Then there is always the value issue and some of these things are good value, and some not. Some will increase the value of a product, and some will decrease it. It's somewhat of a crap shoot.

Upgrade Company gives money back gaurantees so you may want to add to your list.

Okay guys, and gals, who in our audio world is paying automobile mechanics to modify their cars? Seems the world is now being flooded with people who have chip replacement or 'mods', not to mention all the hardware upgrades that can be done. Some of these 'mods' can turn your car into a death trap. Lesson: for audio and automobiles, skip the mods and enjoy life.

I have had several friends who have had well known modders modify equipment, and they had to take it to a friend/electronics engineer to fix, and he said the work inside was worse than what he was doing in grade school. A 1500.00 mod, on a preamp added SS parts to a tube preamp???? And a tube preamp modded had paint sprayed inside,and the sound was now more like a transistor preamp. The tube magic was gone. There is a reason I don't buy modded gear, the quality is all over the board. Some mods work, but which ones????? The workmanship I have seen thus far is a disgrace.
I did have a friend with a Sony SCD1 modded, and his turned out good. Not all mods are bad.
Upgrading binding posts, caps, etc. is not a real mod IMHO. It is part swapping or upgrading, the circuit stays the same. It is circuit mods that bother me. jallen

I don't understand the appeal of buying a square peg then attempting to fit it into a round hole.

Just buy the round peg to start with.

Personally, I stay away from third party mods. What happens when something breaks or has a problem? Do you send it to the original maker, the modder, or both to get things fixed the way you want? Who needs this potential additioal aggravation? OR am I missing something here?

If the original designer has something more to offer as a mod or upgrade, that is something I might consider.