Sa-5.1 upgrade

mep

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
9,481
17
0
My Counterpoint SA-5.1 is currently back with Mike Elliott to have the power supply rebuilt and some other upgrades done. I have already had the line stage and phono stage upgraded and all of the RCA jacks replaced. The original power supply caps are now over 20 years old and it is time for replacement. The power supply rebuild is quite extensive. I am also having the power transformer replaced with the Plitron toroidal transformer and the umbilical cord between the power supply and preamp replaced with a new one made from Cardas wire. The finishing touch is the volume pot is being replaced with a DACT volume pot.

Mike is backed up with work right now so I probably won't see my preamp back until late December or early January. Because I can't wait that long to hear music again, I bought an ARC LS-17 and ARC PH-3SE to tide me over. I have to say that I am very impressed with this duo and the Counterpoint SA-5.1 in tandem with the SA-2 will have its work cut out in order to beat the ARC combo. This is quite a different sound that I am used to and I am still trying to wrap my head around it. If I had to take a stab at it, I would say that I think the ARC pair is more neutral than the Counterpoint pair.
 

mep

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
9,481
17
0
Steve-if the ARC gear ends up beating out my Counterpoint, I won't shed any tears. I will sell the Counterpoint if it turns out to be not as good as the ARC gear. I just learned tonight when I checked the work queue at Alta Vista that Mike's tech died on Oct 9 while riding a bike with his daughter. They were hit by a car. The daughter is ok. Mike now has to send the gear to his former tech that lives in San Diego. It will probably be much later than January now before I see the 5.1 again. That's ok as it gives me plenty of time to form my opinions of the ARC gear which grows more positive every time I listen to it. The scary thing is the LS-17 is known as the baby REF 3. I have kept my mouth shut in public about the other preamp that I recently bought brand new from the manufacturer that never worked correctly even after it was sent back and returned to me as being "fixed." The ARC gear blows that away and the McIntosh C2300 that I owned. The only other ARC preamp that I ever owned was the SP-14 and I did not care for that piece at all. So far, I am very happy with the LS-17 and PH-3SE combo.
 

Gregadd

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
10,517
1,774
1,850
Metro DC
MEP I did love the SP-14 but mine was modified by Great Northern Sound.
 

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